Russell Wilson

Broncos Wanted To Avoid Waiting Until 2023 To Extend Russell Wilson

October 14th, 2022 at 10:24am CST by Sam Robinson

Amplified by the Broncos’ bevy of primetime games to start the season, their Russell Wilson partnership has not gotten off to a good start. The team has seen the nine-time Pro Bowler struggle in Nathaniel Hackett‘s increasingly scrutinized offense, inviting big-picture questions.

The Broncos are being questioned for greenlighting Wilson’s five-year, $245MM extension before he played a down with the team, but as Mike Klis of 9News notes, the team was fully committed to Wilson long-term upon trading for him. That should be expected given the trade haul the Broncos sent the Seahawks.

The Broncos viewed 2022 as a better window for their Wilson extension, Klis adds, due to the annual quarterback-market price hike. Next year will bring extension windows for Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow, with likely multiple deals coming in north of $50MM per year alongside Aaron Rodgers‘ current $50.3MM market-setting Packers pact. Wilson’s 2015 extension came in just behind Rodgers’, and his 2019 Seahawks re-up checked in as the top QB payment until Patrick Mahomes (and others) topped it in 2020.

Wilson, 33, did not leverage the Broncos in the way he did the Seahawks in the past, doing a deal despite two years remaining on his second Seahawks extension. He is under team control for seven seasons, after his previous Seahawks deals included five years of control (the extension seasons tacked onto a contract year). Wilson’s $49MM-per-year AAV sits second among NFLers presently, but the contract’s length could age well. Wilson is essentially locked in with the Broncos through 2025, with the deal’s final three years being nonguaranteed.

Of course, any talk of this contract aging well will need to included improved play. Wilson is well off his Seattle pace, sitting 24th in QBR and having completed just 59.4% of his passes through five games. Shoulder and lat trouble has affected the likely Hall of Fame quarterback over his past two games, mainly the ugly outing against the Colts, but he is not expected to miss any time because of this issue. The Broncos’ 21.4% red zone touchdown rate is well behind every other NFL team, with the 31st-place Seahawks at 38.5%, and Hackett play-calling and game management struggles have persisted — to the point the ex-Packers OC has been regularly mentioned as a one-and-done candidate.

Various NFL staffers are wondering if the Wilson-Hackett partnership is sustainable, per Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus. While an AFC scout informed Kyed he believes the Broncos’ issues stem from Wilson working with new receivers — in a group that lost possession target Tim Patrick before the season — and in a new system. One of this era’s top deep-ball throwers, Wilson has graded 23rd in that area this season, per PFF.

Another personnel exec mentioned, via Kyed, chemistry issues may doom this Broncos season. Already playing without Patrick and Javonte Williams, Wilson will now be tasked with playing with a backup left tackle. Garett Bolles will not return from his lower-leg fracture this season. The team’s various hiccups have been on display due to the NFL slotting Denver into three primetime games already; the fourth — Monday night against the Chargers — figures to be another referendum on the Broncos’ trade. Considering the Wilson-Hackett acclimation issues and the Broncos’ run of injuries, the team’s top Wilson-years form might not end up emerging in 2022.

Latest On Broncos QB Russell Wilson

October 13th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned earlier this week that Russell Wilson was dealing with a shoulder injury, but it doesn’t sound like the issue will force him to miss any time. The Broncos quarterback told reporters that he’s “physically ready” for Monday’s game against the Chargers, per ESPN’s Jeff Legwold.

Wilson is specifically dealing with an injury to his latissimus dorsi, and he suffered the injury earlier this month against the Raiders. He was listed as a limited participant on Thursday’s injury report, but he was spotted alongside the other starters when reporters were in the building.

“Shoulder’s feeling better, getting better every day,” Wilson said today (via Legwold). ” … I haven’t had this particular thing before, but I’ll be OK. I’ll be ready.”

Wilson has already played through the injury, so unless he somehow makes it worse, it sounds like he’ll continue to be under center for Denver. Wilson hasn’t had the best start to his Broncos tenure; he’s completing a career-low 59.4 percent of his passes for 1,254 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. He’s also continued to see less work on the ground, as his 14.6 rushing yards per game are the second-lowest of his career. The Broncos, meanwhile, rank 30th in the NFL in scoring, and their red zone offense is last in the league.

