Seattle Seahawks

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson confirmed Thursday that the Seattle Seahawks tried to trade him multiple times before ultimately dealing the signal-caller in March.

"Definitely they tried to, a couple of times...tried to see what was out there,'' Wilson said Thursday before practice, according to ESPN's Jeff Legwold.

"It's part of the business, being a professional and everything else. ... I believe in my talents, of who I am. I feel I'm one of the best in the world."

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, played his first 10 NFL seasons with the Seahawks. He won the Super Bowl during his second NFL campaign in 2013.

ESPN's Brady Henderson did a deep dive into the drama behind the scenes that led to Seattle trading Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick for quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, tight end Noah Fant, the Broncos' first- and second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 plus a 2022 fifth-rounder.

Of note, Henderson revealed that the Seahawks tried to trade Wilson to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

Before that, general manager John Schneider had reportedly gone to Wyoming to check out eventual Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who was taken seventh overall in that draft. The year before, Schneider had visited Texas Tech for a look at future Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.

That did not please the Wilson camp, which was reportedly "f--king pissed" due to those trips.

Things smoothed over enough for Wilson to sign a four-year, $140 million extension with the team in April 2019, and that included a no-trade clause.

But two years later, Wilson went public on the Dan Patrick Show about some frustrations he had with the team, including his desire to have more input on personnel and the team's consistent offensive line struggles.

In the aftermath of that interview, Henderson reported that Schneider and Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, "began discussing potential trade destinations and, according to sources on both sides, had a heated exchange about which teams would be in play."

Later in February, Rodgers told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Wilson, who hadn't requested a trade, would welcome a deal to the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders or Chicago Bears.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was against the idea of trading Wilson, but that reportedly changed after the 2021 campaign, when the coach and player started talking about a deal.

"That's when s--t got real," a source told Henderson.

Wilson soon found himself in Denver, where he'll look to lead a Broncos team with a promising future under new ownership and a first-year head coach in ex-Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

As for the Seahawks, they're in rebuilding mode after getting rid of their franchise player as well as their defensive superstar in linebacker Bobby Wagner.

As Russell Wilson prepares to play in Seattle as a visitor for the first time, the Denver Broncos quarterback has nothing but love for the city where he spent his first 10 NFL seasons.

"Seattle was one of a kind," Wilson told reporters Thursday. "Ten years, I couldn't imagine those years not being in my life and how special they were and how many games we won and how many amazing thrillers, just the Super Bowl we won and everything else. ... Seattle will always mean the world to me. It'll always forever be home for me. It'll always be a special place in my heart."

#Broncos @DangeRussWilson said he “will forever have love in my heart for Seattle.” Not thinking about he will be received. #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/8tokygLyEx

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) September 8, 2022

The Seahawks traded Wilson to Denver in March amid a simmering feud between the franchise quarterback and coach Pete Carroll. Most of the issues between Carroll and Wilson came down to philosophical differences, with the coach wanting a ground-and-pound approach while Wilson wanted to be allowed to cook.

Seattle is seemingly headed toward a retooling season, as the front office chose not to replace Wilson with another franchise quarterback. Carroll will open the 2022 season with Geno Smith as his starter and Drew Lock as the backup. Neither quarterback has shown the capability to be even an average NFL starter in their respective careers.

Wilson, meanwhile, leads a Broncos group that feels primed for a Super Bowl run—provided it's acquired the franchise quarterback of the past and not an inconsistent player amid his injuries last season.

Playing in the most difficult division in football, the Broncos will need to open up the 2022 season with a convincing win as they prepare for the AFC West gauntlet.

As far as Seahawks fans go, they should probably invest in the success of their past quarterback in what will likely be a disappointing campaign.

Prior to getting traded to the Denver Broncos during the offseason, quarterback Russell Wilson reportedly took issue with some decisions made by the Seattle Seahawks front office.

According to ESPN's Brady Henderson, Wilson was particularly dismayed by the fact that the Seahawks checked in on quarterbacks ahead of the 2017 and 2018 NFL drafts.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider attended now-Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes' pro day in 2017 and reportedly would have taken him had he fallen to the latter stages of the first round.

The next year, Schneider was present for now-Buffalo Bills superstar signal-caller Josh Allen's pro day in Wyoming.

