Russell Wilson contract extension: Broncos QB gets deal worth $245M before first season in Denver, per report

The Denver Broncos and nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson have agreed on a contract extension on Thursday, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. The new deal is worth $245 million over five years, including $165 million in guarantees, per Ian Rapoport. As Jones notes, “the Walton-Penner group took over on Aug. 9 and got this deal done within the first 4 weeks of ownership.”

Wilson, 33, is entering his first season with the Broncos since being acquired from the Seahawks in March. Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett has always been known to develop the game plan around his quarterback rather than making that quarterback adhere to his game plan. The partnership in the Rocky Mountains sounds like it is off to a great start.

“He is truly a 24/7 kind of guy. He wants to be great. He wants to know everything. No small thing is less important than another thing,” Hackett said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “All of those rumors that I have heard are so true is just watching him in how he works, how he studies. It is year round for him. It is not just during the season. That is something that he has just continually shown.”

One would assume fans are waiting anxiously to learn whether or not the ‘Let Russ Cook’ phrase has followed him to the AFC West or if it’s a thing of the past.

Wilson’s contract ranks third highest in total guarantees behind Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson ($230 million) and Arizona’s Kyler Murray ($189.5 million).

Despite suffering a broken finger in Week 5 of the 2021 regular season against the Rams, the Wisconsin product missed just three games. Those were the first games he missed in his career, ending a streak of 149 consecutive games started by an NFL quarterback, which is sixth all-time. He completed 64.8% of his pass attempts for 3,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in 14 games.

DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett remained in the Pacific Northwest following the trade but the talent pool is not shallow in Denver either. KJ Hamler and former first-round selection Jerry Jeudy complement ball-winner Courtland Sutton. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam steps in for Noah Fant, who was dealt to Seattle as part of the Wilson trade.

If healthy for the duration of the upcoming season, Wilson is expected to eclipse 40,000 career passing yards — a feat only 22 other NFL quarterbacks have accomplished. He currently ranks sixth among active quarterbacks (37,059) behind Joe Flacco (41,269), Matthew Stafford (49,995), Aaron Rodgers (55,360), Matt Ryan (59,735) and Tom Brady (84,520).

Denver opens the regular season Sept. 12 in Seattle; a return to Lumen Field for Wilson.