In an effort to have a bounce back 2023 season, Russell Wilson has addressed a lingering injury that has impacted him for the past several seasons. Earlier this offseason, the Broncos' quarterback had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, according to NFL Media. Wilson has already begun working out post-surgery and should be fine for the start of OTAs later this spring.
Wilson's first season in Denver couldn't have gone any worse. A nine-time Pro Bowler in Seattle, Wilson was just 4-11 as the Broncos' starting quarterback last season. He struggled with his accuracy, made questionable decisions in the pocket and finished the season with just 16 touchdown passes. Reports also surfaced during the season regarding Wilson's standing within the Broncos' locker room.
While Wilson is back, the Broncos have changed several of the things around him going into the 2023 season. The team has hired former Saints Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton, who enjoyed considerable success in New Orleans alongside future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. Earlier this month, the team released veteran offensive guard Graham Glasgow while signing former Bengals running back Samaje Perine.
There have been reports that the Broncos are shopping wideouts Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. None of those players, however, have been dealt at the time of this writing.
While the 2022 season was a forgettable one for Wilson, Payton painted a positive picture when asked about his new quarterback during his introductory press conference as Broncos coach.
"I do feel like the last couple of weeks we saw a little bit more of what we were expecting and accustomed to," Payton said of Wilson's 2022 season, via The Athletic. "I think the No. 1 job for us as coaches is evaluating our players. What are the things they do really well? Let's try to put them in those positions. That's the starting point. … Here's what I know: He's an extremely hard worker. That's important. You take that, you understand the skill set … and then you go from there."
