Russell Wilson has likely played his last snap for the Denver Broncos, marking the second consecutive year that an NFL team and a well-regarded head coach decide to move on from Wilson. Despite bad endings in Seattle and Denver, there will seem to be a market for him next offseason.
Wilson was a relatively effective starting quarterback this season for Denver. He posted a touchdown rate above 5.5 percent (5.8%) with an interception rate under 2 percent (1.8) for the first time since the 2021 season with Seattle and only the second time since 2019.
- Russell Wilson career stats: 43.653 passing yards, 64.7 percent completion rate, 7.7 yards per attempt, 115-72=1 record, 334 passing touchdowns, 5,307 rushing yards, 29 touchdowns
While the 35-year-old quarterback might not have executed Sean Payton’s offense the way Payton wanted, Wilson did protect the football and keep Denver in games. However, with his contract, Denver determined there wasn’t a path forward. Set to be released at the start of the 2024 NFL offseason, a few teams are already being linked to the Pro Bowl signal-caller.
During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said in conversations with people around the NFL that the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers were mentioned as potential landing spots for Wilson in 2024.
Related: Russell Wilson landing spots
- Russell Wilson stats 2023: 3,070 passing yards, 98.0 QB rating, 66.4% completion, 26-8 TD-INT, 6.9 yards per attempt
Wilson was a limited quarterback in Payton’s system, reflecting the player he now is at this point in his career. Across the entire season, per Pro Football Focus, 23.3 percent of Wilson’s throws were behind the line of scrimmage and 38 percent of his pass attempts came within 0-9 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Assuming the Patriots don’t finish with a top-two pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they could select wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or offensive tackle Olu Fashanu with Wilson as their starting quarterback in 2024. As for the Falcons, Arthur Smith’s offense is a solid fit for Wilson and having a veteran quarterback who can make smart decisions and protects the football would likely make Atlanta the team to beat in the NFC South next season.
