Ding Dong, The Deal Is Done!

Article by Rob Newell

 

Apart from the debate of what Tom Brady may have probably known (don’t worry, this will now be a Patriots free zone) the most recurring theme of the offseason seems to have been the contract situation in Seattle of Quaterback Russell Wilson.

This seems mainly to have been a storm in the media tea cup, Wilson said he was going to play this year, if he made $1.5million or $25million and based on what we have seen from him so far I think it fair to say he was telling the truth.  Sure a starting QB who has been to two Super Bowls, winning one and probably should have won the other, who is making $1.5million in this day and age was being vastly underpaid, and I do not feel the Seahawks were ever in danger of letting him test the Free Agency market, as some have recently suggested might happen.

This was however a rather prolonged contract negotiation that everybody was expecting to be complete a long time ago.  The stalling point in the negotiation process seems to have come down to the level of guaranteed money, but on Friday just gone (31^st July) the Seahawks announced that the deal had been struck for 4 years and $87.6million, which when broken down into yearly salary does put Wilson right up there with Aaron Rodgers at Green Bay.  As a sidebar, the Indianapolis Colts now have an idea of the type of money that are going to need to set aside for the Andrew Luck contract when negotiations start, probably next offseason.

This contract probably acts as the indicator too that 2015 is going to Beast Mode’s last ride in Seattle.  There are many who will happily tell you that Marshawn Lynch is still the key cog in the Seattle machine, and right now that may still be true, but the Seahawks are putting more and more responsibility on the shoulders of their young play caller and for the large part he has well and truly delivered.  This year they have finally addressed the Receiving corp, but with all due respect to Doug Baldwin etc… the addition of Jimmy Graham to the Hawks has instantly elevated the standing of their overall receiving group, and given Wilson a true number one option.

So with the ink dry on this deal, Wilson knows he will be paid like the Super Bowl winner he is and not s third round draft selection anymore.  It will be upon him now to ensure that this team returns to the big game.