Russell Wilson: 'I'm Lean & Mean!' Seahawks Ex QB Losing Weight (Instead of Games?) for Broncos

Seahawks ex Russell Wilson says he lost weight during the offseason and feels "lean and mean — ready to go'' for the Broncos.

Not long ago, the trashing of Russell Wilson from members of the Seattle Seahawks family included an unusual take from 2022 rookie Tariq Woolen, the cornerback who after playing against the now-Denver Broncos cornerback compared the QB's physique to “a sack of potatoes.”

"He looks in shape on TV, but you see him in person, and it's weird. He's like a sack of potatoes,'' Woolen said.

At Broncos OTAs, however, Wilson is talking of having lost some weight - and observers can clearly see a difference - even if they are following Woolen's lead in being rather unkind about it.

Writes long-time Broncos scribe Woody Paige, citing a "lack of discipline'' last year from Wilson: "The 5-foot-11 quarterback (last year) looked 15 pounds heavier than his advertised 215 pounds. Wilson didn’t cook, but he did eat.''

Wilson, after an awful first year with the Broncos that included a 5-12 record and a last-place finish in the AFC West, is speaking generally about his physical transformation while declining to be specific about his weight.

But Wilson did acknowledge that he lost weight during the offseason, calling himself "lean and mean — ready to go."

"You always want to be in the best shape of your life," Wilson said. "I'm ready for that. I feel better than ever."

Wilson's chance for a rebound will come under the supervision of new head coach Sean Payton, as both work to justify what is presently considered one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history, the deal of a year ago that netted Seattle a bounty of draft picks for Wilson, who also got from the Broncos a monster contract of $245 million over five years.

"Mentally, there's always the journey," said Wilson, a perennial Pro Bowler in Seattle who last season threw for just 16 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. "There's always the journey of highs and lows. There's been a lot of highs, there's been some tough lows, but adversity, you have to be able to handle it all. I'll be ready to handle it."

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Seahawks? Click Here to subscribe to AllSeahawks.com's Newsletter.

Follow All Seahawks.com on Twitter and Facebook

Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @lockedonseahawks today! Click here To Listen.

Want even more Seattle Seahawks news? Check out the SI.com team page here.