John Elway, of course, John Elway a quarterback would say
this. That
another Hall of Fame quarterback. Russell Wilson
is the piece needed for the Broncos to compete again. Yes,
we'll give that a retweet will give that a like.
We will Blair that in Old School newspaper terms.
72 font
print that the headline above the fold. Yes, put it in bold.
Of course, Russell Wilson is
What the Broncos need to compete again? That's the piece,
but Ryan Harris, our guy
who knows all about the Broncos pro football and college
football. I'm gonna ask you, how significant is that piece
because
we all look at Russell Wilson coming to the Broncos. And we
say, hey they contenders, is he enough to make them contenders
right now in your eyes,
absolutely. And I was fortunate enough to catch a couple of
plays of practice. Maybe I wasn't, maybe I was supposed to
but fellows the ring place. Yes,
and one of the things you notice with great quarterbacks
is they can make throws that are unavailable to the rest of
the NFL. And one of the throws I saw him make was to Kendall
Hinton.
A guy who was a former
cornerback and then quarterback for a game and then back on
the practice squad, but really did well and what Russell Wilson
did is on a quick slant to the seam from the right Russell
Wilson, threw the ball about 10 feet, high right over
the linebacker, that was in his vision
and under the safety
will. And all hidden went up and skyed for the ball caught.
It it was already past the safety, by the time he lands.
Now, that may just be some quick pass to many but a guy
like Kendall Hinton one Russell Wilson's looking for you to be
open to he's going to give you a play, that lets you be
an athlete and three, the confirmation. When your feet,
hit the ground that you can succeed. And that's just one
player in one play
and Russell, Wilson's, been cooking and OTAs and really
pushing guys to show them what it takes to win.
Yeah, and Ryan, I think that process is really interesting.
Right? Because I think the part of the reason why the Broncos
did this is because they do feel like they've got a roster
that's in position to win right now.
The same way, the roster that you were a part of
in 2012, like they felt the same way like they're, they
were, they were ready to win and you insert a franchise
quarterback in there and
it can kind of put you over the top,
what was like the process of onboarding Peyton? Like,
because I think obviously you have some guys that were used
to doing things a certain way. A.
And then you have a quarterback who is so established who's
played in so many big games who has the way he likes, things
who's played in a certain type of offense for his whole
career? Like what does that process look like? And what do
you think the
other Broncos players are going through right now? Getting used
to playing with Russell. Maybe the coaches to.
Well, the biggest part of the process is a quarterback that's
willing. Right and I'll take it 2011-12 season. I was in
training camp when Peyton first came and he was a different
guy. He was getting guys cut. He was really first. For my
what he wanted guys to do
fast forward to. When I came back in 2015,
you know, he was far more open to guys. He asked us. Hey, what
do you want to call this play? Hey, we're going against
the Chargers again. What do you want to change the East Coast
and West Coast? We said, how about Biggie and Tupac and he
goes, well, you
guys think guys will really know what that means. So well,
yeah, everyone would have baton, right? So Hayden was
willing, not just with players in 2015
to involve them in the process, but also coaches. I mean,
one of the greatest books that's out there to be
In this how much Peyton Manning and Gary Kubiak
just listen to each other forced each other to change and
listen to each other. And I bring that up because one of
the things I love is Russell, Wilson is already with Coach
Nathaniel Hackett at the Broncos.
Said, he's a great teacher. He guys are learning, not guys are
catching up, not guys are in meetings, guys are learning,
right? So he's already starting to mesh
with Nathaniel Hackett. Also telling him what works, what
doesn't work? And the Faneuil hackett's always already talked
about About being open and willing to listen to his
players on the field. Those are two rare things. So in
a combination of a willing quarterback and willing coach,
now you get that quarterback to go to the field and he's got
a mandate from the coach to create wins and what that looks
like is taking the ten minutes before practice were offensive.
Linemen are sitting in mulling around and turning it into
a blitz. Period getting guys out to Russell
Wilson's house in the offseason to work.
And one of the things Russell keeps saying is this I keep
showing these guys what it takes to win and that's
Something that this Broncos, young roster, really hadn't
learned in the past few years.
All right. So let's say they figured out, they're figuring
it out. Let's say it that way, Ryan. They're figuring out what
Russell Wilson already knows, and that is
winning and how to
put that in a place,
not just on game days, but during the week at the facility
and I mentioned this earlier
too, Bert. Rest of the division though is a bear.
I mean, you got the Raiders, you got the Chiefs and you have
two charges. Those are all good teams.
Just how could the Those
separate themselves. I'm not until about the Chiefs yet
because the Chiefs, I think until you knock them off.
