The Seahawks have run into a seminal issue with their franchise quarterback, with trade destinations coming out Thursday. At this point, Russell Wilson does not expect the Seahawks to trade him, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets, though multiple NFL executives believe the team will make the decorated quarterback available.
This rift between Wilson and the team stems from several factors. A central component in Wilson’s frustration is Pete Carroll‘s insistence on an offense that features the run more than most NFL attacks do, and The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar, Mike Sando and Jayson Jenks report Wilson and Carroll have clashed over the past several months on both the Seahawks’ philosophy and personnel (subscription required).
Following a midseason stretch that featured seven Wilson turnovers in two losses, the Seahawks reverted to a more balanced offense. They then finished the regular season with wins in six of their final seven games to post a 12-4 record — the team’s best mark since 2014. Prior to the turnaround, however, Seahawks coaches dismissed Wilson’s ideas for how to repair a suddenly ailing offense, according to The Athletic. This led to Wilson storming out of a meeting.
Wilson fell well off the MVP pace on which he started the season, after he threw 26 touchdown passes in Seattle’s first seven games, and closed the year with an 11-for-27 performance against the Rams in a wild-card loss. After the season, Wilson expressed dissatisfaction with the Seahawks’ offensive line plan publicly. But that came after the nine-year veteran went to Carroll on this matter — one that had bothered him for years. Carroll’s insufficient response to Wilson’s O-line-related concerns, in the 32-year-old passer’s eyes set off the public commentary that has led to trade rumors, per The Athletic.
The Seahawks have not put a tremendous amount of resources into their offensive line in recent years, and Wilson has taken 394 sacks — the most by any quarterback through his first nine seasons. QBs, of course, bear responsibility for sacks alongside offensive linemen.
Past flirtations with trades or other quarterbacks have pushed this situation to this point as well. The Seahawks’ trade talks with the Browns in 2018 — however brief they were — led to Wilson’s 2019 extension containing a no-trade clause. GM John Schneider being on-hand for Josh Allen‘s pro day factored into Wilson’s situation as well, and The Athletic adds that Schneider’s fascination with Patrick Mahomes would have led to the Seahawks taking him had he fallen to them at No. 26 — an unrealistic scenario based on the future MVP’s pre-draft rise — in the 2017 draft. The Cardinals and Saints were prepared to draft Mahomes ahead of the Seahawks.
Beyond the four teams that Wilson’s agent mentioned today as trade destinations his client would approve — the Bears, Cowboys, Saints and Raiders — The Athletic’s report indicated Wilson’s camp discussed trades to the Dolphins and Jets with the Seahawks. Considering both teams’ draft capital and their respective links to Deshaun Watson, it makes sense they would be connected to Wilson as well. It is certainly notable that they were omitted in Mark Rodgers’ Thursday comments, however. The Seahawks have yet to approach Wilson about any potential trades, Fowler notes.
Wilson’s $35MM-per-year contract runs through the 2023 season. It would tag the Seahawks a record $39MM in dead money were they to trade Wilson before June 1, per Spotrac (on Twitter), with a post-June 1 trade defraying $26MM of the hit to 2022. To avoid such a scenario becoming the lead trade in a seismic offseason for quarterback movement, the Seahawks and Wilson may have some fence-mending to do in the coming weeks.
id just replace Pete at this point. his offenses seem to be stale and while Russell probably has some hand in the team underachieving, I’d rather keep him then Pete.
Pete and Schneider just signed long term deals so they will not be going anywhere. Love RW3 but he is limited as a QB, he is a very good just not elite. He’s just not in the same class as a Rodgers, Brees, or Brady.
i mean, there are only so many “Rodgers, Brees, or Brady” types out there, and he’s not that far behind on the 2nd tier.
But he wants the keys to the castle. Rodgers doesn’t have that power. Russ is very good top 10 QB but still behind Mahomes, Watson, and Allen. No QB has the pull Wilson wants. He demanded to sign Olsen last year and that was a $7 million bust, he wanted Clowney resigned at any cost, THANK GOD the team moved on from that.
True, but Pete has taken the entire team into a competitive phase year after year being responsible for the entire team playing at a high level….and very fairly Wilson has been a bit part of that but at 32, exactly how many elite, or very, very good seasons does his guy have in front of him…..
Brees was not in the Brady or Rodgers class either. Wilson is better than Brees and has been for years
No way….Brees has operated at an ungodly level of excellence in NO for years….carrying that team on his back with a defense in many years that absolutely sucked…..untile Tamara arrived, he had ZERO of a running game and threw the ball 50+ times a game and achieved success…..not to disparage Wilson who is very good but he has had the benefit of a defense, and a running game almost every year and plays in a much more balanced gameplay.
Haworth that is wrong Wilson has never been at Brees’s level. Like I said I love RW3, but he’s just not in their class.
Hawks drafted their starting RG in the 2nd round last year and he was one of the top rated rookie OL. They also signed Shell who is turned out to be a very good RT and traded(2nd round, 3rd round, and 5th round) for Duane Brown and then signed him to an extension. To say they have not invested in the OL is completely false. Britt was also signed to a long term deal and then the injury happened.
Make a deal with Miami and tell Russ he’ll get paid the same because they don’t have income tax there either – he’ll be fine
Step 1:
Cowboys Tag Dak Prescott.
Trade 1:
Cowboys Receive Russell Wilson.
Seahawks Receive Dak Prescott and the Cowboys #10 overall 2021 Draft Pick.
Step 2:
Seahawks determine if Prescott will sign a long-term deal to stay in Seattle. If yes, steps and trades complete.
If Not…
Step 3:
Seahawks determine if Deshaun Watson would waive his NTC to come to Seattle. If no, stick with Prescott or deal him to the Carolina Panthers for Trade 3 below. If Watson would waive the NTC, continue to Trade 2.
