Unlike wide receivers Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys and Demaryius Thomas of the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has handled his contract talks in a team-friendly manner. While making it clear he wants to be among the highest-paid players in the NFL, Wilson has not threatened to hold out at any point.
The tact Wilson and his agent Mark Rodgers are taking may actually be much scarier for the Seahawks. According to NFL.com, Wilson is unlikely to discuss a long-term extension with the team if a deal isn't reached by training camp, when Wilson wants to focus solely on football. That means he is comfortable playing for $1.54 million this year, and then playing on lucrative franchise tags in 2016 and 2017 before hitting free agency and seeking a fully guaranteed contract.
Part of the reason Seattle has had such success of late is the value of Wilson's contract. He was a third-round pick, and therefore the Seahawks are getting Pro Bowl-caliber production for the price of a backup, and spending freely to put together an incredible defense, and keep the NFL's most productive running back happy. Wilson has reached consecutive Super Bowls in his first two seasons, and in exchange feels it's time to be taken care of.
By playing this year on such an undervalued salary, Wilson assumes tremendous risk. Football has a high injury rate, and Wilson's style of play lends itself to injuries. He rushed 118 times in 2014, the highest total among all NFL quarterbacks and 40th-most among all players. He was also sacked 42 times, sixth-most in the NFL.
Wilson also does not have the pure passing skills of peers such as Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck; while his rushing prowess closes the gap, Wilson has never played without the benefit of a Top 5 defense or rushing game. Fair or not, he has not been the focal point of the Seahawks, and his injury risk makes fully guaranteeing a deal unpalatable for the front office regardless of how much success they've achieved.
Then again, teams with excellent defenses and poor quarterback play have struggled too. The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills would be favorites to open up their checkbooks for Wilson in free agency, and the Arizona Cardinals proved last postseason how far a team can go if the offense can't score. Taking advantage of Wilson's dedication to the team makes financial sense short-term, but if he leaves at his first chance the Seahawks may regret not locking him up.
[NFL.com]
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