For those of us who have come to like seeing Wilson in an orange jersey, this is going to be hard. From his “Broncos Country, let’s ride!” antics to his benching, the drama that folded, and now his eventual ouster from the team, even non-Broncos fans are going to miss Mr. Unlimited in Denver. It’s the end of an era over at Mile High City. Russell Wilson might have been at Denver for just two seasons, but his impact will be felt for many more years.

As a messy chapter in both the Broncos’ and Wilson’s books has come to a close, the events have set in motion a web of effects that will affect many than just Wilson, or Sean Payton. When he picked up the pen to sign the papers that would make him a Bronco, he told everyone, that it’s “a marriage and you want to be here a long time, and my goal is to be able to finish my career here.” But the September 2022, Wilson could not have predicted how things would unfold in the next two years. 

Russell Wilson’s tenure has a messy break-up

He could not become the hero the Broncos had hoped for. He went for 5-12 in his debut season in Denver. Then in 2023, the squad brought in Sean Payton to help out the team. Mid-season it was clear that he was running out of patience with his QB. In backdoor conversations that we got to know of later, Wilson revealed that the team wanted him to reduce or even delete his injury guarantee from the contract. Wilson didn’t budge. If he loved his team so much, couldn’t he have been less greedy and removed the guarantee? After all, even the best marriages need certain compromises from both partners.

But like Wilson said, “I wasn’t going to take away injury guarantees. This game is such a physical game. I’ve played for 12 years and that matters to me.” And this is where he has set a far-reaching precedent for all QBs in the future. They need to look out for themselves. A major injury is all it takes for your career to encounter a dead end. One day you could be earning millions, and the next day could have all that taken away from you. Wilson led a comeback for the Broncos, and the threats went away for some time. However, when he faltered late in the season, the axe came for his head. 

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“We Were Onto Something” – Broncos WR Questions Russell Wilson’s Exit Decision

Denver paid a heavy price to get rid of Wilson. And one that might doom the team for seasons to come.

Does the Broncos’ undoing start now?

Things have surely gotten tougher for Wilson. He’s not in any team and is left at the mercy of free agency. But they aren’t as bad as you might think. Even if he doesn’t sign with any team, he’s still going to get a fat check of $39 million this year. That’s the amount the team owes him in guarantees. And with several teams such as the Patriots, Raiders, and Steelers on the lookout for a strong QB, he has enough takers. And he can be acquired for peanuts for a QB of his stature. Wilson might just charge his next team the bare minimum since he’s already going to get money from Denver.

The Broncos, however, may have made things several times more difficult for themselves. The way they handled Wilson surely doesn’t inspire loyalty, love, or respect from the players. If they could do that to a veteran, Super Bowl winner, who’s to say they wouldn’t do it to others? Payton also may have lost the trust of the locker room. In fact, Cortland Sutton posted a cryptic, “What’s next” on X, after news broke of Wilson’s release. Could he be contemplating a switch?

Payton, for one, doesn’t seem to be too worried. “We are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.” Hollow words. The Broncos have the 12th overall pick, which means that the good QBs will all be taken. And as far as free agency is concerned, Wilson is actually the best free-agent QB right now. They may try to poach a good QB, but with their NFL-record $85 million dead cap charge, it doesn’t seem likely. It seems that Wilson will have the last laugh in this entire saga.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.