The Russell Wilson era appears to be over and done with in Denver.
According to NFL Network, ESPN, and Denver7, the veteran quarterback is set to be benched, with head coach Sean Payton reported to have told the team as much this Wednesday morning.
Jarrett Stidham is expected to get the nod against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, as well as the last game of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Wilson, who joined the Broncos last season, has a losing record as a starter with the team at 7-8. And, while things appeared to have taken a turn for the better as Denver put a five-game winning streak together late in the year, the season has gone back to being bleak and Payton seems ready to rebuild with two games still left to go.
This is pretty similar to the situation with Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders last season. Carr, who is now with the New Orleans Saints, was benched in favor of Stidham around the same time in 2022.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
You could see some reactions to Tom Pelissero pointing that out right below:
Wilson’s contract is inclusive of a $37 million injury guarantee for 2025. Having him sit out the last two games of the campaign allows Denver to avoid having to risk a major injury that would trigger such.
The QB is due a guaranteed $39 million in 2024. Should the Broncos release him, he would still account for $85 million in dead money against the cap for the next two years.
