Funviralpark “Does Sean want to work with a quarterback?” the source asked rhetorically, referring to Denver star Russell Wilson. “I don’t know if he wants to go there and spend all his time correcting other people’s mistakes.”
Four months ago, letting Wilson get in the way of a head coach’s job would have been questionable at best.but he errorIt would have been truly unfathomable.? But that’s the main challenge for the Broncos and their new owners. Not only do they have to find the ideal head coach that the 2022 version of Wilson believes is fixable, they have to market that same candidate by doing the heavy lifting necessary to make it happen.
It was already taking shape late Monday when I spoke with two potential head coach candidates expected to field calls in the next cycle. increase. Both said the question about Wilson would be near the top, if not the top, of their concern list.
“I think the first thing is what was going on during this whole process,” said one of the coaches. “Start with what happened with Russ. [and Hackett] Please let me know what you didn’t get there. … If the tape gives you a convincing and honest answer, you can start working on resetting it. But if there’s some kind of explanation that doesn’t match what you’re seeing, I think that’s a big red flag. there is no. ”
This is a real concern for coaching candidates looking to Denver. It’s clear that some potential candidates have questions about what Wilson is at the moment. Some of it undoubtedly comes from the Seattle Seahawks, steadily leaking suggestions that Wilson went freelancing later in his career than anyone outside the franchise. While it was always clear and intended to absolve head coach Pete Carroll of responsibility for what happened to Wilson in Seattle’s offensive scheme, we knew about his downfall in Denver- I support the suggestion that this will happen.
Ruling out the hurt feelings, the scoring, and the truth inside so many bad movies in 2022 will definitely be part of the process for the Broncos nominees. Here’s the best reading I can glean about Denver job concerns.
What is Russell Wilson’s real identity?
First and foremost, there is a chasm between what Wilson looks like in 2022 and what he looks like in Seattle.Even in his worst moments with the Seahawks — and there weren’t many — he wasn’t this.
According to some sources who have seen his film, Wilson’s highlights showed no significant physical problems. And while he’s not an athlete early in his career, that doesn’t mean he’s become a steadfast liability.
These assessments suggest that something is going on with Wilson more mentally than physically. either rejected the Maybe it was some of both. That could lean to hearing that Wilson was expected to freelance in Seattle all at once and stick to what was planned when he changed teams. Add a learning curve in terms of skill and reliability, and it can result in multiple bad things colliding at the same time.
Denver’s advantage here is that Wilson didn’t have a complete deck this season.Injuries plagued the offensive line and also affected players in skill positions. Hard enough when coaches are learning each other on the fly. This talent he works with two men is always in flux and gets exponentially worse if he is not active at peak level.
Even then, no answer has yet been provided as to what Wilson is at this stage. And that’s a huge hurdle for incoming candidates who see Wilson as the central cog that makes it all work.
No record of ownership
For younger candidates who aren’t around the block, this may not be a major stumbling block. Dan Quinn has experience working with Wilson when he was in Seattle.The Broncos loved Quinn a year ago, and that probably hasn’t changed. But now that ownership has changed, that could be an issue.
This much is clear: Peyton is big on rolling the dice across the Russell Wilson project if he thinks he has to look back over his shoulder in Denver and explain himself to the various voices of the Walton-Penner ownership group. It won’t be..that’s a general curiosity about the Broncos from people in the NFL watching from the outside.CEO Greg Penner appears to be running the show, and general manager George Payton is his Top Guy, but the next head coach will also report directly to Penner.
This sets up two silos within your organization from the start. Penner/Coach silo, and George Patton/Penner silo. That’s already complicated, before considering co-owner Rob Walton has also had a strong voice within the organization since purchasing the team. Yes, but with considerable input from Rob and Carrie Walton, Patton and Condoleezza Rice. It’s more like a hall meeting approach. And veteran candidates are left wondering what that means when it comes to how the team works.
This is important for Peyton. It could be a problem for Quinn, who witnessed the malfunction of Arthur Blank in hands-on in Atlanta and Paul Allen in hands-off in Seattle. And if that search eventually extends to someone like Frank Reich, he’s out of a complete circus of ownership decisions in Indianapolis, many of which seem to have been bad.
It might not matter if the right head coach is young and hasn’t experienced this kind of fight. But it’s definitely on the minds of some veterans.
Relationship with George Peyton
As for Paton, he has a good reputation even among people who are not related to him.
In a league that is basically a large sewing circle where everyone hides a knife behind their back, Paton is hardly anyone to fall for. known for speaking outspokenly. He may be a rage among Denver’s fanbase right now, but much of his reputation remains intact.
He has a “but” attached. As in, “But his two biggest decisions give reason for a pause.”
This is a fair assessment that coaching candidates should chew on, especially if they have the impression that Paton would be a work partner. And that seems to be the case. But he has two lines on his resume that lead to conversation. First, he chose Hackett, which was the wrong choice. Despite being a very good person to connect with players, there is plenty of evidence that Hackett was overwhelmed with his responsibilities while having to find a rhythm with the new quarterback. It was a mistake, whether or not I let it.
Another big decision, of course, was to trade Wilson to pair with Hackett, but this wasn’t exactly what Payton envisioned. Wilson and Hackett’s partnership was not restorable, but Wilson’s future may be. It’s an unfinished story, and the most important development for Paton is the next development, who will ultimately be paired with Wilson next.
Being here right now is really the whole deal for Paton and the Broncos. Get the head coach hiring right, and get that head coach right for Russell Wilson. That’s everything. If Peyton and the Broncos pull it off and live up to the gargantuan expectations of 2022, this tumultuous season will be remembered as a shockingly turbulent time that everyone will gladly leave behind them. .
Not all mistakes have to be permanent or conclusive. Some may be chalked up to the learning process and overwritten over time. . Russell Wilson’s future could go either way. That’s why he appears first in the minds of every candidate who receives a call in the coming weeks.
