Russell Wilson fully deserves mega deal from Seattle Seahawks
EDITOR'S NOTE: On Friday, one day after the publication of this piece, and the reached . In the wake of this mega deal, the sentiments expre sed below remain as compelling as ever.It's time for the to break the bank and pay like a franchise quarterback.The team has been talking to Wilson's reps about a long-term deal, but , these negotiations have a deadline of Friday, when Wilson and his teammates are set to hit the field for training camp. And , there's pe simism that the two sides will get a deal done within that time frame. This is unfortunate, because a long-term deal makes sense for all parties involved.I'm sure the Wilson skeptics will take me to task for emphatically stating that the fourth-year pro deserves to be paid like a top-five quarterback, but he is a spectacular playmaker with a stellar rsum that is unrivaled in NFL history. Wilson is the first quarterback to appear in two s in his first three seasons. At the moment, Wilson holds the second-best career pa ser rating in NFL history (98.6, behind only ' absurd 106.0) among those with 1,000 or more pa s attempts.Given some time to dig into the ahead of Wilson's self-imposed deadline on contract negotiations, Mitch Keller Jersey I've come up with three reasons for the to open up the checkbook for the 26-year-old signal caller:1) Wilson is a franchise quarterback.For all of the conversation regarding Wilson's game and potential, there is no disputing his value to the . Wilson is a franchise quarterback, and he deserves to be paid handsomely. Granted, he has been supported by one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history and plays with arguably the top running back in the game. Still, Wilson has been largely responsible for pushing the from good to great over the past three seasons.Since Wilson stepped into the starting lineup in 2012, the have posted a 36-12 regular-season record, including an impre sive 22-2 mark at home. Seattle has earned three straight playoff berths and made back-to-back appearances. Considering Wilson came up of capturing a second straight Lombardi Trophy, the diminutive playmaker deserves to be considered one of the top players at the position -- and his compensation should match his production.Now, I know traditionalists have defined franchise quarterbacks as polished pocket pa sers capable of carrying the offense in conventional aerial attacks, but the NFL coaches I've been around (Marv Levy, Mike Holmgren, Marty Schottenheimer, Tom Coughlin, Jon Gruden and John Fox) have coveted QBs with "winning" characteristics (intelligence, leadership, grit, competitivene s and clutch factor) and impre sive rsums -- as opposed to gaudy, fantasy-friendly pa sing numbers. Yes, it is important for the franchise quarterback to show he can move the team on the strength of his arm, but there is something to be said for a guy who understands how to simply lead his team to the winner's circle.Franchise quarterbacks should be judged on their ability to win games, and that's all Wilson has done in Seattle. Remember, this was a sub-.500 team (14-18 regular-season record) in the first two years of coach Pete Carroll's tenure, when , and were under center.While I don't agree with the negative connotation of the "game manager" label some place on Wilson, Blank Jersey I believe it is important to note that several of today's top quarterbacks -- including and -- started their careers as caretakers. In fact, I believe Brady and Roethlisberger perfectly illustrate how so-called game managers can grow into primary playmakers. Check out how Wilson's first three seasons as an NFL starter compare:All three guys began their careers as role players on squads that were fueled by championship-caliber defenses and hard-hitting running games. Suddenly, Wilson's numbers look pretty darn good.Looking for indicators of Wilson's potential as a primary playmaker, I found it interesting that the fourth-year pro has already engineered 15 game-winning drives and 10 fourth-quarter comebacks during his brief career. Those numbers are supported by countle s examples of Wilson making critical plays for the in big moments.Although Wilson sputtered through much of , he showcased the ability to deliver with the game on the line in overtime -- as you can see in the play breakdown just below. With the in a first-and 10 at the ' 35-yard line, Wilson comes to the line and spots Green Bay's safeties creeping toward the line of scrimmage. This close alignment from the safeties indicates a po sible blitz, leading Wilson to make an audible prior to the snap. He understands that, by formation (ace) and personnel grouping (1 RB, 2 TEs and 2 WRs), the have enough bodies to pick up the blitz and take a shot down the field against pre sure. With the safety sucked in on 's side, Wilson puts the speedster on a deep post to attack the vulnerable area downfield. Most importantly, he makes a perfect throw that leads Kearse away from the trailing cornerback. Take a look for yourself (TO VIEW THE PLAY, SCROLL LEFT TO RIGHT ON THE IMAGE BELOW):Given Wilson's poor play for most of the game, the fact that he had the wherewithal to identify the blitz and make an accurate throw is a testament to his preparation, resiliency and poise.When examining quarterbacks, particularly franchise quarterbacks, it's important to see them make big plays in big spots to justify their status as elite talents. Wilson has won at a level that validates his status as a winner -- and players within the ' locker room certainly know he can deliver when the game hangs in the balance.2) Wilson's unique playing style makes him nearly impo sible to defend.The most difficult quarterbacks to defend are mobile playmakers Jose Osuna Jersey who can produce explosive gains inside or outside of the pocket. Athletic signal callers cause problems on the edges with their speed, quickne s and running skills. They allow offensive coordinators to incorporate a variety of movement-based pa sing concepts (naked bootlegs and waggle pa ses) into the game plan, to alter the launch point for the quarterback and change the pre sure dynamics for the