Feb. 11, 2026, 5:01 a.m. MT

The Denver Broncos made one of the worst trades in NFL history in 2022 when they agreed to trade three players and five draft picks to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for quarterback Russell Wilson and one pick.

Seattle used that trade to help retool the roster, and four years later, they rolled past the New England Patriots in a 29-13 win in Super Bowl LX. Several players that they acquired in the Wilson trade played key roles in the win.

Offensive tackle Charles Cross, whom the Seahawks added with Denver’s first-round pick in 2022, helped keep quarterback Sam Darnold upright. Darnold threw for 202 yards and one touchdown while only taking one sack and not committing any turnovers.

Outside linebacker Boye Mafe (a second-round pick in 2022) made minimal impact with one tackle behind the line, but two other defenders made huge plays. Seattle used the Broncos‘ first-round pick in 2023 to select cornerback Devon Witherspoon, and he totaled one sack and three quarterback hits, including one that forced a pick-six. Edge rusher Derick Hall (a second-round pick in 2023) recorded two sacks and a forced fumble.

So it certainly seems safe to say the Seahawks won that trade. Denver ended up with Wilson (who was cut after two seasons) and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, who missed an entire season due to a gambling suspension before bouncing back to record 3.5 sacks as a rotational lineman in 2025.

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Fortunately, the Broncos have bounced back from the disastrous Wilson trade. After releasing Wilson, coach Sean Payton used a first-round pick to draft quarterback Bo Nix in 2024, and Denver has made the playoffs in each of Nix’s first two seasons in the NFL. The Broncos bowed out of the 2025 playoffs after Nix went down with a season-ending ankle injury, but the future looks bright in Denver with Nix set to return in 2026.

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