The trade that the Denver Broncos made just seven months ago to acquire Russell Wilson has not produced the desired results. Not even close.
When the Broncos made the move to trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, it seemed to be just what the Broncos needed. It made sense at the time as many thought the Broncos were just a quarterback away and Wilson seemed to want to get out of Seattle for quite some time.
Both sides got their wish. But as I wrote on the day of the trade, the Broncos gave up too much. It has also been shown that the Broncos were not just a quarterback away.
Wilson has performed as poorly as any quarterback in the NFL to this point in the season and the Seattle Seahawks have to be smiling from ear to ear. Not only did the Seahawks already beat the Broncos this season, but with each Broncos loss, their draft picks for next year get better.
To rehash the deal that landed Wilson, the Broncos gave up Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris. But they also got the Broncos’ first and second-round picks in this year’s draft and next year’s draft. That is the part that really hurts.
Giving away Lock, Fant and Harris is mostly inconsequential, but those high draft picks are the best way to improve the team. The Broncos did not have a first-round pick in the most recent draft and they won’t in 2023 either. If the team keeps playing as it has, that could easily be a top 10 pick.
That is disastrous and it makes this trade look ridiculous at the moment as Wilson has been even worse than Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Lock and basically any quarterback the team has had since the days of Peyton Manning.
Throw in the fact that the Broncos gave Wilson a 5-year, $245 million contract extension makes the overall deal look horrendous.
It is only five weeks into the season and of course, the tune on things of this nature can always change. But based on how it is going so far, that seems unlikely and it is looking like the Seahawks pulled off a massive heist.
Sorry Broncos, but the joke is on you with this one.