until it didn't now, Jarrett Stidham jumps from the Raiders
to Denver. We all thought that Josh, McDaniels would find
a way to keep Stidham around as the backup, to presumably,
Jimmy Garoppolo,
but Stidham. Now in Denver with a two-year 10 million dollar
deal, 5 million, guaranteed
is this a situation where Stidham is there Peter to put
pressure on and in turn push, Russell Wilson
to be better than he was.
As last year.
I think there's a couple of reasons why this deal got done.
Number one
Denver did not have a satisfactory backup quarterback
and when Sean Payton looks at this team this year,
he said, we cannot go into this year with the possibility, that
Brett Ripon will play multiple games
at quarterback. It's just not smart.
And so, I think Peyton looked at this
Any said, I do have confidence that Russell Wilson is going to
turn this around and I do believe that
I can work with him
and he's going to be good to very good again.
But let's just say
that it's Halloween and Sean Payton wakes up
and he just says to himself man, it's not working
and I owe this organization. I owe the Walton Penner. Clan
and George. Payton,
my best effort to win as many games as we can this year
and and Mike no matter what anybody will say, I've heard
everybody say well you got to keep Wilson at least three
years. No you don't. You got to keep them two years. This is
the year and then you have to take this is the year. Yeah.
You have to take the bath of all
salary, cap baths
in 2024, but there's no guarantee for Russell Wilson.
Be This year
and all I'm saying is that,
I think and I've thought this since the end of the season,
the most fascinating Prospect
of all of those who were going to come free, it quarterback
is Jarrett Stidham
for a very simple reason.
Look at the situation that Jared Stidham stepped into
last two games of the Season.
Derek, Carr is either exiled from the team, or he walks
away.
Way, you know, I don't want to be a distraction. I mean
I think it's total horse crap that he wasn't there. The last
two weeks to support Jared Stidham, but it was what
it was. And so now you look at Jared Stidham, he has to play
against the toughest defense.
Las Vegas will face
all season
and that's the San Francisco 49ers in week 17,
you know, in. Game that after you lose on Christmas in
Pittsburgh in a game that
is not meaningless, but it's not altogether, meaningful either
and what does he do?
He has the best game all year
of any value as the best passing performance, all year,
a better passing performance than Derek Carr had in any
of his 15 games as the quarterback.
And so I looked at that
and I see him I'm put up whatever 34 points. I think
three touchdowns against the Niners
and and look, there's no question in my mind. When you
look at that game, you have to say, I'd love to be able to
work with this guy.
And my, I thought, coming out of the combine
after meeting with people at the combine,
I mentally said to myself, well,
Vegas going to re-sign Jared Stidham. No question about it
and I believe, Leave they wanted to re-sign Jared Stidham
but I don't think they wanted to pay him,
the guarantee or the total,
the Denver offered him, you know, basically for too late
season starts.
And so I understand why this happened but the end the
the bottom line story.
Is if your Russell Wilson,
you understand right now
that this is all about performance
and if I don't perform this year
in the first half of the season,
I could be in trouble for my job.
The reality on Russell Wilson
is very simple
next year.
Let me back up a step. 124 million was fully guaranteed at
signing in the Russell Wilson deal.
That cover is 22, 23 and 24.
Next year,
next April,
37 million becomes guaranteed in 25, if he's on the roster,
the fifth day of the 2024 League year about this time.
Next march, how can you in good conscience if he's as bad
this year as he was last year, if it was him. Not
Not a little habit and I you've picked up some comments along
the way that make it sound like, maybe they think it was
Hackett. Peyton said, we saw a lot of the old Russell Wilson,
the last two games of 2022. In other words, that's when
Hackett
was gone. And Jerry rosberg was in charge and he was more of
the guy that he was in Seattle. So there's a chance. It wasn't
well some, but if it was Wilson, how in good conscience,
can you commit to 37 more fully? Guaranteed 37 million in
additional fully guaranteed dollars in 25 if he stinks in 23.
So yeah it'll be a massive cap hit they'll have to figure it
out. Host June 1 release, cut him trade him whatever get him
off the freaking or feckin rosters. The case may be
this is it this is it. Yeah but
when you know spot rack does a great job of
showing all the contract details
and they project when the potential out is when's that
year that the team can move on and for
the Broncos? It's
Chablis after 2025, there isn't going to be 2025,
they're going to be 2024 if he stinks in 2023.
And look,
I thought all along, I kept reading how
D'Amico Ryan's was the favorite in Denver and, and all this. And
you know, Mike, I don't know the truth.
I really don't know the truth,
but that's
there was only one coach.
To get the job in Denver, in my opinion, only one coach.
You are so indebted. And so in the whole right now with
Russell Wilson
that, you know, to bring in D'Amico Ryan's and whoever
would be the quarterback coach / offensive coordinator of
the team.
How is that going to be better
than Sean Payton.
You know, and so
again I don't know really what happened at the end there but
I just Thought there was only one coach ever,
that would have been smart for Denver to hire. They hired him.
And now he's going to see if he can get to the bottom of
Russell Wilson. If he can't,
I think he'll start to make magic with Jared Stidham, or at
least try to