"Russell Wilson was dying in Seattle" - Former NFL player believes QB desperately needed Broncos trade to push for HOF bid
The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to trade Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, which will bring an end to the quarterback's 10-year career under head coach Pete Carroll in Seattle. Wilson reached two Super Bowls with the franchise during that time, winning one and losing one.
Now, it looks like there will be a new chapter in the career of the Super Bowl XLVIII champion if the trade is approved by all the parties involved when the new NFL season begins on March 16.
Former NFL quarterback and current analyst for ESPN's Get Up, Dan Orlovsky, believes Wilson needs to make this move to try and cement his place in the NFL's Hall of Fame when he retires.
Orlovsky said:
"It was needed for his legacy—this was a necessity for him. This is probably going to be the best team that he has been on since the NFC Championship and Super Bowl-winning football teams."
This was a blockbuster trade deal with so many moving parts. Wilson agreed to waive his no-trade provision, passed his physical, and has effectively agreed to the trade, but it cannot be confirmed until the other players involved pass their physicals, and the NFL processes the trade.
The Broncos will receive Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick (2022) and will send quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, two first-round picks (2022 and 2023), two second-round picks (2022 and 2023), and a fifth-round pick (2022) to the Seahawks.
Russell Wilson now has signed his no-trade provision and passed his Broncos’ physical, per sources. It’s official on his end.
The other players involved in the trade still have to pass their physicals. But the teams now will start the process to confirm the trade with the NFL.
Orlovsky also believes that Wilson needs to leave the Seahawks and the NFC West to revitalize his career. He said:
"Russell Wilson was dying in Seattle. He was dying, just to put it bluntly. Just the reality of where they were organizationally, where he was when it came to the national reputation for him as a player. This was needed for his Hall of Fame legacy career. Now, Denver with Nathaniel Hackett who comes over from Green Bay, they have a quarterback that can take this offense to places like Aaron Rodgers took Green Bay."
What does this move mean for the Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson in 2022?
All of a sudden, the Broncos have become Super Bowl contenders. The AFC West may also be the most significant division in terms of quarterbacks the league has ever seen. It was already stacked with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Derek Carr, and now another quarterback has added even more firepower to the mix.
The Broncos have a franchise quarterback that they have been looking for, along with offensive weapons such as Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Tim Patrick for him to work with. Don't be surprised if the Broncos make a deep run in the playoffs and maybe even a Super Bowl appearance in 2022.