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Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson gave the team a deadline of April 15 to complete negotiations on a new contract, an informed source said.
April 15 is the day the Seahawks will begin their official training program for the off – season, and it is believed that Wilson would like the agreement to be reached by then. We also believe that both parties have been negotiating with Wilson in recent days in the hope of concluding the contract quickly.
Wilson has one year left on his current $ 87.6 million four-year contract, but it's typical for teams to sign contracts with key players before they enter the final year of their contracts.
Wilson signed his current contract on July 31, 2015, the day training camp was opened, both parties having accepted the contract the previous night. This was consistent with the usual Seahawk timeline under the orders of General Manager John Schneider and Coach Pete Carroll, who wanted significant extensions in the late spring and summer.
This time, it was thought that Wilson wanted to reach an agreement earlier to avoid speculation and discussions over the negotiations that persisted throughout the 2015 off season.
It is unclear what will happen if both parties do not agree before April 15th. If that means that there will be more talks in 2019 and that Wilson would play the season without further agreement, although that may seem like a reason to do so. a deadline. It was widely reported in 2015 that Wilson's camp wanted to sign a contract by the beginning of the training camp so that it would not have to deal with negotiations – or questions about its future – during the season.
Wilson said in January that it would be nice to play the 2019 season without a new contract.
"Oh, yes, if that's what I have to do," said Wilson the day after the end of the 2019 season. "It's a bargain and all the rest, and I know that after the current season I could potentially become a free agent, that kind of thing. I do not think that way, I see myself in Seattle. I love Seattle, special place for me. I also understand that it's a business world and everything else. "
The Seahawks have always said that they were hoping to get something with Wilson this off season to secure his future in Seattle.
"Russ and I met and talked about the future," coach Pete Carroll said in January when he was asked to sign a contract with Wilson for the off season. "We are talking about what we will do and what we want to do. And, you know, that's part of our plans. "
Asked about Wilson's contract at the NFL League meetings last week, Carroll said, "We are in communication, of course. This is a topical issue, we are there. "
Wilson was also at league meetings in Phoenix and spoke to Carroll.
Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, stated that he would not comment on the status of Wilson's contract and that he would not confirm or deny that there is a delay.
Wilson, who turned 30 last November, is expected to receive a base salary of $ 17 million in 2019 with a cap of $ 25.286 million.
Wilson's contract averages $ 21.9 million a year, which, when he signed, was second in the NFL behind the $ 22-million Green Bay quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
But as the salary cap has increased each season, so are the salaries of players and quarters.
Rodgers now leads the average annual salary of all NFL players to $ 33.5 million, while Wilson is now only the 12th highest paid quarterback. What Wilson is asking for is unclear, but he will probably want to at least equal Rodgers's annual average, or even exceed it.
If Wilson does not win a new contract with the Seahawks this spring, that does not mean that he's sure to become a free agent after the 2019 season. The team could keep him up in 2020 by using the franchise label, which would bring about $ 30.6 million to Wilson. Seattle could also use it again in 2021, which would bring in about $ 36 million. They could even use it again in 2022, but it would cost $ 52.43 million to Wilson for this season, according to Pro Football Talk, making it an unrealistic option.
One possible complication is that the league's collective agreement expires after the 2020 season and that there is talk of eliminating or changing the structure of franchise labels.
Wilson has just finished one of his best seasons in the NFL, scoring 35 touchdowns at the height of his career, while placing seven interceptions at his career low. The 2018 season was Wilson's seventh with the Seahawks and he set franchise records for touchdowns (196) and wins (75).
Wilson is the biggest name of many whose contracts could expire after the 2019 season, others including linebacker Bobby Wagner, defenseman Frank Clark and defensive tackle Jarran Reed.
The team recently placed a franchise tag on Clark for the 2019 season, but he has not signed yet and hope is also to sign a long-term contract with Clark for the offseason.
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