The Seahawks worked overtime on Wednesday to sell the idea that quarterback Russell Wilson wanted out. Wilson, at his introductory press conference in Denver, called the decision mutual.
So who’s telling the truth?
The truth may be a matter of perception. This divorce was a long time coming. Wilson had wanted the offense to run through him, like it does with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City and Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. The Seahawks, under coach Pete Carroll, preferred to run the ball and play defense, with Wilson being the guy to whom the team would turn if they needed their chestnuts to be snatched from the fire in the fourth quarter of a game.
While the Seahawks didn’t play Wilson like a franchise quarterback, they paid him like one. Giving him market-value deals in 2015 and 2019. With one year before Wilson would have wanted another raise, the Seahawks wisely realized that the time had come to get maximum value in trade -- a year before the new team has to pay Wilson.
There was tension. There was discontent. It was building. Whether it was Wilson wanting out or Wilson not believing the team wanted him or the Seahawks not wanting to have to pay him $50 million or more per year, the time had come.
From the perspectives of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and G.M. John Schneider, it becomes critical to create the impression that Wilson wanted out. They can’t afford the fans, the media, or especially owner Jody Allen to think they wanted to move on from the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Especially if he thrives in Denver.
The Seahawks didn’t view Wilson a a true franchise quarterback. If they did, they would have used him like one. And since they didn’t view him that way or use him that way, it made sense to trade him to a team that does.
Denver clearly does. We’ll fine out soon whether Seattle was right to not go all in with a Wilson-centric offense, or whether the Broncos are right to do precisely that.