Broncos waited far too long to sit Russell Wilson

The Broncos are going to sit Russell Wilson. That decision comes far too late.

Maybe it was ego. Maybe it was the idea of a sunk cost in the massive amount of guaranteed money the Denver Broncos gave Russell Wilson before he played a single snap with the team. Maybe it was a lack of a capable backup quarterback.

Whatever the reason, Wilson and the Broncos waited far too long to shut the veteran quarterback down and let his body heal. Now, they’ve paid the price, and he’s gotten more banged up in the process, and they end up right where they should have been weeks ago: Putting Wilson on the shelf so he can heal.

Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that head coach Nathaniel Hackett has made the decision to sit Wilson.

Russell Wilson’s injuries started before the hamstring

Russell Wilson has not played well this season. Some of that may be explained by a new system or simply a fall from his prime, but part of it can also be explained — or perhaps excused — by a shoulder injury Wilson was facing.

When that injury was first reported in early October, reporters pointed out that it was similar to an injury Dak Prescott faced during training camp. The prescribed method for Dak was to take time off from throwing and let it heal. Wilson went a more unconventional route and got pain injections instead.

Though that seems to have been an OK method — the shoulder has not been a topic in recent weeks — the hamstring injury developed in the process as he continued to play. Had the Broncos rested Wilson when they should have in early October, Wilson could be fresh at this point (both with his shoulder and hamstring).

And what was it all for? The Broncos lost their only game played since then to the Chargers. Sure, it was a close battle, but it’s a loss that only roughed Wilson up further.

The Broncos made a bad situation worse by not resting Wilson when the first injury occurred. They allowed him to pursue an unconventional treatment for the injury at hand, and in the process, they continued to lose and hurt Wilson further.

This season keeps getting worse for Denver. Now they have their trust put in Brett Rypien, who has four games of experience.