The QB has naturally started to face some criticism for his disappointing performance, especially after Denver invested $243MM in him via an extension. However, Wilson is confident he’ll turn his season around.

“Lot of season left,” Wilson said. ” … I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again. … I don’t think you get motivated by [criticism]. … I can handle it, I’m built for it. I’m built for the good times and the tough times. … It’s never supposed to be easy.”

Russell Wilson Dealing With Shoulder injury

October 8th, 2022 at 8:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Given the Broncos’ offensive struggles to begin the season, Russell Wilson has drawn plenty of criticism at the beginning of his tenure in Denver. A new reason for at least some of the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback’s performances has emerged.

[Community Tailgate: State Of The Broncos]

Wilson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, as detailed by Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Specifically, he has a strained latissimus dorsi; it occurred during Denver’s Week 4 loss to the Raiders. As a result, Wilson was included on the injury report in the build-up to Thursday night’s game against the Colts. His performance in that contest (which Denver lost 12-9 in overtime) was reflective of the team’s overall inability to produce points at the level which was expected upon their acquisition of the 33-year-old.

Following the Colts game, Wilson received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection. As Pelissero and Rapoport note, that treatment is unusual for lat injuries. He and the team hope, though, that the injection and mini-bye Denver is now on will allow his shoulder to heal at least in part. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that surgery is not expected to be required.

Even if Wilson suits up for Denver’s next game – which, at this time, he fully intends to – this news marks another blow to the Broncos’ offense. Key contributors to the unit including running back Javonte Williams and left tackle Garett Bolles are both out for the remainder of the season. Their absences, along with a less-than-healthy Wilson, would make an offensive turnaround even more difficult.

Through the first five contests of his tenure in the Mile High City, Wilson has completed less than 60% of his passes, and has only one more touchdown through the air (four) than interceptions (three). That, coupled with a stark decline in his rushing production, has helped leave the Broncos with a 2-3 record and numerous questions about new head coach Nathaniel Hackett‘s scheme and play-calling.

Denver’s next contest will come on October 17 against the Chargers. That divisional clash already had plenty at stake, but Wilson’s health will add even more intrigue to it.

Community Tailgate: State Of The Broncos

October 7th, 2022 at 10:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries are hitting the Broncos harder than most teams. Starters continue to be moved to IR, with Garett Bolles‘ leg fracture the latest significant issue to emerge. But this is standard in-season fare. Ditto close losses. The Broncos’ bigger-picture problems are not.

The team’s hire of Nathaniel Hackett and trade for Russell Wilson have not produced offensive success; the Broncos’ defense has been largely responsible for their two wins and the team being in position for two more. Hackett and Wilson’s performances keyed both the upset losses to the Seahawks and Colts. Considering what these two figures mean for the franchise’s future, the early returns warrant scrutiny.

Denver cycled through 11 starting quarterbacks between Peyton Manning‘s retirement and the Wilson trade. First-round picks (Paxton Lynch), second-round picks (Drew Lock), free agent signings (Case Keenum) and trades (Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater) did not produce worthwhile solutions, leading the franchise to pony up for Wilson. The Broncos’ eight-asset trade haul — headlined by 2022 and 2023 first-round picks — for Wilson doubled as one of the most expensive in NFL history, and the team committed to the perennial Pro Bowler via the five-year, $245MM ($124MM fully guaranteed) extension in August.

Through five games, the Broncos rank 31st in points per game and 28th in EPA per drive. While the team has mounted productive drives, it is consistently crashlanding in the red zone. This continued Thursday night, when the Broncos were 0-for-4 on touchdowns after reaching the red area. The only two instances of a team going 0-for-4 on TDs in the red zone this season, as ESPN.com’s Field Yates points out (on Twitter), came Thursday and in the Broncos’ bizarre Week 1 loss to the Seahawks. The Broncos have scored touchdowns at a ghastly 21.4% clip in the red zone. That is in last place by a wide margin; the 49ers rank 31st at 40%.

