The Russel Wilson benching and the fallout coming from it seem to indicate that there is no chance he will return in 2024, but could it actually happen? With most things, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. Russell Wilson's camp seems to want to drive this benching story by painting the Denver Broncos as the bad guys.
They've used the words "threatened" in the reports that we've seen from their camp. On the other side, the Denver Broncos and their team seem to want to make the story into them benching Russell Wilson for performance and simply asking the QB to delay, not remove his injury guarantee. Again, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
Well, I'd have to assume that most in Broncos Country seem to think that Wilson is going to be cut in 2024, and I think that is the likely outcome. However, is there a chance that he returns? Well, it's a non-zero chance at this point. I look at two bits of information that leads be to believe that there is a chance he returns as the starting QB in 2024.
The irony is delaying the vesting date of his 2025 guarantee would’ve drastically *raised* the chances of Russell Wilson being Denver’s QB in 2024 and possibly beyond. Wilson refused, which is his right, and now he’ll most likely be looking for work elsewhere. https://t.co/eZ5Df39cKv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 30, 2023
This is the first piece of information. Delaying the date of his 2025 guarantee would have raised WIlson's chances of being here in 2024, according to Tom Pelissero. This short excerpt on the NFL Network is a great listen, as Pelissero breaks the situation down more.
Wilson refused, and the Denver Broncos will now have to make a decision on Russell Wilson for the next two seasons by the start of the 2024 league year. Delaying that 2025 guarantee would have raised his chances of being here with the team in 2024, so that makes me think to a degree that Denver would not shy away from him returning.
There's also this quote from Sean Payton:
Sean Payton on Russell Wilson:
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) January 1, 2024
"This idea that he and I, or we, don’t have a good relationship, or he’s not a fit, all of that stuff comes from people further away from our program... I think the further away people are from the program, the more they just jump to a narrative."
Payton says that the idea that he and Wilson don't have a good relationship is bogus. Yes, Payton could just be doing the normal coaches' speak, but there could easily be a ton of truth to this. Russell Wilson has also wanted to play for Sean Payton for years, and in 2023, he got to do just that. There might be a situation where Wilson won't have a better overall situation than what he could have in Denver in 2024.
A solid offensive line and likely improvements in the skill players would be a wonderful situation or any QB. So, could there be a possibility that Wilson and the Broncos come to an agreement on a revised contract? I think so. I don't think it happens, but I could certainly see it happen.