Russell Wilson reportedly is unhappy in Seattle, the Patriots are in dire need of quarterback help and the Raiders could be looking to make an upgrade under center as well.
So, why not get all parties involved and try to make everyone happy?
That’s what ESPN’s Bill Barnwell attempted to do with a hypothetical three-team blockbuster he floated in a column published Wednesday. The bonkers trade results in three quarterbacks finding new homes: Wilson to Las Vegas, Marcus Mariota to Seattle and Derek Carr to New England.
Here are all of the details of Barnwell’s pitch:
Seahawks acquire: Mariota, Darren Waller, No. 17 overall pick in 2021, 2022 first-round pick (from Raiders); Chase Winovich, 2022 third-round pick (from Patriots)
Raiders acquire: Wilson, 2022 sixth-round pick (from Raiders)
Patriots acquire: Carr
While there’s next to no chance this trade comes to fruition, it’s nonetheless fun to analyze. For New England, this deal certainly is worth considering. Carr undoubtedly is worth a third-round pick and Winovich might not be a tremendous loss. The young pass-rusher showed promise over the course of his first two NFL seasons, but the flashes of stardom were matched with inconsistency. Winovich also saw his playing time glaringly decrease this past season, which was concerning given New England’s weak front seven depth.
As for the Raiders, forking over a pair of first-round picks and one of the best tight ends in football would be quite a haul, but Wilson is worth it. He’s a clear upgrade over Carr, is the type of player who can completely change a locker room for the better and reportedly has a level of interest in playing in Las Vegas. When a player like Wilson becomes available, you should do whatever it takes to bring him in.
But the Seahawks, of course, are the most important team in this hypothetical scenario, and they likely wouldn’t be crazy about where those picks fall in the first round. So while New England and Las Vegas probably should sign off on this proposed deal, Seattle has multiple reasons to brush it off.
