Seahawks knew when to say when with Russ
Quitting on time will feel like you're quitting early. That's a conclusion from a new book on decision-making, something exemplified by Seattle's wisdom in trading Russell Wilson.
The Seahawks have not been particularly good at knowing when to quit.
They are hardly alone in this regard not just in the NFL, but the world in general. We’ll get to that. First, football. Seattle’s tendency to hold on to players past their expiration date is best proven by the fact that in a two-year span the Seahawks signed Marshawn Lynch, Kam Chancellor and Michael Bennett to contract extensions and not one of those three players played a down for the team in the years that those extensions added.
Bobby Wagner and Richard Sherman are different examples of a similar theme. Both were veterans who were released following a season in which Seattle failed to make the playoffs. The Seahawks got nothing for either player and watched as they signed lesser deals with division rivals. Sure, it’s hindsight, but looking back, Seattle would have been better served by trading each player before that final season with the team, and getting something in return. Unfortunately, the NFL does not notify teams in advance that they won’t be making the postseason that year.
Yet six months after the world thought the Seahawks sunk themselves by trading away their franchise quarterback, it appears that Seattle was able to quit while it was ahead or at least before it fell too far behind. That popular disapproval and the wisdom of Seattle’s decision aren’t as disconnected as they might seem.