Newly appointed Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has already put his foot down to some of the 2022 shenanigans the team engaged in.
Specifically, quarterback Russell Wilson’s personal staff who had offices in the building but were not affiliated with the team, will not be in the picture in 2023.
Payton attempted to be as diplomatic as possible when answering the question about the future of Wilson’s staff.
What Payton Said
Sean Payton asked about Russell Wilson having personal coaches/staff in the Broncos building.
“Yeah, that’s foreign to me. That’s not gonna happen here.” pic.twitter.com/pQFPibq6cy
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 6, 2023
He referenced “our staff” as being in the building which means the Broncos staff he appoints.
Payton Must Think Russ Is Not Done Despite An Awful 2022
Wilson had a horrible season; there is no way to sugarcoat it.
He threw a career-low 16 touchdown passes in 15 games.
Wilson had 11 interceptions and was sacked a career-high 55 times.
He was the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL in 2022.
Wilson will turn 35 during the 2023 season.
The Broncos went all-in to get him from Seattle, and he signed a 5 year $245 million dollar contract prior to the 2022 season.
Payton had other coaching opportunities and chose to become Denver’s 20th coach in franchise history.
This implies he thinks Wilson had an off year, and the Broncos offense can be fixed with Wilson at the helm.
The Only Place To Go Is Up
The Broncos were 5-12 in 2022; they finished in last place in the AFC West.
In only one game during the season, Week 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Broncos scored more than 30 points.
Their average points scored during the season was a meager 15.94.
Payton is a reputable offensive mind so the expectations are high that he will turn the ship around quickly.
Wilson Is Reportedly “Ecstatic” About Payton’s Hiring
Wilson is a former Super Bowl Champion, Pro Bowler, and Walter Payton Man of the Year.
He did not come to Denver to lose.
So it is not surprising that he is reportedly “ecstatic” that the Broncos have hired Payton to replace fired coach Nathaniel Hackett.
Sources have told me repeatedly that Wilson is “ecstatic” with hiring of Payton. I believe Payton will put in my position to rebound. #Denver7 #Broncos https://t.co/mk0Fg7fqJt
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) February 3, 2023
With minimal draft picks because of the Wilson trade, Payton has his work cut out for him so it will be interesting to watch how he reshapes this team during the 2023 offseason.
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