Sad News Two Players Are Fired For Not Standing On USA National Anthem.

When the Broncos acquired Russell Wilson from the Broncos during the 2022 NFL offseason, the expectation was that he would fill the franchise quarterback void that had existed in Denver since Peyton Manning’s departure

Broncos coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday that Wilson would be benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham for the final two games of the 2023 NFL season.

“Obviously it’s difficult and all of us feel like, ‘Man, we didn’t do well enough,'” Payton said when explaining Wilson’s benching, per ESPN. “But one of the things we saw when we signed Stidham in the offseason is not only film from preseason games, but regular-season games. He’s a guy that I’m anxious to see play.”

Stidham got some regular-season action in 2022 in a similar situation, as he replaced Derek Carr with the Raiders. Carr left Las Vegas after his benching and it appears that Wilson will do the same following his in Denver.

But why did the Broncos decide to bench Wilson? They are still alive in the playoff race, after all. And while Wilson hasn’t been a top-tier performer, he has helped the team achieve a 7-7 record while bouncing back from a brutal 2022 season under Nathaniel Hackett.

Here’s what to know about Denver’s decision and what it means for Wilson’s future.

Two main factors contributed to Wilson’s benching. The first, as explained by Sean Payton, was that the Broncos wanted “to get a spark offensively.”

While Wilson has been efficient — completing 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions — Denver just hasn’t consistently finished drives. The Broncos rank 22nd in red-zone touchdown percentage (50.91) and rank 16th in points per game (21.8) this season.

Add in that Denver’s 298.2 yards per game ranks 25th in the league and it’s clear that the unit is falling short of Payton’s expectations.

However, the bigger thing at play for the Broncos is money. Wilson has an injury guarantee for 2025 baked into his contract worth $37 million. By benching him, Denver ensures that it won’t be on the hook for that potential sum if they should move on from Wilson during the offseason.

As Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported, that’s exactly what the Broncos plan to do during the 2024 NFL offseason. They will release him before that $37 million injury guarantee converts to a full guarantee on the fifth day of the 2024 league year, which comes in March.