The Denver Broncos are poised to release star quarterback Russell Wilson following a poor two-year stint. Wilson recognizes that his tenure in Denver has come to an end. Wilson was benched for the rest of the season due to $37 million in injury protection that was scheduled to become guaranteed in the league’s new year. He knew his time in Denver was over two months before the new year.
Wilson was benched in favour of backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, which reduced the team’s chances of making the playoffs. In their first season together, Wilson and head coach Sean Payton faced expectations from the organization. However, certain complications developed during the matchup, attracting media attention at the end of the season. Payton was filmed shouting at Wilson on the sidelines after a penalty.
Even with Wilson benched for the rest of the season, the Broncos had little hope of making the playoffs. Payton told a reporter that it was “none of their business” why he yelled at Wilson. If they probe Wilson’s mistreatment, he may face trouble in the future. According to the NFLPA, the Broncos issued illegal threats about his contract.
They also came to Wilson’s defence in November, accusing Denver of breaking the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement through their actions. Denver threatened to remove Wilson from the lineup if he did not restructure his deal and give up certain salary guarantees. This is a continuous story that may resurface once Wilson is released.
The Denver Broncos are expected to release star quarterback Russell Wilson.
The Sean Payton Controversy
If Wilson decides to pursue legal action, Payton may face an investigation. However, he benched Wilson for football reasons, not contract threats. This may be true, but Wilson offered a different tale to reporters. He stated that, while being benched was football-related, he was threatened with removal from the lineup in November.
A month earlier, the squad finally decided to bench him and replace him with Stidham as the starter. Wilson stated that the team sat him down because he refused to remove the injury guarantee from his contract. Once all of this was completed, he was compelled to leave Denver before things got even worse.
Wilson and his wife, Ciara, a multi-platinum singer and composer, are accepting offers for their Colorado house. This pretty much confirms that they’re on their way out when the free-agent market opens in March. A love story between Wilson and Payton was steadily destroying the organization’s future before it could even improve. Last December, Wilson remarked on X, “God’s got me. Looking forward to what comes ahead.”
This statement emphasizes that he was mentally exhausted before his release, which is scheduled next month.
Wilson’s potential landing spots
After a disastrous season in Denver, Wilson will soon find a new NFL home. Given his contract, it’s odd that he’d be moving to a new team. Wilson remains costly, and his stock has dropped due to a large contract. He will continue to be expensive for the Broncos, accounting for $35.4 of the salary cap.
Three teams that could make an offer are the Steelers, Falcons, and Patriots. The Steelers are seeking for a mobility veteran-caliber quarterback to compete with Kenny Pickett. However, New England and Atlanta appear to be more “QB-needy teams” hunting for a dependable franchise quarterback. Wherever Wilson ends up, expect these three teams to move first.
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