Mike Holmgren Shares Outlook on Russell Wilson/Sean Payton Project

During Russell Wilson's 10-year tenure in Seattle, the quarterback sought out a relationship with former Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren, who'd become a local radio guy at KJR. According to The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson, Wilson cultivated the relationship with Holmgren — one of the NFL's proponents of the West Coast offense and a bonafide quarterback guru of his era. 

As an accomplished head coach, who won a Super Bowl with Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, Holmgren's insights were understandably valuable to Wilson. And Holmgren, of course, continued to be a student of the game, with his own observations on Wilson's career as time marched on. 

Then Wilson jumped ship in a trade to the Denver Broncos. Year 1 in Denver didn't go swimmingly for the veteran quarterback, but the hope is that the Broncos' new head coach — Sean Payton — will be able to restore the vintage version of the nine-time Pro Bowler. 

In a sit-down with Tomasson, Holmgren shared his outlook on the Wilson/Payton project. 

“I expect him with Sean to get great coaching,’’ Holmgren told Tomasson. “Sean has done an excellent job. He had Drew Brees (as quarterback while coaching New Orleans) for a long time, and he knows football.”

Indeed, Payton is a QB guru in his own right and arguably more eminent than Holmgren in that respect. It's why the Broncos moved veritable mountains to get him hired as head coach. 

What Payton achieved with Brees, saving the QB's career from potentially careening into the NFL dustbin and putting him on a Hall-of-Fame path, is remarkable, but he also worked miracles under center with the journeyman likes of Teddy Bridgewater and Trevor Siemian, while also developing the unique talents of Taysom Hill, and extracting a shockingly efficient season out of former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, whom many NFL analyst perceived as a first-round bust. 

Payton now seeks to reconjure some of that magic, but of the Mile High variety with respect to Wilson. And Holmgren isn't alone when it comes to former high-achieving NFL coaches who still believe in Payton's wherewithal to turn the Wilson ship around. 

"If he can't do it, it can't be done," Hall-of-Famer Dick Vermeil said of Payton fixing Wilson back in May. "I have tremendous respect for him. To me, he and Andy Reid are the offensive coaches of the decade."

Holmgren has kept tabs on Wilson since he exited Seattle and even sent the QB a word of encouragement via text following the blockbuster trade last year. 

“I just said, ‘I’m pulling for you. Good luck.’ That kind of stuff,’’ Holmgren told Tomasson. “I’m a fan of his and I believe in him.’" 

The returns on the Wilson/Payton project will begin to emerge when the Broncos kick off training camp on July 28. Until then, like Holmgren, Broncos Country will have to hurry up and wait for answers to these burning questions.