DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Seahawks GM Hints That He May Let Wilson Walk

This is just crazy talk ..... but we should be on the phone right now, ready to take him off their hands if they truly feel that way.

Man, that is just crazy talk on his part.

I also don't get the sense of paying him the franchise tag if you don't think he's worth top QB money. That is the average of top QB money after all......

Anyway .... Farmer, get on the phone ASAP.

Would Seahawks let Russell Wilson walk? GM hints that it's possible - CBSSports.com
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-foot...at-its-possible

Negotiations to extend Russell Wilson's contract in Seattle have gotten off to a slow start and thanks to recent comments made by Seahawks general manager John Schneider, you probably shouldn't expect negotiations to speed up anytime soon.

During an interview with KIRO radio in Seatte on Wednesday, Schneider hinted that the team might be willing to move on from Wilson if his asking price is too high.

"Every negotiation is unique in and of itself and this is no different," Schneider said. "Ultimate team sport, he's our quarterback, we'd love him to be our quarterback. But the thing is, we need to keep as many of these guys together as we possibly can."

The last part of that quote is the most interesting part because it sounds a lot like Schneider is insinuating that the Seahawks would be willing to move on from Wilson if negotiations continue to go nowhere.

Fans in Seattle who heard the interview with Schneider seemed to think it was a little strange that he would even hint that the Seahawks might not keep Wilson.

Adriano Franceschi @AdrianoF_15
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Seahawks GM John Schneider says that keeping Russell Wilson is not guaranteed. WOW
3:25 PM - 16 Apr 2015

Nate Kozlowski @Nate_Koz
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John Schneider's comments on KIRO were a little odd....
12:18 AM - 16 Apr 2015

As if that first comment from Schneider wasn't enough, he went on to talk about how there have been a few times during his five-year tenure in Seattle where he had to get rid of a veteran for financial reasons.

"When we got here [in January 2010] we had to make some very tough cap decisions with Cory Redding and Nate Burleson," Schneider said. "They were two guys that we had a lot of respect for, but where we were on our cap at the time, we had to make decisions. And then we had a couple years without a cap and now we're back in a world with a salary cap and we need to be cognizant of that."

Schneider also added that if the team wants to stay successful, they have to make smart decisions. "We have to be able to protect ourselves as we go and make smart decisions in trying to keep this whole thing together as long as we possibly can," Schneider said.

Wilson is headed into the final year of his rookie deal and is scheduled to make $1.542 million in base salary in 2015. Schneider sounds like a general manager who has no plans of paying his quarterback $25 million a year, which could very well be Wilson's asking price.

So does this mean the Seahawks are going to let Wilson walk? Not necessarily, but it's probably not going to help negotiations when Wilson hears Schneider's comments because Schneider's comments make Wilson sound expendable.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported in February that he didn't expect a Wilson deal to get done anytime soon. Then in March, La Canfora added that he wouldn't be surprised to see Wilson play out his rookie deal, which expires at the end of the 2015 season -- And as of right now, La Canfora looks to be spot on.

There's no question that Schneider and the Seahawks want to keep Wilson, however, Schneider definitely made it sound like they're not going to break the bank for their 26-year-old quarterback.

"What I can tell you is that this is the ultimate team sport, we have a track record of rewarding our players that we recognize as core players," Schneider said. "We're going into our sixth draft now -- I can't believe that; we've been here for a while now -- but just that track record of being able to make those tough decisions."

Letting Wilson walk would definitely qualify as a tough decision.

The guess here is that the team has a number budgeted for Wilson's new deal and they're not willing to go too much over that. If Wilson's not willing to meet them near whatever that magic number is, then it's possible he could be playing somewhere else before he's 30.

The good news for Seahawks fans is that Wilson isn't going anywhere in 2015 and he's likely not going anywhere in 2016 because the Seahawks can simply hit him with the franchise tag. It's after the 2016 season where things would potentially get interesting.

The Seahawks could hit Wilson with a second franchise tag in 2017, but that would increase his pay by 20 percent over the 2016 franchise number. A third franchise tag would increase Wilson's pay by 44 percent over his 2017 number.

Another thing that could throw a wrench in negotiations is Wilson's public comments about wanting to play baseball.

During an interview on April's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Wilson said he was still giving serious consideration to playing baseball.

"You never want to kill the dream of playing two sports," Wilson said. "I would honestly play two sports."

It's possible that Wilson made the comments so he could use them as leverage in negotiations. For instance, Wilson could tell the Seahawks, "If you guys won't pay me, I'll go play baseball."

Schneider didn't completely shut down the idea of Wilson playing baseball, but he didn't sound too enthusiastic about it, either.

"Based on the position that he plays in football, I think it would be difficult," Schneider said. "But the way he attacks everything, I don't think you could put anything past him."

You can hear Schneider's entire interview with KIRO below. The conversation about Wilson's contract begins at about the three minute mark.

Non-story and a negotiating tactic. Next. . .

Just posturing, IMO.

technically they could keep him until 2018 if they use up the tags I believe ... but this is obviously just a transparent tactic

regardless, i'll trade both firsts for him

Obviously this is a tactic to try and put Wilson camp in a rush to do something. This GM would be out of a job faster than a McDonalds employee serving a Whopper by mistake.

You know it.

