The Seattle Seahawks – a fixture near or atop the NFC West for the last decade – are about to embark on a total rebuild. There’s no other way to characterize the decision by owner Jody Allen, general manager John Schneider, and coach Pete Carroll to trade Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
NFL Network first reported the trade, which will result in the Seahawks acquiring Wilson for “multiple first-round draft picks, plus additional picks and players.” The terms of the trade were later reported to be QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris, the ninth and 40th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Denver’s first in 2023, a second-rounder in 2023, and a 2022 fifth-rounder in return for Wilson and a 2022 fourth-rounder.
Seattle Seahawks set for total rebuild after Russell Wilson trade
Wilson in 10 seasons with the Seahawks won one Super Bowl, reached another, threw 292 touchdowns, and was a nine-time Pro Bowler.
There’s simply no player available this year, either via free agency, the trade, or in the draft, who can replace that. So perhaps the Seahawks don’t even try — at least right now.
After trading Wilson and his $26 million dead cap figure at the start of the league year next week, the Seahawks’ projected quarterback depth chart will have just two names: Lock and Jacob Eason. Geno Smith, Wilson’s backup in 2021, is a free agent.
Perhaps the Seahawks bring Smith back and have him compete with Lock. None of the available free agent options — Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater, and Marcus Mariota, among others — are particularly inspiring.
Plus, the loss of Wilson in the locker room could lead to a Seahawks exodus. Both starting tackles from 2021 are free agents. So is safety Quandre Diggs. Bobby Wagner would free up more than $16 million if cut.
And with over $30 million in projected cap space in 2022 plus the haul of draft picks, Schneider has a rare opportunity to completely overhaul a roster that was talent deficient in 2021.
The 2023 draft is expected to be far more quarterback-rich than this year’s, so it’s not hard to envision the Seahawks using this season as a “strategic rebuild” (cough, cough, tank) year, and then being set up to build around a young quarterback next year.
The only hiccup in this plan? Carroll is already 70 years old. Does he have the longevity to see through a total rebuild? Stay tuned.