Russell Wilson in Denver never seemed right. Most people thought they were going to target Aaron Rodgers to pair him with Nathaniel Hackett again, so it always felt like he was just his sloppy seconds. He never seemed like their actual No. 1 choice.
In hindsight, the Denver Broncos made a terrible deal for Wilson. It happens. Teams have to take risks in this business, and most GMs would love to have a do-over at least once in their tenure.
Giving up so many assets for Wilson wasn’t the only bad thing the Broncos did. They doubled down on this mistake by signing him to a massive contract extension without watching him play a single snap with the team. All while giving him a rookie head coach.
Fast forward to today, and it’s not surprising to see Wilson so close to joining the unemployment line. The NFL is ruthless and brutal. It doesn’t matter what you did in the past; it’s all about what you can do now.
Landing Spots For Russell Wilson
So, with the Broncos having spent almost $75 more million in two full seasons of Russell Wilson than they would’ve spent if they hadn’t signed him to that extension, they’re ready to move on.
This could be the end of the line for the former Super Bowl champion, but these three teams could also be interested in his services — at the right price, needless to say.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons should go all-in on Justin Fields, but this organization rarely does what it ought to do. And even if they pursue Fields, there’s no actual guarantee that they’re going to get it. Should that happen, then there will be no better insurance policy than the good old Russell.
He’s no longer the scrambler he used to be back in the day, but he’s a much better decision-maker than both Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder. He’s thrived in run-heavy offenses, and giving him an elite RB like Bijan Robinson and a stellar wideout in Drake London could help him do just enough to hold onto the job while they find a permanent solution.
2. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a mess, top to bottom. There’s no way to sugarcoat this, and they need way more than just a quarterback. As a matter of fact, chances are they’re also going to need a Head Coach and GM after they part ways with Bill Belichick.
Then again, a team can’t be fixed overnight, especially not a team so flawled like the one Belichick has put together. Patriots fans are used to winning and having a star QB, so Robert Kraft might be desperate enough to give Wilson another chance while they find their gunslinger of the future.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
Last but not least, we find the Las Vegas Raiders. They’re the only divisional rival that’ll be in the market for another quarterback in the offseason, and there would be no better way to stick it to the Denver Broncos than beating them twice a season.
The Raiders have plenty of things to figure out, but if they’ve been able to win games with Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell at quarterback, we have to believe that they can win with this version of Russell Wilson leading the way as well.