The Denver Broncos‘ offseason has been one for the history books – and not in a good way. After just two seasons, they shockingly showed quarterback Russell Wilson the door, taking an unprecedented $85 million dead cap hit in the process. A hard reality check – ‘dollars’ roar louder about the fact that more talent cut ties with Broncos than came in.

But that massive financial burden is just the tip of the iceberg. In a league where top-tier talent commands top dollar, the Broncos are in a bizarre situation where 10 of their key returning players will make over $5 million less combined than what they still owe Wilson. As fans grab their popcorn for the 2024 campaign, you can’t help but wonder how such a lopsided payroll will impact the locker room chemistry and Denver’s chase for that elusive Super Bowl run.

Broncos dwarfed by Russell Wilson’s enormous shadow

Despite moving on from Wilson, the Broncos are still on the hook for a whopping $37.79 million of his $39 million salary this season. “We’ve got to make some tough decisions that enable us to be successful,” admitted owner Greg Penner to 9News at this week’s NFL owners’ meetings.

Those “tough decisions” included re-signing or adding 10 key players for $32.37 million in 2024 payouts. The likes of Brandon Jones, Wil Lutz, Adam Trautman, and others will make a little over $5 million less as a group than the astronomical sum still owed to their former quarterback. It’s an unorthodox money game with some fans questioning whether it will impact morale and chemistry in the Mile High City. The table below gives a glaring reality check on these 10 stars from the Broncos.

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Broncos incoming/re-signed (2024 season)

Mike Klis, a Florida-based reporter at 9News, rightly summarised the situation. “Even the deep-pocketed Walton-Penner group has been forced to limit its player spending this year because of The Great Russell Wilson Dead-Cap Saga,” penned down Klis in his article.

It is also true that the Broncos never fall short of confidence. “We embrace the challenge,” GM George Paton told 9NEWS at this week’s NFL owners’ meetings. Overcoming such an unprecedented financial hurdle will indeed be vital if the Broncos want to get back on track after Wilson’s disappointing Denver tenure. While the dollar figures are eye-popping, the focus now shifts to how this new regime will navigate the salary cap waters.

Paton preached a “strategic” and “measured” approach to building a sustainable winner earlier this month. His calculated roster moves and commitment to value over splashy spending stark contrast to the big-money Wilson gambit that backfired. As fans look for rays of hope, all eyes are on the GM’s blueprint…

George Paton’s parachute plan to navigate the turbulence

While the financial ramifications of the Wilson debacle are seismic, the blame game provides no solutions. That’s why all eyes are on Broncos GM George Paton to right the ship through savvy personnel decisions this offseason. “We’re going to be strategic…more measured and try to fill specific positions and needs,” Paton stated at the 2024 NFL Combine.

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His actions have backed up those words so far. The Broncos re-signed key pieces like kicker Lutz and tight end Trautman to team-friendly deals. Free agent additions like safety Brandon Jones ($7 million payout) and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach ($4.25 million) provided value without breaking the bank. It’s a prudent approach after the previous regime’s big spending frenzy failed to yield results.

Paton understands this is a marathon, not a sprint, preaching “sustainable success” built through smart asset management. While the Wilson albatross lingers financially, the new pilot is determined to get Denver’s salary cap airborne again. By embracing the unenviable challenge and avoiding any knee-jerk reactions, Paton is scripting a CapEx blueprint that fans can buy into – even if it requires some short-term sandbags around that $85 million anchor.

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