NFL’s worst quarterback trades: Where does the Broncos’ Russell Wilson deal rank?

The Denver Broncos’ announcement Monday that they would release Russell Wilson next week was an official acknowledgment of the disastrous decision they made to trade for the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback in 2022.

After giving up five draft picks and three players to acquire Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, the Broncos awarded the quarterback a massive five-year, $242.6 million contract extension before he even took a practice snap. In two seasons, Wilson played in 30 games and went 11-19, without reaching the playoffs. He was benched at the end of December partly due to poor performance, but also because of the financial implications and the fear of Wilson getting injured and triggering guarantees for 2024.

The acquisition of Wilson and subsequent extension will forever rank as one of the worst trades for a veteran quarterback in NFL history. The Broncos will take a dead cap hit of $85 million upon releasing Wilson, split between this year and next year.

But NFL history is full of cautionary tales of historically bad quarterback moves.

The Dolphins’ failed 2006 Daunte Culpepper experiment always comes to mind. That error in judgment was compounded by Miami’s decision to acquire Culpepper from Minnesota in a second-round pick, assuming the quarterback would recover better from knee surgery than free agent Drew Brees would from shoulder surgery. Culpepper played just four games before clashing with head coach Nick Saban and succumbing to injury. Brees signed with the Saints and became a future Hall of Famer.

The Browns are venturing dangerously close to deplorable territory as they enter Year 3 with Deshaun Watson. They’re still waiting for him to deliver a return on their investment of three first-round picks, two seconds, a fourth-round pick and an unprecedented $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Can Watson change the story? The 2024 season could determine that answer.

But now that the book is closed on Wilson and the Broncos, let’s take a look at the 10 worst trades for a veteran quarterback over the last 35 years. (We’ll save draft day deals for college stars turned NFL busts for another day.)

10. Carson Palmer vs. Raiders for a first- and second-round pick (2011)

When the Bengals decided to end the Palmer era and turn to Andy Dalton, Palmer’s former Bengals assistant and Raiders head coach Hue Jackson and his team were buyers. However, Palmer had two forgettable years in Oakland. He played in just nine games in 2011, going 4-5, then went 4-11 as a starter in 2012. Palmer resurrected his career with four solid seasons in five years with Arizona, including a 13-3 Pro Bowl campaign in 2015, but there were no vintage performances for the Raiders.

9. Brad Johnson to Washington for a first, second and third (1999)

After missing Heath Shuler and enduring a brief Gus Frotte/Trent Green carousel, Washington thought it had found its man in Johnson, Warren Moon’s backup in Minnesota. Johnson did have a Pro Bowl first season in Washington, but Dan Snyder was playing fantasy football the next offseason and wanted Jeff George to be the guy. Johnson was out after just two years and went to Tampa Bay, where he helped win a Super Bowl. Minnesota used that first-round pick to draft Culpepper, who was an MVP candidate before suffering a devastating knee injury. Washington still hasn’t found a franchise quarterback.

8. Carson Wentz to Colts for conditional second, third (2021)

Philadelphia’s prized quarterback was an MVP candidate in 2017 until he blew out his knee late that season, and Wentz never regained his footing after watching Nick Foles lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory. However, his erratic play upon his return did not deter the Colts. They thought reuniting with former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, then Indianapolis’ head coach, would help Wentz get back into shape. But modest production during a lackluster 9-8 2021 campaign left owner Jim Irsay feeling sour on Wentz after one season. The Colts talked Washington into giving up two third-rounders and a traded second-rounder for Wentz in 2022. But they certainly could have used the picks the Eagles netted DeVonta Smith, AJ Brown and Jalen Carter.

7. Drew Bledsoe to Bills for the first time (2002)

Tom Brady’s meteoric rise made Bledsoe, the No. 1 pick in 1993, expendable in the 2001 offseason. Out of hubris, Bill Belichick traded Bledsoe within the division, and the Bills eventually found out why. Bledsoe went 8-8, 6-10 and 9-7 as their starter while throwing 55 touchdowns and 43 interceptions, with no playoff appearances.

