Calling Trade Rumors 'Non-Story,' Russell Wilson Focused On Present With Seahawks

Easily one of the biggest storylines in the NFL last offseason, trade rumors swirled around Russell Wilson after the star quarterback aired his grievances about poor pass protection and his lack of involvement in personnel decisions following the Super Bowl last February.

Considering the drama that played out before the 2021 NFL Draft, it shouldn't come as a surprise the rumor mill started back up this week with Seattle sitting four games under .500 with five games left to play. On Wednesday, independent insider Jordan Schultz kickstarted speculation season by reporting Wilson would "strongly consider" waiving his no-trade clause to join the Broncos, Giants, or Saints.

When asked on Thursday about Schultz's report and his future plans, Wilson immediately shot down the rumor, calling it a "non story" with his focus solely on helping the Seahawks win their next five games and potentially make a late push for a playoff spot.

“That’s not in my head right now at all,” Wilson responded. “I didn’t say that. I’m focused on what we’re doing here. Obviously I love Seattle. This is a place I’ve loved every day, every moment.”

Wilson simply could have denied the report and moved on. But addressing a follow-up question, the eight-time Pro Bowler indicated that he intends to play out the final two years of his current contract through the 2023 season and desires to be with the Seahawks beyond that point.

“That’s my hope,” Wilson said. “My hope’s not just to fulfill it. Hopefully I can play here 20 years and my career. Will that happen? I don’t know. That’s my prayer, that’s my hope. That stuff’s in the future, that stuff’s down the road. I think my mission, my focus is only on right now.”

It's been a challenging 10th season for Wilson, who missed the first games of his NFL career after suffering a ruptured tendon and a fracture in his right middle finger and undergoing surgery. Upon his return from injured reserve, he played like a shell of his usual self under center, struggling mightily in three straight losses to the Packers, Cardinals, and Washington Football Team.

For the season, Wilson has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,042 yards and 14 touchdowns in nine starts. The Seahawks have uncharacteristically gone 3-6 in those games, but they did defeat the 49ers last Sunday behind a vintage performance by the quarterback in which he connected on 30 out of 37 passes with a pair of touchdowns to receivers Tyler Lockett and Dee Eskridge.

The three teams listed on Schultz's report do have major quarterback questions and two have previously been linked to Wilson. The Broncos currently have journeyman Teddy Bridgewater as their starter, while the Giants haven't been able to develop former first-round pick Daniel Jones as hoped and the Saints lost Jameis Winston to a torn ACL in his first year as the starter replacing legend Drew Brees.

But it's worth noting that only one of those teams, New Orleans, has stability at head coach with Sean Payton. Vic Fangio could be on the hot seat in Denver with his team currently sitting at 6-6 in the AFC West and Joe Judge has disappointed in his two seasons in New York. Why would Wilson have interest in either of those teams unless he wanted to be involved in picking a new head coach?

Still, assuming Seattle doesn't win out and earn a wild card spot, speculation about Wilson's future likely will only increase in coming weeks, especially if the team manages to lose double-digit games. If that happens, the organization could partake in major housecleaning at all levels from the front office down to the 90-man roster, leaving the door open for him to be dealt as part of an all-out rebuild. Any of those teams could emerge as a suitor i

But for now, Wilson isn't thinking about the possibility of playing for anyone else and he's all in on the Seahawks. Time will tell if that stays the case once February arrives and the offseason is in full swing.