Broncos' Jarrett Stidham: Could compete for QB1 job
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Coach Sean Payton said Monday that Stidham isn't necessarily in the "driver's seat" but will compete for Denver's starting QB job, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
The broader context of the conversation involved Payton telling reporters that trading up from pick No. 12 to select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft was a "realistic" option for the Broncos. He mentioned the Cardinals being in a good spot as owners of the No. 4 pick -- perhaps a nod to rumors that teams like the Broncos, Vikings and Raiders are interested in moving up for Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy. With Stidham and Ben DiNucci being the only quarterbacks currently on their roster, the Broncos are sure to bring in more competition even if it isn't in the form of an early first-round pick. Other options could include veteran free agents like Ryan Tannehill and Carson Wentz or third-tier draft prospects like Bo Nix and Michael Penix. The 27-year-old Stidham has one season remaining on a two-year, $10 million contract, following a 2023 campaign in which he started two games and completed 40 of 66 passes for 496 yards (60.6 completion rate, 7.5 YPA), with two TDs, one INT, seven sacks and eight rushing yards.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Will start over Fields
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Wilson is expected to serve as Pittsburgh's starting quarterback in 2024, even after the Steelers acquired Justin Fields from the Bears on Saturday in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
The Steelers acquired Fields one day after officially inking Wilson to a one-year contract, but the addition of Fields doesn't look as though it'll affect Wilson's standing as the team's projected starting quarterback during the upcoming season. As such, the 25-year-old Fields is slated to serve in a backup role to the 35-year-old Wilson, who is coming off a pair of underwhelming campaigns with Denver. The acquisition of Fields could still influence Pittsburgh's quarterback plans beyond 2024, and at a minimum, the Steelers would have a talented and experienced signal-caller waiting in the wings should Wilson suffer an injury or struggle early on in the season to ignite the team's passing game.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Left as only QB on roster
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Wilson is temporarily left as the only quarterback on Pittsburgh's roster after the Steelers traded Kenny Pickett to the Eagles on Friday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
The Pickett trade was made just hours after Wilson finalized a one-year contract with the Steelers. Pickett reportedly expressed displeasure with the organization's decision to sign Wilson, likely assuming that he would be a long shot to beat out the 35-year-old for a starting job. Wilson was a strong favorite for the Week 1 start even with Pickett on the team, and none of the available free agents would seem to pose any threat to Wilson's standing atop the depth chart if Pittsburgh opts to sign them. The only potential hurdles at this point are a trade for Justin Fields or an early draft pick coming in at the position. Even in those scenarios, Wilson would still have a good chance to make the Week 1 start.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson: Officially signs with Pittsburgh
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The Steelers signed Wilson to a one-year contract Friday, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.
Wilson was officially released by the Broncos on Wednesday with a post-June 1 designation, paving the way for the 35-year-old to ink a deal with Pittsburgh on Friday. With Mason Rudolph having signed on with the Titans, Wilson and 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett are currently the only two signal-callers on the Steelers' roster. The two are thus in line to compete for the team's starting job in the coming months, though at this stage, Wilson profiles as the favorite to land the assignment, per Mike DeFabo of the Athletic. Meanwhile, in the wake of the departures of Diontae Johnson and Allen Robinson, the pass-catching duo of WR George Pickens and TE Pat Freiermuth, along with RB Jaylen Warren, are Pittsburgh's top returning pass-catching options.
