Pro Football Rumors
The Russell Wilson miss remains a central part of the Broncos' roster construction, even though the now-well-traveled quarterback is two teams removed from his Denver stay. Year 2 of the Wilson contract's dead money albatross has undercut the Broncos' ability to build around Bo Nix's rookie contract.
Wilson remains the top single-player cap hit on Denver's payroll -- by a wide margin. Although the Broncos absorbed the larger blow last year by taking on $53MM in dead cap, Wilson's $32MM 2025 number leads the Denver payroll by nearly $10MM. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey's $23.78MM sits second. The historic miss, though somewhat overshadowed by the Browns' cataclysmic Deshaun Watson decision (which occurred barely a week later in March 2022), has handicapped Sean Payton's team. But the Broncos have built a 2025 contender regardless.
A mix of investments from Payton's time in control join players brought in during GM George Paton's two years at the controls, while left tackle Garett Bolles and wide receiver Courtland Sutton remain from John Elway's GM tenure. The Broncos are 3-2, having become the first team to hand the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles a loss in a game Jalen Hurts finished since Week 4 of last season. Reaching this place amid the reality of the record-setting Wilson dead money hit reflects well on the Payton-Paton partnership, one that certainly did not look like a long-term fit.
