Sean Payton, Head Coach of the Broncos, Spokes Out About the Wiki Draft Rumor Divorce

A fascinating look at what transpired throughout the regular season can usually be had during the week preceding the Super Bowl. Numerous coaches, front office officials, current and past players, as well as other media members who share their tales, were interviewed by hundreds of media representatives.

Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos spoke with Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio on Friday to talk about the team’s performance this season. Payton was immediately put on the spot by Schein, who brought up the Russell Wilson contract dispute that ultimately resulted in the star quarterback being benched for the final two games of the season.

Payton responded, “Yeah, I mean, that is business.” In the end, this is the one thing I would say. Wilson and I get on really well together. Furthermore, there’s the aspect that, well, that wasn’t the person we wanted. When we first started this, we focused all of our work on asking ourselves, “What are the things that we feel like he does best for us offensively?” We eventually reached a point when we were compelled to simply stare at Stidham. To be honest, we thought we had to strike out aggressively. We have one victory and one defeat in the same series. However, I believe that’s a part of it now. You know, the commotion, the disapproval, and everything else? It is what it is, really.”

The NFL’s business side is harsh, particularly when it comes to failing players with expensive contracts. Wilson may have had a respectable 26-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but the offense’s timing and rhythm were wrong all season. Denver’s offensive faltered a lot, particularly after the break.

Wilson’s contract states that he will get a guaranteed $50 million salary in 2025 on the fifth day of the 2024 league season. The Broncos have repeatedly contacted Wilson to renegotiate this particular clause in order to give themselves more financial flexibility in the future. Wilson finally turned to the NFL Players Association for help in settling the dispute after refusing to accept the terms.

After the negotiations, which took place during the team’s bye week, Wilson would go on to start a couple more games before finally being benched for Stidham. After two inconsistent seasons, Wilson’s choice drew intense criticism from the NFL community, sparking speculation that he might be leaving Denver.

In connection with those whispers, there was another intriguing set of stories that the Broncos were considering a trade up in the 2024 NFL draft, namely for one of the best quarterbacks. There is still a long way to go in the scouting process, both at the NFL and collegiate levels, but anything is still conceivable.

During an additional radio interview with Kay Adams of the Up and Adams Show, Payton talked about the reports that the Broncos are preparing to make a significant draft move for a quarterback.