Russell Wilson was said to be unhappy with the Seattle Seahawks’ organization last offseason, but the two sides worked out their differences before the 2021 season and the star QB remained in Seattle.
Now, as NFL free agency approaches, Wilson “wants to explore his options,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The 33-year-old quarterback has not demanded a trade, but it certainly appears that he’s open to the possibility.
“Russ wants to know his options,” Wilson said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show last Friday. “I’m not saying he’s definitely going to go, but he wants to look around and see.”
Rapoport went on to note that even if a team offered the Seahawks three first-round picks for Wilson, Seattle would need to have a replacement at quarterback in order to move on from Wilson.
“I wouldn’t rule out a trade, but it has to be a no-brainer, and they have to know the answer to the next question [of who becomes the new QB],” Rapoport said.
It’s hard to imagine Seattle viewing Drew Lock as a suitable replacement for Wilson, but Broncos general manager George Paton could offer the team’s ninth overall draft pick (perhaps a prime spot to target a QB). Denver also has four other picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft, plus future first-round picks that could be offered.
The Broncos will probably show interest in Aaron Rodgers if the Green Bay Packers make him available via trade, but Wilson is five years younger and arguably a more intriguing potential target for Denver.
It remains to be seen if either quarterback will actually end up hitting the trade block this offseason, but Paton should do his due diligence on both QBs. The Broncos made multiple trade offers for Matthew Stafford last year, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Paton be active in trade talks again this offseason.
