Getty The Seahawks could make a key change.
The Seattle Seahawks may be listening to teams calls more than originally thought as new details are emerging about the organization’s talks about the availability of Russell Wilson. NFL Network’s Mike Silver reported the Seahawks’ asking price in any potential trade would start with three first-round picks, adding that general manager John Schneider is not hanging up the phone when teams call about their franchise quarterback.
“Russell Wilson clearly made a concerted effort to convey some things after the season, and the Seahawks are staying quiet but internally they got the message,” Silver explained on NFL Network. “They’re not thrilled that their quarterback felt that way and teams have been calling. Probably, a third of the league have reached out to inquire about Russell Wilson and remember Seahawks general manager John Schneider is not one of those people who ever says we have nothing to talk about. He listens to anything and everything all the time. So, that doesn’t mean that there are actual trade talks going on but certainly, teams have reached out.”
Here is a look at Silver’s full comments on the ongoing situation between Wilson and the Seahawks.
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
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The Seahawks’ Asking Price in Any Potential Trade for Wilson Starts With 3 First-Round Picks
Considering the Seahawks gave up two first-round picks for safety Jamal Adams, three selections do not seem like enough for a franchise quarterback when you take Silver’s report at face value. A team like the Jets could offer three first-round picks including the No. 2 selection which turns into Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. This type of deal is drastically different than a contender trading three picks that are likely to be at the bottom of the first round each year.
“What’s a realistic price if the Seahawks were to trade Russell Wilson? I think you start with something like three first-round draft picks,” Silver added. “That’s kind of the message that other teams believe would be conveyed. …So, I think chances are it’ll get patched up but that hasn’t stopped a lot of teams from reaching out and from talking about this, and you kind of hear that three No. 1s being tossed around the league a little. So, we’ll be keeping an eye on this in the coming weeks.”
This Is a Slight Shift in the Seahawks’ Public Stance on a Potential Trade
As Seahawks Draft Blog’s Rob Stanton pointed out, this is a slight shift in the narrative where NFL insiders reported the Seahawks are not listening to offers. It does not indicate Wilson is likely to be traded but does show there are some repairs that need to be made between the quarterback and Seattle.
“1. Silver is well connected in Seattle 2. This is quite a shift from ‘not inclined to trade him’ to naming a probable starting point for negotiations 3. This story isn’t going away and it’s not because the media have nothing else to talk about (they do),” Stanton tweeted in response to Silver’s latest report.
Smart money is on the Seahawks and Wilson to work things out but both parties appear to be using the media to leverage their argument. Wilson wants better protection and is likely pushing the Seahawks to be aggressive in free agency.
The Seahawks listening to trade offers could be a way of the team also sending a message to their franchise quarterback. Pete Carroll’s No. 1 rule is to protect the team, and Wilson going public with his grievances does not exactly coincide with this philosophy.
From Wilson’s perspective, saying things privately has not led to the changes he wants to see, so the quarterback is clearly putting more pressure on the organization to make changes. During a February interview on The Dan Patrick Show, Wilson had an interesting response to the potential trade talks.
“I’m not sure if I’m available or not,” Wilson responded, via Pro Football Talk. “That’s a Seahawks question. …I definitely believe they’ve gotten calls. Any time you’re a player that tries to produce every week and has done it consistently, I think people are gonna call for sure. I think that’s part of the process.”
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Seahawks’ Asking Price for Russell Wilson Trade Revealed by Insider