Russell Wilson's Broncos Debut vs. Seahawks Was Most-Watched MNF Game Since 2009
Sep 13, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos passes during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Russell Wilson's debut for the Denver Broncos against his former Seattle Seahawks team on Monday drew a ton of intrigue and attention.
In fact, ESPN revealed in a press release that it was the most-watched Monday Night Football game since the 2009 season and third-best since the broadcast moved to ESPN in 2006 with a total of 19,845,000 viewers.
Monday night's game also marked the ESPN debut of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman as the lead broadcasting duo. This year's season opener was set a new record for a Week 1 Monday Night Football audience, surpassing last season's record-setting viewership by 16 percent.
Wilson's debut also did wonders for ESPN's alternate telecast, as Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli garnered 1,502,000 viewers, an 86-percent jump from the Manning brothers' season debut last year.
Unfortunately for Wilson, his first game in a Broncos uniform didn't go as he'd hoped. Denver lost to Seattle 17-16 in a game that featured some questionable decision-making and clock management.
When the Broncos were marching down the field late in the fourth quarter, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett neglected to take a timeout until substantial time ran off the clock. He then opted to kick a 64-yard field goal on 4th-and-5 instead of giving Wilson the chance to convert a first down. Brandon McManus missed the long attempt, ensuring the Week 1 loss for Denver.
Wilson threw for 340 yards and a touchdown on 29-of-42 passing. His counterpart Geno Smith, who replaced him as Seattle's starter, impressed by throwing for 195 yards and two scores in a steady performance.
Next week will feature a doubleheader on Monday night, as the Tennessee Titans will take on the Buffalo Bills on ESPN and the Minnesota Vikings will face the Philadelphia Eagles on ABC and ESPN+.
Broncos' Nathaniel Hackett Regrets Late-FG Try vs. Seahawks: 'Should've Gone for It'
Sep 13, 2022
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 27: Head coach Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos leaves the field the second half of Denvers 23-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High on Saturday, August 27, 2022. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is having regrets.
"Looking back at it, we definitely should've gone for it," he told reporters when discussing the decision to kick a 64-yard field goal instead of going for 4th-and-5 near the end of Monday's 17-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Denver was probably the better team in Monday's contest, but the chaos at the end of the contest served as a fitting metaphor for how it unfolded.
The AFC West team simply couldn't get out of its own way with Melvin Gordon III and Javontae Williams each fumbling on goal-to-go situations from the Seattle 1-yard line in the second half. Settling for a field goal after a false start helped derail another goal-to-go situation on the next possession felt like a massive improvement.
Even after all that, the Broncos had the ball in the final minutes with a chance to win.
Russell Wilson impressed for much of the game while throwing for 340 yards, and he led the visitors to the Seahawks' 46-yard line with approximately one minute remaining. They faced the 4th-and-5 with all three timeouts and a golden chance to move the ball and eventually ice the win with a shorter field goal.
Instead, the offense huddled and took its time all while the play and game clocks were ticking. The Broncos then had to call a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty and help settle some of the confusion. Hackett decided to trot kicker Brandon McManus out there for a 64-yard field goal upon the return to play.
He missed it, and Wilson lost his return trip to Seattle.
Wilson told reporters he was fine with kicking it after the game, but Hackett wishes he could have another chance to make the decision upon further reflection.
Broncos' Melvin Gordon on Loss to Seahawks: 'They Can Giggle Now'
Sep 13, 2022
Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III (25) takes part in drills during the NFL football team's training camp Friday, July 29, 2022,in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon is already champing at the bit for another shot at the Seattle Seahawks.
"They can laugh now," Gordon said following his team's 17-16 loss on Monday night. "I seen Pete Carroll. He was doing his little celebrating on the sideline. That’s cool. Hopefully we can meet those boys again, you know, in the Super Bowl, hopefully. The goal is to definitely have the last laugh. They can giggle now."
Their season opener couldn't have gone much worse for the Broncos.
They lost in Russell Wilson's return to Seattle and watched the Lumen Field crowd serenade the Seahawks' new starting quarterback, Geno Smith.
The nature of Denver's defeat was beyond puzzling as well.
