Sean Payton vs Jim Harbaugh appears to be Broncos’ direction, but what does each HC bring to Russell Wilson’s table?
The Denver Broncos brought in Nathaniel Hackett and Russell Wilson last offseason to try and return to prominence. They've struggled without a dependable quarterback since Peyton Manning retired in 2016 and Denver thought they finally had the pieces to make a Super Bowl run.
That turned out to be incredibly far from the truth and they have already fired Hackett without a full season under his belt. Due to the unfortunate decision to extend Wilson before he took a snap, they're probably unable to move on from him.
That's why they must ace this next head coaching hire. Wilson is 34 and if he has any good football left in him, the Broncos cannot afford to wait another year.
Reports suggest they're looking at two big-name options. Instead of hiring a top assistant like last time, they're evidently looking at former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton or University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
These are proven NFL head coaches, but what can they do for Wilson, who desperately needs help?
What Sean Payton can do for Russell Wilson
Sean Payton was one of the best coaches in the NFL for a long time. The only reason he's without a job right now is because he retired. If he hadn't, he'd still be coaching the Saints and they probably would have won the dreadful NFC South.
Payton alone would help Russell Wilson. It's clear now that he needs a good coach like he had with Pete Carroll on the Seattle Seahawks. Payton is probably better, if you compare the two.
Payton also has a lot of experience with Drew Brees, who was notably not very tall. Shorter quarterbacks can have unique challenges, and Brees was just an inch taller than Wilson. Payton knows how to work an offense around and form a gameplan for such quarterbacks. Perhaps that is exactly what the Broncos quarterback needs.
What Jim Harbaugh can do for Russell Wilson
Jim Harbaugh was also a good head coach, taking his team to a Super Bowl. He left the NFL for Michigan, where he's done a good job and regularly had his team in the College Football playoffs.
Once again, he's probably one of the most established coaches available. That is, if he decides to leave college. He coached Colin Kaepernick, who was more mobile than Wilson ever really was, but they do fit into the same sort of vein of quarterbacks.
Harbaugh is also a bit of an offensive-minded head coach who can probably get whatever is left out of Russell Wilson. As to whether he would leave the Michigan Wolverines is a separate matter, as Harbaugh seems content to stay with the program.