A star quarterback suddenly losing his form at 33 would be one of the more interesting on-field storylines to develop in recent memory, so it is worth speculating whether these rampant issues are Wilson-based or if they are more closely tied to the shift to a new offense. The nine-time Pro Bowler ranks 22nd in QBR, and the latter of Wilson’s two interceptions Thursday helped the Colts tie the game in the final minute. Wilson has rarely opted to use his legs this season; the likely Hall of Famer has 73 rushing yards through five games. That is in line with the new pace he set in 2021 (43 carries, 183 yards), when he missed three games. The Seahawks, who derived considerable value from Wilson’s rushing ability during his 10-year stay, believed Wilson’s run-game reluctancy would increase as he aged. Wilson sits fourth in QB history (behind Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Randall Cunningham) with 4,762 rushing yards.

Wilson’s accomplishments and success leading diminishing Seahawks rosters, at least compared to the franchise’s dominant mid-2010s squads, to the playoffs from 2018-20 point to Hackett being the bigger variable here. The 11th-year passer’s acclimation period to this offense — one that entered Thursday without starting running back Javonte Williams and has played without No. 3 wideout Tim Patrick all season — has been shaky at best. The Broncos’ final offensive play — a fourth-and-1 shotgun set in which Wilson missed an open K.J. Hamler, leading to extensive Hamler post-play frustration — effectively epitomizing the Hackett-Wilson partnership’s first month. Wilson is 2-for-18 on end zone passes this season, per ESPN Stats and Info.

This season has brought Hackett’s first play-calling role since he was fired from his Jaguars OC post during the 2018 season. The dual role of play-caller and game manager proved daunting for Hackett, whose 64-yard field goal attempt decision did well to foreshadow the Broncos’ eventful first month, and a game management assistant (the unretired Jerry Rosburg) is now in place. Situational struggles, as the brutal red zone numbers illustrate, have plagued Hackett since Rosburg’s arrival as well. The last of those produced a notable reaction from ex-Wilson teammate-turned-Amazon analyst Richard Sherman. Hackett rebuilt his career in Green Bay, having a hand in Aaron Rodgers‘ back-to-back MVP awards — and receiving steady endorsements from the future Hall of Famer — and interviewed for four HC jobs this offseason. But his Denver tenure is skidding off track early.

The Broncos rebounded from a 2-3 start in Manning’s first season, shifting quickly to some of Manning’s former Colts concepts to close out that 2012 campaign — a 13-3 season. But that team lost to three division champions, whereas none of this Broncos iteration’s blemishes have come against over-.500 competition. With the Broncos’ new ownership group not having signed off on Hackett, the prospect of a one-and-done HC tenure may be greater.

While these decisions are rare, five coaches (Urban Meyer, Freddie Kitchens, Steve Wilks, Chip Kelly and Jim Tomsula) have been fired during or after their first season. Meyer, Wilks, Kelly and Tomsula all lost 11-plus games; Kitchens’ firing came more as a result of dysfunction. Following Thursday’s result, BetOnline.ag moved Hackett to the top of its first-coach-fired prop odds. With the Broncos tied to Wilson through at least 2025 (due to guarantees), Hackett’s job security will shift to the forefront if his offense continues to produce at this level.

Can the Broncos re-emerge as a more stable operation after their mini-bye? Or have Hackett’s early-season missteps become too big of a concern? How much of the Denver offense’s issues are Wilson-driven compared to the system in which he now finds himself? What does this all mean for the franchise’s long-term outlook? Weigh in on the Broncos’ strange start in PFR’s latest Community Tailgate installment.

NFC West Rumors: 49ers, Wilson, Rams

October 5th, 2022 at 10:11am CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers were without Trent Williams on Monday, and while they won a fairly one-sided game over the Rams, it came with another tackle injury. Colton McKivitz became the latest 49er to sustain an MCL sprain. Like Elijah Mitchell and Azeez Al-Shaair, Kyle Shanahan expects his swing tackle to miss approximately eight weeks. Rookie Jaylon Moore, who replaced Williams against the Broncos while McKivitz was not at 100%, will be the next man up at left tackle.