The offense had all three timeouts with 1:03 on the clock and a 4th-and-5 on Seattle's 46-yard line. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett let more than 40 seconds run down before he called a timeout. Then he opted for a go-ahead 64-yard field goal attempt rather than putting the ball in Wilson's hands to get a first down.
The Broncos didn't throw away a guaranteed win, but Hackett didn't put his squad in the best position to come away victorious. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of everyone involved.
As to Gordon's desire for a measure of revenge, he might have to wait a while.
The Seahawks still have a difficult road ahead to make the playoffs, and Monday exposed some wider problems for the Broncos. Don't bet on a Denver-Seattle matchup happening at Super Bowl LVII.
The 2024 season might be the Broncos' next crack at their Week 1 opponent, and that's only because they're slated to face off against an NFC West foe. Their next scheduled game against the Seahawks isn't until 2026.
Russell Wilson Says Being Booed in 1st Game at Seattle Since Trade 'Didn't Bother Me'
Sep 13, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos passes during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson suggested that he wasn't hurt by the chilly reception he received from Seahawks fans during his first game back in Seattle on Monday night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St0Gc-DT2ug
Wilson told reporters: "It didn't bother me. It's a hostile environment. I did not expect a round of applause. I gave everything I had here every day."
Wilson, who Seattle traded to Denver during the offseason after he spent the first 10 years of his career with the Seahawks, came out on the losing end Monday in a 17-16 defeat.
Somewhat surprisingly, Wilson was roundly booed by the pro-Seahawks crowd when he took to Lumen Field for the first time as a visitor.
The 33-year-old veteran was a third-round pick of the Seahawks in 2012. He won the starting job as a rookie and spent the next decade as Seattle's starting signal-caller.
Wilson established himself as the greatest quarterback in franchise history by a significant margin, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and leading the Seahawks to two Super Bowl appearances.
His time in Seattle was highlighted by a win over the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, marking the first and only championship in franchise history.
Wilson posted a losing record just once in his 10 seasons with the Seahawks, going 104-53-1 overall in 158 regular-season starts. He also ranks first in franchise history in passing yardage with 37,059 and passing touchdowns with 292.
The assumption is that Wilson wanted out of Seattle, although he said in March that he wasn't the one who initiated conversations and claimed it was a "mutual" decision between him and the Seahawks.
About one year earlier, Wilson's agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Wilson hadn't requested a trade despite reports to the contrary, although he did concede that Wilson would accept a trade to the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears or Las Vegas Raiders.
ESPN's Brady Henderson reported last week that the Seahawks offered Wilson to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, but Cleveland declined, suggesting Seattle tried to move on from Wilson first.
Regardless of the circumstances, Wilson helped bring a decade of great football to Seattle as the Seahawks found their greatest level of success in franchise history.
The return to Seattle didn't go according to plan for Wilson, as Broncos kicker Brandon McManus missed a 64-yard field goal in the waning seconds after head coach Nathaniel Hackett controversially decided to try the long kick rather than go for it on 4th-and-5.
Life after Wilson started off well for the Seahawks and their fans, but the expectation remains that Denver will be in the thick of the AFC playoff race, while Seattle will go through growing pains amid a partial rebuild.
Russell Wilson: I Don't Think It Was 'Wrong Decision' for Broncos to Try 64-Yard FG
Sep 13, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos passes during the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell
Wilson said he doesn't blame head coach Nathaniel Hackett for trying
a 64-yard field goal with kicker Brandon McManus late in Monday
night's 17-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Wilson described McManus as "the best
field-goal kicker maybe in the game" and said that distance was the range he
provided the offense before the final drive:
"I don't think it was the wrong decision." @DangeRussWilson speaks on whether or not the Broncos should have taken the risk on a 64-yard field goal 👀 pic.twitter.com/WI2bwN9fSA
The biggest surprise wasn't that the Broncos
tried the 64-yard kick, which came on 4th-and-5 with 20 seconds
left. It was the lack of urgency throughout the drive.
Denver started with the ball on its own
22 with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter, and the team also had all
three of its timeouts. That's more than enough time to move the ball down the field for a touchdown, let alone a field goal.
