News
12/27/23
1 min read
Russell Wilson Benched by Broncos for Jarrett Stidham
The Denver Broncos have benched Russell Wilson and will start Jarrett Stidham on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The move to sit Wilson has more to do with financials than his season-long play. Wilson has $39 million in injury guarantees that would become fully guaranteed if he were to get injured and not be able to pass a physical by early March. The Las Vegas Raiders did this last season with Derek Carr and did it again this season with Jimmy Garoppolo. The Indianapolis Colts also did the same thing last season with Matt Ryan.
Wilson has started all 15 games this season for the Broncos and has completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Broncos traded multiple first-round picks and more to acquire Wilson last offseason and signed him to a five-year, $245 million extension with $124 million fully guaranteed. Outright releasing him in the offseason in now on the table, though Denver would take on a historic $85 million in dead money by doing so.
Stidham was signed this offseason to a two-year, $10 million contract to be Wilson's backup. He was in this very spot last season in Las Vegas when Derek Carr was benched for the final two weeks.
