The Washington Commands are apparently intent on landing a top-shelf quarterback for the 2022 season. That quarterback will apparently not be Russell Wilson, however, as Seattle turned down an offer of multiple first-round picks that would have sent the perennial Pro Bowl quarterback to Washington, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Washington has been active as it relates to reaching out to other teams about acquiring a quarterback, according to Rapoport. Washington, two years removed from winning the NFC East title, apparently feels it is a quarterback away from being in a position to win another division title -- and possibly more than that -- in 2022. Washington went 7-10 last season and was 7-8 with Taylor Heinicke as the starting quarterback.
The rejected trade offer shows where both franchises are at with less than two weeks left until the start of free agency. Washington is in the market for a quarterback, be it in free agency or in the upcoming draft. Seattle, at least for now, is holding on to Wilson, who was recently asked about possibly playing for the Commanders next season.
"I love the East Coast, but I think the West Coast is better for me right now," Wilson said during an interview on the "Today" show. "I've got my whole family over here. I'm from Richmond [Virginia], I know what you mean. I've got people hitting me up every day, all my friends and all that from the East Coast."
Wilson's coach, Pete Carroll, said from the NFL Scouting Combine this week that the team has fielded calls about Wilson, who nine years ago led Seattle to the franchise's first Super Bowl win. Carroll added that the team does not plan on parting ways with it's 33-year-old quarterback.
"At this time of year, there's conversations about everybody," Carroll said, via Sam Fortier of the Washington Post. "We talk about everybody, and that's commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all the players, particularly marquee players. And that's not changed. It's been the same every year we've been here.
"We have no intention of making any moves there, but the conversations, John has to field those, he always has, but nothing specific."
Wilson is certainly on the Mount Rushmore of iconic Seahawks players, a group that likely also includes Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent, cornerback Richard Sherman and running back Marshawn Lynch. Under Wilson, the Seahawks have compiled a 104-53-1 regular-season record. Seattle has made the playoffs eight times during Wilson's decade with the team, including a run to the franchise's first Super Bowl title in 2013 and an NFC title in 2014.
The 2021 season was a tough one for Wilson and the Seahawks. At 7-10, Seattle posted its first losing season since going 7-9 in 2011, Carroll's second season with the franchise. But after a year in which the Seahawks had just three draft picks, they currently have six picks in the 2022 Draft, which should allow them to address several of their pressing needs heading into the offseason.
