The Wilson experiment fell short of expectations. In his first year with the Broncos, the team averaged a league-worst 16.9 points per game, which led to a 5-12 finish. The following season, Denver fell short of the playoffs at 8-9, with Wilson starting in 15 of those games.
Wilson failed to turn the Broncos into a winner, but pocketing $124 million without playing a single snap under his contract extension should make him feel like a lottery winner.
Bo Nix and Sean Payton helped the Broncos Wilson’s dead money
It would be difficult for the Broncos to compete while dealing with a league-record $85 million dead cap. As a consolation, designating Wilson as a post-June 1 release allowed the team to split the amount over two seasons. Though Denver reduced the dead money tied to Wilson to $53 million in 2024, other contracts increased the team’s total dead cap to $76.4 million.
Despite that disadvantage, Sean Payton found his quarterback in Bo Nix, who counted for only $3.3 million against the cap last year and $4.2 million in 2025. Having a budget-friendly QB, especially in a time of escalating top-market salaries, allowed the Broncos to sign notable free agents like Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga.
Likewise, Nix’s emergence expedited what should have been a rebuilding phase into a bright future. He absorbed Payton’s system, resulting in throwing the second-most touchdown passes by a rookie (29), two behind Justin Herbert.
In addition to Payton, Vance Joseph did a masterful job on defense. His mentorship led to the emergence of Zach Allen, Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto, and Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II.
Denver Has More Money to Spend than New York
Figures from OverTheCap.com reveal that while the Broncos have a bigger dead cap ($33.5 million) than the Giants ($27.3 million), they have more cap space ($16.2 million) than New York’s NFC team ($3.8 million). That’s the second fewest cap room among NFL teams, with the Buffalo Bills ($1.6 million) at dead last.
The Giants’ payroll includes the $10.5 million contract given to Russell Wilson. While that’s a decent amount, it’s tough to envision a bright future for him because Jaxson Dart could take his spot. Worst yet, they’re competing in a division wherein one competed in the NFC Championship Game (Washington Commanders) and the other became Super Bowl champions (Philadelphia Eagles).
Conversely, as Wilson plays out the twilight years of his career, the Broncos are soaring while amassing more cap space in 2026. Denver can even add insult to injury by defeating the Giants in their Week 7 showdown at home.
