Russell Wilson benched by Broncos, setting up huge questions for important offseason (Updated)

Last edited Fri Dec 29, 2023, 09:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Russell Wilson and Sean Payton was always going to be a year-to-year relationship. If Wilson took off under Payton, they could live happily together for years to come.

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The Broncos are, at least, hedging their bets on Wilson. The Broncos are benching the QB, sources confirmed to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson and Jori Epstein, leaving open the possibility of moving on this offseason. Wilson's $37 million salary for 2025 becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2024 league year and is also guaranteed for injury, according to Spotrac. (If Wilson were to suffer a major long-term injury in Week 17 or 18, that $37 million would be guaranteed.) The Broncos want to keep their options open going into the offseason.

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What is Russell Wilson's future

Wilson hasn't been bad this season, but he has had some flat spots. That includes a rough start to a bad loss against the New England Patriots in Week 16 that practically eliminated the Broncos from the playoff race.

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Moving on from Wilson won't be easy. There's the matter of a massive, $85 million dead salary-cap hit if they cut him, though that can be spread out over two years if the Broncos designate him a post-June 1 release.

https://sports.yahoo.com/russell-wilson-benched-by-broncos-setting-up-huge-questions-for-important-offseason-171057586.html

They were eager to make that trade.

Update: Russell Wilson confirms Broncos benched him after demanding he change his contract

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton spoke to reporters Friday about Russell Wilson's benching and maintained his story about it being a football move. Moments later, the quarterback flipped the script.

Wilson wasn't scheduled to address the media. But when approached in the locker room, he took the opportunity to confirm media reports that Denver's front office told him he would be benched for the team's final nine games unless he agreed to delay a contract trigger guaranteeing his 2025 salary.

“They came up to me during the bye week and beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday, they told me if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched the rest of the year,” Wilson said. “I was definitely disappointed about it. It was a process for the whole bye week. We had just come off beating the Chiefs, I was excited for us fighting for the playoffs and getting on a hot streak. Then the NFLPA and NFL got involved, or whatever, at some point.”

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