I would give up a lot to have him as our QB. Just imagine. Wow!

+1

I'd trade JFF, McCown, Thad, etc and our 1st round pick to the Seahawks just to RENT Wilson for 1 quarter per game

I'm sure this is a negotiation posture. This GM has done an outstanding job. Man, talk about turning a team around. I wish we were in his position.

I can't see Russell going anywhere.

That was my thought as well.,

Dysfunctional.

Can't be, the Browns are the only dysfunctional team in the league LOL

It's funny and I believe it's a tactic, but it does make them (seahawks) appear a little less than smart.

Here's a guy that led them to back to back superbowls (along with an outstanding D) and they are treating him like he's easy to replace.. Hey, maybe they'll trade him to the Titans then turn around and take Mariota?

Me too. Could you imagine if he actually played here for a season or two? He would turn this town upside down.

Having him as our QB would be the equivalent of dating a supermodel, or close enough to it.

Yep, end of the thread right there. There's just no way Seattle would let that happen. It's even more non-believable than Saints shopping Breez.

Who knows though, maybe... if there's a legit maybe then yeah, as YTown said we'd better be all over the phone, ipads, pigeons with notes attached to their feet - whatever form of communication with Seattle.

He won't pay Wilson $25m a year - and it is smart. He's a good QB, but he's not on par with Brady and Manning, so why pay him that kind of money and completely mess up the cap?

Offer him 6 years 90m with 45m guaranteed and be able to keep the core team around. If Wilson is smart, he'll take it.

This

To be completely honest, I don't think Russell Wilson is THAT great.

Don't take that comment out of context, he's certainly on the upper tier list of QB's in the NFL. He has a good arm, he's mobile, smart and a hard worker, but he really doesn't do anything that dazzles (although that could be cause Seattle doesn't have very many weapons for him to throw to). The kid was drafted onto a team that has a fantastic running game and an absurdly elite defense. I think there are a handful of other middle-of-the-pack QB's that could do what he's doing with Seattle.

With that being said. I don't see anyway the Seahawks let him walk.

You don't let a guy whose helped you get to back-to-back Superbowls just leave.

And if he does, get ready for a struggling franchise to make him the highest paid free agent QB in NFL league history.

I believe many severely underestimate his talent. When you do everything well, you don't have to rely on any single thing. You can use your varying skills evenly to have great success.

To me this best describes Rusell Wilson.

thanks for saving me a bunch of keystrokes.

Yes, pitt - thank you for saving Clemmy's keyboard. (how many keyboards do you go through in a year Clem? )

He also had very little talent around him at the WR and TE positions. Their best receivers were Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, Paul Richardson, and Ricardo Lockette ...... hardly a murderer's row of receiving talent there. Their best TE was Luke Wilson.

He will have a great TE this coming year, since the Hawks traded for Jimmy Graham .... so that should make him even better this coming year.

I think that he is highly underrated by many people.

+ 1

He looks natural out there when he plays, and like he's having a fun time doing it. Would love to have him!

Yawn...

For once, I agree w/most of you. It's a negotiating ploy. Seattle isn't stupid enough to let him walk.

I know you said not to take it out of context, but just reading the content of what you said, I have to say I couldn't disagree more.

You could make the argument that he is the best QB in the NFL. I think you could easily make that argument. No one keeps plays alive like he does. And not by acting like a chicken with its head cut off, but by having an uncanny feel for where he is and the pressure is at all times while still keeping his eyes down field. I've never seen anything like it. He's almost unsackable. Throws when he should throw. Runs when he should run. And all the while doing it effortlessly. And he keeps getting better and better and better. The guy is amazing. He's what the 9ers thought they were getting with Kaepernick. He's just way better.

I would give up Thomas, Haden, Mack, and whoever else you might think is our next best player to get Wilson.

I know what you're saying when you say he's unsackable - he'll wait till the last possible second and just take a sidestep to what looked to be an obvious sack. It's incredible at times. I REALLY like him a lot.

This contract negotiation will be extremely dysfunctional. The Seahawks are already asking him to take less money so he can help out the team and Russell is saying that the Rangers want him to play baseball.

Get your popcorn ready.

That would crack me up if he quits football - even temporarily - to play baseball.

If Seattle gets rid of Russell Wilson, you better believe Schneider is toast. Carroll might be too if that happens.

Schneider and Carroll have done a great job in Seattle. They are not going to lost Wilson.

I'd give three first round picks for him.

I'd give up 3 and a couple of 2nds to boot. I think that he's a huge talent, and has a great understanding of the game.

Like others have said, this is just negotiating. RW has a year left on his rookie deal, and there is at least one reasonable usage of the franchise tag in play as well. It is literally years before something has to get done. Plenty of contract situations involving QBs have gone farther along than this one.

I would add a ham sammich and McCown. Oughttta get 'er done.

I would in a heartbeat quit to play baseball, he will make a GAZILLION more dollars, and have much less stress on his body. Its a no brainer. Heck he already won a ring in football, why not?

It's a viable option for Wilson to be a two sport player. Although I believe he would never quit football to play baseball. But he will definitely bring up his baseball options now in negotiating a LTC with the Seahawks. Which works better as a negotiation tactic then the FO saying they may be willing to deal Wilson. Which is a joke and we all know it.