Russell Wilson vs. Sean Payton has potential to be messiest breakup in NFL history

Russell Wilson isdenver broncos The partnership is almost over. Well, at least while Sean Payton is head coach. When Payton was hired last year, it felt like a bad omen to Wilson. Wilson will need to transition from a free-spirited, deep-ball, no-ball passer to a disciplined, timing passer underneath. While he improved from a disastrous 2022, it wasn’t enough — and Payton and the Broncos knew it.

But where the Broncos tried to get Wilson out of his contract is where this story really adds fuel to the fire. Wilson was benched for the remaining two games of the season in order for the Broncos to avoid injury guarantees associated with his contract. Basically, Wilson is owed money if he gets hurt, and the Broncos decided not to even risk him getting hurt. Additionally, news broke during the season that Denver and Wilson’s camp were in a dispute over the trigger on a contract that guarantees Wilson’s salary in 2025 if he stays on the bench. Wilson didn’t want to sit on the bench…and now here we are.

Wilson spoke with Brandon Marshall on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, and this is going to be a big deal. Messy.

This is going to be a story filled with passive-aggressive rumors and gunfire fired over the bow from both sides. In Wilson’s case, the Broncos held him back from playing the game he loves and has been objectively good at over the past decade, and Denver coach told him to sit on the bench and play there to save money. He announced that his term of office will end. He couldn’t help but feel like he had been slapped in the face unnecessarily. Wilson has said he wants to stay in Denver, but with management seemingly wanting a different path, he may feel he has no choice but to part ways.

Our Matt Warren did a great job of dissecting why it would be so difficult to continue with Wilson. Denver faces a tough salary cap situation thanks to the extension they gave out needlessly.

This isn’t the first time for the Denver/Payton side that a quarterback has been taken out of a game to release some of his contract guarantees. before he was signed new orleans saintsDerek Carr Raiders bench They began searching for their future QB. Denver is looking to the future to acquire the QB spot and needs all the money they can get. This is a cruel and brutal way of thinking, but the Broncos run a business and see signing Wilson as a way to get some of that money back. They are in the middle of a rebuild and Wilson is not in their plans.

Despite both of these, I know this is going to be messy. The strategy is clear, as Wilson appeared on a podcast hours before Sean Payton and Broncos GM George Payton took the stage at the NFL combine.

It seems like the Broncos aren’t shy about letting people know their intentions either.

let’s start!