Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is officially benched for the rest of the season. The team announced the decision on Wednesday, revealing that backup Jarrett Stidham will assume the starting job for the rest of the season.
After losing to the Patriots 26-23 on Sunday, Denver has a 7-8 record. And with two games left in the regular season, the team is effectively eliminated from the playoffs, considering how the AFC standings are shaping out. The top rated sports betting apps have the Broncos at +20000 odds to win the Super Bowl at the time of writing.
According to NFL insider Ian Rappaport, the decision has to do with Wilson's salary and the injury guarantee. It’s standard practice for NFL teams planning to part ways with their quarterbacks to bench them and prevent potential injuries, which can cost them more further down the line.
However, head coach Sean Payton claims that the benching is not related to Wilson's future with the team, according to a statement made to local Denver media but motivated by a desire to win football games. According to Payton, he is only trying to provide a spark offensively with Jarrett Stidham. The only comment from Russell Wilson came via a tweet on X.
Russell Might Be Cut From the Roster by June
The Broncos have a 1.4% mathematical chance to make it to the playoff. Once NFL teams are out of contention for the postseason, they immediately start strategizing for the next season. It is unlikely the Broncos will be able to trade Wilson after his performance in the past two seasons with the Broncos and his substantial contract.
Wilson is under contract with Denver through 2028, but the only guaranteed money is through 2024. If Russell stays on the roster past the start of the next league year, starting on March 17, 2024, then his salary for 2025 of $37 million is guaranteed. The contract fuels speculation that Wilson might be cut in March or June if a trade is not available.
Wilson played a lot better this season compared to 2022. He threw for 3,070 yards, averaging 204.7 passing yards per game for a total of 26 TDs and 8 interceptions after 16 games played. Many analysts expected the arrival of Sean Payton at the helm would reinvigorate the offense, but the team is still not playing at a high level.
Future Prospects With Jarrett Stidham
After last season's unconvincing performance by Wilson, the Broncos brought in Jarrett Stidham as his backup for 2023. Stidham has not played a snap in 2023, and his first test will be on Sunday against the Chargers. The betting sites with free bets consider the Broncos as 3.5-point favorites, allocating them -108 odds to cover the spread and a -180 betting line on a Broncos moneyline bet.
The Chargers will be playing without their starting quarterback Justin Herbert and after the firing of head coach Brandon Staley, this team from Los Angeles is not showing any sparks offensively. Stidham has been in the NFL for three seasons as a backup, throwing for 926 yards with 6 TDs and 7 interceptions. On Sunday, Broncos’s fans will see if Jarrett is the spark Payton seeks.
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