Per Henderson, a front-office source said Wilson was "f--king pissed" that Schneider went out of his way to scout potential franchise quarterbacks while he was still in the fold and playing at a high level.

Schneider reportedly reasoned that doing due diligence on top quarterbacks in the draft was a wise move, noting that the Green Bay Packers did the same during his time with the organization and ended up having Aaron Rodgers fall to them in 2005 despite already having Hall of Famer Brett Favre on the roster.

Rodgers sat behind Favre for the first three years of his career before taking over and becoming one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history in his own right.

Wilson is likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer thanks to his nine Pro Bowl selections, one Super Bowl ring and career record of 104-53-1 as a starter.

Despite being a third-round pick in 2012, Wilson won the starting job out of the gate and led the Seahawks to the greatest run of success in franchise history.

With Wilson at the helm, Seattle reached the playoffs eight times in 10 seasons and made it to the Super Bowl twice. If not for a miraculous goal-line interception by New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, Wilson and the Seahawks would have won back-to-back Super Bowls in 2013 and 2014.

While Wilson has somewhat shockingly never received a single vote for NFL MVP, he has put up some huge numbers during his career, completing 65.0 percent of his passes for 37,059 yards, 292 touchdowns and 87 interceptions while also rushing for 4,689 yards and 23 scores.

The Seahawks may have already gotten the very best out of Wilson, but at 33 years of age, he may have plenty left in the tank.

An injury caused Wilson to miss the first three games of his career last season, but he seems refreshed and rejuvenated after joining a Broncos team that has huge aspirations despite missing the playoffs in each of the past six seasons.

Despite playing in arguably the NFL's toughest division, the Broncos figure to be playoff-bound and perhaps even Super Bowl contenders with Wilson.

The same can't be said for the Seahawks, who are expected by many to be one of the NFL's worst teams, as they are entering the 2022 campaign with journeyman Geno Smith as their starting quarterback.

The Seattle Seahawks reportedly offered quarterback Russell Wilson to the Cleveland Browns as part of a proposed trade for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

ESPN's Brady Henderson reported Wednesday the Browns "weren't interested" in the idea but it led Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, to secure a no-trade clause in the QB's next contract that gave him greater control over his future.

Wilson was ultimately traded to the Denver Broncos in March, ending a 10-year tenure with the Seahawks.

The quarterback's growing frustration in Seattle became evident when he went on a media tour surrounding the Super Bowl in February 2021 where he aired his grievances.

Now it appears his stay with the Seahawks nearly ended three years before that if the Browns would have been willing to put the top draft pick on the table.

Of course, Cleveland opted to stay put and selected Baker Mayfield, who failed to establish himself as a franchise quarterback across four seasons before getting dealt to the Carolina Panthers in July.

His trade came after the Browns rebuilt their quarterback room with Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs over the offseason.

It's always interesting to analyze the trickle-down effect of moves that weren't made. If Wilson lands with the Browns, do the Seahawks take Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen or Josh Rosen with the No. 1 pick? It's an obvious choice now, but back then it was a debate.

Meanwhile, Cleveland wouldn't have been in the market for a quarterback this offseason, which would have shaken up the QB trade market.

It worked out fine for Wilson, however, as he lands within a Broncos offense featuring no shortage of playmakers in the talent-laden AFC West.

Fittingly, his time with Denver begins with a road trip to face the Seahawks in Week 1.

"Obviously, Seattle's meant the world to me over the past 10 years," Wilson told reporters in May. "It's a special place. It's a special place to play, Lumen Field. I have high regard for all those guys over there and what they do."

Although his run with the Hawks didn't end on a high note, he enjoyed plenty of success during his decade with the franchise, including nine Pro Bowl selections and the Super Bowl XLVIII title.

He should receive a hero's welcome on Monday night.

The Seattle Seahawks have had an uninspiring quarterback competition, which is partially their fault. Regardless of the team's decision on the starter, Seahawks fans should prepare for a dreadful 2022 season.

In March, Seattle traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos after the relationship between the star quarterback and head coach Pete Carroll had run its course, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show. Seattle acquired five draft picks, tight end Noah Fant, defensive end Shelby Harris and quarterback Drew Lock in that deal.

Lock looks like the least valuable player asset in that deal after he lost a camp battle to Teddy Bridgewater last offseason and finished in defeat in all three of his starts for the 2021 campaign. However, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted that the Seahawks saw him as a potential starter who needed a new stable environment.

