SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It is to the Broncos’ credit that they bounced back from the Russell Wilson trade as well as they did.
Despite Wilson being utterly underwhelming in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, despite his play being so mediocre that the Broncos decided they would rather absorb an $85-million crater in their salary cap and pay him to play elsewhere than keep him around for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, they somehow were back in the playoffs by 2024 and in the AFC Championship Game two weeks ago.
The Broncos recovered.
But the Seattle Seahawks won the trade. And they trounced the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX in part because of the audacious deal, which at the time appeared to be raising the white flag on their window of contention.
As it turned out, it was the first step in opening a new one. And, as it turned out, a massive step, as arguably the most important player in dealing the knockout blows to the Patriots was one acquired from a key part of the return to the Seahawks for Wilson: cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
BRONCOS SENT TWO FIRST-ROUND PICKS TO SEAHAWKS FOR WILSON
The Broncos sent a haul to the Seahawks. In addition to tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and quarterback Drew Lock, the Broncos’ package included two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round choice.
Witherspoon, acquired with the first-round pick in 2023, sacked Maye in the first quarter, then delivered the hit in the fourth quarter that sealed the win, as his collision with Maye forced loose the football. Uchenna Nwosu recovered it on the fly and raced 45 yards with it for the score that increased the Seahawks’ lead to 29-7, effectively concluding the competitive phase of the game and the entire NFL season.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 draft — a high spot sealed by the Broncos’ disastrous 5-12 campaign in 2022 — finished the day with a sack, four tackles — including one for a loss — and a pass defensed.
Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2023 draft acquired in the Wilson trade, Derick Hall, had arguably the finest game of his career at the best possible time, matching a career high with two sacks. Together, Witherspoon and Hall accounted for half of Seattle’s 6 sacks and 5 of the Seahawks’ 11 quarterback hits.
Protecting Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was left tackle Charles Cross, the Seahawks’ first-round pick in 2022 — acquired with the selection dealt by the Broncos that year. Linebacker Boye Mafe, selected with the second-round pick in 2022 acquired in the Wilson deal, was a bit player in the Super Bowl, contributing a tackle.
