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 have confirmed. Wilson was informed early Wednesday morning.
Jarrett Stidham, Wilson's backup for the first 15 games, is expected to start the final two games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. Wilson will be the No. 2 quarterback, a team source said.
The decision to bench Wilson for Stidham is at least partially related to his contract. Wilson is guaranteed $39 million in 2024. There is an amount of $37 million in 2025 that is currently guaranteed for injuries only. It would be fully guaranteed if Wilson is still in the squad on matchday five of the league year in March next year.
By releasing Wilson, the Broncos do not risk injury to the quarterback and therefore have several months to decide his future with the franchise. The benching is an indication that the Broncos will move on from him.
After two straight losses to the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots, Denver (7-8) has just a 1.8 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Austin Mock of The Athletic. The Broncos started the season 1-5 but won six of seven games and were within one game of the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West before losing their final two games.
The 35-year-old Wilson has thrown for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 98.0, ranking seventh among qualified quarterbacks.
Stidham, 27, has made two starts in five NFL seasons. Both joined 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 touchdowns and three picks, resulting in an 89.2 passer rating.
The Broncos also want to take a look at Stidham as he would likely be the best option at quarterback next season if the Broncos decide to move on from Wilson. Cutting ties with the veteran represents a loss of $85 million. The Broncos could spread this out over two seasons with an appointment after June 1, but would still have limited funds to spend on the position.
Denver invested a lot of money and assets to acquire Wilson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason. 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, just before the start of the 2022 season, Wilson agreed to a five-year, $245 million contract extension. The deal, which included $165 million guaranteed, called for Wilson to remain in Denver for the next seven years. Wilson's previous contract, a four-year, $140 million extension signed with the Seahawks in 2019, was scheduled to run through the 2023 season.
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Wilson struggled mightily in his first season with the Broncos in 2022. He threw for 3,524 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 starts, resulting in 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 completing a season with the Broncos.
On several occasions, Payton was blunt when discussing Wilson's deficiencies and how to “fix” the veteran quarterback.
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The Patriots selected Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Stidham spent three seasons in New England before joining the Raiders in May 2022.
Stidham signed a two-year, $10 million contract with $1 million guaranteed with the Broncos at the start of free agency. At the owners' meetings shortly after signing Stidham, Payton said he believed the 27-year-old had a good chance to be the starting quarterback.
“I think he's young, but I think he's someone that we gave a good note to when he came out,” Payton said at the time. “We like the player. I think he's played well in the two starts he's had this year. If you watch the game in San Francisco (at the end of the 2023 season) closely, you can see that he is smart when it comes to battle. There were really a few directions with that position and there were a handful of No. 2s that I either worked with or we were comfortable with.
“In this case, I think he's the No. 2 pick whose arrow is moving in a direction where we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league. The assessment was pretty clear for all of us. I think he's someone who will be great in the room. He is smart. Quietly, that was an important sign for us.”
Ultimately, this step is also linked to performance. The Broncos have lost three of their last four games as the offense has struggled greatly. Wilson has thrown four interceptions in that span.
Now the Broncos will be in data collection mode as they conclude their season. Coincidentally, Stidham is in the same position he was in last season when he played quarterback for the Raiders. Las Vegas decided to rule out Derek Carr for the team's final two games to avoid an injury that would guarantee future salary.
The Raiders eventually moved on from Carr. Payton's move on Wednesday signals the Broncos are ready to do the same with Wilson after the season. The next two games will help determine how they progress at quarterback.
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(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)