Sep 17, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Broncos sign off on Russell Wilson talking to suitors

Wherever Russell Wilson cooks next, he’ll have the Denver Broncos to thank for allowing him to preheat his first trek into free agency.

According to reports Wednesday, the Broncos signed off on Wilson discussing a contract with potential employers ahead of his official release from the team next week. The head start could benefit Wilson, the most experienced signal-caller expected to be available with 204 career starts, including 16 playoff appearances. Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings has played in 150 regular-season games and five playoff games.

Wilson was informed he will be released when the 2024 NFL league year begins March 13, despite a dead-cap hit of $85 million incurred by the Broncos two years into a five-year contract.

The nine-time Pro Bowl selection turns 36 in November and goes to market only weeks before what is projected to be a very strong draft for quarterbacks.

Cut before his 2025 salary was fully guaranteed, the Broncos stand to be beneficiaries if Wilson signs elsewhere.

The Broncos can subtract any 2024 salary Wilson earns from his next employer from the $39 million check it owes to the 12-year veteran. That means if he signs a one-year, $15 million contract with a new team, the Broncos would instead make a $24 million payment to Wilson.

Wilson was acquired by the Broncos from the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he ever suited up in a game.

Benched for the last two games of the 2023 season to avoid an injury that would trigger guarantees in his contract, Wilson posted an 11-19 record in 30 starts with the Broncos.

He won 104 regular-season games and a Super Bowl as the starter in Seattle and has passed for 43,653 yards with 334 touchdowns and 106 interceptions in 188 career contests.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Wilson Next Team Odds: Steelers, Raiders top short list

Russell Wilson is hitting the open market at a difficult time for a quarterback on the second nine of his career.

With as many as six signal-callers expected to be selected in the first round of next month’s NFL draft, there are only a handful of potential destinations that make sense for the former Super Bowl champion. Wilson, 35, was informed by the Denver Broncos on Monday that he will be released after two disappointing seasons with the team.

While DraftKings is offering odds on 24 potential destinations for Wilson, only five have odds shorter than +1800.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-200)
Despite a report by the Athletic that Pittsburgh is not interested in signing Wilson, the Steelers remain the -200 favorite to be the team with which he takes his first snap in 2024. That’s slightly longer odds than the -225 odds Pittsburgh had last week, when Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the Scouting Combine that an official decision on Wilson’s future had yet to be made.

The Steelers spent a 2022 first-round pick on Kenny Pickett, but it was veteran backup Mason Rudolph who led Pittsburgh to the playoffs when Pickett was injured and then got the postseason start even when Pickett was healthy.

That has led many to speculate that the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran who can immediately boost Pittsburgh’s contender status.

The Steelers also are among the favorites to land Chicago’s Justin Fields (+225) and Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins (+1000).

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (+275)
The Raiders also are likely in the market for a veteran quarterback, having finished last season with rookie Aidan O’Connell under center after Jimmy Garoppolo was benched. There are a few hurdles when projecting Wilson to Las Vegas.

The Raiders got a first-hand look at Wilson over the past two seasons. He had been benched by Denver’s season-ending loss at Las Vegas in Week 17 but was put in the role of game manager when the teams opened the season, throwing for a pair of touchdowns but only 177 yards in a 34-27 Raiders victory.

Wilson went 0-3 as a starter against Las Vegas during his two years with Denver. The Raiders also play in one of the NFL’s most difficult divisions that has a pair of franchise quarterbacks in Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas also is +650 to acquire Fields and +1000 to sign Cousins.

ATLANTA FALCONS (+475)
Atlanta toggled between second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder and journeyman Taylor Heineke last season. New coach Raheem Morris has made it clear that he sees an upgrade at the position as an offseason priority.

The Falcons are expected to be more interested in Cousins and are the -225 favorite to sign him. They are also the +110 favorites to land Fields. That puts Wilson on the backburner, and his opportunities elsewhere could be dictated by what direction Atlanta ultimately goes at quarterback.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (+800)
The Patriots hold the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Assuming Chicago tabs Williams at No. 1, that puts New England in position to land North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels, depending upon what Washington does at No. 2.

If the Patriots see either as a franchise quarterback, they could be interested in Wilson as a mentor and/or one-year stop gap to the future. If they don’t hold Maye or Daniels in that light, Wilson could provide stability for an offense that has floundered the past two years under Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (+950)
Cousins and Wilson are both veterans but with different skillsets. Cousins is the prototype pocket passer while Wilson is much more of a playmaker outside the pocket.

The Vikings know what they have in Cousins, who has led Minnesota to the playoffs in three of his six seasons with the team. Could they be interested in making a switch to Wilson, a proven playoff winner who also throws one of the best deep balls in the league?

