The 2023 NFL season is over for Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. And so is Wilson’s good time in Denver, given the latest contract fiasco. Following a demotion to the backup role in week 17 by Sean Payton, the QB spoke to the media detailing what may have triggered the so-called ‘football-related’ decision.

On Wednesday, General Manager George Paton publicly addressed the issue, sharing his perspective before acknowledging the challenge of presenting the proposal to the quarterback. Considering his season ended on the bench, how might this impact Russell Wilson’s tenure with the Broncos?

Broncos’ GM Paton admits it was hard to negotiate with Russell Wilson

Paton was the one to initiate the contract call, upon greenlights from the higher authority. But it didn’t work out, and the GM expressed his feelings about the situation in Wednesday’s press conference. “In regards with the negotiations, you know, I’ll just keep specifics private out of respect for really everyone involved”, he revealed just as many details to the public eye as necessary.

“Negotiations are hard, you have difficult conversations, tough conversations and you can characterize a negotiation really any way you want. We always try to handle ourselves professionally and in the best interest of the Broncos… And this was no different”, Paton further insisted the side faced a tough situation before asking the QB, and they tried to maintain as much professionalism as possible in the event.

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“Door Remains Open With Russ”: Broncos GM George Paton Comments on Russell Wilson’s Dicey Future With Broncos

The GM provided insight into how he initiated the call during the bye week at the end of October. However, when considering the entirety of Wilson’s $242.6 million Broncos career, how does this particular interaction fit into the larger picture?

Where does the Broncos’ negotiations with Russell Wilson lead to?

Paton detailed when and how the issue occurred. “During the bye week, I did reach out to Russell’s agent in a good faith, in a creative attempt to adjust his contract. We couldn’t get a deal done, and we moved on with our season… It didn’t come up again”, he said both parties gave up on the deal because no decision came out. According to him, the franchise also never dug out the topic back to the QB.

“Fast forward… Week 17, Sean makes a change in the quarterback position. This was a football decision made by Sean, what he thought was in the best interest of the team. This was completely independent of any conversation I had with the agent.” Interestingly, Paton moved the ball to HC Sean Payton’s court, making him responsible for the benching division, regarding it football-related. It had nothing to do with the contract issues, according to the GM.

Wilson still has three years remaining on his five-year contract, which includes $39 million guaranteed for 2024. However, will his tenure in Denver be the solution to ending the Broncos’ eight-year playoff drought? If it isn’t, the reasons behind Paton’s decision to bench the quarterback during critical weeks of the season might remain unknown. Moreover, a potential breakdown in the locker room can’t be dismissed yet.

Watch This Story: “Just Pissed for Russ, a Lot of Us”: Denver Broncos’ Locker-Room Breaks Silence on Russell Wilson Benching Decision