Russell Wilson has been sidelined in Denver ... the Broncos are benching the future Hall of Famer.
Head coach Sean Payton made the decision this week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, informing his team Wednesday that backup Jarrett Stidham will now be the starting signal-caller going forward.
Wilson has been largely a disappointment since Denver traded a bevy of picks and players for him prior to the 2022 season ... but, per Schefter, the move also has a lot to do with the 35-year-old's contract.
Schefter reported Wednesday that leaving Wilson on the bench will ensure he won't get injured -- and therefore $37 million of his contract will not become guaranteed in 2024.
The former Super Bowl champ had arrived in Colorado with huge expectations, but he was one of the worst QBs in the NFL in '22 -- throwing just 16 TD passes to 11 interceptions.
His 2023 campaign, however, had seen far more ups -- he's thrown for 26 TDs and just 8 INTs this season -- but the Broncos are still just 7-8 ... and have lost three of their last four.
Sean Payton screaming at Russell Wilson after that drive.
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) December 17, 2023
Not sure what Russ did wrong? pic.twitter.com/8tHBc2Zblr
Complicating matters further for Wilson, Payton was seen screaming at him on the sidelines during Denver's blowout loss to Detroit earlier this month.
Stidham, meanwhile, has played sparingly in his four-year NFL career ... logging just two starts. He'll get a chance to show what he can do next when Denver plays on Sunday against the Chargers.