NFL insider believes Russell Wilson is past his prime, urges QB to lose 10 lbs
Russell Wilson has been one of the main storylines across the entire NFL over the last year. He was shockingly traded prior to the start of the 2022 NFL season, leaving the Seattle Seahawks for the first time in his decade-long career.
The Denver Broncos sent a massive package of NFL Draft picks and players to acquire him and followed it up by rewarding him with a huge contract extension.
In his first season with his new team, Russell Wilson was expected to elevate the Broncos to become Super Bowl contenders, which is why they gave him such a big contract, but things didn’t work out at all as planned.
Wilson had one of the worst statistical years of his entire career, while the Broncos finished with an extremely disappointing 5-12 record.
Many factors may have played into Wilson's struggles this year, including joining a new team for the first time and playing with an inexperienced head coach in Nathaniel Hackett.
NFL Insider Mike Sando of "The Athletic" believes it's for a different reason. He stated in a recent article that he believes the veteran quarterback may be past his physical prime and needs to get in better shape.
"Russell Wilson should lose 10 pounds and regain the quickness that he once had." - The Athletic @SandoNFL opinionated.
Adds: "I think we've seen the best of him. I don't think he's going to be elite like he was, but I do think he'll definitely be better than last year." https://t.co/Qu67GHlCJz
Sando believes that if Russell Wilson were to lose about ten pounds, he could regain the quickness and mobility that he used as such a weapon with the Seahawks.
He pointed out that while he thinks the best version of Wilson is now a thing of the past, he also has a great opportunity to bounce back during the 2023 NFL season with new circumstances.
Can Russell Wilson recover from his disastrous 2022 NFL season with the Denver Broncos?
Russell Wilson couldn't have been much worse during the 2022 NFL season, especially compared to his usual production. He set new career-lows in several passing categories, including touchdowns, passer ratings, and completion percentage. He also threw the second-most interceptions during any season of his career, while posting his worst-ever regular season record.
The good news for Wilson is that he will be playing in a brand new offensive system in the 2023 NFL season. This also creates a favorable situation for him as he'll be playing under one of the greatest offensive minds in the entire NFL.
The Broncos recently hired Sean Payton to take over as their new head coach, replacing Nathaniel Hackett.
Payton brings a proven history of winning and creating highly productive offensive systems. He helped Drew Brees record the second-most passing yards in NFL history during his time with the New Orleans Saints.
The duo regularly appeared in the NFL Playoffs and even won a Super Bowl ring together. Payton will look to replicate that success with Wilson.
Sean Payton appeared to have several options on the table when choosing which team he would be the next head coach of. The fact that he chose the Broncos likely means he believes in Russell Wilson.
It's hard to imagine him going if he doesn't. If Wilson has another run left in him and he's not just washed up at this point, he's in an ideal situation to prove it in the 2023 NFL season.