Getty Image / David Eulitt
Quarterback Russell Wilson is set to enter his second year of a 5-year contract with the Denver Broncos. The former Super Bowl champion Russ is being paid handsomely for his time in Denver with an average salary of $48,517,647.
At $48.5M/year and a $160 million guaranteed, the Denver Broncos probably thought they were getting the second-coming of Tom Brady. At the very least, the franchise certainly expected Russell Wilson to come in and improve the team.
Alas, Russell Wilson had a historically bad season with a QBR of just 84.4, the lowest of any season in his NFL career, and way below his career average of 100.2.
But there’s at least one person who believes Russ can still cook. New Denver Broncos offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey believes that Russell Wilson is a future NFL Hall of Famer and things are going to turn around under new head coach Sean Payton.
Mike McGlinchey told Mike Klis of Denver’s KUSA:
“I’m very familiar with Russ, playing against him twice a year for four years. He’s broken my heart numerous times. I know his game, I know what he’s capable of.
“He’s a Hall of Famer. And he’s capable of doing great things and winning a lot of games in this league like he did for a decade in Seattle. And I think coach Payton and the situation we’re going into is going to elevate his game even more.”
McGlinchey added, “I know last season didn’t go the way Broncos Country wanted but I think things are going to be a lot different…”
This is exactly what someone would say if they’d just signed a 5-year contract for $87,500,000 with $52.5 million guaranteed and a $17,500,000 signing bonus.
That’s not to say that former Notre Dame team captain Mike McGlinchey doesn’t actually believe that Russ is a future Hall of Famer who can still cook. He very well might believe that.
It’s just highly plausible that huge contracts cloud objectivity and encourage optimism over reality.
Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos went 5-12 in the 2022 season and finished in last place in the AFC West.
However, their projected win total for the 2023 NFL season is 10 wins. Russ reportedly recently underwent a medical procedure that could improve him on the field. So it’s plausible the Broncos make a quick turnaround…