"I'm told the team did not consider Lock a throw-in in the Wilson trade, but rather a viable fallback option. There's a belief among some with Seattle that some of Lock's issues in Denver were a byproduct of a revolving door of offensive coordinators and a defensive-minded head coach in Vic Fangio."

Though the changes in offensive play-calling coupled with a defensive-minded head coach may have stunted Lock's development, he's now on a team that's had three different offensive coordinators over the past five years under Carroll, who's a lead skipper with a defensive background.

Throughout the offseason, Seattle has treated Lock as plan B behind Geno Smith, who's spent two years with the team. In 2021, the latter played four games (three starts) as a fill-in for Wilson, throwing for 702 yards, five touchdowns and an interception with a 68.4 percent completion rate.

On the surface, Smith's numbers look OK, but he completed fewer than 60 percent of his pass attempts in two of those outings and didn't eclipse 209 passing yards in any of the four contests.

Despite Smith's game-manager performance in an audition and the fact that he has only started in five games since the 2015 term, the Seahawks never really had an even competition for the starting job.

Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune believes the Seahawks narrowed their focus to Smith's benefit:

Said it weeks ago: Can't understand why Pete Carroll didn't alternate Drew Lock with Geno Smith on the 1st offense from day 1 of training camp. Seahawks needlessly compressed their own QB competition. It's still not a true one. Lock's still sick, 7 days before preseason finale.

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 19, 2022

Carroll named Lock the starter for Seattle's Week 2 preseason matchup with the Chicago Bears, but shortly after, the team announced that he tested positive for COVID-19, which meant he had to quarantine for a mandatory five days.

As a result, the fourth-year signal-caller didn't have a chance to showcase himself in a pivotal game amid a position battle. However, had the Seahawks evenly distributed the practice reps throughout the offseason, they would've been able to better assess Lock's growth within their system.

On Tuesday, Carroll told reporters that he thinks the team has two No. 1 quarterbacks, but that's not how the coaching staff handled the competition. Setting Lock's illness aside, the Seahawks made it clear that Smith had to lose a grip on the lead for the starting job in order for his primary contender to win it.

Lock returned to practice Sunday, though on The Mike Salk Show (h/t Michael-Shawn Dugar), Carroll announced that Smith would start in his third consecutive preseason game Friday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Smith hasn't made a strong case for himself in two exhibition contests. He's yet to throw for a touchdown, completing 20 of 33 pass attempts for 213 yards, though he did score a rushing touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 of the preseason. Meanwhile, as a backup in one appearance, Lock completed 11 of 15 pass attempts for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

In fairness to Smith, the Seahawks hurt themselves with penalties (13 for 92 yards) and drops in their last outing with the Bears. In the postgame press conference with reporters, Carroll highlighted missed opportunities in the passing game.

"We have to catch the ball better in general. The guys that are trying to make this club have got to catch the football for us and make our plays. And it happened a little bit to Geno again, couple of balls that we need to catch. The first third down was a beautiful read and play and protection and all that, didn't make the catch."

Moreover, Seattle's top wide receivers, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, have yet to play a snap in the preseason. The coaching staff will probably rely heavily on practice performances to make a decision on the starter, which is a disadvantage for Lock, who operated the second-team offense for most of the offseason.

Metcalf told reporters that he's "supposed to play" against the Cowboys Friday and get some work in with Smith and Lock. Nonetheless, as the backup, Lock may not be able to show enough to surpass Smith, who would probably have to produce an awful performance to fall out of favor for the lead position.

In hindsight, Lock hasn't had a fair opportunity to work through his shortcomings and improve with mostly premium talent on the field, and Smith doesn't look any better than the game manager we saw in spot duty for a few games in 2021.

Unless the San Francisco 49ers feel exceptionally generous or Seattle shows desperation and proposes a ridiculous offer for Jimmy Garoppolo in an atypical in-division trade that involves a quarterback, the Seahawks will likely roll into the season with an underwhelming starter in Smith.

Seattle would have a more realistic chance at Garoppolo if San Francisco cuts him. But even with Trey Lance set to take over the 49ers offense, they have no reason to part ways with the experienced 30-year-old signal-caller right now. If a playoff-contending team loses its quarterback early in the season, that club's general manager may call San Francisco with a decent offer for Garoppolo.

