Saints Rumors: Seahawks don’t plan to part with Russell Wilson this offseason

The New Orleans Saints don’t have a solid quarterback option for 2022, and they may have their eyes on Russell Wilson this offseason. Seattle won’t let Wilson go easily, though.

Despite Seattle’s Week 13 win, the Seahawks have zero chance of making the playoffs in 2021.

The Saints, with a 5-7 record, may be on track to missing the playoffs as well, and there’s no question the team will need a major facelift for next year.

Could a disgruntled Russell Wilson be on the move?

Quarterback and wide receiver are two of the most pressing positions NOLA needs, as the combo of Hill-Siemian-Book has failed to muster a winning record, much less a playoff-contending team. Jameis Winston will likely return, but his long-term fate with the Saints remains murky.

If the Saints are shopping for an elite quarterback this offseason, Seahawks’ Russell Wilson presents the most viable option.

But according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Seattle has no plans to trade their quarterback, who is still under contract for two seasons.

New Orleans Saints: Door to Russell Wilson may be shut this offseason

Garafolo reports:

"“The Seahawks, they have all but mathematically been eliminated from the postseason, so now the speculation has begun about the future of some key figures in the organization…But, when I speak to Seahawks folks, and I have over the past week or so, everything I’m hearing is they’ve got [Russell Wilson] under contract for two years and then [have] the franchise tag beyond that. So, there could be some moving parts in Seattle, but they envision a future in which Russell Wilson is their starting quarterback.”"

Long quote short, Seattle seems eager to hold onto Wilson for the foreseeable future.

In the spirit of speculation, Wilson has been linked to many trade rumors prior to the 2021 season, and those rumors haven’t died down.

Last February, Wilson relayed frustration at “getting hit too much,” a pointed statement aimed at Seattle’s inability to provide him with a dependable offensive line.

In Week 11 of last year, tensions in the Seattle locker room caused Wilson to storm out of the room before a game, and the media helped amplify that incident to bigger proportions.

Then, of course, there was the list. In late February, Wilson leaked a list of preferred teams he would join if a trade were considered, which includes the Cowboys, Raiders, Bears, and conveniently, the Saints.

The discontent between quarterback and franchise is there, but Pete Carroll and Seattle continue to deny rumors that the team plans on trading Wilson in the future.

For now, all the Saints can do is not get their hopes up. Even if the Seahawks were to change their mind, fitting Wilson’s salary into NOLA’s available cap space would be a monumental challenge.

Don’t count on Russell Wilson joining New Orleans in 2022.