According to a report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Denver Broncos are benching quarterback Russell Wilson for the final two games of the regular season, and Jarrett Stidham will get the starting nod in Sunday’s home game vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.
Rapoport’s sources have informed him that the team wants to preserve financial flexibility, and an injury could “complicate matters.” However, Wilson will serve as the backup and could play if Stidham gets injured.
Wilson has a $37 million salary for 2025, but it’s currently guaranteed only if he’s injured. In March of 2024, if Denver doesn’t trade or cut Wilson, that $37 million would become guaranteed.
But make no mistake, Sean Payton’s team won’t have Wilson on its roster in 2024. The ill-fated move to acquire the former Super Bowl winner in Seattle wasn’t made on Payton’s watch.
The Broncos shipped QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris and five draft picks – two first-rounders, two seconds and a fifth – for Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round selection in March of 2022.
In 15 regular-season games last year, Wilson completed a career-low 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,524 yards and 16 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. His QBR (38.7) and 16 TD passes were also career-low marks.
In 15 games this season, Wilson has connected on 66.4 percent of his throws for 3,070 yards with a 26/8 TD-INT ratio.
After a 1-5 start to Payton’s tenure in the Mile High City, Denver ripped off five consecutive wins to enter the playoff picture. Since then, however, the Broncos have lost three of their last four contests.
They maintain some hope to make the postseason with some help and back-to-back wins at home vs. the Chargers and at Las Vegas.
Stidham started a pair of games for the Raiders last season. In a 37-34 home loss to San Francisco in overtime, he completed 23-of-34 passes for 365 yards and three TDs with two interceptions.
Stidham has played in 14 career games (two starts), completing 77-of-131 passes (58.8%) for 926 yards with a 6/7 TD-INT ratio. He also has 89 career rushing yards on 23 attempts for a 3.9 yards-per-carry average.
Denver (7-8 straight up, 5-9-1 against the spread) went from a 5.5-point home favorite vs. the Chargers down to -3 since this news broke. The total was adjusted from 38.5 points down to 37.5.