NFL Rumors: Russell Wilson’s stance invites scepticism despite Sean Payton’s hire

The Denver Broncos scored big when they acquired Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday (January 31).

New Orleans received a 2023 first-round pick (No. 29 overall) and a 2024 second-round selection from Denver in exchange for Payton and a 2024 third-rounder.

Many thought the hire was good for the Broncos, who had a down-season going 5-12 last year while acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson.

However, Wilson is reportedly skeptical of the hiring, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe.

Via Jeff Howe from The Athletic:

"There’s skepticism Wilson can be salvaged by new Broncos head coach Sean Payton. According to multiple league officials, in recent years with the Seahawks and Broncos, Wilson wanted too much say in the offense, preferring a pocket-passing scheme similar to Tom Brady’s and Aaron Rodgers’ rather than one that highlighted his mobility.

"Though it’s perfectly normal for a starting quarterback to have some say in the scheme, Wilson’s contentions raised red flags, officials said. His greatest quality is his deep ball, and Wilson wanted to push the ball downfield too frequently, particularly on early downs when short passes underneath the coverage can be viewed as a more valuable play, complementary to the running game."

Howe added that Wilson has to be more open to a run-heavy offense with more conservative plays that don't allow him to throw downfield on earlier downs.

"If Wilson wants to get back on track, the belief is that he’ll need to be open to a run-heavy offense with read-option traits and taking what the defense gives him, according to those who have studied him from near and afar. It’s not an unrealistic adjustment, but Wilson will have to break a trend to get there," Howe added.

---

Sean Payton is excited to coach and work with Russell Wilson at Denver Broncos

Sean Payton Indianapolis Colts v New Orleans Saints

Following being hired by the Broncos, Payton spoke to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune and said that he is looking forward to working with Russell Wilson.

Payton said:

"Russell is a hard worker and has played at a high level and won a lot of games in this league. The pressure is on us to put a good run game together and reduce the degree of difficulty on his position. I'm excited about him."

Payton will look to turn around a Denver Broncos team that underperformed last season. They went 5-12 last season and fired head coach Nathanile Hackett after a 4-11 start.

Denver had the last-ranked scoring offense of 2022 (16.9 PPG), while Wilson posted career lows in completion percentage (60.5), TD-INT ratio (16-11) and passer rating (84.4)

Both Sean Payton and Rusell Wilson are Super Bowl winners and could turn the team around if they cooperate with one another.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Athletic, Jeff Howe, and H/T Sportskeeda