Wilson doesn’t want out of the Pacific Northwest quite yet, but he has four teams he’s open to in case it gets to that point.
The Russell Wilson saga continued to evolve Thursday, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that while the Seattle Seahawks’ Pro Bowl quarterback hasn’t demanded a trade from the franchise where he has played all nine seasons of his career, his agent has a wish list in case that scenario comes to pass. With the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints as Wilson’s targets in a «in case of trade, break glass» situation, we asked our NFL Nation reporters from each of those teams to lay out their case for Wilson, and what it might take to bring in the star quarterback. Also, we look at what it might take for the Seahawks to part with the most decorated signal-caller in franchise history. Why the Bears are attractive to Wilson: The Bears are desperate for a franchise quarterback, and Wilson would be viewed as a hero if he were to get them over the hump. Chicago is sick of seeing Aaron Rodgers and the Packers dominate the division. Someone who could unseat them would become an instant legend in a city that loves its sports stars. What the Bears would have to give up: The Bears don’t have a quarterback the Seahawks would want in a swap of players, so it would have to be draft picks — high ones and a lot of them. The problem now is the Bears don’t have a high pick (they’re at No.20) this year, so it would likely take multiple first-rounders. How doable it is — and what comes next: GM Ryan Pace might need a job-saving quarterback acquisition considering he has struck out with Mike Glennon, Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles. So if the Bears are on Wilson’s list, then Pace owes it to the franchise to put together the best offer he can muster and hope the Seahawks change their mind and decide to deal him. — Rob Demovsky Why the Cowboys are attractive to Wilson: There are obvious on- and off-the-field considerations. On the field: Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb, Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and La’el Collins come to mind. The Cowboys have one of the most talented offenses in the league. They also play in a division that is a lot easier than the NFC West. Off the field, the Cowboys’ brand sells. While Wilson already is one of the better-known players in the NFL, his brand would multiply attached to the Cowboys’ star. What the Cowboys would have to give up: Multiple first-round picks at the least. The Cowboys have the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, which would help, but they would have to give up future first-rounders if not more picks and maybe some players just to land him. And if you’re asking about trading Dak Prescott, well, they can’t. He’s a free agent and even if they place the franchise tag on him for a second straight year, Prescott would have to sign the tender before any trade could be facilitated.
