Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos means the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders will have to adjust accordingly with corresponding moves of their own this offseason.
The AFC West will look totally different with Russell Wilson quarterbacking the Denver Broncos, meaning rival teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders will have to adjust.
Denver goes from a middling .500 team stuck in quarterbacking purgatory to a serious contender to come out of the AFC this year. The 2022 Broncos have a shot to be the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team with an underrated roster that needed a massive upgrade at quarterback who became a Super Bowl champion. Wilson’s arrival has changed the entire dynamic of the AFC West.
Here is a breakdown of the trade itself, as well as what the Chiefs and Raiders must do to respond.
Russell Wilson trade: Breaking down the deal between Broncos and Seahawks
These are the trade details of the Wilson trade between the Broncos and Seahawks. Wilson and a fourth-round pick go to Denver. Seattle gets two first-round picks (No. 9 overall in 2022 and Denver’s 2023 overall selection), two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick as far as draft compensation. The Seahawks also landed Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant in the deal.
Denver is obviously the big winner here because the Broncos got the best player. While they did have to give up their top-10 pick this year, the expectation is the 2023 pick will not be as good because the Broncos will win more games with Wilson at quarterback. The fourth-round pick probably helps even things out when it comes to the trade value chart. Denver is set for years.
As for Seattle, the Seahawks get a bridge quarterback in Lock and two capable starters in Harris and Fant to hasten their rebuilding efforts. Look for Seattle to use the No. 9 overall pick, as well as the four other picks to help them get a franchise quarterback. This is not a great draft for incoming signal-callers, but the Seahawks have the ammunition to trade up as far as needed to acquire one.
Let’s take a look at what Kansas City needs to do to respond to the Broncos’ big move on Tuesday.