Who is the top QB option for the Seahawks?
By: Mikaela Mattes
On Tuesday, March 8th, it was announced that the Seattle Seahawks agreed to terms to trade their franchise and Super-Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The details of the trade included the Seahawks sending QB Russell Wilson and a fourth round draft pick to the Broncos for QB Drew Lock, DL Shelby Harris, TE Noah Fant, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick.
It is officially the end of an era in Seattle, as the Seahawks no longer have any players remaining on their roster from their 2014 Super-Bowl championship-winning roster after also releasing eight-time all-pro and pro-bowl LB Bobby Wagner on the same day of Wilson’s trade to Denver.
Who will be the next starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks?
Potential Quarterback Options:
As it stands, QB Drew Lock is the only quarterback on the Seahawks roster, as backup QB Geno Smith is set to hit free agency on March 16th. However, it is well-known that the Seahawks front office are, “In on everything,” and are exploring their options at this position to create competition heading into the 2022 season. Drew Lock could be seen as a transition or backup QB as they try and find their next franchise quarterback (which as we know, could take years), but I do not see him as a long-term solution to this position.
Over Lock’s first three seasons with Denver, he played in 24 games, with a starting record of 8-13. Over those 24 games, Lock had 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. His touchdown to interception ratio is not going to cut it as a franchise quarterback and it will not lead the Seahawks to the playoffs without a very strong showing from the Seahawks defense.
On Friday, March 11th, a grand jury declined to indict Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson after a criminal investigation into 22 lawsuits filed by women who accused Watson of harassment and sexual assault. Within hours of this grand jury decision, rumors of the Seahawks being in serious pursuit of acquiring Watson emerged.
There is no doubt that Deshaun Watson is very talented and would immediately solve the issue of finding the next Seahawks franchise QB, however, I find major issues with the Seahawks going this route. I want to make it clear that although the grand jury declined to indict Watson on Friday for the allegations made against him based on a lack of incriminating evidence, that it does not mean Watson is innocent of the allegations made. He still faces civil lawsuits and is also being investigated by the NFL under its personal conduct policy. Trading for Watson would have massive implications for whatever team acquires him. It is clear that fans, media and players have varying opinions on whether Watson should be given a chance to start for any team, even when there is a high need for a new franchise quarterback like there is in Seattle.
Allegations aside, Watson would still be a large cap hit for the Seahawks to bring on the roster. *If* part of the reasoning for the Seahawks to move on from Wilson was that he was due a new contract after the 2023 season and that Wilson was wanting to get paid upwards to 50 million per year, then trading for Watson doesn’t put them in a much better place long-term cap wise. His cap hit for the 2022 season would be just over 40 million. For what the Texans are reportedly asking for Watson, the Seahawks would have to give up too much in potential draft capital and or quality players that remain on the roster and would be paying Watson a pretty penny over the next four years. I say look for a more affordable option and build a young and talented team on defense like they had in the Legion of Boom era and invest in a top tier offensive line for a young quarterback.
On March 10th, just two days after news broke that Russell Wilson was being traded to the Broncos, Colin Kaepernick tweeted a video of himself working out on a football field, with the quote, “Still working.”
Back in 2017, the Seahawks brought Kaepernick in for a workout after he was blackballed from the NFL in 2016 for kneeling before games when the national anthem was playing to protest police brutality and social injustice. Just two years ago in 2020, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said that if Wilson ever got tangled up or couldn’t play anymore, that Kaepernick would be a great candidate to take over. Now that it has been six years since Kaepernick has been in the league, does Carroll feel the same way? I say it is worth bringing him in for a workout and see what he is capable of doing.
The Seahawks should strongly consider trading for backup Eagles quarterback, Gardner Minshew. Minshew’s win/loss record of 8-14 does not reflect his abilities to potentially be a highly effective starting quarterback. During his first two seasons, Minshew played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and found personal success on the field, but the team and franchise as a whole failed to win. After closely watching Minshew’s college career with the Washington State Cougars, and looking at Minshew’s stats over the past three years in the NFL, I think if he is partnered with the right coach and player personnel, he will thrive and be a winning quarterback in this league.
Minshew’s cap hit for the 2022 season is only 2.5 million and he is only 26 years old. If trading for Minshew allows the Seahawks to hold onto their higher draft capital and players, while keeping a low cap hit at QB for this season with the hit we will still take from Wilson’s contract, then they may find a diamond in the rough and a franchise QB moving forward that will allow them to invest more heavily at other positions of need.
Other option: Draft a Quarterback in the 2022 draft.
The Seahawks did receive the 9th overall pick in the 2022 draft from the Denver Broncos in their trade dealing Wilson. Will they use that 9th overall pick to draft a QB or will they go for another position of need, drafting the best available player? The Seahawks did draft, Russell Wilson, in the 2012 draft in the 3rd round at the 75th overall pick. Could they strike gold again by drafting a QB in the later rounds? The 2022 draft has been said not to be a good draft to get quarterbacks, but it has been rumored that the Seahawks are interested in Liberty University QB, Malik Willis.
Malik Willis is ascending and is expected to potentially be the first QB off the board during the 2022 draft. That being said, draft analysts say that the top tier of quarterbacks in the 2022 draft should be mid to late first round picks. With Willis ascending and the Seahawks in need of a QB, will they select him with their #9 overall pick, will they trade up for him, will they see if he falls, or will they invest in an established NFL quarterback to fill their starting role? Only time will tell.