6. Rob Johnson to Bills for a first and fourth (1998)

The Bills’ decision to trade for Bledsoe was an attempt to atone for a previous transgression — the decision to send a first- and fourth-round pick to Jacksonville for Johnson, a fourth-round pick from 1995 who finished 1-0 as a starter. the Jaguars while playing in just eight games. Johnson was named the starting quarterback for Buffalo after signing a five-year, $25 million contract, but he went just 9-17 in four seasons.

5. Brett Favre for a first for Packers (1992)

Unlike the previous deals cited here, where teams gambled foolishly and paid dearly for bad trades, this is an example of a team that didn’t understand the talent it had. The Falcons drafted Favre in the second round of 1991, much to the dismay of then-head coach Jerry Glanville. Favre’s first NFL pass went to a pick six and he attempted only three other passes the rest of his rookie season. The Falcons then sent the future Hall of Famer to Green Bay for the 17th pick of the 1992 draft, and the rest is history.

4. Rick Mirer to Bears for the first time (1997)

The second pick of the 1993 draft, Mirer severely disappointed in Seattle, going 20-31 while throwing 41 touchdowns and 56 interceptions in four seasons. For some reason, Chicago felt the former Notre Dame star was worth a first-round pick in 1997. But Mirer went 0-3 as a starter after throwing zero touchdowns and six interceptions. The Bears granted his request for release the following offseason.

3. Chris Chandler for a first for Buccaneers (1990)

The Buccaneers made the regrettable decision to essentially deal Steve Young to the 49ers in 1987 and drafted his replacement, Vinny Testaverde, first overall. But after just two seasons, the Bucs sent the second pick to Indianapolis for Chandler, who had gone 10-6 in two seasons with the Colts. Chandler finished 0-6 in two seasons with the Buccaneers.

2. Jeff George to Falcons for two firsts and a third (1994)

Drafted No. 1 overall by Indianapolis in 1990, George had a big arm but posted a 14-35 record while throwing 41 touchdowns and 46 interceptions in four seasons. Convinced that a poor Colts draft pick was to blame, the Falcons shipped a boatload of picks to Indianapolis in 1994, two years after trading Favre. George did help Atlanta end a four-year playoff drought in 1995. But he clashed with head coach June Jones and went 16-19 with 50 touchdowns and 32 interceptions before signing with Oakland after the 1996 season.

1. Russell Wilson to Denver for two firsts, two seconds, a fifth and three players (including QB Drew Lock) (2022)

Believing they had a Super Bowl-caliber roster missing just one quarterback, the Broncos mortgaged the future with draft picks, players and obscene cap space to acquire Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection with a Lombardi Trophy on his hands his name. Then-head coach Nathaniel Hackett – Aaron Rodgers’ former offensive coordinator in Green Bay – would help Wilson extend his career.

But Wilson’s best days are clearly behind him. In 2022, he completed a career-high 60.5 percent of his passes and threw just 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as the Broncos won 5-12. Hackett was fired after 15 games. Sean Payton got the Broncos head coaching job in February 2023 and brashly placed the blame for Wilson and the Broncos’ struggles on the departed Hackett. But midway through the season, Payton had a soft spot for Wilson and he and the Broncos threatened to bench the quarterback if he didn’t agree to rework his contract. Wilson declined and remained the starter until the final two weeks of the season.

He did post a better record in 2023 (7-8) and completion percentage (66.4), but it wasn’t until Payton switched to a run-heavy offense to reduce Wilson’s workload that Denver’s offense began to improve. Wilson finished the season with a career-low 3,070 passing yards to go with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Now he’s looking for a fresh start, and the Broncos will look to rebuild without premium draft picks and limited cap space.

(Top photos of Carson Palmer, Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz: Streeter Lecka, Dustin Bradford and Andy Lyons / Getty Images)