An NFL executive has expressed the belief that the Las Vegas Raiders might be a suitable destination for Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson during the upcoming offseason.
As reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, an unidentified NFC executive shared thoughts on the possibility of Wilson joining the Raiders, stating, “[The Raiders] need a vet, and they are one of Wilson’s original teams he wanted to go to. He’d stay in the [AFC West], West Coast, and [Wilson’s wife] Ciara can do a [Las Vegas] residency [as a live performer].”
Fowler pointed out that the Broncos are expected to part ways with Wilson in the offseason after sitting him out for the final two games of the 2023 regular season.
The decision to bench Wilson was influenced by financial considerations, as the Broncos would have faced significant guaranteed payments if he suffered an injury and couldn’t pass a physical during the offseason.
While this doesn’t necessarily indicate an inevitable separation between the Broncos and Wilson, it may pose challenges for the two parties to reconcile their differences.
The anonymous executive referred to a 2021 report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, stating that Wilson had compiled a list of preferred trade destinations, including the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and the Raiders.
Although the Seattle Seahawks did not trade Wilson that offseason, he was eventually dealt to the Broncos before the 2022 season in exchange for a substantial package of draft picks and players.
Wilson’s first season in Denver was challenging, with the Broncos finishing 5-12, and he experienced the worst statistical performance of his career, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,524 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Subsequently, head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired, and Sean Payton, the longtime New Orleans Saints head coach, took over.
The Broncos showed improvement, ending the season at 8-9, and Wilson performed more efficiently under Payton, completing 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while also contributing 341 rushing yards and three scores.
The Raiders had their share of quarterback challenges in 2023, starting the season with veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who was later benched.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce then turned to rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell, who performed well in his 10 starts, posting a 62.1 percent completion rate for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, with a 5-5 record.
With Pierce now confirmed as the full-time head coach, having a clear answer at quarterback like Wilson entering the 2024 season could prove beneficial.
Wilson’s presence might elevate the Raiders from an 8-9 record to playoff contention, especially with offensive weapons like wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, tight end Michael Mayer, and running backs Josh Jacobs or Zamir White in place.
