The most likely path for the Chicago Bears to acquire Russell Wilson
The Chicago Bears need a player like Alex Smith to help make this work
In this scenario, there are two options for the Seahawks in addressing their quarterback situation. Probably the least attractive option to the Seahawks is to have the Bears draft a quarterback to replace Wilson as their starter. The Bears are highly unlikely to get one of the top three quarterbacks in this draft who are projected as day one starters.
The more likely scenario is for the Seahawks to acquire a quarterback who is good enough to their standards to start for them. They could also put this new quarterback into a competition with a rookie the Bears drafted then traded to Seattle. If they sign a free agent, the Seahawks need to warn the veteran he could be getting into a possible quarterback competition with a rookie.
One interesting quarterback for both the Seahawks and the Bears is Alex Smith. Depending on what other options are available to him, Smith could fit into this trade scenario in a few key ways. For example, if a handshake agreement is made, the Bears could negotiate a deal with Smith that if he is available after June 1, and if the Bears deal with the Seahawks falls through, the Bears will sign Smith to a contract. In this scenario, he would either be a bridge quarterback for a first-round rookie they draft or be put into a quarterback competition with him.
However, it is also possible that both the Bears and Seahawks workout a handshake deal with Smith. That two-team agreement would go like this. If the Bears are unable to trade for Wilson, then the Chicago Bears sign Smith and he once again becomes the bridge quarterback and/or mentor to a first-round pick. If the Seahawks trade Wilson to the Bears, then Seattle signs Smith to get their starter.
This way, the veteran QB knows he will have a starting job with either Chicago or Seattle depending on whether Russell Wilson gets traded or not. The Seahawks could do the same kind of two-team handshake agreement with other teams and other quarterbacks. However, Alex Smith fits a Chicago-Seattle scenario the best because of the close relationship he has had with Matt Nagy.
Presumably, Smith trusts Nagy enough that he will trust that at least the Bears will keep their word. The Seahawks would most likely stick with the agreement because after June 1st the best quarterbacks will already have jobs and no longer be on the market. Alex Smith would most likely be the Seahawks’ best option if they trade Russell Wilson.