That said, the 49ers demoted two-year right guard starter Daniel Brunskill because partly because they viewed him as an ideal swing backup. Shanahan said Brunskill will be considered for blindside fill-in duty, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News notes (via Twitter). Brunskill, who is in his fourth 49ers season, debuted Monday after missing the first three games due to injury. The former UDFA would inject some potentially necessary experience into the mix for a 49ers team still using a mostly unseasoned group of interior O-linemen this season.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

Contract issues and a steady relationship deterioration drove the Seahawks to trade Russell Wilson, but the likely Hall of Fame-bound quarterback’s willingness to run also played a role in the team deciding to move on. The Seahawks believed Wilson’s willingness to use his legs would decrease as he aged, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Wilson, 33, averaged 5.5 carries and 30 yards per game as a Seahawk and has been one of the best running QBs in NFL history. Wilson’s 4,740 career rushing yards are fourth all time among QBs — behind only Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Randall Cunningham. Wilson rushed for 849 yards in 2014 and topped 500 four more times — most recently in 2020. But in 2021, Seattle’s starter — albeit during a season in which he missed three games due to a finger injury — only rushed for 183 yards. Although the 11th-year veteran has been effective when scrambling as a Bronco, he has been reluctant to do so. Wilson, who has expressed a desire to extend his career into his 40s, has totaled 13 carries for 51 yards this season.
Williams does not expect to miss too much time. Given a four- to six-week timetable, the All-Pro left tackle told CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson he is “80% sure” he will beat that four-week mark (Twitter link). Williams, 34, suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 3. Beating the timetable would mean a possible return for the 49ers’ Week 7 game against the Chiefs. San Francisco could certainly use its star blocker in that game, but judging by how the team is playing it with its batch of players rehabbing MCL sprains, it would not surprise if the team exercised caution with its valuable O-line asset.
49ers running backs coach Bobby Turner is back with the team after being away for several months, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. The 73-year-old assistant had been away from the team since undergoing two surgeries early this offseason. Turner has been an integral assistant for both Kyle and Mike Shanahan, being the Broncos’ running backs coach throughout the latter’s 14-year Denver stay. Turner has been with the 49ers since they hired Kyle Shanahan in 2017.
The Rams not only lost another interior offensive line starter Monday, when Coleman Shelton suffered a high ankle sprain, but they left San Francisco with starting safety Jordan Fuller out. The young defender is facing a two- to four-week absence to a hamstring strain, Sean McVay said.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Golden, 49ers

September 16th, 2022 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

While much of the Seahawks–Russell Wilson drama should be expected to recede in the coming weeks, now that the Broncos’ Seattle date has come and gone, the decorated quarterback and his former team will still be connected in the years to come. One of the recent discussion points involving Wilson centered around previous times the Seahawks explored trading him. Wilson confirmed recently he knew about multiple trade talks the Seahawks engaged in during his 10-year run.

“Definitely they tried to, a couple different times, to try and see what was out there,’’ Wilson said of Seattle trade talks (via 9News’ Mike Klis). “It’s part of the business and it’s part of being a professional and everything else. ‘Upset’ is probably the wrong word. I believe in my talent and who I am.”

Wilson, who threw for 340 yards and a touchdown in a Seattle return that became overshadowed by Nathaniel Hackett‘s strange final-minute field goal strategy, was asked specifically about Seahawks-Browns talks in 2018. The Seahawks were linked to attempting to trade their perennial Pro Bowl QB to the Browns for the No. 1 overall pick. A 2020 report indicated the Seahawks wanted both the Browns’ Nos. 1 and 4 picks in 2018 (which turned into Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward), but those conversations were more conceptual in nature. Nevertheless, the Seahawks’ trade discussions involving Wilson led to the no-trade clause in his 2019 extension. QB trades were less prevalent in 2018 compared to their frequency today; a Wilson move at that point would have been far more shocking than it was in 2022.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

