Although it seems more likely that a trade of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would happen next year at the earliest, the situation seems to be developing quickly. Fueled by Wilson’s blunt but tactful comments to Dan Patrick, some are wondering whether a trade could happen in 2021.
The cap charge for the Seahawks makes a 2021 trade difficult, but not impossible. Before June 1, the Seahawks would take a $39 million cap acceleration by trading Wilson. After June 1, the Seahawks would carry $13 million this year and $26 million in 2022. With little or no offseason program expected for the second straight offseason, waiting to trade Wilson until after June 1 wouldn’t be as nutty as it would be in a normal year.
So if a trade were to happen, where would Wilson go? The folks at PointsBet have set the odds.
The favorite is the Raiders, at +450. Next come the Cowboys, with +650.
The Jaguars land at +750, which presumably would entail a trade of the first overall pick to Seattle. Next comes Washington at +800, the 49ers at +900 (that ain’t happening), the Broncos at +1000, the Colts at +1100, and the Dolphins at +1300.
Keep an eye on the Cowboys. That’s a team that has been on the radar screen as a potential Wilson destination for a while. And it actually makes plenty of sense for 2022, if the Cowboys can’t reach a long-term deal with Dak Prescott.
Given that the Cowboys would have to offer a 44-percent raise over Prescott’s $37 million franchise tender in 2021 to tag him a third time, that could be the moment at which the Cowboys make a play for someone like Wilson.
But that could be too late. Wilson has launched a multi-pronged media assault, and he’s winning. No one is mad at Wilson for saying what he said on Tuesday, and fans and media seem to agree with his concern that the Seahawks haven’t put enough talent around him over the past several years.