Broncos And Russell Wilson Protecting Themselves As Likely Split Draws Closer
The Denver Broncos this week spent nearly an hour of press conference time with CEO Greg Penner, general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton trying to overcome their controversial benching of Russell Wilson for an inferior quarterback.
And it almost worked.
Some media outlets came out of the question-and-answer periods suggesting maybe the Broncos didn't threaten to bench Wilson if he didn't agree to defer his 2025 guarantee by a year after all.
And, hey, the Broncos have not fully made up their mind about Wilson's future with the team. And maybe there's a path for Wilson to remain with the team because even Wilson has told Paton he'd be willing to return for the 2024 season.
But none of that is correct.
Denver Broncos GM George Paton and coach Sean Payton likely moving on from QB Russell Wilson. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Broncos And Russell Wilson Still Headed For Split
Wilson will be released or traded before the fifth day of the 2024 NFL calendar in March. And if a trade does become a possibility, it will be driven by Wilson because he has a full no-trade clause that gives him enormous leverage in the matter.
So let's break this down piece by piece because what the Broncos did on Tuesday was at times offer up a word puzzle that requires solving.
On the subject of whether Paton "threatened" to bench Wilson -- which Wilson publicly stated happened during talks with his agent Mark Rodgers -- if the quarterback didn't agree to a contract renegotiation:
"During the bye week I did reach out to Russ's agent in a good-faith and creative attempt to adjust his contract," Paton said. "We couldn't get a deal done. We moved on with our season. It didn't come up again. Fast forward, Week 17, Sean makes a change at the quarterback position.
"This was a football decision made by Sean in what he thought was in the best interest of the team. This was completely independent of any conversation I had with the agent."
Yeah, there's a reason Paton paints the talks with Rodgers and the benching as totally separate. It's because the club is on notice it would potentially be in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement if it tied the renegotiation to a benching.
Quarterback Russell Wilson spent final two games of the season on the bench. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Broncos Try To Avoid Russell Wilson CBA Violation
The NFLPA, which Rodgers contacted, could argue in an arbitration hearing that the threat of benching violates Article 4, Section 8 of the CBA. That part of the CBA mandates a team and player "negotiate in good faith."
And using the threat of a benching in a renegotiation doesn't seem like good faith.
That's the reason the Broncos have said Wilson's benching the final two games of the season was about finding "a spark," as Payton previously said, and about making a sound football decision when anyone with eyes understands the team took a step back in putting the less experienced Jarrett Stidham in over Wilson.
Paton, by the way, neither confirmed nor denied he threatened a benching.
"We always try to handle ourselves professionally and in the best interest of the Broncos and this was no different," he said.
Well, it would be in the best interest of the Broncos for Paton to simply say he didn't threaten a benching if it's simply not true. Putting that on the record so any player that in future considers signing with Denver knows it's not a concern would benefit the team.
But Paton wouldn't, or couldn't, say that.
Broncos GM George Paton says Russell Wilson wants to return next season. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Broncos Build Arbitration Hearing Defense
"We made a good faith attempt to adjust his contract," Paton repeated. "We handled ourselves professionally. I'll just leave it at that."
Notice Paton is talking about negotiating in "good faith" which is exactly what the CBA language calls for. The GM's wording is not a coincidence. It's actually a defense ahead of a potential arbitration hearing.
The Broncos made the point that in recent conversations with Wilson -- even this week -- the quarterback didn't close the door on returning in 2024.
"I've talked to Russ," Paton said. "He's open to returning."
This is true. Wilson told Paton exactly that. And it sounds like everyone's cool now.
But all that is for public consumption.
Wilson is going this route because he is not going to yield the high road to the team. He signed a seven-year contract expecting to spend seven years in Denver. And he's not going to give the club the opportunity to make the case it is moving on because the player no longer wants to be in Denver.
If the Broncos get rid of Wilson, it's going to have to be because they want to. Not because Wilson's asking out.
Broncos GM George Paton speak to the media 2023 NFL Combine. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Combine A Platform For Broncos To Seek A Trade
But, make no mistake, Wilson and those close to him would not be surprised if the Broncos soon decide to move on. They would not be surprised if the club starts shopping Wilson in trade as early as the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
That event, which is scheduled for Feb. 27-March 4, allows general managers and coaches to be in the same town while they meet with college prospects. It's a convenient time to exchange ideas and discuss the possibility of trades face to face.
And if the Broncos are going to pursue the trade route, that's where they're most likely to find an interested partner.
The problem for the Broncos is they can do nothing on the trade front without Wilson's consent because of the full no-trade clause.
Wilson would have to be told ahead of time which team is interested because if he doesn't want to play for a certain team, that ends that trade possibility.
Russell Wilson talks with head coach Sean Payton during his final start of the season. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Wilson Would Want Permission To Speak With Clubs
Wilson would also have to be given permission to talk to whatever team or teams are interested. The reason for this is an interested team would probably want to renegotiate his deal. Said another way, no team is going to trade for his current contract as written.
The road for any team to take on a Wilson trade is to sign him to a multi-year deal with the first year paying the veteran minimum. Wilson would likely agree to that because it benefits his new team that first year while not harming him.
Wilson would remain financially whole because Denver would still pay the balance of the guaranteed $39 million it owes him for 2024.
This happens if some team decides it is willing to compensate Denver and also benefit Wilson financially somehow. And that is going to be a tough ask.
The more likely scenario is the Broncos simply cut Wilson before the fifth day of the new league year. Because that's the direction this has been taking since late October.