Russell Wilson’s time with the Denver Broncos is running out. The Athletic revealed on Wednesday that the Broncos plan to cut Wilson in March. So, what’s the connection to the Las Vegas Raiders? Well, the Silver and Black could be searching for a quarterback this offseason.
Aidan O’Connell has shown flashes of being an NFL-caliber quarterback. However, with the defense capable of winning now, Las Vegas must find an immediate solution under center. FOX Sports’ Chris Broussard believes the Raiders will be one of the teams circling the Super Bowl champions.
The downfall of the Broncos QB
First, recognize that Broussard made remarks before The Athletic reported on Wilson’s looming release. The co-host of “First Things First” addressed the reports on Wednesday about the Broncos benching the veteran for the last two games of the 2023 NFL season.
Broussard began with what has led to the fall from grace that Wilson is experiencing after two years in Denver. Despite several successful seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, that hasn’t translated over to his time with the Broncos.
“[Wilson] started with the ‘Let Russ cook,'” Broussard began. “He started with the I want to be an MVP; he started with the I want to be like Tom Brady… He forgot what and who he was… He could have stayed in Seattle, and he probably would have avoided a lot of blame. Even if his play began to decrease, he would have probably avoided blame because he had led them to their only Super Bowl and all of that.”
Chris Broussard: The Raiders could be in on Russell Wilson
After outlining the challenges Wilson has faced in recent years, Broussard identified three teams that could be a fitting landing spot. One potential destination is Las Vegas. However, if the Silver and Black explore the possibility of the veteran, they’ll have competition in Broussard’s eyes.
“The interesting thing to me, too, is I could only think of three teams that might want him next [season], and [that’s] Pittsburgh [Steelers], the Raiders, or Atlanta [Falcons] if they don’t get like [Justin] Fields like other than that where else?” Broussard added.
The Raiders need to improve their defense by adding more components to strengthen it, as it has already demonstrated its potential and is too good to rebuild. As a result, the franchise needs to bring the offense up to par with their defense. The offensive unit must take advantage of their short field due to turnovers, or the defensive unit keeping the opposition at bay.
If the draft doesn’t present the chance to improve the quarterback situation, is Wilson worth the gamble via free agency? O’Connell could be the backup and get another year of seasoning since the former Seahawks star is a short-term solution. Las Vegas is too far down the pecking order to secure a top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. Finding a long-term solution for the quarterback position in the draft will be challenging.
Whether it’s Wilson, O’Connell, or someone else, expect constant speculation regarding the Raiders’ quarterback situation this offseason. The Raiders quarterback next season cannot just do enough for a win as that won’t cut to lift a Super Bowl trophy… Well, unless it’s the 2000 Baltimore Ravens or 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, Las Vegas should strive for more under center in 2024.
*Top Photo: Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post