Days after a much-publicized appearance on The Dan Patrick Show in which he criticized Seahawks management and said he wanted for more involvement in the team’s decisions, Russell Wilson reportedly has “broached trade destinations” with Seattle and could be traded “in the near future.”
That comes via a detailed new story from Michael Shawn-Dugar, Mike Sando, and Jayson Jenks at The Athletic. They list Miami, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and the Jets as possible destinations for Wilson, and report that a deal could come either this offseason or shortly thereafter.
According to the story, the rift has developed over time as Wilson has felt boxed out in high-level team discussions, including about the investment in the offensive line. In the time since the Seahawks’ last Super Bowl appearance in 2015, Wilson has mostly played well, but as any team would, the Seahawks have poked around the quarterback for an eventual replacement for the 32-year-old Wilson. They planned to potentially draft Patrick Mahomes in the late-first round, according to The Athletic, and discussed a deal with Cleveland centered around the No. 1 overall pick in 2018.
At the same time, even as he’s enjoyed the organizational trust and fortunes of being a star quarterback (including signing a lucrative new deal in 2019), Wilson has privately been frustrated with the team’s inability to protect him. Former Seattle receiver Brandon Marshall told The Athletic this situation comes in large part from the fact that Wilson is on pace to be the most sacked quarterback ever, and last season, Wilson was sacked 52 times, the most in the NFL.
No matter what the initial issue was for Wilson, he seems to be strongly considering a departure for the first time, and based on the large packages we’ve already seen in the NFL this offseason for franchise quarterbacks, as well as the continued availability of Deshaun Watson, this from Wilson adds to an incredibly busy NFL offseason.
