Longtime Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has flown south for a new team after getting traded to the Denver Bronco in the off-season. Not only did he get traded, but he will soon get a giant extension too. Days before free agency began, the Broncos sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, QB Drew Lock, DT Shelby Harris, and TE Noah Fant in exchange for Wilson and a fourth-round pick. It was a huge haul, yet; I feel like it still isn’t enough. It’s not often that you can trade for a Hall of Fame QB though the Broncos are proving it’s possible. They did it with Peyton Manning, and now again.
2021 Season in Review
Wilson had a rough season in his final year in Seattle, despite making the Pro Bowl. I’m sure you remember that gnarly finger injury he suffered against the Rams on Thursday Night Football. That caused him to miss three weeks of the season. Wilson rushed back and was clearly never the same QB as he was prior to the injury. Due to that, the offensive line collapse, and shoddy defense, the Seahawks didn’t come close to making the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
As evidence of his rough play, Wilson completed an abnormally low 64.8% of his passes en route to 3,113 yards and 25 TDs to 6 INTs. His QBR (QB Rating) was a career-worst 54.7. He endured 33 sacks as well. I don’t know how he made the Pro Bowl. It was a tough season for his Seahawks to end with. Wilson rushed for a career-low of 183 yards and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. He did get two TDs but fumbled six times.
2022 Season Projections
In a new system with the Broncos, expect Wilson to have some growing pains but to have a great year. In first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett’s system, the team will seek to replicate the West Coast Offense from the Packers along with those of prior Bronco head coaches Mike Shanahan and Gary Kubiak.
This means a lot of outside zone rushes, passing, play-action, and pre-snap-motion. There will also be plenty of deep throws, which is Wilson’s specialty. He has the best talent on offense around him in potentially his career. Wilson has two terrific wide receivers in Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy. He has two more strong WR3s in Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler. Add in rising TE Albert O, rookie TE Greg Dulcich, and Wilson has so many options to throw to. Oh. I forgot to add two RB1s in Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III. As I said, this offense is stacked.
As you can see above, Wilson should be in store for a great season. His hand should be all healed up now. He and the Broncos are ready to end their playoff drought and push for the Super Bowl. They’ll have to score a ton to get out of the loaded AFC West, which only helps Wilson in fantasy. I have him averaging 23.6 points per game in a Superflex 6pt TD scoring league.
Buy/Sell Russ in Dynasty?
If you have Wilson, you know that his price has risen significantly after the Broncos trade. People, including myself, could see Wilson’s career going downward, stuck in a stagnant offense that had no offensive line and clung to rushing the ball too much. In Denver, he can return to what he did best earlier in his career with a far-better offensive line.
Wilson is about to be 34, so if I am rebuilding, I will sell him. He will score too much for your team to allow you to rebuild properly. If you could trade him for two firsts or a first and a couple of early-mid seconds, I’d do it. Those picks will help you more than a guy stalling your rebuild. If I am contending, I easily pay a first and second for Wilson. I want QBs that will finish as QB1s on my contending roster. You’re pushing all-in, so you might as well get a QB that can help you win. While Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson might have more long-term value, they shouldn’t be starting on a win-now team. Go get a QB that can win you a championship right now.
Summary
Wilson is set to take off in the mile-high air of Denver in his first season with the Broncos. It was an expensive price, but the Broncos have a ready-to-win roster right now. They will provide a ton of support for Wilson in terms of passing, pass protection, and defense. No longer will it solely be on Wilson to win games for his team. With a renewed focus on the passing game, expect a return to form for Wilson. I see a QB1-tier finish in his future this season. If you’re rebuilding, look to trade him. If you want to win this year, you could do far worse than getting Wilson on your team. Mr. Unlimited is ready to prove how Unlimited he can be in Denver this season.
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As always, May the Force be with You…
