Our 2022 NFL Preview heads up to the Rocky Mountains, where the Broncos hope to have finally found the remedy for what has ailed them for the past six years: a great Quarterback. Denver traded a small fortune for (Pro-Bowler) Russell Wilson with designs on competing within a hellacious AFC West and snapping their current postseason drought. Will the former Super Bowl-winner write a new championship-worthy chapter of his career in Mile High? Will (Head Coach) Nathaniel Hackett indeed let him cook in his first year in a new system? Will the Defense remain solid after the upheaval of the Coaching Staff? Let’s find out, shall we?
Cooking in the Rockies
In an unprecedented offseason full of Quarterback movement across the NFL, arguably the most notable change was that of Russell Wilson (pictured) moving on from Seattle and landing in Denver. This trade was significant for a variety of reasons, folks. First and foremost, it ended a ten-year run in the Pacific Northwest for Wilson, who earned a stellar 104-53-1 record as the starter and nine Pro-Bowl nods, while leading the Seahawks to eight playoff appearances, two of which ended in the Super Bowl, enjoying a Lombardi triumph in 2013. However, rumors of his discontent with the franchise prevailed in recent years, finally culminating in this trade with the Broncos, who gave up quite the haul for his services; (General Manager) George Paton parted ways with a pair of first and second round picks in both 2022 and 2023 along with a fifth in last April’s NFL Draft. From Denver’s perspective, they’ve taken residence in football purgatory since Peyton Manning retired after bringing the franchise it’s third Lombardi Trophy; a 39-48 record since 2015, their ineptitude can be chalked up to a completely uninspiring lineup of passers, including Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, and most recently Teddy Bridgewater. In a Quarterback-driven league, having a good one means you can be competitive, and having a great one translates to championship contention, while everything else leads to mediocrity. Paton and Hackett are banking on Wilson elevating what on paper is a talented supporting cast; there is plenty of potential in the Receiving Corps with the likes of (Wideouts) Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Jerry Jeudy alongside (Tight End) Noah Fant, while (Tailback) Javonte Williams was a pleasant surprise as a rookie with 903 yards and four touchdowns. Granted, the Offensive Line has a few question marks at both Guard spots and Right Tackle, but Wilson has proven adept at making plays behind porous protection for years in Seattle. The question though is this: while he’s certainly an upgrade over those that preceded him, is the presence of the 33-year-old enough to vault the Broncos out of last place towards the summit of the competitive AFC West? There is one man in particular, who may hold the key to answering that question…
Hackett the Best You Can
Apart from two seasons with Gary Kubiak at the helm, the Broncos have largely skewed towards the defensive side of the football over the past decade in terms of their Head Coach, but after three uninspiring campaigns led by Vic Fangio, the franchise opted to finally pivot and pursue a bright offensive mind. Paton’s search ended with Nathaniel Hackett (pictured), who brings his wealth of experience to Mile High; despite being relatively young (42), he has quite the pedigree as a second-generation coach, with his father, Paul, enjoying a lengthy career as an offensive playcaller in both the NFL and college. Furthermore, the younger Hackett had spent the last three seasons as the Packers’ Offensive Coordinator, and though he didn’t call plays, he has received plenty of acclaim for his work with (perennial All-Pro Quarterback) Aaron Rodgers, who has claimed each of the last two MVP awards. Now, he’ll be looking to unlock the potential of an Offense that despite stalling in recent years, has plenty of talent within its ranks, with the incoming Wilson intended to be the catalyst. Since 2015, the Broncos have ranked no higher than twenty-second in scoring and no better than seventeenth in total offense, finishing twenty-third (19.7) and nineteenth (345.9) in those respective categories in 2021. Expect Hackett to utilize his new Quarterback, who frequently lamented his former coaching staff’s reluctance to “let him cook”, in a number of creative ways in an attempt to get his playmakers the football in open space, where they have proven they make things happen. After all, the issue has long been the lack of someone to consistently get the rock to them, and at least for now, that shouldn’t be an issue. Look for Wilson to stretch the field with vertical throws, which is something that was rarely seen with Bridgewater under Center, which should open things up underneath for the running game, including Wilson who has long been a threat to move the chains with his legs. And thus, the pressure falls upon the shoulders of Hackett to make it all work, but at least he has plenty of toys to play with.
A Sigh of Relief
For the past seven years, the Broncos have been synonymous with great defensive play, with this particular side of the football carrying them through this disappointing last half-decade. When they emerged triumphant in Super Bowl 50, it was on the strength of the nastiest Defense in the NFL, and by and large that identity has continued to thrive. The question now is if that will continue to be the case after all of the changes made in the offseason, with the additions of Hackett and Wilson shifting the dynamic in the process? Say what you will about Denver’s overall issues under the aforementioned Fangio, but he is undoubtedly one of the sharpest defensive tacticians in the league today, with his troops having ranked third in points allowed (18.9) and eighth in total defense (326.1) last year, not to mention third in the red zone (48.8%), all the while with (stud Edge) Bradley Chubb (pictured) relegated to just seven games due to injury and (longtime defensive leader) Von Miller traded away to the Rams in mid-October. And speaking of the reigning Super Bowl Champions, (Defensive Coordinator) Ejiro Evero comes over from the City of Angels to run the Defense, where we can expect some tweaks to the system, but not many, for after all, the 41-year-old served under Fangio in San Francisco from 2011 to 2015. At first glance, there is plenty for Ejiro to work with in this proverbial sandbox, with the return of Chubb coupled with the presence of (Pro-Bowl Safety) Justin Simmons and (impressive Sophomore Cornerback) Patrick Surtain II ensuring that there is a wealth of playmakers at his disposal. It will also be interesting to see how incoming free agent, Randy Gregory, will perform after a rollercoaster of a tenure with the Cowboys; due to injuries and suspensions, the gifted pass-rusher has never participated in a full season and has yet to total over six sacks in any single campaign, but there is a sense that he could flourish within the right system. If that doesn’t come to pass, Paton pounced on what was considered one of the bigger steals from the Draft, adding Nik Bonitto in the second round. Again, the cupboard is full on both sides of the football in Denver.
Projected Finish: 10-7
After suffering five consecutive losing campaigns, the Broncos have become a very trendy pick to reverse their fortunes and make the sizable leap towards playoff contention. Yes, Hackett has the potential to be a home run hire, while Wilson represents a substantial upgrade at Quarterback, and with a Defense that still sports a number of playmakers, this is a team that could very well go from worst to first within their division. However, the AFC West and the conference at large are LOADED, which should prevent Denver from reaching its true potential in the first year of the Hackett/Wilson partnership, but ending that postseason drought looks probable.
