In a shocking move leaving NFL fans scratching their heads, Sean Payton has decided to bench Russell Wilson for the remainder of the NFL season. Will the Mile High City say goodbye to their supposed franchise quarterback?
The Denver Broncos have made tremendous changes in their roster and coaching staff throughout their seasons since they won Super Bowl 50 in 2016. Through changes in the roster, upper management and coaching, an unrecognizable Broncos Country peeked its head into an above .500 record once since 2016. After the Broncos gave up three players and several picks to the Seahawks, the franchise seemed to be going all in on a serious quarterback that could take them to the Super Bowl in their acquisition of Wilson. Nevertheless, Wilson seemed nothing like his Seattle self in his first season with the Broncos. Wilson was plagued with poor mobility and more interceptions than can be counted on two hands. Poor leadership behind the offensive line in Denver seemed to be the team’s downfall on a 5-12 season.
Fast forward to the 2023-24 season and every problem Wilson showed in his previous season seemed to be gone. The new reason for the team’s losses proved to be a lousy defense that forced no pass-rush pressure. With the hiring of Payton, things were sure to be different but had not picked up yet. Soon enough, “Danger Russ” and the Broncos caught steam winning five in a row to break the .500 mark at 6-5 and seal off one of the most impressive comebacks of the 2023 season. Payton’s leadership gave the team a shot at reaching the playoff hunt with Denver taking the second spot in the AFC West. Yet the post-season dream would surely die off after Russ led the team to a 1-3 run to end his season as a starter.
After the Broncos became eliminated from playoff eligibility, Payton decided to bench the veteran quarterback in a controversial move which he claimed to be due to his performance on the field. The beginning of Payton’s disapproval of Wilson became a visual affair during the Detroit Lions game in week 15. After this display on the sideline, Wilson started just one more game. However, analysts quickly changed the narrative claiming that the decision was financial to avoid a payout from an injury clause in Wilson’s contract. By avoiding an injury, the Broncos circumvent a $37 million payout should Wilson be unable to start in the following season. Guaranteeing this cap space, the team would hypothetically be able to offer another quarterback an extensive contract.
Leaving the debate on this decision to bench the star up in the air, fans wonder whether Wilson will be returning as a starter in the coming season. If upper management decides to release their starting quarterback before Mar. 17, 2024, the organization will be guaranteed $35.4 million in 2024 and $49.6 million in 2025. Without any clear motivation of whether to release the former Seahawk, rumors are sure to continue about the motivations of Denver’s head office on whether they will keep Mr. Unlimited.
