The move that no fan saw coming, the move that shook the entire league, the move that completely changed the direction of two teams. The greatest Seattle athlete of all time, Russell Wilson, has been traded to the Denver Broncos in return for the 9th and 40th pick in this year's draft, a first and second-round pick in next year's draft, Noah Fant, Drew Lock, and Shelby Harris.

 

While the national media has declared this a "win-win" trade, I believe the Broncos absolutely robbed the Seahawks with this trade. Russell Wilson is a quarterback that transcended football in Seattle and I believe he has at least eight years left in the tank. This was the first year that he dealt with a major injury; it is the only time he has missed a game in his nine NFL seasons. Wilson is a very cerebral guy who calculates every next move. This trade is a big "full-circle" moment for Russell Wilson, not because he beat the Broncos in the Super Bowl, but because the Broncos were the team he thought he was going to be drafted by in 2012. He had a podcast called "Danger Talk" during the 2020 season and constantly talked about his affinity for the Broncos' organization.

 

Wilson was actually the first player I ever saw get drafted and made me fall in love with the NFL draft. Seeing him with his family and their pure emotion after this life-changing decision was beautiful to watch. It is a memory that I will always cherish watching for the first time. I have also been able to meet Wilson a few different times, and he has always been so nice to me. Wilson is a stand-up dude who has a lot of football left to play.

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I really feel like the Seahawks let Russell Wilson down; what started off so hot turned into just one Super Bowl ring. I remember Wilson torching everybody during his rookie season and almost coming back against the Falcons in the NFC Divisional round in 2012. He is a quarterback that is easy to root for, he is a likable dude unless you are a 49er fan like me. While Russ did play for my favorite team's biggest rival, I could not help but respect the way he plays the game. He is an extremely humble dude and a selfless leader. Wilson is the quarterback that every team hopes to have leading their team someday, which is why I am so shocked that the Seahawks let him go. 

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People tend to have a short-term memory when it comes to understanding Wilson's impact on the Seahawks. Before the Russell Wilson era, the Seahawks' greatest moment was winning a wildcard game after barely sneaking into the playoffs in 2011. Don't get me wrong, the Beast Quake is and will always be an awesome moment, but the Seahawks lost to the Bears by two scores the following week. Russell Wilson brought the Seahawks to prominence and proved every doubter wrong. After getting drafted in the third round and beating out Matt Flynn for the starting quarterback job, Wilson never looked back. He brought a Super Bowl to Seattle, but it feels like the franchise let him down. Year after year, the Seahawks would lose in heart-breaking fashion. Whether it be Pete Carroll's refusal to involve analytics with his decision-making, or the Seahawks' inability to give Wilson an offensive line, it felt Wilson has been let down. I felt as if Wilson had at least one more Super Bowl run left in Seattle.

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Now, the Broncos are in a prime position to make a run at the Lombardi trophy. With Nathaniel Hackett calling plays, Wilson at quarterback, Javonte Williams at running back, and Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler at receiver, it feels as if the Broncos nation is back and better than ever. This team is going to contend in the AFC next to the Chiefs, Chargers, Bengals, Ravens, Raiders, Colts, Bills, and Patriots. The AFC is the NFL's version of the NBA's Eastern Conference. There is so much young talent and stardom; there is a lot to be excited about from a fan's perspective. The Broncos are in a great position right now, and just as fans will be excited so should potential owners.

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The other big news to come out of Seattle yesterday was them releasing Bobby Wagner. Wagner is a first-ballot hall of famer and the greatest defensive player in franchise history. I didn't think it made sense for the Seahawks to hold him, hostage, during the back nine of his career while they go through a rebuild. He also would have been a $16 million cap hit. I thought the Seahawks should have made a greater attempt to trade him and get something in return. Wagner is still a top-five linebacker in the NFL and would have been worth at least one second-round pick. The Seahawks are known for ending relationships poorly, and I felt as if they could have handled everything much better. 

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As for the future of the team, I think they should just start from scratch. They should start building upfront on the offensive and defensive line. Build a team then find their quarterback; otherwise, they are just going to get their franchise guy killed. They have the ninth overall pick, but this is not the draft to take a shot on a quarterback. I could see them falling in love with Malik Willis, his demeanor and intelligence are franchise quarterback worthy, but it would be smart to wait until next year. This is a very good defensive line draft, a guy like George Karlaftis would be a great fit in Seattle. If Kayvon Thibodeaux somehow falls to them it would also be a match made in heaven. 

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This could be a long few years for the Seahawks; I believe this franchise is entering a total reboot.