Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks are currently leasing NFL headlines with their unexpected detour from marital bliss in 2021, and that's led to speculation the All-Pro quarterback might be traded away at some point to another team. He has not asked for a trade as of this moment, nor have the Seahawks even remotely entertained the idea of doing so, but that didn't stop Wilson's agent from twisting the leverage screw by noting -- if a trade were to be requested -- there would only be four teams in the mix: the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.
Needless to say, that announcement ran up against what Dallas is currently working to achieve in North Texas, and that's to finally sign Dak Prescott to a long-term deal. The likelihood of the Cowboys attempting to make a move for Wilson is "absolute zero," as one source characterized the speculation to CBS Sports, as Dallas is currently engaged in "good talks" with Prescott's agent, Todd France, with the goal of avoiding a $37.7 million franchise tag as they approach the March 9 deadline. That's totally fine with former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who recently warned the Cowboys about even remotely entertaining the flex by Wilson's agent.
"Dallas, you have your guy," the former All-Pro told TMZ Sports. "Pay him! Let the world know he is the guy!"
Despite a maelstrom of QB news around the league, all fueled by who'll be shipped where versus who won't, the Cowboys have remained hellbent on affixing their adoring gaze on Prescott. They made no calls whatsoever to potentially bring Matthew Stafford back to his home state and also made it clear to backup quarterback Andy Dalton that the Cowboys are "Prescott's team" -- a commitment they've hammered home time and again and with nary a crack in the PR armor. This is a key reason there's no contention between the two sides, the main reason for the stall being a difference of opinion on the length of the deal, with the Cowboys wanting a five-year commitment while Prescott attempts to hold firm at only four.
From there, given the new market values and what he means to the team, it's pretty clear he'll likely command money that falls short of what Patrick Mahomes earns but nudges past that of Deshaun Watson -- a point reported often by CBS Sports over the past several months. And with Prescott ahead of schedule following a second, voluntary clean-up procedure designed to strengthen his ankle, the team has no concerns about him physically, as he rehabs daily at the facility and sources confirm he's now able to run.
So instead of diving into unfounded speculation about what Dallas might give up to get Wilson, Marshall wants no part of it.
"Continue to build your team around [Dak]," he said. "You know, the grass isn't always greener on the other side because you don't know Russ' style and how he operates and how he moves."
A former teammate of Wilson's, Marshall is in no way downplaying the value of the eight-time Pro Bowler. What he's saying is, unlike a team like the Saints (Drew Brees' retirement pending) or Bears, or arguably the Raiders, the Cowboys already have a franchise quarterback and should do any and everything they can to not let him walk out the door.
"I like Russell in New Orleans," Marshall said.
The mayor of New Orleans agrees, having posted a viral video lobbying for Wilson to head to Louisiana in 2021, but social media posts from prominent figures won't magically remove the Saints from being massively over the cap at the moment, and that would be their biggest issue in trying to acquire Wilson.
"[But the Saints] are in cap hell right now. I don't see how they could get it done," Marshall added. "But with Sean Payton, that defense, Dennis Allen -- oh man, phenomenal. ... And I like the Las Vegas Raiders. New stadium, coach [Jon] Gruden gonna do his thing. He'll have everything he needs right there."
The easiest thing for Seattle to do is avoid trying to eat $39 million in dead money to reboot their franchise and instead give Wilson what he wants: a voice at the table when it comes to building the roster. But should that not happen and the marriage ultimately dissolve, Marshall is in lockstep with the Cowboys that the answer at quarterback is already in the building.
