Denver Broncos GM: ‘Door is open’ for Russell Wilson to return in 2024

When Denver Broncos benched quarterback Russell Wilson for the final two games of the regular season, the prevailing opinion was a divorce during the offseason was the next step.

Not so fast, say the Broncos. Head coach Sean Payton, general manager George Paton and owner Greg Penner left the door open for Wilson to return in 2024 during their end-of-the-season media availability on Monday.

Payton said he met with Wilson on Monday and told reporters that a path does exist for the quarterback to return for a third season in Denver, but management is mulling over options and a final decision has not been made.

“Yeah, otherwise it would have been like ‘hey, goodbye,’” Payton told reporters. “… We’ll look at all the scenarios and try to do what’s best for the Broncos. .,. that final decision hasn’t been made.”

Payton said he told Wilson the decision-making process will not take very long.

“I told him I don’t think it’s going to be a long, drawn-out process,” Payton told reporters. “But it hasn’t been decided relative to what our plans are and that as soon as we know something that certainly he would be the first to know.”

Broncos’ general manager George Paton said the “door is open” to a reconciliation that would keep Wilson in Denver, adding, “I’ve talked to Russ. He’s open to returning.”

While the Broncos say they are considering keeping Wilson for the 2024 season, the consensus is they will release him at some point during the offseason.

Wilson’s $39 million salary in 2024 is guaranteed whether he plays for the Broncos or not. If they decide to release him, they would incur a record-breaking $85 million in dead cap charges over the next two years.

“Obviously, the financial part of it is a significant component in terms of how this works out in the future, but that’s not what will drive this decision,” Penner told reporters. “The decision will be driven on what’s in the best interests of this football team winning games.”

Some observers will question Penner’s credibility after what happened when Wilson was benched in favor of backup Jarrett Stidham in Week 17 of the regular season.

Wilson claimed the Broncos approached him midway through the season about adjusting his contract and threatened to bench him if he didn’t. He said the team came to him and broached the subject of renegotiating his contract, specifically the $37 million (his 2025 salary) he would be guaranteed to receive if he could not pass a physical on the fifth day of the new league year in March.

Wilson declined and started in the next in the next seven games before he was benched. Payton and Paton indicated there wasn’t a threat to bench Wilson and the benching was a “football decision.”

“During the bye week, I did reach out to Russ’ agent in a good faith and a creative attempt, to adjust his contract. We couldn’t get a deal done, and we moved on with our season,” Paton told reporters. “Fast-forward to Week 17, Sean makes a change at the quarterback position. This was a football decision made by Sean, what he thought was in the best interest of the team. This was completely independent of any conversations I had with the agent. Again, it was a football decision, made by Sean.

“We made a good faith attempt to adjust his contract; we handled ourselves professionally. I’ll just leave it at that.”

The fallout transformed Wilson, who wasn’t very popular in the locker room after his first season in Denver, into a sympathetic figure at the end of the second season, according to a report from espn.com’s Jeff Legwold.

There are some players who don’t believe a word coming out either Payton or Paton’s mouth and they expect Wilson will not be with the Broncos in 2024.