With all the wheeling and dealing being done by the Seattle Seahawks lately, it's easy to forget about the struggles of the Mariners this summer.

Maybe not that easy.

THE ADDITION of Nelson Cruz during the offseason was supposed to move the Mariners from a pretender to a contender for a World Series title this season.

That hasn't quite happened yet.

Maybe it has been the pitching, as the bullpen has been anything but sharp all season long.

The offense meanwhile, hasn't done much, with the exception of Cruz and Kyle Seager, who has been at least consistent during the season.

This season isn't quite over yet - and a run can still be made - but should the team continue to struggle, it might be yet another year without the Mariners in the playoffs.

Things didn't quite pan out in Seattle for J.A. Happ, who was traded to Pittsburgh right before last Friday's trade deadline. Same with Mark Lowe, who seemed to find the fountain of youth in the bullpen this year, as he was shipped off to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The biggest surprise to me was the trading of Dustin Ackley to the New York Yankees for a couple of minor league players. At one point, Ackley was supposed to be the future of the team when drafted out of North Carolina. That same draft, Ackley's college teammate Seager was the unknown coming to town.

Having three different managers since coming to Seattle didn't help his development, nor did the acquisition of Robinson Cano in free agency in 2013. Ackley was moved to the outfield, where he had his good moments and great plays, but his bat never quite got going at the right time of the year.

Ackley had begun to show signs of pulling out of his funk when he was dealt, but has since landed on the 15-day disabled list in New York with a herniated disk in his back.

Time is running out on the Mariners if they really want to have a chance to play in the postseason.

That or maybe start the rebuilding process once again during the offseason.

IF NOTHING else, the Seattle Seahawks are trying to win right now.

Signing Russell Wilson for another four years, keeping Bobby Wagner for another four - and making him the highest paid middle linebacker in the league - it's win now, not later with them.

You can make a case that Wilson was overpaid - and to some extent - he was.

The Seahawks will pay him 20.9 million a year for the next four years. He doesn't pass the ball like Aaron Rodgers, put up passing yards like Andrew Luck or Tom Brady, and stand in the pocket like Ben Roethlisberger.

All he's done is win since coming to the league, including a Super Bowl championship and a close call to a second one last year.

When Wagner missed time last year, the Seahawks defense didn't have its boom.

They struggled against the Cowboys, lost to the Rams and Chiefs, and it didn't seem as if they were long for the playoffs, let alone another title run.

Once he returned, they were dominant and found that identity that helped push them to the third Super Bowl in franchise history.

Having both Wilson and Wagner signed, along with other key pieces like Richard Sherman, Jimmy Graham and Marshawn Lynch here until 2017 gives the impression that this team isn't going away anytime soon.

IT AMAZES me that both teams can continue to bring in players, but one team can find success with said players and the others, can't.

Maybe it's the coaching or just finding the right mix of players that can play at a high level for 162 games a season.

Expectations have been really high for both the Mariners and Seahawks this year.

As it looks now, one of them will be able to live up to those lofty goals.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.