File this one beneath Issues to Do in Denver When You’re Playoff Probabilities Aren’t Useless?
In a surprising transfer, the Broncos are contemplating benching quarterback Russell Wilson for the rest of the 2023 common season, according to a report from NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport. The Broncos are making the transfer to “preserv[e] their financial flexibility for the offseason,” per Rapoport.
The Broncos enter Week 17 with an 8 p.c likelihood to make the postseason, according to NFL.com. There may be even a state of affairs the place Denver may win the AFC West if the Chiefs have been to lose out. As a substitute of Wilson, Denver will begin journeyman backup Jarrett Stidham in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Stidham has two years of significant taking part in time with the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. He began two video games for the Raiders in 2022, shedding each outings. Throughout 4 seasons, Stidham has 926 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.
The Broncos acquired Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round choose from the Seattle Seahawks in alternate for a 2022 and 2023 first-round choose, a 2022 and 2023 second-round, a 2022 fifth-round choose, quarterback Drew Lock, tight finish Noah Fant, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris.
Since buying him, the Broncos have gone 11-19 in video games began by Wilson. The nine-time Professional Bowl quarterback has had two of the worst seasons of his profession in Denver. Wilson throw a career-low 16 touchdowns in 2022 and had the very best interception charge (2.3%) since his rookie season en path to a 5-12 document.
This season, Wilson has let down a Broncos protection that bounced back from a historic 70-point beatdown early within the season. Since Week 4, Denver is tenth within the league in defensive EPA/Play, per RBSDM. Over that very same stretch, although, Wilson ranks twenty first in EPA/play and twentieth in success charge amongst 33 qualifying quarterbacks. On the season, he has thrown a career-low 3,070 passing yards and a career-low 6.9 yards per try, 18th and twentieth in the league, respectively.
Upon his arrival in Denver, Wilson signed a five-year, $245 million contract. The deal assured Wilson’s salaries for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons. According to OverTheCap, Wilson’s 2025 wage will even be assured if he’s on the roster on the fifth day of the 2024 league 12 months. The deal can be assured for damage, that means they’d be on the hook for all of Wilson’s $35.4 million in 2024 and $55.4 in 2025 if he have been to get injured these final two weeks.
If Denver have been to chop him earlier than then, they’d incur $85 million in useless cash together with a $49.6 million cap hit.
