Tim Hasselbeck explains why he thinks Seahawks may move Wilson

“I do not think Russell Wilson wants to be in Seattle. And I think (the Seahawks) quite honestly would be fine moving on as long as they felt comfortable with what their replacement would be in Seattle. So if Russell Wilson is looking to play on a team that can be a contending team, if he’s looking to play in a market that can give him more exposure than his current market in Seattle is giving him then Pittsburgh checks those boxes.”

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That’s what former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, brother of legendary Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, said on ESPN last week.

While Wilson, Pete Carroll and John Schneider have all publicly stated the plan and intention is for Wilson to remain in Seattle, Hasselbeck isn’t sold.

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He joined Mike Salk on 710 ESPN Seattle on Thursday to dive deeper into why he feels Wilson, who is under contract through 2023, may be moved this offseason.

Great catching up today with @tthasselbeck (and his new southern accent). He brings an outside perspective on Russell Wilson's future that is worth hearing and I don't think he's sold that yesterday's comments ended the story:

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— Mike Salk, 710 ESPN (@TheMikeSalk) March 3, 2022

“Obviously this time of year, there’s a lot of speculation. So whether it’s Aaron Rodgers, whether it’s what’s happened to Deshaun Watson, Carson Wentz, Russell Wilson, you name it, I think you would agree that nationally everybody is talking about those players and where they potentially could end up,” Hasselbeck told Salk. “And so the segment was essentially a bold prediction of sorts of where somebody may or may not go.”

“I will tell you,” he continued, “if I’m asked to make a bold prediction … my game is not the hot take artist.”

Hasselbeck said he wouldn’t “put a bet down today on my house” that Wilson will be moved, but he does think there are a number of factors that lead him to believe that may be what happens.

“I think it’s generally believed that Russell has voiced enough kind of displeasure for things there,” he said. “And whether you agree with things that he may be unhappy about or why he may think things should be done differently or where he may want an opportunity somewhere else, you would agree that there have at least been expressions made, that he would be willing to play somewhere else.”

Last offseason, Wilson dominated headlines after he voiced displeasure with the franchise and gave ESPN a list of four teams he’d consider waiving his no-trade clause for. One of those teams was the Chicago Bears, who reportedly offered the Seahawks a big trade package for Wilson that was declined.  The Bears ultimately signed Andy Dalton and drafted Justin Fields in the first round.

“I think (a deal would have happened) if the Bears had a quarterback that Seattle wanted to play, a quarterback (the Seahawks) felt like was a suitable (replacement) to move on from (Wilson),” Hasselbeck said. “And so what I see is an organization that would be OK moving on.

“Are they dying to move him? Do they think he’s not a good player? No, I’m not saying any of that. But I think the Seattle Seahawks with an appropriate replacement player for him that’s maybe on a more favorable contract or maybe one they see more as an ascending player than a player that maybe doesn’t have his best years in front of him, do I think that they would move him for a player like that? I 100% do.”

Hasselbeck also said he knows that the Seahawks have “gone down that path” of engaging in trade talks involving Wilson in the past.

They have had talks in the past, and they have been willing to make a trade with him in previous years,” he said.

Hasselbeck also thinks that while the Seahawks have a vibrant and die-hard fanbase, that Seattle isn’t an ideal market for Wilson.

“Seattle’s not a great market for a guy like Russell that probably has aspirations to kind of be in the limelight to be in the national media a lot,” he said. “Look, my brother loved his time in Seattle. But the big joke for everyone was that he played in southern Alaska. Like that just is the reality of it, Mike.”

Listen to the full interview with Hasselbeck at this link or in the player below.

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