Denver Broncos wave the white flag on their season by BENCHING star QB Russell Wilson for Jarrett Stidham in new low for one of NFL's most disastrous trades of all time

Stidham, who hasn't played in 2023, will start vs. the Chargers and Raiders Wilson would be owed an additional $37m if he couldn't pass a physical in March DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is reportedly being benched for the remainder of the NFL season.

The remarkable decision marks a new low in one of the most disastrous NFL trades in recent memory. Denver has gone 11-19 in the two seasons since signing Wilson at extortionate cost.

The quarterback has earned $124million, while the Broncos have also given up more than $85m in dead cap money over 2024 and 2025.

Noah Fant, Drew Lock, Shelby Harris were traded to Seattle as part of the trade, as were a 2022 first round pick (Charles Cross), a 2022 second round pick (Boye Mafe), 2022 fifth round pick (Tyreke Smith), a 2023 first round pick (Devon Witherspoon) and 2023 second round pick (Derick Hall).

Wilson is ranked among the ten best quarterbacks in the league at the moment, so this decision suggests that the Broncos have waved the white flag on their ever fading playoff hopes.

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is being benched for the last two games in 2023

In his place, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will start against the Chargers and Raiders

‘We’re desperately trying to win. Sure, in our game today, there are economics and other things,’ coach Sean Payton said. ‘But the number one thing…is to get a spark offensively.’

According to Adam Schefter, Peyton spoke to Wilson before telling the team. Reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicate that Wilson will be sat down for both of the Broncos’ last two games of the season.

In his place, backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will get the start at home against the Chargers, then at the Las Vegas Raiders.

By benching Wilson – even though it hurts the team’s playoff hopes – the Broncos will ensure they don’t incur even greater costs.

According to Schefter, Wilson is already set to earn a guaranteed $39million in salary for 2024. However, Wilson gets an additional $37m in salary freed up if he isn’t able to pass a physical by early March.

The Broncos would owe Wilson an additional $37m if he can’t pass a physical in March

So by making sure that Wilson stays healthy, the Broncos will make sure they hold onto that extra $37m.

Wilson currently has the seventh best passer rating in the NFL and has a TD-INT ratio of 26-8. Stidham has not played a single snap so far this season, a year after stepping in for Derek Carr at the end of the Radiers’ last campaign.

Denver would need to win both of their last two games and then hope that the Kansas City Chiefs lose out in order to win the AFC West and gain a playoff berth.

If neither of those things happen, there would have to be a convoluted situation surrounding the results of games between the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts that would require them to tie against each other in Week 18.