The Denver Broncos have become instant Super Bowl contenders by agreeing to trade for Russell Wilson. According to ESPN, the Seattle Seahawks will send Wilson to Denver as part of a blockbuster deal, pending a physical and the quarterback’s approval.

The Broncos have +1200 odds to win next year’s Super Bowl at BetMGM. Only four teams have better championship odds than Denver.

Denver’s chances to compete for a championship in the 2022 season looked somewhat bleak just hours earlier when it was reported that Aaron Rodgers was signing a four-year contract extension with the Green Bay Packers. The Broncos were viewed as Rodgers’ top destination if he were to ask for a trade.

Entering Tuesday, Denver had +1800 Super Bowl odds at BetMGM. Those odds dropped to +2500 when it was reported that Rodgers wouldn’t be joining the Broncos next season.

Despite missing out on Rodgers, the Broncos were able to fill the sport’s most important position with a perennial All-Pro selection. With a talented roster, Denver had been a quarterback away from being considered a contender in the AFC.

In exchange for Wilson and a fourth-round draft pick, Seattle will receive two first-round picks, a pair of second-round selections and a fifth-rounder, according to reports. The Broncos will also send the Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive lineman Shelby Harris.

Without Wilson, Seattle is expected to become one of the NFL’s worst teams. The Seahawks have +6600 Super Bowl odds, putting them ahead of only five teams in the entire league.

A second-round pick of Denver in 2019, Lock has not had much success as an NFL starter. Lock had an 8-13 record with 25 touchdown passes, 20 interceptions and a 79.3 passer rating.

The Broncos have not reached the playoffs since Peyton Manning retired following the team’s Super Bowl title in the 2015 season.

Teddy Bridgewater started 14 games for Denver in 2021. The Broncos went 7-10 for a last-place finish in the competitive AFC West.

Denver is still not favored to win the division. That distinction belongs to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City has won six straight AFC West titles. In all four seasons with Patrick Mahomes as their starter, the Chiefs have reached the AFC Championship Game.

The Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are co-Super Bowl favorites with +750 odds.

The AFC West is now widely viewed as the NFL’s most talent-rich division. The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off a playoff appearance. The Los Angeles Chargers barely missed the 2022 playoffs, and quarterback Justin Herbert made the Pro Bowl in just his second season.

Wilson has made the Pro Bowl in nine of his 10 NFL seasons.

Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks jogs off the field on Oct. 7, 2021, in Seattle. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
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