Russell Wilson was an unmitigated disaster with the Broncos. Denver paid a steep price for Wilson -- several first-round draft picks -- and failed miserably with the Super Bowl champion at the helm. Even last season -- after hiring head coach Sean Payton -- Wilson left a lot to be desired on the field.
Russ improved quite a bit in 2023-24, seemingly figuring out exactly what he can be at his advanced age. Wilson has aged quicker than most, and rarely escapes the pocket these days. The traits which made Wilson a top-tier quarterback in the NFL are either gone, or haven't been explored by the player himself in the last half-decade.
Wilson was a dual-threat quarterback at his best, but wanted to be viewed as a passer. He fooled the Broncos, but after signing for the minimum in Pittsburgh, must return to his old ways to be a success in the Steel City.
So, did the Broncos win out by paying Wilson's contract for the next year and drafting Bo Nix? Well, it depends who you ask.
"Denver bit the bullet in cutting ties with the underperforming Russell Wilson and then tried to make the most of things by securing a first-round rookie quarterback on a cost-controlled salary with a fifth-year option. The Broncos made other solid moves this offseason, but the best was simply moving on from Wilson," Trevor Sikkema of PFF wrote.
The Steelers essentially got Wilson for free thanks to the Broncos, and they reached for a quarterback many thought was destined for the late-first or early-second round.
I'd love to be wrong about Nix, but he struggled at Auburn and only showcased his skill-set in a pass-heavy offense in Eugene, Oregon. Something has to give, and Nix still has a lot to prove. Selecting him at No. 12 overall is a risk I personally wouldn't take, though Payton sounds willing to bet his reputation as a QB whisperer on it. Payton was (apparently) all-in on Nix from the jump, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
"Enough people, by then, had connected the dots to where Denver had to be careful. Which is one reason why the Broncos stayed where they were at 12, resisting a trade back, and had mild concern that the Raiders could leapfrog them. Once Penix went at No. 8, that killed any idea of a trade down, since it took that option off the table for a Vegas group that had been linked to the Washington QB. Denver was locked in, fingers crossed that nothing would change," Breer wrote in early May.
I want to believe in Nix, just like any other young quarterback. Still, it's quite the narrative to insist that getting rid of one quarterback (who the Broncos are still paying the max to) in favor of a rookie was a good move. Denver is in for a long rebuild, whether they're ready for it or not.
