The Denver Broncos are sitting out 35-year-old quarterback Russell Wilson for the final two games of the season, head coach Sean Payton confirmed on Wednesday afternoon. As a result, Wilson won’t be starting against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday.

Coach Payton said that Jarrett Stidham will take on the starting quarterback role ‘in an effort to give the offense a spark,’ however, insiders state that Wilson’s benching is being done “in an effort to preserve the possibility of a feasible split this offseason.” Stidham was signed in the offseason to a two-year deal.

Per Over the Cap: “Wilson is currently signed through 2028, but he’s only guaranteed money through 2024. That said, his entire 2025 salary ($37M) will be guaranteed if he remains on the Broncos’ roster at the start of the next league year (March 17). So it’s probable Denver will make a decision on the QB’s future before then,” he writes in a new article Broncos reportedly benching Russell Wilson for rest of 2023: Can Denver get out of QB’s contract?”

Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter in last Sunday night’s loss to the New England Patriots. He became the first Broncos quarterback since Peyton Manning to throw at least one touchdown pass in each of the first 15 games of a season in the process (the only other NFL quarterback who has thrown a touchdown in each of their team’s games this season is Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills).

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