On Monday, the Broncos announced that, as expected, they will move on from quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson said in response (among other things), “Hard times don't last. Strong people do that“.
Yes, it will be a tough year for Wilson. He will earn $39 million in football income.
It's part of the massive contract the Broncos gave him after the 2022 trade and before he played in any games for the team. The deal included $124 million, fully guaranteed upon signing. That was after the Broncos gave the Seahawks a huge bonus to trade for him.
His contract is also structured in a way that forces the Broncos to let him hit the market early, as his $37 million salary in 2025 is set to become fully guaranteed in just 12 days.
The Broncos wanted it to work. They don't want to pay him $39 million (less than he gets elsewhere) so he doesn't play for them. They don't want to eat $85 million in cap charges over the next two years.
It's not personal. It's work. This is still very good work for Wilson.
He gets $124 million for two years in Denver. He gets a shot in unrestricted free agency. He must choose his next team. If he's still a great player, he'll get a chance to prove the Broncos wrong for letting him go.
The cup is half full. More than half full. At a time when millions are going through tough times, Ross is really cooking. Don't feel bad for him. Although he had a bad contract with the Broncos, it was a great one for Ross.
