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Russell Wilson will reportedly not be doing the Denver Broncos any favors upon his exit.
Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Wilson is “eager” to help his next team with his new contract, which will almost certainly mean taking a veteran’s minimum salary for 2024.
The Broncos owe Wilson $39 million guaranteed under terms of his contract, but there is offset language that would lessen the blow if a team paid him more. Essentially, Wilson will only be getting $39 million no matter what, leaving him with no incentive to push for more than a minimum salary for 2024.
There appears to be no love lost between the Broncos and Wilson after a disastrous two-year stint. Wilson openly discussed Denver threatening to bench him midway through last season if he would not relinquish the injury guarantee in his contract for the 2025 season. The future Hall of Famer refused the request and got the NFLPA involved in the situation.
“I didn’t believe it, at first. I was like, this can’t be real,” Wilson said last month on I AM ATHLETE. “I didn’t want to set a precedent for players to remove their injury guarantees. There was no way I was going to do that.”
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The Broncos would later bench Wilson for the final two games of the 2023 season, setting the stage for his departure. Denver gave Wilson permission to meet with other teams ahead of his impending free agency, and he’s already spoken with the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Las Vegas Raiders could also get involved in the Wilson sweepstakes.
While Wilson’s contract for the 2024 season should be straightforward, his future destination may depend on how much a team is willing to guarantee in 2025. Even if he has regressed from his peak, Wilson was still solid last season, with his touchdown and interception rates both returning to around his career averages.
With all but two veteran starters earning more than $35 million, Wilson’s willingness to “help” may begin and end with next season.
