Russell Wilson’s trade from Seattle to Denver has been arguably one of the biggest surprises during this free agency period. And according to Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, he tried his hardest to keep the longtime quarterback in the Northwest.

While appearing on Seattle Sports 710 on Tuesday, Carroll said upon hearing Wilson wanted out of Seattle, he fought for the quarterback to stay, referencing the pair’s 10-year history that includes a Super Bowl title.

“There was so much compelling reasoning why he would stay because of all the history and all the time spent [with the Seahawks]. That was exactly where I was coming from, just to use the logic of it,” Carroll said.

“When you’ve built a relationship over a long period of time, there’s great benefits to that in moving forward and well beyond your career and stuff. Those are all parts of the conversation. What I continue to say [is] I had no intention of making a move at all while guys were under contract and we were pleased with what was going on and all [that]. So I fought for the logic of that for a good while until it wasn’t meaningful anymore to stick with that.”

Although Carroll expressed at this month’s NFL Scouting Combine that the Seahawks had no intention of trading Wilson, the 33-year-old quarterback was sent to the Broncos days later, along with a fourth-round pick. Seattle received Denver quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, two first-round picks, two second-round selections, and a fifth-round pick in return.

Carroll said he likes Lock’s personality, finding the former second-rounder “really personable” and “really accountable,” and would like to retain free-agent Geno Smith.

“I’d like to get Geno hooked up and get him back in (here). He showed us a good deal of command of our offense when he played last year and he has a terrific understanding of it so he’s out in front of the other guys that are involved in the competition in that regard,” Carroll said.

While Carroll and the Seahawks continue “fielding all the choices that are out there,” Wilson, meanwhile, is getting acquainted with his new Broncos teammates.

In a video posted Tuesday on Instagram, Wilson is seen in Broncos gear working out with Denver receiver Courtland Sutton. Sutton, who has been with the Broncos since 2018, is seen hauling in a pass from Wilson, reaching what appears to be the endzone of their field.

“Uh oh,” Wilson captioned the clip.

Following a fourth-place finish in the AFC West last year, Wilson and his new teammates appear to be making it clear to their division rivals that the Broncos are a force to be reckoned with.