Russell Wilson’s bumpy ride with the Denver Broncos looks poised to soon end after the franchise announced Wednesday it was benching him for the final two weeks of the regular season.
The move looks like an important first step in Denver moving on from the quarterback and could mean he’ll be wearing a new uniform in 2024.
Russell Wilson Poised To Be Released
It all started on Wednesday when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Broncos had decided to bench Wilson for the final two games of the regular season, per sources.
The news elicited a response from Wilson later in the day.
“God’s got me. Looking forward to what’s next,” Wilson said in a tweet Wednesday night.
Although his benching is just taking hold now, it has reportedly been in the works for weeks. Denver purportedly threatened to bench Wilson weeks ago if he did not remove injury guarantees from his contract, coming to him with the proposition after the Broncos’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.
Schultz also reported that sources told him the move is “solely financially related.”
Sean Payton, who was hired as Denver’s new head coach in January, inherited Wilson as his quarterback and has pulled no punches with his criticisms of the offense when it has struggled throughout the season.
He and the front office appear to have soured on Wilson, and benching him is a logical first step toward releasing him in the offseason. With that said, there would certainly be salary cap ramifications.
MORE: Why Did the Broncos Bench Russell Wilson?
Parting ways with Wilson would also signal a failure in the Broncos’ acquisition of him back in the offseason ahead of the 2022 campaign. Denver shipped off a haul of players and draft picks to land Wilson, including three players, three first-round picks, and two second-round selections across a two-year period.
It’s a deal that has not quite produced the level of success the franchise had hoped for in giving up such capital to acquire him. The Broncos went 5-12 in 2022 as Wilson struggled but have markedly improved this season at 7-8 and are still within the playoff hunt following his benching.
Now, the Wilson era in Denver appears to be coming toward its close.
Potential Landing Spots for Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
If Denver moves on from Wilson after the season, Pittsburgh is one of several teams that seems likely to be interested in his services.
The Steelers got out to perhaps an overachieving 7-4 start to the 2023 season before coming back down to Earth with a three-game losing streak. They now sit at 8-7, still firmly in the playoff race but far from secure.
Pittsburgh has achieved that success despite inconsistent QB play throughout the season. Kenny Pickett struggled in 12 starts with just 2,070 passing yards for six touchdowns and four interceptions. Mitch Trubisky didn’t fare any better after taking over, and Mason Rudolph has been inconsistent at best during his professional career.
Wilson could provide some much-needed stability at the position, something Pittsburgh has been sorely lacking in recent years.
Atlanta Falcons
Similarly to Pittsburgh, Atlanta has struggled their way to success despite inconsistent quarterback play this season.
The Falcons have found their way to a 7-8 record, yet they sit just one game back of the NFC West-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite losing two of its last three games and five of the last eight overall.
The Falcons have reached that mark amid a lack of sure-fire production at quarterback. Desmond Ridder has been up and down with 2,528 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, along with several fumbles, while backup Taylor Heinicke hasn’t fared substantially better in spot action.
Needless to say, Wilson could provide a significant upgrade at the position and perhaps help Atlanta better utilize its wealth of talented playmakers.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are yet another of the fringy playoff teams that have reached that point despite less-than-stellar play at quarterback.
Las Vegas sits at 7-8 after notching important wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs over the last two weeks, rebounding from a three-game skid that followed the team’s 2-0 start under Antonio Pierce. The interim head coach has been able to rally the Raiders despite some ups and downs from rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
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Although O’Connell has shown some promise at times this season, it’s unclear whether Las Vegas views him as its long-term answer at quarterback.
If it does, great. If not, Wilson is one of a few players potentially available this offseason who could give the Raiders elevated play at the position and a chance to move up in the playoff race; if that’s the direction they hope to go.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have decisions to make at quarterback this offseason with Kirk Cousins’ contract expiring after a season-ending torn Achilles injury shortened his 2023 campaign.
Minnesota will have to decide whether it wants to bring Cousins back, and at what price. He has been plenty productive across his now six-year run with the franchise, but can the Vikings depend on him to continue producing that way after recovering from a serious injury?
If the answer to that is no, then bringing Wilson into the fold could make a ton of sense.
Minnesota received some strong play early from Joshua Dobbs after acquiring him at the trade deadline, but he has since tailed off. Neither Nick Mullens nor Jaren Hall looks to be a long-term answer at the position, either.
Although it seems like a bit of a long shot, Wilson joining Minnesota could be a beneficial partnership for both sides.
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