The Seattle Seahawks remain intent on not trading quarterback Russell Wilson, but that hasn’t stopped the Wilson to the Chicago Bears rumors from swirling.
The Seahawks aren’t actively “shopping” Wilson, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, “but calls made from other teams inquiring have been answered.” And you have to believe the Bears are one of those teams, especially after Wilson made it clear Chicago was one of four preferred trade destinations.
At first glance, the Bears aren’t the most attractive destination, even compared to Wilson’s other preferred destinations in New Orleans, Dallas and Las Vegas.
But reports indicate Wilson likes the idea of joining the Bears because he wants to turn around a historic franchise and, eventually, he’d like to get into the management side of football.
That’s not all Wilson likes about Chicago. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Wilson likes the Bears because they have “an emerging offensive line,” a “solid offensive-minded coach” in Matt Nagy and the “intriguing market” of Chicago.
Hit on the Bears’ outlook on @SportsCenter: Why Russell Wilson likes Chicago, how Seattle is handling this, fallback options, Mitch Trubisky’s chances of a return and Allen Robinson. pic.twitter.com/aXv3Fzc03Y
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 4, 2021
Wilson’s frustrations with Seattle’s offensive line are nothing new, and it says a lot that he believes Chicago’s offensive line is trending upward, led by the interior of the line featuring Cody Whitehair, James Daniels and Sam Mustipher.
While most Bears fans certainly aren’t happy about Nagy remaining in Chicago, it’s something that Wilson likes about this team. Having a solid offensive mind is something he admires, and he seems to feel that Nagy fits that role. So, who knows, maybe keeping Nagy will have its perks.
Fowler said both the Seahawks and Wilson don’t expect to make a trade right now, but it’s still a situation worth monitoring, especially if general manager Ryan Pace has a hefty haul on the table.
Obviously landing Wilson or Deshaun Watson would be ideal, but that’s not how things typically work. The Bears do have a backup plan, according to Fowler, including Alex Smith (if he’s released by Washington) and potentially re-signing Mitchell Trubisky, which is the least-likely option at this point.
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