Will Russell Wilson Join Byron Maxwell in 2016?
Russell Wilson wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks know when to pay a guy, and when to let him walk. As of this date, June 27, 2015, the two sides are far apart.
Could Russell Wilson go free agent in 2016 after his contract is up, and could the Philadelphia Eagles pursue him if he does?
Yes. And Yes.
Writing a story with so many "what ifs" is not easy to do when you are rooting for Philadelphia, and reading this scenario so far cannot convince you of even the remotest possibility. But let's look at this systemically:
THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS FIND TALENT ANYWHERE
Whether its the late rounds in the NFL draft, or undrafted free agents, the Seattle Seahawks have a track record of finding talent. With that history, they do not fear losing any single player… and if they believe the price is not right for Russell Wilson in their budget, they will let him go pursue his price anywhere.
This is not to say the Seahawks will not be creative and will not try. But the reality is that they have spent quite a bit on one of the best defenses in the NFL, and have been able to do so by having Russell Wilson as one of the cheapest NFL starting quarterbacks in the league. It will not be so easy to redirect committed salary cap dollars to the young man, particularly when he wants to be the highest paid. Can they work it out? Perhaps. But the war of words in social media and the news that is breaking now appears to be a deteriorating situation.
Russell Wilson Believes That He Is Gifted, And He Is
Russell Wilson is a special type of quarterback. When he runs, he runs with the intention of extending the play, creating open throwing lanes, and giving his receivers more time. He's intelligent. He feels pressure and he can turn a game where he has been beaten for 58 minutes, only to ignite at the closing minutes and win the game.
He will not defeat you by passing for more yards than any other quaterback. He needs a running game and a good defense. But in that setting, he is a deadly assassin – striking in mere moments after you believed he was defeated. He has tasted victory, but he's gotten confident as a result – not cocky.
He won't succeed in 32 NFL Teams. In fact, he likely would not succeed in over half of the NFL Teams as they are currently structured. That means the market for his services is less than many players with less talent. And THAT will give the Seahawks the illusion that they can let him taste free agency and still sign him.
Philadelphia Would Find Playoff Success With Russell Wilson
You know as well as I do that the 2015 season is going to hinge on the smarts, the decision making, and the production, of the quarterback position. Can Sam Bradford heal? Can Mark Sanchez eliminate mistakes? Can Matt Barkley or Tim Tebow give fans something to cheer about ON the field of play?
Regardless of the outcome, the Philadelphia Eagles are spending serious dollars at the quarterback position in 2015. The cap hit this year from Sam Bradford is $13 Million. If he does not pan out, do the Philadelphia Eagles go to the draft? Do they go to Sanchez?
What if Russell Wilson became available? A mobile quarterback who threatens the defense with virtually every play suddenly on the market, who knows the NFL, and who slides right into Chip Kelly's offense? If you don't think that would work, then you need to revisit film footage of the likes of Michael Vick, Nick Foles, and Mark Sanchez in this offense.
Chip Kelly was linked to Marcus Mariota to the point of insanity. Mariota was coming out of college, still needs to learn the NFL. Russell Wilson knows and succeeds in the NFL. It would be a pairing that has huge upside.
Can It Happen?
I have a unique vantage point when it comes to Seattle players. I hear from the fans first hand. They believe in the system that has put them into the Super Bowl mix again and again, and are already resigning themselves to the fact that Russell Wilson may not be a Seahawk in 2016.
I saw the same trend with Byron Maxwell. Before free agency, I polled the fan base in the northwest and they had resigned to the fact that Maxwell would likely be a Philadelphia Eagle in 2015.
To check out that Byron Maxwell story, click this link:
Byron Maxwell Will Be An Eagle
With Cam Newton's contract as quarterback of the Carolina Panthers fresh in memory, there really can't be any blame to the guy who has taken the Seattle Seahawks so far so often. But if Seattle doesn't make him the highest paid, can Philly?
Eagles Have Timing On Their Side
The Seattle Seahawks are under pressure to "pay now". Next year, other major quarterbacks will be lining up for their new contracts: Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, and even Aaron Rodgers. The pressure now is to ensure that Wilson is a top 5 paid quarterback when those contracts are done. Should the Eagles enter the picture, the likelihood of one or more of those contracts will be set – and the Eagles will have the proximity to set up the contract to fall within that "top five" standard.
So many things have to happen "just so" to make this deal go down that it's no more than pure and unadulterated speculation at this point.
But the road from Seattle to Philadelphia is picking up steam. Don't be surprised if Russell Wilson visits Philadelphia in free agency.
If that happens, I'm betting on the Eagles to win a super bowl.