Minnesota almost certainly wants a proven veteran under center with a roster primed to be highly competitive in the NFC. The Vikings also need to contend in their own division with the Detroit Lions coming off a run to the NFC Championship Game and a Green Bay Packers team that fell one half short of meeting them there.

BITING A RECORD BULLET
By releasing Wilson, the Broncos will be cutting the chord on what will go down as arguably the worst trade in NFL history.

It most definitely serves as the biggest financial hit a team has endured, with Denver on the hook for a record dead-cap hit of $85 million. The Broncos must release him before March 17, when Wilson’s contract calls for $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season.

The nine-time Pro Bowl pick was acquired from the Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There wasn’t much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and 8, respectively, last season.

Wilson’s $39 million salary for 2024 was already guaranteed.

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos to accept $85M cap hit, inform QB Russell Wilson of imminent release

Quarterback Russell Wilson will be released next week at the start of the new league year on March 13, ending a dramatic two-year run in Denver with the Broncos absorbing a record dead-cap hit of $85 million.

Wilson was informed by the Broncos on Monday the team plans to cut him, moving on before his contract called for $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season.

“We spoke with Russell Wilson today to inform him of his release after the start of the league year,” general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton said in a joint statement Monday. “On behalf of the Broncos, we thank Russell for his contributions and dedication to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career. As we move forward, we are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”

Wilson’s $39 million salary for 2024 was already guaranteed.

Wilson issued his own statement and a thank you to Broncos fans, several teammates and staff members. He ended by saying “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. God’s got me. I am excited for what’s next.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before playing a down for the team.

Benched for the final two games of the 2023 season to avoid an injury that would trigger guarantees in his contract, Wilson posted an 11-19 record in 30 starts with the Broncos.

Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022. In his first season with Payton as head coach after Nathaniel Hackett was fired, he put up good numbers — 26 touchdowns, eight interceptions — but the Broncos opted to move in another direction.

–Field Level Media

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson (LB30) talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

NFL-bound LB Payton Wilson out to erase injury concerns

INDIANAPOLIS — Labels are nothing new to North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson, a projected first-round pick determined to shed one particular tag before the 2024 NFL Draft.

Injury prone.

“Throughout my career, early in my career, I did have a lot of injuries,” Wilson said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “But these last two years, I’ve stayed really healthy — put on some extra weight. I’ve really honed in on nutrition and maintenance programs to keep me healthy. I think what I have going on is gonna keep me playing a long time in the NFL and I’m not scared of injuries. At the end of the day, they’re inevitable and I’m going to play every single play like it’s my last. Whatever happens, happens.”

Wilson works out with the linebacker group Thursday and has a little extra bounce in his step after a shorter hospital physical with NFL doctors than expected.

Wilson spent his first season at NC State in 2018 recovering from a high school knee injury and played only two games in 2021 because of a shoulder injury.

“What I have going right now for myself, whether it’s like I said with nutrition and my maintenance programs, I feel like I have sustained a good formula to play for a long time in this league,” he said.

At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, Wilson’s size and range in coverage are coveted traits in the NFL. Wilson studies San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner closely, and there are elements of their skill sets that match.

“As a linebacker in today’s league, you’re asked to do a lot in the pass game and just being able to be athletic and understanding route concepts and football IQ is so important,” Wilson said.

He allowed a passer rating of 47.2 as the next closest defender last season and has 10.5 sacks and four interceptions since he made changes to stay fully healthy before the start of the 2022 season.

“I’m just excited to get to continue to prove to everyone that I’m one of the most athletic linebackers to ever come through this combine and I’m looking to impress a lot of people,” Wilson said.

A stellar workout, coupled with expected strong interviews from the football junkie, could help remove the durability doubts for some NFL teams this week.

But there’s another label Wilson knows is going to stick, especially in his hometown of Hillsborough, N.C.

“I tell people all the time, in Raleigh, I’m Payton Wilson, but when we go back to Hillsborough, I’m Bryse Wilson’s little brother,” Payton Wilson said.

Bryse Wilson is a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers who went 6-0 out of the bullpen last season. For two years at Orange High School, Bryse and Payton Wilson were starting linebackers on defense and had games where they combined for 30-plus tackles. Bryse said Payton is the more “violent” and “fast” of the brothers, but Payton says big brother is still stronger.

“I mean he’s one of those country strong dudes who could walk into a weight room right now and probably out-lift all of us,” Payton Wilson said. “Just getting whooped by him growing up and trying to chase his greatness — honestly just try to be better than him — it was just something I always chased. It might not ever happen because of how great of an athlete he is and what he’s done for our hometown. But just continuing to learn from him and the beatings I
took from him when we were little instilled a lot of toughness into me.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos’ Sean Payton: Russell Wilson decision coming soon

INDIANAPOLIS — The Russell Wilson drama continues to percolate but Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that a decision is on the horizon.

Payton said the team will meet with ownership next week regarding the future of Wilson and he expects a decision to be reached within two weeks.

