It still seems like an exaggeration, but the threat of Russell Wilson’s departure from Seattle becomes more real as the days go by. If Wilson forces the issue to a point of no return, the Seahawks may have no choice but to leave their quarterback unhappy.
Although Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, has confirmed that they have not yet formally requested an exchange, the camp has leaked four destinations that the former Super Bowl champion would prefer to land if a deal was finally reached: the Raiders, Saints, Bears and Cowboys. Aside from Dallas, none of these teams have the draft capital needed to really attract Seattle in its search for its next franchise defender. In addition, any team that gets Wilson will do so to compete for a championship, which means that any future choices in the first round that they can negotiate with the Seahawks are unlikely to be close to the top 10.
Along with several draft choices, a package of elite players will have to be included if any of these teams are realistic about convincing Seattle to part ways with the best quarterback in the history of its franchise. It is hard to imagine that the Seahawks would have any interest in suddenly pivoting towards complete rebuilding because of their quarterback’s unhappiness, so they will likely need transport that can help them stay competitive in 2021.
That said, virtually all players need to be at the table in order for the Seahawks to hear. So, let’s take a look at which players from each of Wilson’s favorite teams might be attractive to Seattle.
Chicago Bears: LB Roquan Smith
The Bears seem to be the most likely partners for the Seahawks now, so let’s start with them. Khalil Mack will be the most popular name here and would probably be included in a deal with Wilson because of the change of hands for the money, but he is entering his 30-year season and carries blows in the range of $ 20 million for the next four seasons.
Instead, fourth-year linebacker Roquan Smith makes more sense here. He has been one of the best players in his position for the first three years of his career and turns 24 in April. He’s on his way to a big payday, but they won’t have to cross that bridge yet.
With Bobby Wagner apparently nearing the end of his career with the Seahawks, Smith would be a great addition to the future of his defense. And even if they didn’t leave Wagner shortly after acquiring Smith, the latter can fill anywhere in the body of linebacking and easily coexist with the future Hall of Fame and the choice of the first round of 2020, Jordyn Brooks in 2021.
New Orleans Saints: OT Ryan Ramczyk
The Saints are so immersed in the “hell of the wage ceiling” that I have no idea how this could work. Wilson, of course, mentioned New Orleans because of his desire to serve as the successor to his idol Drew Brees on Big Easy. But is it realistic? Probably not.
For the sake of this exercise, let’s just say that the saints could do this; who would the Seahawks want in return? Wilson’s biggest complaint in all of this was his lack of pass protection, so New Orleans changing his best offensive striker to acquire him would, in a way, negate the purpose.
That said, Ryan Ramczyk is the biggest asset they could offer the Seahawks. He does not necessarily fill an immediate need, but faces Duane Brown and Brandon Shell will be unrestricted free agents a year from now. And even if Shell had the best season of its career in 2020, Ramcyzk would be a significant upgrade and Seattle shouldn’t think twice before moving on.
Dallas Cowboys: QB Dak Prescott
Reports indicate that the Cowboys consider the idea of a trade with Wilson “laughable”, so the likelihood of this happening is almost the same as in New Orleans. But if the Cowboys change their tone, they have a lot to offer Seattle out of these four teams. They have a selection of the top 10 in the 2021 NFL Draft and a franchise quarterback to put on the table.
However, Dallas may not see much difference in value between Wilson and Dak Prescott. In fact, they may hold Prescott in high regard. Although Wilson is considered the best defender of the two, Prescott is five years younger and is entering his heyday, despite having suffered a significant leg injury last season.
If the Cowboys applied the franchise brand in Prescott for the second consecutive season and later switched it to Seattle, the Seahawks would then have to commit to an even more profitable deal with him than the one they already have with Wilson, and probably they wouldn’t do it, I don’t get anything in return.
Las Vegas Raiders: TE Darren Waller
If the Raiders and Seahawks made a deal, quarterback Derek Carr would certainly be included. Although Carr was better than most believe, he is a significant downgrade for Wilson and would probably be a short-term solution for Seattle. Therefore, it is not the choice here.
The Seahawks have already been linked to some of the main tight ends available in the commercial and free agent markets in this off-season, such as Jonnu Smith, Zach Ertz and Gerald Everett. So it stands to reason that they would have a bit of an interest in Darren Waller, who emerged as one of the best tight ends in the NFL to get passes.
Of course, your interest in the position probably stems from a desire to give Wilson more weapons. The Raiders would also like to pair Wilson with Waller, but, as stated, each and every player needs to be at the table for the Seahawks to consider making a move. Waller is still a great asset for the Seahawks with or without Wilson, however. He is at his peak at 28 and is under the team’s control for the next three seasons, with a limit of just $ 6.5 million reached each year.