Getty Former Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson walking off of the football field after beating the New York jets.
There is no blockbuster Seattle Seahawks deal without the approval of Russell Wilson given his no-trade clause. According to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, Wilson will approve the deal and is heading to the Broncos. Denver was Wilson’s top choice in a potential trade destination, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
“Russell had a no-trade clause but Broncos were one of the teams he said he’d waive it for,” Glazer noted on Twitter on March 8.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Wilson signed his no-trade approval on March 8 and passed his physical with Denver. Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant will also have to pass their physicals with the Seahawks as part of the deal.
“Russell Wilson now has signed his no-trade provision and passed his Broncos’ physical, per sources,” Schefter tweeted on March 8. “It’s official on his end. The other players involved in the trade still have to pass their physicals. But the teams now will start the process to confirm the trade with the NFL.”
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The Broncos Were Not on Wilson’s Initial List of Approved Teams
The Wilson rumors heated up last offseason after the quarterback’s agent Mark Rodgers floated a list of four teams that the quarterback would waive his no-trade clause to approve a deal. Wilson’s initial list included the Cowboys, Raiders, Saints and Bears.
Just a year later, the landscape has completely changed for all four of these teams. The Cowboys signed Dak Prescott to a long-term contract extension later in the same 2021 offseason. Derek Carr is coming off arguably the best season of his career in Las Vegas. The Bears traded up to draft Justin Fields to be their quarterback of the future. New Orleans remains the lone team without a solution at quarterback but the retirement of former head coach Sean Payton likely made this destination less appealing.
The Boardroom’s Jordan Schultz reported on December 8, 2021 that Wilson would “strongly consider” waiving his no-trade clause for the Broncos, Giants and Saints. There were no indications that Wilson will not approve a move to Denver.
Wilson Is Meeting With the Broncos Before Officially Approving the Trade: Report
According to The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell, Wilson was set to meet with the Broncos hours after the news broke about the blockbuster deal. Wilson was also required to take a physical as part of the trade.
“Wilson had yet to meet with the Broncos as of noon Tuesday,” Bell noted on March 8. “Nothing is going to be done until he does. That and a physical examination on Wilson for Denver are the last pieces that must happen for the deal to be complete. But Wilson is indeed to meet with the Broncos, showing how quickly this deal is moving.”
For the first time since the offseason of 2012, the Seahawks are in the market for a new starting quarterback. It marked a pivotal offseason where the Seahawks signed Matt Flynn in free agency and later drafted Wilson who took a firm grasp of the QB1 spot during the preseason. While the Seahawks acquired Lock in the trade, Seattle is still expected to explore additional quarterback options.