Why Russell Wilson, Not Aaron Rodgers, Should Be the Broncos’ Focus This NFL Offseason
The Denver Broncos fired Vic Fangio and are bringing in another head coach. Fangio’s tenure with the Broncos didn’t go very well, especially with him playing quarterback hot potato year after year.
The list of failed Broncos quarterbacks is long, and the Aaron Rodgers rumors circulated over the summer with the Green Bay Packers star unsure of his desire to remain in Wisconsin.
But perhaps the Broncos should ditch the Rodgers pipeline dream and shift their focus to Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.
The Aaron Rodgers rumors might be all for nothing after the year the Packers have had
All offseason long, the Rodgers rumors swirled. Nobody knew whether or not he would return to Green Bay and the Broncos repeatedly popped up as a potential landing spot for #12. Ultimately, he returned and engineered another masterful season.
The Packers have the top seed in the NFC, Rodgers is a candidate for the NFL MVP award, and he seems pretty content in Green Bay after the mess that went down the last offseason.
It sure looks like Rodgers is content in Green Bay, especially if they can bring home a Super Bowl ring. While the Rodgers-to-Denver dreams might be popping up still, the more success the Packers have during the playoffs, the less likely it is that Rodgers will leave Green bay.
The Broncos should pivot and make a run at Russell Wilson
There should be interest here whether or not the Broncos hire Dan Quinn as their next head coach.
The Wilson-Quinn connection is evident from the Seattle days, but Denver needs to try to trade for Wilson regardless.
The Seahawks look more and more inclined to get rid of Wilson this offseason and begin a rebuild. A report in December from Jordan Schultz listed the Broncos as one of the teams Wilson would waive his no-trade clause for.
The others were the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants, although the Broncos make the most sense here for a myriad of reasons.
As much as Wilson denies him wanting out in Seattle, deep down, he has to think long and hard about his future, especially if the Seahawks part ways with Pete Carroll and start from scratch.
If so, the Broncos need to be on the phone immediately and make an offer for Wilson.
Furthermore, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic mentioned that the Broncos could be active on the trade market this offseason, especially for an All-Pro talent.
“The Broncos have the draft capital and salary-cap space necessary to acquire an elite quarterback and fit his contract into the team’s financial picture. If an All-Pro talent is available, Denver will be interested. That much is a near certainty.”
Nick Kosmider of The Athletic
Well, Wilson might be available after all.
The Broncos would immediately become Super Bowl contenders with Russell Wilson throwing passes
Yes, the Fangio era did not go well. What’s worse is the recent history of quarterbacks in Denver, and the Teddy Bridgewater experiment didn’t work out.
Denver can grab a QB in the 2022 NFL Draft, although none of them are expected to be of the same caliber as any of the 2021 top guys.
But Wilson needs to be a priority for the Broncos, especially with the chances of getting Rodgers fizzling quickly. The defense in Denver is stellar, and the organization committed a ton of money to Tim Patrick and Courtland Sutton to give the next QB a flurry of pass-catchers — much like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did to land Tom Brady.
Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon formed a formidable 1-2 punch at running back, although Gordon is set to hit free agency. Jerry Jeudy just needs a capable QB throwing him balls, and Noah Fant has emerged as one of the most underrated tight ends in the NFL.
The weapons are there on offense, and the defense flexed its muscles time and time again this season. All that’s missing is a QB and a capable head coach.
Think about this: The Broncos finished 7-10 this year with Fangio and with Drew Lock and Bridgewater under center. What would the record have been with Wilson under center?
After years of being in quarterback purgatory, adding somebody like Wilson would be a sight for sore eyes for Denver and the fan base. Sure, Rodgers was always the dream, but Wilson isn’t a bad consolation prize at all.
It might be a better option. Wilson is younger, more mobile, far less drama in the media circles, and he also has a Super Bowl ring.
The Broncos need to make this happen before somebody else picks up the phone to acquire the Seahawks signal-caller.
