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The Denver Broncos’ announcement on Monday that they will release Russell Wilson next week was official acknowledgment of their disastrous decision to trade for the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback in 2022.
After giving up five draft picks and three players to acquire Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, the Broncos awarded the quarterback a massive five-year, $242.6 million contract extension before he even took so much as a practice snap. Had taken something. In two seasons, Wilson played in 30 games and went 11–19, never reaching the playoffs. He was released in late December due to poor performance, as well as financial implications and the fear that Wilson would get injured and his 2024 guarantee would be triggered.
The acquisition of Wilson and the ensuing extension will always count as one of the worst trades for a veteran quarterback in NFL history. Releasing Wilson would cost the Broncos an $85 million split between this year and next.
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But NFL history is full of cautionary tales of historically bad quarterback moves.
The Dolphins’ failed Daunte Culpepper experiment in 2006 always comes to mind. This error in judgment was exacerbated by Miami’s decision to acquire Culpepper from Minnesota for a second-round pick, expecting the quarterback’s recovery from knee surgery to be more effective than free agent Drew Brees’ recovery from shoulder surgery. But it was. Culpepper clashed with head coach Nick Saban and played only four games before suffering an injury. Brees signed with the Saints and became a future Hall of Famer.
The Browns are getting dangerously close to regrettable territory entering Year 3 with Deshaun Watson. They’re still waiting for a return on their investment of three first-round picks, two seconds, a fourth-rounder and an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Can Watson change the story? The 2024 season may determine that answer.
But now that the book is closed on Wilson and the Broncos, let’s rank the 10 worst trades of a veteran quarterback in the last 35 years. (We’ll save the draft-day deals for college stars-turned-NFL guys for another day.)
10. Carson Palmer to the Raiders for first- and second-round picks (2011)
When the Bengals decided to end the Palmer era and turn to Andy Dalton, Palmer’s former Bengals assistant turned Raiders head coach Hue Jackson and his team were the buyers. However, Palmer had two forgettable years in Oakland. He played only nine games in 2011, going 4–5, and then went 4–11 as a starter in 2012. Palmer revived his career with four solid seasons in five years with Arizona, including a 13–3 Pro Bowl campaign. 2015, but had no previous performances for the Raiders.
9. Brad Johnson goes to Washington for first, second and third (1999)
After swinging and missing on Heath Shuler and enduring a brief Gus Frerotte/Trent Green carousel, Washington thought he found his man in Johnson, Warren Moon’s backup at Minnesota. Johnson played in the Pro Bowl his first season in Washington, but Dan Snyder played fantasy football the following season and wanted Jeff George to be the player. Johnson dropped out after only two years and moved to Tampa Bay, where he helped win a Super Bowl. Minnesota used that first-round pick to draft Culpepper, who was an MVP candidate before suffering a serious knee injury. Washington still A franchise quarterback has not been found.
8. Carson Wentz to Colts conditional on second, third (2021)
Philadelphia’s prized quarterback was an MVP candidate in 2017 until he blew out his knee at the end of that season, and after watching Nick Foles lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory, Wentz never got his rhythm back. Not found. However, his erratic play upon his return did not deter the Colts. He thought that a reunion with former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who was the head coach of Indianapolis at the time, would help Wentz return to form. But owner Jim Irsay became angry at Wentz after one season due to modest production during a mediocre 9-8 campaign in 2021. The Colts have talked Washington into giving up two third-rounders and a replacement second-rounder for Wentz in 2022. But they could certainly use the likes of the Eagles featuring DeVonta Smith, AJ Brown and Jalen Carter.
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7. Drew Bledsoe’s Bills debut (2002)
Tom Brady’s tremendous growth made Bledsoe, the No. 1 pick in 1993, expendable in the 2001 offseason. In a display of arrogance, Bill Belichick traded Bledsoe within the division, and the Bills eventually found out why. Bledsoe went 8-8, 6-10 and 9-7 as their starter while throwing 55 touchdowns and 43 interceptions, with no playoff appearances.
