Russell Wilson Rumors: Denver Broncos Likely to Keep Out $245M Worth QB: “Nobody Takes Less Money”

After an abrupt benching for Jarrett Stidham that ended his 2023 season earlier than many expected, questions have lingered around how this team will approach Russell Wilson‘s position for this summer. The Denver Broncos are reportedly expected to release the QB ahead of March’s free-agency period.

However, Wilson is guaranteed $39 million in 2024 regardless of the Broncos’ decision. If he passes a physical in March, his contract’s injury clause fully guarantees his $37 million salary in 2025, which means Denver will almost certainly make a move before then. Although he would likely prefer Denver to cut him as soon as possible because it is eating an NFL-record $85 million in dead money in the process, Wilson is faced with a dilemma. If he loves the team so much, should he take one for the team? Ergo, should he offer a lower-value contract and stay with the Broncos?

That’s what the duo on the Mile High Huddle channel discussed. The hosts thought that this would never happen for two reasons. “Nobody takes less money. They might take less, you know, they might defer some money.” That was the first reason. No QB takes less money. For appearances, they might sign a lower deal initially, but then eventually the team would have to cough up more dollars.

And the second was: why should he even do it? “The Denver Broncos have shown that they are not committed to Russell Wilson so therefore he has no incentive to redo his contract.” The hosts felt it was “silly” for people to blame him for not taking less money.

While the Broncos thought that Russel would restore the team to its former glory, it did not happen. They went 5-12 in his first season, and 9-8 in his second. And now he may have to start looking for a new job. However, the Broncos might let him stay on if he took less money.

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Russel Wilson’s two years with the Broncos were a wild disappointment, with the nine-time Pro Bowler struggling mightily in 2022 before putting together a middling 2023.

A recap of how things went from bad to worse

Sean Payton’s decision to bench Wilson just two games shy of the season stemmed from a combination of factors. Wilson’s poor performance and offensive struggles certainly contributed to the decision. His weighty contract played a significant role as well. Wilson’s contract included injury guarantees that would convert to a full guarantee before his fourth year with the Broncos.

This meant that if Wilson were to be injured before the end of his third year (2024), the Broncos would be obligated to pay for his fully guaranteed contract. By benching him, the team strategically avoided the substantial financial responsibility linked to Wilson’s $37 million salary cap, providing flexibility moving forward.

Then there was a back and forth between the two parties, each accusing the other of poor treatment. In the end, things came to a head, and it’s now almost confirmed that the team would cut him ahead of the March deadline.

Would Wilson take one for his team and negotiate a lower deal? Or is he done with the Broncos? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

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