Biggest takeaway
Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer: Russell Wilson wants to win. I know that’s about as obvious as the color of the sky but it’s informative here. Not only does he want to win, losing frustrates him.
Winning the division only to lose in the wild-card round to a team they just beat a couple of weeks earlier made him upset. He expressed that to the front office. They talked about it. It presumably got ugly. Giving ESPN those trade destinations probably didn’t help. But it’s water under the bridge for now.
Wilson tried to say all of that Thursday, but some of it just read as a word salad.
Has Seattle improved the team around him?
Dugar: Seattle upgraded its offensive line with the acquisition of Gabe Jackson and, in theory, upgraded the tight end room with the addition of Gerald Everett. Is rookie receiver D’Wayne Eskridge an upgrade over David Moore (now in Carolina)? Who knows. I doubt it, at least in Eskridge’s first season.
Then there’s the question of whether new OC Shane Waldron will have a better offensive than what Brian Schottenheimer (now with Jacksonville) ran last year. Will Seattle still be a run-first team? Will Russ get to cook as he did in 2020? I think answering those questions is more important than whether the talent improved. Remember, Schottenheimer got fired because of “philosophical” differences with the head coach, not because of talent.
How do both sides avoid this next offseason?
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer: I see two paths toward avoiding issues next offseason. One path includes Wilson enjoying an MVP-caliber season and actually getting MVP votes, thereby enhancing his standing in the league. Another path includes the team enjoying greater success in the playoffs, possibly reaching or even winning the Super Bowl. Wilson seems to care a great deal about how he is perceived in the league/his legacy. A season that enhances his legacy could avert issues next offseason.
(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
