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Welcome to Part Three!
Today’s installment will have fewer polls than yesterday’s installment did.
And we will start with an easy one . . .
Poll RW3.01: If you asked 100 people to name the first current Seahawk that comes to their mind, how many do you think would respond with “RUSSELL WILSON”?
Poll
If you asked 100 people to name the first current Seahawk that comes to their mind, how many do you think would respond with "RUSSELL WILSON"?
This poll is closed
-
0%
Less than 20
(8 votes) -
1%
At least 20, but less than 50
(23 votes) -
7%
At least 50, but less than 75
(116 votes) -
56%
More than 75, but less than 100
(819 votes) -
33%
Every. Single. One.
(487 votes)
That poll brings us to the obvious question of why the Seahawks’ franchise quarterback and his future with the team is even something that you (as John and Pete) need to be thinking about right now?
As is often the case with life’s mysteries, the answer can be found online.
Just a few examples:
And a few more:
Yes, I am a complete “homer” and only linked to Field Gulls articles.
If you peruse the roughly 2,000 comments those 7 articles generated, there seem to be four distinct categories that 12s fall into - with some subcategories within them.
Let’s use a poll to describe these categories + subcategories.
Poll #RW3.02: If YOU were John and Pete, would you trade Russell Wilson this offseason?
Poll
If YOU were John and Pete, would you trade Russell Wilson THIS offseason?
This poll is closed
-
17%
Category 1A: HARD NO! You do not even consider trading a ‘true’ franchise quarterback like Russell Wilson at this point in his career. Period. Full stop!
(248 votes) -
17%
Category 1B: If someone were to offer you all of their draft picks for the next 3 years . . . MAYBE.
(248 votes) -
37%
Category 2A: You don’t like the idea and you don’t want to do it, but you would consider trading Russell Wilson for the "right" offer. (i.e. a minimum of three #1 picks)
(525 votes) -
3%
Category 2B: You would consider trading RW3 for less than three #1s, but definitely not less than two.
(54 votes) -
3%
Category 2C: You would be okay with a player-for-player swap . . . if the player you were getting were Dak Prescott or Deshaun Watson . . . or Patrick Mahomes.
(54 votes) -
6%
Category 3: You are ready to move on from Mr. Wilson and are WILLING TO DEAL.
(90 votes) -
13%
Category 4: You WOULD consider trading Russell Wilson, but not THIS year . . . because the $39M cap hit makes it a non-starter for you.
(195 votes)
Regardless of which category you personally fall into, the fact of the matter is that the future of your franchise quarterback IS on your desk this offseason.
Teams ARE calling about him.
Are you going to pick up the phone? (Poll #RW3.03)
Poll
Teams are calling about Russell Wilson; will you pick up the phone?
IMPORTANT: If you aren’t going to answer the phone then you might want to just skip to the end of this article where the “Are you going to trade Russell Wilson?” poll is.
You’ve answered the phone; now what?
Although half the teams in the league are calling, most of them are nonstarters right now. Why? Because Russell Wilson’s agent has provided a list of only four teams that his client would waive his no-trade clause for.
In theory, you could negotiate a trade with a team that isn’t on that list (Miami, for example, or Carolina), but then Russ could veto it. Would he? Who knows; but with everything else that’s on your plate right now, why take the risk?
For now, it is best to stick to the “approved” teams: the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the New Orleans Saints.
What might a trade with those 4 teams look like?
The Chicago Bears
Most reports currently indicate that Da Bears are the frontrunners in the RW3 chase. Here are three scenarios I found online + one that I created by combining parts of the other 3 and adding a “new” player.
- Proposal #1: Chicago’s R1 in 2021 (#20 overall), their R1s in 2022 and 2023, plus Defensive End Khalil Mack. (Source)
- Proposal #2: Chicago’s 2021 R1 (#20) and R2 (#52), their 2022 R1, Cornerback Kyle Fuller, and Defensive Tackle Akiem Hicks. (Source)
- Proposal #3: Chicago’s R1s in 2021 (#20) and 2022, Defensive End Khalil Mack, Cornerback Jaylon Johnson, Running Back David Montgomery, and Tight End Cole Kmet. (Source)
- Proposal #4: Chicago’s 2021 R1 (#20), R2 (#52), and R3 (#84), their 2023 R1, Cornerback Jaylon Johnson, Running Back David Montgomery, Tight End Cole Kmet, and Quarterback Nick Foles.
Poll #RW3.04: Which one of Chicago’s four RW3 proposals would you choose?
Poll
Which one of the Chicago’s four RW3 proposals would you choose?
