USA TODAY Sports
As a sense of discomfort and dysfunction hovers over the relationship between Russell Wilson and the Seahawks, a persistent question arises about the aftermath of a potential trade.
If Wilson goes, who will replace him on quarter?
The Seahawks do not hold a very capable backup on the roster, certainly due in part to the fact that Wilson never misses games. There is also a vague idea that coach Pete Carroll’s “always compete” mantra does not apply to the QB1 position. (It will be interesting to see if that changes in 2021 if Wilson stays.) So the easy answer is to say the successor will certainly not be Geno Smith or Danny Etling of Alex McGough, the other three full-backs currently on the rankings are.
Some have suggested that the Seahawks can only swap Wilson for a team that could include the replacement for Wilson in the compensation package. It’s a little confusing; it narrows the universe of potential destinations for Wilson, and it looks like the Seahawks could execute a separate deal to get the Wilson replacement.
It would not be so easy if the Raiders, for example, sent Derek Carr to Seattle or the Says ship Taysom Hill to the Northwest Pacific, but the fact that Wilson’s new team could not include a viable replacement option. do not kill the transaction.
The Seahawks could sign a free agent like Cam Newton or Jameis Winston or Mitch Trubisky or Jimmy Garoppolo if he is hacked by the 49ers. They can trade for someone, like Teddy Bridgewater or Sam Darnold. They can use the draft picks they acquire in a trade for Wilson to move up and set up one of the quarterbacks in the 2021 class. (If they do not have the first round in 2021 or 2022 due to the Jamal Adams trade, it could be more difficult.)
There’s something else the Seahawks can do if they trade Wilson. They can finally give Colin Kaepernick (who is only one year older than Wilson) a full and fair workout, regardless of the possibility that Kaepernick will split the locker room over whether he or Wilson should play. (In 2017, given the ongoing presence of veterans who outraged Wilson, it was a very real possibility.)
Regardless, the inability of Wilson’s new team to give the Seahawks a quick and easy plug-and-play substitute on quarter may not be an obstacle to a trade, if the Seahawks decide the time has indeed come. to move on.