After the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last season, it appeared to be a lock that Russell Wilson would get a new monster contract as soon as he was eligible following the 2014 season. That’s no longer the case, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Wilson has shown signs of regression, the Seahawks haven’t lived up to the sky high standards that they set last season, and Seattle wants to take a wait-and-see approach to a new deal for their young quarterback, according to a league source.
According to the source, the team’s willingness to give Wilson a new deal will depend in large part on how the current season turns out. If the Seahawks miss the playoffs or gets knocked out early, they’ll be inclined to wait. If they return to the Super Bowl, however, a new deal becomes more likely. Whatever happens, Florio writes, the Seahawks want the outcome to be regarded as fair within the locker room.
Over the summer, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com was hearing that Wilson and Andrew Luck were in line for $24-25MM per year on their second contracts, a number that would top Aaron Rodgers‘ $22MM salary. While that may sound outlandish, quarterback salaries have increased steadily each year and, like Joe Flacco, Wilson’s value shot up following his Super Bowl victory. Of course, Flacco got to ride his Super Bowl win into free agency and Wilson has apparently lost some of his luster since February.
While Seattle is ostensibly uncertain about Wilson, many of his numbers show that he’s playing like a top quarterback in 2014. Wilson’s 63.6% completion percentage this season is right in line with his previous work and with just five picks so far, he’s pretty much on pace to match his total of nine from last season. The advanced metrics are fond of Wilson’s work too. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has Wilson rated as the fourth best quarterback in the league this year, behind Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers, but ahead of notables such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
The Seahawks have shown a willingness to pay big money to keep their stars, but it remains to be seen whether Wilson will get the same treatment as cornerback Richard Sherman or safety Earl Thomas.