Chicago Bears fans are thirsty for any update they can find on Russell Wilson. Of all the noteworthy quarterbacks out there who might be available, he seems the most realistic. If for no other reason than he listed the Bears as a team he wouldn’t mind playing for. All signs point to Chicago being all-in on acquiring the 32-year old quarterback and paying the inevitable hefty sum it would take.

What isn’t clear yet is whether the Seattle Seahawks will let it get that far. They still control the narrative of this thing. While they are listening to phone calls, which is significant in itself, it has been made clear they aren’t “shopping” him and he doesn’t “want” to be traded. What does all that mean? It feels like a careful dance between the two sides to see who blinks first. Neither wants to be seen as the villain in the eyes of Seahawks fans, responsible for this growing mess.

Is it possible this all turns out to be just a false alarm?

NFL Network insider Mike Silver, who has strong connections to the Seahawks organization, said it remains a possibility. However, he also made it clear that the relationship between Wilson and the team is far from harmonious. He termed it “absolutely frosty.” While Wilson could still have a change of heart, it seems like the two sides haven’t reached enough common ground. Whatever does end up happening, Silver believes the situation will begin to gain clarity by next week when free agency starts.

One other interesting note? A persistent argument people have made against the Bears in any trade discussions is they can’t send back a quarterback to Seattle. All they have is Nick Foles. This should automatically eliminate them, right? Silver quickly shot that down. He made sure to point out it’s possible to solve such a problem in more than one deal. If the Seahawks did make the trade with Chicago, they would likely move their attention to another quarterback on the market they could possibly trade for. Whoever that may be.

Russell Wilson ultimately controls the Bears’ hopes

He inserted them into this narrative with his initial list. He could just as easily knock them right back out. That could be done by reconciling with the Seahawks and staying put, or he could expand his list to include more teams. Either decision would likely torpedo Chicago’s hopes to land him. They need the relationship to remain the same or get even worse and the list to go unchanged. If that happens, their odds are at least believable to land him.

That is obviously asking a lot. Even so, it sounds like GM Ryan Pace is prepared to do whatever is necessary to land a quarterback. That means no pick or player is off the table. Whoever the Seahawks want in return, they are available. Make no mistake. Whatever package Chicago may end up sending Seattle would be massive. Probably three 1st round picks, one or two Day 2 picks, and a player. Franchise quarterbacks are expensive.

This is the situation they’re in.

Russell Wilson is worth it though. He is one of the five best at his position in the NFL. A genuine superstar. Acquiring him gives the Bears a window of around 5-7 years of peak quarterback play, during which they can make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl. This is something Chicago hasn’t seen in many decades. They deserve it.