Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson can cross two teams off his list of possible landing spots.
One of them is, of course, the Broncos. Despite Wilson going into the first year of a five-year, $242.6 million contract they gave him after the blockbuster trade package to acquire him, and the $85 million cap hit to cut him, the Broncos will do just that.
The other team is the Carolina Panthers. New Head Coach Dave Canales, who coached Wilson with the Seattle Seahawks, put any possibility of that happening to bed.
“This is not the situation for Russ,” Canales said on “Up & Adams” on March 6.
That much may have seemed obvious. Bryce Young was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He is still entrenched as the starter. But, as with any regime change, there were questions about his future to start this offseason.
Canales spent four of his 10 seasons in Seattle as the Seahawks’ Assistant Quarterbacks Coach and, later, Quarterbacks Coach, helping Wilson reach nine Pro Bowls.
The head coach tipped his cap to Wilson for leaving that familiarity.
“Taking that chance and that opportunity to go to Denver, I really admire him for that,” Canales said. “I really admire the courage it took to say, ‘I’m gonna branch out from what I’m comfortable with.’
“Guys like me, who was with him for all 10 years and the level of comfort that comes – I know exactly what he wants, he needs, what he’s gonna ask for, I can anticipate those things. He really gambled on himself to go and try to do something a different way to see what that can become. What it’s become, hey, the film’s out there. But I really credit him for that.”
Wilson’s Broncos tenure ends with an 11-19 record. That includes going 7-8 last season, his first under Head Coach Sean Payton. Wilson completed 63.3% of his passes for 6,594 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions over the last two seasons.
Broncos Players Show Support for Russell Wilson
GettyJaleel McLaughlin #38 and Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos.
Wilson’s impending release may be coming as a surprise, but it does appear to be weighing on some of the players already, and on both sides of the ball. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II and running back Jaleel McLaughlin both posted in reaction to the news of the Broncos’ decision.
“Forever solid,” Surtain posted on X, formerly Twitter, quoting Wilson’s goodbye message on March 4.
“Keep being the star you are 2,” Wilson exclaimed in a response post. “Forever homies.”
“Brotha,” McLaughlin’s post read, accompanied by a perplexed emoji.
“Gunna miss you Jaleel! Keep going,” Wilson told McLaughlin in response. “Your work ethic is truly inspiring.
“If God is in it… We can’t lose.”
Broncos Allowing Russell Wilson to Talk to Teams
GettyRussell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos.
Rather than cut Wilson now, the Broncos informed him of their decision. But they have also allowed him permission to talk to prospective teams before they do, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Before free agency begins next week, the Broncos have given soon-to-be-released quarterback Russell Wilson permission to immediately begin speaking and meeting with other teams in their home cities, per sources,” Schefter reported in a post on X on March 6. “Wilson’s free agency begins now.”
It behooves them to wait and designate Wilson a post-June 1 cut. That allows them to spread that $85 million dead cap hit across the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
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