Is the Russell Wilson trade the Broncos' worst? Here are the other contenders.

Nov. 27—With Russell Wilson struggling after the Broncos gave up a record haul to pry the quarterback away from Seattle, Denver fans are questioning whether it might have been the worst trade in team history.

Time will tell how good or bad the Wilson deal was, but the competition is stiff to qualify as the worst trade in Broncos history.

Here are some contenders:

Matt Robinson

The Broncos sent first- and second-round draft picks to the Jets in 1980 for Robinson, New York's backup quarterback. He had started 11 games in 1978 and led the NFL with 16.1 yards per pass completion. Robinson started seven games in 1980, posting a 4-3 record, but could not beat out Denver's 37-year-old incumbent, Craig Morton. Robinson was released the next season after Dan Reeves replaced Red Miller as Denver's coach.

Steve Tensi

The Broncos acquired San Diego's backup quarterback in exchange for first-round picks in 1968 and 1969. Inconsistent and injury prone, he was tagged with the pejorative nickname "Tin Foil Tensi." Over his four seasons in Denver, he started 32 games, completed only 43 percent of his passes with 45 interceptions and 38 touchdowns.

Willie Brown

The star cornerback was traded to the Raiders in 1967 along with quarterback Mickey Slaughter for lineman Rex Mirich and a third-round draft pick. Mirich did yeoman's work as a Bronco, starting 25 games as an offensive and defensive lineman over his four seasons. The draft pick was sent away in another deal. Brown? You can find his bust in the Hall of Fame.

Jay Cutler

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When newly minted coach Josh McDaniels shipped away the Broncos incumbent starting quarterback to the Chicago Bears, the return seemed reasonable. Denver received quarterback Kyle Orton, first round picks in 2009 and 2010, plus a third rounder in 2009. It's what McDaniels did with all of that draft capital that qualifies this deal for this list. Linebacker Robert Ayers was taken (over Clay Matthews) with the 2009 first-rounder. The 2010 No. 1 was shipped away to acquire cornerback Alphonso Smith. The third rounder was part of a package to move up for tight end Richard Quinn. Orton started at quarterback and had a 12-21 record. Ayers spent five decent years in Denver, starting 27 games, but his best seasons came after he left the Broncos. Smith spent a single campaign as a Broncos reserve and Quinn caught one pass in his two seasons with the team. The Smith trade could qualify for this list on its own merit (or lack thereof).

Curley Culp

The Broncos drafted Culp with their second-round pick in 1968, but then-coach Lou Saban was determined to move him off the defensive line — the only position he had played at Arizona State — and convert him into guard. Culp resisted while Saban insisted. In the end, Culp was shipped off to Kansas City for a fourth-round pick. The draft pick became the guard Saban wanted in Mike Schnitker. Culp went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Chiefs and the Houston Oilers.

Joe Flacco

It isn't the compensation — a fourth-round draft pick — that lands the Flacco trade on this list. It's that Denver inherited his inflated contract in the process. Flacco played only eight games for the Broncos, posting a 2-6 record with five interceptions and eight fumbles. For that, the team paid him $18.5 million. Ouch.

Jacky Lee

Not only is this among the worst trades in franchise history, it's also the weirdest. According to the Broncos' 1964 media guide, Lee "came to Denver on August 14, 1964, in [an] unusual two-year 'lend-lease' trade that saw Three-time All-AFL selection Bud McFaddin and a No. 1 draft choice go to the Oilers." That's right, the Broncos gave up an all-star and a No. 1 pick to borrow Lee for two seasons. To make matters worse, that pick was shipped by the Oilers to the Jets, who selected Hall of Famer Joe Namath.

Mitigating the damage somewhat was that, had the Broncos kept the pick, they likely would not have ended up with Namath since Denver failed to sign most of their high draft picks during the AFL era. Among the players Denver drafted but failed to sign were Hall of Famers Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen and Bob Brown.

Hewritt Dixon

Prior to the 1966 season, the Broncos traded young running back/tight end Hewritt Dixon to the Oakland Raiders for veteran linebacker Archie Matsos, who had been an All-AFL performer from 1960-64. But Matsos' best days were behind him and he was shipped to San Diego midseason in what turned out to be his final professional campaign. Dixon was dynamic with the Raiders, rushing for nearly 3,000 yards while catching 190 passes for 1,750 yards over five seasons.