The Denver Broncos announced they would release quarterback Russell Wilson at the start of the new league year, intending to designate him as a post-June 1 cut and spread his cap hit across two seasons.
This does not immediately impact the Arizona Cardinals, as they will not pursue him and neither will anyone in the NFC West.
However, Wilson’s next team could impact the Cardinals when it comes to the NFL draft.
With three quarterback-needy teams lined up with the first three selections of the 2024 NFL draft — the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots — one of them could potentially try and bring in Wilson.
The Bears assuredly won’t. They have the first pick in the draft and, assuming they trade Justin Fields, will take a quarterback first overall.
The Commanders have a new head coach in Dan Quinn. But with the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, they seem inclined to go with a young QB. But the Patriots could go the veteran route. If they sign Wilson, they could select one of the big-time receivers in the draft third overall, perhaps Marvin Harrison Jr., the most coveted player in the draft for the majority of Cardinals fans.
If one of the top three teams acquires a different quarterback and Wilson lands with a quarterback-needy team like the Giants or Falcons, who have the sixth and eighth picks in the draft, it would limit the Cardinals’ possibilities for trade partners.
The Cardinals will not face the Broncos in 2024 so this doesn’t change a potential matchup with them. If Wilson lands in Chicago, Washington or Minnesota, then it would mean the Cardinals face him.
Ultimately, it could impact the Cardinals. It will be an interesting development to watch next week when the release is made official.
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