It’s hard to envision the Seattle Seahawks trading Russell Wilson, their longtime franchise quarterback and one of the best signal-callers in the NFL.
Yet, as rumors of tension persist, it appears there’s a very real possibility the 32-year-old QB has played his final game in the Emerald City.
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler said Friday he spoke to several “high-ranking” people around the NFL who believe the Seahawks eventually will make Wilson available at the right price. This hardly guarantees a deal, obviously, but it’s notable nonetheless.
Brandon Marshall, a former NFL wide receiver who now works as a talking head on FS1’s “First Things First” morning show, asked someone close to Wilson point blank the chances of the eight-time Pro Bowl selection being with Seattle come Week 1 of the 2021 season.
The response: 60 percent.
“I asked this question specifically to someone close to Russ, and they said 60 percent. 60 percent he’ll be there,” Marshall, who played his final NFL season with the Seahawks in 2018, said Friday. “And I think this is the best opportunity for him. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. You’ve got to think about all the work that he’s done in the community, all the work and the relationships that he’s built in that locker room and that organization.”
Wilson’s agent, Mark Rogers, on Thursday told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that his client has not requested a trade. Instead, according to Rogers, Wilson told the Seahawks he’d like to remain with the organization, while adding he’d only accept a trade to the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders or Chicago Bears if dealt.
Perhaps this is just a minor hiccup, and the Seahawks ultimately will alleviate the frustration Wilson reportedly is feeling about not having more input in the team’s personnel decisions. Or perhaps this really is the beginning of the end for Wilson in Seattle.
All told, Wilson’s contract has a no-trade clause that he would have to waive in order to be dealt.
