THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Is Wilson a lock for the Hall? Check back in February

Is Russell Wilson a Hall of Fame quarterback?

No, seriously.

It’s a legitimate question, especially since Russ spent most of the offseason complaining about life with the Seahawks, and talking endlessly about his legacy.

When you’re an active player, still just 32 and entering your 10th season as a pro, banging on about your legacy comes across as a little unseemly.

But, OK, we’ll bite.

What WILL be Russell Wilson’s legacy, the one he hopes to treasure?

The timing for such a partial examination is good, too, what with the Seahawks — who face the Chargers on Saturday night in their exhibition finale, a bout that should see Russ make his preseason debut — harboring no-nonsense hopes of returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2014 season.

Wilson’s critics like to remind you that Seattle won it all in 2013 on the strength of its defense (Wilson threw just three TD passes in the postseason), and lost the following year when Russ tossed that godawful pick to the Pats’ Malcolm Butler when the Seahawks were 1 tiny yard from back-to-back Super Bowl trophies.

I’M NOT the only one who thinks this is a fine time to look at active quarterbacks and their qualifications for the Hall of Fame — and specifically examine Wilson.

CBS pro football reporter Cody Benjamin recently wrote about that exact subject, and ranked what he considered the top 12 active quarterbacks.

Benjamin listed only three in the category he called “Stone-Cold Locks” — Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger.

Wilson was his first choice in the next category, “Safe Bets.”

I think Benjamin did a nice job summing up Wilson’s nine-year career…

“Like Rodgers, the Seahawks star should probably have more than one ring by now; multiple titles would confirm him as more of a legend than contemporary great.

“He's also still just 32, with a remarkably durable history (zero missed games) considering his tendency to extend plays with his legs.

“Another couple years of his standard production should do the trick, while another ring would seal the deal instantly.

“The guy just does everything well, and like Roethlisberger, he's never allowed a losing season.”

The key difference, obviously, is that Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to three Super Bowls and won two of them.

It’s not necessarily a fair comparison, since winning (or even reaching) the Super Bowl requires a terrific supporting cast to give the QB a chance.

Wilson can — and did — break with precedent to argue on national TV that the Seahawks haven’t given him enough tools.

HOWEVER, the spotlight now falls directly on Russ and his fervent belief that he’s among the very special quarterbacks of his generation.

The club has provided him with a better defense, plenty more weapons to move the ball without mishap, and even a new offensive coordinator (Shane Waldron) who favors an up-tempo pace just as much as Wilson.

The 2021 Seahawks have been built to go the distance, and it will be fair to judge Wilson on how that all plays out.

As Benjamin wrote in that article for CBS, Wilson is not yet a lock for the Hall of Fame – no matter what Russ thinks.

We’re talking about the best of the best.

Patrick Mahomes has already been to two Super Bowls in three years, and would be calling it a hat trick if an idiot defensive end hadn’t lined up offside on a final-minute interception that allowed Brady and the Pats to steal a Super Bowl spot instead of Kansas City following the 2018 season.

Fair enough, Mahomes is from another planet — but for the Hall of Fame, you should be judging the elite of the elite.

Wilson’s legacy, which he so often cites, is yet to be written.

Win another Super Bowl, and Canton is a done deal.

Like it or not, that’s how Russ will be compared to his peers.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron has temporarily been writing his “Cheap Seats” column on Wednesdays and Friday. He’ll once again be adding Monday to the lineup, beginning Sept. 13.

Steve also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published monthly during the offseason.