The Denver Broncos should seriously consider shutting down Russell Wilson for the year

The Denver Broncos have decided to deactivate Russell Wilson for their Week 7 matchup against the New York Jets due to a hamstring injury, and it could be the best move they’ve made all season. After a 2-4 start to the year, Wilson hasn’t nearly been the guy the Broncos thought they were trading for on the field.

While DangeRuss’ Subway commercials are bad, they pale in comparison to his performance through six games. Wilson has posted the worst completion percentage of his career, hitting targets at just 56.6 percent this season. Wilson’s QBR is the lowest it’s ever been at 35.7, and the same goes for his passer rating, which is down to 83.4. No wonder Subway discontinued Wilson’s signature sandwich. Who in the hell wants to eat that after the way he’s played?

No one is ever happy about a player missing games because of injury, especially when it’s the starting QB, but this might be the best option for all involved in this decision to shut the nine-time Pro Bowler down for a while. In fact, the Broncos should strongly consider sitting Wilson out until he’s completely healthy. However long that takes is how Denver should be approaching this situation.

It’s not like Wilson’s added much to the offense the way he’s played thus far. Following Denver’s Week 4 loss to division rival Las Vegas, ESPN reported that Wilson suffered a partially torn lat on his throwing arm. You might think that’s a convenient excuse for a bad start, but it would explain a lot.

Nothing seems to be working for the Broncos on offense this year. Early on, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett received much of the blame. Hackett was taken to task after taking the ball out of Wilson’s hands on a critical fourth down in favor of a Brandon McManus 64-yard field goal attempt. McManus missed the field goal causing Denver to lose the season opener in Seattle, 16-16.

However, the spotlight has been placed on Wilson’s lack of production over the past few games. With what he’s done so far, Russ isn’t winning over many people in Denver. It even seems like teammates are beginning to look at Wilson with an air of skepticism. Running back Melvin Gordon was captured on the sideline during a game this year, giving Wilson a mean side eye as he walked past.

Hamstring injuries can be tough to gauge and tricky. If not given the proper time to heal, they can linger and take much longer than expected. Now you add an injury to Wilson’s throwing arm, and we’re talking about him potentially missing a significant amount of time. Honestly, that’s probably the best scenario, considering how bad this trade has been for Denver and Wilson.

Sit him out as long as it takes for him to get back to optimal health. That doesn’t need to be 100 percent because no football player is ever completely free of injury, but he might need to stay out until he begins to resemble the old Russell Wilson. If that means he’s out until late in the season or even the rest of the year, that’s what needs to happen. The Broncos are going nowhere fast, and Wilson isn’t helping matters by playing hurt. Like his well-manicured persona, Wilson’s legacy has also taken a hit with back-to-back rough seasons. While his last year in Seattle wasn’t as bad, it wasn’t great either, as Wilson ended his tenure as Seahawks QB at 6-8.

Denver’s already signed Wilson to a long-term deal, so they’re tied to Wilson for the foreseeable future. If the Broncos lose their Week 7 game against the Jets, they’ll be 2-5 in the AFC West. With the way Wilson’s played, they aren’t digging themselves out of that hole, no matter how good the defense plays. This season is already a wash, and it’s time to look ahead and worry about protecting their investment in Wilson.