The clock is ticking on the Seattle Seahawks to sign Russell Wilson to a long-term extension before he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
Set to count just $1.7 million against the cap in 2015, Wilson is slated to receive a rather large payday in the not-so-distant future. If the two sides cannot come to a solution on an extension, the Super Bowl-winning signal caller will likely have the franchise tag placed on him next March, which would guarantee him over $20 million for the 2016 season.
For the record, Wilson doesn’t seem to be too worried about his deal.
I’ve been fortunate enough to win a lot of games at such a young age and to be able to play with some great guys and have some great comeback wins and win a Super Bowl, and go to back to back Super Bowls.” Wilson said, via the Everett Herald. “It’s been special. So that’s what I focus on. I focus on the next opportunity that I have. The rest will come. I believe God is going to bless me. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I trust always. And I trust it’s going to work out the way it’s supposed to.”
There was some talk towards the end of this past season that Wilson would receive the largest contract in league history when the year concluded. That talk has since subsided.
One thing is readily apparent. Any thought that Wilson would take a contract structured similarly to division-rival Colin Kaepernick can be thrown out the window. The six-year, $114 million extension San Francisco’s quarterback signed last June called for $61 million guaranteed. However, those guarantees are given on an annual basis and the 49ers can get out from under Kaepernick’s contract prior to April each year without a cap hit the following season.
Instead, there’s been talk that Wilson may in fact be looking at a fully guaranteed contract, which would be the first of its kind on a long-term deal.
Currently $12.5 million under the cap, Seattle isn’t necessarily in position to give Wilson a long-term deal with a high cap number in 2015. It still has to designate some of that to the 2015 NFL draft class. In addition to this, teams generally like to go into the season with $5 million in cap room in case something comes up.
Though, it’s important to note that general manager John Schneider has the flexibility to make room under the cap in order to get something done with Wilson. Seattle could also sign the young signal caller to a long-term deal with very little impact on the team’s 2015 cap.
In short, the team could realistically get something done in the coming months.
Considering Wilson is under contract for the 2015 season and Seattle possesses the ability to franchise him for two consecutive seasons, this isn’t necessarily something the team needs to get done immediately. The issue with actually waiting to get Wilson locked in long term is that continued on-field success would up his price tag moving forward.
It could also lead to the Indianapolis Colts setting the market with a long-term extension for Andrew Luck—a contract Wilson will want to surpass.
Seattle does have a history of locking up its young players a year early. It did this with the likes of Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman in the past. If the team is sold on Wilson as its franchise quarterback (no reason not to be), it might be in its best interest to get something done sooner rather than later.
With months remaining until the start of training camp, there’s still time for both sides to come to terms on a deal. Any continued delay could potentially lead some to believe the gap between Wilson and the Seahawks is larger than originally anticipated.
Photo: USA Today Sports