Getty Image
It seems like Russell Wilson has taken his final snap in a Broncos uniform after he was benched for the rest of the season on Wednesday, and while it’s easy to understand why Denver made that decision, he has at least one ally in the form of former teammate Geno Smith.
The Seahawks were easily the winners of the retroactively lopsided trade that sent Wilson to the Denver Broncos in 2022, but I’d argue no one benefitted from that transaction more than Geno Smith, who took full advantage of the chance to become the starting quarterback in Seattle before securing Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Wilson, on the other hand, quickly discovered the issues that come with attempting to cook at a high altitude after arriving in the Mile High City.
His inaugural campaign with the Broncos was an unmitigated disaster, and while the franchise was hoping Sean Payton would help him turn things around, the team decided to pull the plug with two games left after essentially admitting there’s no chance it’s going to make it to the postseason this year.
Payton quickly entered the spin zone by claiming Wilson’s performance was the primary reason he’d been benched, although the vast majority of outside observers seem to think the Broncos are trying to save as much money as possible prior to figuring out a way to free themselves from the massive contract extension they undoubtedly regret giving him.
Based on what some of Wilson’s teammates had to say about the decision, players weren’t exactly calling for the Broncos to switch things up in the pocket, and on Wednesday, Smith entered the chat to make it very clear he’s still riding with the QB.
FREE 3
— Geno (@GenoSmith3) December 27, 2023
All signs point to Smith seeing that wish granted in the coming months based on reports that assert Denver will be cutting Wilson in the offseason, and while his best years may be behind him, it’s safe to assume there’s at least one NFL team that’ll be interested in giving the 35-year-old another shot.