The Russell Wilson trade that the Denver Broncos made with the Seattle Seahawks has been one of the mega trades of the 2022 NFL offseason.
Blockbuster: After weeks of negotiations, in one of the largest trades in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos have agreed to terms for a deal involving Super-Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson, sources tell ESPN.
Trade is pending a physical and Wilson’s approval. pic.twitter.com/oRFDV8Ehyx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2022
Wilson will enter an AFC West division that already has top-caliber quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr, and Justin Herbert.
While Herbert and Mahomes are both still young, they have proven that they have what it takes to be on the list of best quarterbacks in the NFL.
With Wilson, who will turn 34 during the 2022 NFL season, being the oldest quarterback in the AFC West, what can he bring to this division to make himself the best in the West?
Veteran Instincts: Wilson’s Key To Success In Denver
Wilson has used his legs in his time in Seattle to make plays when passing plays, or the pocket, fall apart.
He can make intelligent decisions with the football, whether passing or running the ball.
While Wilson didn’t have a good 2021 season, his 2020 numbers show that he does have enough in the tank to hang with some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Wilson had an on-target percentage of 79.5 for 2020, meaning only 20.5 percent of his passes missed the intended target.
When we look at Mahomes, who many see as an elite quarterback, his on-target percentage for the 2020 year was only 76.9 percent, 2.6 percent less than Wilson’s 2020 numbers.
Wilson also has a knack for being in the single digits with interceptions each year, showing that he doesn’t make costly mistakes even when under pressure.
The Comeback King: Wilson’s Record Of Game-Winning Drives
Since entering the NFL in 2012, Wilson has 24 fourth-quarter come from behind wins and 32 game-winning drives.
So… Are we really going to leave @DangeRussWilson out of this discussion? Russell statistically is NUMBER 1 in the league in 4th QTR comebacks and game winning drives since he came into the league in 2012.
I simply don’t understand why people fail to recognize. #ComebackKing https://t.co/AOXLqRIXa5
— Jake Heaps (@jtheaps9) May 8, 2020
With the Broncos being known as the team with “The Drive” during the years of John Elway, Wilson seems like a perfect fit to honor Elway’s legacy of his playoff-winning fourth-quarter drive.
While Wilson can bring his team back from the jaws of defeat, he might not have that pressure on him with good defense and a better offensive line in Denver.
Wilson Has Given Elite Play Even Without Mega-Star Receivers
Besides not having an offensive line to protect Wilson in his last years with the Seahawks, he never had the elite receivers that NFL fans can name off the top of their heads.
It's not just Wilson though in the passing game. Have to have a good OL to keep him upright and receivers to make plays. SEA lacks both
— cover32 Seahawks (@cover32_SEA) September 17, 2017
Wilson made do with sound, elusive receivers that could get the ball into the end zone, despite not being the greatest receivers in the NFL.
While he might find the same situation here in Denver, the team has the cap space to acquire one of the many leading receivers that will be available on the NFL free agency market.
The Broncos have around $26 million in cap space, more than enough to get Wilson someone like JuJu Smith-Schuster or Allen Robinson.
Final Take On Wilson In AFC West
Wilson is a proven quarterback with multiple Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl ring.
For now, Herbert and Carr are out of the running when it comes to those things on an NFL quarterback’s resume.
Mahomes is the only one that can match Wilson as the best in the AFC West.
However, with the way Mahomes played in last season’s playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Wilson looks to have all he needs to be the best in the AFC West.
NEXT: Russell Wilson Poised To End A Historic Streak In Denver
