SEATTLE — When the Seahawks take the field Sunday in Los Angeles, they'll be facing a former, long-time teammate for the first time since they parted ways in the off-season - much like they did in the season opener against Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos.
This time around, it's Bobby Wagner.
Wagner and Wilson will forever be linked as the two key cogs, drafted in the same class, who helped lead the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl championship.
They'll also be linked as two stars who were shown the door on the same day in Seattle. The Seahawks traded Wilson the morning of March 8 and by that evening they cut Wagner.
A lot of fans lost their minds that day and NFL analysts spun right along with them.
How could the Seahawks dump their Super Bowl winning quarterback as well as the team's perennial leading tackler?
Easy.
Smart franchises make smart decisions.
As the ghosts of Russell Wilson's past continue to filter out of team headquarters in Renton, the present-day Wilson has seemingly ghosted any of the physical and cerebral tools he possessed while leading the Seahawks to multiple winning seasons.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider would never show it publicly, but behind closed doors you know they're saying, "How do you like us now?"
Carroll and Schneider had no intention of signing Wilson to a contract extension worth nearly $50 million per season with $165 million guaranteed.
None.
They knew they would face massive backlash by trading Wilson, but they also knew it was a necessary move.
They believed in their philosophy and had the courage to stand by it.
And hours after dumping Wilson for a Rocky Mountain haul, they doubled down on their convictions and released their defensive captain Wagner.
They had no desire to pay a soon-to-be 32 year old linebacker $16.6 million for the final season of his contract, much less negotiate the new contract extension he was seeking.
Smart franchises make smart decisions.
On the flip side, look at the Arizona Cardinals. They had a chance to make a bold move with their oft injured, under achieving quarterback Kyler Murray.
Bold as in part ways after the season and let him walk.
Instead, they made him the second highest paid player in the NFL with a $230 million contract. They also signed head coach Kliff Kingsbury to a 5-year contract extension worth nearly $30 million.
Two suspect decisions to say the least.
Just a few weeks ago, Murray was seen screaming at Kingsbury during a game, telling the head coach to "Calm the f$&@ down!"
The Cardinals are now saddled with these two men just months into their brand-new deals.
Which brings us back to Carroll and Schneider who refused to financially handcuff the franchise for years to come.
Instead, they fleeced Denver in the Wilson trade that currently, thanks to the Broncos' 3-8 record, includes the number three overall pick in the NFL draft.
Wilson hasn't come close to living up to his massive contract. Wagner on the other hand leads the Rams in tackles, and maybe more importantly has brought much needed leadership to a team that has gone from winning a Super Bowl to losing out on any chance of making the playoffs.
So, before we sit here and rail the Seahawks for their porous defense and their subpar performances against losing teams, let's take a minute to look at the big picture. They have a 6-5 record with a better than average chance to make the playoffs, and thanks to Carroll and Schneider they're set up to only get stronger in the future.