FormerWith the NFL free agency era starting in March 2024, what will the Denver Broncos do with quarterback Russell Wilson?
GM Makes Pitch for Russell Wilson as Aaron Rodgers’ Backup
With the NFL free agency era starting in March 2024, what will the Denver Broncos do with quarterback Russell Wilson?
Many people have speculated on where Wilson could go if the Broncos release him this summer, but former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum made possibly the most ridiculous suggestion of all.
Tannenbaum, the Jets’ general manager from 2006 to 2014, stated that his previous team would be a “great fit” for the star as a backup to four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
“I actually think he’d be a great fit with the New York Jets, and here’s why,” Tannenbaum stated on the February 19 edition of ESPN’s “Get Up.” “Give him a million bucks and let him rebuild his career. I actually have some experience with this. Vinny Testaverde was released by the Baltimore Ravens. We signed him in June [of 1998] and advanced to the [AFC] Championship game that year.”
Analyst Bart Scott, a former Jets linebacker from 2009 to 2012, raised his hands as Tannenbaum talked. At one point, Scott peeked inside Tannenbaum’s mug to see what he was drinking.
Tannenbaum seemed unconcerned by his peers’ confusion as he continued.
“Where else will he go? “He must resurrect his career,” Tannenbaum added. “So if you have to sit for a year, why not sit behind one of the greatest of all time and then be a free agent again?”
He then said that Wilson, who will be 36 in November, is unlikely to get a starting job and will be forced “to be a backup somewhere.”
Tannenbaum reiterated his stance on the February 20 broadcast of ESPN’s “Get Up,” saying that the internet was “unanimously supportive.”
“The Jets last year, of all the things that happened, they missed big time on a backup quarterback,” Tannenbaum told ESPN. “They need a veteran quarterback who’s going to be inexpensive, and at some point, Russell Wilson’s going to have to determine: ‘Do I want to continue playing?'”
He described Wilson’s joining the Jets as a “marriage of convenience.” The ESPN commentator reiterated that Wilson will most likely not be a starter anywhere in 2024.
Tannenbaum recognized that his concept was “out of the box,” but he believed it “could work for one year.”
Furthermore, with Rodgers returning from a serious injury, Wilson could slot in for a squad with playoff hopes.
“If I’m the Jets with a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers coming off an Achilles tendon injury, they can’t count on him playing 17 games,” Tannenbaum told ESPN.
It was already unlikely that Wilson would be forced to accept a backup position. However, is it insane enough to work?
The Jets need an upgrade behind Rodgers, as third-year quarterback Zach Wilson was not that person in 2023.
Wilson had only eight touchdown passes in 12 games, including 11 starts last season. New York went 4-7 in those 11 starts, and the Jets missed the playoffs for the 13th straight season.
In comparison, Wilson had a 26-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 15 Broncos starts. Following a 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 16, he was benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham.
Evan Craig covers the NFL for Heavy.com, focusing on the Denver Broncos. He’s also been covering the NFL for SB Nation’s Turf Show Times since 2021. More on Evan Craig.
