Trade regrade: Inside Eagles failed attempt to land Russell Wilson

Did Russell Wilson turn down a trade to the Philadelphia Eagles? One NFL insider suggests so.

Of course, Russell Wilson was eventually traded to the Denver Broncos, where he struggled mightily last season under one-and-done head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Sean Payton has since been brought in to rebuild the offensive system with Wilson behind center.

Revisionist history would suggest that Wilson made the wrong decision, especially considering he reportedly had final say over his eventual trade destination.

Per Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated, the Philadelphia Eagles were close on a deal for Wilson, but Russ turned down that opportunity, at the time hoping to stay in Seattle.

It’s unclear exactly what the timeline here is — if Wilson turned down an opportunity last offseason, then it’s a miscue on his part. However, considering it sounds like he wanted to repair his relationship with Pete Carroll and Co., it’s tough to know whether these trade conversations happened before or after the Eagles drafted Jalen Hurts in 2020.

Did Russell Wilson turn down a trade to the Eagles?

Hurts and Wilson have some similarities, in that they can be mobile when it counts. At this point in his career, though, Wilson seems more inclined to stay in the pocket, which has cost him a valuable weapon that defenses no longer have to worry about (unless Payton does something to change that).

In the end, it’s safe to say Philadelphia dodged a bullet, though Wilson may have pushed them out of the way. Hurts is an all-NFL talent, and one of the best young quarterbacks in football. He now has his lucrative contract, which will keep him in the City of Brotherly Love for years to come.

As for Wilson? It’s easy to pile on the Denver QB when he’s down. Thankfully, the Broncos brought in noted QB guru Payton to run his system. If Wilson is willing to listen and adapt, there’s a good chance last season was more of a bad dream than his new reality.