No one really projected the Denver Broncos' 2022 season to go as badly as it did. The team had just hired an offensive-minded head coach in Nathaniel Hackett, and spent big to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks via a trade. But everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong for the Broncos. And here we are a year later with Hackett fired, and Wilson already on a short leash in only his second season with the Broncos.
With how bad their 2022 season went, it will be pretty difficult to do worse in 2023. The Broncos are heading into the season with their heads held high, and are hungry to get the franchise back to their winning ways.
Sean Payton will help Russell Wilson significantly
During the offseason, the Broncos lured veteran head coach Sean Payton out of retirement. The team needed a complete revamp, and while it's only been a few months, Payton's impact is already evident. Some of what he changed early directly involved things Wilson was allowed to do under the previous coaching regime. Payton said Wilson would no longer be able to bring his private coaches into the facility, and he would also not be able to have his own office at team headquarters. Honestly, why was a quarterback even allowed to have their own office? Regardless, Wilson will now have the same amenities as every other player on the roster, and won't get any more special treatment.
Sean Payton asked about Russell Wilson having personal coaches/staff in the Broncos building.
“Yeah, that’s foreign to me. That’s not gonna happen here.” pic.twitter.com/pQFPibq6cy
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 6, 2023
Hackett's offense was about as inept as they come. It didn't play to Wilson's strengths and weaknesses. In the few drives Wilson played in during the preseason in Payton's offense, Broncos fans actually got a taste of what a competent offense looked like. Hopefully, it is a sign of positive things to come, and coach Payton will be able to bring out a bit of vintage Wilson.
The offensive line will continue to struggle
I have honestly lost count of how many consecutive seasons the Broncos offensive line has struggled. Regarding last season, Wilson found himself thrown to the turf a lot. In fact, Wilson was tied with Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears for being sacked the most (a whopping 55 times.) Wilson simply had no time to throw on a majority of his drives. The offensive line also struggled with penalties, which really killed drives.
During the offseason, the Broncos addressed their offensive line in free agency with big name free agent signings of Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. So far, the signings seem a bit concerning as Powers struggled mightily in the preseason, and McGlinchey suffered an injury that kept him from playing.
Garett Bolles missed the majority of the 2022 season with a broken leg. During his tenure in Denver, he has really lacked consistency, and is often one of the most critiqued members of the offensive line by Broncos fans. The left tackle is arguably the most important position on the offensive line, and Bolles really needs to step up in 2023.
If the Broncos struggle with injuries again, the offensive line could find itself being constantly reshuffled like it was last season. The more it is reshuffled, the less the unit can really gel.
How well the offensive line plays will really dictate how productive the offense can be as a whole.
The Broncos will finish second in the AFC West
We're going bold here, right?
The Broncos have found themselves in the basement of the AFC West practically since the retirement of Peyton Manning. The Kansas City Chiefs currently have a firm hold on first place in the AFC West. Barring any drastic events or injuries to their star players, they'll likely end up in first place at the end of the season.
The Los Angeles Chargers are the kings of blowing opportunities and looking great on paper. How Brandon Staley kept his job during the offseason is beyond me, but his seat is scorching hot heading into the 2023 season. With how little success the Chargers have had during Staley's tenure, I doubt we will see drastic improvement or changes this season. I could see them ending up third in the division.
The Las Vegas Raiders have too many unknowns, as well as Josh McDaniels as a head coach, to say they'll succeed. Plus, they moved on from Derek Carr, who has been one of the few bright spots for their franchise in recent years. I just can't see McDaniels leading the Raiders to first or second in the AFC West.
The Broncos need to get some division-rival wins under their belt in 2023. They currently have consecutive losses that have spanned multiple seasons against both the Raiders and Chiefs. Those streaks will finally come to an end in 2023. If the Broncos manage a winning record plus get some division wins, second in the AFC West shouldn't be too difficult of a task.
The Broncos prove they have the best RB room in the league
The Broncos could have the makings of what could be a three-headed monster. Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, and Jaleel McLaughlin make up the Broncos running back room. McLaughlin is an undrafted free-agent rookie gem found by the Broncos. He had a monster preseason and rightfully earned a spot on the final roster. Perine is a recent free agent signing, and he is a powerful runner who hasn't fumbled since his rookie season. Williams is in his third season with the Broncos, and is one of the most underrated and talented running backs in the league.
McLaughlin brings the shiftiness, and Williams and Perine bring the power. With three incredibly talented running backs, this could give the Broncos the opportunity to literally run down opposing defenses. It also gives them the chance to rely more on the run game, and not necessarily as much on Wilson's arm.
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