There will be no Aaron Rodgers trade this offseason but there will be a Russell Wilson trade after the Seattle Seahawks agreed in principle a blockbusting deal to send him to the Denver Broncos.
The huge news was broken early Tuesday afternoon Eastern Time by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The deal reportedly includes multiple first-round draft picks plus additional picks and players.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN Denver will give up:
- 2 first-round draft picks
- 2 second-round draft picks
- 1 fifth-round draft pick
- QB Drew Lock
- TE Noah Fant
- DL Shelby Harris
Seattle meanwhile gives up Wilson and a fourth-round draft pick.
The deal cannot be made official until the new NFL league year begins at 4pm Eastern on March 16, and it does require Wilson’s approval. If ratified, it makes the Broncos a bona fide Super Bowl contender overnight.
Denver Broncos Super Bowl Odds
Early Tuesday Denver was +2500 odds to win Super Bowl LVII, but when news of the Wilson trade began to surface that line quickly contracted down to +1200. Put simply, Denver’s odds halved.
Denver had a talented roster in 2021 – including a receiving corps which boasted WRs Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. But clearly Teddy Bridgewater and Lock were not the answer at QB.
The Broncos were linked for months with a move for Rodgers, but as soon as his future was committed to Green Bay the Broncos pivoted to acquire the rights to Wilson.
Russ, who signed a $140million four-year deal in 2019, made nine Pro Bowl trips during a glittering career in the Pacific Northwest. He was drafted out of Wisconsin in the third round in 2012, and within two years led Seattle to a 43-8 rout of Denver in Super Bowl LVIII.
Seahawks in rebuild mode?
For Seattle, the move likely gives Pete Carroll the chance to start a rebuild. It is unlikely based on Denver evidence that Lock will be the answer at QB, and the 2022 Draft has no generational QB talent.
So it remains to be seen what direction the Seahawks go at the game’s most important position, but the trade does mean they at least boost their draft capital – they had given up their 2022 first-rounder as part of the trade for Jets safety Jamal Adams.