The Seattle Seahawks season is ending with a thud. This was the make-or-break year that fans and pundits alike thought the Seahawks could finally make it to the NFC Championship game.
Then the season started. Reality set in and the Seahawks are officially out of the playoffs with two games left.
The Seahawks are now facing a crossroads unlike any that have come before under Jody Allen, Pete Carroll, and John Schneider. What do you do? How do you retool, rebuild, and create a championship team after such an abysmal season?
Five trades the Seattle Seahawks might make involving Russell Wilson
The way I see it, there are 4 ways the Seahawks off-season will go:
- Judy Allen will fire both Pete Carroll and John Schneider and keep Russell Wilson. This choice will allow Wilson more input on the key decisions, including picking the next head coach.
- Judy Allen will fire one of Pete and John and try to keep Russell Wilson. This will be difficult. Wilson seems tired of Pete’s philosophy and lack of ability to change. Schneider is tired of Wilson’s agent constantly causing issues publicly.
- Judy Allen will clean house and trade Russell Wilson to recoup assets and start a full-on rebuild.
- Seahawks will run it back as Pete Carroll mentioned in his press conference on Monday. There will be little to no changes made.
The last option is the most concerning to me. The ship has been slowly sinking over the last few seasons. Poor roster building, bad draft choices, and an archaic system have kept the Seahawks from being truly competitive. The reset in 2018 didn’t work. I don’t trust this reset to be any different, especially considering the team doesn’t have a first-round pick this year.
There are significant rumors that Russell Wilson and the Seahawks may simply be at a crossroads where it’s best for both parties to wash hands and go their separate ways. The bad taste in all their mouths has left a need for change.
If that is the case, let’s look at the potential hauls Seattle could receive in return. I used the draft trade value chart from Over The Cap to help keep the trade values similar. I used contract remaining, positional value, and the players talent level to assign a value for any player’s involved in trades.
Trade 1: New Orleans Saints
The Saints are a team with tremendous talent all over but without a true signal-caller. They house a top 5 defense and one of the best running backs, and offensive lines in the league.
They also house a top-tier head coach in Sean Payton and a salary cap guru in the back office. Trust me, the salary cap guru part is important. They have some major hurdles that will need to be made to make this work with their cap situation going into the 2022 season.
However, if the Saints believe they can win it all with Russell Wilson, they are not a team that shies away from these types of bold moves. With one of the most loyal fan bases behind the coaching staff, this has lots of potential in New Orleans.
What a potential trade could look like for the Seahawks:
Seahawks receive:
- 2022: 1st, 2nd, 4th (picks 15, 46, and 102).
- 2023: 1st, 2nd, 6th.
- CB Marshon Lattimore.
Saints receive:
- QB Russell Wilson.
For Seattle, this gives Seattle a mid-1st, mid-2nd, 4th round selection in 2022. It also offers a likely late 1st and 2nd round pick in 2023. The main draw would be Seattle acquiring an elite cornerback with 5 years, and 70.5 million left on his contract. The Saints would eat the $20 million signing bonus (spread over two years) much in the way Seattle will with Wilson in this trade.
Grades:
Seahawks: B-
Saints: A-
Trade 2: Denver Broncos
It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos have been starved for a franchise QB since Peyton Manning retired. They were heavily involved last off-season as a potential landing spot for Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. When those trades fell apart, they made a move for QB Teddy Bridgewater.
However, that acquisition has not panned out. Bridgewater is likely to be onto his fourth team in four years and the Broncos roster is set to win now. The team needs its franchise signal-caller to take the team forward.
They figure to be huge players in the trade market this off-season.
What a potential trade could look like for the Seahawks:
Seahawks receive:
- 2022: 1st, 2nd, and 2nd round selections (picks 11, 42, and 59).
- 2023: 1st, 2nd round selections.
- 2024: 4th round selection.
- QB Drew Lock.
Broncos receive:
- QB Russell Wilson.
- 2024: 5th round pick.
This trade offers Seattle ammunition during the meat of this draft (the top 50 picks) and a couple of likely late-round selections next year. It also offers potential at the QB, although not a sure-fire starter.
As a Seahawk fan, I would not be thrilled about this trade. It leaves Seattle no better off than it is currently. Bronco fans should be thrilled about this move if it were to come to fruition. However, Russell Wilson has a no-trade clause and pegged this as a preferred destination. He can control where he goes a trade happens.
