With Russell Wilson‘s self-imposed deadline for a contract extension right around the corner, the Seahawks and Wilson are talking and trying to work out a deal, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). However, according to Rapoport, there’s pessimism that a deal will get done before Seattle opens training camp tomorrow.
As Rapoport and others have reported, the two sides still aren’t close to agreeing on the amount of cash up front and the guaranteed money in the deal. While the structures discussed by Wilson and the Seahawks have included significant guarantees, the team hasn’t been willing to fully guarantee that money — much of it is guaranteed for injury only.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk also reported earlier this week that the $21MM-per-year offer the Seahawks are believed to have made to Wilson refers only to “new money.” In other words, if the Seahawks offered a four-year extension at a rate of $21MM annually, the quarterback would only make about $17.1MM per year over the next five seasons when taking into account his $1.5MM salary for 2015.
As we wait to see whether or not Wilson and the Seahawks can reach a compromise before camp gets underway, here are a few more notes on the situation:
- Per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the Seahawks’ offer to Wilson is very strong by the team’s standards, but it would be viewed as a weak deal by quarterback standards, in terms of guaranteed money.
- In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry explains why Wilson won’t hold out, and takes an in-depth look at how high the Seahawks should be willing to go to get something done with their star quarterback.
- Former NFL quarterback Warren Moon, a friend of Wilson’s, spoke to Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com about what the Seahawks quarterback is looking for, explaining that he “doesn’t want to sign a deal that becomes obsolete.”