NEWSLETTER
On the latest edition of his podcast, ESPN’s Adam Schefter sizes up the Russell Wilson sweepstakes, breaking down the four participants (Cowboys, Saints, Raiders, and Bears) while analyzing the likelihood of a deal.
When it comes to the Cowboys, Schefter sees matching up as a challenge. Because to make it happen, Dallas would have to deal Dak Prescott. And in order for that to occur, Prescott would have to sign the Franchise Tag tender that’s likely coming his way. And as Schefter points out, Prescott shouldn’t want to be in a place to do the Cowboys a favor in that manner. In the end, count the Cowboys as the least likely of the bunch.
For the Saints, it’s worth pointing out that they’ve done big business with the Seahawks before. Trades involving Max Unger and Jimmy Graham come to mind. However, a New Orleans team that has limited draft capital and trade assets also entered the week $69.5 million over the projected salary cap. As Schefter put it: “More likely than Dallas, but still very difficult to put off.”
Essentially, this makes this a two-horse race between the Bears and Raiders.
The Bears check some boxes here: (1) They’re not afraid of making blockbuster deals, (2) GM Ryan Pace and Head Coach Matt Nagy are both on the hot seat, and, of course, (3) they don’t have a quarterback they can latch onto moving forward. So Schefter sees Wilson as “a godsend, a life-saver.” And frankly, I couldn’t have said it any better. But like the Saints, the Bears’ offer might not be earth-shattering, because they’re picking in the low-20s.
So that brings us to the Raiders, whom Schefer identifies as “a team I think that makes some sense,” who just may be “the most plausible and logical” team on Wilson’s list.
But the complications in getting that deal done are real, too. The Raiders really like Derek Carr. And while Wilson is a tremendous player, Schefter asks if it is worth the gamble for Vegas to trade a quarterback it likes plus multiple first-round picks when your team already likes its quarterback? Schefter answers his own question by saying “I don’t know that you are.”
Ultimately, I come back to two quotes from Schefter’s snippets on Wilson:
⇒ “I think the Raiders, of those four teams Russell Wilson listed, are the most plausible and logical of that list. But even that is complicated.”
⇒ “It’s a tough trade to pull off for Chicago. But to me, they are desperate. They have to get something done, so I never discount desperation because that’s always an interesting situation.”
So according to Schefter, when it comes to the Wilson sweepstakes, the Raiders are the most logical, but the Bears are desperate. Hmm.
***
Here’s the thing about logic (in this scenario) … Throw it out the window. Discard it. Eliminate it from your vocabulary. Take it out from your mindset. The time for logic has passed. Now is the time to live in the impulse zone.
Think about it. If logic prevails, we’re not even having this conversation about Wilson entertaining the idea of wanting a trade out from Seattle. In a situation where logic rules, Wilson and Pete Carroll would’ve resolved their issues long ago. The events that led to the story that ran highlighting their differences that set the ball in motion don’t happen if logic gets to prevail. So with that in mind, and all of the evidence we have on our plate, why should we think that now is the time to be logical? Why should we consider logic now when every step of the process before this dumped logic off on the side of the road long ago?
The NFL is overrun by people who make decisions rooted in emotion. Sometimes they are irrational. At times, nonsensical. It’s not like this league is run by level-headed minds across the board. Every week, we talk about expecting the unexpected when games kick off. Clearly, it’s time to apply that line of thinking to the offseason.
So why not the Bears? Why can’t they beat logic? As Schefter seems to imply, you can never discount desperation, and the Bears + Nagy + Pace are nothing short of desperate.
For more from Schefter’s podcast, give it a listen:
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1367088158735814656
