The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a franchise-altering trade earlier in March, sending Super Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos for a huge package of NFL Draft picks and three players.
For Seattle, it’s now all about rebuilding in the post-Wilson era. It’s a strange feeling in the Pacific Northwest, one that has been met with a ton of questions about the direction of the organization.
Wilson led Seattle to eight playoff appearances, two Super Bowl appearances and a Lombardi Trophy in 10 seasons. Now that he’s no longer in Seattle, these Hawks find themselves as bottom feeders in the NFC West.
How will general manager John Schneider and embattled head coach Pete Carroll navigate through the 2022 offseason? The answer will start and end at the all-imporant QB position. It’s in this that we look at five Seattle Seahawks quarterback options for the 2022 season.
Related: Full seven-round Seattle Seahawks mock draft
Seattle Seahawks turn to Drew Lock
One of the three players acquired for Wilson, there’s a decent chance that Drew Lock will end up competing with a veteran during training camp and the preseason. Perhaps, said veteran will be Geno Smith. He performed pretty well in Wilson’s stead when the now-former Seahawks quarterback was injured a season ago.
With that said, Smith is nothing more than a pedestrian backup at this point in his career. He has absolutely no upside. The same thing can’t be said for a 25-year-old quarterback in Lock who was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In fact, the Missouri product displayed flashes as a rookie before taking a major step back the past two campaigns.
In what promises to be a season of transition, why not see if Drew can turn the proverbial lock and open things up in the post-Wilson era?
Related: Winners and losers from Russell Wilson blockbuster
Seattle Seahawks sign Jameis Winston
There’s a chance that Seattle still believes that it can contend in the ultra-competitive NFC West next season. However foolish that might be, there’s some logic to this. It’s not like the Seahawks are completely void of talent on the offensive side of the ball. Getting an above-average stopgap option could make the most sense.
- Jameis Winston stats (2021): 59% completion, 1,170 yards, 14 TD, 3 INT, 102.8 rating (seven starts)
As you can see, the 28-year-old Winston played pretty well before going down to a torn ACL. Translated to a 17-game schedule, these numbers would have amounted to nearly 2,900 yards with 34 TD and seven touchdowns. That’s not terrible at all.
Seattle Seahawks draft quarterback of the future
Seattle now boasts the ninth pick in the 2022 NFL Draft stemming from the Wilson blockbuster trade with Denver. It also picked up the Broncos’ second-round selection (40th overall). Either of these picks could be used to find a potential long-term replacement under center.
In a class that’s seen weak at quarterback, there’s a chance Liberty’s Malik Willis will be the first signal caller off the board. There’s also a chance he’ll be available with the ninth pick. The idea for Seattle would be to add Willis to the mix and go with a stopgap option like Lock in 2022. As for the second round, the likes of Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral or Sam Howell might be available.
Related: Top 200 NFL free agents of 2022
Seattle Seahawks pull off blockbuster tade for Deshaun Watson
Immediately after the Wilson trade earlier in March, reports surfaced that Seattle might have interest in acquiring Deshaun Watson in a trade with the Houston Texans. While odds are not pointing in that directin due to Watson’s complicated off-field situation, it could make a lot of sense.
Think of it this way. Watson is almost exactly seven years younger than Wilson. He was on the same upward trajectory as his older counterpart before the aforementioned off-field situation. That’s not hyperbole.
- Deshaun Watson stats (career): 68% completion, 14,539 passing yards, 1,677 rushing yards, 121 total TD, 36 INT, 104.5 QB rating
It will end up costing an arm and a leg to acquire Watson from the Seahawks. However, this would be a coup for the Seahawks after backlash they have received for the Wilson trade. Perhaps, the team offers up the two first-round picks it acquired from Denver, another first-round selection and D.K. Metcalf to get it done.