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The Seattle Seahawks squashed Russell Wilson trade rumors for another offseason, but speculation about a blockbuster deal involving the All-Pro quarterback could return before long.
NFL teams reached out to the Seahawks in February inquiring about a potential move. But Seattle quickly rejected those attempts, planning to keep their superstar quarterback. But when Wilson publicly expressed frustration with the roster and privately leaked his feelings of distrust in coach Pete Carroll, things changed.
The Seahawks began listening to offers, with the Chicago Bears becoming the immediate favorite to land him. Chicago’s desperation for a franchise-changing quarterback led to the organization making a very aggressive offer. After careful consideration, the Seahawks turned it down.
Related: Seattle Seahawks eyeing a big move to avoid Russell Wilson trade
Seattle traded for Gabe Jackson, an upgrade on the interior offensive line, hired Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator after some conversations with Wilson and signed tight end Gerald Everett. The front office was taking the steps to create a better situation for the face of the franchise and Wilson is now staying in 2021.
There still might be slight reason for other clubs to be hopeful. While the eight-time Pro Bowl selection will be in Seattle this year, the door is open for a trade in the future.
Will the Seahawks trade Russell Wilson?
NBC Sports’ Peter King wrote that the Seahawks never got close to trading Wilson and trade talks are unlikely to return this season. However, King does believe there’s a chance Wilson could be dealt next offseason with talks picking up in February 2022.
Read More: NFL exec puts surprise team ‘in driver’s seat’ for Russell Wilson trade
Seattle’s situation would be somewhat similar to that of the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers. By waiting another year, both teams will both have a chance to compete for the Super Bowl this year and can use the 2021 season to determine if their title window is still open. If they fall short, a rebuild becomes a real possibility.
If Seattle traded Wilson this spring, it would result in a $39 million dead cap hit. In a year where the NFL salary cap plummeted, that’s a cost the organization can’t justify. However, moving on from Wilson in 2022 via a blockbuster trade would carry just a $26 million cap hit and the Seahawks would likely still net a haul of draft picks for him.
Related: Russell Wilson encouraging Seattle Seahawks to land star player
For now, there’s no reason for the front office to rush this. The team is showing a greater commitment to building an offense that can produce more consistently and they might not be done adding pieces. If things go really well, with Seattle set to have more than $60 million in cap space next offseason, perhaps they even consider sticking with Wilson even longer.