Broncos GM George Paton addresses midseason negotiation with QB Wilson
Broncos brass said Wilson could still return in 2024 and money won’t factor into decision
Broncos general manager George Paton on Tuesday said he approached quarterback Russell Wilson’s agent mid-season with a “good-faith, creative” attempt at adjusting Wilson’s contract. Paton didn’t directly answer questions about whether he told Wilson that he’d be benched if he didn’t agree to the proposal.
“We couldn’t get a deal done,” Paton said. “We moved on with our season. It didn’t come up again. Fast forward to Week 17, Sean makes a change at the quarterback decision. This was a football decision made by Sean based on what he thought was the best interest of the team.
“This was completely independent of the conversations I had with the agent.”
Wilson last month told reporters that Paton made it clear he’d be benched for the team’s final nine games if he didn’t agree to postpone a March 17 trigger date guaranteeing $37 million in 2025 salary. Wilson himself was not part of the phone calls, sources said, that included Paton, Denver executive Rich Hurtado and Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers.
When Paton was asked Tuesday how Wilson might have come to the conclusion that he was threatened, Paton said, “That’s a good question. Again, we tried to make an adjustment to the contract. We did so in what we feel was a professional (way) and in the best interest of the Broncos.”
Paton also said of the conversations, “Negotiations are hard. You have difficult conversations, tough conversations, and you can characterize a negotiation really any way you want. We always try to handle ourselves professionally and in the best interest of the Broncos, and this was no different.”
All three of Paton, CEO Greg Penner and head coach Sean Payton continued to say that the door is open for Wilson to return to the Broncos in 2024, though that remains an unlikely outcome.
Payton said he spent 30 minutes with Wilson on Monday during the team’s final day in the building and that the club would not drag out a decision about Wilson’s future over the coming months.
“I don’t think it will be a long, drawn-out process,” Payton said he told Wilson.
He added, “We’ll look at all the scenarios and try to do what’s best for the Broncos. Communication will be important and that final decision hasn’t been made.”
Penner acknowledged that the financial ramifications of cutting Wilson — $85 million in cap charges, likely split between 2024 and 2025 — would be substantial, but, “That’s not what will drive this decision.”