The Broncos are relevant again.
Hours after Aaron Rodgers announced he was staying with the Green Bay Packers, the Broncos agreed in principle to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, a source confirmed.
Terms of the deal are not official, but a source said it will include multiple first-round picks and players. The players are being informed of the details as of noon local time.
Wilson’s 113 wins through 10 seasons is the most in NFL history (regular season and playoffs), ahead of Peyton Manning (112).
As the 10-year anniversary of Manning signing with the Broncos to start four years of sustained success, the franchise, led by general manager George Paton, again connected on a swing for the fences in Wilson.
Because Wilson, who has two years left on his contract, has a no-trade clause in his deal, he must agree to the move although that seems to be a formality since the process is this far along, and also pass a physical.
Terms of the deal have not yet been revealed, but the Broncos have five picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft.
Wilson, who won the Super Bowl in February 2014 over the Broncos, is entering his age-34 season and has two years left on his contract.
Wilson, 33, was selected in the third round by the Seahawks in 2012 out of N.C. State. He amassed a 104-53-1 record in 158 starts for Seattle.
As a rookie in 2012, Wilson went 11-5 and led the Seahawks to the playoffs. Four straight postseason appearances followed, including a pair of Super Bowl appearances.
Wilson’s Seahawks crushed the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, 43-8, and then lost an instant-classic 28-24 to the Patriots the next season when Wilson was intercepted at the goal line by New England cornerback Malcolm Butler.
Story by Ryan O’Halloran, The Denver Post