Former GM shares gloomy prediction about Broncos' Russell Wilson

Add former New York Jets general manager and current analyst Mike Tannenbaum to the list of people who believe new Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has a short leash on quarterback Russell Wilson heading into the upcoming campaign. 

"I would be shocked if Russell Wilson was the starter for 17 games this season," Tannenbaum explained during Friday's edition of the ESPN "Get Up" program, per Manuel Gómez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "...The conversations that Sean Payton is having with ownership is [that] year one is about culture and accountability. It’s Bill Parcells' approach and he’s going to see Russell Wilson as an opportunity to hold players accountable." 

Tannenbaum added that benching Wilson in the event that the signal-caller struggles with the Broncos during a second-consecutive season would serve as Payton sending the message to younger players that "if I bench Russell Wilson, I can bench you."  

Tannenbaum is hardly the first analyst or knowledgeable individual this year to suggest that the Wilson-Payton relationship will go south sooner rather than later. Back in March, NFL insider Matthew Berry of NBC Sports Edge reported that Wilson "is basically on a one-year audition" playing under Payton. That same month, NBC Sports' Peter King wrote that he believed Payton could go to a backup such as Jarrett Stidham around the team's Week 9 bye. 

Earlier this summer, Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell noted how Payton had already improved the Broncos' culture from last season. Tannenbaum indicated part of that shift could involve Payton sitting Wilson to prove a point. 

"I know the way Sean thinks," Tannenbaum continued. "I’m just telling you, if Russell Wilson has the smallest bump in the road, he will be benched and Sean’s gonna look at it as an opportunity to set the culture and the standard moving forward." 

Wilson said this week he doesn't feel any extra pressure going into his first season under Payton. The 34-year-old can start to quiet doubters such as Tannenbaum with a strong outing when Denver opens the campaign with a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 10.