Sean Payton, the Denver Broncos’ head coach, has not ruled out the prospect of Russell Wilson remaining the team’s starting quarterback next season, but it does not appear that many in the NFL believe him.
In a post published on Saturday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler stated that “virtually no one around the league” believes the Broncos want to keep Wilson. Fowler stated that dealing Wilson will be “an arduous task” for Denver due to the 35-year-old’s enormous contract, but it is expected that the Broncos will part ways with Wilson, whether through trade or outright dismissal.
When the Broncos benched Wilson with two games left in the regular season, it was evident that they had lost faith in him. They will still suffer a significant financial loss if they cut him, but starting Jarrett Stidham over Wilson ensured that the injury guarantee in Wilson’s contract was not activated, even if Payton said it was a football choice.
Payton stated in the days leading up to the Super Bowl that the Broncos must analyze if they believe they can improve the quarterback situation through the draft or free agency. Though the coach has left the door open for Wilson to return, he may already be preparing for a fresh start somewhere.
Wilson has 3,076 yards, 26 touchdown passes, and 8 interceptions in his first season with Payton. The results were far better than the previous year, but the Broncos clearly did not believe they were good enough.
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