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The Seattle Seahawks shockingly traded star quarterback Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos for Drew Lock, Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick. There has arguably never been a trade like it in the NFL's long history, though there has also perhaps never been an NFL offseason such as this one. Very rarely does a star NFL quarterback become potentially available via a trade- and this offseason there were two, perhaps even three. There also just so happened to be several teams in need of an upgrade at quarterback, which is why the cost was so steep for the Broncos to ultimately acquire the services of Wilson. The Broncos clearly felt their team was a quarterback away from competing for a championship and they went all-in on Wilson with a Godfather offer. However, the Broncos weren't the only team that could have easily taken a big swing for a quarterback. The Steelers, who could perhaps be even closer to a championship then the Broncos, could have swung for the fences with a trade for the Super Bowl champion. The Dolphins, who made an incredible second-half run, could have convinced themselves that they were contender material if it meant getting Wilson. Even the Titans, who were fresh off of making a blockbuster trade for star wideout Julio Jones last year, could have made themselves one of the league's Super Bowl favorites by swapping Ryan Tannehill for Wilson. But which teams will really regret not making the move? These two teams will regret not trading for Wilson.
2 Teams That Will Regret Not Trading For Russell Wilson
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2. Titans
The Tennessee Titans already surrendered future draft capital to acquire star wide receiver Julio Jones last offseason, a move that has yet to pay dividends. It's understandable that the Titans would be somewhat reluctant to throw away future draft picks in a win-now move this offseason given the results of their last aggressive trade move. However, as good as Julio Jones is, elite wide receivers come around more often than elite quarterbacks. No disrespect to Ryan Tannehill, who has reinvented himself in Tennessee, but Russell Wilson would be a clear upgrade for the Titans. Wilson has thrived for his entire career playing off of the Seahawks' strong running games. With Derrick Henry on the roster, running the ball is something the Titans just so happen to do better than perhaps any team in the NFL. One can only imagine Henry running the ball and Wilson taking deep, play-action shots down the field to receivers AJ Brown and Jones. The offensive firepower would have been very hard for opposing defenses to stop, especially the defensively-challenged Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans clinched the AFC's number-one seed without Derrick Henry for the second half of the season, with an injured Jones and a largely ineffective Tannehill. What could they have accomplished with Wilson under center?
1. Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have traditionally opted to build their teams- and quarterbacks- through the draft. The Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 and enjoyed over two decades of stability at the position while winning two Super Bowl titles. When that much success is had by operating through the draft, it's understandable why the franchise would opt to continue utilizing that strategy over mortgaging their future for a player, no matter how accomplished they are. However, this is one time where the Steelers should have reassessed their strategy. Pittsburgh's offense sputtered under Roethlisberger's leadership this past year, though the playmakers- running back Najee Harris, wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool, and tight end Pat Freiermuth- are clearly there. The defense, led by Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, is one of the league's better units and is just a year removed from being perhaps the NFL's best overall defense. Pittsburgh also had a distinct advantage over every other team that needed a quarterback: they had the best head coach. Mike Tomlin is a winner, in fact, Tomlin has never had a losing season in the NFL. The Steelers can actually say that they are legitimately a quarterback away from contending. And the likes of Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins just aren't going to get it done. Yes, the Steelers would have had to part ways with players and draft picks that they may not have wanted to let go of. However, the franchise would have had instant appeal as a Super Bowl favorite with Wilson under center. Not trading for him is something they'll regret.
