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The Denver Broncos took on the largest dead money salary cap hit in NFL history this spring when they released veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.
Broncos coach Sean Payton opted to eat $53 million in cap space this offseason to move on from Wilson. Payton then used the team’s first-round draft pick to select quarterback Bo Nix.
The switch seems to have worked out for all parties. Wilson landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are headed to the playoffs with a 10-5 record. Denver has secured its first winning season since 2016 and Nix and Co. are just one more win away from clinching a playoff berth.
So, did the Broncos make the right decision?
Taking into account the team’s long-term outlook with a 24-year-old Nix on a team-friendly rookie contract, it seems fair to say Denver is in a better spot than the team would be with a 36-year-old Wilson. But how do their numbers stack up?
Wilson started 15 games before being benched by Payton last fall. Now that Nix has started 15 games under Payton, here’s a look at how their numbers compare.
Russell Wilson (2023) vs. Bo Nix (2024)
| Player | Completion Rate | Pass Yards | Rush Yards | Pass TDs | Total TDs | INTs | Fumbles | Sacks |
| Russell Wilson | 66.4% | 3,070 | 341 | 26 | 29 | 8 | 10 | 45 |
| Bo Nix | 64.3% | 3,235 | 352 | 22 | 27 | 11 | 2 | 22 |
Win-loss records are a team stat, but it’s also worth noting that Wilson went 7-8 as a starter last fall (Nix is 9-6 this season).
Wilson, of course, was a 12th-year veteran last season, so it’s not exactly a fair comparison to weigh his numbers against a rookie’s.
Russell Wilson has now taken more sacks than Bo Nix this season
Russ: 24 sacks taken
Nix: 22 sacks takenRuss has played in 6 less games…
But plz tell me how Bo Nix hasn’t improved the Broncos offense
pic.twitter.com/Z22E6EZRxA
— Michael
(@RespectMyCos) December 22, 2024
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Wilson played in a different offense with a different team in his rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks, so that’s also not a perfect comparison, but just to get an idea of how his rookie numbers stack up against Nix, we have also listed them below.
Wilson played 16 games as a rookie in 2012. We removed his stats from his 16th game below to list his totals from his first 15 games as a rookie.
Russell Wilson (2012) vs. Bo Nix (2024)
| Player | Completion Rate | Pass Yards | Rush Yards | Pass TDs | Total TDs | INTs | Fumbles | Sacks |
| Russell Wilson | 63.3% | 2,868 | 431 | 25 | 28 | 10 | 5 | 27 |
| Bo Nix | 64.3% | 3,235 | 352 | 22 | 27 | 11 | 2 | 22 |
Seattle went 11-5 in Wilson’s rookie season. Denver is 9-6 this year.