Russell Wilson Excited by 'Super Complex' Scheme, Seahawks' Offensive Weapons
During his post-OTA press conference on Thursday, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson covered a breadth of topics. Aside from answering the barrage of questions regarding his offseason feud with the organization, he offered his thoughts on his teammates and new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's scheme.
Despite facing criticism for not addressing the offseason's worth of trade rumors until this point, Wilson was not deterred and is focused on the now—especially when his ultimate method to heal any lingering turmoil is, by his account, winning.
As focused as he possibly can be on bringing a second Lombardi Trophy to Seattle, confidence will ultimately grow with how well he and the team modify themselves to fit Waldron’s playbook. Referring to the new scheme as “super complex," Wilson feels it's a great match for his skillset as well as his teammates'.
“I think that we have a lot of great things about it. We’re gonna be able to mix a lot of personnel, a lot of different people around,” stated Wilson. “Using the whole field, I think we’re gonna do everything that we want to. I think the thing about Shane is he’s got a great understanding of the game. For us to be together is gonna be super exciting.”
Wilson is optimistic in Waldron's ability to correct course for an offense eliminated from the postseason in its most dysfunctional state this past January. To him, the new play-caller has made the transition virtually seamless for the Seahawks.
What appears to be assisting that transition is the veteran players’ familiarity with the core concepts of Waldron's scheme, which seemingly align with what they've worked with in the past. It's distinguishably different from what former OC Brian Schottenheimer brought to the table, but not foreign enough where it feels like they’re formulating the offense from scratch.
This sense of chemistry from both ends is absolutely pivotal for the Seahawks’ needs at this point.
Even though they went 12-4 and broke several franchise records under Schottenheimer last season, their first-round exit to the Rams seemed to signal a dwindling trust in his play calling—evidently so as the organization parted ways with him due to "philosophical differences."
So far, Wilson appears to be a fan of Waldron and his thought process. A good sign that the OC and quarterback - and ultimately the entire staff - are on the same page, compared to how the previous coordinator's tenure ended.
The circles seem to continue filling in well for the Seahawks.
Going from sideline efficiency to on-field efficiency, Wilson asserted his faith in his teammates. From the vets to the rookies, he’s all-in.
“I think we’ll have a great mixture of everything," Wilson explained. "I think that we definitely have some tremendous receivers. Obviously Tyler [Lockett], obviously DK [Metcalf]. ... I’m excited to see [D’Wayne] Eskridge get out here and make some plays. Freddie Swain, Penny Hart. We got Gerald [Everett] over here who can really make some unbelievable catches, unbelievable plays."
Wilson believes Everett and the Seahawks' tight ends group can be the best in the NFL in 2021, as well as running back Chris Carson at his respective position.
While it isn't unusual for the star quarterback to hype up his teammates in such a grand way, it was somewhat of a change in tune from what he had to say about his offensive line on The Dan Patrick Show in February. And maybe that was the point.
It’ll be interesting to see how everything unfolds as the season fast approaches. As fans have grown accustomed to over the past 10 seasons, Wilson was beaming with optimism on Thursday. But it's fair to wonder how long that will last if turbulence hits once more.
For now, Wilson and the Seahawks appear to be on the right track to avoid disaster.
