CBS analyst: Broncos trade for Wilson is the worst in NFL history

The Denver Broncos officially ended Russell Wilson’s stay in the Mile High City on Monday, announcing that the quarterback will soon be cut.

Wilson came to the Broncos from the Seattle Seahawks where he was a nine-time Pro Bowler, leading the franchise to two Super Bowl appearances and one win. The thought-to-be future Hall of Famer was one of the top quarterbacks of the 2010s and Denver was finally to have an answer at the position after Peyton Manning’s retirement. Just 11 wins later, a bunch of assets in the tank and a giant cap hit and Wilson’s now just a memory in Broncos Country.

To say his two years in Colorado were a disaster would be an understatement. His hope of becoming a league MVP shattered into the most embarrassing season in Broncos history and the follow-up couldn’t save him from washed-up claims.

And that’s why CBS senior NFL columnist Pete Prisco has called it the worst trade in NFL history.

“It is the worst trade of all time and it’s not even close,” Prisco said while shaking his head. “The Herschel Walker trade back in the day and the Cowboys fleeced the Vikings and were able to build their roster and Super Bowl teams. But this is worse. You give up two ones, two twos and three players and then you pay him for two years of bad quarterback play? It’s the worst trade in the history of the National Football League and it’s not even close.”

"It is THE worst trade of all time. And it's not even close."

– @PriscoCBS to @Hassel_Chris on the Russell Wilson deal pic.twitter.com/7JBiUgJtHK

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 4, 2024

The Walker trade has long been the benchmark for bad sports deals. The star running back was one of 18 players/draft picks moved as Dallas ended up with four players, three first-rounders, three seconds and a third. The Cowboys ended up with an even running back in the deal, selecting Emmitt Smith with one of the draft picks. The largest trade in league history might still be the most memorable once the emotion has worn off of the Wilson deal but the trade for Russell still ranks.

Breaking down the Russell Wilson trade

Broncos get:

• QB Russell Wilson
• 2022 fourth-round pick (DL Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State)

Seahawks get:

• QB Drew Lock
• DT Shelby Harris
• TE Noah Fant
• 2022 first-round pick (OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State)
• 2022 second-round pick (OLB Boye Mafe, Minnesota)
• 2022 fifth-round pick (OLB Tyreke Smith, Ohio State)
• 2023 first-round pick (CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois)
• 2023 second-round pick (EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn)

We know what the Broncos got in Wilson, and Eyioma Uwazurike played only eight games for Denver his rookie season before a possible two-year prison sentence for gambling-related charges while at college kept him out of his second season. Those charges were dropped on March 1.

Seattle’s haul has played out much better. Lock has been a backup, only appearing in four games since the trade. Harris had one solid season for the Seahawks while Fant has remained a steady rotational tight end, never quite yet reaching the potential that Denver saw when they selected him in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Then there’s the five draft picks Seattle had. Cross has become a strong tackle for the Seahawks, starting all 31 games of his NFL career. Meanwhile, the Mafe pick could’ve been Kenneth Walker III, who Seattle took a pick later. Still, Mafe has 12 sacks in his young career. The last pick from the 2022 haul, Smith, hasn’t done much yet in his career and he’s already on the Cardinals. The 2023 class had Devon Witherspoon, one of the best rookie defenders in the NFL this past season, and Hall, who had a decent first season in the league.