NFL News: John Elway says Russell Wilson was the missing piece in Denver

Just when everybody thought the Denver Broncos were ready to land Aaron Rodgers, they shocked the NFL world by pulling off a massive trade for Russell Wilson instead. Needless to say, that’s a significantupgrade over Drew Lock.

For years, the Broncos focused on building a strong, physical defensive unit. Then, they slowly added some intriguing offensive prospects with high upside. But unfortunately, Vic Fangio and the lack of a true starting QB stalled the team’s offense.

Now, they have a veteran, Super Bowl-winning QB and one of the all-time great dual-threat players. So, even though they play in football’s toughest division, John Elway still loves their chances.

NFL News: Russell Wilson Is Just What Denver Needed, Says John Elway

“He was the piece we needed. We had a good football team around him and I think George (Paton) did a tremendous job of putting that deal together and getting him here. It’s great to see the fan base energized again,” Elway said, as quoted by Mike Klis of 9Sports.

“We’ve got a chance to compete in the AFC West, which obviously is going to be tough,” the legendary QB added.“But again like anything we’ve got to stay healthy. We’ve had a tough time doing that the last several years. If we can stay healthy, Russ has been there, he’s won Super Bowls, he knows what it takes and the leadership he’s provided has been tremendous.”

Wilson wasn’t his usual self last season. He was banged up, and his offensive line could notkeep him safe. But if he’s at least two-thirds of the player he’s always been, then the Broncos might be onto something.

They already had a solid defense, a promising receiving corps, and a Head Coach who knows how to make the most of Hall of Fame-caliber QBs in Nathaniel Hackett. So, don’t sleep on this team, even on the crowded AFC West.