I would be unwilling to give up on Russell Wilson yet. I can see that his skills have declined but I believe he can still be a top-15 quarterback. The big question is whether a team wants him enough to put the appropriate players around him. I think expecting him to adjust to a new scheme is too much. He needs a situation where a team goes all-in on him as he stands, sort of like what Denver did with noodle-arm Manning or maybe Tampa Bay with Tom Brady. Who that team might be, I can't say. I could see him on the Vikings, maybe. I'd say Cleveland would be an excellent fit (strong defense, good receivers), but it seems unlikely they'd move on from Watson. What about a Watson for Wilson trade? That would be something.
I don't disagree that there are teams that he could start for. He ain't what he was but he's better than some QBs.
I would be unwilling to give up on Russell Wilson yet. I can see that his skills have declined but I believe he can still be a top-15 quarterback. The big question is whether a team wants him enough to put the appropriate players around him. I think expecting him to adjust to a new scheme is too much. He needs a situation where a team goes all-in on him as he stands, sort of like what Denver did with noodle-arm Manning or maybe Tampa Bay with Tom Brady. Who that team might be, I can't say. I could see him on the Vikings, maybe. I'd say Cleveland would be an excellent fit (strong defense, good receivers), but it seems unlikely they'd move on from Watson. What about a Watson for Wilson trade? That would be something.
Neither team would do that. It's rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Denver fans want to ride Wilson out of town on a rail. If they traded for Watson, Bronco fans would be apoplectic.
So how do they move on? His salary cap numbers would be a disaster if they cut him outright, something like $90 million over two years. They have the 14th overall pick in the draft with a bunch of teams ahead of them who could take a qb (Bears, Commanders, Patriots, Jets, Falcons, Raiders, Vikings). A trade seems like the "best worst" option for Denver.
Fact: Russell Wilson has had a good year despite zero pass protection. 26 TDs/8 INTs, 98 quarterback rating (8th or 9th best of his career, which is saying something), only 6.9 yards per attempt, 342 yards rushing and 3 tds, which are on par with a few years ago. Now, last year, his first with Denver he had a bad year. This year, 66% tells you he's done well with that team.
Checkout the latest stats for Russell Wilson. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.
Neither team would do that. It's rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Denver fans want to ride Wilson out of town on a rail. If they traded for Watson, Bronco fans would be apoplectic.
So how do they move on? His salary cap numbers would be a disaster if they cut him outright, something like $90 million over two years. They have the 14th overall pick in the draft with a bunch of teams ahead of them who could take a qb (Bears, Commanders, Patriots, Jets, Falcons, Raiders, Vikings). A trade seems like the "best worst" option for Denver.
Good question that I don't have the answer to. They will move on, one way or the other.
Fact: Russell Wilson has had a good year despite zero pass protection. 26 TDs/8 INTs, 98 quarterback rating (8th or 9th best of his career, which is saying something), only 6.9 yards per attempt, 342 yards rushing and 3 tds, which are on par with a few years ago. Now, last year, his first with Denver he had a bad year. This year, 66% tells you he's done well with that team.
Russell Wilson could be on the move again this offseason after his situation with the Denver Broncos turned sour - and a reunion with Kirk Cousins could be on the cards
Russell Wilson could receive a lifeline from the Minnesota Vikings after being left facing an uncertain future with the Denver Broncos. Wilson, who moved to the Broncos in a big trade with the Seattle Seahawks before the 2022 season, was left out of the last two games of the 2023 season. He says it's because the Broncos wanted him to change his contract, but George Paton, the general manager, has disagreed with that claim. ESPN reports the Vikings might want Wilson - if Kirk Cousins doesn't stay with them. Cousins, who had his season cut short because of an Achilles injury, is wanted back with the Vikings if the price is right. But he might decide to become a free agent, which could open the door for Wilson takes his place.
But Broncos GM Paton said it was all about the football when head coach Sean Payton decided to bench him. He explained: "During the bye week I did reach out to Russ's agent in a good faith and creative attempt to adjust his contract. We couldn't get a deal done. We moved on with our season. It didn't come up again." "Fast forward Week 17, Sean makes a change at the quarterback position. This was a football decision made by Sean in what he thought was the best interests of the team. This was completely independent of any conversations I had with the agent. Again, it was a football decision made by Sean."
Fact: Russell Wilson has had a good year despite zero pass protection. 26 TDs/8 INTs, 98 quarterback rating (8th or 9th best of his career, which is saying something), only 6.9 yards per attempt, 342 yards rushing and 3 tds, which are on par with a few years ago. Now, last year, his first with Denver he had a bad year. This year, 66% tells you he's done well with that team.
Once again it's the numbers obsession. Like is this the depth of analysis we have resorted to in society these days? "Lebron has scored the most points ever therefore he's the greatest player ever". "If you go for it on 4th down every time you will have a better chance of winning games" (and yet every team in big games that does seems to lose). "Look at Wilsons numbers 26-8 98QBR - he's clearly not the problem"
How about this - it's a team game where leadership and leadership from your most important and highly paid player matters the MOST - and people hate his f-ing guts? How about that? How about if having his own locker room, his own coaching staff, doing his stupid attention seeking pre-game visualizations as if it's some "genius advantage" he's uncovered, simply made his team mates despise him? Because they do. Nobody likes him - not the other players, not the coaching staff and not Sean Payton. So unless he was so good to the tune of 4800y 40+ TD's and a genuine reason they won 10+ games, then everything I laid out above simply matters more and why he's not an all time great and why the Broncos wanted him gone despite still having a chance at the playoffs.
It's this simple. His career was over not once his play started declining, it was over the moment the fame, the money, the constant slurpage that is American pro sports culture all went to his head and untethered him from reality. End of story.
Neither team would do that. It's rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Denver fans want to ride Wilson out of town on a rail. If they traded for Watson, Bronco fans would be apoplectic.
So how do they move on? His salary cap numbers would be a disaster if they cut him outright, something like $90 million over two years. They have the 14th overall pick in the draft with a bunch of teams ahead of them who could take a qb (Bears, Commanders, Patriots, Jets, Falcons, Raiders, Vikings). A trade seems like the "best worst" option for Denver.
The problem is that while they were able to absorb most of his guarantee in signing/roster/option bonuses the last 2 seasons, in 2025 there is none of that and whoever takes him on would also be on the hook for 37 million bucks which goes straight on their cap. So if he gets traded tomorrow the Broncos would owe him 18.4 million in his amortized signing bonus + roster bonus for 2024 and the team taking him on would owe him 17 for his base salary in '24 and the aforementioned 37 in 2025. 54 million for a 2 year rental for a guy universally disliked by his peers? Don't see it. This could end up being a trust-fund situation like Watson and the Browns.
The Jets' backup QB to Aaron Rodgers = Russell Wilson?! 🤨 | Get UpThe Get Up crew discusses the futures of Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins.0:00 Jets should ...
Sports are numbers games. You perform, it shows up on the field in yards, td's, int's, and so on. His #'s were good. If they hate his guts, then why are they content to catch what he throws and make his #'s what they are?
Francis Tarkenton, Steve Young and Russell Wilson were all similar as young men playing QB.
Russell Wilson was a great R.o.I. while on his rookie contract. It is a salary cap league. Everyone is evaluated by everything. Everything includes performance on the field, ability to get along with others in organization, fans opinions and value.
Was Russell Wilson a great QB for the money when he earned less than $100,000 per game? Of course. Is he a great QB while earning $2.9 million/game? Not really.
