Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson quelled an offseason fueled by rumors that he submitted a trade request to leave the only team he has ever played for. Strongly rebutting these rumors, Wilson stated to a pressing swath of reporters that he has “always wanted to play [on the Seahawks] for [his] whole career,” and that his gripes with the front office were “blown out of proportion.”
Much of this speculation arose from Wilson publicly voicing his grievances with the team failing to sign legitimate offensive line protection. While Wilson still dazzled at times in 2020, he was sacked a whopping 47 times, third-worst in the NFL. When pressed about whether this anger was directed toward the franchise itself, Wilson chose not to directly answer, instead opting to vaguely reply that he was simply upset with the number of times he was hit or sacked. The failure to provide a direct answer – whether intentional or not – sparked a media frenzy that snowballed into the trade rumors Wilson sought to quash.
Nonetheless, questions about whether Wilson truly wants to stay with the Seahawks remain. Why did his agent release preferred landing spots for a trade to ESPN? Why did Wilson take so long to comment on these rumors? Undoubtedly, the persistent failure to address these nagging questions will only exacerbate speculations about Wilson departing the Seahawks.
If Seattle were to move Wilson, the quarterback said he would waive his no-trade clause in order to go to the Cowboys, Saints, Raiders and Bears. For now, though, Wilson seems to be remaining in Seattle for the indefinite future, although a lack of protection from his offensive line during the season could change that.
