Emmanuel Acho blames Broncos for unsuccessful season with Russell Wilson: “Russ fulfilled his end of the bargain”

Russell Wilson entered his second season with the Broncos, expecting to turn it around after a forgettable 2022 season. It was a slow start for Wilson but turned a corner in the second half of this season. However, head coach Sean Payton made the move to bench the 35-year-old quarterback with two games remaining.

This decision did not sit well with Emmanuel Acho of the Fox Sports 1 show "Speak". Acho laid fault with the Broncos for a lackluster season and credited Wilson for doing his end of the deal:

“Russell Wilson was benched and I believe that he is taking too much heat... Russell Wilson gave the Denver Broncos Super Bowl Russ but the Denver Broncos did not give Russell Wilson a Super Bowl environment."

"First, I will start with the numbers though the numbers don't tell the whole story, look at 2013, Russell won the Super Bowl then look at this year…Russ in 2013 is the same Russ that you are seeing this year, the dilemma is you're not seeing that Super Bowl defense."

Acho concluded:

"Now I get it that the Legion of Boom was generational, but can you give me the 2015 Broncos defense? Russ fulfilled his end of the bargain, what I would submit to you is that the Denver Broncos did not fulfill their end of the bargain.”

The Denver Broncos (7-8) started the season with a 3-5 record, then won three straight before dropping three of their last four games. A reason for the nine-time Pro Bowler's benching is equally financial and preventative.

Wilson has an injury guarantee of $37 million for 2025 that would kick in should any kind of injury happen over the last two weeks that would stop him from passing a physical next March. He inked a five-year extension with Denver worth $242.5 million last September. In hindsight, some are noting that it is one of the worst contracts in recent memory.

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Would Denver trade Russell Wilson ahead of the 2024 season?

There is rampant speculation that the Broncos could move on from the Super Bowl winner ahead of next season. ESPN NFL insider Bill Barnwell explains the fiscal repercussions should Denver choose to release him:

"The Broncos could designate Wilson as a post-June 1 release after the season and owe $85 million in dead money, spread over two seasons. They would be on the hook for $35.4 million in 2024 and $49.6 million in 2025. Denver would also owe Wilson $39 million in cash for 2024."

Trading him before June 1 would leave the franchise with an astonishing $68 million in dead money in 2024 unless Denver could persuade the acquiring team to take care of his $22 million option bonus. The team that acquires him would owe the star quarterback $54 million over the subsequent two years if it did not pick up the bonus.

With the 2024 NFL Draft taking place next April, Payton and the Broncos hold a top-15 pick that could spent on a quarterback. However, trying to trade Russell Wilson will be easier said than done given the massive money involved. Fans will have to wait and see what Denver does in the upcoming offseason.