Dan Orlovsky rips 'classless' Denver Broncos for handling of Russell Wilson
ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said on “Get Up” Friday that the way the Denver Broncos (7-8) have treated quarterback Russell Wilson has been “unprofessional” and “classless.”
“This is about the way that you treat someone that in many ways has always been a good representative of your organization and your league,” Orlovsky said, via Awful Announcing.
The Broncos announced Wednesday that Wilson will head to the bench for the final two games of the season in favor of Jarrett Stidham. The announcement was a shocking one given that Denver still holds an outside shot at making the playoffs, though when you consider the financial ramifications, the move makes sense in the franchise’s eyes.
That financial flexibility was something that Albert Breer of Monday Morning Quarterback clarified, explaining that Denver owes Wilson $39 million in guarantees for 2024. However, holding onto him would mean vesting $37 million for 2025. Basically, if Wilson can’t pass a physical by early March, Denver owes him the $37 million for 2025 no matter what, meaning there is a lot of incentive to keep Wilson healthy. If Denver cuts Wilson after the season, they will face dead money charges of $85 million over the next two seasons combined.
Wilson confirmed Friday that the team approached him in late October about benching him if he didn’t adjust his $37 million guarantee.
“We got to 3-5, beat the Chiefs … [it] definitely hurt, a low blow,” Wilson said, via ESPN. “Those are good teams, we did it, we fought. It was challenging [to keep playing]. It’s challenging, at the same time I’ve got a job to do … at the end of the day you put your head down and stay focused.”
Sean Payton speaks on benching of Russell Wilson
While the financials are what they are, Orlovsky believes that Denver trying to change Wilson’s contract is “not the way you handle business in the NFL.” Wilson, 35, has thrown for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 66.4% passing. He is also the NFL’s seventh rated passer (98.0).
Head coach Sean Payton said after Friday’s practice that the decision to bench Wilson was about “winning.”
“I’m not privy to any of those [discussions], I’m handling the football,” Payton said. “That’s something with George [Paton] and the front office, I’m not involved in any of that, certainly I’m involved in a lot and there will be a time and place at the end of the season that maybe some of the questions that you may have someone else will be able to answer.”
He added: “I know how this has been written, but this decision is strictly what I believe gives us a chance to win No. 8. Hard decision … there will be no other reasons.”