The Broncos would be wise to enter the Russell Wilson sweepstakes
Feb 25, 2021, 10:03 AM | Updated: 12:40 pm
The AFC West is already loaded with very good quarterbacks. The Chiefs are atop the division, thanks in large part to Patrick Mahomes, their MVP-caliber signal caller. And the Chargers look like a team on the rise, mostly because of the strong year Justin Herbert posted as a rookie.
This is part of the reason why the Broncos have been compelled to look into an upgrade. Whether it’s Matthew Stafford or Deshaun Watson, part of the attraction of a QB other than Drew Lock is an attempt to keep up with the Joneses.
Well, that feeling of may get dialed up a few notches. According to reports, there’s a chance that the AFC West could become even more quarterback loaded.
Russell Wilson’s frustration has led his camp to broach trade destinations with the Seahawks, sources tell The Athletic.
Teams include:
￭ Dolphins
￭ Jets
￭ Saints
￭ Raiders pic.twitter.com/OeTpu2KWYv— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 25, 2021
That’s a troubling thought. Mahomes, Herbert and Wilson. Yikes. That’s some serious competition, making for six automatically difficult games each year.
The Broncos could hope that it doesn’t happen. Perhaps Wilson and the Seahawks mend fences. Maybe he gets sent to the Jets, Saints or Dolphins. But both of those are passive solutions, sitting back and letting the chips fall.
Denver could also take the aggressive approach. George Paton could get in the mix, talking to Wilson’s people and selling him on the orange and blue.
Clearly, Miami and New Orleans are currently better than the Broncos. The Saints made the playoffs and have a ton of offensive talent, headlined by Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. And the Dolphins won 10 games, despite playing a rookie quarterback for more than half of the season, because of a strong defense.
But the Jets aren’t any better than Denver. The franchise is in the midst of a 10-year playoff drought, a stretch that has included multiple head coaches and a ton of different players. There’s simply no track record for success in New York.
That’s not the case with the Broncos. Yes, the franchise hasn’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50. But they’re also one of the most successful teams in the history of the franchise. They’ve appeared in eight Super Bowls, largely due to a pair of Hall of Fame quarterbacks who have donned the uniform – John Elway and Peyton Manning.
Wilson could add him name to that this, becoming the next great QB to call Denver home. And he’d have a lot to work with, as the Broncos have added a lot of offensive talent in recent years. Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, K.J. Hamler and Noah Fant are some great targets, while Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay are both capable of posting 1,000-yard seasons.
There are reasons why the quarterback should be interested in Denver. And there certainly are reasons why the Broncos should be making calls about Wilson.
He’s won a Super Bowl and led the Seahawks to another title game. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the most-dynamic dual-threat QBs in the league.
Plus, he won’t be as costly to acquire as Watson. Wilson turns 33 in November, so there’s less of a future with the quarterback. That’ll bring the asking price down from multiple first- and second-round picks, as many as six total, to probably half of that total.
That’s a move that would make all kinds of sense for the Broncos. Not only would it solve the quarterback issue they’ve had since Peyton Manning retired, but it would prevent another team in the division from adding a top-flight quarterback.
UPDATE:
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Russell Wilson has told the Seahawks he wants to play in Seattle but, if a trade were considered, the only teams he would go to are the Cowboys, Saints, Raiders and Bears, his agent Mark Rodgers told ESPN.
