Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson don’t want to talk about the likelihood that the quarterback will be traded in two months, but Wilson’s words make it pretty clear that is a strong possibility and Carroll did not deny it even as he tried to downplay it.
Wilson keeps saying he “hopes” to stay in Seattle, but why would he say that when he controls his destiny? If he plans to decline any trade, he should simply say, “I am staying.”
So, when he says he “hopes” to be back, it means he either has conditions in mind or is simply lying. But what conditions? Wilson’s poor play (before and after the finger injury) is the main reason the Seahawks underachieved more than perhaps any club in franchise history. Any complaints he might have about the roster around him can be turned back on him twofold.
Wilson does not want to seem like the bad guy, so it’s quite possible he is lying about his “hopes” with the thought that the Seahawks will take the heat for choosing to get rid of him.
We all know his agent did the dirty work last year of approaching the Seahawks about a trade and offering four teams Wilson would be willing to go to. A deal seemingly could have been made with Chicago, with Carroll the only one who apparently stood in the way – meaning Jody Allen, John Schneider and Wilson all were on board.
Carroll possibly has changed his mind after a year and a half of watching Wilson not sustain any quality play against decent defenses. A good study by Mike Sando of The Athletic shows how Wilson has played much worse over the past 25 games than he did over the 25 games before that.
But, with a game remaining in this lost season, Carroll does not want to admit it is time to send Wilson along.
A day after Wilson threw four TD passes in a blowout of Detroit, Carroll told 710 ESPN he does not pay attention to rumors that Wilson is willing to leave: “I know what’s going on. I don’t need to follow the agenda somebody has out there to try to create and stir stuff up.”
He later told reporters, “The kind of conversations (Wilson and I) have behind the scenes are not in line with the rumors. Not at all. We’ve been talking, we’ve been together and connected throughout this whole season. That’s why it’s easy to dismiss those at this time.”
The key phrase, of course, is “at this time.” He also told 710 ESPN, “We’ll go about our offseason when the time comes.” Well, March is just around the corner. The time is coming.
We think Carroll and Wilson will part ways (reluctantly, perhaps) and Carroll will continue to run the Seahawks with a new veteran QB procured by Schneider. Reading into what the coach and QB have said (and declined to say), it seems pretty clear they are thinking the same thing. They just don’t want to admit it.
“I don’t want to talk about that,” Wilson said after the 51-29 wipeout of a terrible Lions team. “You can’t put me in a bad mood.”
If only Seahawks fans could say the same to him.
Wilson’s numbers this season have been similar to past years, but the Hawks have 10 losses largely because he was not consistent, not clutch and, for half of it, not totally healthy. As we have said many times, Wilson is an explosive but limited player who needs strong backing from his running game and defense to have consistent success.
So, how does that affect his value around the league?
One personnel guy told Sando: “I would still put him in Tier 1, but I feel like he is trending more to that high-level 2. I don’t see him being that ‘blue’ guy right now. … If he is in a situation where there is a good line, I think he can be just as good as any of those high Tier 2 guys, and he may give you flashes of those blue-level quarterbacks.”
A team executive told Sando: “I think you have to assume he is a declining player. Having said that, recent history is full of examples of older quarterbacks who had a down year and came back to play incredibly well.”
We have said Wilson still should net at least four picks/players, including at least two first-rounders.
One exec told Sando: “I think it would take at least two ones and a player — maybe three ones.” Matthew Stafford cost the Rams two first-rounders, a third and QB Jared Goff. The exec called that deal “pretty informative, but it would be more than that.”
We’ll find out within the next two months – and then Carroll and Wilson finally can feel free to talk about it.
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 
Wilson is getting old. He isn’t the same young player with the speed and agility that got him out of trouble many times in the past, to find open players downfield.
His speed and quickness to roll out of the pocket compensated for his short statute to see open receivers over the middle. Lets face it, Russel is to short to see over the towering men fighting in the trench from the pocket.
Now that Wilson is older, he has lost that advantage, quickness, agility and speed to dodge defense players.
I believe the defense coaches all know R. Wilson’s weaknesses and strengthens. The defense always seems to have players sitting on the edge, looking for Wilson to rollout of the pocket when in trouble, to quickly shut him down.
Wilson has taken many sacks in his career. He may have old leg injuries that have slowed him down over the years. Might be the right time to trade Russel while the Hawks while they can get good value for him ?
I’m not a R. Wilson hater. I just don’t see were Russel has developed new plays to make his game stronger.
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I don’t think Russ has evolved as Pete hoped he would. He still has similar strengths and weaknesses as early in his career, except now he has lost the quickness. I think we already saw his peak, better to trade him a year too early than a year too late.
He needs a strong run game to be effective, with a D that can shut down the other team until Russ gets rolling in a game.
That sounds like a QB that is replaceable for a lot less $.
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Agreed, guys
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I will add a few comments about the status of Wilson. If his agent is directing the Florio/Cowherd comments, then he has to go. That amounts to treason, and you cannot have a locker room with that type of cancer inside it. It would also explain why ex-players seem to be coming out in support of Carroll and non are for Russ (unless Jake Heaps counts….).
I also remember something someone told me a long time ago. If you are unsure of an employee, get rid of them. You will be right 99% of the time.And I say that as a former business owner who supports the right to unionize and labour rights, etc. I am talking about the fit and the skillset.
Attitude matters. Culture matters. The main player setting his own agenda is going to be a problem in the locker room if a team starts to lose.
but if I was a betting man, I would bet all 3 of the triumvirate are back next year. I don’t think it will work out well, but I can see it happening.
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