Pete Carroll: Teams have called for Russell Wilson, Seahawks not interested in trade
INDIANAPOLIS — For those hoping to see their favorite team make a run at trading for Russell Wilson, the comments from Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll might qualify as disappointing.
Wilson has not come out and demanded a trade, but there has been fevered speculation the past few years that the quarterback might be open to a deal elsewhere.
Carroll said Wednesday that other teams calling about Wilson have not gotten very far into the conversation.
"At this time of year, there's conversations about everybody, and it's commonplace for us to have conversations with teams about all of the players, particularly marquee players," Carroll said on Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine. "That's not changed. It's been the same every year. It's the same as it has been."
The 33-year-old Wilson has two years left on the $140 million contract he signed in 2019. The 2021 season was arguably his worst, or at least his most challenging. Wilson missed three games — the first he's missed because of injury in his 10-year career — with a broken finger and admitted he rushed back.
This time one year ago, Wilson delivered his famous “I’m frustrated with getting hit too much” quote, which was followed by a report leaked by his agent that Wilson would consider waiving his no-trade clause for four different teams.
But despite the tough 2021 season, the Seahawks don't appear to have soured on their starting quarterback. They've insisted they're not actively shopping him and that calls from other teams are being met with a spiel that Schneider has had plenty of practice reciting.
“We have no intention of making any move there," Carroll said. "But the conversations, [Seahawks GM John Schneider] has to field those; he always has. But nothing specific to that.”
All signs right now point to Wilson being back in Seattle in 2022.
On Tuesday, Wilson reaffirmed his love for Seattle and his desire to continue playing for the Seahawks on the "Today" show.
“Listen, man, I love the East Coast but I think the West Coast is better for me right now,” Wilson said. “I got my whole family over here.”
Meanwhile, no teams are calling the Packers on Aaron Rodgers?
It's interesting to pair this news with what we heard about Rodgers and the Packers on Tuesday at the combine.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst was asked how many general managers have approached him this week to discuss Rodgers.
“Not a single person,” Gutekunst said.
Now, maybe this is a semantic argument. Did any coaches or assistant GMs approach Gutey? What about calls from GMs last week or the week before?
Gutekunst being coy on a Rodgers-related question wouldn't be novel; he's inundated with update requests every time he speaks.
But it's hard to believe that zero GMs have inquired about Rodgers at this point, even if the larger point Gutekunst and the Packers appears to be making is that they want their quarterback back next season.
Ultimately, though, it's but a trivial matter. If the Packers made it known that Rodgers wants out or can be had via trade, those calls would roll in pretty fast.
