Recently there have been multiple rumors revolving around Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Here’s what Wilson said on the matter on the Dan Patrick Show:
“I’m not sure if I’m available or not. That’s a Seahawks question,” Wilson said. “Hopefully I’ll play in Seattle forever….I want to be involved. At the end of the day, it’s your legacy, your team’s legacy…. It helps to be involved more. That dialogue should happen more often.”
So what do we make of this?
This Narrative Has Come Up Before
Last year on The Herd, Colin Cowherd broke down some rumors that were going around saying that Wilson wanted out of Seattle. The Giants were rumored to be the top destination for a few reasons. Eli Manning at the time was at the end of his career, and the G-Men were looking for someone to fill his shoes. On top of that, Russell’s wife, Ciara, is a signer/entertainer. Where do people of that profession tend to find success? You guessed it, New York.
Now, clearly this didn;t work out and Wilson got his money, but now there is more of a reason for Wilson to be frustrated with the organization.
What Makes Wilson Wanting Out A Reality?
There are a multitude of reasons that can make this a reality. First, the Seahawks have not made an NFC Championship game since their Super Bowl XLIX loss. Seattle has been in the playoffs since, but they have not been able to get past the Divisional Round.
Here’s what they’ve done since their Super Bowl win:
2014: (12-4) – Lost Super Bowl vs Patriots
2015: (10-6) – Lost Divisional Rd. vs Panthers
2016: (10-5-1) – Lost Divisional Rd. vs Falcons
2017: (9-7) – Did Not Make Postseason
2018: (10-6) – Lost Wild Card vs Cowboys
2019: (11-5) – Lost Divisional. Rd. vs Packers
2020: (12-4) – Lost Wild Card vs Rams
Wilson is still on the younger end of his career and still has some solid football left in him. Being on a team who can’t get past a sore spot is only wasting away a career.
Another reason why this could turn out to be a reality is because of the Wilson-Carroll relationship. Pete Carroll is a defensive minded, old school, run the ball head coach. Brian Schottenhimer seemed to “let Russ cook”, but what Russ was cooking was actually “burning”. Carroll likely saw Wilson committing one-too-many turnovers, which led to the kitchen being closed.
Wilson is also a leader. He is arguably the best team-player in the NFL. But, he does not have enough say when it comes to personnel. If things keep up like that, it will only add fuel to the already small burning fire between their QB and the team.
On top of that is the big reason: there is no protection. Is this all to blame on the offensive line though? No. Wilson’s a scrambler and he likes to maneuver around a lot in the pocket, which leads to pressure. Yes, the Seahawks o-line is horrible, but to put all 394 sacks on them is not fair. The o-line has not gotten any better during Wilson’s stay, and if he continues to get pressured consistently, then Wilson will begin looking for a new destination.
So is This Going to Happen?
To be honest, I do think Seattle will part ways with Russell Wilson. Do I think it will be this season? There is a chance. The FA market has a lot of big names up for grabs. Seattle would take a $39M cap hit, but if the package is worth it, then I could see Seattle pulling the trigger if both parties can’t find a common ground.