Lions land pretty high on oddsmaker’s list of new teams for Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson will surely not be a Seattle Seahawk in 2022, and the Detroit Lions have landed on one oddsmaker’s list of possible new teams for him.
This season looks like the end of an era in Seattle, as the Seahawks enter Sunday with a 4-8 record. Quarterback Russell Wilson, head coach Pete Carroll or both might be gone by Week 1 of the 2022 season.
Wilson went against his typical “Go ‘Hawks” grain early last offseason by airing some grievances with his situation in Seattle. Then his agent made sure a list of teams he’d accept a trade to got out there, with the flimsy caveat Wilson was not asking to be traded.
Wilson’s contract is much more tradeable come this offeason than it was last offseason. The Seahawks can surely get a lot for him, to accelerate a reset/rebuild.
Any list of possible offseason suitors for Wilson naturally includes some usual suspects (Denver Broncos, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers). But BetOnline has released some new odds for who’ll be Wilson’s next team, if it’s not the Seahawks.
Yep there’s the Lions, at 20-to-1 to be Wilson’s next team. Only 14 teams have better odds on that list.
Could the Lions actually make a move to get Russell Wilson?
Wilson is not quite as dynamic a runner as he once was, but he’s still a very good quarterback with plenty of years ahead of him in his career at 33 years old. After years of the Seahawks falling short in the playoffs, he’ll want to go somewhere he can win another Super Bowl. The Lions obviously aren’t in that territory right now, even if he’s a proven commodity and a clear upgrade under center.
The Lions have two first-round picks in the 2022 draft. If their own falls out of No. 1 overall, maybe trading it (or trading down) becomes a conversation. It’s worth noting the New York Giants, another possible Wilson suitor, will also have two first-round picks and they could both be in the top-10. So if everything else is equal among teams that don’t look like immediate Super Bowl contenders, the Giants are in a better position to make a big trade for Wilson.
It’s ok to “never say never”, and that an oddsmaker has them listed at anything better than 1,000/1 to be his next team is interesting. But I’ll put my foot down and say the Lions won’t be acquiring Russell Wilson in the offseason.