Getty Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson warming up before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
There has yet to be a decision made by the Denver Broncos on what they want to do with quarterback Russell Wilson in 2024.
While the belief is that Denver will move on from their $242 million gun-slinger, there is one destination that could be the best fit for Wilson.
ESPN NFL analyst Jeff Saturday thinks that the Steelers would be the “best fit” for Wilson after Pittsburgh recently hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
“Russell Wilson for Arthur Smith would be the best fit and because he wants to play under center,” Saturday said on ESPN’s “Get Up” on February 1. “He wants play action. He’s a veteran quarterback. All the different things.”
“You have a vet guy in there who’s won a bunch of games. You’re bringing somebody in there who’s bringing some stability to an organization.”
Wilson was benched by the Broncos for the final two games of the 2023 regular season after losing to the New England Patriots in Week 16, effectively eliminating Denver from the playoffs.
The former Super Bowl-winning quarterback was replaced by veteran quarterback, Jarrett Stidham.
Russell Wilson Could Play Anywhere for Less Money
Currently, Wilson is still under contract with the Broncos, so a team would have to trade for him, but the chances of that happening are slim because of the large contract that the Broncos gave him before playing a single down for the orange and blue.
Denver gave Wilson a five-year deal worth $242 million while he had two years remaining on his deal with the Seahawks. With the extension, Wilson was signed up to be under contract for seven years.
Currently, the Broncos are staring at an $85 million dead cap hit if they release him early in 2024, but they can lower that cap hit if they release him later in the offseason.
If the Broncos wait to release Wilson after June 1, that would divide the dead money over the 2024 ($35.4 million) and 2025 seasons ($49.6 million), per NFL Network’s James Palmer.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on December 27 that Wilson expects to be cut by the team in March, ahead of the start of the new league year.
The bottom line is that Wilson can play for the minimum this season to help another team with their cap situation in 2024.
Options at QB for the Broncos in 2024
There are many different avenues for the Broncos to look at while targeting their next quarterback of the future, if they decide to move on from Wilson.
Denver could target a veteran free agent like Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, or even Kirk Cousins, but those guys could be out of the Broncos’ price range because of Wilson’s dead cap.
If the Broncos want to go all in on a free agent quarterback, it’s going to require them to make some decisions on the roster by moving money around on certain contracts or moving on from certain players to create cap space.
Denver could also look to add a quarterback in the NFL draft, but they’re sitting with the 12th overall pick. If the Broncos want one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, they’ll likely have to move up to get one and that means trading multiple draft picks.
The Broncos only own six picks in April’s 2024 NFL draft.
Another option for the Broncos is rolling with Jarrett Stidham as a “bridge quarterback” and draft a quarterback later in the draft to develop.
The final option, Denver could keep Wilson for another trial run and look to improve the quarterback position next year if things don’t turn around for the Broncos and they miss the playoffs for a ninth-straight season.