Stone: Russell Wilson needs to step back, listen to his heart

I’m fascinated to see where the Russell Wilson negotiations go in these sure-to-be frenetic days before the self-imposed Friday deadline for a deal.

This is a rare instance where each side can make an impeccable case. You can’t blame Wilson for wanting to maximize his earnings after giving the Seahawks three years of superb production, one championship and one near-championship at a bargain-basement salary.

And you can’t blame the Seahawks for wanting to push back against setting salary standards that may compromise their ability to maintain a championship-caliber team around Wilson.

It’s little wonder an impasse still exists. The issues are weighty. If you want to blame anything, blame the salary cap, the scourge of NFL players. If that wasn’t in place, Paul Allen would probably have little hesitation in writing the check that keeps Wilson happy and in a Seahawks uniform for the long term.

The reality, though, is that the two sides will keep haggling about guaranteed money, average salaries and other mundane matters, right down to the wire. Those issues crackle with importance for the two parties, but seem pretty esoteric when you’re on the outside looking in.

Despite months of posturing, and the seeming gap between the two sides, a deal could well get done. It’s like running a marathon. The old saying (for which I can vouch) is that the halfway point of the 26-mile race comes at 20 miles. Same with a negotiation of this magnitude: It doesn’t even start until the final week.

There’s been much talk about Wilson’s desire to perhaps be the highest-paid player in the NFL, or at least for his guaranteed money to be on par with other quarterbacks of similar ilk.

But I have to wonder if down the road, those symbolic milestones will really be as important to Wilson as they seem now.

If I were to offer unsolicited advice, based on more than three decades of observing these types of high-profile salary negotiations, it would be this:

Don’t underestimate the value of happiness and contentment.

It sounds obvious, even juvenile. But I’ve seen far too many players zealously chase the dollar, in pursuit not only of security but their version of “respect”; i.e., getting more money than the player they’re convinced they are superior to. They may wind up with a slightly better salary – but less contentment. The grass isn’t always greener.

I think it’s fair to say that happened with Alex Rodriguez, who was revered in Seattle before taking the 10-year, $252 million mega-offer from Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks. No need to rehash how things spiraled out of control for A-Rod after that.

Of course, A-Rod is an extreme example. It may not be fair to compare Wilson, who has shown himself to be of high character, to Rodriguez. But in one form or another, that’s a tale as old as free agency.

If Wilson doesn’t sign by Friday, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he will ultimately be leaving the Seahawks soon, or at all. But it would be naïve to say that it wouldn’t accelerate the machinations that could lead to that outcome.

Wilson seemed to have such a scenario in mind when he said on a Raleigh, N.C., radio interview in June: “I know God’s going to take me and put me where he wants to have me. I hope that’s Seattle. I love it there. It’s a great place. But I’ve also gone through the ups and downs and been moved around before.”

Wilson may thrive if he wound up playing for another team, and love every minute of it. Not every departure results in anguish and regret. But I wonder if Wilson is familiar with the story of Mike Hampton, the most prominent baseball client of his agent, Mark Rodgers.

After several great seasons in Houston, Hampton was unable to reach agreement on a contract extension as he approached free agency. The Astros traded him to the New York Mets before the last year of his contract.

Hampton cleaned up big-time as a free agent, signing an eight-year, $121 million contract with Colorado before the 2001 season, the largest in sports history at the time.

How that deal worked out is subject to interpretation. Rodgers and Hampton may sincerely feel it worked out great – the pitcher became fabulously wealthy and set up his family for life.

But from a baseball standpoint, it was miserable for Hampton. The contract is generally listed high on any list of worst free-agent deals in baseball history. Struggling mightily to pitch in the altitude of Denver, Hampton had a 21-28 record and 5.75 earned-run average over two seasons before the Rockies dumped him.

I’m certainly not advocating that Wilson take an inferior deal. He and his agent have the right to fight for the best contract they can.

But at some point, I hope Wilson steps back and looks deeply into his heart of hearts. He has become a hero in Seattle. Will he ever have it better than he has it here? Will he ever be happier, more respected, and more appreciated? The answer to that question might be more important than surpassing Cam Newton in guaranteed dollars.