Rashaad Penny received the bulk of the carries for the Seahawks in their upset win over the Broncos, but the team’s rookie back will make his debut this week. Ken Walker will return after missing weeks due to a hernia surgery. Pete Carroll confirmed the second-round pick will be active against the 49ers, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter). Penny, a 2018 first-round pick who showed his best form at the end of last season, is signed to a one-year deal. Walker’s rookie contract runs through 2025.
The Cardinals gave Markus Golden a short extension, a one-year bump that runs through 2023. The veteran edge rusher’s deal maxes out at $6.5MM. A sack-based incentive package worth $2MM is included in that total. Golden can earn $250K for reaching six sacks and another $250K for totaling eight, Howard Balzer of SI.com tweets. If Golden registers 10 sacks, he will collect a $500K bonus. A 12-sack season would mean an additional $1MM. Golden, 31, should have a reasonable chance of acquiring some additional cash. He has three double-digit sack seasons as a pro, his most recent coming in 2021 (11). Of course, Arizona’s pass-rushing situation looks a bit different now, seeing that All-Pro Chandler Jones signed with the Raiders.
Elijah Mitchell‘s MCL sprain and IR trip will change the 49ers‘ backfield equation. After being inactive in Week 1, third-round rookie Tyrion Davis-Price will suit up against the Seahawks. Kyle Shanahan said the back end of his backfield committee, one that will be fronted by Jeff Wilson, will be a hot-hand situation between Davis-Price and rookie UDFA Jordan Mason. The latter’s special teams ability and Davis-Price’s early issues in pass protection led to him being inactive against the Bears, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News notes. Although Davis-Price has the highest draft pedigree of San Francisco’s current backs, the 49ers bailing on third-rounder Trey Sermon after one season shows Shanahan is unafraid to prioritize lower-level investments at this position.

Giants, Saints Pursued Russell Wilson; Seahawks Staffers Viewed QB As Declining

September 7th, 2022 at 12:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two teams that wound up on Russell Wilson‘s list of acceptable destinations last year indeed pursued him in 2022. The Giants and Saints were among the teams to discuss the perennial Pro Bowl quarterback with the Seahawks, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

The Saints appear to have advanced further during this year’s trade talks. Seattle, however, knew Denver had become Wilson’s preference, so the team kept New Orleans in the mix to prompt an improved Broncos offer. It is unclear if the Broncos did so, as Wilson’s no-trade clause could block a Saints move. The 11th-year veteran’s initial destination list included New Orleans, along with Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas. Of course, the Saints saw a rather notable change take place this year; Sean Payton walked away after 16 seasons. But Wilson became set on Denver this year.

Seahawks GM John Schneider, who initiated trade talks with the Broncos by texting George Paton at the Senior Bowl, apologized to the non-Broncos teams whom he told Wilson was not available. The Broncos had also become the Seahawks’ preferred trade partner, per Henderson, who writes in an expansive piece Schneider’s interest in Drew Lock drove that effort. Lock, whom Schneider was fond of ahead of the 2019 draft, will begin the season as Geno Smith‘s backup.

New Orleans, which later became a Deshaun Watson finalist, pivoted back to Jameis Winston after the Browns’ $230MM fully guaranteed offer changed Watson’s mind on a Cleveland stay. The Giants, who joined the Broncos in emerging as an acceptable Wilson landing spot late last year, will give Daniel Jones a final chance. The Commanders, who offered three first-round picks and change for Wilson, also joined the Browns, Eagles and Panthers in a wide-ranging Wilson pursuit.

Much of the gradual decay in the Seahawks-Wilson relationship has come out, but Henderson offered one reason Seattle was OK moving on. Although this divorce might not have happened had Wilson and Pete Carroll not butted heads continually during the early 2020s, multiple Seahawks front office staffers believed Wilson was in decline.

The nine-time Pro Bowler’s issues with the Seahawks ranged from Carroll’s run-first philosophy to the team’s offseason efforts — particularly along its offensive line — to fortify a contender, and the Broncos look to agree with Wilson that the Seahawks held him back. No team ran the ball more from 2012-21 than Seattle, and Henderson adds the Seahawks ranked 29th in designed pass-play rate over that time. The Seahawks, conversely, had come to view free agent O-linemen as overpaid commodities, per Henderson. During Wilson’s time on expensive contracts, the team did acquire Duane Brown and Gabe Jackson via trade.

Wilson’s 57.7 QBR ranks 11th in the NFL over the past 25 games, a stretch that began with a 2020 midseason dip following an explosive start. Wilson struggled after that hot, oft-labeled “Let Russ Cook” intro to the ’20 season and did not play well in the weeks following his 2021 finger surgery. He did fare better to close the 2021 season, however. Anonymous executives tabbed Wilson eighth among quarterbacks in both The Athletic’s annual quarterback tiers project and in an ESPN.com poll ranking each position. Although certain Seahawks coaches disagreed the 33-year-old passer was declining, the team moved on in March by picking up eight assets — including Lock, Shelby Harris, Noah Fant and two first-round picks — for the likely Hall of Fame-bound player.

