It’s the end of an era, with the Seattle Seahawks trading their superstar quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in exchange for three players and a handful of draft picks. Needless to say, this is a startling change to the scenery of the NFC West and will definitely impact how things go.
Blockbuster: After weeks of negotiations, in one of the largest trades in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos have agreed to terms for a deal involving Super-Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson, sources tell ESPN.
Trade is pending a physical and Wilson’s approval. pic.twitter.com/oRFDV8Ehyx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2022
Honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around this news, as Russell Wilson is the best quarterback in franchise history, playing for the Seahawks since 2012 and becoming a champion in just his second season, where they defeated the Broncos.. how’s that for irony?
According to numerous sources, the Seahawks receive the following:
- 1st Round Pick
- 1st Round Pick
- 2nd Round Pick
- 2nd Round Pick
- 5th Round Pick
- Drew Lock
- Shelby Harris
- Noah Fant
In return, the Broncos receive Russell Wilson and a 4th Round Pick.
There are a lot of rumors circulating about why Seattle would give up Wilson, but one that’s gotten a lot of traction is the fact that Wilson’s contract was set to expire at the end of the 2023 season, and that Wilson was looking for that “Mahomes money”, and that Seattle wasn’t willing to pay him $50 million a year in his mid-30s.
After all, would Russell’s game and style of play age very well on the other side of 35? Probably not. Plus, several teammates reportedly said he was playing half-heartedly.
With Wilson out, Drew Luck would take over the QB role for now, but his contract ends after the 2022 season. So it wouldn’t surprise me to see Seattle use their newly acquired 9th overall pick in the draft to land a new quarterback.
Sites like Olybet have the Seahawks odds of winning the 2023 NFC at +5000, while the Broncos odds of winning the 2023 AFC are +800. Needless to say, most people look at the upcoming season as one of rebuilding for the Seahawks organization.