Broncos' Options on Going 'Scorched Earth' on Russell Wilson

Are the Denver Broncos in a position to go simply release Russell Wilson? Not so fast.

It's been a frustrating season for the Denver Broncos. Plenty of people had high hopes after hiring Nathaniel Hackett as head coach and acquiring Russell Wilson via trade.

While Broncos Country didn't entirely embrace those moves, many fans liked the decisions. Furthermore, nobody expected the Broncos to hit the lows they have this season. For some people, not only has this prompted calls to replace Hackett ASAP but to move on from Wilson as well.

While moving on from Wilson is understandable, reconstructing the team isn't doable without engaging in a 'scorched earth' philosophy. It's unlikely that the Walton/Penner ownership group will be quickly sold on the idea, even if the owners are still new to the ways of the NFL.

Simply put, any attempts to get out of Wilson's contract this coming season will result in dead money charges that are too high to justify under any circumstance. The exception is a trade, and that doesn't appear likely.

Furthermore, teams engaging in the 'scorched earth' philosophy were new-regime teams in dire situations in every aspect, from the built roster, salary cap, and how things went in the previous regimes' drafts.

History Lesson

The Atlanta Falcons, for example, had leveraged all their cap space in hopes of chasing another Super Bowl, but it never came to pass. Atlanta also had some bad drafts, which put them in a challenging position when building the roster, and the team opted to give certain veterans a third contract when it was better to move on.

The Chicago Bears are another example. The Bears had also leveraged a lot of their cap space, had multiple draft picks that didn't pan out, and chased after too many aging veterans in free agency.

When new regimes took over those teams, they had to deal with certain players, cut others and forego free agency, all while going through the pain of working with a roster that didn't have much in terms of talent. Both will enter 2023 in a better position, though.

The Broncos aren't in that dire of a situation — at least, not yet.

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Paton's Free Agency Record

First, while the Broncos' free agency track record under GM George Paton hasn't been excellent, it hasn't been crippling. Most of his signings have been one-year deals, which a team can move on from without much trouble if they don't work out.

The signings that have done the real damage have been the multi-year deals given to players with injury histories — namely, Randy Gregory and Ronald Darby. A simple correction of not providing such players multi-year contracts in the future will keep the Broncos from making that situation worse.

Other Moves to Free Up Cap Space

Furthermore, the Broncos may have a limited salary cap space, but they could gain a bit more with just a couple of moves. These are moves that may have happened regardless of what went down in 2022.

Paton had already renegotiated Graham Glasgow's contract for 2021, which signals his departure in 2022. Mike Purcell was under speculation as a possible release going into training camp. Though Purcell played at a level that justified keeping him, the Broncos may be prepared to go with younger players for depth next season.

Darby's guaranteed money runs out after 2022, meaning Paton could decide to renegotiate the final year of the deal, given the injury history, or cut him if he believes Damarri Mathis can be the No. 2 cornerback. The Broncos might also release Chase Edmonds if they find a better veteran running back in free agency.

Draft War Chest

While the Broncos' draft cupboard isn't what you call full, what will Paton do to acquire more picks? Remember that Paton has made a habit of trading down in the third round, and it wouldn't surprise me if he did it again in the 2023 NFL draft.

Finally, there is the matter of the NFL league-wide salary cap. 2023 could be the final year in which slower cap growth will occur. The 2024 cap rumors are much higher because of the new TV deals kicking in.

If that happens, the Broncos will be in a better position to manage a post-June one-cut of Wilson. As Jason Fitzgerald has explained, Wilson's contract, the 2024 post-June 1 cut is easier to justify, mainly because 2023 will leave no doubt in anyone's mind whether or not the veteran QB has a future with the Broncos.

3 Keys to Moving on From Wilson in 2024

There are several keys to ensuring that the Broncos can move on from Wilson after 2023. Denver will need a proven veteran backup or a younger QB that another team wants to move on. 

That way, if Wilson struggles again in 2023, the Broncos can bench him to prevent the injury guarantees from kicking in, then ride it out with the veteran or, if they get a younger QB, find out what they have.

Another key is to keep this in mind: If you don't believe you have your QB, build the team as if you did, meaning you find the appropriate players that can be part of the team moving forward. That way, your team is in good shape when you finally get the right QB.

The third key is to use up only some of your cap space and realize that you may have to make some tough decisions, whether it's about letting a player walk or passing on a top free agent because he costs more than the position is worth. Paton has been wise to ensure the Broncos have some carryover for 2023 and has some flexibility to release players and gain cap space. That needs to continue.

If things don't work out in 2023 from the team building and coaching standpoint, Denver can make more considerable changes in 2024. the Broncos would then have more flexibility to get out of specific contracts, such as Garett Bolles, Justin Simmons, and Tim Patrick. Plus, the Broncos should have more capital in the draft pick cupboard as long as the team doesn't trade away significant 2024 draft capital.

Bottom Line

It will undoubtedly be a tough road to navigate in the coming season, but it doesn't mean you go 'scorched earth.' Paton does have to answer for the Wilson extension, but he can't just purge the entire roster to get out of that deal in 2023. Paton needs to devise a plan, navigate the situation, and understand changes will involve pain.

Fans need to understand the same. The Broncos must do what they can in 2023 and hope for some improvement. 

If none comes, there should be more extensive changes. But if there is a noticeable improvement, even if Wilson struggles, Paton should get his chance to show he can get the QB situation right in 2024.

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