Broncos: 3 Reasons Denver Will Return To Playoffs In 2023
By Hunter Haas
No. 1: Sean Payton Is A Coaching Savant
First up, the team replaced Hackett with future Hall of Famer, Sean Payton. It cost them the first-round pick acquired via the Bradley Chubb trade with Miami, but given how much the front office committed to Wilson, another first-rounder is well worth it if Payton can resuscitate the star quarterback.
Payton made a name for himself by elevating the lowly Saints to a bonafide Super Bowl contender year in and year out, including the title he won with Drew Brees in 2009. Name-dropping Brees was a calculated decision, because Wilson shares a lot of the same traits.
Payton has never finished with less than seven wins in a year, with 11 of his 15 seasons resulting in a .500 or better record. He has full control over the situation in Denver; it is up to the 59-year-old head coach to shift the narrative on the Russell Wilson trade.