Following the shocking Russell Wilson trade to the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks are left without a franchise quarterback but do have the necessary means to rebuild with the pieces acquired in the trade. So what’s next?
Following the Russell Wilson Trade, What’s Next for Seattle?
Revisiting the Russell Wilson trade
Denver Broncos receive: Russell Wilson, 2022 4th Round Pick
Seattle Seahawks receive: Drew Lock, Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, 2022 1st Round Pick (9), 2022 2nd Round Pick (40), 2023 1st Round Pick, 2023 2nd Round Pick, 2022 5th Round Pick
The Broncos get the quarterback that they’ve been longing for ever since Super Bowl 50 and do not give up a lot in the process, given Wilson’s incredible talent. However, the Seahawks received a few good pieces including a bridge quarterback, a good tight end, and a veteran defensive lineman, and the draft picks.
If the Seahawks want to make the most out of this Russell Wilson trade, they must use these picks wisely, and not like they have been using them for the last few years. The players picked to replace Russell Wilson must be good or else it is over for Pete Carroll in the Pacific Northwest.
Broncos’ grade: A+, Seahawks grade: B-
Who replaces Wilson?
The short-term answer seems to be Drew Lock, who is still only 25 years old and has potential in him. However, it is very unlikely, given what Lock has shown in the NFL so far, that the Seahawks invest in him as their long-term starter. The Seahawks can either use the ninth pick this season or one of their first-round picks next year to chase a new quarterback.
Given the weakness of this year’s quarterback class, it would be advisable for the Seahawks to hold off for a year and try to get either Bryce Young or CJ Stroud next year instead of jumping the gun this season. If the Seahawks do not want to look towards the draft, they could turn to free agency. Marcus Mariota and Mitchell Trubisky both have the potential to be a starter in the league and the Seahawks could sign one of them to provide a bit of competition for Drew Lock.
However, the Seahawks could shock the world by chasing another quarterback in a trade. Deshaun Watson, who has not been traded yet, could be a target for the Seahawks. Given the number of draft picks they have just received, they could offer up a similar price to the Texans in return for their signal-caller as a viable replacement following the Russell Wilson trade.
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Free Agency for the Seahawks
In free agency, the Seahawks should not go after any veterans as they are not in the position to compete for the playoffs this season, and should limit their spending to a few pieces to fill out the roster.
They should aim for three main names:
- Haason Reddick, $24m – 4 years
- Bradley Bozeman, $20m – 3 years
- Marcus Mariota, $8m – 2 years
Reddick helps the defense change from a 4-3 look to a 3-4 look that was reported to be in the works. Bozeman helps fix an offensive line that was very leaky and fixes the center position. Mariota helps as a plug-and-play starter that could benefit the team next season.
The Draft
With their new picks, the Seahawks hold the ninth, the 40th, and the 41st overall picks. It is imperative that they use them well as the Seahawks have been a famously weak drafting side and need to rectify that if they are ever going to return to the heights of the Russell Wilson era.
With that, the Seahawks should not target a quarterback with their first-round pick as this draft class doesn’t have anyone even remotely worth that pick. Instead, they should fill other positions of need and return to their pressing quarterback need next offseason, where they will hopefully have a high draft pick with which they can select their future quarterback.
So in this draft class:
- Pick 9: Derek Stingley Jr, Cornerback, LSU
- Pick 40: Bernhard Raimann, Offensive Tackle, Central Michigan
- Pick 41: Desmond Ridder, Quarterback, Cincinnati
- Pick 72: Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
This draft satisfies almost every need. Stingley in the first round gives Seattle a potential shutdown corner to improve this defense by leaps and bounds. Raimann, the scouting report here, gives Seattle a potential franchise blindside blocker to take over from Duane Brown. Despite being heavily anti-quarterback, Desmond Ridder provides the team with a quick solution and gives the team a quarterback competition with Mariota and Lock competing with the rookie. Finally, Ebiketie aids the team’s shift to a 3-4 as his versatility can come in handy as he plays rotational downs as an edge rusher.
Conclusion
Overall, the Seattle Seahawks will heavily miss Russell Wilson. But the Seahawks now have the resources to hit reset and completely shake the roster up. On the flip side, the Broncos should be nothing short of Super Bowl contenders and should challenge in a very competitive AFC West.
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