Russell Wilson’s top priority? Keeping the Broncos out of last place

By Martin Rogers
FOX Sports activities Columnist

It’s harmful enterprise to make statements of absolute certainty greater than a month out from the beginning of the NFL season, however right here is one for you.

Somebody goes to complete final within the AFC West. Yep, I actually caught my neck on the market, didn’t I?

Making an attempt to determine who the underside feeder goes to be, nevertheless, is just not such a easy process.

Russell Wilson’s main process in his new gig with Denver Broncos? Ensuring it’s not him.

There will likely be different targets, naturally, as there ought to be. However high of the checklist ought to be extra about getting away from “worst” somewhat than attending to “first.”

Russell Wilson reveals as much as Broncos coaching camp in personal jersey | THE HERD

Russell Wilson bought soccer followers’ attentions when he was noticed strolling his personal jersey to the Denver Broncos’ coaching camp.

On one hand, Wilson’s job is laden with problem, not least as a result of a combo of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders pits the Broncos within the greatest flex-fest division recognized to soccer.

To compound that, the impending purchase of the franchise by the Walton-Penner family means expectations will likely be elevated, and orange-clad followers – burned so badly by Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks in a frosty New York Tremendous Bowl eight years in the past – are thirsting that their one-time tormentor is the perfect option to reward them brighter days.

On the identical time, the problem degree of Denver’s particular spot is misplaced on nobody. It will take a harsh critic to explain Wilson’s remit as Tremendous Bowl-or-bust, or something remotely near it. 

FOX Bet has Denver odds to take the AFC West listed at +275 — the third-best odds to win the division. Kansas Metropolis at +170 is favored to win the AFC West.

So who can the Broncos clamber above to maneuver away from the foot of the division? The Chargers, primed with ever-improving younger quarterback Justin Herbert about to enter his third 12 months and coming off a marketing campaign the place the crew was a Brandon Staley mind fart away from making the postseason?

The Raiders, with Davante Adams and his whopping contract solely the tip of an incoming crop to assist new head coach Josh McDaniels simply win, child?

What about – snort – Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs, AFC Championship members for the previous 4 seasons and house owners of a 13-game win streak towards the Broncos? Didn’t assume so.

Hardly ever have hope and pessimism swirled along with such a cushty mix as with these Broncos. Final season ended with a 7-10 file and final place within the division. Clearly, the squad appears to be like higher now. Denver hasn’t had a QB of such pedigree since Peyton Manning.

Getting Wilson underneath middle is manifestly an improve over the previous few seasons of Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Lock, Joe Flacco, Case Keenum and Trevor Siemian. The Broncos’ final Tremendous Bowl, seven years again, got here on the again of defensive dominance and far will likely be anticipated from that unit once more.

After which there may be the implied energy of constructive vibes. It is somewhat secure to imagine Wilson accepted this process believing he could make massive issues occur.

“Standing on the nook within the league’s hardest neighborhood, the Broncos whistle a cheerful tune within the lengthy shadow of their latest failures, sure that in the event that they hop on the bandwagon pushed by Wilson, all people will likely be a cheerful camper, rolling down the street to the Tremendous Bowl,” veteran columnist Mark Kiszla, wrote in The Denver Put up.

Absolutely nobody is swilling the Kool-Help to fairly that diploma, however the feelings of a soccer fan have at all times been a fickle instrument.

A reminder is due, then, that nothing is received at the moment of 12 months. The sight of Wilson striding into camp sporting a throwback model of his personal jersey elicited some smiles. He’s additionally been placing himself about on the Denver social scene, firmly embracing the position of group figurehead as he did in Seattle. It’s the type of factor to make a fan really feel good. By way of Xs and Os, it’s a small-scale intangible, at finest.

You possibly can confidently predict that the Broncos will likely be a extra competent soccer outfit this 12 months. However enchancment doesn’t robotically imply adequate to lastly get one over on the Chiefs, constant sufficient to shrug off the Raiders or dynamic sufficient to punch by the Chargers. In fact, there may be massive discuss – multiple Denver participant brazenly dreamed of parades by the Mile Excessive streets. That’s a worthy aim, however an outrageously lofty one.

“We had the massive commerce,” basic supervisor George Paton advised reporters. “It was game-changing. We all know what sort of participant Russell is. It doesn’t do us any good to speak about it. We have now to do it. However we’re fired up inside this constructing, inside these partitions.”

It has been an extended and infuriating ready recreation for the Broncos. That Tremendous Bowl 50 triumph was additionally the final time the crew made the playoffs. Within the intervening interval, the Chiefs have emerged as a preeminent drive in soccer, the Raiders moved to Sin Metropolis and bought severe, the Chargers left San Diego and located themselves a stud QB.

Wilson is and ought to be on the hook for arresting the stoop and overseeing some real enchancment. As for something extra, these aspirations are finest stored within the class of “welcome bonus.”

The Broncos are swimming with sharks and the quick precedence is to not get eaten up. Both by their circling opponents — or their very own expectations.

Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports activities and the creator of the FOX Sports activities Insider e-newsletter. You can subscribe to the each day e-newsletter right here.

Get extra from Nationwide Soccer League Comply with your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra.