Russell Wilson addresses benching for first time, hints at Denver Broncos departure

Russell Wilson
Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

After starting the season 0-3, Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos had a long road ahead if they were to come anywhere close to reaching their goals. Yet, after a five-game winning streak from Weeks 7-12, the Broncos amazingly climbed back into the postseason chase to reach a respectable record of 6-5. Then, the Broncos would proceed to lose three of their next four matchups, leaving Denver with very low odds of clinching a postseason spot.

While the Broncos are technically still alive in the race for one of the final AFC Wild Card spots, there are eight teams above them who have far better odds.

Still benching a nine-time Pro Bowl QB, just under two seasons after trading a bounty for him? That was unexpected, especially considering his replacement, Jarrett Stidham, is far from proven and has just two NFL starts to his name.

While we may not know who will be quarterbacking the Broncos next season, or where Wilson will be playing, the 35-year-old Ohio native doesn’t appear concerned about his future.

Late Wednesday night, Wilson took to social media to address his recent role change.

What’s next for Wilson? For now, he’s operating as Denver’s backup QB, helping Stidham prepare for the Broncos’ Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. After that? Well, the Broncos could try to trade him, but his contract makes that very difficult after signing a five-year, $242 million deal in 2022.

Instead, look for the Broncos to release Wilson at some point during the offseason, where he’ll be free to pick the next team of his choosing, likely another team he feels is ready to contend.

Related: 5 ideal Russell Wilson landing spots in 2024, including the Las Vegas Raiders

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