Wilson has since signed a five-year, $245MM Broncos contract ($124MM fully guaranteed — second only to Watson’s outlay) and will attempt to craft a memorable second act. The Seahawks, who were reluctant to go through a third round of Wilson extension talks or pay the new going rate to the talented QB, are likely to be connected to 2023 first-round passers. If the franchise does go that route, it would not need to discuss a quarterback extension for at least four years.

AFC Rumors: Gilmore, Pryor, Petit-Frere, Wilson, Jaguars

September 3rd, 2022 at 5:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore is playing with his fourth team after a short stint in Carolina. He started in Buffalo before signing with the Patriots. New England traded the two-time All-Pro midseason for only a sixth-round draft pick in return. Gilmore was injured at the time, but the compensation the Patriots received never made a ton of sense. Recently, though, Gilmore elaborated on the situation that deteriorated in New England, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN.

At the peak of his career, Gilmore suffered a torn quadriceps in the 2020 season. The injury kept him on the Patriots’ reserve/physically unable to perform list to start the 2021 season and, during that time, the relationship between Gilmore and New England “reached a point of no return.”

“I just didn’t like how they handled my situation, my injury,” Gilmore told reporters. “The situation just, I don’t know, wasn’t right for both sides.”

Here are a few more rumors from around the AFC, starting with a couple position battle victories in the AFC South:

In a bit of a surprise decision, it appears that veteran offensive tackle Matt Pryor has won the left tackle job in Indianapolis over rookie third-round pick Bernhard Raimann, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. Pryor has only ever started one game at left tackle in the NFL and many expected the rookie out of Central Michigan to give him a strong run for the job. Erickson goes on to say that, should Pryor not perform up to expectations, there’s a strong chance that the starting job could slip out of his grasp.
A third-round rookie who did win the starting job is just across the division in Tennessee. Titans general manager Jon Robinson made it known last weekend that Ohio State rookie Nicholas Petit-Frere will start at right tackle to open the season, according to Kayla Anderson of WKRN News 2. Last year’s rookie offensive lineman Dillon Radunz failed to earn much of a role last season but, reportedly, did everything right this offseason. Still, Petit-Frere has effectively won the starting job and Radunz will continue to come off the bench in Year 2.
New Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson received an impressive contract extension this week reported as a five-year, $245MM deal. The new money on the contract extension was originally reported to be $49MM per year. Those original reports failed to take the league’s new 17th-week into account when calculating the new money, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. Wilson was entitled to two more years under his previous contract and the original new money reports included the Week 17 paychecks that really should’ve been included with the original contract. So, while still an extremely impressive payday for Wilson, his average new money is more like $48.52MM per year than $49MM.
The Jaguars are losing a member of their front office, according to Seth Walder of ESPN. Director of strategic research & development Momin Ghaffar is leaving the team for a job outside of football. In fact, the job is “outside of sports.” This isn’t a terrible surprise as the position was one of Jacksonville’s many roles that fuse business analytics with football analytics.

Latest On Russell Wilson’s Broncos Deal

September 2nd, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the latest round of quarterback deals had pushed Russell Wilson‘s 2019 Seahawks-constructed contract down the board, the Broncos changed that with an extension agreement. Wilson’s first Denver deal came with two years left on his previous pact, separating it from the Seattle 2015 and 2019 re-ups he signed. Each of those came ahead of a contract year.

Wilson, 33, is locked down through 2028. The five-year, $245MM contract includes $165MM in total guarantees, and OverTheCap indicates $124MM of that is locked in at signing. Both the full guarantee and guaranteed-at-signing figures are second to only Deshaun Watson‘s groundbreaking Browns extension (five years and a fully guaranteed $230MM). A $50MM signing bonus is part of Wilson’s guarantee, Klis adds.

Wilson’s fourth NFL contract features a key date in March 2024. On the fifth day of the 2024 league year, Wilson remaining on the Broncos’ roster would trigger a $37MM guarantee for 2025, Mike Klis of 9News reports. Because the Broncos owe Wilson $39MM in 2024, there is a pretty good chance he will be on the team’s roster that year. Committing to the 2025 payment would make this a four-year, $161MM guaranteed deal for the Broncos.

