The Denver Broncos Super Bowl odds plummeted to +2500 after Aaron Rodgers announced his return to Green Bay. It didn’t last long as a trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson rose their odds to +1200.
Teams in the NFL are attempting to replicate the same blueprint as last year’s Los Angeles Rams. However, nobody has witnessed if it can be sustainable long-term. Why bank on something with such a small sample size? Here’s why fans shouldn’t be ready to push their chips all-in.
Pump The Brakes On A Broncos Super Bowl Run
Significant Offensive Line Issues
They say that defense wins championships. However, for a Denver Super Bowl, they need to bolster the offensive line. Denver has used 25 different starting offensive lines since 2018. Pro Football Focus ranked them in the bottom half of the league in their final 2021 NFL offensive line rankings. Not good enough. Wilson will be entering an eerily similar situation that he was in with the Seahawks, where he was sacked 427 times during his 10-year career.
The right tackle position is the biggest hole to fill. Bobby Massie held the fort last year, however, he is entering free agency at 32 years old and is responsible for five sacks allowed despite only playing 13 games this season. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many better options available unless they can find a diamond in the rough with one of their day two picks in the draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs wiped the slate clean with their offensive line. They added five new starters and found success, but were they just an outlier? There are numerous teams this offseason who also plan to upgrade their offensive line including the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Giants. The Chiefs didn’t have much competition last year. Will that make the difference?
Unproven Coach And Receivers
Let’s be honest, Denver irrationally hired coach Nathaniel Hackett in hopes that he could persuade Rodgers out of Green Bay. Now they have no choice but to look at plan B. He was previously an offensive coordinator for the Bills and Jaguars before eventually finding success when paired with the Packers.
During his time with the Jaguars, Hackett was responsible for his team being 25th and 31st in total points in 2016 and 2018 respectively. His offense also ranked toward the bottom in major statistical categories during his two years with the Bills. It’s not unreasonable to say that we need more on his resume before making such large assumptions.
Courtland Sutton struggled to find his footing after returning from a significant ACL injury. Jerry Jeudy struggled to stay healthy and noticeably regressed when he returned. Tim Patrick appears to be the one consistent bright spot on this team over the last two seasons.
Wilson goes from a team who ranked last in total drops with nine to the Broncos who have sixteen. A seven drop difference can be significant especially when competition increases, which it will.
Competitive Conference
Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow are surging. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes continue to make jaw-dropping plays. Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield are playing with desperation in hopes of a new contract. Zach Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, and Mac Jones all look to take a sophomore leap. The AFC is no joke.
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This is nothing new to Russell Wilson who has played in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, the NFC West. However, it is new to his teammates and coach Hackett. It’s been six years since Denver’s last playoff appearance. Four of the six teams who missed the postseason last year went on to lose in the playoffs this season. While they could follow a similar trajectory as the Bengals, the odds just aren’t in their favor.
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