Russell Wilson’s time with the Broncos appears to almost be over.
Wilson is expecting to be cut by the Broncos in March and has been aware that Denver was preparing to move on from him for almost two months, according to The Athletic.
Denver reportedly reached out to Wilson’s representative following the team’s win on Oct. 29 to tell them that the quarterback would lose his role as the starter and that he would be made inactive for the rest of the year if he didn’t defer an injury guarantee trigger date he has for 2025.
The $37 million injury guarantee for 2025 kicks in March 2024 — if Wilson is hurt and cannot pass a physical.
No changes were ever made to Wilson’s contract, and the Broncos did not inform Wilson if or when he would be benched this season, according to The Athletic.
The latest report is yet another twist in a wild day for the 35-year-old veteran and the Broncos that started when ESPN first reported that Wilson would be benched for this Sunday’s game against the Chargers.
That report, which was later confirmed by head coach Sean Payton, quickly raised questions about Wilson’s future with the team following a rocky two years in the Mile High City.
Wilson struggled significantly in 2022 following a trade from Seattle, and there were constant questions about his relationship this year with Payton, which flared up more recently after broadcast cameras caught the Broncos coach chewing out the QB during a Dec. 16 loss.
During his Wednesday press conference, Payton tried to push back on the notion that Wilson’s benching happened because of the contract stipulation.
“I understand all the speculation and everything that surrounds a move like that,” Payton told reporters on Wednesday. “I can tell you, we’re desperately trying to win. Sure in our game today there are economics and all those other things, but the number one push behind this — and it’s a decision I’m making — is to get a spark offensively.”
When a reporter pressed him about the financial implications of the benching, Payton shot back that if that was the case, the team could’ve made the move sooner.
Wilson threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, an improvement from the previous year.
Over two years with the Broncos, Wilson has started 30 games and has thrown for 6594 yards, 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
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