ENGLEWOOD, Colo — In a move not completely unexpected given some complicated circumstances but shocking nevertheless, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has benched quarterback Russell Wilson and replaced him with Jarrett Stidham.
While many reports said the move was made to free the Broncos of Wilson's future contractural obligations, that appears to be a secondary issue. The primary reason is Payton wanted a new quarterback in hopes of sparking the Broncos' disappointing offense.
"I understand the speculation that surrounds a move like that,'' Payton said following practice Wednesday. "I can tell you we're desperately trying to win. Sure in our game today there are economics and all those other things. But the No. 1 push behind this -- and it's a decision I'm making -- is to get a spark offensively."
The day before, during a conference call with local reporters, Payton was rather candid in stating his disappointment with his offense that ranks No. 25 in total offense and No. 16 in points per game.
“Right now, we’re average to below-average, I would say, in a lot of things offensively, and it’s not good enough,’’ Payton said Tuesday.
And so the first fix is to change who plays quarterback. Wilson takes the fall.
"I get that but I can't change the entire offensive line,'' Payton said. "I can't bring in five new receivers. And if it continues over a period of time there will be another guy (besides me) talking to you as well.
"These are difficult decisions. Obviously there's more attention when it's the quarterback. I can assure you of one thing -- and I've said this to George and Greg a number of times -- I'm just interested in winning. It doesn't matter how.''
While Wilson has been effective as an off-script, scramble quarterback late in games -- as he was Christmas Eve Sunday during a rally from a 23-7 fourth quarter deficit against New England to a 23-23 tie before ultimately losing 26-23 -- he has not been the best fit for operating Payton's base offense.
"Obviously, it's difficult,'' Payton said of the QB change. "And all of us feel like we didn't do well enough. But one of the things we saw when we signed Stidham in the offseason was not only film from preseason games but regular-season games and he's a guy that I'm anxious to see play."
Wilson's contract is an issue in that it somewhat forced the Broncos' hand in seeing what they have in Stidham, now that the team's chances of making the postseason are long. Wilson is guaranteed $39 million for next season, but his $37 million for 2024 only becomes guaranteed if he is still on the roster by the fifth day of the 2024 league year, or March 17.
That $37 million is guaranteed for injury only, so there is considerable incentive for the Broncos to not risk injury with Wilson in the team's final two games which are Sunday at home against the Los Angeles Chargers and on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders the following Sunday.
However, Wilson will remain the Broncos' backup quarterback, a source tells 9NEWS. He may well still play, evidence this is more about changing quarterbacks in hopes of improving the offense than it is for contractural reasons.
"If I didn't feel like (Stidham) gave us a chance to win we wouldn't be making this move,'' Payton said. "I spent time with Russ this morning and he's been a pro and obviously disappointed but ... now, he may need to play this weekend, next weekend. But in regards to the future we haven't had a sitdown, I'm sure we will. Greg and I and George, we speak frequently. But this is about now. This is about trying to get our eighth win and we go from there."
The Broncos started this season 1-5, won five in a row thanks mostly to a surge of defensive takeaways, but have since lost three of their last four.
"Without getting into the specifics, because I think that would be unfair today, it's more about what we weren't doing effectively enough offensively. When we were getting two or three turnovers (during 5-game winning streak) that's one thing but ultimately our job is to get the ball in the end zone and we've got to be more efficient doing that, all of us."
The Broncos still have an outside shot at the No. 7 AFC Wild Card playoff spot, but they have to win their final two games and hope at least four of the six teams ahead of them for that spot sputter.
Stidham has played in one game for the Broncos this year, mopping up a 42-17 loss at Detroit two weeks ago by handing off four times. He has started two games in his five-year NFL career and both came last year for the Raiders under similar circumstances.
The Raiders benched starting quarterback Derek Carr in large part to assure they would avoid contract injury guarantee and Stidham played fairly well in their last two games, completing 53 of 83 passes (63.9) for a whopping 656 yards and four touchdowns although he did throw three interceptions. Carr was released during the offseason and signed with the New Orleans Saints.
Stidham was a free agent after last season and signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Broncos. He played well for the Broncos in the preseason, completing 12 of 17 for 130 yards at San Francisco and 17 of 28 for 236 yards and a touchdown in a 41-0 rout of the Rams.
But this is not a Carr situation all over again. The Raiders sent Carr home for the final two games last year. Wilson is still at Broncos headquarters and is still one play away from playing again. If it was about Wilson's contract, it would logically follow that Ben DiNucci, the Broncos' No. 3 quarterback who is on the practice squad, would be promoted to the 53-man roster this week and serve as Stidham's back up.
That's not the case. If Wilson were making a minimum salary, Payton would still make the move.
"I think as a head coach you have to make some tough decisions,'' Payton said. "And there not always going to be right. And so you trust your instincts and you go by what you feel and those have been good for me and served me well over the years."
Wilson was acquired by the Broncos from the Seattle Seahawks in March 2022 in a blockbuster trade that had Denver surrendering two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks, starting tight end Noah Fant and defensive tackle Shelby Harris and backup quarterback Drew Lock.
Wilson was a disappointment in a 5-12 season for the Broncos last year, ranking a career-worst No. 27 among NFL passers, but greatly improved this year as he is No. 9 in passing.
Still, the Broncos are 7-8 and their offense overall did not make significant improvement from its standing of the past eight or nine seasons.
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