Quarterback Russell Wilson has told the Seattle Seahawks that he wants a new contract by April 15, the first day of the offseason workout program, The Seattle Times reported Tuesday.
FILE PHOTO: Mar 15, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson works out prior to the game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
It is believed Wilson’s side and the Seahawks have met recently.
Wilson, 30, is entering the final year of a four-year, $87.6 million contract signed July 31, 2015, and he is scheduled to earn a base salary of $17 million in the 2019 season.
While the Seahawks tend to finalize contracts the summer before the season begins, Wilson wants to move up the timeline to remove the distractions of contract talks like the ones he endured before signing his contract in 2015.
The Seahawks have said they intend to sign Wilson to the extension sooner rather than later.
“We’ve been in communication, sure,” head coach Pete Carroll said recently at the NFL league meetings in Phoenix. “It’s very topical, we’re on it.”
Wilson’s contract value averages $21.9 million annually, which narrowly was behind Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ $22 million annual average at the time he signed it. Now, Wilson ranks 12th in quarterback pay, according to The Seattle Times.
The Seahawks selected Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and he led the Seahawks to a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII after his second full season, defeating the Denver Broncos in the 2014 game.
Last season, he threw for a career-high 35 touchdowns, completing 280 of 427 pass attempts for 3,448 yards with seven interceptions. He is a five-time Pro Bowl selection.
—Field Level Media