Trading for Russell Wilson would be a tough pill to swallow considering the amount of potential young talent going out the door. The going rate has the eight-time Pro Bowler netting the Seattle Seahawks three first-round picks. That’s a lot to give up for any player, let alone a 33-year-old quarterback.
No one seems completely sold on that part of it. However, the notion that the Philadelphia Eagles would have to absorb a colossal contract to fit Wilson in under the cap has been greatly exaggerated. Wilson is only due $19 million in base salary for the 2022 season. And he’s set to earn a pretty palatable $22 million in 2023.
Compare that to Aaron Rodgers ($26.5 million in 2022; $25 million in 2023). Or Deshaun Watson ($35 million in 2022; $20 million in 2023). And Wilson’s deal is relatively cheap.
Of course, it’s not as affordable as the rookie contract that Jalen Hurts is playing on. The Eagles starter inked a four-year, $6.025 million deal in 2020. The organization has two more years to decide on whether Hurts deserves an extension.
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Philly Columnist States Compelling Case
Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer has been known for his hot takes and off-the-wall suggestions when it comes to the Eagles. He dissed first-year coach Nick Sirianni hard after his “flower child” comments and blasted the organization for not hiring Duce Staley. Like any strong-opinionated columnist, sometimes he’s right and sometimes he’s wrong.
Sirianni struck gold in Year 1. Was it fool’s gold? Time will tell. Either way, Hayes is encouraging Eagles fans to jump on the Russell Wilson bandwagon. He sees it as “Russ or Bust” for 2022:
There’s a narrative circulating that Wilson is slowing down. That’s ridiculous.
Wilson dislocated, fractured, and tore a tendon in his right middle finger in Game 5 on the 2021 season. He’d thrown 10 touchdowns and one interception to that point. He still finished the year with a 103.1 passer rating — his worst rating in four years, but still fifth-best in the NFL. Even when he stinks, Wilson’s elite.
Wilson Wants to Win ‘More Super Bowls’
Let’s not forget that Wilson hasn’t officially asked for a trade out of Seattle. And there is no guarantee that he will do that. The quarterback who delivered the Seahawks their one and only Super Bowl championship sounded content to stay put during his end-of-year press conference.
“My goal is to win more Super Bowls,” Wilson said, via CBS Sports, “and my plan is to win one here. It’s that simple.”
Wilson also has a no-trade clause and reports from last offseason didn’t name the Eagles on his list. Those teams included the Raiders, Bears, Cowboys or Saints. Remember, the Eagles wanted to draft Wilson in 2012 but waited too long and missed. He went in the third round (75th overall) that year.
“I think first of all when it comes to a no-trade clause in sports, the main reason is so teams can’t trade somebody to anywhere,” Wilson said, via Pro Football Talk. “That’s the No. 1 reason, right, because in sports you could wake up the next morning, and you’re gone somewhere else.”
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