The Chicago Bears aren’t going to show their cards to anybody. Yet every update to this point suggests they are fully committed to making Russell Wilson part of their team. The Seattle Seahawks asking price is reportedly high but that hasn’t dissuaded GM Ryan Pace. What people aren’t sure about is whether other teams will get involved as well. It’s known there are three other teams on the quarterback’s list of preferred landing spots.
Is that bad news for Chicago? Not lately. Monday, March the 8th brought some fairly significant news. The Dallas Cowboys had reached an agreement on a four-year deal worth $160 million. This will make him the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL. It also removed one of the teams from Wilson’s list. Dallas will not be involved in trade talks for him.
Cowboys are giving Dak Prescott a four-year, $160 million deal, including a record $126 million guaranteed, source tells ESPN.
The first three years average $42 million per year.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2021
It doesn’t stop there though. One of the other teams that a lot of people wondered might be the biggest threat was the Las Vegas Raiders. Jon Gruden is notorious for being finicky at quarterback. A chance to acquire Wilson would seem like the kind of play he’d make. Based on recent updates? Don’t count on that happening. Vic Tafur of The Athletic believes the Raiders will be sticking with Derek Carr at quarterback and won’t get into the Wilson sweepstakes.
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Mike is all over this. I think he and I agree that the Raiders have not decided to get involved at this moment. https://t.co/fo1XRBep2p
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) March 8, 2021
That is potentially great news for the Bears. It means only two teams remain as legitimate landing spots from his original list. Them or the Saints. While New Orleans never fears the bold move, their salary cap situation is probably the worst yet seen in NFL history. They need to do a ton of work just to clear get back under the cap. Let alone find enough money to pay some of their in-house free agency. Acquiring Wilson and his expensive contract just doesn’t seem feasible.
This would leave the Bears as the favorites for Russell Wilson
Does that mean it’s a done deal? Of course not. A situation like this is incredibly fluid. So many different things can still happen. Wilson can have second thoughts. He could agree to expand his list to include more teams. Or the Seahawks could just refuse a trade and force him to deal with it. This is why the Bears can’t afford to put all their money on this happening. They want him and are willing to pay the price.
Whether the Seahawks cooperate is the big unanswered question. It takes two to tango as the saying always goes. Russell Wilson isn’t pressing to be traded but has made it pretty clear he’s open to it. The relationship between him and head coach Pete Carroll has grown “frosty” according to recent sources. Whether the two sides can still work through it to avoid a breakup is what everybody is waiting to see.
If it doesn’t happen, then the Bears would be in business.
Until then, all anybody can do is wait. Chicago will conduct other business. Allen Robinson remains without a contract and the franchise tag deadline is almost at hand. Free agency is a week away. It’s about to be the busiest time of the offseason. Not to mention the most vital one of Pace’s professional career.