There was smoke surrounding Russell Wilson’s trade rumors all week, but today things are really heating up, as analysts are launching reasoned opinions and nuggets from sources all day.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini said the Seattle Seahawks are not actively “buying” Wilson, but are listening to what the teams have to offer when they call. Russini says there was no commercial demand from Wilson or his representation, but that she knows Wilson is not happy in Seattle.
Last week’s reports showed that Wilson’s people were willing to accept an exchange with the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, the New Orleans Saints and the Las Vegas Raiders, but when a professional player leaked seven times dissatisfied with his current team, there are sure to be several franchises asking about their availability.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler he had some details about why Wilson might prefer the Bears if a deal were to take place, and he said he hoped Chicago would “give it a go” by making an offer for the disgruntled QB.
Fowler reported: “A source told me that Russell Wilson likes the fact that they have an emerging offensive line, a good and solid offensive spirit coach in Matt Nagy, and they have an intriguing market in Chicago.”
Those first two things may come as a shock to some, but most analysts believe that the Bears o-line has stabilized at the end of the 2020 season, and with some health and an adjustment here or there, they may be fine.
During Nagy’s three years in Chicago, his defenders were fired 6.3% of the time, while Wilson was fired 8.9% of the times from 2018 to 2020. Chicago’s pass protection wasn’t as bad as you might think, especially when comparing to Seattle.
And also keep in mind that Nagy’s perception of the league is very different from what some fans on social media think is true. Of course, some players did not agree with him during his time as a coach, but most of the players, coaches and scouts he worked with said good things about him as a coach.
As far as the Chicago market is concerned, Wilson would be able to raise his Q Rating by playing in the third largest market in the United States, and he and his staff should know how hungry the city is for a franchise defender. Winning in Chicago would not only increase your stature in the league, it would also increase your legacy.