Can Russell Wilson be fixed?
It’s one of the big questions surrounding the Denver Broncos’ key 2023 offseason, and it underscores every coach interview the team conducts. On December 27, Broncos GM George Paton professed his and the team’s belief that Wilson is “fixable”.
Not everyone is so convinced, however. And as the most coveted head coach candidates in the NFL’s 2023 hiring cycle ponder which opportunities to prioritize, some league circles are doubtful that one coach in particular would want to be involved with Wilson.
That would be former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Or at least that’s according to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler.
Sean Payton is a good match as he is the best coach available and Denver – which offers stable ownership and a roster with talent – is drawn to that. But some in the league are skeptical about whether Payton wants to tie his future to Russell Wilson, who struggled mightily in 2022, though improved later in the year. A massive six-year deal could assuage any worries if Payton wants to wait out Wilson and develop another quarterback eventually. The organization has shown little patience with head coaches, six of whom have been fired since 2009. John Fox was the only head coach to last more years and reach a Super Bowl. Payton may opt for more stable ground elsewhere.
What happens next for the Broncos? Don’t miss any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get the latest Broncos news in your inbox daily!
Whether or not Wilson is “washed out” is a nagging question for analysts and NFL executives. Let’s not forget, though; he finished his lackluster 2022 campaign strong, throwing for 505 passing yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions, in the two games after the Broncos sacked Nathaniel Hackett.
The implication is obvious: Hackett may not have been the only factor holding Wilson back but coach failed was accomplice in great shape. A coach as experienced as Payton would recognize this immediately.
Besides, money talks and you know what you’re talking about. If the Walton/Penner billionaire ownership group in Denver were intent on making Payton the highest-paid head coach in NFL history and giving him, as Fowler projects, a six-year contract, that would be a strong incentive to accumulate up your sleeves and dive in to find out if a 34-year-old quarterback who made nine Pro Bowls in his first 11 seasons is finished.
In his recruitment of Drew Brees — a quarterback most of the NFL saw as damaged goods in the 2006 free agent market — Payton was unwavering. Brees’ shoulder injury – suffered late in the 2005 season – was serious and career-threatening, but will Wilson’s bad year amid the manager’s palpable incompetence scare Payton?
It’s also worth noting that Wilson knows Payton. The veteran QB spoke about his experience being coached by Payton during the Pro Bowl on Sunday.
“I was close to Sean, obviously in the Pro Bowl,” Wilson said. “I’ve been with him all over the league and played against them a lot. He’s one of the best in the world, obviously, a guy who coached a Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees, who was one of my closest friends and the guy who met across the league and so many other great players. He’s competitive as can be, he’s a winner and he obviously won a Super Bowl, and then at the highest level, I was able to be around him in the Pro Bowl and just the magic that you would have in field was simply magnificent.”
No doubt the Wilson issue will be a hot topic of conversation in Broncos head coaching interviews, but I’m more inclined to see his resume, as tarnished as it was by his 2022 campaign, more as a pro than a stunt, in the grand scheme of things. I doubt Wilson would make Payton falter if all the other factors came into line, like his compensation package with the Broncos and the Saints agreeing to specific terms in a trade for his rights.
The same goes for Jim Harbaugh, who is reportedly at the top of the Broncos coaching list after interviewing with the club for more than two hours on Monday night. It was a virtual interview, and what came out of it was that Harbaugh now tops the Walton/Penner group’s wish list.
Denver can’t meet with Payton for an in-person interview until Jan. 17, so Wilson’s question, among others, likely won’t be answered for some time yet. For now, I would caution the Country Broncos from falling prey to Wilson’s radioactive tropes in NFL media.
Follow Mile High Huddle on twitter and Facebook.
Join the Mile High Huddle on Youtube for daily Broncos live stream podcasts!
.
Comments
Post a Comment