17 January 2024 , 18:15
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Russell Wilson could receive a lifeline from the Minnesota Vikings after being left facing an uncertain future with the Denver Broncos.
Wilson, who moved to the Broncos in a big trade with the Seattle Seahawks before the 2022 season, was left out of the last two games of the 2023 season. He says it's because the Broncos wanted him to change his contract, but George Paton, the general manager, has disagreed with that claim.
ESPN reports the Vikings might want Wilson - if Kirk Cousins doesn't stay with them. Cousins, who had his season cut short because of an Achilles injury, is wanted back with the Vikings if the price is right. But he might decide to become a free agent, which could open the door for Wilson takes his place.
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In 2022, Wilson signed a five-year extension with the Broncos worth $245 million, with a $37 million injury guarantee that kicks in if he fails a physical in March. But it seems the Broncos don't want to let go of either the injury guarantee or the no-trade clause in his contract as they try to rework his deal.
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Wilson is set to pocket a whopping $39 million for the 2024 season, and he's got a $37 million injury guarantee for 2025. After being taken out of the lineup, Wilson shared, "We beat the Chiefs. They came up to me at the beginning of the bye week - Monday or Tuesday - and told me that if I didn't change my contract, my injury guarantee, that I'd be benched for the rest of the year.
"I was definitely disappointed about it and it was a process for the whole week. We'd just come off beating the Chiefs and played pretty well against them so I was excited for us to fight for the playoffs given the hot streak. And then NFLPA, NFL got involved.
"I wasn't going to take away injury guarantees," Wilson continued. "This game is such a physical game. I've played for 12 years and that matters to me."
Russell Wilson was benched by the Denver Broncos for the final two games of the NFL season (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)But Broncos GM Paton said it was all about the football when head coach Sean Payton decided to bench him.
He explained: "During the bye week I did reach out to Russ's agent in a good faith and creative attempt to adjust his contract. We couldn't get a deal done. We moved on with our season. It didn't come up again."
"Fast forward Week 17, Sean makes a change at the quarterback position. This was a football decision made by Sean in what he thought was the best interests of the team. This was completely independent of any conversations I had with the agent. Again, it was a football decision made by Sean."
"In regards of the negotiations, I'll just keep the specifics private out of respect for really everyone involved. Negotiations are hard. You have difficult conversations, tough conversations, and you can characterize negotiations really any way you want. We always try to handle ourselves professionally and in the best interests of the Broncos, and this was no different."
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