This poll is closed
-
42%
Proposal #1: 3 R1s + a player (Khalil Mack)
(501 votes) -
11%
Proposal #2: 2 R1s, an R2 + 2 players (Kyle Fuller + Akiem Hicks)
(136 votes) -
30%
Proposal #3: 2 R1s + 4 players (Khalil Mack, Jaylon Johnson, David Montgomery, and Cole Kmet)
(363 votes) -
14%
Proposal #4: 2 R1s, an R2, an R3 + 4 players (Jaylon Johnson, David Montgomery, Cole Kmet, and Nick Foles)
(173 votes)
The Dallas Cowboys
Seeing as how Dallas has reached an agreement with their franchise quarterback, Dak Prescott, on a 4-year, $160M contract, it seems reasonable to conclude that they are not going to trade for Russell Wilson.
In theory, a 3-team trade could be worked out (with RW3 going to Dallas, Prescott going to team #3, and ____________ coming to Seattle) . . .
Or Dallas could trade for Russell Wilson and then trade Dak Prescott to another team.
But . . . no; we are going to cross Dallas off of the list and move on.
The Las Vegas Raiders
Jon Gruden is a gambler and he’s in Vegas so this shouldn’t be ruled out
And of the four teams on Wilson’s “approved” list, the Raiders are probably #2 in relation to both their willingness to make a move to acquire Wilson and in the likelihood that they would be successful.
Plus, the Raiders are the franchise whose late-owner gave us, “Just win, baby!” and Russ did just name his baby boy Win . . .
- Proposal #1: The Raiders’ 2021 R1 (#17 overall) + R2 (#48), their 2022 R2, their 2023 R1, Quarterback Derek Carr, and EDGE Clelin Ferrell.
- Proposal #2: Las Vegas’s R1 (#17) + R3 (#80) in 2021, their 2022 R1 + R2, their 2023 R2, Quarterback Marcus Mariota, and Tight End Darren Waller.
Poll #RW3.05: Which Raiders’ proposal would you choose in return for RW3?
Poll
Which Raiders’ proposal would you choose in return for RW3?
This poll is closed
-
42%
Proposal #1: 2 R1s, 2 R2s + 2 players (Derek Carr + Clelin Ferrell)
(477 votes) -
57%
Proposal #2: 2 R1s, 2 R2s, an R3 + 2 players (Marcus Mariota + Darren Waller)
(642 votes)
The New Orleans Saints
Like Dallas, the chances of the Saints pulling off a trade for Russell Wilson seem pretty remote. Unlike Dallas, the Saints don’t have an expensive QB they would need to move to make a trade for RW3 work. Assuming Drew Brees retires, of course.
Plus, New Orleans would almost certainly convert most of RW3’s base salary to a signing bonus and dramatically lower his cap hit in 2021 so that eliminates the “cap” concerns (for them) with the trade.
But what could the Saints offer?
- Proposal #1: The Saints’ 2021 R1 (#28 overall) and R2 (#60), their 2022 R1 + R2, their 2023 R3, and Pro Bowl Guard Andrus Peat.
- Proposal #2: The Saints’ 2021 R1 (#28), their 2022 R2, their 2023 R1 + R2, Defensive End Cam Jordan, Running Back Ty Montgomery, and Center Erik McCoy.
Poll #RW3.06: Which of the Saints’ RW3 offers would you choose?
Poll
Which of the New Orleans Saints’ RW3 offers would you choose?
This poll is closed
-
44%
Proposal #1: 2 R1s, 2 R2s, an R3 + a player (Andrus Peat)
(457 votes) -
55%
Proposal #2: 2 R1s, 2 R2s + 3 players (Cam Jordan, Ty Montgomery, and Erik McCoy)
(581 votes)
Picking ONE team from Wilson’s “Approved” list
Poll #RW3.07: Having chosen your preferred offer from each of the teams on Wilson’s “approved” list, which team’s offer would you prefer?
Poll
Based on the proposals, which of Wilson’s "approved" teams would you prefer to trade him to?
This poll is closed
-
53%
The Chicago Bears
(579 votes) -
42%
The Las Vegas Raiders
(459 votes) -
4%
The New Orleans Saints
(54 votes)
DECISION TIME
You’ve seen the offers (or not) and it’s time to make a decision about Wilson’s future in Seattle . . . at least for 2021.
Are you, as John and Pete, going to trade Russell Wilson this offseason?
Poll
DECISION TIME: Are you going to trade Russell Wilson this offseason?
This poll is closed
-
28%
Yes, I am going to trade Russell Wilson.
(359 votes) -
71%
No, RW3 is my starting QB in 2021.
(890 votes)
(Poll #RW3.08)
NOTE: All of the polls in today’s installment close at 10pm PST.