Meanwhile, in Seattle, Lock has room to grow at 25 years old. However, before he had to quarantine because of COVID-19, his development took a backseat to Smith, who's 31 years old with 34 career starts, in a "true competition."

Lock has the arm strength to stretch the field, but he must work on his ball placement and cut down on turnovers. He's thrown for 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions (led the league in 2020 with 15) with a 59.3 percent completion rate through three campaigns.

Perhaps Lock would've shown some improvement with the quality of pass-catchers around him. Metcalf, Lockett and Fant can elevate a quarterback with their playmaking abilities. Metcalf and Fant both have a broad catch radius, and Lockett has made incredible catches in tight spaces.

Publicly, Carroll kept an open mind and emphasized his patience when he discussed the Seahawks' quarterback battle with reporters Tuesday.

Though assuming Smith continues to hold on to his starting role, he'll have a second (and possibly final chance) to prove himself as a starter while Lock works on his game with backups at practices.

Typically, NFL teams have quarterback battles to give contenders the opportunity to win the starting job. Smith may win the Seahawks' competition by default—not necessarily in a convincing fashion. Don't be surprised if Carroll turns to Lock at some point in the upcoming season.

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Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny may not be a big fantasy beneficiary following Kenneth Walker III's sports hernia.

The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar reported the Seahawks might deploy a running-back-by-committee, with Penny, Travis Homer and Deejay Dallas all potentially in play.

Penny seemed to turn a corner toward the end of the 2021 season after returning from a calf injury. In Seattle's final six games, he ran for 706 yards and six touchdowns.

The arrival of Walker, a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, obviously put a dent in Penny's value. The fact the 26-year-old isn't immediately pegged to be the primary ball-carrier in Walker's absence could be telling as well.

Head coach Pete Carroll acknowledged there's still no firm timeline for when Walker will be cleared. The Seahawks open the regular season Sept. 12 against the Denver Broncos.

Barring new developments before then, fantasy managers should continue to peg Penny into their lineups as an RB2 or flex.

An offense that's going to start Geno Smith or Drew Lock at quarterback figures to make the running game an important facet. Penny should get enough touches to make an impact, even if Homer or Dallas siphon away some of his touches.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III appears to be out indefinitely following hernia surgery.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters Sunday that the rookie is "still tender" from his surgery and there's no timetable for his return.

The Michigan State product is entering his first NFL season after amassing 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in 12 games last year. He earned Walter Camp Award and Doak Walker Award honors for his efforts.

The Seahawks selected Walker, who transferred to MSU after two seasons playing for Wake Forest, with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

The rookie had 30 total yards on six touches in the Seahawks' preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 13, but his preseason soon came to a halt because of injury concerns.

Carroll told reporters Tuesday that Walker had a "little hernia thing" and was aiming to have him ready for the team's Sept. 12 regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos.

Carroll on Walker continued: "We’ve just got to make sure that he’s OK by the opener is what we’re shooting for.”

— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 16, 2022

However, the story on Walker's injury changed the following day, with Carroll saying it was not a hernia. It was unclear what the injury was, but the coach sounded optimistic he would be good to go for Week 1:

Carroll also said it’s not a core muscle injury but wouldn’t specify what it is. Said he thinks Walker will be back by Week 1. https://t.co/sAgJsU8Mdd

— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 17, 2022

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network provided more context and reporting:

My understanding is that #Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker underwent surgery to repair a hernia — not what is sometimes called a “sports hernia” or core muscle injury — and he’s expected to make a full recovery. The plan is for him to be out there Week 1 if all goes well.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 17, 2022

Now, it's looking like Walker will not be on the field for the season opener. Without Walker, the top three running backs on the Seahawks' depth chart are Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas.

Penny, who ran for 6.3 yards per carry last year (119 rushes, 749 yards), is entering his fifth NFL season. He amassed the most touches among all Seattle offensive players last season.

The 26-year-old had a groin issue that kept him out of the Steelers game but returned to practice the following week.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Thursday night that quarterback Drew Lock was feeling the effects of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Following Seattle's 27-11 loss to the Chicago Bears in their second preseason game, Carroll said of Lock: "He's really sick. He was sick. Well, that was of I think it was this morning. It hit him pretty hard."

