What factors are contributing to the possibility of Russell Wilson returning to the Denver Broncos?
There’s a possibility that Russell Wilson could make a comeback to the Denver Broncos.
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback seemed destined for a departure from the Broncos after two consecutive disappointing seasons following a high-profile trade between Denver and the Seattle Seahawks.
Insiders from the NFL Network disclosed on Sunday morning that there might be a shift in plans as the Broncos enter Sean Payton’s second season as head coach.
“The Broncos are exploring various options at quarterback, which includes the potential of revisiting discussions with Russell Wilson regarding restructuring his contract to retain him in Denver for the 2024 season,” reported NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo in a story released on Sunday.
Russell Wilson, who celebrated his 35th birthday in November, is currently slated to earn a fully guaranteed $39 million, with an additional $37 million guaranteed for injury in the subsequent 2025 season. This latter sum would become fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster by March 17 of this year. The decision to bench him for the final two games of the 2023 season appeared to be influenced by these financial considerations.
After starting in 15 games for the Denver Broncos this season, Russell Wilson was sidelined.
During the team’s bye week, the Broncos had initiated discussions with Wilson regarding postponing the March 17 deadline.
Subsequently, Wilson and his representative informed the NFL Players Association about the situation.
In a media briefing on December 29, shortly after being benched, Wilson disclosed, “Yeah, we beat the Chiefs, they came up to me during the bye week, beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday, and they told me that if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched for the rest of the year.”
He continued, “And we had nine games left or so. I was definitely disappointed about it, and it was a process throughout the whole week, for the whole bye week.”
The likelihood of Wilson returning under a restructured contract appears slim, as per reports from NFL Network. However, insiders suggest that “the team could take another run at tweaking the contract if Wilson is open to staying and better options don’t materialize for either side.”
During Super Bowl 2024’s radio row this week, Payton indicated that the Broncos would kick off draft meetings on Monday, right after the season concludes. He emphasized that determining Russell Wilson’s future with the team is a top priority.
Jarrett Stidham, who took over the starting role for the Broncos following Wilson’s benching, remains under contract for the 2024 season. He is in the final year of a two-year, $10 million deal inked last offseason.
Despite Wilson’s benching, he had a notably improved performance compared to his initial stint with the Broncos in 2022. In the recently concluded season, Wilson made 15 starts, demonstrating significant progress. He achieved a completion rate of 66.4 percent, amassed 3,070 passing yards, and threw 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions.
During the 2022 season, he had his career-worst completion rate of 60.5%. He totaled 3,524 passing yards, which was below his usual standards, and threw a career-low of 16 touchdown passes. Additionally, he recorded 11 interceptions over the course of 15 starts.
