Broncos benching Russell Wilson for final 2 games, clouding QB’s future in Denver: Sources

By Larry Holder, Nick Kosmider and Dianna Russini

The Denver Broncos are benching veteran quarterback Russell Wilson for the team’s final two games, multiple league sources confirmed. Wilson was informed early Wednesday morning.

The decision to bench Wilson for Jarrett Stidham is tied at least in part to his contract. Wilson is guaranteed $39 million for 2024. There is a $37 million figure in 2025 that is currently guaranteed for injury only. It would become fully guaranteed if Wilson is still on the roster on the fifth day of the league year in March of next year.

By sitting Wilson, the Broncos won’t risk injury to the quarterback, giving them several months to decide on his future with the franchise. The benching is an indication the Broncos will move on from him.

Stidham, Wilson’s backup for the first 15 games, is in line to start the final two against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. Wilson will be the No. 2 quarterback, a team source said.

Following back-to-back losses to the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots, Denver (7-8) has just a 1.8 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s Austin Mock. The Broncos started the season 1-5 before winning six of seven to move within a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West prior to dropping their last two contests.

Wilson, 35, has thrown for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, resulting in a 98.0 passer rating that ranks seventh among qualified quarterbacks.

Stidham, 27, has made two starts in five NFL seasons. Both came for the Raiders at the end of last season after the team sidelined Derek Carr. Las Vegas lost both games Stidham started, while he threw for 656 yards with four TDs and three picks, resulting in an 89.2 passer rating.

The Broncos also want to get a look at Stidham because he would likely be the top option at quarterback next season if the Broncos decide to move on from Wilson. Cutting ties with the veteran means an $85 million dead-money hit. The Broncos could spread that over two seasons with a post-June 1 designation, but they would still be left with limited money to spend on the position.

Denver invested heavy assets and dollars in acquiring Wilson last offseason in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The Broncos sent quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and five draft picks — two firsts, two seconds and a fifth — to the Seahawks. Seattle sent a fourth-round pick back to Denver along with Wilson.

Then Wilson agreed on the five-year, $245 million contract extension just before the start of the 2022 season. The deal, which includes $165 million guaranteed, was to keep Wilson in Denver for the next seven years. Wilson’s previous contract, a four-year, $140 million extension signed in 2019 while with the Seahawks, was set to run through the 2023 season.

Wilson struggled mightily in his first season with the Broncos in 2022. He threw for 3,524 yards in 15 starts with 16 TDs and 11 interceptions, leading to a career-low 84.4 passer rating.

This offseason, Denver traded with the New Orleans Saints to acquire the right to hire Sean Payton. The longtime Saints coach replaced Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired before finishing one season with the Broncos.

On several occasions, Payton has been blunt when discussing Wilson’s shortcomings and how to “fix” the veteran quarterback.

The Patriots selected Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Stidham spent three seasons in New England before being traded to the Raiders in May 2022.

Stidham signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Broncos at the start of free agency that comes with a $1 million guarantee next season. At the owners meetings shortly after signing Stidham, Payton said he believed the 27-year-old had starting quarterback upside.

“I think he’s young, but I think he’s someone that we had a good grade on coming out,” Payton said at the time. “We like the player. I think he played well in the two starts he had this year. If you study closely the San Francisco game (at the end of the 2023 season), he’s smart at the line of scrimmage. There were a couple of directions really with that position and there were a handful of No. 2’s that either I have worked with, or we felt comfortable with.

“In this case, I think he’s a No. 2 whose arrow is moving in a direction where we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league. The evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us. I think he’s someone that’s going to be great in the room. He’s smart. Quietly, that was an important sign for us.”

Ultimately, this move is also tied to performance. The Broncos have lost three of their last four games as the offense has struggled mightily. Wilson has thrown four interceptions during that span.

Now, the Broncos will be in data-gathering mode as they close their season. Coincidentally, Stidham finds himself in the same position he was in last season as he was playing quarterback with the Raiders. Las Vegas decided to sit Derek Carr for the team’s final two games to avoid an injury that would guarantee future salary.

The Raiders ultimately moved on from Carr. The move Wednesday by Payton signals the Broncos are open to doing the same with Wilson after the season. The next two games will help determine how they move ahead at quarterback.

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(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)