This week, the entire NFL world — the entire sports world, really — was shocked to see the New York Giants unload star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in a trade to the Cleveland Browns.
The trade came less than a month after Giants general manager Dave Gettleman had proclaimed at the NFL combine that “we didn’t sign Odell to trade him.” Even more jarring, the trade occurred less than a year after Beckham signed a five-year, $95 million extension.
One of the many people who was surprised to see Beckham get dealt was Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
“Wow, I was definitely shocked by the Odell move,” the Seahawks quarterback said. “In sports especially, also in the NFL in today’s age, a lot of crazy things happen. To see Antonio (Brown) go to the Raiders, obviously, and Odell leaving New York and going to Cleveland.
“Cleveland will have a good squad. It’s a process as fans and me being a player, most fans forget it’s a business; it’s part of the process.”
Wilson, who is in spring training camp with the New York Yankees this weekend, was rumored to be a possible Giants trade target this offseason.
“I don’t have any other reason to believe that other than, like, website rumors and stuff like that,” Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider told reporters in February. “We’ve been in communication with his agent, Mark (Rodgers). I’m sure we’ll continue to talk. There are some guys that are unrestricted free agents right now, so we try to work through that process.”
Meanwhile, Wilson also praised his former teammate, wide receiver Golden Tate, saying the Giants got themselves a great player. Tate signed with the Giants in free agency this week.
“He can make plays. That’s for sure. He’ll make a lot of people miss and make plays. He definitely has that talent, for sure,” Wilson said.
