Seahawks: Trading Russell Wilson to Bears not out of the question

The Chicago Bears are making acquiring Russell Wilson a “top priority” this offseason. Would the Seattle Seahawks really trade their quarterback? And if so, why? Do the Bears really have enough to entice Seattle to trade the best quarterback in Seahawks franchise history?

Seattle would also be on the hook for a ton of dead cap space. $39 million, in fact – three-fifths of the $65 million signing bonus he was paid. If Wilson is traded before June 1st, all $39 million be would owed in 2021. But if traded after June 1st, $13 million in dead money would be owed in 2021 and $26 million in 2022. That kind of hit, coupled with Seattle already being up against the cap, makes a trade of Wilson unlikely.

But these rumors of Wilson going elsewhere also aren’t going away. Adam Schefter tweeted that there were four teams Wilson might be willing to go. Wilson and his agent Mark Rodgers certainly aren’t doing anything to quell Wilson wanting out of Seattle. General manager John Schneider is always willing to listen to offers that might make the team better. But it is difficult to try to figure out what Wilson’s end game is.

Is Wilson trying to force the Seahawks to improve their offensive line? If so, it isn’t like Seattle hasn’t tried to get a better o-line over the years, the team just seems to make bad personnel decisions. A lot of draft capital has gone towards those who play in front of Wilson and Seattle has brought in free agents that have worked out to varying degrees.

For Seattle trading Wilson this offseason puts to rest any great potential next year. Another player under center isn’t going to be as good as Wilson and therefore the team is going to be diminished. But after 2021 Seattle would have a bunch of cap space and if spent correctly, Seattle could add several players of quality to improve lots of different position groups.

Would a trade of Russell Wilson make the Seahawks better?

But any trade of Wilson would have to include draft picks and the Bears don’t have an abundance of first-round picks. They have one first-rounder in 2021 and one in 2022 and one in 2023 and so on. But those aren’t going to be low picks because the Bears aren’t a bad team even without having Wilson.

The Bears, for instance, have the number 20 pick in the 2021 draft. While that is higher than Seattle would have chosen had they still had their first-round choice, number 20 also isn’t likely to bring in a player that is going to change the team.

Finally, though 12s love Russell Wilson, at what point does he begin to wear thin because he doesn’t simply come out and say, “I don’t want to be traded.” Wilson is fanning the flames a bit and seems to be doing so intentionally. He wasn’t good at the end of the 2020 season and Wilson deserves some of the blame for that. The Seahawks need to be better in 2021 but so does Russell Wilson.