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Russell Wilson: Planning to sign with Pittsburgh
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Wilson plans to sign a one-year contract with the Steelers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
According to Schefter, it will be a "team-friendly" deal, with the Broncos being on the hook for most of his $38 million salary in 2024. Wilson still hasn't even officially been released by Denver, but it sounds like he's already found his new team. The move should become official when the new league year opens Wednesday afternoon. In Pittsburgh, Wilson will link up with new OC Arthur Smith and be the heavy favorite to open the 2024 season as the Steelers' starter over 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett. For fantasy purposes, it's not a great landing spot in Smith's run-centric, methodical offense, but Wilson should be viewed as an upgrade over Pickett. Wilson's insertion does boost the fantasy stocks of George Pickens, Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiermuth.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Going to Pittsburgh after Giants visit
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Wilson is traveling to Pittsburgh on Friday to meet with the Steelers' front office and head coach Mike Tomlin, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Wilson has permission to meet with other teams but can't technically sign a contract until the Broncos release him at the start of the league year (Wednesday). Multiple Pittsburgh beat writers have suggested the Steelers want to give 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett another shot as the starting quarterback, but most of what we've seen from Pickett suggests that even this post-prime version of Wilson would give the team a better chance to win in 2024. An offset in Wilson's Denver contract means he has no incentive to maximize his 2024 pay from a new team, so he'll likely choose his next destination based on some combination of likelihood to start, chances of making a playoff run and post-2024 compensation. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Wilson already had an "exploratory meeting" with the Giants earlier this week.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Expected to meet with Steelers
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The Steelers are "tentatively planning" to meet with Wilson before the start of free agency, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The Broncos have given Wilson permission to talk with other teams even though he won't be released until March 13, the start of the 2024 league year. While previous reports out of Pittsburgh suggested the Steelers were ready to move forward with Kenny Pickett and maybe Mason Rudolph as their quarterbacks, the upcoming meeting with Wilson suggests there's at least some level of interest in bringing in a new starter. The decision may end up coming down to financials more so than confidence (or lack thereof) in Pickett. If nothing gets done in Pittsburgh, other potential suitors for Wilson could include the Raiders and Falcons.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Broncos officially moving on
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Denver announced Monday that Wilson has been informed he will be released by the team after the NFL's new league year begins March 13.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Wilson's release will save the Broncos an extra $37 million in guaranteed money, while Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com notes that the team will still need to endure an NFL-record $85 million in dead cap over the next two years. Those financial ramifications highlight the extent to which Wilson's two-year stint in Denver was characterized by disappointment. The veteran ended the 2023 campaign with 297 completions on 447 pass attempts for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 15 games, numbers which may have seemed merely mediocre were it not for his sizable salary compensation and the valuable draft picks the Broncos parted ways with for his acquisition from Seattle. When free agency officially begins, Wilson will get a chance to search for a fresh start elsewhere, while coach Sean Payton and Denver once again will have to start anew at the quarterback position.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Future uncertain in Denver
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Wilson is expected to be released by the Broncos before the new league year begins in March, but no final decision on his future with the organization has been made, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports.
After just two seasons in Denver, Wilson looks like he could be headed towards a split with the Broncos. According to Legwold, the veteran quarterback's potential release would result in an $85 million dead-money charge for the Broncos, the largest for a single player since the salary cap was instituted. Despite the sense that Wilson will be released this offseason, head coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that no formal decision on the quarterback has been made, according to Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com. Meanwhile, general manager George Paton went as far to say that "the door is open" for the 35-year-old signal-caller to return in 2024. Wilson finished the 2023 campaign with 297 completions on 447 pass attempts for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 15 games. In addition, he was used more as a rusher this season, carrying 80 times for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, the season was a step in the right direction for the Broncos offense after a disappointing start to Wilson's time in Denver in 2022. His potential for future fantasy success hinges on him finding a fitting landing spot on a team in need of experienced quarterback play.
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Broncos' Ben DiNucci: Back with Broncos for 2024
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The Broncos signed DiNucci to a reserve/future contract for the 2024 season Monday, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic reports.
DiNucci did not see the field for Denver in 2023, but he did spend the entire season with its practice squad and will now compete for a spot on its 53-man roster in 2024. The state of the Broncos' quarterback position is in flux since they benched Russell Wilson for the final two games of the year, signaling they may opt to cut him before March.
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Broncos' Jarrett Stidham: Throws touchdown
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Stidham completed 20 of 34 passes for 272 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Sunday's 27-14 loss to the Raiders. He also rushed three times for two yards and recovered a fumble of his own.
Stidham found Jerry Jeudy for a 24-yard touchdown during the second quarter. In two games after becoming the Broncos' starter to end the season, Stidham completed 40 of 66 passes for 496 yards and two touchdowns versus one interception. Although he's currently under contract with Denver for the 2024 campaign, it will be surprising if the team doesn't add a starting-caliber quarterback in front of him this offseason.
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Broncos' Jarrett Stidham: Throws TD in win
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Stidham completed 20 of 32 pass attempts for 224 yards and a touchdown while gaining six yards on six rushing attempts in Sunday's 16-9 win over the Chargers.
Stidham made his first start for Denver on Sunday following the financial benching of Russell Wilson. The former performed well in place of the usual starter, completing nearly two-thirds of his passes without turning the ball over. Stidham's lone touchdown pass went to Lil'Jordan Humphrey, who took a short slant pass in the second quarter and performed a series of maneuvers that resulted in a 54-yard touchdown. It was a relatively quiet fantasy day for Stidham otherwise, and he is slated to start the Broncos' final game of the regular season against his former club, the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Set for backup role in final two games
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Wilson will serve as the backup quarterback in Sunday's game against the Chargers while Jarrett Stidham takes over as the team's starter, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports.
