Three Years Later, the Broncos Might’ve Actually Won the Russell Wilson Trade
When the Denver Broncos pulled off the blockbuster trade for Russell Wilson in 2022, it was immediately branded one of the worst deals in NFL history. Denver sent a haul of players and draft picks to Seattle for what they hoped would be their long-awaited franchise quarterback—only to endure a disastrous first season that saw Wilson struggle, the offense collapse, and the franchise hit rock bottom.
But fast-forward to 2025, and that trade may not look so lopsided after all.
Wilson’s first season in Denver was historically bad, but it forced the organization to make real changes. Most notably, GM George Paton traded for head coach Sean Payton in 2023—a bold, expensive move that signaled the Broncos were done with half-measures. Under Payton, Wilson and the Broncos improved in 2023, finishing 8-9 after a dismal 1-5 start. But Payton still saw the writing on the wall and made an even tougher decision: cutting Wilson and taking on a record-setting $85 million in dead cap space to start fresh.
That reset led the Broncos to draft quarterback Bo Nix in 2024—a player already drawing praise as a potential top-10 signal caller—and has put the franchise on a new, promising path with Payton at the helm.
Meanwhile, Seattle’s side of the trade hasn’t aged as well as it once seemed. Geno Smith’s magical 2022 season turned out to be a fluke. He regressed over the next two years and was eventually traded to the Raiders for a mid-round pick. Pete Carroll retired, and the Seahawks’ quarterback room now consists of journeyman Sam Darnold and 2025 draftee Jalen Milroe, a raw prospect with major question marks.
In hindsight, the Russell Wilson trade may have been the catalyst the Broncos needed. It forced them to clean house, reset, and rebuild around a legitimate coaching staff and a promising young quarterback. Seattle got the early wins—but Denver may have secured the long-term future.
