According to former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi, the trade that brought Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos is poised to be remembered as the most disastrous deal in the history of the league. Lombardi did not hold back in expressing his views to TMZ Sports, emphasizing that when considering both the trade and Wilson’s subsequent contract, it stands out as the “worst of all time.”
The Broncos parted with numerous picks, including a first-rounder and a second-rounder, along with three other players in the 2022 trade with the Seattle Seahawks to acquire Wilson. Following the trade, they inked a substantial $245 million contract extension with the 35-year-old quarterback.
“When you add the contract and the trade,” Lombardi said, “it’s the worst of all time.”
However, Wilson’s on-field performance in 2022 fell short, and his 2023 contributions were not significantly better. This led to head coach Sean Payton benching him in favor of Jarrett Stidham. With the likely end of Wilson’s tenure in Denver, Lombardi is ready to label the entire deal as an unprecedented NFL blunder.
Lombardi acknowledged historical bad trades, citing the infamous 1989 Vikings-Cowboys trade for Herschel Walker, but stressed that none of those deals had the added burden of impacting future salary caps due to attached contracts.
“Russell will move from Denver,” Lombardi said. “But his cap problems will remain for two more years.”
Predicting Wilson’s departure from Denver, Lombardi pointed out that the quarterback’s cap issues will persist for two more years even after the move. Despite the challenging situation, Lombardi believes there could be a market for Wilson when and if the Broncos officially release him.
