Russell Wilson traded to Broncos: 5 reasons for Chiefs fans to be happy

On Tuesday, the NFL world — and Kansas City Chiefs followers — have been shocked when the Denver Broncos traded to acquire nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks.

It wasn’t stunning that Denver was searching for a veteran quarterback. Ever since Peyton Manning’s retirement following the 2015 season, the Broncos have been within the quarterback wilderness. No fewer than six signal-callers — a few of them free-agent veterans, others drafted by Denver — have began for the crew. None have been notably efficient. Since Super Bowl 50, the Broncos have compiled a record of just 39-58 — including an 0-12 record against the Chiefs — as their quarterbacks combined for a passer rating of just 81.1.

As a substitute, it was stunning that Wilson — as a substitute of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers — was the participant the Broncos traded to accumulate. Ever since Rodgers started expressing his displeasure together with his scenario a yr in the past, Denver has been the odds-on favourite to commerce for the four-time NFL MVP. However simply hours earlier than the Wilson commerce made headlines, news broke that the 38-year-old quarterback would not only stay with the Packers through 2022 however would additionally signal a four-year deal reported to be price $200 million.

So the Broncos have now given up their first and second-round picks and each 2022 and 2023 — together with 2022’s fifth-round choose, quarterback Drew Lock, tight finish Noah Fant and defensive finish Shelby Harris — to get Wilson and Seattle’s fourth-round choose in April. And that is the value Denver paid for what seems to be their second alternative.

Make no mistake: this transfer makes the Broncos higher. It isn’t laborious to think about quite a few latest Kansas Metropolis-Denver matchups during which Wilson’s presence may have turned defeat into victory. It is completely honest to say that by itself, this commerce has considerably shifted the stability of energy within the AFC West.

Nonetheless… there are causes for Chiefs followers to see this as a optimistic growth. Listed here are 5 of them.

1. Iron sharpens iron

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The Chiefs have now gained six consecutive AFC West championships. Kansas Metropolis has appeared in 4 straight AFC championship video games — all of them at residence — profitable two of them. And the crew has cut up its two Tremendous Bowl appearances throughout these streaks.

Within the final 4 seasons, the Chiefs are 50-15 towards the remainder of the division. There is no doubt that the crew’s dominance towards its division opponents — which underneath the NFL’s scheduling components, account for six of each crew’s video games — has been one of many main causes that in these seasons, Kansas Metropolis has entered the postseason with nothing lower than the AFC’s second seed.

With a greater Broncos crew, getting that sort of postseason placement is certain to be harder. However in every of the final two seasons, the Tremendous Bowl winner has not been one of many high two seeds of their convention. It is doable to argue that with stronger competitors in the course of the common season, the Chiefs will likely be higher positioned to reach the postseason. For followers who’ve been arguing that nothing lower than a Tremendous Bowl victory represents a profitable marketing campaign, this might be welcome information.

2. The Chiefs will not ever be the New England Patriots

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The Patriots are the homeowners of what’s unquestionably the league’s most profitable dynasty. It is solely affordable to credit score head coach Invoice Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady for a big portion of the crew’s two-decade run — one which included six Tremendous Bowl victories.

However it’s additionally true that in most of these seasons, New England performed towards a really poor division. From 2001-2019 — when the Patriots led the NFL with a regular-season document of 232-72 — not a single AFC East team had a winning record. The New York Jets ranked twenty first with a document of 139-165, the Miami Dolphins have been twenty third at 138-166, and the Buffalo Bills have been twenty sixth with a 129-75 document.

Contemplating the robust performances Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has turned in throughout his first two seasons — and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr’s resurgence throughout that very same time — Wilson’s addition to the Broncos makes it impossible that no matter success the Chiefs will obtain within the coming years will ever be characterised as being the results of going through poor competitors of their division.

The highway forward will be harder — however in what should now be thought-about one of many NFL’s strongest divisions, the crew that prevails every season will command respect.

