Russell Wilson expects Broncos to cut him, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Get ready for some 2024 NFL free agency drama with the potential addition of Russell Wilson to the class.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Wednesday that Wilson expects to be cut by the Denver Broncos in March. Wilson reportedly has known for almost two months that the franchise was most likely going to move on from him after this season.
Russell Wilson is expecting to be cut by the Denver Broncos in March, per league sources. For almost two months, the quarterback has been starting knowing the organization was most likely going to move on him from after this season.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) December 28, 2023
Russini’s report came just hours after the Broncos benched Wilson in favor of backup Jarrett Stidham. The 7-8 Broncos, who have dropped three of their last four games, hold just an 8% chance of making the playoffs with two weeks left in the regular season, per NFL.com.
Wilson, 35, is guaranteed $39 million next season and he will be owed an additional $37 million in injury guarantees for 2025 if he’s still on the roster come March 17, 2024. Since injured players can’t be cut, the Broncos would owe Wilson the injury guarantees if he didn’t pass his spring physical.
Russini reported that Broncos representatives reached out to Wilson in late October and told him he would be benched and made inactive for the rest of the season if he did not defer the injury guarantee trigger date. Lawyers, including from the NFLPA, were involved but no changes were made to the contract, according to Russini.
Wilson has $37 million in injury guarantees for 2025 that will become guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2024 league year in March. Lawyers, including some with the NFLPA, were involved, and no changes were made to the contract.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) December 28, 2023
Head coach Sean Payton told reporters Wednesday that trying to spark the offense was the main reason for the quarterback change, not Wilson’s contract.
“I understand all the speculation and everything that surrounds a move like that, and I can tell you we’re desperately trying to win,” Payton said. “Sure, in our game today there are economics and all those things, but the number one push behind this — and it’s a decision I’m making — is to get a spark offensively.
“Obviously it’s difficult and all of us feel like, ‘Man, we didn’t do enough.’ But one of the things we saw when we signed Stidham in the offseason was — not only film from preseason games but regular season games — he’s a guy that I’m anxious to see play. If I didn’t feel like he gave us a chance to win,