Grades:
Seahawks: B-
Broncos: B+
Trade 3: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are in a very similar situation to the Saints. They have a very talented roster with the team thoroughly built to win now. However, they are unsure if their current starter(s) is the guy. Both Jalen Hurts and Gardner Minshew have shown flashes of brilliance and shown their flaws along the way.
The Eagles would make this trade to ensure they have their signal-caller locked down for the next several years as they try to capitalize on a very expensive, and an aging roster. For Russell Wilson, who is trying as hard as he can to win now, this is a very good fit. A great offensive line, a good defense, with solid running back play.
What a potential trade could look like for the Seahawks:
Seahawks receive:
- 2022: 1st, 1st (picks 14 and 19), 5th
- 2023: 1st, 3rd
- Choice of QB: Jalen Hurts or Gardner Minshew
Eagles receive:
- QB Russell Wilson
For the Seahawks, I would argue this is the best value so far. They receive three first-round selections and a QB they can start next year. It allows the team to use the acquired draft capital to purely focus on the other needs on the roster (O-line, D-line, RB, DB, etc.).
This draft is not a good one for quarterbacks. The value of Hurts or Minshew being received amplifies this haul.
Grades:
Seahawks: B
Eagles: B+
Trade 4: New York Giants
Finally, a New York team making a headline. The Giants have been a dumpster fire since Eli Manning won the Super Bowl. The current regime has been under immense pressure and heavy fire from fans to make something happen.
The fans are desperate for hope and this is close to the largest market team in the NFL. If the Giants have any chance of keeping the fans from completely turning on the ownership group, they will need to make a splash play.
Russell Wilson wants more power in an organization. What could be better than him more or less operating step for step with a GM and HC that he hand picks. This team offers Wilson the best chance to have as close to full autonomy on roster construction as he will get.
What a potential trade could look like for the Seahawks:
Seahawks receive:
- 2022: 1st, 1st, 3rd (picks 5, 8, and 67)
- 2023: 1st, 2nd
- RB Saquon Barkley
Giants receive:
- QB Russell Wilson
The first trade that the Seahawks could actually win. The Giants are desperate. Desperate teams make desperate trades. The Giants need to give their fans hope and are honestly in the best position to make this happen.
The Seahawks get two early first-round picks to target true blue-chip players as well as ammo for the following season. Saquon Barkley has struggled since his rookie year due to injuries. However, the talent is still there. This could be a huge buy-low on the former top two selection.
The biggest downside would be that Seattle does not receive a QB back in return. This would be a full rebuild with both free agency and the draft devoid of any real QB’s to insert.
Seattle could use some of the capital received to try and trade for Gardner Minshew, Jalen Hurts, Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Drew Lock, Kellen Mond, or Tua Tagovailoa.
Grades:
Seahawks: A-
Giants: B (A+ in terms of fan happiness)
Trade 5: Cleveland Browns
This is the only team that wasn’t on Russell Wilson’s dream destinations list. However, what if a pitch came together that painted Wilson winning a championship so clearly that he couldn’t turn it down.
I mean really, is it that far off? If you removed Cleveland Browns from the name and simply looked at their roster it’s built to accentuate Wilson’s strengths. One of the best offensive lines, if not the best in the NFL. The top running back duo in the league. A top-tier defense. Enough money to sign a top-tier receiver in free agency like Devante Adams.
What a potential trade could look like for the Seahawks:
Seahawks receive:
- 2022: 1st round pick (pick 13)
- 2023: 1st and 3rd round picks
- QB Baker Mayfield
Browns receive:
- QB Russell Wilson
- 2023: 5th round pick
Baker Mayfield has not shown to be an All-Star level talent. However, he has shown to be more than serviceable. Exactly what Pete Carroll needs from his quarterback. Next season is Mayfield’s final under contract. A try-out more or less in Seattle’s offense.
If he receives an extension it should be the mid-range area for quarterbacks right around $30-$33 million APY. That is a healthy enough number that the team has a solid starter but not expensive enough that it will cripple the team. This trade offers the most upside of any of the quarterbacks received back in the previously mentioned trades.
If a Russell Wilson makes it clear he isn’t coming back and the organization decides they are not rebuilding (keep both Pete Carroll and John Schneider), this trade keeps Seattle relevant. The team will simply need to make the most out of those picks if this is going to be viewed as a win a few years down the line
Grades:
Seahawks: I will let you decide
Browns: B+