Wilson confirms Seattle tried to trade him before

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Together with his return to Seattle in his first regular-season recreation with the Denver Broncos simply days away, quarterback Russell Wilson confirmed Thursday the Seahawks had really tried to commerce him earlier than — in 2018 — and mentioned he does not consider his abilities have diminished as he heads into his eleventh season.

The Broncos’ blockbuster commerce to amass Wilson in March — for 5 draft picks, together with two first-round picks and two second-round picks, in addition to three gamers — was one of many greatest league-altering strikes of the offseason.

However Wilson confirmed Thursday, simply earlier than he took the follow discipline, that it wasn’t the primary time the Seahawks had tried to commerce him in his time with the group that included 9 Professional Bowl alternatives, two Tremendous Bowl begins and one Tremendous Bowl win. In an ESPN story printed this week on the Wilson-Seahawks soccer divorce, Seattle’s try and commerce Wilson earlier than the 2018 draft was detailed.

“Positively they tried to, a few instances, tried to see what was on the market,” Wilson mentioned. “It is a part of the enterprise, being an expert and every little thing else … I consider in my abilities, of who I’m, I really feel I am probably the greatest on this planet.”

Wilson, 33, additionally challenged criticisms, some nameless, that his abilities have diminished. He didn’t play a snap within the Broncos’ three preseason video games so Monday evening in Lumen Subject would be the first time anybody has seen Wilson function Denver’s offense in a recreation.

“I do not fear about all that stuff, individuals can have opinions and ideas and concepts, everybody has their very own proper to suppose what they wish to suppose,” Wilson mentioned. “I understand how the entire thing went, the way it transpired, simply the entire scenario.

“I feel yearly it’s important to show that [you’re one of the best] … You need your profession to be a mirrored image of being probably the greatest on this planet, so I feel the primary 10 years has been a constructive reflection, however there’s extra to do, much more to do.”

Wilson was requested what sort of reception he thought he would get from Seahawks’ followers within the stadium and mentioned that he does not play this recreation with a chip on his shoulder.

“Seattle perpetually means the world to me,” Wilson mentioned. “I liked it there, like I mentioned, I performed 10 years there, it was a tremendous expertise, I liked each second of it.”