NFL fans were unknowingly in for a real treat on this random Tuesday in the middle of March. There was a blockbuster trade, stars getting paid, and lots of franchise tagging that happened today. Not only that, but a star player was surprisingly released late Tuesday night. The craziest thing is, we haven’t even hit free agency yet! There’s bound to be plenty more action when free agency opens next Wednesday afternoon. Let’s not lose sight of the moment though, as this was a Tuesday for the ages. Let’s dive in & recap all of the league’s happenings.
Blockbuster trade
QB Russell Wilson has been traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos for two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, a 5th round pick, QB Drew Lock, DT Shelby Harris, & TE Noah Fant. Whew, that took a lot out of me just typing all of that. What does all of this mean for both teams? Well for one, the Broncos finally have a franchise quarterback for the first time since Peyton Manning retired in 2016. They are finally able to compete in their QB-loaded division featuring Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, & Derek Carr. On the flip side, the Seahawks are clearly rebuilding & acquired a boatload of players & draft picks for a great player who no longer seemed interested in playing for them. I think this was a win-win for both sides.
Stars get paid
The Aaron Rodgers offseason drama is finally over! He will stay in Green Bay on a 4-year, $200M contract. This is a reminder to all of us that money talks regardless of the situation. Rodgers wasn’t the only star player who got paid though, as WR Mike Williams & OLB Harold Landry also re-signed with their respective teams. Williams signed a 3-year, $60M deal with the Chargers, while Landry received a 5-year deal worth $87.5M from the Titans. Both players are coming off the best seasons of their careers for the teams that drafted them a few short years ago.
Tag, you’re it!
This was a very eventful day in terms of the league’s infamous franchise tag deadline. All in all, eight players were slapped with the tag, which is essentially a one-year “prove it” deal. WRs Davante Adams & Chris Godwin, TEs Mike Gesicki, Dalton Schultz, & David Njoku, OTs Orlando Brown Jr & Cam Robinson, & S Jessie Bates were all tagged by their respective teams. I’m surprised the Browns decided to keep Njoku around, but the other players were certainly deserving candidates. Godwin & Robinson received the tag for the second year in a row, so you have to wonder what the future holds for these players & their teams. Out of this crew, the most likely to get paid later on in my opinion are Adams, Godwin, & Brown. Remember, these players do have the option of holding out their services if they refuse to sign their franchise tenders.
Pro Bowl linebacker released
Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner was released from his contract with the Seahawks in a stunning move late Tuesday night. The defensive stalwart was a great player for the Seahawks as he made the Pro Bowl eight times & won Super Bowl XLVII in his 10-year career with the team. This story is still developing, so I’ll be interested to find out further details on his abrupt release. Wagner’s release, along with Russell Wilson’s trade to the Broncos, marks the end of an era for the Seahawks as they were the last two players on the roster from the Super Bowl XLVII team.