Seattle Seahawks trading Russell Wilson would be unforgivable
Reports of the Seattle Seahawks trying to trade Russell Wilson in 2018 have the NFL world buzzing but trading the quarterback would be unforgivable.
Russell Wilson is the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. That has been true since he won the starting job as a rookie third-round pick in the 2012 season. According to recent reports, however, that almost changed in the 2018 offseason — and could change in the future.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, spurred by a conversation with Chris Simms, reported this week that the Seahawks had discussions with the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2018 NFL Draft about possibly trading Wilson for the No. 1 overall pick. That pick, of course, became quarterback Baker Mayfield. And obviously the deal never materialized.
Florio continued to say that’s why there is a no-trade clause in Wilson’s contract, though he did mention that the Browns say the trade was only “floated” as a concept and seemingly did not garner much traction. However, that didn’t stop Florio from opining about the potential down the road that the Seahawks could trade Russell Wilson.
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More importantly, Florio stated that “some who are close enough to the situation to know what may happen” think that there is a possibility Seattle could eventually trade the quarterback. That’s the tidbit that has everyone talking. Every fan of every team is salivating at the possibility of, somewhere down the line, their favorite franchise trading for Wilson.
For the Seahawks, however, trading Wilson, if he can maintain his form at any level, would be an unforgivable offense by the organization. It’s the type of move you can already imagine being written about a few years later as a historic blunder on the part of Seattle.
Wilson has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league for the majority of his career, even if he isn’t recognized often enough in that regard. In eight seasons, he’s completed 64.5 percent of his passes, hasn’t thrown for fewer than 3,400 yards in any of the last six seasons and has 227 touchdown passes with only 68 interceptions. Throw in that he has almost 4,000 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground and he’s clearly been a stud.
There are rightful concerns that Wilson’s play could decline in his mid-30s. He relies heavily on his athleticism not necessarily as a runner but to extend plays and make throws on the run, which he’s one of the best ever at doing. He’s also getting paid roughly $35 million per year, a number that’s far from negligible.
However, the Seahawks have rightly been criticized over the years for how they’ve treated the roster around Wilson. His offensive line has been in shambles for years and the team consistently takes the ball out of his hands to rely on a rushing attack that has been a rollercoaster at best. And their recent defensive moves have put Wilson’s treatment by the organization into question, at least on the field.
It’s justified to say that, in many cases, Wilson has been successful in spite of his situation, not because of it — particularly over the last four years, give or take. He’s been the driving force behind their continual playoff eligibility. So for the team to not value what he is would truly be mind-boggling at the highest level.
Of course, that the Seahawks have treated the roster around Russell Wilson in the manner they have means that maybe they would trade the quarterback down the line. Maybe they would rather deal him than pay him another big contract in his 30s because they clearly have taken his talent for granted, so why not continue to do so by thinking that any trade package would return the value he’s brought to Seattle?
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Even if that logic as to how a trade would happen isn’t hard to follow, it doesn’t make the move defensible for the Seahawks. They would be trading away their best asset and the lifeblood of their success. And if they were to deal Wilson — again with the caveat that his skills don’t decline in any meaningful way — it would be a move that should be met with relentless ire from fans.