I think it's four straight years to 12 plus winds
until you knock them off.
You gotta give him that respect. But how do you
separate yourself from the Raiders? How do you separate
yourself from the Chargers?
Was going to be too big keys in this schedule for the Broncos.
The first nine weeks. They only have two division opponents.
That's big. You got to create some kind of schedule lead
there
and then you wrap up December 4th on. I mean your face.
In a gauntlet, you've got the Chiefs twice. You've got
the Ravens, and then you've got the Chargers, right? So, they have
to first separate in that first half of the season, and then
dominate in the second half, but that's the another benefit
of having Russell Wilson.
We were down when I was with Peyton Manning
14 points, in the fourth quarter, in Kansas City, and he
gets in the Huddle and calls to plays. And I'm thinking, oh
God, he thinks we can win this game and we ended up winning
it, right? Ben Roethlisberger was the same way
when I played with him
Champions like Russ,
Wilson high quality, quarterbacks that can make
throws, that aren't there. They're going to build belief
in that first half of the season. So that players later
on when the gauntlet gets real.
They know they have not only a chance to win, but to make
the play to help the team win, and that kind of confidence that
kind of building. That's what they will. Be able to build
around Russell Wilson.
The only thing that's going to make a difference will be
whether or not they're healthy.
You know, what? Like Ryan. I think like what happened with
Russell, sort of emblematic of, like, what we've seen across
the NFL, with all the His actions. And I think
for years and years and years, we were all trained to think
this won't work in football. Right? Like you can't turn over
big pieces of your roster at a time. And now we're seeing
contenders do it like the Chargers, they bring in coilmac
and Jesse Jackson. Those guys are going to be major
parts of their team.
The Broncos, like we've been talking about bringing Russell
Wilson. You see what happens with the Raiders. They bring in
Davante, Adams and Chandler Jones. Cincinnati, completely
blows up their offensive line. Cleveland's got a new
quarterback. Miami's bring it in.
Tyreke Hill.
This is all exciting to talk about this time of year. Right?
Like, what's the AFC going to look like, with all these new
guys, a new place in these teams loading up. From
a player's perspective.
I do, you think any of this backfires, like, this amount of
movement? Like, I mean, and not just good players. Sometimes
the best players on teams going from one team to the next. What
do you think that's going to look like, you know, when we
get to September and October and
maybe do you think there are some more bumps for these teams
coming based on the adjustment? Maybe some of them are going to
have to make
there. Absolutely are bumps and adjustments that have to be
made. I mean one, it's one thing to trade players and move
them around. It's another thing to absorb Eagles and that's
really what you're talking about. If you want to win in
the NFL, you have to absorb a bunch of personality.
So that starts with leadership, but especially for players,
strangely. The urgency in the NFL, is even higher now than it
was. You come from college, a place where typically, most
guys have been
there for four years, right? Maybe you learned a new offense
at some point and On the first year, not only do you learn
a new offense? Everything's different. Everything is
faster. Everything's bigger. And then year, two, if you're
lucky enough to get to your, to half of your team
is gone, but now, even the stalwarts might be gone. So,
one of the things that does for players, that I've talked to
already this year, is they all want to be healthy.
They all want to make minimize mistakes. I mean, these are
things that guys are talking about in the offseason that
I haven't heard, whether I was in the NFL or now being
a broadcaster. So the urgency has skyrocketed
It in the NFL because of all, the moving pieces,
big names and small name.
How does it affect logically
as a player? Like, I'm just want. Sorry, Michael. I just
like, I'm interested. Now, beg
psychologically. How does that affect? Like, how could that
affect a plea? You know, like some of these flyers.
Well, I mean some players are going to lie to you and tell
you. Oh, it's just the game you got to do what you got to do.
And ultimately, that's where you have to live
with your mindset.
But it definitely creates fear. I mean, if you think about it,
Tyree kill you can't get a more dynamic. Like player who does
things? That no one else in the NFL does. Next time you watch
Tyree kill?
Watch how he snaps his hips up field after he catches the ball,
and you might be gone. And hopefully he wanted to go to
Miami, but you don't always control that, right? And we saw
Baltimore, let some players go and trade Hollywood Brown
because they don't want to take hostages as they say.
So it's definitely more unsettling for players,
especially mentally, and older. Veterans were saying, man, how
can I believe or sign a deal someplace? When I know that
even if you're
Going to the Browns. For example, Baker Mayfield might
be gone is DeShaun Watson going to get suspended. I mean,
there's so many questions. It really forces players to focus
on what they can control and bring their health and their
best to their roster.
You know, you mentioned,
you mentioned Baltimore.
