After Denver Broncos Release Russell Wilson, What’s Next For The Star QB?

The Denver Broncos announced on Monday that they are set to release quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson played just two seasons with the Broncos despite signing a five-year $245 million deal with the team after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks in March 2022. Previously a Super Bowl winner with Seattle, the 35-year-old will now attempt to jumpstart his career with a new team. Wilson gave his thanks to the team and fans in a statement on X.

“On behalf of the Broncos, we thank Russell for his contributions and dedication to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton said in a joint statement. “As we move forward, we are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”

Wilson averaged 219.8 yards per game with a 63.4% completion rate in his two seasons in Denver. In that span, he had a total of 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions while the team had a combined 13-21 record in the two regular seasons. The Broncos were last in scoring in 2022 and as the season drew to an end in 2023, Wilson was benched, despite being the highest-paid player on the team. While things initially looked positive between the Broncos and Wilson, his short tenure with the team proved to only be a negative experience for both sides.

By releasing Wilson, the Broncos put themselves in a spot unique to no other team. Due to his significant contract, Denver will have to carry an extra $85 million in dead cap space over the next two years. The team did save $37 million by cutting Wilson before the official start of the 2024 season, but the money left on their books is the most in NFL history.

In his place is backup quarterback Ben DiNucci with only a few career starts, but the team also has the 12th overall pick in the upcoming draft and has a large talent pool to choose from. Of those top-ranked college players hoping to find success at the next level, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy are all potential targets. The team could also hope to land a new starter in the free agent market or through a trade, as Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew and Justin Fields have all been in recent rumors with the team.

The Broncos sent five draft picks and three active players in exchange for Wilson two years ago, along with signing him to one of the biggest contracts in the league. Despite proving himself as a top-tier quarterback in his time with Seattle, the pieces never perfectly fit together for Wilson in Denver. Regardless, Wilson will now have to find a new team and hope his future performances can help reinstate him as one of the league’s best quarterbacks.