‘No One in the League’ Thinks Broncos Retain Russell Wilson

For the Denver Broncos, the Russell Wilson saga continues as we wait to find out what is in store for him going forward. The 2023 season was cut short earlier than many anticipated by Jarrett Stidham’s sudden benching, raising concerns about the team’s plans for this summer’s quarterback position.

Though Denver has not yet announced anything formally, it appears that both parties will be facing some serious consequences in the near future.

As a starter, Wilson completed 2023 with a 7-8 record, 3,070 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions with a 66.4% completion percentage. Even though Russ’s performance under Nathaniel Hackett was a huge step in the right direction, he wasn’t able to earn Sean Payton’s long-term trust with his performance.

Wilson’s future with Denver is anticipated to be decided in the upcoming weeks. Russ’s contract officially becomes guaranteed on the Broncos’ books on March 17. If the intention is to eventually veer away from the 35-year-old, we could infer that the change would be made prior to the majority of the promises being set in stone. The quarterback’s 2024 salary cap charge is $35.4 million, and if he were cut by the team before June 1st, he would be subject to a $85 million dead cap.

With such a severe financial penalty in place, Denver will find it even more difficult to navigate the next steps at the post. It remains to be seen if the front staff chooses to risk its resources on a free agency signal caller or selects a cheap quarterback on a rookie deal at 12th overall. In any case, it appears that there will be some exciting weeks to follow in regards to the Broncos.