Former Seattle Seahawks QB1 Russell Wilson landed as a tier-two quarterback and the No. 8 ranked overall signal-caller in The Athletic’s Mike Sando’s annual rankings. Sando bases the rankings on votes from league executives with several sources around the NFL revealing concerns about Wilson going forward.
“The difference with Russell is, he is a lot more high-maintenance,” one NFL general manager told The Athletic comparing Wilson to other veteran quarterbacks who moved on to different teams. “He’s got the entourage, he needs the office at the facility, the extra hotel rooms on the road, all that stuff. It will be interesting how that dynamic works with a rookie head coach and rookie offensive coordinator, how they jell.”
For years, Wilson pushed for more control within the Seahawks including a more aggressive offensive system. Wilson is expected to get a lot of his wishes in Denver under first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett. This means that Wilson will shoulder much of the blame if the Broncos do not find success on the field in 2022.
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NFL Coach on Wilson: ‘He Does Need to Keep an Eye on That Body Weight’
.@DangeRussWilson and @ciara on vacation in Lake Como
One offensive coach expressed concern over Wilson’s weight as the quarterback continues his career. The same coach also noted there is a good chance fans see the “best version of Russ” as he looks to prove the Seahawks wrong.
“You would think you’re going to see the best version of Russ because of the competitor and how motivated he is to go out on his own and perform well,” the coach noted. “But he does need to keep an eye on that body weight for the style of play he wants to play.”
Wilson finds himself outside of the tier one quarterbacks and just behind Matthew Stafford in tier two. The following six quarterbacks made the tier-one classification: Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow. Another defensive coach described Wilson as a “descending” tier-two quarterback.
“My gut says he is a 2 descending, like some of the stuff that made him special is not quite the same,” the coach explained. “I don’t know if it was schematic stuff last year, but we played them two years ago and I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t know.’ Maybe this rejuvenates him. This will be an interesting year for him, a telling year. Does he get a two-year boost from this and then the flaws start showing up again?”
Wilson on Return to Seattle: ‘I Think for Me It’s Non-Emotional’
Seattle will get an up-close look at Wilson in his new Broncos uniform as the two teams square off on September 12 to open the season. Earlier this offseason, Wilson emphasized that he plans to make the matchup “non-emotional,” something easier said than done.
“I think it’s going to be an exciting time,” Wilson stated during a May 23 press conference. “Obviously, Seattle’s meant the world to me over the past 10 years. It’s a special place, a special place to play, Lumen Field. I have [a] high regard for all those guys over there and what they do. I think for me it’s non-emotional though. It’s gotta be non-emotional. You got to be able to go into it with understanding that it’s just ball, and also understand that there’s been amazing times. I’ve thrown a lot of touchdowns there. I’ve won a lot of games there, so I got great experience.”
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NFL GMs Sound Off on ‘High-Maintenance’ Ex-Seahawks QB Russell Wilson