Report: Seahawks QB Russell Wilson sets April 15 deadline for new contract

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has set an April 15 deadline for a contract extension, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.

Heaps: Negotiations ‘more active’ between Wilson, Seahawks

Wilson, 30, has one year remaining on a four-year, $87.6 million deal he originally signed in July 2015. It’s not clear how Wilson will proceed if an agreement is not reached by the deadline, reports Condotta, but chances are slim it would result in a holdout.

“I don’t envision Russell holding out or anything like that,” Condotta told 710 ESPN Seattle’s Bob, Groz and Tom. “I think he would play the season and let it go that way. So I don’t think there’s anything with that. But… if they didn’t get a deal done, there is sort of that uncomfortableness of not knowing for sure what the status of your franchise quarterback is.”

Given the approach both sides took during Wilson’s last contract negotiation, it was widely assumed an agreement on a new deal would come closer to the start of training camp in late July. However, 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake Heaps reported Tuesday morning that contract negotiations between Wilson and the team had recently become “more active.”

Wilson is set to make a base salary of $17 million in 2019 and will carry a $25.2 million cap hit (which accounts for a little over 13 percent of Seattle’s total salary cap). A new deal for Wilson would presumably match or surpass that of Aaron Rodgers, who signed a four-year, $134 million contract with the Green Bay Packers in August 2018. In addition to his $33.5 million average salary, Rodgers had $79.2 million guaranteed at signing.

Wilson isn’t the only core starter entering the final year of his deal. Both middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and defensive end Frank Clark – Seattle’s leaders in tackles and sacks, respectively – will become unrestricted free agents in 2020.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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