Deshaun Watson has some competition for the most dramatic quarterback situation this off-season – it looks like things are looking a little bleak in the Pacific Northwest. Tensions are rising between Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks, and as a resident fan of the Deadspin Seahawks, it’s my job to try to explain this current situation, keeping my heart mostly out of that. So here goes.
First, the contract. Wilson is the third highest-paid quarterback in the league (and of all time), with an average annual salary of $ 35 million. Until the Texans supported the Brinks truck for Watson at $ 39 million a year and the Chiefs essentially made Mahomes the governor of Missouri with the biggest contract in American sports history ($ 450 million in 10 years), Wilson was at the top. from the list.
Here’s the difference – Mahomes and Watson are 26 years old. Wilson is 33 years old.
So, where did rumors of trouble in paradise begin? Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (so take this with caution) posted on twitter that he was “listening to Russell Wilson’s camp was increasingly frustrated by the Seahawks’ inability to protect the Pro Bowler player 8 times. He has been fired 394 times in 9 seasons. This situation deserves monitoring. “At first, it sounded like off-season smoke coming from a player’s agent trying to pressure an organization to make some changes. I didn’t really believe it. Then, on Tuesday, at a Zoom press conference after winning the NFL Walter Payton Award for Man of the Year on Saturday, Wilson confirmed La Canfora’s reports.
“I am frustrated by taking too many hits. I’m frustrated with that, ”said Wilson.
Wilson also appeared on Dan Patrick’s show, where he was asked if the Seahawks received any calls about a possible deal for him. “Yes, I definitely believe they got calls, for sure,” said Wilson. “Yes, but you’re a franchise quarterback, you’re a Hall of Fame quarterback. You’re not available, are you? “Patrick asked.” I’m not sure if I’m available or not, that’s a question from Seahawks. ” He continued, saying “I’m not sure how long I’ll be playing in Seattle – I hope it will be forever, but things change.”
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The next day, Patrick reported that the Seahawks’ chiefs are not at all happy with Wilson’s candor this week. “A source told me that the Seahawks’ administration is not happy with Russell Wilson and his team for bringing this to the media,” said Patrick. “You wonder if they will be able to coexist. The current situation is not sustainable. That’s what they told me. “
Wilson has every right to be frustrated. Since 2014, the last time the Seahawks were in the Super Bowl (oh, the good old days … remember when we were supposed to be the next dynasty, and then Pete Carroll blew it by playing in the goal line and losing the locker room ? Fun times), no team spent less on its offensive line than Seattle, and no team rehired less striker than Seattle. They did not sign a single offensive striker for a second contract. None. To be fair, I also would not hire the general manager of the garbage players, John Schneider, who has been climbing ever since.
So, where are things? Wilson has an absurdly high contract and is 33 years old, Schneider inexplicably received a six-year contract extension (after I specifically asked the Seahawks not to), the Seahawks are expected to have only about $ 2 million in space limit in the 2021 season, to have only three draft choices this year, not to have a first round for the next two draft (which I think it doesn’t matter because Schneider can’t hit a first round choice to save his life), and has aged stars in their impact positions. Oh, and Wilson is frustrated with them, and they are frustrated with him.
This is good. This is totally fine.
It would be almost unprecedented for a team to trade a franchise quarterback for a resume in the Hall of Fame, but the Seahawks are running out of options. Schneider’s new contract ensures that he has the freedom to rebuild this team without worrying about job security. The only question the Seahawks need to ask themselves is whether they are okay with accepting mediocrity until Wilson is released in three years, or if they want to get something in return for him now and press the reset button. And with that, my stomach hurts, and it’s time for some Pepto Bismol and a therapy session.