Analyst predicts Sean Payton will turn on Russell Wilson

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Analyst predicts Broncos HC Sean Payton will turn on Russell Wilson

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 8/18/23

Bart Scott may be best known for his epic postgame "can't wait" statement when he was a part of the New York Jets, but now that he's an analyst on ESPN, he's trying to make a name for himself in a different manner.

It's still bold, mind you, because Scott's recent thoughts on Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson will either be hailed as prophetic or end up on Freezing Cold Takes.

Wilson is now in his second season in Denver, has a new Super Bowl-winning head coach in Sean Payton and very well could be enshrined in the Hall of Fame someday, but Scott thinks the veteran QB is going to have another tough season.

That's putting it lightly.

"I think it's going to be catastrophic," Scott said when asked what he expects out of Wilson in 2023. "Russell Wilson's once again learning a new system. He was protected in Seattle by what they knew he couldn't do. I believe people don't know who Russell Wilson is and how to get the best out of him. I don't think Sean Payton can figure it out in such short order."

.@BartScott57 expects Russell Wilson's performance this year to be "catastrophic" pic.twitter.com/erTEAXBxJu
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 18, 2023

That's already a bold take, but it gets even spicier from Scott. He thinks Wilson will be so bad in 2023 that when the Broncos play the Jets in Week 5, Payton will have to apologize to former Denver head coach Nathaniel Hackett (now offensive coordinator for the Jets) because he was unaware of how bad he had it with Wilson at quarterback.

"Sean Payton is not tied to Russell Wilson," Scott said. "I think he's going to go up [during] game five and say, 'Nathaniel Hackett, I'm sorry. He's worse than I thought he was.'"

Wilson had the worst season of his career in 2022, with only 16 touchdowns thrown compared to 11 interceptions. Considering all Denver gave up to get him, it was a monumental disaster. Hackett was the scapegoat for 2022, fair or not, but it sounds like Scott thinks it will be Wilson on the chopping block in 2024 and beyond if things don't turn around quickly in Denver.

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