Although the Eagles, Rams, Falcons and Seahawks bailed on big cap numbers for their starting quarterbacks via trades in the past two offseasons, the Broncos made acquiring a player like Wilson their top 2022 task. The nine-time Pro Bowler comes to Denver to stop one of the longest stretches of QB instability in NFL history. The Broncos, who have started 11 quarterbacks since Peyton Manning‘s retirement, will be just one of eight teams to start a different Week 1 QB in six straight seasons since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The Colts and Commanders join them come Week 1, but Wilson has said he wants to finish his career in Denver. That could bring the second-longest run by a starting QB in franchise history — behind only John Elway‘s 16-year stay.

Several matters created leverage for Wilson, but he did not choose to maximize it. The Broncos’ run of QB uncertainty led them to part with eight assets — including two first-round picks — for Wilson, who is about to debut for a franchise that just fetched an American sports-record $4.65 billion from an owner (Rob Walton) who becomes by far the NFL’s richest. Surpassing Aaron Rodgers‘ $50.3MM-AAV deal could have been in play for Wilson, seemingly, this year or next, but he stood down.

“To me what it’s really about is to win championships and being able to have enough space in the salary cap for [GM] George [Paton] to make his magic so we can get guys like Randy Gregory and other great players,” Wilson said. “We want to make this a destination location.”

Denver served as a destination for four years in the 2010s, with Manning’s arrival leading several high-profile free agents — from Wes Welker to Emmanuel Sanders to DeMarcus Ware to Aqib Talib — signing up. While that led to four straight playoff byes, two Super Bowls and a championship, the Broncos fell off the destination radar post-Manning. Although Wilson’s contract will likely be passed by other QBs in the not-too-distant future — potentially Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert — he will carry low cap numbers for the next two seasons. Wilson’s final three seasons are also nonguaranteed.

Wilson’s 2022 cap hit will drop to $17MM, with the 2023 number set to check in at $22MM. Two spikes from this extension will occur in 2024 (going to $35MM) and 2025 (to $55MM). Watson’s Cleveland contract calls for a record-shattering $54.9MM cap hit next year, but by the time Wilson’s $50MM-plus figures hit, the salary cap will have risen by tens of millions. Still, it would not surprise if the Broncos adjusted the deal over its lifetime. The Chiefs have done this early in Patrick Mahomes‘ extension, creating cap space.

Like Wilson’s negotiations with the Seahawks in 2019, an unofficial deadline was in place. Midnight on September 1 served as the arbitrary endpoint — for 2022, at least — this time around, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds. The deal was finalized minutes before that deadline, Paton said. Conversations about Wilson’s extension began shortly after the March trade, but Klis adds they ramped up when new team CEO Greg Penner began working on the process along with Paton and Wilson’s agent.

Despite Wilson’s accomplishments, the Seahawks were leery of paying him on this level, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets. Wilson also was unlikely to have signed such an accord with his former team, per Fox Sports’ Eric Williams. Issues with the team’s offensive style and offseason efforts led to clashes between Wilson and the Seahawks, which came to a head during the 2020 season and 2021 offseason. The Seahawks spoke highly of Drew Lock upon acquiring him, but the former Broncos second-rounder will begin the season as Geno Smith‘s backup. Smith and Wilson will face off on the season’s first Monday night.

Broncos, Russell Wilson Agree On Extension

September 1st, 2022 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Connected to waiting until next year for a Russell Wilson extension, the Broncos instead are committing long-term to their new franchise quarterback now. The team reached an extension agreement with its recently acquired passer Thursday morning, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

Wilson is signing a five-year, $245MM deal that includes a whopping $165MM guaranteed. Despite his two Seahawks extensions coming ahead of his contract years, Wilson is committing with two years remaining on his previous deal. He is now signed through the 2028 season.

Earlier this summer, second-year Broncos GM George Paton did not indicate extension talks were taking place, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets the sides had been talking not too long after the blockbuster trade. The sides paused the talks as the Broncos’ sale became finalized this summer, 9News’ Mike Klis adds, noting Wilson agreed to this contract Wednesday night after attending a dinner with many of his new teammates. With the team’s ownership matter finally resolved, Wilson is now locked in through his age-40 season.

