Alright, Broncos fans, let’s talk business. We will start by addressing the giant elephant in the room – the one that not only comes with a huge $85 million price tag but also with a lot of regret. Of course, you remember, in 2023 when Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson with two games left. That was a football on-field decision – but it hurt like a breakup. It was like – I would rather pay you to leave. 

And since then the Broncos are trying to move on, but Russell Wilson’s financial ghost just keeps pulling them back. It’s haunting the Broncos salary cap situation. Now, the 2025 season is almost here and the bill’s still due.

But the Broncos are trying to do some damage control – you know, to tape the leaking water pipes. Sean Payton seems pretty clear about the whole – cleaning up the financial mess situation. So, when he was asked about the Broncos cap situation, he said, “We knew what we were walking into. Fixing it? That takes time.” Well, we hope that time gets over in this season.

And looks like the Broncos are standing their ground this time. They have been spending strategically, literally making every penny count. According to Zac Stevens – beat reporter for Broncos, here’s how their 2025 cap hits are shaping up for the new contracts: “2025 cap hits for new Broncos contracts: DJ Jones: $6.6M, Dre Greenlaw: $5.8M, Talanoa Hufanga: $3.4M, Evan Engram: $5.96M, Trent Sherfield: $2.4M. Total 2025 cap hits for new contracts: $24.16M.”

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And the fan reactions? Absolute gold. One fan simply commented, “Love it.” Another said, “We cooked in free agency.” But the best one was, “I do all my shopping at Walmart.” LOL. Because if the Broncos are getting players in free agency at this value, they may as well start picking them up in bulk.

The Broncos took a $53 million cap hit in 2024. But guess what? There’s still some amount waiting for them at the end of the tunnel – $32 million in 2025. So, while Sean Payton is celebrating their playoff run, he still has the financial instability to deal with. 

Russell Wilson: The $245M regret that Broncos can’t undo

But how did it get this bad? For the Broncos, Russell Wilson’s contract still remains the ultimate budget buster. Because the Broncos didn’t just sign Wilson in 2022 – they literally gift-wrapped their future and handed it over to the Seattle Seahawks with a bow on top. They gave up their five draft picks, three key players to the Seahawks, and $242.6 million to Russell Wilson.

And the Seahawks? They made every pick count. They picked OT Charles Cross, EDGE Boye Mafe, CB Devon Witherspoon, and RB Zach Charbonnet. So, while the Broncos got years of misery and hurt – and of course the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history. The Seahawks went home with a Pro Bowl corner, a franchise left tackle, and a rising pass rusher. Yep, their cart was full, but it was the Broncos’ bank account that just kept bleeding.

So, instead of thinking about the championship, all they could think about was their bank balance. And it showed – Denver with an 11-19 record, which is one of the league’s worst offences and the expectations that they had from Russell Wilson just shattered in front of their eyes. Most expensive mistake in the franchise’s history. Looks like the Broncos are getting their name etched in the history books for all the wrong reasons.

The Broncos have been trying to clean up the mess after the whole Russell Wilson disaster. And finally, now they are down to the last $32 million in 2025. But thanks to their smart spending this offseason, Payton is finally building a team that won’t make their bank account bleed. Still paying for their past mistakes, but at least trying to make sustainable choices for the future.