What is the bare minimum for the Denver Broncos in 2022?
The Denver Broncos 2022 season has yet to be written, but some are cautious about the team. What is the bare minimum for team success in 2022?
The trade to acquire Russell Wilson by the Denver Broncos still came with some doubters.
Many in the NFL landscape still view the Broncos as the third or even fourth best team in the AFC West. Some think that Wilson is a bit washed and doesn’t have what he used to, or for whatever reason, just aren’t as high as some on the Broncos for 2022.
With Russell Wilson in town, along with a new coaching staff, what is a realistic, absolute bare minimum in terms of success for the team in 2022?
I think if you asked five people this question, you’d get five different answers.
Some may think simply making the playoffs is good enough, regardless of record.
Some may think that winning double-digit games and making the playoffs is the minimum.
Some may even think that winning a playoff game is the absolute floor of this team.
We’ll find out in several months what the actual success of the team is, but considering all the factors, what is a realistic bare minimum that we, as fans, should expect the team to accomplish or play towards in 2022?
The Broncos do have the easiest schedule in the AFC West for 2022, but the 7th hardest in the AFC.
Teams in the AFC that have a harder schedule than the Denver Broncos include their three AFC West rivals and the Bengals, Steelers, and Bills. This is obviously a good thing as each team, outside of the Steelers, really, has a legitimate shot at making a deep playoff run.
I would also add the overall talent of Russell Wilson among all of the AFC quarterbacks.
Who is better than Russell Wilson? Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, but is there anyone else?
Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert were insanely good in 2021, but on one hand, they haven’t really won much, unlike Wilson, and on the other hand, they’re arguably the two most talented young quarterbacks in the NFL.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that Wilson is better than Burrow and Herbert because he’s had more success in the NFL, but, obviously, that’s because he’s been in the league for eight more seasons.
Either way, I think it’s a safe bet to peg Wilson as a top 10 quarterback in the NFL, at least.
Russell Wilson has led his teams to at least 10 wins in the regular season in eight of his 10 seasons in the NFL.
Given that the Denver Broncos schedule isn’t terrible, and given Wilson’s success in the regular season, I think the absolute bare minimum for the Denver Broncos in 2022 is winning at least 10 games and making the playoffs.
10 wins would likely be the 5th or 6th, Wild Card seed.
The team’s overall roster is one of the best that Wilson has played with, and he only has one losing season in his career. He’s got a winning record in the playoffs as well.
Some fans may peg the Broncos at nine wins in 2022, for example, but, again, he’s won double-digit regular season games in eight of his 10 seasons in the NFL.
It’s significantly more likely for a Russell Wilson-led team to win double-digit games in the regular season than not.