ESPN: Broncos' Russell Wilson 'Unquestioned' QB1 Because Contract 'Ironclad' in 2023

Russell Wilson's "ironclad" contract makes him the "unquestioned starter" for the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2023 NFL season, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Wilson's five-year, $242.6 million extension doesn't even go into full effect until 2024, so the Broncos are wedded to the nine-time Pro Bowler for now.

Fowler advised, however, to not "sleep on Jarrett Stidham's presence in Denver." Stidham could have a path to replacing Wilson down the line if the 34-year-old's performance continues to decline.

Some were surprised when the Broncos signed Stidham because the 26-year-old doesn't necessarily fit the mold of a "break in case of emergency" backup, which they did have with Brett Rypien in 2022.

Stidham has only started two games in his NFL career, so there isn't another team he could've signed with where he would've been QB1 right out of the gate. But he probably had some options where he wasn't backing up a future Hall of Famer on a massive deal.

The 2019 fourth-round pick presumably didn't join the Broncos without being reassured he could supplant Wilson under certain circumstances.

Likewise, a two-year, $10 million deal for Stidham gives the impression the front office wants to have contingencies in place if push comes to shove.

Comments from head coach Sean Payton have only furthered that perception.

Denver will give Wilson every opportunity to thrive under Payton because the alternative is admitting you made one of the costliest mistakes in NFL history. Designating the veteran signal-caller as a post-June 1 cut in 2024 would put $35.4 million in dead money on the books for next season and an additional $49.6 million on the payroll for 2025.

At the same time, the Broncos don't seem to be hiding how they're prepared to move on if they feel it's the best long-term play.