03 August 2023 , 17:13
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Russell Wilson is hoping for a return to the form that made him one of the NFL's finest quarterbacks, but a tough practice attracted plenty of attention leading Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton to stand up for his player..
The Broncos are preparing for the start of the 2023 NFL regular season, which begins this September. Before then, there is the small matter of pre-season training camp and friendly games.
Wilson is heading into his second season with the Broncos as the team’s starting quarterback. The veteran QB was traded from the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 but had a rather underwhelming first year in Colorado.
Now the work is underway to get the Broncos ready for the 2023 season. However, it seems that Wilson went through a tough practice session ahead of a busy pre-season schedule.
On Wednesday it emerged that Wilson had a tough day in practice, and threw two interceptions to Justin Simmons and K’Waun Williams. After taking part in a two-hour-long practice, Wilson failed to record a single touchdown pass to one of his teammates.
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As a result, Payton was asked about Wilson’s struggles in a press conference. The Broncos coach stood by his quarterback and insisted that what he saw from Wilson was nothing to be concerned about.
“Yeah, no big whoop,” Payton told reporters. “He’s doing fine.”
Payton would also be asked about the offensive preparations that he is putting the team under over the course of the training camp. And even though it’s still in the early stages of pre-season, Payton insists he is already building up his memory of what his team can and can’t do going forward.
"We are in an installation pattern, so as we install … sometimes, we are putting a play in, and it doesn't really match," Payton told the Broncos’ website.
Russell Wilson endured a tough day on Wednesday during Denver Broncos practice (RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)"We may not run it if we were playing Denver's defense, but it is in the installation schedule. Throughout this training camp and pre-season, you begin to see some things that we are doing well.
“There are a few things that maybe you don't feel as comfortable about. You are constantly building up that memory bank of what you are seeing and how we are executing it. It was our first day in the red zone."
First up for the Broncos in pre-season is a game against the Arizona Cardinals, which will be followed by match-ups versus the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. That will all be the build-up to the Week One opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on September 10.