(Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Quarterback Russell Wilson has set April 15 as the deadline for the Seattle Seahawks to get a new contract extensions finalized.
If you were to compare the Seattle Seahawks offseason thus far you would probably compare it to a library. It’s been quiet with very little movement among the franchise in terms of transactions. That’s due to the fact that the team has their hands filled with Russell Wilson’s looming extension.
According to The Seattle Times, Wilson has given the team an April 15 deadline to complete negotiations on a new contract. The two sides have reportedly engaged in negotiations though nothing is imminent at this time.
It was supposed to be a year of transition for the Seahawks in 2018, however Wilson had other plans in mind. He helped lead the team to a playoff berth, while throwing for 35 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. It wasn’t just his scoring, but his clutch playmaking ability. According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson had the highest percentage of big-time throws in the NFL at 8.9 percent.
Re-signing Wilson to an extension is a no-brainer, but it will cost plenty. We’re talking about the entire bank vault to keep him. As it stands, Wilson is the 12th-highest paid quarterback in the league, with the likes of Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins are paid more than Wilson.
The ball is in Wilson’s hand as he controls all the leverage. His extension should have him as the highest-paid quarterback in the league. That’s been the trend over the last few years when a quarterback receives a new deal.
Luckily for the Seahawks they won’t be overpaying for an average quarterback like other teams have done. They know they will be ponying up for one of the elite players in the game right now.
The bulk of their cash is going to be tied into Wilson and rightfully so. Now whether this actually gets done by April 15 is up in the air. However, it would behoove the Seahawks to get this done sooner rather than later.