Lock had been scheduled to start against Chicago, but with COVID rendering him unable to play, veteran Geno Smith got the start under center instead.

Smith and the first-team offense struggled Thursday, as Seattle didn't score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Smith completed just 10 of his 18 passing attempts for 112 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions while getting sacked twice.

Seattle is one of the few teams remaining in the NFL without a definitive starting quarterback for Week 1 of the regular season, although Lock might be even more entrenched in the driver's seat now despite not playing Thursday.

In the Seahawks' first preseason game, which was a 32-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith and Lock split the snaps.

Smith went 10-of-15 for 101 yards with no touchdowns or picks, while Lock went 11-of-15 for 102 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Lock, 25, is the younger and higher-upside play, as he is still early in his NFL career.

The Denver Broncos selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Missouri, and he went on to make 21 starts in three seasons for the Broncos, going 8-13.

He saw his most extensive action in 2020, starting all 13 games he played in, and throwing for 2,933 yards, 16 touchdowns and an NFL-high 15 interceptions.

Seattle acquired him from Denver during the offseason as part of the blockbuster trade that sent future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos.

The 31-year-old Smith is something of a journeyman who has bounced around since the New York Jets took him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.

Smith has started games for the Jets, New York Giants and Seahawks, going 13-21 with 34 touchdowns and 37 interceptions in his career.

Per ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, Lock will be eligible to return to the team Sunday if he passes the necessary thresholds.

As a result, Carroll left the door open for Lock to potentially start the Seahawks' preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 26, although he hasn't committed to it.

The Seattle Seahawks are prepared to host their former quarterback, Russell Wilson, in the season opener against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, but head coach Pete Carroll isn't treating the game any differently.

Carroll told ESPN's Adam Schefter before Thursday's preseason game against the Chicago Bears that the team will prepare to face the Broncos the same way it prepares for any other opponent.

"It's a ballgame; it's championship ballgame time. That's all. It isn't [any] different than that," Carroll said. "I won't make it one bit different. I won't talk one bit different. It's no different than any other game we play. It's the biggest game in the world, and we're gonna do everything in our power to win it; that's how we do."

The Seahawks traded Wilson to the Broncos in a blockbuster deal this offseason, ending his tenure with the team after 10 seasons. Seattle acquired two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant in the trade.

When the trade was announced, there were indications that Wilson was the one who pushed for the deal. The nine-time Pro Bowler had a no-trade clause in his contract and reportedly would only waive it for the Broncos. Seahawks chairman Jody Allen said in a statement that Wilson "made it clear he wanted this change." Wilson later said the decision was mutual.

The Seahawks have not yet named a starting quarterback for the 2022 season, with Lock competing against veteran Geno Smith. Lock was initially named the starter for Thursday's game, but he was ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19. Smith has spent the past two seasons in Seattle, and he's received most of the first-team reps in training camp.

While playing without Wilson under center will take some time to adjust to, Carroll is confident in the Seahawks' chances at competing when the season begins. When asked if there will be a competitive advantage on either side when he goes up against Wilson, Carroll responded, "We'll find out."

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III reportedly underwent surgery to repair a hernia.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Walker is expected to make a full recovery and the team hopes he is ready for Week 1 "if all goes well."

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Tuesday that the 21-year-old was dealing with a hernia and the hope is to have him ready by the 2022 season opener against the Denver Broncos.

The 41st pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Walker will play a key role in Seattle's run-heavy offense when he's healthy.

Former Seahawks running back Chris Carson retired in July because of a neck injury he suffered in 2021, leaving an opening for lead ball-carrier. Fifth-year veteran Rashaad Penny has never played a full season in his career, so Walker likely will see ample opportunities in his first year.

Walker burst onto the scene in his lone season at Michigan State after transferring from Wake Forest. In 2021, he racked up 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 263 carries for the Spartans and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He rushed for 1,158 yards and 17 scores in two seasons combined at Wake Forest.

During training camp, Carroll expressed confidence in deploying Walker as Seattle's lead back: "He could play all three downs and we'd feel comfortable with it."

While the Arlington, Tennessee native is out, Penny will get a hefty share of the carries. Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas will split the backup duties.

Once Walker is able to return, he will likely be the workhorse in Seattle's backfield.