The Seattle Seahawks and their quarterback Russell Wilson have entered an awkward stage in their relationship.
Wilson has been the guy and all about the team since arriving in 2012.
However, he found his voice recently and decided to air the dirty laundry he has with his current employer.
.@JasonLaCanfora first mentioned a slight chance Russell Wilson could be on the move a couple weeks ago, so we got an update on the reality of that QB situation from the man himself:#NFL #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/Vqa7sSgOq3
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) February 24, 2021
His biggest issue is how often he is sacked, 394 times since 2012 in the regular season and 49 more in the playoffs.
Luckily, he performs well under pressure.
Russell Wilson leads the NFL with 79 passing TDs while under pressure since 2012
12 more than any other player 🚀 🥇 pic.twitter.com/eSmC54LCOR
— PFF (@PFF) February 24, 2021
While he is not wrong that he could use sound offensive line protection to support him, telling the world is an odd way to go about it especially with 3 years left on his contract.
It is almost as if the two sides are daring each other to blink so one can move on from the other.
Unlikely is the word that describes the possibility that Russell Wilson is not the starting Seahawks QB in 2021.
Nevertheless in this weird time in the NFL where players are advocating for themselves and acting almost as their own agents and general managers, Wilson’s dissatisfaction has led to teams calling to inquire what a trade for him would cost them.
Nearly One Third Of NFL Teams Called
The @Seahawks are staying quiet in the wake of Russell Wilson's recent comments… but that isn't stopping teams from calling to see if he's available… @nflnetwork @AndrewSiciliano pic.twitter.com/Xs3Xwp6A2L
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) February 22, 2021
That gives you an idea of the uncertainty at the quarterback position in the NFL going into 2021.
The fact that such a high number of teams called knowing his market value is astounding.
What Do The Seahawks Want
Reportedly, the Seahawks want three first-round draft picks in exchange.
That is a hefty price to pay for the 32 year old Wilson.
Might it be worth it to a veteran team that has a win-now mentality?
Maybe, but the whole scenario still seems based in an alternate reality.
Pete Carroll Cannot Be Happy About This
Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll will turn 70 at the beginning of the 2021 season (September 15).
It seems implausible that he would want to trade away veteran experience and a Super Bowl Champion in Wilson for young draft picks.
That would imply the organization is rebuilding.
Potential Out In 2022
Though Wilson’s contract runs through the end of the 2023 season, there is a potential out prior to the 2022 season if the Seahawks want to absorb dead cap in the amount of $26 million.
Maybe Russell Wilson is lobbying for a new job in 2022, but he is starting the process by being visibly disgruntled right now.
This is not a far fetched possibility that these two sides could break up at that point.
For his part, Carroll signed an extension a few months ago that keeps him with the Seahawks through the 2025 season.
What Fixes The Problem
The easy way to fix the problem is to win a championship.
That seems to dull all hard feelings.
In the short term, the Seahawks can either draft or sign offensive linemen to protect Russell Wilson.
Those efforts could go a long way to healing the hurts (and dealing with the sack problem).
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