Russell Wilson Contract: Seattle Seahawks Won't Trade NFL's Highest-Paid Player Anytime Soon

Russell Wilson has found himself at the center of trade rumors—sort of—after NBC Sports’ Chris Simms said that he heard the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks once discussed a deal involving the quarterback. Simms told ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio that the discussions occurred before the 2018 NFL Draft when Cleveland had the No.1 overall pick, which was used on Baker Mayfield.

Sources told Florio that the idea was “floated” and suggested that Wilson could “eventually” be traded by Seattle. What does that mean for the quarterback’s future with the Seahawks?

Despite the rumors, it’s clear that Wilson isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even if Seattle actually did explore trading its quarterback, the team gave Wilson a record contract one year later.

Wilson agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension in April 2019. His average yearly salary of $35 million makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL. Wilson’s contract lasts through the 2023 season, and the details make it very difficult for Seattle to part ways with the veteran.

With a $70 million dead cap in 2020, according to Spotrac, Wilson is currently untradeable. He won’t be going anywhere in 2021 when he has a $39 million dead cap. In 2022, Wilson is almost certain to remain in Seattle, considering the team would be penalized $26 million against the cap for moving on from the signal caller.

Following the 2022 season, the Seahawks could realistically trade Wilson. He’s got a $13 million dead cap for the 2023 season, the final year of his deal.

Even if Seattle wouldn’t suffer salary cap ramifications for dealing Wilson, the 31-year-old would almost certainly be off the trade block for the next couple of years. He’s the best quarterback in the NFC, ranking second all-time with a 101.2 passer rating. Wilson has made seven Pro Bowls in his eight-year career.

Wilson had 4,110 passing yards, 31 passing touchdowns and five interceptions in the 2019 season. The Seahawks went 11-5 and won their wild-card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Seattle has reached the playoffs in seven of Wilson’s eight seasons, finishing above .500 each year. The Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 and came up just short the following year in Super Bowl XLIX.