The Denver Broncos are going back to the drawing board in 2024.
They signed Russell Wilson to a long-term deal heading into the 2022 season, but after two years of subpar performances, the team has decided to take a different approach.
As the Broncos look ahead to their future without Wilson, Craig Carton and his co-hosts on his show discussed what might have gone wrong between the two parties.
Carton believes: “Who failed the Broncos was Sean Payton.”
"Who failed the Broncos was Sean Payton."
— @craigcartonlive says not to blame Russell Wilson for the Broncos' failure pic.twitter.com/Y0yQM5WQyI
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) March 8, 2024
Payton was brought in ahead of the 2023 campaign to help Wilson turn this team around.
While there was a lot of anticipation surrounding this pairing, it was quickly evident that, even with Payton, the Broncos could not gain any traction.
They were already facing an uphill battle in their division, as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the AFC West for several years.
Now that the Broncos have moved on from Wilson it will be interesting to see if they can find success with a new quarterback in 2024 or if they will, once again, have trouble getting any traction.
Payton is viewed as a great coach after his success with the New Orleans Saints throughout the years, but he has yet to prove himself in Denver.
If he finds a way to turn this team around next year, there will be fewer questions about his ability to lead a new team.
However, if 2024 looks similar to 2023, Payton could be out the door sooner than anyone anticipated, once again forcing the Broncos to pivot.
NEXT: Russell Wilson Has A Message For Justin Simmons After Release