Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has not ruled out the possibility of Russell Wilson remaining the team’s starting quarterback next season, but it does not sound like people around the NFL are buying it.
In a column published on Saturday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote that there is “virtually no one around the league” who believes the Broncos intend to keep Wilson. Fowler noted that trading Wilson will be “an arduous task” for Denver because of the 35-year-old’s massive contract, but the belief is that the Broncos will part ways with Wilson whether it is via a trade or outright release.
It was fairly clear that the Broncos had given up on Wilson when they benched him with two games remaining in the regular season. They will still take a huge financial hit if they cut him, but starting Jarrett Stidham over Wilson assured that the injury guarantee in Wilson’s contract did not trigger, even if Payton insisted it was a football decision.
Payton said in the days before the Super Bowl that the Broncos have to evaluate whether they feel they can upgrade the quarterback position in the draft or free agency. Though the coach has left the door open for Wilson to return, Wilson may already be taking steps in anticipation of a fresh start elsewhere.
Wilson finished with 3,076 yards, 26 touchdown passes and 8 interceptions in his first season under Payton. The results were a lot better than the year before, but the Broncos obviously did not feel they were good enough.
