I'm not so sure that Russell Wilson would want to remain in Denver if the team keeps losing like this. Could the team find a way to trade the quarterback by the deadline in 2023? I truly do not believe this is out of the realm of possibility for the Denver Broncos. Outside of the Chicago Bears and New York Jets in Weeks 4 and 5, I don't think there is another truly winnable game on their schedule before the bye week.
Denver's bye week in 2023 also coincides nicely with the trade deadline, so the timing there is perfect. We should currently be talking about what players the Broncos should be willing to add, but now they look much, much closer to blowing this thing up at the deadline and selling off a few veteran players.
Well, could Russell Wilson be one of them? If Wilson was approached by Sean Payton and George Paton about potentially being dealt, I wonder if he'd be on board. Wilson surely did not envision his Broncos' career going like this, and I think he knows that he does not have a ton of time left in the NFL.
I don't think this is crazy. If Russell Wilson keeps up his current production through Week 8, he'd have the following numbers:
181/277, 2,110 yards, 16 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 100 rating
He's on pace to put up some healthy numbers.
I'd have to assume at least a couple of teams would be willing to at least entertain making the trade if they are in the mix at the bye week and have some below-average QB play. The first team I have in mind is the Atlanta Falcons, who are 2-1, but no thanks to Desmond Ridder, who simply is not a starting-caliber QB in the NFL.
The Falcons do feature a deadly rushing attack, and them being a run-first team certainly fits offenses that Russell Wilson has excelled in before. My best guess for some compensation would probably be no more than a second-round pick. I could see a deal where two third-round picks end up being the package for Wilson.
How about the San Francisco 49ers? They were down to their fourth-string QB at one point in 2022 and it's not like Brock Purdy can't get hurt again. I'm obviously not rooting for that at all nor would I ever, but if it happens, the 49ers might rather do something like trading for Wilson instead of putting Sam Darnold in the lineup, right?
Wilson would probably excel in Kyle Shanahan's offense, which features a very good run game and nice weapons on the outside. Would the 49ers be willing to part with a second-round pick in 2024 to acquire Wilson? Maybe. This team looks to be a strong Super Bowl contender and feels like the best team in the NFL. I think if Purdy were to go down, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch would have to make a major move.
Outside of these two teams, it'd be hard for me to envision another team who'd realistically be able to make a trade for Russell Wilson. Perhaps there is a contending team that loses their starting QB in the coming weeks. However, it's really hard to tell at this point. The Falcons and 49ers seem to be the most likely teams as of now.