The Denver Broncos certainly didn’t envision a 5-12 season when they traded for new franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. But that’s exactly what they got in 2022, as Wilson looked like the worst starting quarterback in the league for large swaths of play.
Righting Wilson’s play will be the first task for first-year Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who is hoping to bring his championship ways from the New Orleans Saints.
While there’s still a long way until the bright lights of the regular season, Wilson is drawing rave reviews from at least one member of Broncos media.
Cecil Lammey of denversports.com predicts that Wilson will heavily target No. 1 wide receiver Jerry Jeudy underneath opposing defenses.
“Wilson is going to be tasked with working the underneath routes. That’s what WR Jerry Jeudy does best, and Wilson’s favorite target early on seems to be Jeudy. I think he’s going to be heavily involved with this team as their No. 1 receiver,” Lammey wrote. “Jeudy on short routes can set him up for run-after-the-catch production, and it brings defenses closer to the line and sets them up for a deep shot or two (at the right time).”
Throwing the ball vertically is also something that Wilson is showcasing in camp.
“This is something that didn’t happen last year. Wilson didn’t test [All-Pro cornerback Pat] Surtain much in practice last year, and when he did there was no success,” Lammey wrote. “Not a little – it was none. Wilson went after Surtain only a couple of times, but that play from [wide receiver Courtland] Sutton highlighted how he’s trusting the system and running the plays as designed.”
If Wilson can regain the form he showed with the Seattle Seahawks, the Broncos will almost certainly perform better than last season.