“I expect that we’re going to know fairly quickly,” Payton said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “… There’s a couple of factors here, obviously the cap projections ($255.4 million) came out, we’re further down the road with the draft class, so I would anticipate it being within the next two weeks.”

Wilson has been much-maligned during his two seasons in Denver and was benched for the final two games of last season in favor of Jarrett Stidham.

If Wilson isn’t traded or released by March 17, then $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season will be locked in.

Making a trade by then doesn’t seem likely based on Tuesday’s comments from Broncos general manager George Paton.

“I haven’t heard anything from any teams so we’ll see,” Paton said.

On Sunday on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, Wilson indicated he would prefer to remain with the Broncos.

“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else. I hope it’s Denver. I hope I get to finish there. I committed there. I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There hasn’t been much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and eight, respectively, last season.

The issue of bad blood can’t be overlooked after the Broncos approached Wilson’s representation in October and asked for the quarterback to push back the injury guarantee date on his contract and included a threat to bench him if he didn’t comply.

“We moved forward, we addressed that,” Paton said. “Everything we did was above board. I appreciate Russ but we moved forward. We have a lot of work to do. We’re here at the combine. We have free agency around the corner. We’re working on bettering our team and winning football games.”

Paton and Payton are both dissecting the available quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class. Denver owns the No. 12 pick and Paton said the club is open to all possibilities, while admitting there’s not enough draft capital to move up to No. 1 where Southern California’s Caleb Williams is expected to be selected.

“It’s the most important position in sports,” Paton said. “So it’s important — whether it’s from within. That’s why this is taking a long time, this decision is very important. If you’re going to draft one, that’s obviously very difficult. … There’s more mistakes it seems at quarterback, especially in the first round.”

Payton is looking forward to evaluating the draft-hopeful quarterbacks.

“I think we’ll be really good at this and to some degree we’re glad that a lot of people aren’t,” Payton said.

The Broncos (8-9) missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before the game against the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos GM approached Russell Wilson’s agent in-season; QB in limbo for ’24

Russell Wilson was informed by head coach Sean Payton that the Denver Broncos are still working through a decision on his status with the franchise for 2024.

Wilson sat down with Payton in a 30-minute meeting on Monday, according to the coach, where the quarterback was told the Broncos don’t intend to leave him hanging all offseason.

“I told him, ‘Look, I don’t think it’s going to be a long, drawn-out process but it hasn’t been decided relative to what our plans are,” Payton said, adding more clearly that Denver hasn’t made “an official decision” on whether Wilson will be part of the team in 2024.

All signs point to a split as Wilson alleges an ultimatum — involving adjusting injury guarantees in his contract — preceded his benching, with the Broncos promoting backup Jarrett Stidham to start the last two games in an 8-9 season. Payton said he wasn’t privy to financially driven conversations and called that move a “football decision.”

Wilson said the front office approached him after the Broncos’ 24-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 29.

“We beat the Chiefs,” Wilson said. “They came up to me during the bye week and beginning of the bye week, Monday or Tuesday, they told me if I didn’t change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I’d be benched the rest of the year.

“I was definitely disappointed about it. It was a process for the whole bye week. We had just come off beating the Chiefs, I was excited for us fighting for the playoffs and getting on a hot streak. The NFLPA and NFL got involved or whatever at some point.”

Paton said Tuesday he did reach out to Wilson’s representatives in “good faith and creative attempt to adjust his contract.”

“We couldn’t get a deal done, we moved on with our season,” Paton said. “Fast forward to Week 17, Sean makes a change at the QB position. This was a football decision, in the best interest of the team, completely independent of the conversation with the agent.

“Negotiations are hard. You have difficult conversations, tough conversations. … We always try to handle ourselves professionally and in the best interest of the Broncos.”

Wilson is assured of receiving $39 million next season even if he’s not welcomed back by the Broncos. Should he be unable to pass a physical next March, his 2025 pay of $37 million would be guaranteed, too.

“I wasn’t going to remove or push or take away my injury guarantee,” Wilson said. “This game is such a physical game. I’ve played 12 years. That matters to me.”

Stidham said Monday he’s “very confident” he’ll be the Broncos’ starting quarterback in 2024 in the second year of a two-year, $10 million deal he signed in March 2023.

Wilson, 35, said he is shooting to regain his job.

“I want to be able to play, I want to be able to help this team win,” he said. “I know every time I step on the field it’s a physical game. I never play timid. I never play scared.”

–Field Level Media

Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Johnny Wilson (14) catches a pass from Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13). The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Miami Hurricanes 27-20 on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

Super-sized WR Johnny Wilson leaving FSU for NFL

Florida State wide receiver Johnny Wilson declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, ESPN announced Wednesday.

Wilson accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where the 6-foot-7, 237-pound wideout likely is to be tried at tight end to showcase his versatility and skills to potential future employers.

