Both yes and no. I have complicated feelings about Russell Wilson. One thing we have to realize is that if we have to get rid of Wilson, finding a suitable replacement is going to be EXTREMELY hard. No matter what you feel about the player, that is one fact that you have to accept. It could be many years before we find a QB that is even serviceable.
On the other hand, I think we need to come to terms with a few things. The first is the lack of control that Pete, Schneider, or even a new coach will have over the situation. Russell Wilson has complete control over his own destiny. His contract stipulates that there is a no-trade clause. This means if he were to be traded, it was because he willed it to be so.
The second thing I think we're going to see is another off-season where Wilson potentially holds the franchise hostage. In Wilson's recent statements they are dripping with the type of doublespeak one would typically associate from Washington DC. Statements such as: “I know for me personally, I hope it's not my last game. But at the same time, I know it won't be my last game in the NFL." coming from a guy that has a no-trade clause in his contract strikes me as being extremely peculiar. In addition to that, his contract is such that cutting him is not really feasible. Wilson knows full well what he is doing. He's exerting power over the franchise and the front office with statements like this. At the very least, I suspect he's trying to get more involved in the player acquisition aspect, at the worst he's trying to force himself out.
If he were to force himself out, I wouldn't know what to think. On one hand, Wilson is, and always has been streaky as a player. His stats didn't always tell the story of whole halves of ineffectiveness, missed reads, 20 yard sacks, inability for the team to move balls for large swaths of seasons. After analyzing Wilson's playing some more, many of these failings are on Wilson himself. He plays an extremely limited game. He doesn't like to go to the middle, his timing and placement has always been wonky on the short passes. He also has always been over-indulgent when it comes to going for the big play. I'd contend that he has never been as good as his statistics say. That being said, flaws aside he's still been a better QB than most of the NFL has had floating anywhere from top 10 to top 3 over the years.
His improvisational and ability to create from thin air and move around were magical. He also had a moxie about him in the fourth quarter. His eyes would go dead and he would come back from impossible deficits. He's great in so many ways but in others he hasn't developed at all. His fundamentals in many respects are all over the place. His pocket presence is REALLY bad, more so that now his mobility isn't what it used to be. His ball placement on short, to short-intermediate routes is very bad. His ability to quickly diagnose things pre-snap has also been brought into question. Teams have been throwing disguised looks at him that he's struggled to diagnose ever since the NYG game and the infamous Cardinal game last season.
Quite frankly, our QB is an enigma and aberrations in many senses. I don't think I've ever seen a QB quite like Russell in the NFL. I think in Russ's case he needs an above average run game to function properly, more so than other QB's. Wilson is an elite game manager QB. He's never going to orchestrate an offense like Brady or Manning could, but if you give him the right tools he can win a lot of games for you and put up MVP level stats. The problem is, I don't think Wilson understands his flaws as a player. His rebuttal to the Lockett statement about teams switching things up post snap and "us" not diagnosing it is telling.
I think Carroll has also facilitated this huge holes in Wilson's game. I see a player that isn't held accountable, I see a guy that is living in his own world and refuses criticism. The demeanor of some of the players we had on the Seahawks over the years towards Wilson is telling. This is Carroll's fatal flaw as a head coach here. He's refused to hold Wilson accountable, and he's designed simplistic offenses that encourage players to be themselves. The downside is, it has put a huge hindrance on the development of Russell Wilson and has enabled him in the wrong ways.
Now, what should the Seahawks do? It's tough to tell. The relationship between Wilson and Carroll seems to be toxic in many ways. There is a great disconnect here. Can they repair it? I don't know. If they don't repair the relationship Wilson is going to fade away into obscurity. His play has been all over the place even before the injury. Teams with the right personnel have been able to make him largely ineffective. He's slowing down and he doesn't seem to be able to recognize that yet. Whether Wilson recovers will depend on whether or not he's able to dig down into himself and self-reflect. Players such as Steve Young, Rodgers, Tarkenton, and Cunningham were able to adapt once they starting losing some of their athleticism. Others, such as Donavon McNabb faded into obscurity.
If Carroll stays, I'm not sure if Wilson will ever be able to rise above himself. His struggles have been going on for far longer than his friends death, and injury. I'm not sure what the answer is. I know finding a QB is EXTREMELY hard, but I'm also aware that sometimes you have to know when to cut bait. I'm not sure where I stand on this issue.