Trade 2:
Seahawks Receive Deshaun Watson.
Texans Receive Dak Prescott, Seahawks 2021 2nd Round Pick, and 2022 2nd Round Pick.
Step 3:
Texans determine if Dak Prescott would consider signing a long-term deal. If yes, steps and trades complete.
If not…
Trade 3:
Texan Receive Teddy Bridgewater, the Panthers #8 overall 2021 Draft Pick, and their 2022 Round 3 pick.
Panthers Receive Dak Prescott.
Step 4: If Dak Prescot will not sign long-term with Carolina, keep the trade wheel going until he ends up somewhere, he does want to be.
In conclusion:
Cowboys get their franchise QB and someone in Russell Wilson who wants to be there. There are plenty of weapons and a better O-Line for Russ as well as he gets older. Cowboys window is now.
Seahawks get (another and younger) franchise QB and someone in Deshaun Watson who (potentially) wants to be there. There are plenty of weapons and a better coach for Watson as well. Pete Carroll would do everything possible to keep Deshaun Watson happy. They also receive a 1st round pick this year. The Seahawks window is now.
Texans get a bridge QB in Teddy Bridgewater (pun intended) for one of Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, or Trey Lance that they draft at #8 overall. Additionally, the Texans get a 2021 2nd round pick, a 2022 2nd round pick, and a 2022 3rd round pick, restoring significant draft capital. Texans rebuild and rid themselves of toxic relationships.
Panthers get their franchise QB in a potentially win-now window with Dak Prescott and would also probably love those offensive weapons in Carolina. The Panthers window now opens up pretty wide.
Everyone knows that Step 1 is, “cut a hole in the box.”
Touche’.
No way the Hawks would want Prescott who wants more money than Wilson makes. Three first rounders plus peripheral stuff is what it would take.
Who wants draft picks?? This class will be hardest ever to scout because they didn’t play a full college season, and the Hawks are just going to draft Penny or the like so forget the picks. We want our QB to quit crying and stop holding the ball so long. If he wants Brady’s rings, then he should look at Brady’s release time in the pocket.
“Who wants draft picks?” Every GM in the world. I doubt they care that this will be the hardest draft ever to scout. You pull up your big boy pants and make picks. It’s somewhat of a crapshoot anyway. Cost-controlled players are how you win rings. Every GM wants picks, period.
step 1 : collect underpants
step 2 😕
step 3 : profit
OMG I absolutely despise Russell Wilson at this point. I used to be a fan of the guy, too. He lost me for good when he put out his “Mr. Unlimited” BS. For those of you who haven’t heard that, Google it and get ready to listen to the most ridiculous egocentric crap you’ve ever heard
The headline doesn’t fit the text, especially when you consider that Pete Carroll’s forte is defense and thus he probably spends most of his time working with them and not the offense. And since Seattle fired their 2020 OC (Brian Schottenheimer) he clearly isn’t the issue – thus you have to wonder if the real problem is that they didn’t hire Wilson’s preferred OC candidate, i.e., sort of a repeat of the Watson issue in Houston.
Emperor palatine, “do it!”
Let’s address a couple of issues here:
Wilson took the bait from Dan Patrick during his radio show after the Super Bowl. It is called a slow news day.
Patrick played him.
Wilson has a 39 million dollar dead cap number if he is traded. Not happening.
Brian Shottenheimer was fired after the offense sputtered at the end of the season.
From here in the Seattle area, it is said that Russell had his input regarding the hiring of new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
Why would he ask for a trade if he has not even attended a practice under the now O.C.?
What Wilson needs to do is play within the offense and stop running around and trying to hit the home run pass and settle for passes to open receivers. Stop getting sacked or throwing the ball into the stands when he can’t make a play.
If he would re-structure his contract and take a large signing bonus, the team could use the money to shore up the offensive line and defensive backs and re-sign some of their own free agents.
Jamal Adams will be the next big contract and they have to find the money out of the current bud
Wilson needs to quit focusing on being the highest paid quarterback and concentrate on helping the team get better players around him.
This isn’t just all about the DP show. Later that same day Russ had a scheduled conference call with local reporters specifically to talk about the Walter Payton award. HE steered that presser into this issue. This has been orchestrated and driven by Russ and his agent.
Some team is dumb enough to take him dude, don’t kid yourself. I personally believe he’ll be gone and there is someone else under center next season. At least I hope so.
Nope. Not taking a 40 million dollar cap hit to trade Wilson. We are stuck with each other.
Everybody wants Tom Brady rings, but no one wants to sacrifice their own salary the way Brady does so the team can afford a line to protect him. Brady is never in top 5 for QB salary.
Tag & Trade Dak, Gallup, and future 1st.
Bears/Raiders/Saints could all trade 3 1sts.
One thing to consider. Hawks won’t have a QB. Hawks have no 1sts the next 2 years and would have to use said new found capital to make a trade for a QB in this year’s draft. Their options will be limited to Winston or Cam Newton and potential cap casualties – Smith, Bridgewater, Mariota.
Raiders could offer Derek Carr – if the Hawks are interested.
They aren’t. They aren’t interested in late first round draft choices either. Why?? So they can draft LJ Collier or Rashad Penny? No thanks. Any team that has Russell Wilson will be picking at the end of the first round. Not interested in Carr for free.
The Seahawks are not going to trade Russell Wilson.
The Seahawks are not taking a $40 million dead money cap hit so Wilson can be “happy” in Miami. He is not getting traded. This is a whole lot of nothing. I guess he will just have to wrap up in millions of dollars and try to find some way to get happy. Anyone know someone who isn’t happy at work?? Tired of getting sacked? Quit holding the ball so long.