Wilson accumulated 1,514 career receiving yards and 84 receptions with the Seminoles and the redshirt junior was an All-ACC selection in 2023, with 41 receptions for 617 yards and two touchdowns.

A transfer from Arizona State, Wilson caught 18 passes combined in 2020-21 with the Sun Devils before heading to Tallahassee.

It’s not clear whether Wilson’s decision to turn pro will impact his availability for the Orange Bowl.

–Field Level Media

East Rutherford, NJ     December 3, 2023 -- Zach Wilson of the Jets on the sidelines, late in the second half. The Atlanta Falcons topped the NY Jets 13-8 at MetLife Stadium on December 3, 2023 in East Rutherford, NJ.

Jets’ Saleh ‘undecided’ at QB, insists Zach Wilson ‘wants the ball’

Aaron Rodgers is not the starter for the New York Jets this week. That much is certain.

But who gets the call at quarterback when the Houston Texans hit MetLife Stadium on Sunday is “undecided.”

Head coach Robert Saleh said Monday that quarterback Zach Wilson came to him earlier in the day to tell him he “wants the ball” after Tim Boyle and the Jets’ offense produced few positives in a 13-8 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Reports on Monday surfaced claiming Wilson was “reluctant” to retake the starting job after being benched.

“If he was reluctant to play, he wouldn’t be here,” Saleh said of Wilson. “The young man wants the ball.”

New York has lost five consecutive games, scoring less than 14 points in each defeat.

The Jets (4-8) aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but are closing in on that reality in a season derailed by Rodgers’ torn Achilles on his opening drive with the team in September.

Rodgers will “ramp up” practice this week, Saleh said, but cautioned “Don’t hold your breath” when asked if the 40-year-old could be active this week.

Trevor Siemian came off the bench to replace Boyle but was 5-of-13 passing and sacked three times by the Falcons.

–Field Level Media

Sunday, November 19, 2023; Green Bay, WI; Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (88) is upended by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (26) during the game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Tork Mason-USA TODAY NETWORK

Packers TE Luke Musgrave to IR with lacerated kidney

The Green Bay Packers placed tight end Luke Musgrave and running back Emanuel Wilson on injured reserve on Wednesday.

Both rookies were hurt in Sunday’s win against the Los Angeles Chargers, with Musgrave sustaining a lacerated kidney and Wilson carted off with a shoulder injury.

Musgrave played 16 additional snaps through the pain after being injured at the end of a 10-yard reception in the third quarter.

The 2023 second-round pick went to the hospital but did not require surgery. He is back home resting and being monitored, according to multiple reports.

“He’s got a pretty significant injury. I think it speaks to his toughness,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday. “He didn’t say anything all game but then something came up and he called Flea (head athletic trainer Bryan Engel). He’s been in the hospital. It’s been pretty significant. This kid is as tough as they come.

“He’s a guy that — I think he’s going to be a very dynamic player in time in this league. He continues to get better every time he goes out there, so obviously a significant blow for us offensively, but just like we always talk about, it’s going to be opportunities for these other guys.”

Musgrave, 23, has 33 receptions for 341 yards and one touchdown in 10 games (nine starts) this season.

Fellow rookies Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims are listed behind him on the depth chart and are in line for more action on Thanksgiving Day as the Packers (4-6) visit the Detroit Lions (8-2).

Wilson, 24, was injured during the same second-quarter drive as starting running back Aaron Jones (knee). The undrafted rookie has played in seven games, rushing 14 times for 85 yards and catching four passes for 23 yards.

The Packers elevated former Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets running back James Robinson and receiver Bo Melton to the practice squad.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) looks on from the sidelines after being replaced by quarterback Tim Boyle (7) (not pictured) during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Jets bench Zach Wilson, tab Tim Boyle QB1

The New York Jets have seen enough of Zach Wilson and are turning to Tim Boyle as their starting quarterback this week, multiple outlets reported Monday.

Boyle, 29, will start Friday’s “Black Friday” game against the Miami Dolphins. It will mark just his fourth NFL start, his first with the Jets and first since 2021.

Boyle came on in the third quarter of the Jets’ feeble 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Boyle completed 7 of 14 passes for 33 yards and an interception.

Wilson threw for 81 yards with a TD and an INT before being removed. On the season, Wilson is 3-6 as the starter, throwing for 1,944 yards, six TDs and seven INTs. He has a QBR of 30.8, No. 30 out of 31 qualified passers in 2023.

Wilson took over as QB1 when Aaron Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury in Week 1, also against the Bills.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh was noncommittal about sticking with Wilson after Sunday’s loss.

In 18 career games with four teams, Boyle has thrown for 607 yards and three TDs against nine INTs. He went 0-3 as a starter for the Detroit Lions in 2021.

–Field Level Media