The 2023 NFL season is starting to shape up as another disaster for the Denver Broncos. Even though they hired new head coach Sean Payton, who led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl championship during the 2009 season, and even though quarterback Russell Wilson is playing better than he did last year, they have a poor 1-5 record.
Things seemingly hit a new low for them when they lost to the New York Jets in Week 5. They gave up 31 points to a team with Zach Wilson at quarterback, and although Zach Wilson’s overall numbers were solid, he had a couple of miscues that cost his team nine points — a safety early in the game and a pick-six in the closing seconds with Denver down by just three.
After that, they predictably lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in Week 6.
The question many seem to have is where Denver should go from here. Should it blow things up and trade at least one of its key players, possibly even Russell Wilson? Or should it try to salvage something, if for no other reason than to build some momentum heading into next season?
Christopher Long of Total Pro Sports feels Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson could help the Broncos.
“Gibson is a dynamic running back who can attack the ground game as efficiently as he makes plays through the air,” wrote Long. “His talent was hidden, however, when Commanders head coach Ron Rivera re-signed J.D. McKissic and made rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. the starting workhorses over Gibson. Unlike Gibson, Robinson doesn’t have as much talent when it comes to receiving, so McKissic returned and filled that void while making Gibson an odd man out.
“Denver could use that kind of production in an offense that has been somewhere between stale and abysmal since quarterback Russell Wilson came to town. With head coach Sean Payton in town, the Broncos could look to utilize Gibson is a role similar to Alvin Kamara in New Orleans. Gibson has the ability to be a key contributor in the screen game and on the outside edge for Denver.”
The Commanders are 3-3 and likely won’t make the playoffs or at least be a serious contender, so perhaps they could be persuaded to let go of Gibson. He is second on Rivera’s depth chart, and through five games, he has gotten only 16 carries, which he has turned into 69 rushing yards.
Back in 2021, Gibson, a third-round draft choice in 2020, ran for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 294 yards and three touchdowns in the air.
While the Broncos’ offense has looked much better than the historically bad cesspool it was last season, their running game has been anemic. They rank 19th in rushing yards and 26th in rushing touchdowns, and at this point of his career, Russell Wilson needs more support on offense so that he can find some sort of consistent comfort zone.
The Broncos will have some tough games coming up, including a visit to the Northeast to take on the Buffalo Bills in Week 10. If their defense continues to be as dysfunctional as it has been this year — it currently ranks last in points and total yards allowed — they could sorely use an upgrade on offense in order to claw their way into playoff contention.
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