The Denver Broncos weren’t shy when they gave Seattle two first-round draft picks, two second-rounders and a fifth-round selection PLUS QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant and DT Shelby Harris in exchange for Seahawks starting quarterback Russell Wilson and a fourth-round selection.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranks the Broncos’ deal the best quarterback move of the offseason.
“Did Denver give up a massive haul? Sure,” Benjamin starts. “But the notion (cliche?) that you can’t possibly overpay for a franchise QB rings true here, particularly because a.) Denver is positioned to compete; and b.) Wilson is definitively a top-10 talent under center. If his occasional turnover bouts or injury-riddled 2021 stretch suggest he’s not quite the perennial MVP candidate he’s long been, Wilson still brings immeasurable poise and an undeniable track record to a city that’s been hunting for answers since Peyton Manning.”
As for the Seahawks’ acquisition of Lock??? Well, Benjamin ranked that “get” way down his list of notable trades and signings at No. 11.
“Seattle insists he wasn’t a throw-in as part of the Wilson deal, and it’s true that Lock, just 25 with a strong arm, could make for a decent underdog project, especially if Pete Carroll allows him to lean on the run,” Benjamin argues. “But the O-line isn’t exactly built to win there, and we saw how poorly Lock folded in the face of pressure in Denver.
“No matter, because the real questions in Seattle surround what the team does with all the extra draft picks from Russ’s departure.”
