The pressure is on Russell Wilson and Vance Joseph in 2023

Jun 19, 2023, 8:34 AM | Updated: Jun 20, 2023, 6:51 am

Denver Sports Analyst

It feels like Denver is on top of the sports world. The Denver Nuggets are celebrating a championship, and they are set up to get more rings in the future. The Colorado Avalanche should be back in the hunt for a championship after winning it all in 2022. The Denver Broncos have wrapped up mandatory minicamp, and now they take a break for about a month before the start of training camp.

I like taking a bit of a break before training camp. This is my last time for the year to get out and about – so that’s what I’m going to do!

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep Wrangler TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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All on Russ

Everyone asks me what the Broncos are going to do this year. Are they going to finally get back in the playoffs? Will this season be a rough year like the last six seasons? My answer is always the same; it depends on what Sean Payton can get out of Russell Wilson.

Last year was a down year for Wilson. Outside of the final few games of the 2022 season, mainly after former head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired, Wilson struggled to impress in his first year with the Broncos. Hackett is gone, and I think we’ll see Payton get the best out of Wilson. The question remains; what is the best Wilson can be at this point in his career?

Wilson is in much better shape this offseason, and I believe he’s completely bought into what Payton is teaching at Centura Health Training Center. Yes, Wilson got to do what he wanted to last season under Hackett, but that didn’t work at all. Instead, the Broncos had a frankenstein offense that failed to move the ball regularly. The Payton system will be strict in what Wilson does, and I feel he will follow the playbook to the letter – without being robotic.

All my life. #RestorationSzn pic.twitter.com/Skd53J8UyE

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) June 17, 2023

I think Russ can be good again – very good in fact – under Payton’s guidance. He won’t freestyle this year because he can trust Payton’s plan. Instead, Wilson will stay with the play until/unless things break down and then his natural improvisational skills can take over. I don’t think Wilson fills the air with football in 2023, but instead he will be efficient and effective as the starter – much like Jameis Winston was for Payton’s New Orleans Saints offense in 2021.

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Pressure on VJ

Fair or not, there’s going to be a lot of pressure on defensive coordinator Vance Joseph this season. Everybody knows the Broncos’ defense was the best part of the team last year. In fact, the Broncos had a very good defense that played great at times. If the defense takes a step back this year, many will blame Joseph.

Last week, Joseph was in front of the media at a press conference after one of the mandatory minicamp practices. He seemed different that he was when he was a head coach with the Broncos. Joseph seemed calmer about things, he was more succinct with his insights, and he was somewhat guarded in his answers. He sounded like a seasoned head coach, and I imagine if the Broncos defense excels, we could see Joseph get another chance to be a head coach somewhere in the league.

Joseph is going to have to be aggressive. The team added veteran edge Frank Clark, and Randy Gregory is a star when he’s healthy, but the Broncos do have questions when it comes to guys who get after the passer. In order to overcome injuries or a lack of depth in the pass-rushing department, Joseph is going to have to send pressure with corners, safeties, and inside linebackers. He said last week that he would take what the team did well last year and try to build on that. I’d like Broncos fans to be patient when it comes to seeing how Joseph’s defense comes together.

“This is a great place with a great fan base. We have a home here still. For me, it was home.”

DC Vance Joseph details return to Broncos, plan for Denver’s defense » https://t.co/DiWM7GJVym pic.twitter.com/mAAYnXzCwU

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 15, 2023

The offense is going to be better this year. That’s going to put opponents in a position they didn’t have to be against the 2022 Broncos – they’re going to have to score more points. That’s going to make for more aggressive game plans against the Broncos. There’s a chance Joseph’s defense could give up more points this year because the offense puts more pressure on opponents to do so.

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Tight End By Committee

Payton’s offense is going to feature the tight end. In fact, this system should feature multiple tight ends as blockers and receivers. Greg Dulcich gets the most attention from Broncos fans, and for good reason. The second-year tight end flashed as a rookie in a bad offense. He wasn’t healthy for a full season, but there were times when Dulcich looked like a dangerous receiving weapon.

A few weeks ago, the hype for Dulcich went out of control when Payton said he’s “beginning to see a vision” for Dulcich. Much of that hype was around the fact that Payton would use Dulcich as a “joker” in his offense, and previous jokers like Alvin Kamara or Jimmy Graham put up monster numbers under Payton. However, not many realized other jokers for the Saints included players like Ty Montgomery and Adam Trautman. With Trautman here as well, I imagined Payton – like he did with the Saints – would have more than one joker.

That was essentially confirmed by Dulcich’s comments to wrap up mandatory minicamp. He talked about how many of the tight ends on the roster could make plays when he was asked about playing the joker role. Trautman and Dulcich are two jokers, and I imagine Albert Okwuegbunam could be a joker if he makes the 53-man roster. I imagine the Broncos will keep four tight ends and a fullback this year. That is going to cramp other positions like running back and wide receiver when determining how many players are going to make the final roster.

#Broncos TE Greg Dulcich, his hamstring injuries in the past, talks health and his potential role in coach Sean Payton offense #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/eVxu0Ttbx9

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) June 15, 2023

If Dulcich stays healthy, the chance is there for him to produce as the leading receiver at the tight end position. However, he’s not the only joker and Trautman will push him for the most snaps and targets this season.

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Moving on Up

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not what it used to be. Ever since the two movies, “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” the MCU has not been as popular – and many would say the movies have not been as good. Many of the movies are fun, in my opinion, but I’m a lifelong comic book fan and am going to support most any comic book movie that hits theaters. Most movie fans are suffering what many call “superhero fatigue.”

Can Deadpool save the MCU? I think so, and that’s likely one of the reasons why Marvel has moved up the upcoming movie “Deadpool 3” seven months. Originally set to release in November of 2024, Marvel moved up “Deadpool 3” to May 4, 2024. In addition to moving Deadpool’s next movie up, Marvel moved other movies like “Avengers: Kang Dynasty” back by a year or more.

So, why are they shuffling the lineup? I think it’s because of the fatigue I mentioned earlier. Fans don’t necessarily want to see more from characters that aren’t as popular. Antman, She-Hulk, Dr. Stange, and others with recent movies and Disney+ shows are fine characters, but fans are not warming up to them. Everyone loves Ryan Reynolds starring as Deadpool. I know a bit about the plot of “Deadpool 3” and let me just say it should be a wild – and bloody – ride through the multiverse. If the MCU wants to get back on top, what’s better than featuring everyone’s favorite merc with a mouth?