The Denver Broncos informed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson that he will no longer be a part of the team in 2024.
The writing was on the wall for Wilson as he was relieved of his starting duties by head coach Sean Payton near the end of the year. To finish the year, the Denver Broncos rolled with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Whether they will continue to do so in 2024 remains to be seen as they have a few other options.
The Denver Broncos could stick with quarterback Jarrett Stidham
Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham started for the season’s last two games. He threw for just under 500 yards in those two games on a 60.6% completion rate. He had two touchdowns and one interception.
Stidham did lead the Denver Broncos to a 16-9 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, who fired their head coach and were led by a backup quarterback. Stidham and the Broncos then lost to the Las Vegas Raiders by two scores as he was brought down five times in the backfield.
I see you, @Jarrett_Stidham.
And for my #Texas followers, that’s former Horn Lil’Jordan Humphrey with the TD reception.
— Blake Munroe (@BlakeMunroeOTF) December 31, 2023
Despite mediocre numbers, Stidham believes he learned a lot in the two games he started, as he said in an article from the Denver Broncos website.
“I felt like I definitely grew in those two weeks,” said Stidham on Monday as the Broncos’ season came to a close. “It’s one thing to practice certain things, but once you’re out there playing and making calls at the line and doing certain things and getting a feel for it in live action, I felt like I definitely grew and [I’m] looking forward to the spring.”
Stidham certainly has the potential to be a serviceable quarterback in the NFL, but there is still much to be proven on his part. He has four years in the NFL, but a small portion of that time has been spent in a starting position.
The Denver Broncos could sign a veteran quarterback
Another option for the Broncos is to sign a veteran quarterback. This could be to give Stidham another year to develop or to bridge the gap until they think they can draft the appropriate quarterback.
One option that immediately jumps to the forefront is New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston. Winston played under Payton and saw success during the short period of time in which he did. Winston had just under 1,200 yards on a 14 to three touchdown touchdown-to-interception ratio before tearing his ACL under Payton.
Payton had strong praises for Winston in a USA Today article, claiming that he had a second act in him.
“I definitely think he’s got a second act in him. He’s a young player. He came into this league with every accolade you could have. He’s a tremendous teammate and worker. The two years we were together were fantastic,” Sean said about Winston.
If the Broncos were in “win-now” mode, they might go with somebody like Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins, who is coming off an Achilles tear, will cost a bit more. That being said, he will likely give the Broncos the best chance of winning in the immediate future.
The Denver Broncos could try their hand with a rookie quarterback in the draft
The Denver Broncos hold the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and they could very easily select a quarterback of the future at that spot. Many analysts, such as Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network and Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News, think they will select Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix is as experienced as college quarterbacks come having started an NCAA record 61 games in college. Nix was extremely productive in his last years with Oregon. He threw for a staggering 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns on a 77.4% completion rate in his senior year with just three interceptions.
Another potential option for the Broncos at the No. 12 spot could be Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Huskies quarterback bested Nix in both of the times they faced off against each other in the 2023 season, although many believe there is less of a chance that he will make it that far in the draft.
The Broncos could also decide to wait until the second round and take a flyer on South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler. Rattler was an extremely highly-touted prospect coming out of high school but fell out of favor after transferring from the Oklahoma Sooners.
Rattler has gained steam during the pre-draft process and could prove to be a steal at the quarterback position.
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Come to the Titans