Getty Tensions appeared to rise between Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson during the end of the quarterback's tenure with the Seahawks.
The Seattle Seahawks could pull off a major trade in the offseason.
While Seahawks fans would prefer the franchise not go this route, it is still a realistic possibility that both Seattle and Russell Wilson head in different directions. Considering Wilson still has two years left on his deal and contains a no-trade clause in his contract, the Seahawks would have to find a suitable trader partner that the veteran QB approves of.
According to a column on creating elite quarterback-wide receiver duos from Bleacher Report’s Michelle Bruton, a possible blockbuster trade proposal sees Wilson traded to the NFC rival Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for rising young quarterback Jalen Hurts and two 2022 first-round draft picks.
“But in December, (Adam) Schefter told 97.5 The Fanatic that he believed Wilson would waive his no-trade clause for the Philadelphia Eagles as well,” says Bruton.
“Second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts played well enough to guide the Eagles to the playoffs, but his limitations were on full display in their blowout Wild Card Round loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. No. 10 overall pick DeVonta Smith didn’t get his first target until late in that game.
Despite Hurts’ up-and-down play this season, Smith finished with an Eagles rookie record 916 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Since the 2022 draft class lacks a top-tier quarterback option, the Eagles might prefer to trade for an established signal-caller if they’re looking to move on from Hurts.
The Eagles would need to clear more than $20 million cap space to take on Wilson’s $37 million cap hit for 2022, but they’d have plenty of ways to do so. Given that general manager Howie Roseman has publicly lamented how he missed out on drafting Wilson in 2012, he might be inclined to fix that mistake this offseason.
ALL the latest Seahawks news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Seahawks newsletter here!
Insider: Eagles Interested in Wilson Trade
In the midst of the Seahawks — and Wilson’s — struggles during the 2021 season, the Eagles were mentioned as a potential trade partner to acquire the 33-year-old quarterback.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen provided insight on The Adam Schefter Podcast back in November that the Eagles would definitely be interested in acquiring Wilson.
“Right. No matter what. That’s the truth (Eagles’ interest in Wilson). And then it’s a matter of, would Russell be willing to play in Philadelphia? Well, it’s not too far from New York, and it’s a big market. And certainly Seattle would have [interest in] the draft capital, they need to rebuild their roster. Or restock it, I’ll say,” says Mortensen.
Hurts May Be Seahawks’ Best Option
In the case of Hurts, he does have his flaws. The second-year quarterback posted just a 69.2 passing grade, ranking him 20th among all quarterbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
With that being said, he still surprisingly led the Eagles to a playoff berth. Despite his flaws in the passing game, his ability as a dual threat — his 784 rushing yards led all quarterbacks — make him a viable quarterback. And when factoring in he’s just 23 years of age, there’s plenty of time to improve his passing mechanics.
If the Seahawks are forced to trade Wilson, Hurts may be the best realistic option on the market. The New Orleans Saints won’t have much to offer in a potential quarterback swap and the New York Giants’ Daniel Jones isn’t exactly an enticing option.
Assuming there’s a potential Wilson trade on the table, keep the Eagles on your radar list.