Wilson and Co. frequently used almost
the entire 40-second play clock before running a play, including
after their final third-down play. They initially lined up like they
were going to go for it on fourth down before calling a timeout to
try the long kick.
McManus missed wide left as the
Seahawks held on for the victory in Wilson's return to Seattle
following the blockbuster offseason trade that landed him in Denver.
"We were right on the line [of
McManus' range],'' Hackett told reporters. "Brandon gave it his best
shot. ... Obviously, I wish we would have gotten a lot closer, it put
us in that weird spot because we were in that field-goal range. ...
We just made that decision and take our shot there.''
It's a tough pill to swallow for the
Broncos because the margin for error in the AFC West, which features
four legitimate contenders, will be small by season's end. Letting a
winnable game slip through their grasp on opening night is a lost
opportunity.
Denver will look to pick up its first
win of the year Sunday when it returns home to Empower Field at Mile
High for a clash with the Houston Texans.
Russell Wilson Isn't Good Enough to Overcome Nathaniel Hackett, Broncos' Deficiencies
Sep 13, 2022
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Murphy's Law should be renamed Russell Wilson's Law after the Seattle Seahawks traded their all-time leading passer to the Denver Broncos this offseason and the quarterback's disastrous return to Seattle on Monday.
As the adage states, everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Wilson wasn't the primary reason behind the Broncos' surprising 17-16 loss, but he certainly wasn't enough to overcome all the problems in their performance. The mistakes made at every level were simply staggering.
Penalties, miscues, turnovers, red-zone impotence, clock-management issues and shoddy communication all played a part in the outcome.
Wilson remains a very good quarterback. But his former backup, Geno Smith, outplayed him for a significant portion of the game, particularly the first half. Wilson showed his transition to a new team will take longer than expected and feature significant bumps along the way.
Despite everything, the Broncos still had a chance to win. First-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett, however, took the ball out of his quarterback's hands on fourth down with the game on the line—his first crucial call—after inexplicably letting the clock wind down.
Instead, Brandon McManus' 64-yard attempt sailed wide left. The 31-year-old kicker has one of the league's strongest legs, but he should have never been placed in that position. According to Football Outsiders, the Broncos' chances to win the game would have increased by nearly 30 percentage points if they had attempted a pass rather than a field goal. As ESPN's Ed Werder noted, McManus is now 1-of-8 when asked to convert a kick of 60 or more yards.
The Broncos traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire the Super Bowl XLVIII winner and one of the league's best at creating in the moment plus a fourth-round pick. Wilson is the franchise. He's the one who's supposed to lead the team to greater success.
None of that seemed to matter the first time the Broncos needed someone to make a play and win a game. Quite frankly, it's embarrassing for everyone involved in the decision.
"I was surprised they took Russ out at the end," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters after the game. "We weren't thinking field goal there. We were thinking they were going. It gave us a chance to win the game on that play. Very fortunate there."
The clock continued to (in your best Chris Berman voice) tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Denver had the ball with about a minute to go. The Broncos stared at 4th-and-5. The offense huddled, went to the line, ran the play clock all the way down and then called timeout. What a waste.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Hackett only made matters worse afterward when he explained the reason behind his decision.
"Fourth-and-6 for me at that time, we weren't moving it in big chunks," he told reporters. "I think we had just given up a sack right before that, so I wanted to be sure we took a chance when we had a chance. And we were confident in [McManus]."
D'oh. Rookie head coach indirectly provides indictment of his quarterback's play without correctly remembering the sequence of plays. Wilson wasn't sacked on third down. Instead, Javonte Williams had the drive's biggest gain of nine yards on a swing pass from Wilson. (That came after Williams lost four yards on another reception and Wilson threw an incompletion.) Afterward, the quarterback toed the company line.
Said Wilson: "I don't think it was the wrong decision to go for the field goal. We have the best kicker in the game."
Wilson completed 69 percent of his passes and threw for 340 yards. Still, the effort wasn't good enough. Even in the moments when the offense seemingly got on track, his timing and touch weren't all there.
The biggest play of the night was a 67-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy. Even in that instance, Wilson woefully underthrew the pass. Jeudy was three yards behind his defender when Wilson released the ball. If rookie Coby Bryant—who didn't turn his head in time to make a play on the ball—hadn't been in coverage, the throw could have been easily deflected.
