Bears: NFL insider gives glimmer of hope for Russell Wilson move

Could the Bears still land Russell Wilson before the start of the 2021 season?

Russell Wilson still has “one foot out the door” in Seattle, per NFL insider Jeff Darlington. Of course, the ESPN NFL analyst is merely giving his opinion on this matter, but it’s an informed one. Darlington was the same reporter who predicted Tom Brady would eventually leave New England, breaking up with Bill Belichick. Remember how that one ended?

Meanwhile, the Bears opted to sign Andy Dalton to either start, or battle it out with Nick Foles for the starting job in Chicago. This came after they made an offer for Wilson which included two prominent players and three first-round picks. Seattle turned that down, seeming to indicate they’ll be holding onto Wilson, at least for this coming season unless they’re blown away by a trade offer leading up to the NFL Draft.

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are heading for a breakup

Darlington made sure to point out on the Ryen Russillo podcast (17-minute mark) that it’s no certainty Wilson starts the 2021 season in Seattle. However, he also indicates that the Seahawks are right to demand a hefty return for Wilson, considering their unique position of possessing the best quarterback on the trade market.

Perhaps the most intriguing point made by Darlington is that Wilson may be more responsible for this drama than the Seahawks. While Seattle has failed to surround Wilson with much of an offensive line, they have made plenty of moves to better their team and extend their status as a playoff contender. Wilson, meanwhile, is only adding to the frustration of a front office curious why he struggled in the second half of last season.

Whether the Bears can take advantage of that strife — either this offseason or next — remains to be seen.