Multiple NFL teams this offseason made moves to acquire a new starting quarterback in the hopes of furthering their franchise’s chance at success. Seattle did the opposite. They shipped their franchise man Russell Wilson to Denver in exchange for the less talented Drew Lock and a few other pieces. But the main takeaway is that they lost Wilson. From 2012-2021, Wilson led the Seahawks to two Super Bowls with one title and was a nine time Pro Bowler; now, Seattle’s QB room has a combine record of 21-34.
The Mediocre, The Bad, And The Inadequate
With Wilson gone, Seattle has three quarterbacks left that are subpar to put it nicely. Drew Lock is option number one. Ouch. In his three seasons with Denver from 2019-2021, he threw for 4,740 yards with 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions to go with a 79.3 passer rating.
His 8-13 career record isn’t the most appealing when you consider the receivers Lock had at his disposal. Most NFL QBs would find semi-success with Cortland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick out wide, but not Lock. While he’s probably the Seahawks best option, it’s far from ideal having him start week one in a loaded NFC West.
Lock may not be starting quarterback caliber, but the two other options Seattle has look even more deficient. Geno Smith is probably going to be QB2 for the Seahawks, and he was good…from 2009-2012 at West Virginia. Since he’s entered the league, he’s only started 16 games one season and that was his rookie year in 2013 for the Jets.
Seattle re-signed Smith this past week to a 1 year, 7 million dollar deal, which blows my mind. That’s a lot of dough for a guy that’s nothing more than a backup.
The 31 year old has been with Seattle since 2019 and has started three games where he passed for 5 touchdowns and an interception.
Option number three is the unproven Jacob Eason who has played in one career game. Not much to analyze with the third guy in the room as he’s gone 2-5 in the one game he played with an interception. Just not a plausible option to get the ball in the hands of D.K. Metcalf.
With those three players possibly starting, here are three moves that John Schneider can make to improve the quarterback room.
Bring Baker To The Coffee Capital Of The World
Baker Mayfield is on the outs with Cleveland after they made a blockbuster deal with Houston to acquire Deshaun Watson. I thought that Atlanta or Indianapolis would be a good fit for the Oklahoma alum, but those squads found their starters in Matt Ryan and Marcus Mariota. While Mayfield may have struggled in 2021, I think he has a lot of good football left in him.
Let us not forget that Mayfield helped bring Cleveland football out of the abyss that it was in. He’s a fiery spark plug and a guy that’s a true leader. While he maybe a bit rough around the edges, he has a competitive spirit that I think Pete Carrol would love to have. Pairing Mayfield with Metcalf and Lockett would be interesting to see because he didn’t mesh that well with Odell and Jarvis, but Metcalf and Lockett have different play styles than Odell and Jarvis. A big bodied pass catcher like Metcalf could be beneficial in helping Mayfield revive his career. This move would be beneficial for both parties involved.
Seattle would have to propose a trade offer to Cleveland as I think the Browns will hold onto him for as long as possible since it’s uncertain if Watson will play in 2022. A 3rd or 4th round selection could be enough to send Mayfield to Seattle.
If Seattle is interested in Mayfield then the feelings are definitely mutual. On the Ya Never Know Podcast, Mayfield said “Seattle…Would probably be the most likely option.
Is The Next QB1 For Seattle In This Year’s Draft?
This year’s quarterback class has received mixed reviews. I don’t think there are any sure fire players in it like a Burrow or Herbert, but it’s a deep class. The Seahawks have the 9th overall pick and could jump on a quarterback with that pick. Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett mimic Wilsons style of play; they are comfortable outside the pocket and have big arms to get the ball to their vertical threats like Lockett and Metcalf.
I think Willis gets picked at number 6 by the Panthers and Pickett would fall into Seattle’s lap. Or, the Seahawks wait until round two to use pick 40 or 41 to get a quarterback. There’s a chance, a slim one, but a chance that Ridder, Howell, or Corral are available on day two and the Seahawks would be the top suitor if they don’t take a quarterback on night one.
If they do go the draft route for a new QB, Pickett should be their man. The two gloved assassin is a stud that has a good arm and makes good choices with the ball; he’d make Seattles offense a scary one for NFC West defenses.
Free Agency Is Still An Option
This would be a true last ditch effort, but free agency is still a plausible option for the Seahawks. There aren’t many good or even capable quarterbacks available, but the one guy I’m thinking of would be an interesting, yet solid addition. Cam Newton last played serious football in 2020 with the Patriots. In New England he passed for 2,657 yards and 8 touchdowns while also rushing for 592 yards and 12 touchdowns.
While Newton won’t be the big arm player that Seattle probably wants, he’d elevate Seattles run game. A three headed monster in the backfield of Newton, Carson, and Penny would cause teams to struggle when game planning for them. It’d be an outside the box signing, but one that does make some sense if Seattle wants a quarterback with experience. Once upon a time ago, Newton was an MVP.
This year is definitely going to be a “rebuild” for the Seahawks. This means whoever is throwing the ball in Seattle will either be in for the long haul or is a one and done. Should be interesting to see how Seattle approaches this issue.
