It's Garett Bolles' turn to sing the praises of Russell Wilson as the most significant addition to the Denver Broncos since Peyton Manning.
On Thursday, the Broncos left tackle compared the quarterback to a trio of NBA Hall of Famers.
"He's a great leader. I love Russ," Bolles said per the team's official transcipt. "I love his determination. I love his focus. I love his mental. I love everything. You talk about some of the greatest athletes -- Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan -- the type of mentalities those athletes have -- that's what he has. He's just so focused all the time, ready to rock and roll, and it's what we needed here. He's just so positive all the time, just a lovable guy. You just want to play your heart out for him."
Bolles' comments are the latest streaming from Denver, acknowledging the raised expectations following the Wilson trade. Earlier this week, Courtland Sutton noted that the "juice is just different" with Wilson in the building.
Bolles is a big part of why there should be optimism about the Broncos' chances in the rugged AFC West. The left tackle has gone from struggling as a rookie to second-team All-Pro honors in 2020. He's part of an offensive line that could be one of the better units in the NFL.
"We talked for like 10 minutes," Bolles said of Wilson before taking a semi-shot at the QB's former team. "I was just excited. I told him, 'Hey man, I know you're used to being hit. You're not going to get hit here.' I'm really looking forward to it."
Added Bolles: "I sent him a message [saying], 'What do you want in a left tackle?' So we talked like that. I got to understand what he wants, what his expectations [are], and it's up to me to provide those for him."
The 29-year-old equated the Broncos' sky-high expectations in 2022 after the Wilson addition with his own entering the NFL as a first-round pick.
"I don't think I've lived my life to make excuses," he said when asked if there are no more excuses in Denver. "You all know me -- from when I [started] here to where I'm at now -- I've always taken it upon myself to get better. I know you all rouse me over the years, and I appreciate that because it made me who I am today. I went from probably one of the most hated players here to now everybody loves me. That's cool, man. I take pride in that because that's how my life has always been."
