The Denver Broncos have yet to move on from quarterback Rusell Wilson, but the writing is on the wall.
The Denver Post’s Thomas Gounley reported the former Pro Bowler and his wife, singer Ciara, are accepting offers on their mansion in Cherry Hills Village, located in the Denver metro area. The couple purchased the 20,000-square-foot home for $25M in 2022, shortly after the Seattle Seahawks dealt him to the Broncos. It has five acres, four bedrooms and 12 bathrooms.
Wilson putting his home on the market indicates it’s a matter of time before Denver releases him. If the 35-year-old is still on the roster on the fifth day of the league year in March, his 2025 salary ($37M) becomes fully guaranteed.
Wilson’s performance for the just-completed campaign improved after a disastrous 2022 season. In 15 games, the veteran signal-caller completed 66.4% of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 TDs, eight picks and an above-average 98 passer rating. He and and Sean Payton never gelled, though, with the head coach benching him in favor of Jarrett Stidham for the season’s final two games.
The Broncos finished with an 8-9 record, missing the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.
Assuming Wilson becomes a free agent, the former Super Bowl champion will attract multiple suitors, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Friday, DraftKings noted the Steelers are favored to land him after the odds dropped from +1400 to -110.
The Steelers are now FAVORED to land Russell Wilson 👀
Opening: +1400
Current: -110Russ could be cooking in Pittsburgh… pic.twitter.com/ttqdZDgtey
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) February 16, 2024
Denver, meanwhile, has the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Per Tankathon, the Broncos could be a player for Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy at that slot.
The Broncos clearly made a mistake when they gave Wilson a five-year, $242.5M extension after trading for him. He went 11-19 across two seasons in Denver.
Releasing him will incur $85M in dead money, meaning the Broncos figure to split the charges over the next two seasons to soften the financial blow.
