On Wednesday the Denver Broncos took the bold step of benching starting quarterback Russell Wilson in what could be an early sign that his tenure with the franchise could soon be at an end.
After losing five of their first six, the Denver Broncos got on a serious hot streak midway through the 2023 season and reeled off five straight surprising victories. The win streak helped to salvage their current campaign and thrust them right back into the playoff chase. However, their postseason hopes fell apart after back-to-back defeats over the last two weeks.
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Following their ugly loss to the New England Patriots in Week 16, a report came out that the Broncos might consider benching the nine-time Pro Bowler for the final two games to avoid a $37 million roster guarantee that would kick in if he completed the season as the starter. Well, those rumors became a reality on Wednesday.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter was one of the first to report that the Broncos will indeed sit the one-time Super Bowl champion, and backup Jarrett Stidham will be under center against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17. In recent days head coach Sean Payton has not shown much confidence in Wilson and the offense so the move isn’t completely shocking for several reasons.
- Russell Wilson stats (2023): 3,070 passing yards, 26 TD, 8 INT, 341 rushing yards, 98.0 rating
If the Broncos indeed plan to move on from Wilson, it will be difficult and costly. He still has three years left on the $242.59 million contract he signed after being traded to Denver last year and the team will have a $35 million cap hit in 2024, which then increases to $55.4 million the following year.
Trading or cutting Wilson before June 1 would mean a $72 million cap charge for next season. However, making him a post-June 1 release cut that cost down to $35.4 million. It would also create a $53.6 million dead cap hit in 2025.
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That is why the Broncos would have to be very creative and it might mean giving up valuable draft assets or swap their struggling QB for another that might be a better fit for Payton. With that in mind let’s look at five players that could be options as replacements for Wilson in 2024.
5 Denver Broncos QB replacement options for Russell Wilson
Daniel Jones
New York Giants QB Daniel Jones took a big development step forward in 2022. However, poor offensive line play and a season-ending injury curtailed any chance he had of following up on that in 2023. While it is debatable if he is an upgrade over Wilson, he does have a similar skillset, is younger, and his contract has far more benefits long-term than the Seattle Seahawks legend.
New York could be open to adding Wilson as a two year mentor to a young QB they draft in 2024.
Michael Penix Jr.
There are a lot of interesting QB prospects that could be available in the 2024 NFL Draft. One option for Denver could be Washington star Michael Penix Jr. He may be a reach if Denver does make a pick in the middle of the first round. However, they could trade down to select him later in the first or early in the second round.
He was a Heisman Trophy finalist this season who has a bunch of experience, a big arm, and could be an interesting option in a training camp QB competition with Wilson in 2024.
Kyler Murray
On paper, Kyler Murray is an upgrade over Wilson and far younger. However, he comes with a greater amount of financial obligations for many years to come and can be frustratingly inconsistent for a very talented player.
The big question is how the Cardinals and new head coach and Jonathan Gannon feel about him. That could affect the sort of cost it would take to land the former first-round pick and if it would require giving up valuable draft compensation to land a notable upgrade in 2024 and beyond.
For Arizona, the deal offers a chance to get out from under Murray’s massive deal sooner.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Without a doubt, Jimmy Garoppolo would be a step back for the Denver Broncos at QB. However, if they are looking to get out from Wilson’s money like they already started to do this season, Garoppolo would help with that and give them a decent placeholder QB for 2024.
Furthermore, they could look to take a QB prospect in the second or third round who could be groomed by Payton and tutored by Garoppolo — a player who has racked up a lot of wins during his career. The organization could also use the salary cap space that gets freed up for next season to address other needs in free agency.
With the Raiders QB situation being a mess, they might welcome a switch to Wilson in 2024.
Shedeur Sanders
Another young quarterback Denver could target — if he does decide to declare for the April event — is Colorado star Shedeur Sanders. Many around the sport believe the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders has a skill set that is well-built for the current NFL game. Since he has one of the best arms in the college ranks and high-level escapability that gives him the chance to make an immediate impact at the next level.