At a time when a bevvy of NFL superstars have received record contract extensions, and after an offseason in which quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan and then Aaron Rodgers became the highest-paid player in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks have yet to approach perennial All-Pro passer Russell Wilson about a new deal, according to league sources.
Wilson is now less than two years from the expiration of his current contract -- the same circumstance Rodgers was in prior to his recent extension -- and yet there has not been a single conversation about a new contract, and no negotiations are planned or even expected, the sources said. The Seahawks have generally held to an organizational philosophy of not re-doing deals with multiple years remaining -- though there have been rare exceptions -- and in general coaching and quarterback contracts tend to be addressed well prior to any potential lame-duck season.
In the aftermath of the recent blockbuster trade of Khalil Mack from Oakland to Chicago, and with Rodgers' contract now establishing $36 million per year in new money as the top of the QB market, and with the Seahawks in some degree of retooling the roster after their five-year playoff run ended in 2017, the circumstances of the last six months have some in the NFL pondering the future of this relationship.
The Seahawks clearly still have ample time to work something out with the perennial All-Pro, though the months following the 2018 season will certainly bring the matter to a head. Going year-to-year on the franchise tag, especially for an elite quarterback in his prime, is less than ideal. Allowing Wilson to enter the final year of his contract at a time when contracts continue to soar and the cap continues to increase significantly (and could so even more with a wave of gambling-related revenue on top of the now-massive streaming rights) is risky, and Wilson's trade value would be at its peak next winter, with some general managers I spoke to believing Wilson could fetch potentially three first-round picks in return.