Is Hackett trending toward getting a second season?
Q >> After Brett Rypien’s performance Sunday and given that our playoff hopes are minuscule, are you surprised Nathaniel Hackett announced that Russell Wilson is going to start against the Rams? It seems unnecessary to put him back in the lineup.
— Mike, Denver
PARKER >> Not to burst your bubble right off the top, but the Broncos’ playoff chances are not minuscule. They no longer exist. That, to some degree, matters because of the question you asked. There is no tangible reason to rush Wilson back to the field. And, head injuries are nothing to mess around with.
At the same time, it didn’t come as a surprise that Hackett said Wilson will play on Christmas Day. He intimated it even Friday when announcing they were going to hold the quarterback out Sunday against Arizona. And, no offense to Brett Rypien, but the play Russ/don’t play Russ debate really doesn’t have much to do with him.
As for Wilson, the Broncos could have put him on injured reserve and shut him down, but clearly that’s not their plan. He cleared the NFL’S concussion protocol Friday, so at this point it is simply a matter of how long the Broncos felt the need to hold him out. The answer appears to be one game.
Q >> The Broncos have looked more impressive these past two weeks. It’s been nice to see an offense that moves down the field. Any chance Nathaniel Hackett keeps his job if the team wins out the last few games?
— Roger M., Fort Collins
PARKER >> There’s always a chance, and continuing to put three offensive touchdowns a game on the board would certainly help Hackett’s case. It’s going to be interesting to see if Denver can sustain this offensive improvement. If it does, then does management put more weight behind the extent to which the Broncos have dealt with injuries this year? If Wilson plays well the final three weeks, that’s going to count for something, right?
A lot can change in three weeks in this league. Certainly, it’s not my place as a reporter to say they should or shouldn’t fire Hackett. But I do think it’s fair to say that you’re seeing why firing a first-year coach midseason is so rare, outside of conduct issues or other extenuating circumstances. At least collect a full season’s worth of data and plot your course from there.
Q >> Is Albert Okwuegbunam effectively done here in Denver?
— Phil, Las Vegas
PARKER >> Nathaniel Hackett and George Paton have both said they like Okwuegbunam and that they’d need him in the second half of the season, but that moment has not yet arrived. He was credited with two offensive snaps against Kansas City, his only play since Week 5.
Part of the longer-term answer here is about what Okwuegbunam does this offseason and what type of system the Broncos are aiming for in 2023. He’s got ability, but Hackett and company have not been willing to put up with the one-dimensional nature of his game.
Is there a market for Albert O.? There wasn’t at the trade deadline, but maybe the offseason will be different. Or perhaps he’ll make strides this offseason.