The latest NFL offseason was so chock stuffed with Aaron Rodgers information that it’s simple to neglect all of the drama that surrounded Russell Wilson and his relationship with the Seattle Seahawks. Whereas Wilson claimed he needed to stay in Seattle, he did categorical discontent with how staff personnel selections had been dealt with and the way usually he was getting hit behind the road of scrimmage. Wilson additionally by no means dominated out the likelihood that he might be traded earlier than the beginning of the 2021 season.
Clearly, a number of groups would’ve been keen on snagging the seven-time Professional Bowler, however one staff was constantly introduced up in rumors: the Chicago Bears. The Bears have been recent off an 8-8 season that noticed them sneak into the playoffs because the NFC’s seventh seed, and have been on the lookout for a distinction maker at quarterback to interchange the underwhelming Mitchell Trubisky and actually put the Bears over the sting as one of many league’s elite franchises. Wilson would’ve been an enormous improve on the quarterback place, and for a staff that ranked exterior the highest 20 in complete offense every of the previous three seasons, he would’ve virtually routinely made the Bears some of the fearsome groups within the league. In fact, although, the Bears would’ve needed to have given up a few of their key items as a way to purchase Wilson. So, precisely how a lot did the Bears assume Wilson was price?
Yeah, that’s a complete lot of fine stuff the Bears placed on the desk there. No less than it seems that method at first look. Remember that three first-round picks is what the 49ers gave away as a way to purchase the third total decide — an unproven rookie QB who was probably going to sit down behind Jimmy Garoppolo for a whole season earlier than being handed the reins to the offense. So, I assume the query basically boils right down to: Is a third-round decide together with both Khalil Mack or Akiem Hicks and a participant to be named later equal to the distinction in expertise between Wilson and Trey Lance?
Whenever you begin wording it like that, the commerce begins trying a lot much less favorable for Seattle. Then, you begin to understand that the picks Chicago provided probably wouldn’t be that good both as a result of Wilson is known for being a winner. He’s the one quarterback in NFL historical past to have a successful report in every of his first 9 seasons. So, it’s not even Lance we must be evaluating Wilson to, however reasonably a late first-round quarterback. For guys like Lamar Jackson and Rodgers, which may not sound that dangerous, however generally, late first-round quarterbacks are inclined to battle greater than top-10 picks, until their title is Josh Rosen.
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Figuring out what we all know now although, with the damage Wilson suffered this season and his poor play since returning, ought to Seattle have made the commerce? The reply remains to be no.
Wilson is 33 years outdated, sure, however the prime for quarterbacks has been prolonged by a substantial margin in recent times. It’s not unreasonable to imagine that Wilson may proceed enjoying at a excessive degree till he’s 39-40. Plus, even with how poorly Wilson has performed in his previous two video games since coming back from Injured Reserve with a damaged finger, finishing simply over 50 % of his passes with zero touchdowns and two interceptions, his play earlier than struggling the damage offers purpose to imagine he can flip his fortune round.
Earlier than being sidelined for 4 weeks, Wilson was shredding opposing defenses. You realize, the identical factor he’s been doing for years at this level. Regardless of being one of many most pressured quarterbacks within the league, Wilson recorded a passer ranking over 100 in 4 of his first 5 video games. Even when Wilson can’t flip his misfortune of the previous two weeks round, the Seahawks constructed a potential out in his contract following the 2021 season. Even IF Wilson isn’t the identical quarterback he was earlier than the damage, it’d be a lot better to experience with the man who’d introduced your staff to the playoffs in all however one season of his profession reasonably than the important thing defensive gamers and unpredictability of draft capital that helped the Bears go 8-8 every of the previous two seasons.
Whereas clearly it could’ve been nice to regain their draft capital they traded away of their deal for Jamal Adams, the Seahawks know that touchdown one other quarterback like Wilson within the draft is virtually not possible.
In fact, there’s at all times the argument that, “Effectively, by buying and selling Wilson, who was already pissed off together with his offensive line in Seattle, to the Bears who’ve a fair worse offensive line state of affairs, Wilson would stay pissed off and would probably request a commerce from Chicago after only one season. So, when you’re catching my drift, the Seahawks may doubtlessly commerce again for Wilson at a a lot cheaper price as a result of it’d be unlikely that Wilson would need to play there for one more season. He mentioned he by no means needed to depart Seattle, so it’d make sense that he needed to return there.” That simply feels like a fantasy world. Sure, Wilson would’ve probably hated his time in Chicago behind a hilariously terrible offensive line whereas managing a recreation plan constructed by Matt “why ain’t he fired but” Nagy, however the concept of every little thing said above falling completely into place is simply too unbelievable.
The Seahawks performed it secure by maintaining Wilson. It was the precise alternative. It would at all times be the precise alternative. It doesn’t matter what occurs to Wilson sooner or later, the Seahawks confirmed that they have been keen to experience with the man who stored the Hawks in title rivalry for years with mediocre expertise round him. It’d take much more than a strong move rusher and some draft picks to snag somebody like that.
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