NFL Insider Shares Unique Take on Broncos Signing QB Jarrett Stidham
The Denver Broncos invested a mammoth $245 million in Russell Wilson last summer, so when GM George Paton decided to sign a new backup quarterback, it didn’t create too many ripples across the NFL.
In the old days, the Broncos moving to sign former Las Vegas Raiders bench warmer Jarrett Stidham would have garnered no more than a cursory glance at the transactions section of the local sports pages. Stidham has only started two games over his four years as a pro, but his two-year deal with Denver has intrigued NBC Sports' veteran writer Peter King, who has searched for a deeper meaning to it all in his NFL free agency report card.
“4. Denver. The most fascinating signing of the first week: quarterback Jarrett Stidham, two years, $10 million, $5 million guaranteed … after starting a grand total of two games in his four-year NFL life. But one of those games convinced Sean Payton to take a chance on him. After Derek Carr was benched in Vegas in late December, Stidham, in his first NFL start and facing the best defense in football, San Francisco, put up 365 passing yards, three TD passes and 34 points. So now Payton buys him to be Russell Wilson’s backup, and nothing needs to be said to Wilson about it. If Wilson by midseason 2023 is having a similarly disastrous season to his first one in Denver, Payton won’t have to punt on the season. He’ll have an intriguing backup waiting in the wings. But Payton did not go hard after Stidham to put the pressure on Wilson. He considered his options at backup QB and thought he could play it safe for around the same money with an Andy Dalton type, or swing for the fences on a young prospect with significant upside. I like the logic.”
King's take on Stidham's upside might provide the Broncos derives from Wilson's extremely lackluster first season in Denver. Indeed, should Wilson carry on his poor play into the 2023 season, the nuclear option for Payton may well lead to him benching the highly-paid starter and inserting Stidham into the line-up.
King's observation is accurate; the signing of Stidham is not expressly designed to overly push Wilson, at least, not on the face of it. Stidham's exception showing against the San Francisco 49ers defense last season showcased his ability to be an offensive sparkplug if and when required.
Wilson's age (34) and tendency to use his legs to buy time could also provide an added injury concern, and Stidham could provide some valuable insurance against such a risk. Stidham was a pet project of sorts for Josh McDaniels ever since he was drafted by the New England Patriots back in 2018, so it’s safe to say that many Broncos fans will at least take pleasure in the knowledge that Denver successfully ruffled the feathers of its massively unpopular ex-head coach.
In the final analysis, if Wilson struggles to such an extent that Payton even remotely considers benching him for the inexperienced 26-year-old Stidham, in all likelihood, the Broncos will be in a world of trouble.
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