Getty Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and head coach Pete Carroll appear to have won the Russell Wilson trade.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback rumors are heating up as the team continues to be linked to a trade for three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, who is a former league scout, noted that the buzz around the NFL is that the Seahawks will make a blockbuster move for Watson.
“Well, in talking to friends around the league the expectation from every single one of them is that when it’s all said and done, Deshaun Watson is going to be the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks,” Jeremiah noted during the March 10 edition of the “Move the Sticks” podcast. “That’s just the expectation. Now look, there are obviously the legal hurdles that exist and that’s on its own timeline, so that would have to be resolved.
“But I haven’t talked to anybody that thinks that Pete Carroll is going to take this thing down to the studs with John Schneider, and this is going to be a three or four-year rebuild. Again, not any personal knowledge of that situation, but everybody in league, and I’m talking about everybody you talk to, expects this to be the outcome.”
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Watson Will Not Face Criminal Charges
From @NFLTotalAccess: Deshaun Watson has a no-trade clause, which means he won’t go where he doesn’t want to go. He’ll be heavily involved.
Jeremiah’s comments came before a grand jury “did not find enough to criminally charge” Watson, per Houston’s KHOU 11’s Molly Baker Cuculich. Watson’s civil cases are still ongoing and the NFL has the ability to suspend the quarterback even though he was not criminally charged. After the grand jury hearing, Watson spoke with the media about the hearing and his NFL future.
“Definitely a very emotional moment for me,” Watson said on March 11, per Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson. “I know we’re far from being done handling what we need to handle on the legal side, but today is definitely a big day. I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for letting the truth be heard.
“…I’m going to keep fighting to rebuild my name and rebuild my appearance in the community. We’re going to continue on the legal side to handle what we need to handle, but also ready to get back on the field, been prepping for that and ready to go for that.”
Watson Has a No-Trade Clause
Deshaun Watson just spoke to reporters for the first time in over a year: “I’m going to keep fighting to rebuild my name and rebuild my appearance in the community.”
Says he’s ready to get back on the field.
(🎥 @BKubena)
Like Russell Wilson, Watson has a no-trade clause giving him ultimate control over his future. Watson is set to start a four-year, $156 million deal that gives him a $35 million salary in 2022. It remains to be seen if the Texans will be able to land the assets the Seahawks received for Wilson.
Seattle now has the No. 9 pick, two second-round selections in April and two first-round picks in 2023 that can help the team make an enticing offer to Houston. Wilson sees the Seahawks as a top contender for Watson given their potential trade package.
“The Seahawks have a lot of draft capital, including the Broncos’ original ninth overall pick, two second-rounders, and players that could be included in a prospective trade, including wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett,” Wilson wrote on March 10.
“The Seahawks have plenty of salary cap space to absorb Watson’s $35 million guaranteed salary for 2022 after trading Wilson and cutting linebacker Bobby Wagner: a surplus of $49.22 million, per NFL Players Association records.”
The Seahawks Continue to be Linked to Watson Around the NFL
The latest on Deshaun Watson from the 6pm SportsCenter:
It is not just Jeremiah that is hearing the Seahawks are in play for Watson. FanSided’s NFL insider Matt Lombardo noted that the Seahawks are a “name that keeps coming up in conversations on Deshaun Watson.”
“The name that keeps coming up in conversations on Deshaun Watson is Seattle,” Lombardo tweeted. “Seahawks cleared cap space, and loaded up on draft capital after the Russell Wilson trade.”
Watson sat out all of 2021 after he requested a trade from the Texans. It will be interesting to see if the Seahawks will be willing to take on the backlash that would come from a Wilson to Watson transition.