The slow summer march to football is even slower for the Denver Broncos. Fans have suffered plenty of disappointment over the last several seasons. While Sean Payton brings a glimmer of hope to a franchise slaughtered by hope in the recent past, it’s hard to get too excited about a team the has been so disappointing for so long.
That doesn’t mean hope is bad. To steal from Ted Lasso a little bit, it’s not the hope that kills you, but it is the hope that causes the most pain. And so hope may spring eternal, but skepticism is a natural state of mind. That being said, the questions that swirl around the team heading into training camp aren’t exactly mysteries.
First of all, the biggest question mark for Denver remains the Russell Wilson. The quarterback position has been scary since the departure of Peyton Manning. Now, Sean Payton brings a new style to the Broncos. Can Russell Wilson adapt his game, and benefit from the new head coach’s system, or will the team be looking for something new moving forward.
Speculation runs rampant at times, but a couple things stand out about Wilson right now. Ian pointed out on Odds and Endzones that he looks more fit this season. He was looking a little thicker in the build up to the 2022 season. Most of the images of Wilson show a guy who has trimmed down a little heading into the new season.
Wilson’s fitness is important, but the most important aspect of training camp will be his ability to adjust to Payton’s offense. A quick way to adjust will be to build rapport with the wide receivers.
It may be obvious that the WR connection is important, but it’s worth noting. Jerry Jeudy showed some flashes at the end of 2022 and likely comes into the season as the number one receiver. Courtland Sutton is primed for a comeback season. Tim Patrick could be the most important of the three. His return will help make Wilson’s life a lot easier.
After that, there will be some battling for positions. Marvin Mims, Jr., the rookie, will make the team. The Broncos traded up to draft him. Payton brought in a couple of former New Orleans Saints in Marquez Calloway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who should push to make the team. Kendall Hinton remains a fan favorite, but will have to impress to stick around.
The player who likely finds himself on the outside looking in is KJ Hamler. Unfortunately for him, the NFL has been a tough place to play. He has been injury prone, and if he can’t stay on the field he will probably find himself on the chopping block.
Those are just a few questions that will need answering. There are plenty of questions for the rest of the team. Defensive line is an area that has to be addressed. Vance Joseph’s defense will have one of the best secondary's in the league, and the DL will need to step up to match it.
Kicker? I guess we wait.
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