Per reports, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would strongly consider waiving his no-trade clause for the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, or New York Giants.
I understand why he’d want to go to the Saints and Broncos. Both teams are pretty well-run organizations who would probably both be Super Bowl contenders if they had a legitimate option at quarterback.
John Elway had trouble finding a franchise quarterback for Denver after Peyton Manning, but did a solid job building a capable defense and all-around good set of skill position players. Even though Elway is no longer the Broncos’ general manager, he put together a team that was capable of competing in the tough AFC West for years to come. With Russ at quarterback, they’d almost surely be one of the most fearsome teams in the AFC.
The Saints are also notoriously one of the most consistent franchises in the NFL. Even with Trevor Siemian and Jameis Winston replacing Drew Brees this season, the Saints have managed to accomplish some pretty phenomenal feats such as dominating Green Bay in Week 1, taking down Tampa Bay on Halloween, and taking down New England (albeit, that was at the beginning of the season before the Pats found their footing). They’ve still got a solid front seven and an up-and-coming secondary as well as one of the best offensive lines in football. Given Russ’s alleged frustration with Seattle’s front office’s unwillingness to bolster the Seahawks’ offensive line, swapping to an O-line that has consistently ranked near the top of the league in pass block win rate makes sense for Wilson.
Then, there’s the New York Giants, a team who hasn’t finished above .500 since 2016 and did so just twice in the last decade. They are a team whose fan base has wanted their GM fired for quite some time. They’ve done well to supply Daniel Jones with weapons, but those weapons just can’t seem to stay healthy, and their offensive line may as well be made of styrofoam. This is a dysfunctional franchise. They are the only team on this list that would not become a serious contender with Wilson under center. In no way would the Giants provide Wilson with any personnel upgrades, which seems to be his biggest gripe with the Seahawks. So, why would he waive his no-trade clause to go there?
He has no ties to New York. He was born in Cincinnati and played high school football in Virginia. His father was a receiver for the Chargers, back when they played in San Diego. His wife is from Texas, but she did spend some time in New York as a kid, since her parents constantly had to move across the country.
Is she why Wilson is considering New York as an option? She’s never said anything about wanting to force Wilson out of Seattle, but it’s been a rumor that Ciara would want Wilson to move to New York for quite some time.
After all, she’s a singer. New York would be the perfect place for her.
Why not the Jets though? The Jets made Robert Saleh their head coach in the offseason, and he’s proven himself capable thus far, but maybe Wilson believes the Jets will be willing to give Zach Wilson, the team’s most recent first-round selection, a few years to prove himself still. The Giants are much more likely to abandon Daniel Jones than the Jets are to abandon BYU Wilson after just one season. Perhaps that’s why, but still seeing the Giants listed next to the Broncos and Saints is like watching an episode of Sesame Street and hearing that “One of these things is not like the others.”
I understand the appeal of living in the Big Apple and playing for one of the most iconic franchises in the NFL, but the Giants brand has lost its luster over the last decade. I don’t blame Wilson for wanting to play in New York, but man, it just doesn’t make sense. Someone please, make it make sense.
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