Russell Wilson Praised by Broncos OC: 'We're Really Happy with Where He's At'

The Denver Broncos are banking on a major return to form from Russell Wilson this season.

Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said the team is "really happy" with Wilson's progress as he attempts to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 campaign.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but we're really happy with where he's at," Lombardi said, per Ryan McFadden of the Denver Post. "(Wilson is) used to doing things a certain way, and we're presenting a new way of doing things. It's a new year, new coaching staff and a new scheme. We have a lot of time to figure out the best plan for all these players."

Wilson had the worst season of his NFL career in 2022, throwing for 3,524 yards and 16 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. His 60.5 completion percentage, 84.4 quarterback rating and 36.7 QBR were all by far the worst numbers of his career.

The Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett after just 15 games as head coach thanks in large part to his failure to mesh with Wilson, who signed a $242.6 million contract with Denver last offseason following a trade from the Seattle Seahawks.

Much of the reason the Broncos splurged again this offseason—this time sending draft compensation to the New Orleans Saints for Sean Payton—was an attempt to fix Wilson. Lombardi joined Payton's staff after spending the last two seasons helping sculpt Justin Herbert into one of the NFL's best quarterbacks.

The Broncos will have their fingers crossed the arrival of Payton and Lombardi will allow Wilson to return to his mantle among the game's greats.