Ex-Patriots QB Now Starting For Broncos With Russell Wilson Benched

Jacoby Brissett won't be the only former Patriots quarterback starting in Weeks 17 and 18.

The Denver Broncos on Wednesday benched Russell Wilson, according to multiple reports, and handed over their offense to Jarrett Stidham for their final two games of the 2023 season.

Like Brissett, who was named the starter in Washington over the struggling Sam Howell, Stidham began his career in New England. A fourth-round pick out of Auburn in 2019, he backed up Tom Brady as a rookie and Cam Newton the following season before being traded to Las Vegas in 2021.

Stidham's only two NFL starts to date came with the Raiders late last season. He completed 64.3% of his passes with four touchdowns and three interceptions in January losses to San Francisco and Kansas City.

The 27-year-old landed in Denver last offseason when the Broncos gave him a surprisingly lucrative contract (two years, $10 million) to back up Wilson. Now, with their playoff hopes effectively dead following Sunday night's loss to the Patriots, head coach Sean Payton is choosing to sit Wilson and play Stidham.

Wilson hasn't come close to living up to the enormous five-year, $245 million contract he signed after his 2022 trade from the Seattle Seahawks, but his benching likely wasn't purely performance-based. If the 35-year-old suffers an injury that prevents him from passing his physical in March, the Broncos would owe him $37 million guaranteed on top of the $39 million in guaranteed money he already is set to earn in 2024.

Denver won't make Wilson inactive, however. He'll serve as Stidham's primary backup, according to a report from NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. Wilson ranks in the top 10 this season in passer rating, completion percentage and touchdown passes and leads the league with four fourth-quarter comebacks.

This move seems to foreshadow Wilson's exit from Denver, raising obvious questions about where the nine-time Pro Bowler could land and how the Broncos will proceed at the game's most important position.

Denver, which still is mathematically alive for a playoff spot, hosts the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend before visiting the Raiders in Week 18.