6. Rob Johnson to Bills for a First and Fourth (1998)
The Bills’ decision to trade for Bledsoe was an attempt to atone for a previous transgression – the decision to send a first- and fourth-round pick to Jacksonville for Johnson, a 1995 fourth-round pick who went 1–0 as a starter. Was. The Jaguars appeared in only eight games. Johnson was named the starting quarterback for Buffalo after signing a five-year, $25 million contract, but he went only 9–17 over four seasons.
5. Brett Favre debut for Packers (1992)
Unlike the previous deals cited here, in which teams gambled foolishly and paid a heavy price for a bad trade, this is an example of a team not understanding the talent they have. The Falcons drafted Favre in the second round of 1991, much to the dismay of then-head coach Jerry Glanville. Favre’s first NFL pass went for a pick six and he attempted only three other passes in the remainder of his rookie season. The Falcons sent the future Hall of Famer to Green Bay for the 17th pick of the 1992 draft, and the rest is history.
Rick Mirer was a Notre Dame star but languished in the NFL at quarterback. (Scott Halleran/Allsport)
4. Rick Mirer To Bears For A First (1997)
The second pick of the 1993 draft, Mirer disappointed greatly in Seattle, going 20–31 while throwing 41 touchdowns and 56 interceptions in four seasons. For some reason, Chicago thought the former Notre Dame star was worthy of a first-round selection in 1997. But Mirer went 0-3 as a starter after throwing zero touchdowns and six interceptions. The Bears granted his request for release the following offseason.
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3. Chris Chandler to Buccaneers debut (1990)
The Buccaneers made the regrettable decision to essentially trade Steve Young to the 49ers in 1987 and replace him with first-round pick Vinny Testaverde. But after only two seasons, the Bucs sent the second pick to Indianapolis for Chandler, who went 10–6 in two seasons with the Colts. Chandler went 0-6 in two seasons with the Buccaneers.
2. Jeff George to Falcons for two first downs and a third (1994)
Drafted No. 1 overall by Indianapolis in 1990, George boasted a big arm, but compiled a 14–35 record while throwing 41 touchdowns and 46 interceptions in four seasons. Believing that the poor Colts roster was to blame, the Falcons sent a boatload of picks to Indianapolis in 1994, two years after trading Favre. George helped Atlanta end a four-year playoff drought in 1995. But he clashed with head coach June Jones and went 16–19 with 50 touchdowns and 32 interceptions before signing with Oakland after the 1996 season.
1. Russell Wilson to Denver for two firsts, two seconds, a fifth and three players (including QB Drew Lock) (2022)
Believing they had a Super Bowl-caliber roster lacking just one quarterback, the Broncos mortgaged the future with draft picks, players and obscene cap space to get Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, along with the Lombardi Trophy. kept. Then-head coach Nathaniel Hackett – Aaron Rodgers’ former offensive coordinator in Green Bay – was to help Wilson extend his career.
But Wilson’s best days are clearly behind him. In 2022, he completed a career-worst 60.5 percent of his passes and threw only 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as the Broncos went 5–12. Hackett was fired after 15 games. Sean Payton got the Broncos head coaching job in February 2023, and blamed Wilson and the Broncos’ struggles on the departing Hackett. But midway through the season, Payton became angry with Wilson and he and the Broncos threatened to bench the quarterback if he did not agree to rework his contract. Wilson refused and remained the starter for the final two weeks of the season.
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He posted a better record in 2023 (7–8) and completion percentage (66.4), but Denver’s offense did not improve until Payton switched to a run-heavy attack to reduce Wilson’s workload. . Wilson finished the season with a career-low 3,070 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Now he’s looking for another fresh start, and the Broncos will try to rebuild without premium draft picks and limited cap space.
(Top photos of Carson Palmer, Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz: Streeter Leca, Dustin Bradford and Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
