Seahawks Could Trade For Sam Darnold if Russell Wilson Leaves

The Seattle Seahawks could trade with the New York Jets for quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason if their franchise QB Russell Wilson requests to be traded

Max Goodman | Mar 16, 2021

If Russell Wilson leaves Seattle this offseason, the Seahawks could turn to the Jets for a replacement at quarterback.

According to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll "has a high opinion of Sam Darnold."

"Keep an eye on Seattle for Darnold," Leonard wrote.

The prerequisite for any sort of deal like this to get done, however, is for Wilson to officially request a trade and end up with another organization.

Even if Wilson has articulated his growing displeasure with the Seahawks, and their inability to protect him in the pocket, this still seems unlikely. Wilson is entering his 10th season in Seattle, a team that's perennially in contention for a deep postseason run.

If Seattle were to deal Wilson, hypothetically, they'd have more than enough draft capital to transition to acquiring someone like Darnold.

Jets, Dolphins, Saints and Raiders Linked to Russell Wilson as Possible Trade Destinations

As of now, we know that nearly one third of the entire league has reached out to the Jets regarding the quarterback's availability. That means Seattle could be one of those teams that's already inquired with New York, although that would imply that the Seahawks are truly bracing for Wilson's departure.

It makes sense Carroll is high on Darnold as well. Carroll spent almost a decade as the head coach of the USC Trojans, the same school where Darnold played before he was taken by New York with the third overall pick in 2018.

They didn't cross over at USC, but Carroll surely has seen Darnold play quite a bit. Odds are he's of the mindset that the 23-year-old has untapped potential in this league despite his struggles to this point. If they're moving on from Wilson, Darnold would be a relatively affordable and high-upside replacement, if another team doesn't swoop in and trade for him first.

Finally, it's worth noting that these two clubs have recently negotiated and come to an agreement on a blockbuster trade. Less than one year ago, New York shipped star safety Jamal Adams to Seattle for an assortment of picks and safety Bradley McDougald. The experience these teams have negotiating together can only help when it comes to working out a possible deal for Darnold.

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Published Mar 16, 2021

MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.