THE PASS, THE CATCH 💰
Russ connects with Jerry Jeudy for his first TD as a Bronco 🤝
A couple of other misses occurred when Wilson tried to push the ball down the field. The quarterback is known for his deep passing. It's not automatic, though. New receivers, a new scheme and limited reps mean the players need time to coalesce.
Throughout the night, Hackett and Wilson seemed to struggle with the mechanics of down-by-down play-calling, too. The offense didn't get to the line until there were well under 10 seconds left on the play clock on numerous occasions.
Officials called 12 penalties on the Broncos for 106 yards. Three of those happened to be false starts with two more delay of games.
Denver did move the ball, even with the uphill climb the penalties created.
The Broncos outgained the Seahawks 433-253. Wilson and Co. continually stalled near the end zone. Denver had the ball in the red zone four times and came away with six points. The offense reached the 1-yard line twice and fumbled both times. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Denver was the first team to do so in the last 35 years. The Broncos ran the ball three times in the red zone and tallied minus-four yards before contact, per Pro Football Focus.
Ball security is one thing. An offensive line that gets blown off the line of scrimmage will be a much bigger concern as the season progresses.
On defense, the Broncos didn't have much of an answer for the Seahawks' multitude of tight ends. The trio of Fant, Colby Parkinson and Will Dissly combined to make eight catches for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Opposing tight ends should give Denver problems all season because its linebackers can be exploited.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks (L) and Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos shake hands before a game at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
All this happened in Seattle. Yes, the story of Wilson's return to where he played his previous 10 seasons will capture headlines. But the reality may be much dimmer than the Broncos faithful may want to acknowledge.
The Seahawks aren't a good football team. Entering Monday's contest, they were among the teams with the lowest win totals. Smith played far better than expected, and the defense flew to the football. But Seattle isn't anything like the murderer's row of the AFC West.
Can Wilson be expected to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert and Las Vegas Raiders' Derek Carr when he was just outdone by his former backup?
Essentially, the Broncos sank multiple draft assets, three contributors and a $245 million contract extension into the division's third-best quarterback. Denver must rectify the issues seen throughout Monday's contest, and it will need everything to go right to even compete with the AFC's heavyweights. Wilson can't do it alone.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.
Nathaniel Hackett Explains Controversial Decision to Kick 64-Yard FG in Broncos' Loss
Sep 13, 2022
DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 27: Head coach Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos looks on in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High on August 27, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Well, Nathaniel Hackett is surely going to want to forget his first game as a head coach.
Hackett somehow managed to steal the spotlight from Russell Wilson in the quarterback's return to Seattle, and not in the way he would have hoped. Just when it seemed as if Wilson was going to lead a game-winning drive, the Denver Broncos coach turned in an abysmal display of clock management, and his team lost a 17-16 stunner to the Seattle Seahawks.
There was approximately one minute remaining when the Broncos—with all three timeouts—faced a 4th-and-5 from the Seattle 46-yard line. Rather than go for it with the future Hall of Fame quarterback, Hackett let the play clock and game clock tick nearly all the way down before calling a timeout and sending Brandon McManus out for a 64-yard field goal.
McManus missed it, and Hackett became the story of what was already an unbelievable game with plenty of twists and turns.
The head coach explained his decision-making process to reporters after the game:
WATCH: Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett explains his decision to try the 64-yard field goal instead of going for it on 4th down to @Rod9sports ⬇️#9sports#BroncosCountry
Even Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who is as familiar with what Wilson can do as anyone in the league, told reporters, "I was surprised they took Russ out there at the end."
It was just another missed scoring opportunity for the Broncos, who were the better team for much of Monday's game but came up short because they were unable to capitalize.
Melvin Gordon III fumbled on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line on the first possession of the second half. And then it was Javonte Williams' turn, as he fumbled on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line on Denver's next possession.
The Broncos also settled for a field goal on another goal-to-go situation with 6:13 left in the fourth quarter. They couldn't get over the hump despite 340 passing yards from Wilson.
Yet the clock management at the end of the game stood out most and could haunt the Broncos as they compete in the loaded AFC West against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers and Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Next up is a home game against the Houston Texans as Hackett and Co. look to put this start to the season behind them.