The Broncos plan to bench Wilson for the final two games of the season to avoid any potential injuries and thus preserve the option to cut him before March, when his $37 million salary for 2025 becomes guaranteed. Wilson won't be inactive for the final two contests, however, so he could still wind up taking the field if Stidham gets hurt. Head coach Sean Payton could provide further insight into the team's quarterback situation when he speaks to the media after Wednesday's practice. While starting each of the team's first 15 games and playing all but four snaps on offense, Wilson has completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 6.9 yards per attempt, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go with 80 carries for 341 yards and three scores.
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Broncos' Jarrett Stidham: Moving into starting role
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Stidham is slated to start Sunday's game against the Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
According to Rapoport, the 7-8 Broncos plan to hold Russell Wilson out for the remaining two games of the 2023 season in order to preserve financial flexibility this offseason. Stidham thus represents a fantasy option for those who had been considering using Wilson in Week 17 lineups, or who might otherwise scrambling for quarterback help down the stretch. Though he's been active for all 15 of Denver's games to date, Stidham has thus far taken just four offensive snaps while Wilson has been healthy all season. Stidham's last extended NFL action came late in the 2022 season, when he made two starts for the Raiders and completed 45 of 70 pass attempts (64.3 percent) for 584 yards (8.4 YPA) and a 4:3 TD:INT to go with 84 yards on 14 carries.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Set to be benched
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The Broncos plan to hold Wilson out for the final two games of the season, with an eye toward preserving financial flexibility for the upcoming offseason, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Per Rapoport, Wilson has $37 million in 2025 salary that vests in March, and if the quarterback were to suffer a serious injury before the end of this season, it would complicate the Broncos' financial outlook. Even though Denver hasn't been eliminated from postseason contention heading into Week 17 action, the team sits at 7-8 and would need to not only win its next two games but also receive considerable help to secure a playoff berth. With that in mind, the Broncos will hold out Wilson and instead turn the reins of the offense over to Jarrett Stidham, who has played just four snaps in 2023 behind a healthy Wilson after joining Denver on a two-year, $10 million deal this past offseason.
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Ben DiNucci: Reverts to practice squad
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DiNucci reverted to Denver's practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
DiNucci was elevated for Sunday's 26-23 loss to the Patriots, but he ultimately remained inactive as an emergency QB option. He's unlikely to see the field for the Broncos this season unless one of Russell Wilson and/or Jarrett Stidham end up missing time. He hasn't appeared in a game since 2020 with Dallas.
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Broncos' Russell Wilson: Late comeback attempt falls short
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Wilson completed 25 of 37 pass attempts for 237 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 20 yards on four carries in Sunday's 26-23 loss to the Patriots.
Wilson caught fire in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdown passes and accompanying two-point conversions to bring the Broncos back from a 23-7 deficit. The late-game magician was unable to pull a third consecutive scoring drive out of his hat, leaving just enough time for the Patriots to win the game with a field goal. Wilson finished with a solid fantasy line while committing zero turnovers for the first time since Week 11. He will try to keep the Broncos' faint playoff hopes alive against the Chargers on Dec. 31.
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Broncos' Ben DiNucci: Elevated from practice squad
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The Broncos elevated DiNucci from the practice squad Saturday ahead of Sunday night's game against the Patriots.
DiNucci will provide insurance behind Russell Wilson and Jarrett Stidham for Denver, but he's unlikely to see the field against New England. DiNucci hasn't attempted a pass in the NFL since the 2020 season with the Cowboys.
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Broncos' Jarrett Stidham: Makes season debut
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Stidham played the Broncos' final four offensive snaps of Saturday's 42-17 loss to the Lions, attempting no passes during his time on the field.
Stidham handed the ball off four times after taking the field for the Broncos' last possession in place of starter Russell Wilson, who was held out for rest while the game's outcome was already decided. Up until exiting the contest, Wilson had played every offensive snap this season, so Saturday's game marked Stidham's 2023 and Broncos debuts.
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Ben DiNucci: Back to practice squad
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DiNucci reverted to Denver's practice squad Monday.
DiNucci will return to the practice squad after being a healthy scratch in Saturday's loss to Detroit. The 27-year-old will now wait for another opportunity to be called up for action.