I want to bring up Baltimore because
I can't wait to get your reaction
about one of the Acquisitions
Baltimore. Got on draft day. I'm sitting there like wait
a minute. Do not let Kyle Hammonds Hamilton wind up with
the Baltimore Ravens at number 14. This is insane.
So in always have him, I tend to.
Yeah, and they just they just know how to put you a player
like him.
The Ravens Ravens. Yeah, always
always somebody's lives great players. Slides. We all say
the players shouldn't be sliding, but nobody stops to slide until
the Ravens, do it. You know, that's how he got there.
MVP quarterback.
So,
just a couple things one. What was your reaction when you saw
that happening Ryan into,
what do you think about the fit
of Hamilton with the Ravens?
Well, my reaction was multiple teams, including the Vikings
and the lions are stupid for not drafting Kyle. Hamilton and
I get it, maybe you didn't run a fast 40 but you know, who
else didn't
Chris Carter? Larry Fitzgerald, right? I mean come on you put
on the film and there's no one like Kyle Hamilton. And so
I was amazed at how many teams passed on him because of a 40
time.
But then you talk about the fit mykel my goodness. I mean, I've
played the Ravens, they live in cover one and that safety who's
gonna scrub away any mistakes. They call that the Eraser
position. That's where they live. You just gave Harbaugh
cart blondes for the next.
Years to run every single Blitz, he can imagine and dream
up. I mean, Kyle Hamilton has the speed to cover. Both seems,
if they're bringing a zero Blitz. He has the coverage
ability with the ball in
the air to cover a deep route to let Corners.
Take chances underneath
when there is some pressure. They put everybody else in man.
Kyle Hamilton had a fantastic spot and
they'll be playing the Steelers twice a year,
the Steelers number one threat on offense.
Notre Dame wide receiver, Chase Claypool, and I promise you
Kyle. Hamilton gives no bones about giving his old teammates,
some tough love and that's secondary.
Yeah, I like I think I'll Hamilton's fascinating guys.
Like I because I mean like one thing that you consistently
heard about him is that you're going to have to be creative
with him and that maybe you
can't leave them in one spot and I know what you're talking
about. Here is him playing post safety a little bit more Ryan,
but like one thing that sort of came up, was you're going to
get the most out of a few use? Them creatively
sort of the same way. The Chargers used Erwin James where
they move him around a lot. I think that's a big part of it,
right? Like going to Baltimore. Not only are they going to play
him in that role.
You know, high like you're talking about, but they're also
going to be creative enough to use him in different ways.
Well, and that's the biggest thing. Fans are missing about
the game of football. Now, the game has changed in that
quarterbacks understand coverage a lot more than they
ever have. So what does that mean? A
player like Kyle Hamilton can come down. Press a guy on with
a receiver and still play man, as they corner, he can play
a tight end at his 65 height. He can do many, many things, that
help.
Your defense, wow, confusing! Quarterbacks. So
the biggest thing about using this free and post safety,
that's changed. In today's game. Is it really changes
the coverage, read for pre-snap, and PostNet for quarterbacks,
and especially with the experience of Harbaugh and
Baltimore,
having Kyle, Hamilton's going to make it a lot easier for them.
But that's something that a lot of defenses are going to. Can
I get a safety that can also sometimes play Corner that can
press man, that tight end on the line of scrimmage to
create. Is that a fourth linebacker? A third linebacker?
The lines, talking, the ball snapped, everyone's confused. So
make no mistake. This is a big reaction
to the quality of quarterback play that we see. Now in the NFL
Orion
is Notre Dame going to cover on Labor Day weekend in Columbus.
Yes, just make sure you got a little troughs for the tears at
that. Show up under there, when Notre Dame comes out. I will
tell you guys right now. You're getting ready to her name.
Junior Kali. Hello. Makka. They got a linebacker at Notre Dame.
Damon early enrollee,
you're going to learn his name, but Smith and jig. But man,
what a receiver. I tried to talk L golden already out of
bringing a safety Blitz because you cannot leave the backend
open against Ohio, State, offensive lie, but what
a kickoff game for college football,
and for two, great programs,
that produce fantastic players.
They don't play enough. I know that.
I mean, we win every time but
that's true. That's true.
But we're alright. We gotta we gotta bring you back right
before that game. And right after that game, talk some
college football and Notre Dame, Ohio State, and just talk
about the season in general. I look forward to that.
I'll have the face paint, the body paints going to be
awesome. Like, oh, I can't wait.
Thanks, Ryan. Ryan Harris. Always a pleasure, man. You
made us better and made us smarter. Appreciate you.
Thank you, Paul. She ate you.