The deal will pay Wilson $124MM over the first three years, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. Wilson’s 2022 cashflow will spike from $24MM to $57MM, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds (via Twitter) he will collect $85MM by 2023 — up from $51MM. This three-year payout looks to benefit the Broncos, who will have Wilson tied to nonguaranteed salaries from 2025-28. Of course, Wilson succeeding early on this contract could certainly prompt the sides to renegotiate down the line.

Although the guarantee figure is not believed to be what will be locked in at signing, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter), Wilson is now the league’s second-highest-paid QB. This $49MM-per-year deal places the 11th-year veteran behind only Aaron Rodgers for AAV ($50.3MM). It marks a slightly bigger jump from Wilson’s previous pact ($35MM per annum) compared to the raise he received in April 2019, illustrating where the QB market has gone and the Broncos’ desire to have this rather important position solidified.

The Broncos acquired Wilson via one of the top trade packages in NFL history in March, sending the Seahawks two first-rounders and change to land the 33-year-old star. In the time since, Deshaun Watson and Kyler Murray signed monster extensions with their respective teams — respectively worth $46MM and $46.1MM on average. The Broncos also came under new ownership in the time since acquiring Wilson, and Rob Walton being by far the NFL’s richest owner almost certainly came into play here. Wilson’s extension is miles beyond where the Broncos have gone for a player previously. Their previous top QB commitment was five years and $96MM — for Peyton Manning in 2012.

Manning played four years on that deal, but in the years since the all-time great’s retirement, the Broncos saw their inability to land a successor move them well off the competitive plane upon which they resided with Manning. Denver has missed the playoffs for six straight seasons and has not enjoyed a winning year since 2016. The team has started 11 quarterbacks since Super Bowl 50, including a different Week 1 passer from 2017-21 (Trevor Siemian, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater). The Broncos have not ranked in the top 16 in total offense since Manning’s penultimate season (2014), either. This pattern, the trade capital the team sacrificed, the new QB market and Walton’s arrival — after shattering the American sports record with a $4.65 billion bid — all worked in Wilson’s favor.

These factors could also have pushed Wilson to leverage the Broncos for a player-friendly deal that placed him atop the NFL salary hierarchy once again. His total guarantees do not approach Watson’s, but they do surpass Murray’s ($160MM). Murray and Wilson’s extensions are moving the NFL away from the fully guaranteed agreement Watson signed with the Browns. Wilson’s pact also ties him to the Broncos for longer than Watson’s Browns accord or Rodgers’ latest deal with Green Bay.

Unique circumstances surrounded Cleveland’s decision to give Watson $230MM guaranteed at signing — a last-ditch heave to leapfrog NFC South teams in a complex trade derby — and teams are doing their best to make that contract an outlier. The structures of Wilson and Murray’s contracts will play into the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson negotiations. The Bengals and Chargers, who have their respective standout QBs set to become extension-eligible in 2023, will undoubtedly take notice as well.

The Broncos’ commitment, of course, comes before Wilson has played in a game with his new team. The nine-time Pro Bowler sat out the preseason, joining most of the team’s starters under new HC Nathaniel Hackett, and is coming off his first season in which an injury forced him to miss time. Wilson ruptured a tendon in his right middle finger, sidelining him for three games, in October 2021. After not looking himself in the games immediately following his return, Wilson played better down the stretch. The Seahawks still opted to reboot at season’s end, concluding the most promising QB partnership in franchise history. Geno Smith is now in position to start against Wilson in Week 1, beating out Lock for the gig.

Part of the reason the Seahawks moved on after 10 seasons was a leeriness about going through more extension talks with Wilson. His 2015 ($21.9MM per year) and 2019 extensions came after weeks of back-and-forth. That contrasts from the low-key nature of Wilson’s Broncos talks, but Denver is now the franchise paying the new market price. Seattle, after passing on deals for Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo, will likely be linked to first-round passers come 2023.

Connected to a possible trade early during the 2021 offseason, Wilson did not include the Broncos on his initial destination list. The Bears, Cowboys, Saints and Raiders were on it. But Denver quietly surfaced as a potential landing spot late last year. And while other teams pursued Wilson this offseason — the Browns, Commanders, Eagles and Panthers, to name four — the two-time Super Bowl starter only ended up waiving his no-trade clause for the Broncos. Wilson has said he wants to play well into his 40s. He will now attempt to craft a memorable second act; the contract parameters are in place for him to do so.

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