On the heels of Tom Brady switching from the New England Patriots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and winning a Super Bowl in the process, multiple other elite quarterbacks are now taking their destinies into their own hands.
A few weeks ago, rumors began to surface of Russell Wilson’s dissatisfaction with the Seattle Seahawks. At first, it seemed like a problem that would work itself out. As the situation has progressed, however, it has becoming increasingly clear that there are some very real issues here.
On Friday, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler appeared on Get Up and described a trade as “an inevitability.”
“Several high-ranking people I’ve spoken to believe [a Russell Wilson trade] is an inevitability, maybe not this off-season, but next off-season because of the growing tension that isn’t right now, it’s been a couple years.”
—@JFowlerESPN pic.twitter.com/g5ApbDTbZT
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 26, 2021
“Several high-ranking people I’ve spoken to believe [a Wilson trade] is an inevitability, maybe not this off-season, but next off-season because of the growing tension that isn’t right now, it’s been a couple years,” he said.
Assuming Wilson gets his wish, who can make a move for him?
According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys are a feasible option.
“What the Cowboys would have to give up: Multiple first-round picks at the least,” he wrote.
“The Cowboys have the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, which would help, but they would have to give up future first-rounders if not more picks and maybe some players just to land him. And if you’re asking about trading Dak Prescott, well, they can’t.
“He’s a free agent and even if they place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year, Prescott would have to sign the tender before any trade could be facilitated. He effectively could shut down any trade talk simply by saying no or making sure Seattle meets every financial demand he would have.”
Will Wilson really be any more satisfied in Dallas than he is in Seattle? It’s debatable. His main issue with the Seahawks is the awful pass protection he has been forced to endure, but as the Cowboys showed last year, they’re not great in that department either.
Some of Wilson’s beef with Seattle is understandable. Since 2012, he leads the league in both sacks taken with 394 and quarterback scrambles with 430. A quarterback needs to be protected, and clearly the Seahawks are doing a bad job in that department. Of course, it’s also worth noting that some of the blame falls on Wilson as well. His playing style lends itself to more sacks and quarterback scrambles.
Also complicating matters is the fact that Wilson is one of just eight players in the NFL with a no-trade clause. That means Seattle can’t just move him to the highest bidder – it has to be a place he wants to go.
There is also the Ciara Element that needs to be taken into account. Wilson has seemingly embraced his wife’s Hollywood lifestyle over the past few years, and that may motivate him to switch to a high-profile situation like the Cowboys even if it doesn’t actually result in a more improved football situation.
Mind you, this is a guy who recently went on Ellen and openly discussed what happens in the bedroom between him and his wife. Clearly this isn’t the same Russell Wilson that came into the league in 2012.
LaMelo has found a nifty trick for picking up Instagram models. https://t.co/4y9uyWxlAe
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 25, 2021
There is a movement in the NFL right now where superstars, like Brady, Wilson and Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans, are dictating where they want to go and on what terms.
How this movement will impact what happens to Wilson, as well as the NFL long-term, remains to be seen.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
