After resetting the franchise in 2022, the Denver Broncos have made 2023 … another reset year. The franchise jettisoned Nathaniel Hackett before the end of his debut season as head coach, eventually tabbing the Super Bowl-winning Sean Payton as his replacement. The transition to Payton sets the scene for everything the Broncos have done this offseason and what they’ll do in the near future.
With Payton now at the helm, Denver can more properly evaluate what they do (or don’t) have at the quarterback position.
Broncos starting quarterback: Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson’s situation and stature seemed markedly different at this time last year. After arriving in Denver as part of a massive trade, he signed a similarly large multiyear extension with his new team. Those decisions seemingly entrenched Wilson as the franchise quarterback for years to come.
However, Wilson performed disastrously in 2022, a major piece of the Broncos’ thinking when they fired Hackett in late December. They picked Payton as the successor in large part because of what he could do to restabilize the offense and get the best out of Wilson moving forward.
Given Wilson’s age and recent physical decline, his ceiling has probably lowered considerably since his peak years with the Seattle Seahawks. Still, Wilson can almost certainly play at a higher level than he showed in 2022.
Who is Russell Wilson’s backup on the Broncos’ QB depth chart?
The Broncos invested some meaningful resources in their backup quarterback this offseason, adding Jarrett Stidham on a multiyear deal. While Stidham presumably won’t compete for the starting job during training camp and the preseason, he could realistically see the field during the regular season should Wilson continue to underperform.
From the perspective of the skill-position players in Denver, Stidham’s presence probably removes the worst-case scenario even if he doesn’t provide much more than high-end backup play. Mostly, the Broncos signed Stidham in case Wilson’s regression proves permanent.
