Philadelphia Eagles Could Pursue Russell Wilson In 2016

It’s been no secret that the Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Russell Wilson have had trouble coming to terms on an extension for their franchise quarterback. A report recently came out stating that Wilson and his agent were looking for a contract that would make him the highest paid player in the NFL…which is just insane. Wilson doesn’t deserve to be paid that much and the Seahawks likely won’t offer him that much either.

That leads us to this intriguing tweet from the infamous Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk earlier today, stating that he believes Wilson will be playing for another team in 2016.

Been hearing from plenty of folks since posting latest Russell Wilson blurb. Current prediction: He's playing for someone else in 2016.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) June 26, 2015

But what exactly does this mean for the Philadelphia Eagles? They have a cloudy situation at quarterback as well given Sam Bradford‘s health and contract status. Assuming they don’t extend Bradford’s contract and he plays out the lone year left on that deal, the Eagles could very well be in the market for a quarterback in 2016. Could that quarterback be Wilson? It would certainly make a ton of sense, that’s for sure.

Although the Eagles likely won’t be able to meet Wilson’s contractual demands to make him the highest paid player in the NFL, he would fit in perfectly in Kelly’s scheme. As a mobile quarterback that excels at taking care of the ball and making quick reads, he’d be an ideal quarterback in Kelly’s no-huddle, uptempo offense. Wilson’s ability to run with the ball would add a dimension the Eagles haven’t had since 30-something year old Michael Vick was in town.

Kelly has spoken highly of Wilson in the past when asked about him as well, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks in this article from last season:

"“I (though) he’s got a real, real good feel of how to play quarterback on the move,” Kelly said of Wison’s game while at college.The two will meet again this Sunday, only this time there will be plenty more on the line. At 9-3, the Eagles are still fighting for a playoff spot, as are the 8-4 Seahawks. A loss this week for either team will make the remainder of their games close to must-wins.“He always has his eyes down the field,” Kelly said of Wison. “He’s not looking to run, but if you give him the opportunity to run, I think he makes really, really good decisions when he’s flushed from the pocket. He’s always got his eyes up. He’s always looking for open receivers. If they’re not there, he takes what the defense gives him. He never takes a big hit.”A game that, when combined with an attitude Kelly clearly admires, has made for one successful quarterback.“There is an air about him,” Kelly said."

Kelly is clearly a fan of Wilson both on and off the field. There’s still plenty of questions regarding Wilson as a quarterback though, which could give the Eagles pause before they potentially consider signing him in 2016. Many question just how much Wilson is helped by the defense and running game that the Seahawks have around him. Will he be able to play at as high of a level when he doesn’t have one of the league’s best running backs and an elite defense to rely on as well?

That remains to be seen and there’s still a good chance that the Seahawks buckle and throw the necessary money at Wilson to keep him in town. For the Eagles, if Bradford goes out in 2015 and stays healthy the entire season while proving he can be their franchise quarterback, he’ll likely be extended regardless of Wilson’s situation on the west coast.

Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how the quarterback situation in both Seattle and Philadelphia play out during the upcoming season because it could have huge implications for each team in 2016.

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