All signs are pointing to veteran quarterback Russell Wilson’s time with the Denver Broncos coming to an end. He was benched for the final two games of the 2023 regular season and the franchise looks ready to move on from him for monetary reasons.
Benching Wilson ensured that his contract wouldn’t become automatically guaranteed, as it was guaranteed for injury only. Acquiring him from the Seattle Seahawks is turning out to be one of the most lopsided trades ever as the Broncos signed him to an extension on top of all of the assets they surrendered to acquire him.
However, if it were up to Wilson, he would like to stay in Denver. However, he also wants to be in a place where he feels wanted. To achieve the latter, Wilson likely has to move on to another franchise this offseason.
NFL News & Rumors: Russell Wilson & Denver Broncos Updates
“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years of what I’ve gone through,” Wilson told Brandon Marshall, via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else, I hope it’s in Denver, I hope I get to finish there. I committed there, I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”
The last two seasons has been very tough for Wilson and the Broncos. Their decision to hire Nathaniel Hackett as head coach in 2022 was a disastrous one, as Hackett had one of the worst head coaching tenures in NFL history.
Wilson struggled mightily to get comfortable in Hackett’s system, leading to a change almost as quickly as he arrived. While he looked better under Sean Payton in Year 2, it seems that his future will not be in the Mile High City.
More than likely, Wilson will be released by the Broncos, giving him the chance to select his next franchise. Wherever he ends up, he has made his goals clear; he wants to win and win often, sharing a bold goal for himself in the next few years.
“For me, it’s about winning — over the next two years, I want to win two [Super Bowls], I want to feel the chill of that trophy again,” Wilson said. “I love the city and everything else, but you also want to be [in] a place that wants you, too. The thing I want to do is to win, that’s all I care about.”
NFL News & Rumors: Russell Wilson & Denver Broncos Updates
Wilson hasn’t won a Super Bowl since the 2013 season, when his Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos. They went back to the Super Bowl the next season, where they lost to the New England Patriots on Wilson’s ill-fated throw at the goal line that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler.
“Next five years I get to hold two more Super Bowl trophies, that’s my goal,” Wilson said. “That’s my plan … knowing that you want to be one of the greatest winners to play this game.”
Who will Wilson be looking to achieve that goal with? At this point, that is anyone’s guess as he didn’t give any hints as to who he wants to sign with. All that we know is that it won’t be with the Broncos, who are going to be in the market for a new signal caller this offseason.
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