The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to trade Super Bowl-winning QB Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Quarterback Drew Lock, whom the Broncos drafted in the second round in 2019, will go to Seattle as part of the deal along with tight end Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick.
The Broncos have been trying to find a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning retired. Since Manning's exit after the Super Bowl 50 victory, the Broncos have had 11 different QBs start a game, tied for the most in the NFL in that span, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. That list of starters included Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco and Teddy Bridgewater. Since the 2015 season, Denver quarterbacks ranked 29th in the league with a total QBR of 43.
Denver, which hasn't been to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50, now turns to Wilson, who was Seattle's starting QB when the Seahawks demolished the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Wilson's first start for the Broncos will make him the first QB to start for a team he previously defeated in a Super Bowl.
Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy had an emotional day on social media. The Broncos had been speculated as a landing spot for NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, but he will return to the Green Bay Packers for the 2022 season, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. That prompted Jeudy's first tweet. One hour and 32 minutes later, Jeudy got some good news.
A Jerry Jeudy story in two acts: after the Aaron Rodgers news and after the Russell Wilson news. pic.twitter.com/N8tc15ZrPk
β Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 8, 2022
Oh we lit π₯
β Jerry Jeudyβ΄ (@jerryjeudy) March 8, 2022
Other Broncos and people in the sports world reacted to the news. The Arizona Cardinals, who no longer have to play Wilson twice a year, seemed pleased.
β Denver Broncos (@Broncos) March 8, 2022
β Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 8, 2022
β F L β‘οΈ S H (@Melvingordon25) March 8, 2022
Never seen a trade say , " pending Wilson's approval " . Such a bar π€
β CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) March 8, 2022
β Courtland Suttonβ οΈ (@SuttonCourtland) March 8, 2022
WHATTTTTTT!!! https://t.co/5ELGYPdA0A
β IG MikeDavisRB (@MikeDavisRB) March 8, 2022
Born and raised in Washington, I would of never thought Russel Wilson was going to be on another team. From ditching school and going to the super bowl parade in high school to intercepting his football in a nfl game! Thank you Seattle Russ!!!
β Budda Baker (@buddabaker32) March 8, 2022
β Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) March 8, 2022
Wilson leaves a division that currently has Kyler Murray, Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo to head to the AFC West which is equally loaded with Derek Carr, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
Every starting QB in the AFC West ranked in the top half of the league in Total QBR last season.
β ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 8, 2022
π Justin Herbert (3rd in Total QBR)
π Patrick Mahomes (5th)
π Russell Wilson (10th)
π Derek Carr (14th) pic.twitter.com/FstHjajGM6