Denver Broncos OC Justin Outten Dishes on How to Maximize Russell Wilson’s Scrambling
With a decade of stellar play, numerous accolades, and a Super Bowl ring on his NFL resume, you’d think all those pesky questions about Russell Wilson’s 5-foot-11 frame would have long since vanished.
The size issue has largely disappeared because it’s better to keep your mouth shut and be taken for a fool – rather than open your mouth and dispel all doubts. Less-informed critics might argue that the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback might have hit a down pass in crunch-time due to his lack of NFL-prototypical size, but that’s a simplistic argument these days.
Wilson’s new Denver offensive coordinator — Justin Outten — knows his star signaller’s size deserves, at best, a cheap joke in the locker room. Outten knows firsthand Wilson’s phenomenal ability to pinpoint the small window throws time and time again, which sets him apart and taunts criticism of height.
“As small as he is – we make fun of him all the time – his ability to get the ball over the line of scrimmage with the angles he creates is remarkable,” Outten said Thursday. t trainer. It gets the defense in trouble because if you give him a 6 inch hole, he’ll throw that thing in there. Just narrow windows down there, and he can stick it in there.
What’s next for the Broncos? Don’t miss any news and analysis! Take a second and Sign up for our FREE newsletter and get the latest Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!
Earlier this week, head coach Nathaniel Hackett hinted that he doesn’t want Wilson to take the kind of big hits that would eventually wreak havoc on his body. An organizational master plan to extend and sustain Wilson’s career is one thing, but it must not come at the expense of curtailing the quarterback’s legendary ability to deviate from script.
Luckily, putting the ties on No. 3 doesn’t seem to be on the agenda – at least according to Outten. Any offensive coordinator worth his weight in gold knows Wilson’s ability to climb and make laser-guided throws and how central it is to what makes him an elite quarterback, so Outten still builds them into his scheme a.
Scroll to Next
“As far as plans go, your most successful game down there is a scrambler,” Outten said. “It’s something he’s very used to and he knows exactly what’s on his back of progression that he can eventually work on. It’s really remarkable to see the kind of arm angles he comes up with.”
It’s a balancing act between risk and reward that the relatively inexperienced Outten must navigate as the Broncos craft their offensive master plan for the regular season. Keeping Wilson healthy is the number one goal for the organization as a whole, and rightly so.
But Wilson’s supernatural ability to improvise and create from script would be like taking your gun out of a gunslinger’s holster and still expecting him to win his firefights. The Broncos need to find the right balance of protecting Wilson and setting him up to win from the pocket while nurturing his backyard mentality when the game collapses.
Even in the highly competitive AFC West, you can’t go broke for a profit.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL.
Keep following Mile High Huddle Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on Youtube for daily Broncos live stream podcasts!