It’s a new era in the Mile High City. Perhaps a better way of putting it is that it’s the end of an era, as the Denver Broncos have officially benched quarterback Russell Wilson.
The 12th-year pro isn’t going down without throwing a few punches himself, as he opted to confirm a bombshell report that leaked out of the Wilson camp on Wednesday that the Broncos had contacted him during the bye week, threatening to bench him if he wasn’t willing to remove the injury guarantees from his contract.
It must be awkward in the halls and meeting rooms at Dove Valley when Wilson has to share the space with head coach Sean Payton, who, for his part, denied any and all involvement in Wilson’s allegations of being threatened. Amid all the drama, the Broncos still have two games left to play, starting with Sunday’s tilt vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.
Analysis: It’s unfortunate that just when the Broncos get Bonitto back, Browning is unavailable. That’s sort of been the story this season at outside linebacker. If Denver could get and keep all three of Browning, Bonitto, and Jonathon Cooper on the field, it could be something.
It also hurts not having Sutton, who remains in concussion protocol after suffering the injury relatively early in Christmas Eve’s loss. Sutton’s had a tremendous year, producing a whopping 10 touchdown catches — a career-high — but he needed to boost his receptions and yardage to maximize his odds of earning a Pro Bowl nod and missing the better part of two games in the final frame will make that difficult.
Jarrett Stidham — the backup-turned-starter at quarterback — will have to go elsewhere with the ball. That proved to be a tall task for Wilson, but we’ll find out on Sunday whether Sutton’s absence similarly stymies Stidham.
With Sutton out, keep an eye on the Jeudy and Mims situation. Jeudy has dealt with an illness that kept him out of Friday’s practice, while Mims is nursing a hamstring. Again, Stidham will need as many arrows in his quiver as possible, so being down his top-3 receivers would be potentially catastrophic.
The Broncos started the clock on Dulcich and Palczewski a few weeks back, but it’s not looking like either will officially be re-activated from injured reserve in time to contribute in a meaningful way. That duo is rapidly running out of runway.
Analysis: If you thought the Broncos’ injury report was getting a little long, the Chargers are the walking wounded. Justin Herbert’s injury highlights how snakebitten L.A. has been once again. This week, Broncos Country will be deprived of the heavyweight matchup between Patrick Surtain II and Allen, with the Chargers ruling the prolific receiver out.
Bosa will miss the game, which puts the impetus on Khalil Mack’s shoulders to generate a pass rush. That simplifies things for the Broncos’ offensive line.
Keep an eye on Murray’s injury, as he’s listed as doubtful. He leads the team with 107 tackles this season. It could lead to Denver shifting from attacking L.A.’s 30th-ranked passing defense to uncorking the run game.