Nathaniel Hackett Ripped by NFL Twitter as Russell Wilson, Broncos Lose to Seahawks
Sep 13, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
It was all set up too perfectly.
Russell Wilson, who just so happens to be the greatest quarterback in Seattle Seahawks history, had the ball in his hands in the final seconds with a chance to clinch a comeback victory for his Denver Broncos in front of the very Seattle crowd that booed him as he took the field Monday.
And then head coach Nathaniel Hackett took the ball out of his hands.
The Broncos had all three timeouts remaining on Seattle's 46-yard line but wasted nearly the entire play clock as the game clock was running and then decided to kick a 64-yard field goal instead of going for 4th-and-5. Brandon McManus missed it, and Seattle clinched the stunning 17-16 win.
Social media did not approve of Hackett's decision-making:
Horrible in-game decisions. Terrible clock management. Infuriating red zone execution. Ill-advised concept of not to have the starters play in the preseason. This is horrendous.
You give up a truckload of picks and a vault full of money for Russell Wilson and you take the ball out of his hands for a SIXTY FOUR YARD field goal???
The thing is, the Broncos likely would have won the game well before it came down to that final drive if they simply took advantage of their other scoring opportunities.
Instead, Melvin Gordon III fumbled on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line on their first possession of the second half, and Javonte Williams fumbled on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line on their next possession.
There was a touch of irony considering Wilson lost a Super Bowl with Seattle because the Seahawks decided to throw instead of running with Marshawn Lynch at the goal line, but Denver simply couldn't get out of its own way Monday.
Wilson finished 29-of-42 for 340 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions and probably did enough to win in front of the fans who used to adore him, but he came away with the loss thanks to an unbelievable sequence of events.
The new NFL season began for two Super Bowl contenders on
Thursday night when the Los Angeles Rams hosted the Buffalo Bills. Plenty more playoff hopefuls will...
Broncos' Russell Wilson Says Seahawks Tried to Trade Him 'a Couple of Times'
Sep 8, 2022
DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 27: Quarterback Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos runs onto the field before a preseason NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High on August 27, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson confirmed Thursday that the Seattle Seahawks tried to trade him multiple times before ultimately dealing the signal-caller in March.
"Definitely they tried to, a couple of times...tried to see what was out there,'' Wilson said Thursday before practice, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.
"It's part of the business, being a professional and everything else. ... I believe in my talents, of who I am. I feel I'm one of the best in the world."
Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, played his first 10 NFL seasons with the Seahawks. He won the Super Bowl during his second NFL campaign in 2013.
ESPN's Brady Henderson did a deep dive into the drama behind the scenes that led to Seattle trading Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick for quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, tight end Noah Fant, the Broncos' first- and second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 plus a 2022 fifth-rounder.
Of note, Henderson revealed that the Seahawks tried to trade Wilson to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Before that, general manager John Schneider had reportedly gone to Wyoming to check out eventual Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who was taken seventh overall in that draft. The year before, Schneider had visited Texas Tech for a look at future Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.
That did not please the Wilson camp, which was reportedly "f--king pissed" due to those trips.
Things smoothed over enough for Wilson to sign a four-year, $140 million extension with the team in April 2019, and that included a no-trade clause.
But two years later, Wilson went public on the Dan Patrick Show about some frustrations he had with the team, including his desire to have more input on personnel and the team's consistent offensive line struggles.
In the aftermath of that interview, Henderson reported that Schneider and Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, "began discussing potential trade destinations and, according to sources on both sides, had a heated exchange about which teams would be in play."
Later in February, Rodgers told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Wilson, who hadn't requested a trade, would welcome a deal to the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders or Chicago Bears.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was against the idea of trading Wilson, but that reportedly changed after the 2021 campaign, when the coach and player started talking about a deal.
"That's when s--t got real," a source told Henderson.
Wilson soon found himself in Denver, where he'll look to lead a Broncos team with a promising future under new ownership and a first-year head coach in ex-Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
As for the Seahawks, they're in rebuilding mode after getting rid of their franchise player as well as their defensive superstar in linebacker Bobby Wagner.
