How many games can the 2022 Denver Broncos win with Russell Wilson?
With Russell Wilson coming to town, and the Denver Broncos having a 4th place schedule, how many games can we reasonably expect them to win in 2022?
The Denver Broncos finished 7-10 in 2021 and will have what we call a “4th place schedule” for the 2022 season.
The NFL schedules for 2022 were released a while ago, so Denver has known who they are going to play. Obviously, they will have six games in the AFC West, two with each rival.
They also play the entirety of the NFC West, which is one of the best divisions in football.
Another four games will come against the AFC South, and the last remaining games are against the Panthers, Ravens, and Jets.
With Russell Wilson in the mix, along with what is expected to be another solid defensive year for Denver, how many games can we reasonably expect the team to win?
For starters, I’d feel very confident in the team winning their contests against the Panthers, Jets, Texans, Jaguars, Seahawks, and at least one game against the Chargers and the Raiders.
That’s seven games I’d feel very confident that will go Denver’s way. The remaining 10 games are up in the air.
The Chiefs are the Chiefs, so even if Denver wins these games, they’ll be close. The Raiders usually win one game against us at least.
The 49ers, Cardinals, and Rams are all formidable opponents. I think the Cardinals might be set to have a down year, so perhaps Denver can win that game. We also have the Ravens, Colts, and Titans.
The Ravens had a down year with their injuries. They are a very talented team. The Colts traded Carson Wentz away and currently do not have a viable quarterback on their roster, and the Titans have been good for a few seasons now.
I think the Broncos can win at least two games in their NFC West slate, and they can probably win one of two games against the Colts and Titans.
The Ravens are a wild card here because they suffered a ton of injuries and Lamar had a down year overall. I can’t really say what I’d expect from them.
It would not surprise me if Denver lost games against the Rams, 49ers, Chiefs, Raiders, and Titans. I do not think going 12-5 is out of the question at all.
We have seen how successful teams have been in their first year with new quarterbacks. Both the Buccaneers and Rams won the Super Bowl in their first year with a new quarterback.
The Bucs won went 11-5 in 2020, and the Rams went 12-5 in 2021.
I think it’s a safe bet to pencil in the Broncos for 11 or 12 wins, personally.
It also could be too early to project a win total, since Denver will begin to spend in free agency next week.
They currently have around $26 million in cap space, which is still 9th in the NFL. Expect General Manager George Paton to create more cap space with restructures and extensions.
According to Overthecap, extending Russell Wilson would free up $18.3 million in cap space this year.
Denver also has needs across the entire defense. Expect them to add an edge rusher early in free agency, player(s) along the defensive line, and perhaps a linebacker and someone in the secondary.
The right tackle position is also up in the air. I want the team to sign Morgan Moses, but retaining Bobby Massie is an OK short-term solution.
Right now, I’d peg the Denver Broncos win total at 11.5 for 2022.