One thing has become clear in the past week. Nobody has any idea what the Seattle Seahawks are going to do with Russell Wilson. The media appears split right down the middle on it. Some don’t think he’s being traded. Others think the relationship between the two sides has grown unsalvageable at this point. The continued silence from both sides only makes it more unusual.
Wilson has not officially requested a trade but his agent provided a list of four teams he’d be open to joining. Seattle isn’t openly shopping the 32-year old quarterback but is actively listening to offers. So what gives? Mike Silver of NFL.com noted that clarification on all of this should happen in the coming week as free agency opens. One big sticking point in this? What would Seattle do at quarterback if they did trade Wilson?
There is one strong possibility.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune got in touch with an NFL general manager to discuss the Bears’ ongoing quarterback conundrum. He would seem to fall into the category of one who thinks the chances of Wilson being traded are higher than some think. A big reason why is Chicago’s obvious desperation. Seattle stands to get a huge package in return.
“Chicago is the team that would make the most sense because that’s the team you can get the most from,” the GM said. “They’re desperate, and if I’m Seattle, I just keeping asking for more and more and more.”
In regards to Seattle’s quarterback replacement issue? One name he believes would be an obvious target is Sam Darnold. Remember head coach Pete Carroll is a USC guy. Darnold is a USC guy. The Jets QB is still just 23-years old and would be relatively cheap to acquire. Carroll said himself he believes Darnold will be a “big-time” QB eventually. Seattle dealing Wilson to Chicago and then grabbing him from New York would make a ton of sense.
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“Seattle is without all of the picks it gave up to get Jamal Adams, and by trading Russell, the Seahawks could get back that draft capital and then some from the Bears,” the GM said. “If it doesn’t work with Darnold, then they draft one in the future.”
Bears aren’t likely to wait on Russell Wilson forever
Do they want him? Yes. That much is certain. They’re prepared to pay the high price necessary to bring the seven-time Pro Bowler to Chicago. The problem is they can’t let Seattle lead them around by the nose forever. If the Seahawks keep the possibility open but refuse to move for weeks to come, the Bears could end up seeing the quarterback market dry up. Then they’d be left out in the cold with nothing.
So this is a delicate situation. GM Ryan Pace knows he must take a big swing at quarterback and Russell Wilson is his best option at present. At the same time, he can’t let the Seahawks dictate his business forever. If it’s clear they’re dragging their feet after the start of free agency, don’t be surprised if Chicago decides to move onto other options.
If momentum builds? Then we’ll know Seattle may have a plan in mind.
Darnold would make sense for them. He’s young, cheap, and experience with plenty of talent to explore. They could then use the other resources acquired from the Bears to build around him. This way both teams get what they want. Seattle is free of the Wilson headache, still get a talented QB to work with and a restocked war chest. Chicago gets their start quarterback.