The Denver Broncos have made the biggest move of this offseason thus far, trading for quarterback Russell Wilson.
The 2022 league year will open on Wednesday in which trades and free-agent signings can start to become official. The Denver Broncos expect to be an active team, not yet satisfied with only trading for Wilson.
Things have not been this exciting in Denver since the team signed Peyton Manning following the 2011 season. The Broncos made that move and then several other moves to build a Super Bowl contender.
The approach here will likely be the same. The Broncos will now look to surround Wilson with the kind of talent that can build a winner, something that is not going to be easy in a difficult AFC West division.
But the team could also look to surround Wilson with some familiar faces. The team did this in 2012 with Manning, bringing in the likes of Brandon Stokley and Jacob Tamme to give him some familiar players to throw the ball to.
The Broncos could be interested in doing the same, so here are some players they could add to the roster with ties to their new franchise quarterback.
Denver Broncos possible free agent: Germain Ifedi, Offensive Tackle
The Seahawks actually selected Germain Ifedi in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft and what was significant about that pick was it was the pick they received from Denver after the Broncos traded up to draft Paxton Lynch.
Lynch was obviously a massive bust and Ifedi didn’t play much better in Seattle. But he did make 60 starts for the team and he is familiar with Wilson and his style of play. He has played for the Chicago Bears the past two seasons, making 23 starts.
The Broncos do need help at the tackle spot and it remains to be seen if they will bring back last year’s starter at right tackle, Bobby Massie. Ifedi should not be seen as a long-term option and the odds of him being brought in at all are likely low, but he could provide veteran experience at the position and be a player able to make spot starts here and there for the team.
Denver Broncos possible free agent: David Moore, Wide Receiver
David Moore spent time in Denver last season as a member of the practice squad and later suited up for a couple of games. He is currently a street free agent, wondering if his career will even continue at this point.
But he is still just 27 years old and as a former teammate of Wilson’s, could be seen as a player with some upside in Wilson’s eyes. Keep in mind that Stokley’s career looked like it was pretty much over just ahead of the 2012 season when the Broncos brought him in and he was quite effective working with his old teammate, Manning.
The Broncos have Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick, but more depth could be used at the wide receiver position. K.J. Hamler will need to prove that he can bounce back from his torn ACL and the team will have a solid wide receiving corps, but Moore would make for a fine fifth receiver, particularly after looking at what he has done with Wilson in the past.
A seventh-round selection of the Seahawks in 2017, Moore enjoyed success while there, catching 78 passes for 1,163 yards and 13 touchdowns in four seasons.
Denver Broncos possible free agent: Gerald Everett, Tight End
Gerald Everett signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks this past season after four years with the Los Angeles Rams and he had the best season of his career, catching 48 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns.
The Broncos are going to need help at the tight end position after including Noah Fant in the deal to nab Wilson and Everett makes a lot of sense, as do each of these options. However, Everett would likely be among the cheaper options the Broncos could find and paired with Albert Okwuegbunam, could form an effective duo.
Everett is going to be free to sign with any team he wants and with a shaky quarterback situation in Seattle (at least for now) and with that team looking like it’s going to go through a rebuild, he might be keen on signing with a team that can compete.
Everett seemed to enjoy playing in the same offense as Wilson. This signing makes as much sense as almost any on this list.
Denver Broncos possible free agent: Jacob Hollister, Tight End
If the Broncos are looking to spend quite a bit less on a free-agent tight end, Jacob Hollister could be an option. Undrafted out of Wyoming in 2017, Hollister has enjoyed a five-year NFL career to this point, largely due to the success he had with the Seahawks.
He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Seattle, catching 66 passes for 558 yards and six touchdowns. Since then, he has played for two different teams (Buffalo and Jacksonville) and it seems his career could be teetering on the edge.
Perhaps a reunion with Wilson could fix that.
Bringing in Hollister would not be a headline-grabbing signing. But to get another pass-catching tight end that can be a good option in the red zone, bringing him in to see if he and Wilson can click inside Nathaniel Hackett’s offense would not be the worst idea.
If the Broncos were to make this signing, it would likely mean they had confidence in Okwuegbunam to be the starter. Hollister and likely a couple of other options would serve as depth for the team.
Denver Broncos possible free agent: Bobby Wagner, Linebacker
Many connections between the Broncos and Bobby Wagner have already been made and with good reason. While Wagner and Wilson didn’t play together in the same offense like everyone else on this list, they did play on the same team, being drafted together in the same year.
The Broncos could use some help at the inside linebacker spot with Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell and Kenny Young all set to hit free agency. Wagner is one of the best at the position in the entire league.
The Seahawks released Wagner shortly after the trade of Wilson.
Wilson’s stats are ridiculous. He has over 1,300 career tackles, 23.5 sacks, 11 interceptions, six forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries. He is one of the most complete linebackers in football and at 31 years old, still has a lot left in the tank.
Wagner will be one of the most prized free agents at any position for a team to sign in free agency this year, but there is no doubt that the Broncos should be on a short list of destinations that he could end up.
Wilson can also act as the perfect salesman, as there is perhaps no one who knows the 8-time Pro Bowler any better.
There is a high chance that Wagner ends up in orange and blue next season.