Broncos QB Russell Wilson needs help from supporting cast to succeed in 2023

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Nearly three hours before game time, a slimmed down Russell Wilson cycled through his usual pregame warmup throws in preparation for his first game under Sean Payton, the head coach he always wanted to play for. 

And while Wilson looked and moved more like the nine-time Pro Bowler he developed into with the Seattle Seahawks, the 34-year-old signal-caller and Denver’s offense had an uneven performance in a last-second 18-17 loss to the Cardinals on Friday.

“Regardless of whether it’s a preseason game or a regular season game, I just can’t stand losing,” Payton said afterward. “Especially in that fashion.” 

The Broncos remain a work in progress up front. Because of their protection issues, Wilson, playing in the preseason for the first time since 2019, struggled early. Overall, he was sacked once and hit five times. He had the highest quarterback pressure rate (64%) of any quarterback in preseason play with a minimum of five passing attempts. 

Garett Bolles, the QB’s blindside protector, said it best after his team’s first preseason game under Payton.

“I’ve got to be better,” Bolles said. “It starts with me. I’m the oldest guy on the offensive line. I’ve got to get everyone going, stay composed and do the things I need to do so everyone can feel that confidence level. And we’ve got to build off what we started.” 

Bolles played for the first time since suffering a season-ending broken leg last October. And Denver’s front five did not include high-dollar free agent right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who was out due to a knee sprain. 

Wilson finished 0-for-2 on Denver’s opening drive. He threw behind tight end Adam Trautman on an out route off a play-action pass on first down and had a ball knocked down at the line of scrimmage on third down by Arizona edge rusher L.J. Collier.

On the second and third drives, Wilson moved the Broncos into scoring position, but kicker Brett Maher pushed a 47-yard field goal wide right, and Elliott Fry hooked a 50-yarder wide left. 

Payton said he kept the starters in for one last drive to see if they could get some points on the board.

“Shoot, I wanted to score and leave with a good taste in our mouths,” Payton quipped when asked about Wilson and the starters playing well into the second quarter. 

The Broncos finally got it going midway through the second quarter against Arizona’s second-team defense. On third-and-4 from Arizona’s 21-yard line, receiver Jerry Jeudy dropped a pass that could have put him in the end zone — one of two drops during Wilson’s time on the field. 

Wilson was visibly frustrated afterward.

“That’s just a concentration thing, making sure I catch the ball first then run,” Jeudy said. “I just seen a lot of open space, so I was trying to make a move already.” 

The Broncos went for it on fourth down. And Jeudy redeemed himself when Wilson found him over the middle on an all-out blitz by Arizona for a 21-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 6:54 left in the first half. 

Wilson fist-pumped toward Payton and the Denver sideline after the score. In 20 total plays, Wilson finished 7 of 13 (53.8%) for 93 yards and the Jeudy touchdown, with no interceptions. He posted a 102.4 passer rating.   

“He was sharp,” Payton said about Wilson’s performance. “He’s had a good week of practice, and we’ll keep working.” 

Wilson is under enormous pressure after last season’s embarrassing start to his tenure with the Broncos. And Payton turned it up a notch with his comments to USA Today last week, placing most of the blame for Denver’s failures last season at the feet of fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett.  

Wilson is working to rebound from his worst season as a pro, as the Broncos finished a disappointing 5-12 in 2022. He notched season lows in completion percentage (60.5), passing touchdowns (16) and passer rating (84.4) last season and was sacked a career-high 55 times.

The Broncos finished last in the NFL in points scored a game (16.9) and third-down conversions (29.1%). They gave up a league-leading 63 sacks and averaged just 114 rushing yards a contest last season, No. 21 in the NFL.

Physically, Wilson looks like his old self, but he must get back to playing more consistently. He can no longer carry an offense like he did in the past. He needs better pass protection, a solid running game and for Denver’s playmakers to consistently create plays on the perimeter for Payton’s offense to be successful.

Saturday’s preseason game was a step in the right direction, as Wilson looked composed and for the most part confident in running Payton’s offense. However, the Broncos still have a lot of work to do if they’re going to contend with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. 

“What we were able to accomplish in terms of getting out there and executing efficiently and communicating,” Wilson said. “I thought the communication was really good, guys were really sharp and on it, firing off the ball. So there were good things.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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