The Denver Broncos have had an up-and-down, back-and-forth 2023 season. At times things have looked quite bleak while at other times, the excitement has been a long time coming. One thing that does seem to be clear is that the team is headed in the right direction.
As the Broncos prepare for a Christmas Eve battle with the New England Patriots, fans inside Broncos Country will watch that game and then look forward to enjoying the Christmas holiday the following day.
What should fans be asking Santa Claus to leave underneath the tree this year? Here are three things that should be on the wish list that would also carry over into the 2024 season.
Broncos fans should ask Santa for a playoff berth
This is the most immediate and most obvious wish, but it would bring with it the right kind of momentum and hope for the future.
Now some may ask, why wouldn't you just wish for the Super Bowl? Well, wishes should be realistic and sometimes a small wish can turn into a big reality. The Broncos need to start by qualifying for the postseason, something that has not happened since the 2015 season.
The team is on the cusp of doing it, but it will have to win all three of its final games and get some help to get in. It's all completely possible, but it starts by beating the Patriots on Sunday.
Once in the playoffs, the Broncos would have their hands full as the AFC has been a wild conference this year, but teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins would be difficult to defeat. However, making the playoffs, even if they were to get smashed in the first round, would be a terrific accomplishment for a team that started the season 1-5.
Building toward the future is what this season was really all about in Sean Payton's first year as head coach and the team has done that. A playoff berth would cap it off.
Broncos fans should ask Santa for Russell Wilson to finish the season strong
There are few things worse in the NFL than having to wonder who is going to be your quarterback going into a season. And the Broncos don't want to have that question after this year.
Russell Wilson has had some shaky play this year, but the team should want him as the quarterback in 2024. Fans don't want to see the team have to eat an enormous amount of dead money by letting him go (and having to find another guy) so a strong finish to this season is necessary.
Wilson needs to play well in the final three weeks of the year and even if the team misses the playoffs, that would be enough to convince the organization to ride (pun intended) with him for one more year.
I don't think the answer for a replacement is in the 2024 draft now that winning games has knocked the team down the board (that opinion was far different earlier this year) but if the team can't land a guy like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, Wilson is going to make more sense, largely due to his contract, than most any other guy.
Wilson should get one more season with the Broncos and then the team could look at finding the star if the future in 2024. That guy, if he could be landed, is not too far from Denver, if you ask me.
Broncos fans should ask Santa for new uniforms
It's just time.
The Broncos have worn their current uniforms since the 1997 season and it just feels like it's time for an update. Teams around the league have a few uniform variations in today's league and on Sunday, the Broncos will wear their new look with the 'snowcapped' helmets.
But the team needs a new look for their primary uniforms and there could be several great ideas with the orange and blue color scheme. Personally, I feel that any new helmet should contain the old 'D' with the horse logo over the helmets that the team has worn since 1997. In fact, making the new white helmet the primary helmet is not the worst idea, just not with the orange 'Color Rush' jerseys and pants.
Each season, it seems that more and more teams are introducing alternate uniforms and helmets to be worn two or three times in the upcoming season. But the Broncos need to do this for their primary look. It's time to freshen that up.