Broncos' Sean Payton Talks Russell Wilson Rumors, Hints at QB's Exit After Fan Meme

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton appeared to telegraph a quarterback change this offseason when speaking to reporters Tuesday ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Payton recalled seeing a photo of a Broncos jersey in which a fan listed off all of Denver's quarterbacks from the last few years. He used that to seemingly foreshadow the arrival of what the franchise hopes to be an answer to the fan base's prayers.

In the event the Broncos move on from Russell Wilson, it may not be through a trade. General manager George Paton said the Broncos "haven't heard anything from any teams" on that front.

Wilson is a distressed asset at this stage of his career thanks to a steady decline and a five-year, $242.6 million contract. The Broncos also shredded whatever leverage they might've otherwise had when they benched the nine-time Pro Bowler midway through the 2023 season.

The demotion simply expedited what many believed to be an inevitable breakup.

As much as Payton attempted to present elevating Jarrett Stidham as a "football decision," the rationale didn't wash when Wilson hadn't performed all that badly. In 15 starts, he threw for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 50.7 QBR was 21st among qualified passers, up from 27th (38.7) in 2022.

Especially with Paton's comments in mind, Denver will in all likelihood have to cut Wilson and accept the consequences. Using the post-June 1 designation would at least spread the dead money hit across 2024 ($35.4 million) and 2025 ($49.6 million) instead of being saddled with all $85 million now.

Achieving a resolution soon works in everybody's interests.

The Broncos would have ample time to scout prospective replacements in the draft and know where they stand financially heading into free agency. Teams that might have Wilson on their radar would be similarly assured of his availability.