3. The Chiefs will nonetheless have essentially the most primetime video games

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Ever since his 2018 MVP season — his first because the crew’s starter — Kansas Metropolis quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been thought-about one of many league’s high stars. Throughout that interval, the Chiefs have appeared in 22 primetime games — in comparison with 15 within the 4 years earlier than that and solely 9 from 2010 via 2013. Within the final 4 seasons, solely the Packers have appeared in as many primetime video games — and with Russell Wilson at quarterback, the Seahawks appeared in 19.

So whereas Broncos followers are rejoicing over the crew’s acquisition, it is most likely nothing in comparison with the joy the NFL’s tv companions are feeling. Over the approaching seasons, each AFC West matchup will seemingly be seen as an necessary, thrilling sport — and people involving Mahomes and Wilson will high that record. Kansas Metropolis’s video games will stay amongst these more than likely to be performed earlier than nationwide audiences.

After all, this can be a double-edged sword. As Pete Sweeney and I typically point out in the course of the Arrowhead Pride “Editors Show” podcast, these video games are particularly troublesome for these within the media to cowl. Many followers discover them much less handy to observe — both in individual or on tv. However even for all of that, most of us — together with Pete and myself — would favor it to the choice: the numerous seasons during which our favourite crew was thought-about an afterthought. Within the years to come back, that is not going to be an issue.

4. Extra Chiefs video games will likely be actually good

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That is one other double-edged sword. In case your concept of a super Chiefs sport is one during which Kansas Metropolis dominates its opponent, Wilson’s arrival in Denver will seemingly scale back the variety of such video games; it actually appears much less seemingly that the Chiefs will run off one other profitable streak like they now personal towards the Broncos!

However for a lot of followers, the very best soccer video games are those which are best. With the quarterbacks now populating the AFC West, there must be at the very least six Chiefs video games each season — plus three extra towards opponents who completed with the identical division document within the earlier season — that must be aggressive video games. If that is what you prefer to see on Sunday afternoons (or on Sunday, Monday or Thursday nights), this can be a good factor.

5. This may not final very lengthy

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However even when Kansas Metropolis has much less total success in the course of the Broncos’ Russell Wilson Period, it will not final ceaselessly.

After the 36-year-old Peyton Manning arrived in Denver in 2012, he performed simply 4 seasons for the Broncos. He selected to retire after getting his second profession Tremendous Bowl victory — after struggling not solely a nagging damage but additionally what could be described as essentially the most humiliating lack of his profession: 2015’s 29-13 home loss to the Chiefs in Week 10. It was the primary of 13 straight video games the Chiefs have gained towards Denver.

Like Manning in 2012, the 33-year-old Wilson already has a Tremendous Bowl win. If he and the Broncos handle one other, he may additionally really feel that it’s time to grasp it up. However that may not be as simple to do as Colorado-area NFL followers are actually imagining. Head coach Vic Fangio and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell — architects of the NFL’s third-ranked scoring protection in 2021 — have been changed by two rookies of their new positions: head coach Nathaniel Hackett and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Whether or not the Broncos will discipline such an efficient protection in 2022 stays to be seen.

As well as, the capital Denver has expended — each in draft picks and gamers — is kind of important. Whereas it is arguably not too excessive a worth to pay for a quarterback of Wilson’s caliber, it is one thing the Broncos did not should do once they signed in Manning in 2012; he was a free agent who had been launched by the Indianapolis Colts after lacking your complete 2011 season with a neck damage. The Broncos have loads of offensive weapons — but when they do not work out underneath their new quarterback, it is going to be tougher to seek out new ones.

So whereas there’s each motive to anticipate the Broncos will likely be extra aggressive with Wilson underneath middle, there is not any assurance that he’ll be with the crew for a very long time. However even when he performs one other six years to age 39, the 32-year-old Mahomes will nonetheless be Kansas Metropolis’s quarterback.