Denver Broncos Bench Russell Wilson Following Loss To Patriots

DENVER – Russell Wilson will ride the pine.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Wilson will go to the bench for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Backup Jarrett Stidham, a free-agent pickup last March, will start in his place.

Change in Denver: Broncos’ HC Sean Payton has informed his team that Jarrett Stidham will start Sunday vs. the Chargers, with Russell Wilson as the backup, per sources.

With a 1-3 record in the last four games, Denver is looking to spark its offense and see what it has in… pic.twitter.com/P6X2DO0jT7

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 27, 2023

Broncos coach Sean Payton told Wilson on Wednesday morning that he’d be on the bench. After that, he told the entire team of the move, according to Schefter.

And with that, it appears the curtain will descend on Wilson’s time with the Broncos after just two seasons, neither of which could be considered successful relative to the massive expectations created when the Broncos traded for him in March 2022.

The Broncos acquired him from the Seahawks for a haul that included two first-round picks, two-second round picks, a pith-round pick, former first-round pick Noah Fant, former second-round pick Drew Lock and starter Shelby Harris.

Sources: The #Broncos are strongly considering having QB Russell Wilson sit for the final two games, preserving financial flexibility for the offseason.

Wilson has $37M in 2025 salary that vests in March of 2024, and if he suffered a serious injury, it would complicate matters. pic.twitter.com/uyI7NtWBBQ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 27, 2023

Russell Wilson Decision Is Driven By Cap Implications

Benching Russell Wilson is a sign that the Broncos are poised to move on from him in the offseason — even though the Broncos will face a massive $85 million dead money figure if they cut him in March.

The Broncos can designate Wilson as a post-June 1 cut and spread the hit out over two years. This would leave them with salary-cap dead-money figures of $35.4 million in 2024 and $49.6 million in 2025.

Those will hurt. But, if the Broncos have Wilson on the roster for the fifth day of the next league year — March 17 — another $37 million will add to the Broncos’ commitment to Wilson. That represents the figure of his 2025 base salary.

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Breaking: Sean Payton has informed the Broncos that Russell Wilson will be the backup and Jarrett Stidham will start at QB Sunday vs. the Chargers, sources told @AdamSchefter. pic.twitter.com/NBX26goaFB

— ESPN (@espn) December 27, 2023

As a result, if the Broncos waited until the 2025 offseason to cut Wilson, their total dead-money hit over two years would be $86 million — even higher than the dead-money charge if they release him in March.

The $37 million 2025 base salary is guaranteed for injury. Thus, if Wilson were to play in either of the last two games and be injured, the Broncos would be stuck with that guarantee — and thus, stuck with Wilson.

A similar situation played out in Las Vegas last year. In that instance, the Raiders benched Derek Carr rather than play him in the season’s last two games. Coincidentally, the Raiders started Jarrett Stidham in his place — the same quarterback who will start against the Chargers on Sunday.

Stidham is certainly a candidate to start in 2024. If the Broncos move on from Wilson, they would likely target another quarterback in the Draft or free agency. Although, the anvil of Wilson’s contract would likely limit their options in the latter pool.

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