Quarterback Contingency Plan Will Dictate Seahawks Offseason Strategy

In a matter of 24 hours, the Seahawks jettisoned two of the most iconic superstars in franchise history on Tuesday, dealing nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos for a boatload of draft picks along with three veteran players and releasing perennial All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner to create salary cap flexibility.

Under most circumstances, anytime a team unloads a franchise quarterback, it's evident a full-scale rebuild is on tap. Only a year ago, Detroit did just that by sending Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round picks and Jared Goff. Releasing another prominent star of Wagner's magnitude who can still play at a high level further suggests coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider are hitting the reset button in Seattle after an ugly 7-10 finish last season.

But unlike the Lions this time a year ago, the Seahawks still have several big-name star players on the roster on both sides of the football. With Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf still being one of the best receiving duos in the NFL on offense and the trio of safety Jamal Adams, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, and rising pass rusher Darrell Taylor on defense, they still have a solid foundation in place to build around.

In contrast to Detroit, Seattle also won't be starting over with a new head coach or general manager with Carroll and Schneider both being retained. Carroll, the league's oldest head coach at 70 years of age, certainly can't be interested in a multi-year rebuild effort. The same likely could be said for Schneider, who sits on thinning ice after overseeing the steep decline of a roster that used to be one of the NFL's best and needs to find a way to get the ship heading in the right direction quickly.

Given these somewhat unusual circumstances and the fact Drew Lock currently sits atop the depth chart, it shouldn't come as a surprise in the wake of Wilson's departure that the Seahawks already have eyes on playoff-tested quarterbacks who may be available and positively impact their ability to land top-tier free agents. Among those, they are expected to look into a potential trade for troubled Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and other notable names such as Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan could be up for consideration.

Of that group, in terms of talent and upside, Watson offers the most intrigue and it's not even close. He's only 26 years old and possesses a similar skill set to Wilson with a powerful throwing arm, elusive running ability, and a flare for theatrics when plays break down and he's forced to improvise. When he last played in 2020, he led the NFL in passing yards, threw 33 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions, and added 444 rushing yards and three scores on the ground for a poor 4-12 team.

That's where a huge asterisk comes into play from Seattle's perspective, however. Any team interested in potentially dealing for Watson will have to wait for his ongoing legal proceedings to play out. While no charges have been filed at this point, he has 22 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct and nearly a dozen criminal complaints levied against him, putting his NFL future up in the air after he didn't play a single snap last season.

If the Seahawks want to acquire an established veteran capable of stepping in and vaulting the team right back into contention, Cousins and Ryan don't carry the same baggage as Watson does and would be far safer bets albeit with significantly lower ceilings at this stage of their respective careers.

Named to his third Pro Bowl in 2021, the 33-year old Cousins enjoyed one of his finest seasons statistically, throwing 33 touchdowns and just seven picks. But as has been the case for most of his tenure in Minnesota, he wasn't able to lead his team to the playoffs for the third time in four seasons and they finished with a disappointing 8-8-1 record, creating questions about his fit with a new coaching staff coming to town.

One of the NFC's premier quarterbacks for over a decade, the aging 36-year old Ryan struggled mightily in his 14th season for a rebuilding Atlanta squad. He finished with only 20 passing touchdowns, his lowest total dating back to his rookie year, but his diminished numbers may have been a reflection on the lack of talent around him after star receiver Julio Jones was dealt to Tennessee and receiver Calvin Ridley left the team midway through the season for mental health reasons.

With Watson, Cousins, and Ryan all being among the top-10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, Seattle would need to be prepared to absorb massive salary cap hits while also having a $26 million dead cap toll on the books for Wilson. Schneider would also have to be ready to fork over significant draft capital, especially when it comes to Watson, who Houston reportedly wants at least three first round picks back for in return. This would likely mean some, if not all of the picks acquired for Wilson could be in play to land such a big fish.

Financially, Cousins and Ryan would present particularly tricky situations for the front office to maneuver, as both are entering the final year of their respective contracts and have cap numbers of $45 million or more in 2022. Though the fact both players are in their mid-30s and having only one year left under contract would lower the amount of compensation necessary to acquire them, the Seahawks would need an extension to be agreed upon by either quarterback to facilitate a trade with smaller cap hits.

For those reasons, while Schneider could swing for the fences seeking a proven veteran signal caller and any of the aforementioned names would make great sense as potential replacements for Wilson, it's also possible Seattle could try to run it back like 2012 all over again and draft a quarterback instead. The team reportedly met with Liberty's Malik Willis and a picture of Matt Corral speaking with Carroll at the combine went viral on social media, suggesting possible interest.

On one hand, if lightning strikes twice, the Seahawks could land their future franchise quarterback for pennies on the dollar with the No. 9 overall selection and use the savings to bolster the rest of the roster around a player such as Willis or Corral, setting themselves up for long-term success. Such a move may also buy Carroll and Schneider a bit more time if they show they are willing to embrace a true rebuild instead of creating win-now vibes by trading assets away for a veteran.

But drafting quarterbacks is like throwing darts at a board with a blindfold on, particularly for a class that hasn't received glowing reviews at the position. There's no guarantee whoever they select will be successful in the NFL, let alone be ready to play at a high level as a rookie as Wilson did a decade ago. It would be a huge roll of the dice at the expense of selecting a talented offensive lineman or pass rusher or even a cornerback with a premium top-10 pick.

Ultimately, if the Seahawks want to be able to retain as many of their own free agents such as safety Quandre Diggs and potentially lure stars from other teams to come to the Pacific Northwest when the new league year starts next week, Schneider will have to have a quarterback contingency plan in place he can sell to players and agents. Landing quality, Pro Bowl-caliber players such as Watson, Cousins, or Ryan would help with those efforts tremendously, while trading for Jimmy Garoppolo or Gardner Minshew would do so to a far lesser degree.

But moving forward with Lock or committing to drafting a rookie with intentions of playing him early won't do the team any favors in that department. Other teams with established quarterbacks under center will simply be more desirable landing spots. If that's the blue print they plan to adhere to rather than pursue a viable veteran, shopping other stars such as Lockett might not be a bad idea to bring in additional draft picks, break the roster down to the studs, and shift focus towards contending again in 2023.