The Denver Broncos just traded for Russell Wilson in the 2022 offseason, and less than two years later, it seems all but a certainty that the team is poised to move on before mid-March. Wilson came to Denver in a blockbuster deal with the Seattle Seahawks, and almost everyone expected that Wilson would have the same type of impact on the Broncos franchise that we saw from Peyton Manning back when he was acquired in 2012.
Unfortunately, things didn't go the way anyone hoped. Not even in the slightest. Things were bad enough that the Broncos not only fired former head coach Nathaniel Hackett before the end of his first season but they are also poised to take on $85 million in dead cap just to move on from Russ in 2024.
It's bizarre that things have gotten to this point, where the Broncos don't even believe that Russell Wilson is good enough to keep with a fully guaranteed $39 million salary in 2024. The complication is that the Broncos may be okay with Wilson starting in 2024, but they don't also want to pay him a guaranteed $37 million for 2025, which is triggered on March 17 if he's still on the roster.
And that leads us to where we are today: Speculating about Russell Wilson's next destination. Where is he heading this year if the Broncos move on?
1. Las Vegas Raiders
Let's look right in the division, first and foremost. If you're asking me, I think the idea that the Las Vegas Raiders should go after a quarterback like Russell Wilson is silly. Maybe I missed something, but Aidan O'Connell looked like he was good enough in 2023 to warrant another shot in 2024, especially because we're seeing some continuity on the Raiders this year with Antonio Pierce staying on as head coach.
Should the Raiders just move on from O'Connell because Russ has a chance to spite the Broncos by playing here?
I personally wouldn't even though the price tag on Wilson could be reasonable.
Nevertheless, this option has been thrown out there too many times to ignore at this point, so the Raiders are one of a variety of potential landing spots.
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