Russell Wilson's agent may have publicly identified preferred trade destinations this offseason, giving life to speculation about a potential relocation, but the longtime Seattle Seahawks quarterback has conveyed a different message to several teammates in recent weeks. Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap said Tuesday that Wilson assured him he'd be with the team in 2021 before Dunlap re-signed with Seattle. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the QB did the same with another veteran this offseason, making Wilson's quiet commitment to the Seahawks a "theme" of free agency.
"He's with us," Dunlap said, per NFL Network's Omar Ruiz. "(He's) here to stay."
Wilson, Fowler added, has been "proactive about adding talent for 2021" in Seattle. That would jibe with early-offseason reports about the QB seeking more say in the Seahawks' personnel moves, particularly in regards to upgrading his supporting cast. That said, the Seahawks haven't exactly been big spenders this year, making mid-tier veterans like tight end Gerald Everett and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon their most prominent additions in free agency.
It was always a long shot that Seattle would've dealt Wilson, even if previous reports indicated the team fielded and even made trade calls early in free agency. Now, however, it appears even more unlikely, with more teams taking other swings at QB (see: Panthers acquiring Sam Darnold) and the draft fast approaching.
To be fair, Dunlap isn't the first player to insist Wilson is staying in Seattle, either. Prior to the start of free agency, longtime Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, who remains unsigned, said he wasn't buying Wilson trade rumors and assured reporters that Russ "isn't going anywhere" and predicted the QB would remain in Seattle for "a very long time."
