John Schneider, Pete Carroll Explain Josh Wilson Deal

Pete Carroll and John Schneider both addressed the media at the VMAC yesterday. It was a very busy day for the Seattle Seahawks; the team finalized a deal that sent Josh Wilson to Baltimore, acquired an offensive tackle from Detroit, and restructured Leroy Hill’s contract.

The most unexpected move of the day came when Josh Wilson was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for a conditional fifth-round pick.

“This is an opportunity for us that came along to us because of our depth,” Pete Carroll said, regarding Wilson. “And our situation at the cornerback position that we’re very happy with, with the play of Tru and Kelly Jennings, Walter Thurmond and Roy Lewis. Josh is a great kid and we love him and all of that. But this is a team that really came after him, and it happened very quickly.”

John Schneider, Seattle’s general manager, mostly agreed with Carroll: “Josh has been a factor here for several years now, and has done a great job in the community and everything. He’s very well respected. This was a team that was very aggressive in coming after Josh. They have a situation where they have a strong need. And as Pete said, it has more to do with the way Walter has stepped up, and the way Tru is playing and some of the younger guys.”

Surprisingly, the front office seems excited about the deal.

“It was one of those deals that comes along,” Schneider told reporters. “We get calls on players and we don’t do everything. But this was one of those deals we felt like we couldn’t pass up.”

The Seahawks received a conditional fifth-round pick for Wilson, but the final compensation will likely be a fourth-round pick based on Wilson’s expected contributions in Baltimore. A lot of fans think the Seahawks should have gotten more in return, but Schneider believes the trade met Wilson’s current market value.

“The market is different at different times,” he said. “Randy Moss was traded for a fourth-round pick. So it fluctuates. And right now with Josh in terms of value, we felt like it was at a level with him being an unrestricted free agent next year that it was at a point we felt was definitely fair.”

In the same volatile market only a few years ago, the Seahawks spent a first-round pick to acquire Deion Branch. Hopefully this deal works out better for the team.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
Follow 12th Man Rising