Russell Wilson has rave reviews for his new offensive teammates
Mar 16, 2022, 3:38 PM
When Vic Fangio was hired to be the Broncos head coach in 2019, he infamously stated that he didn’t watch any of team’s film from 2018 because he wanted to view his players through a fresh lens. It’s safe to say that Russell Wilson has a different philosophy.
The new starting quarterback in Denver has already watched all of last season’s games, including the preseason, in an effort to learn as much as he can about his new team. It was one of the first things he did after learning that the trade had been finalized.
“I watched the film on the flight here,” he said, referencing his first trip to Denver, when he was essentially deciding if he wanted to become a Bronco. “I was watching film on vacation. I’ve watched all 17 games two or three times now.”
Wilson believes this is a vital part of his process in helping the Broncos become a winning organization. He wants to find out the strengths and weaknesses of his new teammates, so he can be a part of helping them grow.
“I wanted to watch the full games because the full games tell you everything,” the QB explained. “They tell you the situational football. What went right. What went wrong.”
He believes it the difference between W’s and L’s. It’s that razor-thin line that determines the outcome.
“When you’re on the verge of winning, like this football team has been, there are game-altering plays, GAP plays,” Wilson continued. “There are three or four players a game, maybe just one or two, that change a game. The situational awareness of that was a big part of it for me, to figure out what have been the strengths and what are the areas for improvement.”
It was evident that Wilson wasn’t paying lip service to the process. He rattled off specific examples from last season about many of his new teammates.
“To see Tim Patrick attack the football against the Cowboys, to see Courtland Sutton dive for the go ball against the Steelers, to watch (K.J.) Hamler track down balls in the preseason game, it’s been cool to watch,” Wilson explained, with a smile on his face. “And (Albert Okwuegbunam) ‘A.O.’ can make guys miss and do some special things; he’s pretty shifty.”
The quarterback also likes what he sees in two of the Broncos youngest offensive players. He sees big things for a wideout and a running back.
“I think (Jerry Jeudy) is a star. He can get open, kill guys at the line. He can go snag the ball, like he did against the Jets,” the QB added. “And to watch the running back (Javonte Williams) not get tackled. It’s always good when the running back can’t be tackled, right?”
Perhaps most importantly, Wilson likes what he sees in the trenches. He believes the Broncos offensive line can protect him and help jumpstart a Broncos offense that has been fledgling for more than half of a decade.
“I like watching the guys upfront and how they battle,” Wilson continued. “(Garett) Bolles is one of the best pass protectors in the game. (Dalton) Risner brings great energy, as he’s pancaking guys out there. (Lloyd Cushenberry) ‘Cush’ is as smart as can be, I can already tell on film by how he’s directing everybody. (Quinn Meinerz) ‘Q’ was just crushing the Cowboys, while Javonte’s taking off. I’m excited.”
One thing was crystal clear during Wilson’s introductory press conference. The quarterback is a student of the game. He takes his job seriously. And that begins with studying everything possible.
That started the day he found out he was becoming a Bronco. And it no doubt will continue.
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