The Seattle Seahawks face a difficult decision regarding Russell Wilson’s future. The team’s preference is clearly to keep Wilson in a Seahawks uniform for the next decade but there is also a risk that his unhappiness grows as time goes on. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a few potential trade proposals that could make sense for the Seahawks if the team makes the difficult decision to start over at quarterback.
While Barnwell does not expect the Seahawks to trade Wilson, he outlines a few principles the Seahawks should prioritize in any deal. These include moving Wilson outside the division and potentially even to an AFC team. More importantly, the team needs to have a plan at quarterback which is either covered in the deal or receive assets they could convert into a new starter. Finally, Barnwell mentions that the Seahawks’ asking price needs to be on par with what the Texans are seeking for Deshaun Watson.
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The Trade Proposal Gives the Seahawks Marcus Mariota & Darren Waller
GettyLas Vegas Raiders quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Now, let’s look at Barnwell’s proposal involving the Raiders, one of the four teams on Wilson’s list of trade destinations. Barnwell also adds the Patriots to make it a three-team deal.
Seahawks Receive: QB Marcus Mariota, TE Darren Waller, No. 17 overall pick in 2021, 2022 first-round pick (from Raiders); DE Chase Winovich, 2022 third-round pick (from Patriots)
Raiders Receive: QB Russell Wilson, 2022 sixth-round pick (from Seahawks)
Patriots Receive: QB Derek Carr (from Raiders)
Most of the trade proposals involving the Raiders have centered around the Seahawks landing Derek Carr, but I am not sure the Seahawks would want the Raiders quarterback as their long-term solution. Marcus Mariota is a much cheaper option that could function as a bridge until the Seahawks find their permanent quarterback. Mariota is set to make $10.6 million in 2021 on the final year of his contract, per Spotrac.
The Seahawks also land Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller who notched 107 receptions for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020. It is his second straight season with more than 1,000 yards as Waller has emerged as one of the top NFL tight ends.
Seattle acquires Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich who had 48 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 2021. The former Michigan standout started nine games last season for the Patriots and is on his way to having a solid NFL career.
The Seahawks Also Land 2 First-Round Picks in the Deal
GettyNorth Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance is an intriguing prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Seattle receives two first-round picks in the three-team trade, including the No. 17 pick. The Seahawks could use this selection to land their quarterback of the future potentially trading up a few spots for North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Seattle could also opt to roll with Mariota as their starter and wait until 2022 to draft a quarterback.
“This would be a buy-in-bulk return for Wilson for the Seahawks, but they address several spots on their roster,” Barnwell explains. “They unquestionably downgrade at quarterback, but Mariota looked good in his lone appearance coming off the bench for Vegas last season and is due $10.6 million this year. Maybe he flourishes with a return to the Pacific Northwest in a more run-heavy attack. Seattle also finally gets the star tight end it has craved for years in Waller, whose contract is an absolute steal; the 28-year-old makes less than $20 million over the next three years.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer Projects the Seahawks’ Chances of Trading Wilson Are at 40 Percent
GettyThe Seattle Seahawks are cracking the door open for a Russell Wilson trade.
The ideal scenario for the Seahawks is to patch things up with Wilson. The quarterback is still, by far, the most valuable part of this trade package, and we saw the Seahawks struggle at the position for years before drafting Wilson. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer upped the Seahawks’ chances of trading Wilson to 40 percent, a significant bump from his previously held notion of five percent.
“I’ve been asked a lot this week if Seattle will trade Wilson this offseason,” Breer noted. “My answer was 95% no and 5% yes a few weeks ago, but I’m around 60-40 now. I do believe Wilson has likely signed his final contract as a Seahawk, absent something changing, and that if the Seahawks come to that determination, they’d deal him before the end of it. I’m just not sure Seattle will do it now unless a trade brings an easy path to replacing him.”
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