Wilson’s deal for $245M
Broncos’ new QB leaves cash on table
Quarterback Russell Wilson’s five-year, $245 million extension includes a $50 million signing bonus, $77 million in the first eight months and a whopping $165 million in guarantees — all before he takes his first snap for the Denver Broncos.
Wilson left money on the table, however, declining to reset the NFL’s stratospheric quarterback market.
“For me, it wasn’t really about how much, necessarily,” Wilson said Thursday. “It was about how many — how many Super Bowls we win. And that was really the focus.”
Wilson didn’t want to handicap general manager George Paton as he builds his roster around him. So, he took $49 million on average in new money, $1 million less than Aaron Rodgers did with his four-year, $200 million deal earlier this year to stay in Green Bay.
Panthers
Carolina placed Sam Darnold on injured reserve, meaning the backup quarterback will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. Darnold sustained a high ankle sprain in Carolina’s preseason finale Aug. 19 against the Buffalo Bills. He started 11 games for the Panthers in 2021, but lost his starting job to Baker Mayfield in the preseason.
Saints
Safety Marcus Maye was arrested in what authorities termed a “road rage incident,” and he was booked on one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. A Jefferson Parish sheriff said in a statement that Maye, 29, was “identified as the driver of a black SUV in which he is accused of pointing a firearm at a vehicle occupied by several juvenile females.”
Giants
New York released inside linebacker Blake Martinez less than a year after the veteran and former defensive captain sustained a torn ACL. Martinez joined the Giants as a free agent in 2020 after four seasons with Green Bay. The 28-year-old started every game in his first season and led the team with 151 tackles. BearsChicago is set to unveil conceptual plans for a suburban stadium and entertainment complex next week, the next step as they mull a move from their longtime home, Soldier Field. The Bears announced they will hold a community meeting Sept. 8 in Arlington Heights to discuss the potential purchase and development of a new stadium on the site of a former horse racing track.