NFL's Top 100 list shortchanges Wilson
Pete Carroll deserves a raise.
On the other hand, Russell Wilson and Seahawks GM John Schneider are being overpaid.
And Bobby Wagner might have gotten more money if he hadn’t decided to represent himself in salary negotiations.
Did we already mention Carroll deserves a raise?
The entire Seattle coaching staff, too.
Those are some takeaways from the NFL’s just-released list of 100 best players — admittedly a PR stunt, but still an interesting look at what more than 1,200 of the league’s active players think of their contemporaries.
The Seahawks have just three players considered among the top 100 – and wide receiver Tyler Lockett barely squeaked on to the list at No. 98.
More critically in Seattle’s case, Wagner was the top choice at No. 15 (yep, he’s that good), while Wilson – now the highest-paid player in the NFL – was voted the 25th-best player and seventh-ranked quarterback.
You see why Carroll should get a Brink’s truck full of cash, right?
THE LEAGUE’S athletes clearly don’t think too highly of Pete’s squad.
He probably should have gotten a bonus for dragging these overachievers to 10 wins and a playoff spot last year.
This is obviously a bit tongue-in-cheek, but we need to slap Schneider’s hand for fielding such an uninspiring bunch — not to mention trading away Frank Clark (No. 85) and replacing him with a wounded Ziggy Ansah (unranked).
Ansah, in fact, has made this annual list just once in his career, when he hit No. 43 in 2016.
In truth, what this voting tells me is what I’ve always suspected, that asking players to rate their peers is a fool’s errand.
I suppose all those teams who have walked away beaten by some Russell Wilson fourth-quarter heroics must have thought he was lucky.
Or something.
I can see ranking Wilson behind Tom Brady (who was just No. 6 himself) or maybe Aaron Rodgers if he’s ever healthy, but maybe not Drew Brees despite his gaudy numbers, or Patrick Mahomes despite his obvious potential for greatness.
Phillip Rivers (No. 17) can’t move, has won nothing, and was ranked No. 56 when he was a year younger.
Andrew Luck (No. 20), sadly is a shell of the player who came into the league.
Would you trade Wilson for either of those two?
Brees was chosen No. 2 overall, behind the Rams’ beast of a defensive tackle, Aaron Donald.
Fans in the Northwest who claim teams and players from this region get overlooked consistently must be right, because …
If I wanted to win a Super Bowl this year and all rosters were equal, Brady is the only QB I’d choose ahead of Russell Wilson.
IF YOU’RE dying to know the full top 10, it went like this: Donald, Brees, Khalil Mack, Mahomes, Todd Gurley, Brady, Antonio Brown, Rodgers, Julio Jones and Von Miller.
Can’t argue that these aren’t fantastic football players, but …
I still can’t get over the notion that Wilson is down at No. 25.
The Seahawks’ game plans for nearly a decade have been the same: Run the ball, play hellacious defense, keep the game close with special teams …
And then let Russell do something to win it.
Good grief, how many times do opponents have to be gutted by that same sword before they suspect that maybe Wilson isn’t getting lucky every week?
The guy got sacked FIFTY times last year, didn’t miss a snap and still managed to produce 10 wins.
What’s even more absurd, perhaps, is that Wilson was voted No. 11 in this same poll a year ago.
So smack in his prime now at age 30, he drops dramatically despite having a fantastic season — throwing for 35 TDs against just 7 picks, with a career-best 110.9 quarterback rating.
The Seahawks didn’t give him all that money just because he’s great in the community.
Russ is heading for the Hall of Fame, and I’m not sure we can say that about all 24 players ranked ahead of him.
To paraphrase that terrific Twitter video link that Wilson and wife Ciara posted in the wee hours after he signed his latest deal…
“Hey, Seattle! You got a deal!”
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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns for The Press appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Steve also contributes the “Zags Tracker” package on Gonzaga basketball once monthly during the off season.
Email: scameron@cdapress.com