HOUSTON – Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos organization may soon regret releasing Russell Wilson. I’ve seen Payton since his days in New Orleans and how he was a psychological genius at times. The coach would be known for motivating little-known and underdeveloped players to achieve greatness with New Orleans.
It’s mind-boggling that he and Russell Wilson could reach a healthy accord to work together and bring magic to the Mile-High Stadium for the Broncos fans.
Look, he didn’t have a slouch year statistically. 3,070 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions aren’t poor numbers for an NFL quarterback.
The man has value. Why couldn’t Denver see it? It’s a mystery.
Wilson, 35, played two seasons of his five-year, $245 million contract, which will eventually net him $125 million. Denver must pay him $39M in guaranteed money. The $80 million in dead cap the Broncos will eat for the 2024-25 season is an enormous failure for the previous front office, but in many ways, also for Payton.
The offensive guru was one of the elite head coaches in the National Football League before abruptly semi-retiring at the end of the 2021 season. Should he fail to restore Denver, get them into the postseason, and change the dynamics in the AFC West while Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are still going strong, Payton’s tenure in Denver will be forgettable.
Wilson won’t have to sign a mega-contract and break the bank for his next team. He bolsters a Hall of Fame-caliber resume, two Super Bowl trips, and a championship ring.
Russell Wilson still has “gas in the tank” to run a productive offense. That’s why it’s baffling that Sean Payton and the quarterback couldn’t resolve their differences.
Nevertheless, the divorce is in the works, Denver will have a new signal-caller, and Wilson will have a different home in the National Football League. Will it work out for both parties?
We shall see.
