“It has to be Russell Wilson” - NFL analyst names Broncos new quarterback most impactful offseason move
The news of Russell Wilson's trade to the Denver Broncos knocked the NFL zeitgeist on its heels. It was the first massive trade of the offseason and reminded the NFL world that anything could change at the drop of a hat.
Since then, of course, Deshaun Watson, Matt Ryan, and others have found new homes. But one NFL analyst ignored the rest and called the Russell Wilson move the most impactful of the entire offseason.
Speaking on Speak for Yourself, NFL analyst T.J. Houshmandzadeh called the trade for the former Seahawks quarterback a "no-brainer."
Here's how he put it:
“It has to be Russell Wilson... has to be—no question. And the reason I say this is very simple. The Cleveland Browns had a pretty good season with Baker Mayfield as a quarterback, not last year. The Cleveland Browns are pretty good."
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He continued, saying the Broncos are essentially in the bottom tier in terms of playoff appearances:
"And you look at the Denver Broncos last playoff appearance, [you] do recall when that was the second longest drought in the National Football League behind the New York Jets."
.@DangeRussWilson: “You've got to set the tone every day. There is no other option. If you want to win, you want to win it all, you want to be the best in the world as a team and everything else, there is no other option. …” https://t.co/clp1aQiCN3
He went on, saying the Browns are starting higher, so there's not as far to go:
"The Cleveland Browns was just in a playoff two years ago, the Cleveland Browns have a really good team that Deshaun Watson should help, but they're not starting where the Denver Broncos are starting from, to me it's a no brainer."
Before wrapping up, he put the pressure on Wilson to prove him right:
"Russell Wilson, going to the Denver Broncos is by far and away the biggest offseason move. All you need [to do is] go out there and play and validate what I'm saying right now.”
Russell Wilson in recent years
Until 2021, the quarterback had never had a losing season in terms of games he started in. According to Pro Football Reference, even as recent as 2020, the quarterback boasted a 12-4 record. From 2017 to 2020, he even stacked one additional regular-season win year over year.
In 2017, he went 9-7. In 2018, he went 10-6. In 2019, he went 11-5, and in 2020, he went 12-4. Of course, the steady climb imploded in 2021, when he went 6-8 in 14 starts. He still performed admirably in the eyes of many, throwing for 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. Of the 14 starts, a sizable chunk saw him battling a thumb injury.
Will the quarterback serve as the final piece for a team that hasn't been to the playoffs since before mainstream virtual reality?