In one of the biggest trades in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to send Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos.
In exchange, the Broncos are sending quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, tight end Noah Fant, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick to the Seahawks. ESPN was first to report the deal.
The trade is pending a physical of all the players involved. The deal can also not be officially announced by either team until March 16 at 4 p.m. ET, when the 2022 league year begins.
With the trade, Denver will finally get the franchise quarterback it has sought since Peyton Manning retired following the 2015-16 season. Meanwhile, Seattle will get a solid haul in return that could help rebuild their franchise back into a Super Bowl title contender.
Wilson led the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl win in franchise history in the 2013-14 season. Oddly enough, their opponent was the Broncos. According to ESPN, Wilson will now become the first quarterback to start for a team they have beaten in the Super Bowl.
Wilson spent 10 seasons in Seattle and was selected to nine Pro Bowls. Along with the Super Bowl title, he also had more wins during his first 10 seasons in the league than any quarterback ever. Wilson leaves Seattle as the franchise’s career leader in most passing categories.
The quarterback has two years and $51 million remaining on a four-year $140 million contract extension he signed with the Seahawks in April 2019. Seattle will pay $26 million of Wilson’s salary this year, while Denver will pay $11 million.
After ESPN reported the trade, the Broncos saw their odds to win the Super Bowl improve from 25-1 to 12-1 at Caesars Sportsbook.
Only three other teams, the Buffalo Bills (15-2), Kansas City Chiefs (8-1), and Green Bay Packers (10-1), have better odds to win the Super Bowl, according to Caesars. Meanwhile, the Caesars estimation for the Seahawks’ odds of a Super Bowl win plummeted from 40-1 to 75-1.
Wilson joining Denver makes the Broncos’ AFC West division one of the toughest in NFL history. The Broncos will have to compete for a division title against rising star quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, and quarterback Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders.
