The Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals square off in the desert on Friday night as the two teams kick off the 2023 NFL preseason. With Cardinals QB Kyler Murray still working his way back from injury, not to mention him being vocal about his displeasure with preseason football, we won’t see the Arizona signal-caller on the field tonight.
There are several storylines leading up to the game, but whether Russell Wilson starts and, if so, how the Broncos offense looks under new head coach Sean Payton tops the list. Here’s everything we know about Wilson potentially starting Week 1 of the NFL preseason.
Is Russell Wilson Playing in the Broncos’ First Preseason Game?
The Broncos have announced that Wilson will start on Friday against the Cardinals.
This past offseason, Denver made headlines when they acquired Payton from the New Orleans Saints. It’s not every day we see a team trade for an NFL head coach, but the Broncos believe Payton is the right man for the job and didn’t mind forking over the draft compensation to acquire him.
Denver’s offense is bringing back familiar faces, but they should take the preseason seriously and develop rapport. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has been oft-injured, but a healthy season for the top pass catcher in this offense will go a long way.
Speaking of injuries, Courtland Sutton returned from a knee injury in 2022 but never seemed quite like himself. Early reports around the Broncos, however, suggest that he has lost 10 pounds and looks quicker and more explosive than he has in years — a tremendous sign for the offense.
Did I mention injuries? Running back Javonte Williams was lost last season due to a catastrophic knee injury. Few injury analysts thought the powerhouse RB would be back so soon, but all signs point to a remarkable recovery. Translation: We should see Williams back on a football field, at full speed, sooner than anyone imagined.
The Broncos are also breaking in rookie receiver Marvin Mims into the offense. This offense lacked the big-play ability in 2022, and even with a lack of draft capital, they traded up to acquire the speedster. Translation: Denver’s front office and Payton loved Mims and want to get him into the offense as soon as possible.
How To Watch Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
Channel: NFL Network
Live Stream Option: NFL+
What To Expect From Russell Wilson in 2023?
When Denver traded for Wilson before the 2022 season, most NFL analysts and fans thought the Broncos had solved their issues under center. Many thought they were a strong contender for the Super Bowl.
To the shock and dismay of Broncos Nation, this could not have been further from the truth. Wilson was a shell of his former self and looked completely washed last year.
The Seattle Seahawks replaced Wilson with Geno Smith, and Smith looked like an All-Pro QB in his first season as the starter. What a world.
Many around the franchise thought they would try to replace Wilson, but instead, they brought in the former Super Bowl-winning head coach to fix him.
Wilson is one of the most fascinating players in the NFL. It’s possible that the 2022 season was an anomaly and that Wilson will return to form as the sensational QB we saw throughout his Seattle tenure.
It’s also possible that Wilson is past his prime, and his career continues to take a nosedive. Like many things, I expect the end results in 2023 to land somewhere in between.
I don’t expect Wilson to become the franchise savior that Broncos fans had hoped for, but I also don’t expect the dumpster fire we got in 2022. Payton is too good of a head coach to allow that to happen.
Expect Wilson to look like a steady hand at the QB position, even if the Broncos produce mediocre results in a jam-packed AFC.
