Former NFL GM thinks Russell Wilson will get benched in 2023

Since leaving his posts leading the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets Mike Tannenbaum hasn’t been scared to share a wild take or two, but the NFL analyst for ESPN has also been way ahead with some of hsi thoughts. Where his take on Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson lies will only be told in time, but it’s worth sharing.

Tannenbaum said on Get Up that he’d, “be shocked if Russell Wilson will be the starter for 17 games this season.”

The reason Tannenbaum believes this is due to Sean Payton’s Bill Parcells-like thinking at times. The first-year head coach may use the aging star quarterback as an example with his giant five-year, $245 million contract extension just being collateral damage of Payton’s way.

“The conversations that Sean Payton is having with ownership is, ‘Year 1 is about culture and accountability.’ He’s going to see Russell Wilson as an opportunity to hold players accountable,” Tannenbaum said. “If Russell Wilson has the smallest bump in the road, he will be benched, and Sean’s going to look at it as an opportunity to set the culture and the standard moving forward.”

"I would be shocked if Russell Wilson was the starter for 17 games this season. … If Russell Wilson has the smallest bump in the road, he will be benched."

—@RealTannenbaum pic.twitter.com/F75rMMJias

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 24, 2023

After last summer’s mega trade sent the star signal-caller from the Seattle Seahawks to the Mile High City, Wilson struggled. The 11-year pro had career-worst marks in completion percentage, passer rating, QBR and sacks. All the while the Broncos offense which everyone had hoped was just a piece away regressed to the worst offense in the NFL.

Wilson’s extension doesn’t even kick in until the 2024 season but before we get there Wilson has to prove he can regain his stardom under Payton. Payton has been on Wilson’s side to this point and Wilson shrugged off some of this pressure earlier this week.

The Broncos, as a whole, have a lot of pressure on them. The team is ridding a seven-year playoff drought and is now fully under new ownership after buying the team just before the season last fall. Denver traded a lot to get Wilson and gave up some more to add Payton, but Vegas still believes the Broncos to be about a .500 team.

If the season plays out like Vegas thinks, Tannenbaum may be right in saying Wilson could get pulled for journeyman Jarrett Stidham and then he’d soon thereafter be cut. All starting a new era under Payton.

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