Seattle Seahawks Rumors: Russell Wilson A Second-Tier Quarterback Say ESPN Experts


Seattle Seahawks rumors aren’t flattering for Russell Wilson. ESPN calls the Seahawks quarterback a second-tier guy, placing him outside the “elite” group of NFL quarterbacks. A report from the Seattle Times on Wednesday (July 22) relayed some of the information, which includes Wilson getting ranked as only the eighth best quarterback in the NFL. This is despite getting the Seahawks to the Super Bowl for two consecutive years. ESPN even quoted a current coach.

“He is not a 1. He cannot win the whole thing. Is that why they are not paying him? I think you could make an argument to put him down as a 3, but I would say he is a 2. The running back and the tight end can help him. If you can make the game one-dimensional for him where he has to be a total pocket passer, it gets tough. Green Bay had four interceptions on him [in the NFC Championship].”

While this is certainly a ranking system that can also be called a popularity contest, it’s also worth noting that ESPN also ranks Russell Wilson as the third best quarterback when it comes to fantasy football. It shows that the site does feel he is going to have a good season, with 3,460 passing yards, 623 rushing yards, and 30 touchdowns as his 2015 projections. That’s ahead of Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, and Tom Brady.

There have been a lot of Seattle Seahawks rumors about Russell Wilson and his contract issues this offseason. As the 2015 NFL season draws closer, the team and its star quarterback have still not come to terms on a contract extension. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the situation could be getting to a point where Wilson and the Seahawks end negotiations until after the 2016 Super Bowl takes place.

As for the quarterbacks that the ESPN experts place Russell Wilson behind, they are Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers. Yes, that’s right, the same Philip Rivers who threw 18 interceptions last season and had 20 during the 2011 season. In three NFL seasons, Wilson has only 26 interceptions total, averaging less than nine per season. It has helped give him a quarterback rating of 98.6 over that time.

While there are more important rumors for Seahawks fans to worry about this offseason, these latest rankings from ESPN have certainly sparked a lot of water cooler talk. In the last four NFL seasons, only one quarterback ranked above Russell Wilson has won a Super Bowl, and that just happened last year when Tom Brady won the title. The debate will probably continue for a while about where Wilson should fall in these rankings, especially since ESPN says he isn’t even a top-tier quarterback. As for the Seattle Seahawks rumors about the contract negotiations, fans need to hope the front office doesn’t use this as ammunition to lower the price tag.

[Image Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images]

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