According to reports, the Denver Broncos have completed a blockbuster deal to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. According to Ian Rapoport, the Broncos are sending Seattle two first round picks, two second round picks, a fifth rounder, QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, and DL Shelby Harris.
In return, the Broncos will receive Russell Wilson, and a fourth round selection. The deal is not official until Wilson waives his no trade clause. The 9 time Pro Bowler has spent his entire career in Seattle up to this point and hinted at some internal discontent with the franchise in recent months.
Head coach Pete Carroll told members of the press at the NFL Combine that the club had no intentions of trading their franchise QB. Whether this was simply posturing, or whether the Broncos made them an offer they couldn’t refuse has yet to be seen.
Over the course of a 10 year NFL career, Wilson has thrown for 37,059yds, 292 TDs, and 87INTs. He also helped Seattle capture the 2014 Super Bowl, while leading them to another in the infamous Malcolm Butler game.
Coming off a “down season” by Russ’ standards (25 TDs/6INTs), the former 3rd round draft choice looks to rebound in a high powered Denver offense, which boasts a championship calibre defense on the other side of the ball as well.
News of the Wilson deal emerged after it was announced that the Green Bay Packers had re-signed QB Aaron Rodgers to a 4yr/$200M contract. Rodgers had been linked to the Broncos since last offseason owing to the fact that Denver appeared to be “a quarterback away” from competing for a championship, and that his former fiancee Shailene Woodley lived in Boulder, CO part time throughout the year.
The AFC West now boasts Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr, Russell Wilson, and Justin Herbert as the the arms in what is easily now the toughest division in football.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Larry Maurer. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.