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On Wednesday, the Seahawks worked overtime to sell an idea that quarterback Russell Wilson wanted to pursue. Wilson, at his opening press conference in Denver, called the decision mutual.
So who’s telling the truth?
Truth can be a matter of perception. This divorce has been long overdue. Wilson wanted resentment to go through him, as it does with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City and Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. The Seahawks, under coach Pete Carroll, preferred to handle the ball and play defensively, and Wilson was the guy the team would turn to if they needed to snatch their chestnuts out of the fire in the fourth quarter of a game.
Although the Seahawks didn’t play Wilson as a quarterback, they paid him as a quarterback. Providing him with market value deals in 2015 and 2019. A year before Wilson wanted another raise, the Seahawks wisely knew it was time to get the most value out of the trade — a year before the new team had to pay Wilson.
There was tension. There was dissatisfaction. It was being built. Whether it was Wilson who wanted to leave, or Wilson didn’t believe the team wanted him, or the Seahawks didn’t want to pay him $50 million or more a year, the time had come.
From the point of view of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, it’s critical to create the impression that Wilson wanted to achieve. They can’t let the fans, the media, or especially owner Jody Allen, think they wanted to get away from the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Especially if he thrives in Denver.
The Seahawks didn’t consider Wilson a true quarterback. If they did, they would use him as one of them. And since they didn’t view him that way or use him that way, it made sense to trade him for a team that thinks so.
Denver obviously knows. We’ll soon find out whether Seattle was right not to go all-in with a focus on Wilson, or whether the Broncos were right to do just that.