The Denver Broncos suffered the largest dead money salary cap hit in NFL history this spring when they released veteran quarterback Russell Wilson.

Broncos coach Sean Payton opted to eat up $53 million in cap space this offseason to move on from Wilson. Payton then used the team’s first-round draft pick to select quarterback Bo Nix.

The change seems to have worked for all parties. Wilson ended up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are headed to the playoffs with a 10-5 record. Denver has secured its first winning season since 2016 and Nix and Co. are just one win away from securing a playoff spot.

So did the Broncos make the right decision?

When you consider the team’s long-term prospects with a 24-year-old Nix on a team-friendly rookie contract, it’s fair to say Denver is in a better spot than the team would be with a 36-year-old Wilson. But what about their numbers?

Wilson started 15 games before being benched by Payton last fall. Now that Nix has started 15 games under Payton, here’s how their numbers compare.

Russell Wilson (2023) vs. Bo Nix (2024)

Win-loss records are a team statistic, but it’s also worth noting that Wilson went 7-8 as a starter last fall (Nix is ​​9-6 this season).

Wilson, of course, was a 12th-year veteran last season, so comparing his numbers to those of a rookie isn’t exactly a fair comparison.

Russell Wilson has now received more sacks than Bo Nix this season

Russ: 24 sacks captured
Nothing: 22 bags captured

Russ played in 6 fewer games…

But please tell me Bo Nix didn’t improve the Broncos’ offense 😂 pic.twitter.com/Z22E6EZRxA

— Michael 🇲🇽 (@RespectMyCos) December 22, 2024

Wilson played in a different offense with a different team in his rookie season with the Seattle Seahawks, so it’s not a perfect comparison either, but just to get an idea of ​​how his rookie numbers compare to Nix’s, here’s what we have they are also listed below.

Wilson played 16 games as a rookie in 2012. We’ve removed his stats from his 16th game below to list his totals from his first 15 games as a rookie.

Russell Wilson (2012) vs. Bo Nix (2024)

Seattle went 11-5 during Wilson’s rookie season. Denver is 9-6 this year.