Finally quieting the Russell Wilson trade circus? Plus, Seahawks’ chances to upgrade OL
Will this (finally) end it?
Probably not.
Then again, “it” never was.
The Chicago Bears, those alleged hot pursuers to trade for Russell Wilson even though the Seahawks were not trading Russell Wilson, agreed on Tuesday to sign Andy Dalton as their quarterback instead for 2021.
Chicago’s deal for the former starter with Cincinnati is worth $10 million for one season, according to multiple reports including from ESPN.
“Chicago made ‘a very aggressive pursuit’ of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday afternoon, “and the Bears were told that Seattle is not trading him at this time.”
Or any time.
Same as it was in January. Same as it was in February.
Same as it was when Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, gave the Seahawks four teams (the Cowboys, Raiders, Bears and Saints) Wilson would welcome a trade to—if the Seahawks wanted to trade him.
They never did.
Yet that “if” kept getting ignored, like it never existed.
Forget the crushing, $39 million salary-cap charge—nearly one-fourth its entire cap for 2021—Seattle would have taken by trading Wilson.
Trading Wilson would have left the Seahawks without the best and most successful player, the franchise’s only Super Bowl champion, at the sport’s most important position.
It would have left Seattle without any quarterback. Veteran backup Geno Smith is a free agent.
This circus gained noise after Wilson created a lot of it himself. He said last month during an online Zoom call with Seattle media members: “I’m frustrated with getting hit too much.”
Since then, the Seahawks have hired Shane Waldron from the Rams’ offensive staff as a first-time coordinator. Coach Pete Carroll picked Waldron to install Los Angeles’ quicker, run-based, passing game.
In theory, that approach with more use of play-action and bootleg passes, tight ends and quicker crossing routes will help Seattle’s pass protection of Wilson simply by not requiring the team’s blockers to pass block as long. Not for as long as they had to last season during all of Wilson’s and the Seahawks’ deep-throwing. He finished the season again among the league’s most sacked QBs.
Wilson was quick to point out last month he’s been sacked 394 times in his nine seasons leading the Seahawks. That’s the most in NFL history over the first nine years of a quarterback’s career.
The second phase of the Seahawks’ attempts to address Wilson’s frustration is to replace two of the five starting offensive linemen for 2021. Center Ethan Pocic’s contract is expired. He’s a free agent. Left guard Mike Iupati said last month he’s retiring.
Seattle’s second phase got an unexpected break on the second day of the always surprising NFL free-agent market.
Out of nowhere, the Las Vegas Raiders surprised the league by deciding on Tuesday to part ways with three-time Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson.
Initially, it was widely reported the Raiders were going to release Hudson. Then just as the league year and official transactions began at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Las Vegas reportedly traded Hudson and a seventh-round draft choice to the Arizona Cardinals for a third-round pick.
The Seahawks have only four picks in next month’s draft. They needed the Raiders to release rather than trade Hudson, to get him into the open market of free agency and perhaps craft an attractive bid.
Their rival Cardinals foiled that.
Monday, the Seahawks missed out on the best and most-expensive center in free agency. Corey Linsley, the 29-year-old All-Pro from the Green Bay Packers, signed with the Los Angeles Chargers for a price Seattle couldn’t match: five years, $62 million with $17 million guaranteed at signing, according to ESPN.
That looked like the best chance for the Seahawks to replace Pocic at center.
Hudson was seen as a second chance. Until he wasn’t.
He turns 32 in July. At his age and at his position of constant pounding, he would have been more likely to sign a shorter-term deal.
A shorter-term deal such as Alex Mack’s with San Francisco, another NFC West rival of Seattle’s. Mack got a deal reportedly worth $5.5 million for one year.
Short-term deals fit Seattle’s plans better than Linsley’s deal ever could. Carroll and general manager John Schneider prefer shorter, less-expensive signings for their Seahawks in the secondary waves of each year’s free-agency period.
This year, with only four draft picks and $17 million in cap space, the second phases of free agency are particularly important for them to hit on.
The Seahawks could have created more cap space by restructuring some of their most expensive contracts, including Wilson’s $19 million salary for this year. Carroll and Schneider have so far chosen not to do that, so as to not create increased cap charges for those expensive players in 2022 and ‘23.
So now, onto the next.
David Andrews, the New England Patriots’ starting center the last five seasons, reportedly is heading to free agency after declining multiple contract offers from the Pats. He’s 28.
Seattle has $17.1 million in salary-cap space, per overthecap.com. That doesn’t count a couple million the Seahawks needs o set aside for its scant four choices in next month’s draft. Sixteen NFL teams, half the league, entered this week with more buying power under the salary cap.
The Seahawks still have affordable chances to upgrade a prioritized position—and to keep Wilson happy.
Or at least happier.
This story was originally published March 16, 2021 at 3:39 PM.
