Russell Wilson Trade Rumors: Analyzing Buzz After Seahawks Rebuff Bears Offer
March 17, 2021
It became clear earlier this offseason that there is a strain in the relationship between the Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Russell Wilson. The future Hall of Famer had grown frustrated with the franchise's inability to protect him, and he made his displeasure known.
This, in turn, frustrated the Seahawks.
"A source told me that the Seahawks management is not happy with Russell Wilson and his camp for taking this to the media. ... The current situation is unsustainable," Dan Patrick said on The Dan Patrick Show (h/t Rob Staton of BBC Sports).
Wilson, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, has been open to joining a handful of other franchises if the Seahawks were to move him.
This has led to plenty of trade speculation involving Wilson, and the Seahawks, it seems, have at least been open to offers.
"I know there's been calls made on both sides," ESPN's Dianna Russini said on The Pat McAfee Show. "Going to Seattle, and from Seattle to other teams."
Seattle, however, has not been actively looking to move Wilson to this point. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Seahawks have been getting calls for weeks but haven't actively engaged in any concrete trade negotiations.
"I don't get the sense at all that Seattle is engaged or negotiating or really ready to move on," Rapoport said on NFL Network.
We do know that the Seahawks have turned down offers from at least one team. The Chicago Bears, who reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with quarterback Andy Dalton, first made a hard and heavy push to acquire Wilson.
According to Adam Schefter, the Seahawks informed Chicago that they aren't interested in moving Wilson right now:
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefterChicago made "a very aggressive pursuit" of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, per sources, and the Bears were told that Seattle is not trading him at this time. The Bears were one of four teams Wilson's agent named as a place of interest. Now Chicago has an agreement with Andy Dalton.
With Seattle telling the Bears "no," it feels unlikely that Wilson will be traded this offseason. Things could always change, of course, but as Rapoport pointed out, Wilson's no-trade clause is a pivotal factor in any trade scenario. If he is only willing to join the Bears, the New Orleans Saints, the Las Vegas Raiders or the Dallas Cowboys, he may no longer be willing to waive that clause.
With Dalton in Chicago, Derek Carr in Las Vegas, Dak Prescott back in Dallas and Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill back in New Orleans, Wilson's preferred market may be closed.
It's unclear exactly what Chicago offered or if Seattle was unhappy with the offer or simply uninterested in trading Wilson at any price. A deal didn't get done, though, and it may be time to put the trade speculation to rest for the time being.
It feels like if a Wilson trade is going to happen, it won't happen until 2022 at the earliest.