All is not well up in Seattle. How can that be? The Seahawks went 12-4 last season. One would think things would be fine coming into 2021. However, after another frustrating early playoff exit, it appears not everybody is satisfied with the status quo. Quarterback Russell Wilson approached the Seahawks brass earlier this offseason about making changes to the team philosophies. Namely a shift in offensive scheme to help accentuate his talents more and also a greater investment in the offensive line.
When looking at the nature of the NFC West? It’s easy to understand his urgency. Aaron Donald in Los Angeles. Nick Bosa in San Francisco. Now J.J. Watt joins Chandler Jones in Arizona. Wilson is tired of getting constantly harassed all the time. Yet it seems the Seahawks brushed off his concerns. A move that led to consequences. The biggest being their star quarterback taking his grievances public.
Wilson went on the Dan Patrick Show and openly admitted to being frustrated.
When that didn’t get the desired reaction, the quarterback’s agent decided to take it a step further. He leaked to the media that while Wilson wished to stay in Seattle, he had four teams in mind he’d willingly waive his no-trade clause for if the Seahawks traded him. The Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, and Chicago Bears.
That is when people realized it was serious. According to recent buzz, the Seahawks didn’t take it well. While many prominent insiders still think the two sides will work things out at least for this year, others aren’t so sure. Former NFL executive Tony Softli told Sports Radio WFNZ that the divide between Wilson and his team is real. So much so that Seattle has the phone lines open about a potential trade.
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“Stuff started to fester and where we are today is Seattle has not come out. Seattle and Pete Carroll and John Schneider the general manager have not come out and said anything like, ‘Hey, listen. Stop. This isn’t going to happen. Russ is our guy. Thanks a lot. You guys have a good offseason.’ No, they’re starting to take calls…
…So it’s a mess. It is festering. Will Russell Wilson go somewhere? The longer this goes, the idea of him not being a Seattle Seahawk is greater and greater every day.”
.@NickWilsonSays is joined by @SoftliSEA of Softli Sports Consulting and the host of the @PylonSticks Podcast to talk about the continued divide that exists between Russ and the Seahawks and where he could ultimately end up if he is traded.
LISTEN:https://t.co/BY7Y0ZoGuj
— Sports Radio WFNZ (@wfnz) March 1, 2021
Russell Wilson wants to be The Guy. If not in Seattle, then somewhere
Softli has been around Seattle for a long time. He went to the University of Washington in college. He was a Director of Player Personnel with the Rams who are in the same division. When he joined the XFL in 2019, it was with the Seattle Dragons franchise. This man is well-connected in that city. So for him to say such things isn’t just random conjecture.
It’s apparent Russell Wilson is tired of being the guy that the Seahawks lean on for late-game heroics when their desired offensive approach doesn’t work. Oh, running the ball and playing defense didn’t get it done? Russ, can you save us in the 4th quarter? This has pretty much been the Seahawks’ style since 2015. It’s why Wilson has 17 comebacks in the 4th quarter across that stretch. The most of any active starter in the NFL.
He is tired of being the teams’ safety valve and nothing more.
After watching what has happened with Patrick Mahomes and then Tom Brady, it’s clear Wilson desires greater control of his career. He wants to be the focal point of the offense. Everything running through him. Carroll is not the kind of coach who will give that type of control to a quarterback. Hence the divide between the two sides. It feels like unless Seattle either convinces their star to settle down or they find a new head coach, the breaking point is coming.