Seahawks Russell Wilson Trade Nearly Went Wrong Direction to Eagles
The rumors connecting the Seattle Seahawks to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason has been due to none other than Russell Wilson.
And though many Seahawk fans might want to move on from any Wilson discussion, the continued reporting on the trade talk that happened before he was dealt to the Denver Broncos last March makes one wonder how different of a situation Seattle would be in right now if the franchise-altering deal went down with the Eagles instead.
First, it's important to look at the complete haul the Seahawks received from the deal, which became "finalized" after the two selections Seattle made in last month's draft.
Broncos received:
- QB Russell Wilson
- DT Eyioma Uwazurike (2022 fourth-round pick)
Seahawks received:
- OT Charles Cross (2022 first-round pick)
- CB Devon Witherspoon (2023 first-round pick)
- LB Boye Mafe (2022 second-round pick)
- LB Derick Hall (2023 second-round pick)
- LB Tyreke Smith (2022 fifth-round pick)
- TE Noah Fant
- DE Shelby Harris
- QB Drew Lock
Considering the 2022 rookie production of Cross, the positive projections for Witherspoon and Hall, Wilson's disappointing debut season in Denver, and just the sheer number of depth pieces Seattle got in return, it doesn't take much to realize the Seahawks won this trade almost by default.
But what if the trade with Philly had gone down instead? There's no telling what kind of haul Seattle would've gotten back, but it's highly unlikely it would've been as plentiful as the Denver deal.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport previously reported during an April appearance on Joey Mulinaro's podcast that he was "convinced" the Eagles would trade for Wilson before the former Seahawks franchise star was dealt to Denver last March in arguably one of the more notable trades of the past decade.
"There were times last year where I was pretty convinced either the Eagles or Commanders were going to trade for Russell Wilson," Rapoport said. "That was one where you kinda stop everything and you're like, 'Hang on.'"
But Wilson apparently wasn't interested in the Eagles.
"Now turns out that that was not something (Wilson) was into," Rapoport said. "He was only interested in going to the Broncos and I think we know the story ... That was something that shook my brain a little bit last year."
Now, to add to Rapoport's story telling, Sports Illustrated's Greg Bishop reported as well during an appearance on Seattle Sport sthat Wilson didn't want to be traded to the Eagles.
Insider reports are one thing, but hearing it from Jake Heaps, Wilson's personal QB coach, is another. Heaps admitted in March 2022 that the Eagles and Washington Commanders both tried to trade for Wilson but that the deal didn't happen because of the quarterback's own desires.
"He turned down the Washington offer and he turned down an offer from Philly during the combine," Heaps said, per Bleeding Green Nation.
For Wilson, it could be a career-altering choice for the worst. Should the trade have happened in March around the time the Broncos deal went down, he would've joined an Eagles offense that was set to add A.J. Brown later that draft and had an elite defense on the other side. Sure, Wilson "won" big time with a five-year $242.5 million contract extension in Sept. 2022, but threw a career-low 16 touchdowns along with 11 interceptions while the Broncos tumbled their way to a 5-12 record in his first year.
However, talking about all this would be considered one big waste of breath if you're the Eagles, but it's fun to speculate for the fans.
After all, the Eagles have their entire future ahead of them with newly-extended quarterback Jalen Hurts leading the way, who likely wouldn't have gotten a season-long chance to prove himself as a franchise signal-caller this past year if Wilson had arrived via trade.
Wilson had a poor 2022 season in Denver, though that's no guarantee the same would've happened if he was an Eagle. But based on his first year with the Broncos, it's pretty unlikely Wilson would've played at the same MVP-caliber level as Hurts, who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl.
For Philly? Wilson's decision to choose the Broncos might've been the best outcome for the franchise.
For Wilson? As far as Super Bowl aspirations go, the Eagles would've given him a better chance at his second ring as he approaches what could be the final stages of his career.
And for the Seahawks?
Not to knock Wilson after one of the worst seasons of his career, but they're better off for trading him. Seattle was able to build for its future without dealing with the pressure of eventually losing Wilson for nothing in free agency or overpaying him with a massive extension.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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