defense. Additionally, mobile pa sers have the potential to extend plays with their legs and terrorize opponents with impromptu scrambles or late-reaction plays on the perimeter. With more play designers adding elements of the zone-read and QB running game to the mix, the presence of a dynamic dual-threat in the pocket creates headaches for defensive coaches around the NFL.Carroll certainly understands the challenge, based on his experience as a defensive coordinator; he frequently cites Wilson's mobility and versatility as some of his greatest a sets on the field.The maximize his skills as a dynamic playmaker by utilizing a variety of concepts that put him on the perimeter with the ball in his hands. The team's pa sing game features a number of play-action schemes with Wilson rolling to (or away from) the action, leaving defenders uncertain about his launch point on pa sing plays. Additionally, the constant movement and deception diverts defenders' eyes from their a signments, leading to big plays down the field.In the play depicted below, Wilson perfectly executes a bootleg pa s for an 80-yard touchdown . The break the huddle with three receivers to the left and with at tight end on the right. then fakes an outside-zone run to to freeze all of the ' defenders in the secondary -- including -- allowing to sneak down the field on his corner route. With coming acro s the formation on a slide route into the flat and Wilson having plenty of room to run, Mathieu is uncertain whether to come up or retreat into coverage. Wilson sees the hesitation and lobs a perfectly thrown pa s to his tight end down the numbers, producing the home-run score. Check it out (TO VIEW THE PLAY, SCROLL LEFT TO RIGHT ON THE IMAGE BELOW):These are the kinds of scripted plays that make Wilson tough to defend on the perimeter, but the ability to extend (or make) plays with his legs is what makes him a defensive coordinator's nightmare. Wilson is one of the few athletic quarterbacks with the discipline to keep his eyes down the field when he runs. While he did rush for 849 yards last season, Wilson actually scrambles with the intent of making plays in the pa sing game, creating a huge dilemma for defenders in pursuit. If they run up to corral Wilson, they run the risk of leaving a receiver open downfield. However, Wilson is so explosive on the perimeter that defenses need Bryan Reynolds Jersey every defender on the field to fly to the ball and contain the diminutive playmaker. Thus, the defense is in a constant state of flux when Wilson has the ball in his hands., I found the perfect example of the dilemma Wilson creates in the pocket. As displayed just below, the are aligned in an empty formation, with four eligible receivers lined up on the left and positioned on the right. hits the top of his drop and looks to quickly distribute the ball to a pa s catcher on a short route (Lynch or Willson). However, comes free on a stunt, leading Wilson to break the pocket to the right. Unlike some athletic quarterbacks prone to tucking and running at the first sign of pre sure, Wilson keeps his eyes downfield and looks for an open receiver while working on the move. Kearse eventually works free from his defender, allowing Wilson to take a deep shot down the boundary. Kearse hauls in the pinpoint pa s and turns a broken play into a 60-yard gain. See for yourself here (TO VIEW THE PLAY, SCROLL LEFT TO RIGHT ON THE IMAGE BELOW):The certainly count on Wilson's improvisational skills to get the offense out of jams when protection breaks down or the defense makes the proper call. The coaching staff also puts the young playmaker in a position to win one-on-one matchups on the perimeter, particularly on third down or in the red zone. The routinely put Wilson on the move on designed quarterback runs from the shotgun (zone-read) and under center (bootlegs/naked pa ses) to take advantage of his running skills and improvisational ability.Against the in , Wilson showcased his elusivene s on a nifty bootleg touchdown scamper that transformed a scripted quarterback run into a spectacular impromptu play. As depicted in the breakdown just below, the break the huddle aligned in an I-formation on second-and-goal. On the snap, Wilson fakes a handoff to heading to the right before tucking the ball and rolling to his left on a QB keeper. Cards linebacker quickly diagnoses the play and is in perfect position to stuff Wilson in the backfield. However, the QB uses a shimmy and a stiff-arm to break the tackle and race into the end zone. It's spectacular -- just watch (TO VIEW THE PLAY, SCROLL LEFT TO RIGHT ON THE IMAGE BELOW):Given the dynamic skills that Wilson brings to the table, defensive coordinators will continue to have problems containing the young playmaker with an upgraded receiving corps that now features a prolific touchdown maker in .3) Seattle can pay Wilson big bucks and still retain the core of the team.Whenever a quarterback inks a big-money deal, the team has to figure out John Jaso Jersey how to redistribute the money to retain the supporting cast needed to make a championship run. In Seattle, general manager John Schneider has already taken care of many of the ' core players while Wilson has been playing on his cheap rookie deal. The have re-signed , , , , and Lynch, among others. Although some members of that core group are campaigning for more money (), the have the nucleus in place to remain title contenders for the next few years. Granted, the will need to find a way to keep and po sibly , but the team has been proactive about getting deals done.From a compensation standpoint, Wilson certainly deserves a mega contract that is in line with the elite players at the position, based on his spectacular succe s as a young QB. He is certainly deserving of a deal similar to the $100 million pacts recently signed by and . In addition, Wilson's deal should surpa s the annual averages of and , based on his play. While some will take Wilson's plea to surpa s as ludicrous, the fact that the salary cap is expected to rise pretty significantly over the next few seasons makes it a reasonable request in this negotiation.Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter .