Alright, guys, help me out here. Convince me: Russell Wilson isn’t worth the contract he’s asking for, right? I’m in the camp that believes Wilson deserves the salary he’s requesting. I mean, look at his success, his young age, the growing salary cap, his importance to Seattle, and his market value.
But this subreddit seems to undervalue him. So, tell me, why am I wrong? Am I actually overestimating his worth?
The real question is whether he can lead the team to the Super Bowl with less support around him, especially as it becomes harder to maintain a strong team with his increasing salary cap impact.
Not really. He led an offense to a Super Bowl with Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, and Luke Willson as its starting WRs and TE. While Marshawn Lynch was there too, few teams had a worse starting receiving group than the Seahawks did in 2014. They faced challenges, and Wilson’s stats dipped that year, but overall, the offense performed better. It was the first time since Wilson joined the Seahawks that their offense ranked in the top 10 for total yards.
Personally, I think Wilson had his best season to date in 2015 with Jimmy Graham on board. Graham provided a legitimate #1 receiving target and unmatched talent, which Wilson hadn’t previously had. Throughout his career, Wilson’s go-to receivers were Sidney Rice and Golden Tate. Rice battled injuries, but Tate was a standout. While Tate might not be ideal as a sole #1 receiver for a full season, he’s arguably one of the best #2 receivers in the league. What set Tate apart was his tenacity—despite being under six feet, he fought fiercely for the ball and was willing to risk his body for a catch. This attribute played a crucial role in the Seahawks’ efficiency in 2013, contributing to their Super Bowl win alongside their dominant defense.
One more thing worth noting is how the Seattle offense supported their defense. In 2014, for example, opponents faced an average field length of 79 yards (the longest in the NFL), and Seattle’s defense encountered the fewest number of plays. This reflects the offense’s efficiency in ball control and minimizing turnovers, which in turn eased pressure on the defense.
Why are you criticizing Baldwin? He nearly reached 1000 yards receiving when TJack was your QB.