Looking at the Wilson deal now that some more details are out, it's not quite as team restricting as first thought. The cap hit really is $17.6 or so, because the final year of the rookie deal was torn up, so its spread over 5 year. $31 signing bonus plus a $700k salary this year are all that is guaranteed (except for injury). Each year forward, the next years salary (going from $14 to $19m over the course of the next 4 years is guaranteed at some point a week after the season officially starts.
So in theory, if after a couple years, Wilson really regresses, there's no further cap hit if they decided to cut ties. Not that I see it regressing that quickly ala Wilson turning into Jamarcus Russell, bu it does give Seattle the nationality if required, with no further obligation/cap hit from that point forward...and with it a 5 year deal, not 4, that extra $5m helps in signing a guy like Wagner.
Wagner was a key signing. Chancellor would be the next priority...but Wagner is another of the great low round finds of the same year as Wilson...and the guy a legit stud and athlete.
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