The Broncos have been searching for a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning's retirement following Super Bowl 50. They are hoping that Russell Wilson can be that.
Wilson was acquired by Denver during the 2022 NFL offseason in exchange for quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and a package of five draft picks. The Broncos received a fourth-round pick as part of the deal, but Wilson was, clearly, the biggest prize.
Denver's acquisition of Wilson was one of several big-time trades that teams across the AFC pulled off. It looks like the Broncos will be a potential Super Bowl contender, but there are some big questions about the team.
How quickly will the Broncos adapt to new coach Nathaniel Hackett's system? And how long will it take for Wilson to develop chemistry with his new teammates? If the Broncos can't answer these questions quickly, they may find themselves behind in the AFC playoff race. That wouldn't spell doom for them, but the construction of their schedule will be of the utmost importance as they look jump out to a fast start again in 2022.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Broncos’ 2022 schedule, including dates, start times and analysis for all 17 games.
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Broncos schedule 2022
The Broncos' schedule will be announced as part of the NFL's schedule release on Thursday, May 12. Below is a look at their 17 opponents for 2022 and what has been leaked of their schedule to date.
- Home: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers
- Away: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 12 (MNF) | at Seahawks | 8:20 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC |
| 2 | Sept. 18 | vs. Texans | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 3 | Sept. 25 (SNF) | vs. 49ers | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 4 | Oct. 2 | at Raiders | 4:20 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 5 | Oct. 6 (TNF) | Colts | 8:15 p.m. ET | Amazon |
| 6 | Oct. 17 (MNF) | at Chargers | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| 7 | Oct. 23 | Jets | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 8 | Oct. 30 | vs. Jaguars (in London) | 9:30 a.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| 9 | BYE | |||
| 10 | Nov. 13 | at Titans | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 11 | Nov. 20 | Raiders | 4:20 p.m ET | Fox |
| 12 | Nov. 27 | at Panthers | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 13 | Dec. 4 | at Ravens | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 14 | Dec. 11 (SNF) | vs. Chiefs | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
| 15 | Dec. 18 | Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. ET | Fox |
| 16 | Dec. 25 | at Rams | 4:30 p.m. ET | CBS/Nickelodeon |
| 17 | Jan. 1 | at Chiefs | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| 18 | TBD | Chargers | TBD | TBD |
The Broncos started the 2021 NFL season with a 3-0 record, then proceeded to lose four in a row. They had an up-and-down season with Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock sharing the quarterback duties and are hoping that Russell Wilson will be a capable replacement who can keep them playing at a high level throughout the season.
Denver's path to its first postseason berth since Super Bowl 50 won't be easy. The Broncos have to face each team within their division, the AFC West, twice and also face the NFC West in 2022. Those are arguably the two toughest divisions in the NFL. Luckily, they also get to face the AFC South, so that should give them some easier wins in 2022.
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Broncos strength of schedule
The Broncos' strength of schedule for 2022 ranks 15th in the NFL. The teams that they are facing in 2022 posted a combined record of 147-142 last season, giving Denver a .509 strength of schedule mark.
Denver's schedule is currently heavily buoyed by the fact that its plays in the AFC West, a division that saw each of its top three teams post a winning record last season. Having two games against the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders certainly makes the Broncos' schedule look tougher.
It's also worth noting that these strength of schedule numbers are based on last year's win totals. Teams have changed drastically since last year, so Denver's schedule might actually be a bit stronger than the numbers indicate.
Toughest Tests: The Broncos have a brutal road gauntlet this year. For starters, they have to play three road games against their divisional foes, the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders. None of those will prove easy tests.
Additionally, the Broncos have to face a few potential division-winners on the road in 2022. They are facing the reigning Super Bowl champion Rams in Los Angeles, they play Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in Baltimore and they take on the Titans, who were last year's No. 1 seed, in Nashville.
Those six road games could prove tough for Denver. Playing in Seattle will also be a tricky game. It's already a tough place to play and Russell Wilson could be emotional during that contest. If Denver can survive its taxing road schedule and make the playoffs, it will be well-positioned to make a deep postseason run.
Biggest Breaks: Playing the Texans and Jets at home should give the Broncos a couple of easier matchups and breaks in between the tougher games on their schedule. Traveling to Charlotte to take on the Panthers with their questions at quarterback also seems like a nice, easy matchup for the team.
As always, Mile High Stadium figures to be an advantage for the Broncos, too. So, generally speaking, Denver can be confident that it will post a solid home record even though five of its eight home games are against playoff teams from last year.
Bottom Line: The Broncos have all the upside in the world and are one of the many AFC teams that could legitimately make a Super Bowl run. There are some concerns with their schedule, but their roster has few holes, and Wilson should prove to be a huge upgrade at quarterback.
But how long will it take for Wilson to fit into the Broncos' offense? We've seen quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford and Tom Brady adjust quickly to new teams, but it still takes some time. That could be the case for Wilson, too, especially if Denver's early-season schedule proves unfavorable.
The Broncos can — and should — be trusted to make a playoff run even in the stacked AFC. However, they seem like more of a wild-card contender right now. The Chiefs and the Chargers are more likely to win the AFC West, but getting to double-digit wins is something that Denver should certainly do.
Record Prediction: 11-6