Denver Broncos new head coach Sean Payton already has a plan for franchise quarterback Russell Wilson, who struggled mightily during his first season in Denver following a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.
During his introductory press conference Payton said that Wilson’s quarterback coach won’t be in the facility.
“I’m not too familiar with that,” Payton said when asked about Wilson having his personal quarterback coach Jake Heaps in the building the past season, according to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “That’s foreign to me — that’s not going to take place. I’m unfamiliar with it. Our staff will be here, our players will be here and that will be it.”
While Wilson struggled this past season, disappointing many Broncos fans who had high hopes following his acquisition, Payton pointed to Wilson’s six touchdowns over the final two games as a glimmer of hope.
“[The] last couple weeks [of the season] we saw a little more of what we were expecting, what we’d become accustomed to,” Payton said. “… No. 1 job for us as coaches in evaluating players is what are the things that they do well and then let’s try to put them in those positions. … Highlight their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.”
Now, Payton gets to work on turning around a Broncos teams that fell far below expectations in 2022.
“You have law and order, as Bill [Parcells] would say,” Payton said. “… You come in with this is how we’re going to teach, this is how we’re going to meet, this is how we’re going to practice. … Every year in our league there have been great plans with noble thoughts and a lot of enthusiasm that don’t have success. … Discipline, toughness, and football makeup is going to be real important for who is a Denver Bronco. There is an element of discipline, there is an element of toughness and, look, it’s not for everyone.”
