Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson is on the last year of his 4-year, $2.99 million rookie contract. He is set to earn $1.54 million this season before becoming a free agent next year. While it is highly likely that the Seattle Seahawks will offer him a long-term extension, the only question remaining seems to be how much is he worth?
ESPN reported that Russell "mentioned" a figure of how much he thinks he is worth: $25 million.
Yes, the two-time NFC champion and two-time Pro Bowl player believes that he can be a $25-million a year player, which would then make him the highest-paid player in the history of the NFL so far.
Critics, analysts, and fans are split on this presumption as some said the he deserves a contract like that after all he has done in his young career while others thought that it is too much and too early for the former Wisconsin standout to enjoy.
At the end of the day, everyone agrees that what matters is what the Seahawks believed. Is Russell indeed worth $25 million to Paul Allen and company?
The Guardian said that the answer "remains unclear." There are, however, some points to consider.
First, Russell is not Aaron Rodgers stat-wise and the Green Bay QB is earning an average of $22 million a season. Second, he is in possession of perhaps the best defense in the NFL, which allows him to do what he does best. Third, the 26-year-old was never injury-prone and could be just entering his prime years.
While the whole $25-million thing may not be something that Seattle would fall for, what is certain is that Russell will surely get what he deserved. And that is well within the range of his fellow elite NFL quarterbacks.