Commentary: A year after the Russell Wilson trade, Seahawks are back to being themselves

RENTON, Wash. – Thirteen months ago, the Seattle Seahawks were cast as a franchise adrift, a successful organization whose time had passed. When they traded Russell Wilson, the greatest quarterback in their history and still just 33 at the time, two strong reactions prevailed outside the Pacific Northwest: Wilson was justified in seeking a divorce, and what kind of team lets such a scarce jewel go?

The Seahawks have spent more than a year giving a resounding answer to that question. What kind of team? One that read the situation perfectly. One that realized it would be unwise to pander to a star in decline. One that trusted itself – while also humbling itself – so much that it could conquer reinvention without the typical hardships of life after a marquee quarterback.

The bountiful Wilson trade finally stopped spoiling the Seahawks on Friday when, with the 37th pick of the 2023 NFL draft, the team that dared to say goodbye acquired its ninth player as a result of last year’s league-quaking deal with the Denver Broncos.

To most accurately evaluate that trade, we need a few more years to determine how Seattle’s draft picks develop and whether Wilson rediscovers greatness after the worst season of his career. His struggles, which contributed to Denver’s 5-12 record, enhanced the Seahawks’ effort to reset, furnishing his old team with this year’s No. 5 pick. When you do the final accounting of the trade, the haul is more dramatic.

Seattle gave up Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick, which Denver used on defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike. In return, it received five draft picks – including two first-rounders – as well as tight end Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock and defensive end Shelby Harris.

Last year, the Seahawks spent that capital to add left tackle Charles Cross, the No. 9 pick who teamed with another rookie tackle, third-rounder Abraham Lucas, to stabilize a previously lackluster offensive line; outside linebacker Boye Mafe (a second-round pick); outside linebacker Tyreke Smith (fifth round); and wide receiver Dareke Young (seventh).

In this year’s draft, they selected cornerback Devon Witherspoon fifth overall and took outside linebacker Derick Hall 37th. Looking at the total package, it’s an intriguing collection of players with potential stars in Cross and Witherspoon who provide cost control with salary cap-friendly rookie contracts at high-priced positions.

Among that trio of outside linebacker/defensive end hybrids, the Seahawks need at least two to develop into consistent contributors, and it’s fair to expect one of the two second-rounders to become a highly productive starter.

As it stands now, eight of the nine players acquired for Wilson are on the roster. Harris, who started 15 games last season, was cut last month to create the cap room to sign defensive lineman Dre’Mont James, an emerging 26-year-old with Pro Bowl potential from – where else? – Denver. Three players from the trade are starters or rookies projected to start: Fant, Cross and Witherspoon. And there’s a solid chance that Hall, a strong run defender and high-motor pass rusher from Auburn, will make a huge contribution to a defense that ranked 26th last season.

But what the Seahawks have accomplished is bigger than a pick-by-pick dissection of how they used those resources. The Wilson trade could have been disastrous for Seattle’s pride, reputation and future. Instead, it looks like one of the greatest heists in recent NFL history. That early impression isn’t just tied to the accumulation of all those assets. And while the luck of Wilson picking the absolute lousiest time to play his worst contributed to boosting the Seahawks’ return and the national perception of the deal, it is the organization’s football ethos that should resonate most.

The Seahawks didn’t sit back and watch the trade skew in their favor. They made it work for them. They recovered quickly from the disappointment of Wilson’s desire to move on and used change as an opportunity to build something new. The Wilson/Legion of Boom era was the most illustrious stretch of sustained success in franchise history. They won their first title, lost another in heartbreaking fashion and then couldn’t make enough right decisions to avoid succumbing to NFL parity. Now they’ve applied all those lessons and managed to transition without hitting rock bottom.

In their first season without Wilson, the Seahawks went 9-8 and made the playoffs. They saw his former backup, Geno Smith, lead the NFL in completion percentage (69.8) and make the Pro Bowl. Rather than endure a painful search for a quarterback, they know they can win games with Smith, at least in the short term. In this draft, they’ve added weapons to lift the offense. They took the top wide receiver prospect, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, in the first round; they picked running back Zach Charbonnet in the second round to complement starter Kenneth Walker III; and then they enhanced a young offensive line with fourth-round guard Anthony Bradford.

But it’s the complete picture that matters most. When building a team, foundational concepts such as culture, identity and scheme fits dictate long-term direction. As much as teams would like to look back and realize they added the best player available with every draft, free agency and trade decision they make, championship contenders are not built simply through incremental acquisition victories.

It’s more important to marry sound talent evaluation with adherence to an overall vision. That’s what enables a team to turn over the roster quickly and thrive in a transient game of injury attrition. That’s what enables it to make up for inevitable high-profile mistakes by uncovering unexpected late-round gems because the team knows what it’s looking for every time it makes a decision.

Over 14 drafts with general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks have been at their best when showing the flexibility to trust their team-building instincts and draft with a holistic and sometimes funky approach. For two drafts now, they’ve been in their element. Last year’s rookie class proved to be elite. This one could be good. Everything the Seahawks have done since trading Wilson vibes with who they are: fast, spirited, athletic football junkies with profiles that suggest they will thrive in Carroll’s high-energy, competitive environment.

“It’s had an impact on our program, there’s no doubt,” Carroll said of the Wilson trade. “It was a big change for us, but it’s really felt positive. We’re getting stronger, the way we’re looking to the future with this draft, last draft and elevating. We’ve got a good feeling about what’s going on, and we’re excited about it. … It feels good now. It feels like we’re making progress. We’ll see how far we can stretch the impact of it all.”

The Seahawks are closer to becoming a contender than they would have been if they had kept Wilson, mended the strained relationship and re-signed him to the $245 million deal he got from Denver. The Seahawks are looking forward and making progress.

After dealing Wilson, Carroll offered a rambling opening statement that lasted nearly 15 minutes. His message was about second chances, but the sermon included a brief moment of defiance.

“We’ve been successful for a long time, and we’re proud of that,” he said. “We know what we’re doing.”

Thirteen months later, there’s little reason to argue. In this novel period of star quarterback movement in the NFL, it’s no longer crazy to break up with the face of your franchise. In the Seahawks’ case, it’s not a miserable experience, either.