[Hammock Parties]

RUSS SUCKS

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-broncos-trade

Wilson wanted out, believing coach Pete Carroll and the organization were holding him back. And with their own misgivings about how his game was aging, the Seahawks lost faith in Wilson, just as he had lost faith in them.

Wilson's lead on winning his first MVP in 2020 quickly faded when the prolific stretch gave way to the worst turnover funk of his career. Wilson committed 10 over the next four games, and with their defense also faltering, the Seahawks went 1-3.

One of Wilson's seven interceptions in that stretch came in a loss at the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10. Trailing by a touchdown, he scrambled to his right and had a massive swath of empty turf in front of him. He bypassed the rushing yards, uncorking a deep heave back across the field that was picked off in the end zone.

"What are we doing here?" one source in the Seahawks' front office remembers thinking at the time. "Are we trying to win games or are we trying to win MVP?"

Carroll had enough of the turnovers. He pulled the plug on "Let Russ Cook" and reverted to the formula that was ingrained deep within the then-69-year-old coach. After dropping back to pass more than any team over the first 10 weeks, the Seahawks ranked 15th in designed pass rate over the final seven.

But inside team headquarters, concerns were growing about Wilson's legs.

BY THIS POINT, some within the Seahawks believed Wilson's best days were behind him. Their concern wasn't with the finger injury that had sidelined him for three games in 2021. Some believed Wilson's escapability -- one of the traits that made him an elite quarterback worthy of elite money -- was waning.

"He's not as mobile as he used to be," said one source in the Seahawks' front office.

"I just felt like he's a descending player," another front-office source said, citing the same mobility concern. "Is he going to be able to be a true pocket passer at the end of his career and just stand there and drop the ball off to his checkdowns? He's never done that. I can't tell you he's going to be able to do that."

"It's going to get more and more difficult for him to create and do what he used to do ... I do think that's going to be harder," said former Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard, who co-hosted a radio show on Seattle Sports Station 710-AM during most of Wilson's career with the Seahawks. "Is that going to hit in 2022? Probably not. I think this will likely be one of his best years for the Broncos. But will he slow down in '23, '24, '25? Yes.