The Russell Wilson Trade: A COLOSSAL Mistake…
A little over a year ago, the Denver Broncos arguably made one of the biggest trades in NFL history, trading for nine-time Pro Bowl QB Russell Wilson. Denver gave up a ton of players and draft capital to get the deal done, as they sent Drew Lock, Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick to Seattle for the Super Bowl-winning QB. Many believed that Denver was the clear winner of the deal, as they acquired a future Hall of Fame QB for a pretty reasonable price. Little did we know that this trade would become a colossal mistake for one team and a breath of fresh air for another…
At the time, many were critical of Seattle for trading Wilson and having faith in Geno Smith, but that perplexing gamble paid off big time. Smith led the Seahawks to the playoffs last year in his first season as the starter and won the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Geno has taken this Seattle Offense to new heights, with mostly the same personnel that Wilson had and struggled with. Seattle acquired two first-round picks in this trade, used on Mississippi State OT Charles Cross and Illinois Corner Devon Witherspoon. Both players are expected to be cornerstones for Seattle for years to come as they continue to develop and hone their skills. With the second-round picks, Seattle selected edge rusher Derick Hall and outside linebacker Boye Mafe. Both players have a long way to go in their development but could be future contributors to the Seahawks' defense. With the fifth-round pick, Seattle selected OLB Tyreke Smith, who is no longer on the team. Now it's time to look at the players the Seahawks got in exchange for Wilson directly. Drew Lock has yet to make too much of an impact, as he has been Geno's backup for two years. Shelby Harris had an okay season in 2022 for Seattle before being cut. Finally, Noah Fant has been a serviceable TE, holding down the starting spot and being a safety valve for Geno. This trade wasn't perfect by any means by the Seahawks, but they are the clear winners of this deal. Geno Smith has resurrected this franchise into a winner again, as they have started the season 2-1 and are competing with the best in the NFC. Cross and Witherspoon are two future studs, and we will have to wait and see how Hall and Mafe come along. Overall, this deal was terrific for Seattle. On the other hand, the Broncos are wishing they could hit the rewind button and go back in time….
"Broncos Fans were heartbroken earlier today, but now landing Russell Wilson makes the Broncos an immediate Super Bowl contender." This was a tweet by former NFL QB Robert Griffin III when Wilson was traded to Denver, and it couldn't have aged any more poorly. Denver has gotten worse since trading for Wilson in 2022 and has become the laughingstock of the NFL. Before Wilson even took a snap with the team, Denver's front office foolishly gave him a five-year, $245 million extension, and the contract is almost impossible to get out of. Wilson has a 4-14 record as the Broncos' starting QB, has thrown 22 Touchdowns to 13 interceptions, and has been embarrassed many times. The latest embarrassment was a 50-point blowout loss to the Dolphins on the road. Though Wilson hasn't been the only problem in Denver over the past two years, he hasn't done anything to help fix the issues and has been a liability more times than not. Many believed Sean Payton could fix things for the former Badger, but nothing has changed. Denver is 0-3, and their playoff chances are slim to none, especially in a tough AFC. As I stated above, the worst part about his deal is that there is really no getting out of it for Denver. Unless they take a significant hit to their cap space, they are stuck with Danger Russ for the next couple of years…
This trade should be an eye-opener for other teams around the league. Giving up the kitchen sink for a QB in his mid-30s and showing signs of decline isn't the move. Seattle reset their franchise with this trade, creating excitement and opportunity with a new, gutsy QB. On the other hand, Denver has set their franchise back about ten years with this appalling move and is still searching for their Peyton Manning Successor…
