Getty Head coach Pete Carroll's Seahawks have their hands full in the NFC West.
Despite the Seattle Seahawks’ stance on retaining Russell Wilson, the team continues to receive trade offers for their star quarterback. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Washington Commanders made a “strong offer” for Wilson, but Rapoport added that the talks “didn’t go anywhere.”
“How serious are the Commanders in their search for a QB? Sources say they made a strong offer to the Seahawks on Russell Wilson,” Rapoport said in a series of March 4 tweets. “It didn’t go anywhere. But a sign Washington is ready to deal. And given what they have on their roster, they may be a QB away. Washington has called essentially everywhere about finding a QB. Their call to the Seahawks shows a commitment to swinging big. They went 7-10 last year with a solid backup. A sure-fire starter changes everything for a team ready to compete.”
Rapoport did not specify the details of the offer but said it started with “multiple first-round picks.” Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher speculated in a piece published March 5 that Washington started with two first-round picks. If the report is accurate, it is clear why the trade talks never advanced given that two first-round picks was the same price the Seahawks paid to trade for New York Jets safety Jamal Adams in July 2020.
“Is the ‘strong offer’ equate to ‘multiple first-round picks’? We believe so,” Fisher wrote. “‘Two’? Probably. And why do we think that? Because it is already known that Seattle’s asking price is ‘three first-round picks.'”
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Wilson Shot Down the Washington Trade Rumors
The report is interesting timing given Wilson shot down the Commanders trade rumors during a March 1 interview on NBC’s “Today.” Wilson has a no-trade clause and did not sound interested in a move back home.
“Listen man, I love the East Coast, but I think the West Coast is better for me right now,” Wilson responded when asked about the Washington trade rumors. “I got my whole family over here, so. I’m from Richmond, I know what you mean. I got people hitting me up every day, all my friends and all that from the East Coast. But Seattle is the place that I’m at right now, and I love it and it is great.”
Wilson still has two years remaining on his contract with the Seahawks. Head coach Pete Carroll indicated on March 2 during the NFL Combine that the Seahawks were willing to listen to offers and that the team had received calls about Wilson. Carroll also said that the Seahawks had no desire to trade Wilson despite their listening to offers.
“At this time of year, there’s conversations about everybody,” Carroll said during a press conference when asked about teams inquiring about Wilson. “We’re talking about everybody, and that’s commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all of the players – particularly marquee players – and that’s not changed.
“It’s been the same every year we’ve been here, so it’s the same as it’s been. We have no intention of making any move there, but the conversations, John [Schneider, general manager] has to field those, he always has but nothing specific to that.”
In 2021, Seahawks Turned Down a Bears Offer of 3 First-Round Picks & Mack: Report
From our NFL Combine coverage: The #Commanders made a strong offer for Russell Wilson. A look at what it means…
It appears Washington has emerged as the team most likely to make a strong push for Wilson. The Athletic’s Ben Standig noted on February 18 that the Commanders would likely be willing to include star pass rusher Chase Young in a deal for Wilson.
Last offseason, it was the Bears who were aggressive in their pursuit of Wilson. The Seahawks rejected an offer that included linebacker Khalil Mack and three first-round picks.
“As the great @dpshow [Dan Patrick] reported, Bears offered 3 1st and a 3 for Russell Wilson plus players,” CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweeted on March 17, 2021. “I’m told Seattle was offered a swath of players to choose from – including Mack and Hicks – with the possibility 1 or more could be dealt. But picks aren’t that high and no QB for SEA.”