Broncos' Russell Wilson Says Seahawks Tried to Trade Him 'a Couple of Times'

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson confirmed Thursday that the Seattle Seahawks tried to trade him multiple times before ultimately dealing the signal-caller in March.

"Definitely they tried to, a couple of times...tried to see what was out there,'' Wilson said Thursday before practice, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.

"It's part of the business, being a professional and everything else. ... I believe in my talents, of who I am. I feel I'm one of the best in the world."

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, played his first 10 NFL seasons with the Seahawks. He won the Super Bowl during his second NFL campaign in 2013.

ESPN's Brady Henderson did a deep dive into the drama behind the scenes that led to Seattle trading Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick for quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, tight end Noah Fant, the Broncos' first- and second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 plus a 2022 fifth-rounder.

Of note, Henderson revealed that the Seahawks tried to trade Wilson to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Before that, general manager John Schneider had reportedly gone to Wyoming to check out eventual Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who was taken seventh overall in that draft. The year before, Schneider had visited Texas Tech for a look at future Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.

That did not please the Wilson camp, which was reportedly "f--king pissed" due to those trips.

Things smoothed over enough for Wilson to sign a four-year, $140 million extension with the team in April 2019, and that included a no-trade clause.

But two years later, Wilson went public on the Dan Patrick Show about some frustrations he had with the team, including his desire to have more input on personnel and the team's consistent offensive line struggles.

In the aftermath of that interview, Henderson reported that Schneider and Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, "began discussing potential trade destinations and, according to sources on both sides, had a heated exchange about which teams would be in play."

Later in February, Rodgers told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Wilson, who hadn't requested a trade, would welcome a deal to the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders or Chicago Bears.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was against the idea of trading Wilson, but that reportedly changed after the 2021 campaign, when the coach and player started talking about a deal.

"That's when s--t got real," a source told Henderson.

Wilson soon found himself in Denver, where he'll look to lead a Broncos team with a promising future under new ownership and a first-year head coach in ex-Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

As for the Seahawks, they're in rebuilding mode after getting rid of their franchise player as well as their defensive superstar in linebacker Bobby Wagner.