Russell Wilson

This offseason has been an eventful one for quarterbacks. Five signal-callers were taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, Aaron Rodgers is extremely frustrated with Green Bay, and Deshaun Watson is demanding a trade while facing legal trouble. The quarterback chatter doesn't end there, though. Earlier this offseason, it was reported that Russell Wilson was unhappy with the approach of the Seahawks' organization. One report even singled out the Cowboys, Saints, Raiders, and Bears as places where Wilson wanted to play. The veteran quarterback, however, clarified his status on Thursday, saying that he never requested a trade. Interestingly, he did confirm that the four teams mentioned above were accurate, but he only identified those landing spots in case the Seahawks wanted to trade him. "I wanted to play in Seattle, but if I had to go somewhere, here's the teams I would consider," he told the media. Instead, as Seattle holds onto him, Wilson is content with his current situation.

Fantasy Impact

Wilson admitted that "there were some unfortunate frustrations after the season," adding that the rumors "got a little bit blown out of proportion." The 2012 third-round pick has not missed one game over the past eight seasons. In 2020, he completed 384 passes for 4,212 yards (second-highest in career), 40 touchdowns (highest in career), and 13 interceptions (highest in career), finishing the year as the QB6. Wilson, who drew MVP hype in the first half of the 2020 campaign, once again ranks sixth among quarterbacks in the latest expert consensus draft rankings.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that Russell Wilson is likely on his final contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

Fantasy Impact

There was a lot of tension between Wilson and the organization earlier this offseason, but things quickly calmed down. Still, it sounds as if Wilson could move on following the 2023 campaign unless the team makes a Super Bowl run soon. Seattle brought in Shane Waldron as their new offensive coordinator, so maybe the offense will have new life in 2021.

Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson remains with his current team after the Chicago Bears made "a very aggressive pursuit" for the star quarterback, only to be told that Seattle was not interested in the trade at this time.

Fantasy Impact

Wilson has been rumored to be targeting four destinations, one of which included the Chicago Bears. Their aggressive pursuit of Wilson ended with the Seahawks expressing their lack of interest in engaging in further trade talks, which leaves the Las Vegas Raiders as one of the few rumored destinations left on Wilson's alleged wishlist. Continue monitoring the situation with Wilson in Seattle, as both teammates and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll have reportedly grown disgruntled with his agent's statement dissing the lack of protection and rigid coaching style in years past.

Despite multiple teams checking in, it appears at this time the Seahawks have not been engaging in trade talks for star QB Russell Wilson.

Fantasy Impact

The NFL's Ian Rapoport states that teams have been calling the Seahawks since the Super Bowl to check in on franchise QB Russell Wilson's availability. While GM John Schneider has "listened," it doesn't appear the Seahawks will act at this point. Wilson has expressed his frustration in recent months and stated he wants to be a part of personnel decision-making. It's hard to imagine Wilson's rift with the team being so great that he would force his way out of Seattle, but this is 2021, and what a player wants, a player gets. Should Wilson be traded, expect the compensation the Seahawks would receive to be astronomical.

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Bears have “prioritized” making a run at Seahawks star QB Russell Wilson.

Fantasy Impact

“The Bears have prioritized making a run at Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson,” per Biggs. “His agent included the team on a list of four clubs Wilson would approve a trade to, although it hasn’t yet reached the point where he’s asked out.” The Cowboys, Saints and Raiders were also on the list. Russell Wilson is not actively being shopped, but the Seahawks are fielding calls for the franchise QB. It remains to be seen when or if Wilson will be traded, but the Bears will reportedly explore ways of trying to acquire him. Wilson had another excellent season in 2020, throwing for 4,212 yards and a 40:13 TD:INT ratio across 16 games. He added 513 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 83 attempts. Wilson is currently eighth among all QBs on the latest expert consensus draft rankings for 2021, but that number could rise or fall pending on where or if he’s traded. Stay tuned.