Broncos Roundtable: What’s the bar Denver must cross for 2022 to be a success?

The moment George Paton landed Russell Wilson, expectations for the 2022 Denver Broncos drastically changed.

Gone are the days of debating whether or not the Broncos should tank.

Gone are the days of debating which quarterback will win the starting job.

But just how much have expectations changed for Wilson’s first year in Denver? What is the minimum the Broncos must do in 2022 for it to be deemed a success?

The DNVR Broncos Crew breaks it down.

What’s the bar Denver must cross for this year to be a success?

Zac: Make the playoffs — Would winning the West, stealing a playoff game or winning the Super Bowl be great? Of course!

But in the first year with Wilson, Nathaniel Hackett and a completely new coaching staff, simply making the playoffs would be a success. Denver would be trending in the right direction and would break the second-longest playoff drought in the NFL by accomplishing this task.

It’s great the Broncos are striving to win the AFC West, and if they do that, they’ll be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this year. But with so many new pieces to the organization, making the playoffs would be a great first step.

An important thing to keep in mind is because of the incredibly tough division and conference the Broncos re in, making the playoffs is not a given and would be quite an impressive feat after five-straight losing seasons.

RK: Win a playoff game — To answer a question like this, I have to try and transport myself into the future to imagine how I would feel in a certain situation.

When I think to that first playoff game and imagine a loss, I can hear myself on the postgame podcast talking about how this team wasn’t as good as we thought they could be. They have a ways to go before they content for a title. Etc, etc.

On the other hand, if I transport myself into Round 2 and imagine a loss there, I can see myself talking about how close this team is to being the one who is playing in the AFC Championship Game with a chance to go to the Super Bowl. They’re right there.

Having Russell Wilson on your roster is essentially a ticket to the playoffs. Once you get there, all bets are off. So I don’t think I would call the season a success simply based off of making it to the dance. You have to bust a move once you get there.

Henry: Win a playoff game — The Broncos should have the tools to compete for a Super Bowl this season… we think.

The weapons in the passing game should prove they’re among the best in the league with an upgraded quarterback and play-caller. The No. 3 defense in the league should be talented enough to withstand the loss of Vic Fangio. Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon should be able to carry the running game into the top 10 behind a more experienced offensive line.

But that’s all on paper. Something is bound to go wrong.

This year is about identifying small problems so they can be cleaned up for 2023 and beyond. (A new tight end? A top-tier lineman? A couple more pieces in the front seven?)

This is a transition year and if the Broncos can win a playoff game, the path to a Super Bowl will be clear. That’s a success.