Ranking Quarterbacks On Seahawks' 2021 Schedule: No. 20-15

The NFL won't officially kick off the 2021 season until mid-September, but it's never too early to begin dissecting the Seahawks upcoming opponents.

Most years, Seattle would have a pretty strong idea which quarterbacks they will be facing once the schedule drops following the NFL Draft in mid-May. But that's not the case at all this offseason, as numerous opponents such as the Packers and Texans are dealing with difficult situations revolving around their star quarterbacks and other teams have incoming rookies set to push established veterans for playing time early.

Amid this uncertainty, coupled with the possibility of injuries during the actual season forcing backups into action, ranking quarterbacks on the Seahawks schedule will need to go at least two-deep for several upcoming opponents.

To kick off our annual countdown, here's the "Unproven and Experienced Backups" cluster on Seattle's 2021 docket.

20. Davis Mills, Texans; Ian Book, Saints

Drafted in the third and fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft respectively, neither Mills nor Book will enter training camp as a projected starter in Houston or New Orleans. However, both teams face varying degrees of uncertainty at the quarterback position. With both playing Seattle in Week 7 or later, it's not out of the realm of possibility either could be playing meaningful snaps under center for their new teams when those matchups take place. This is especially true for Mills, who may have the least resistance in his way to a quick starting opportunity for the Texans given Deshaun Watson's current legal issues and desire to be traded.

19. Jordan Love, Packers

After being selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 draft, the goal was to develop Love as the eventual successor to Aaron Rodgers. But Green Bay didn't expect he would be seeing the field until at least 2022, if not longer. Given Rodgers' apparent desire to play elsewhere, however, coach Matt LaFleur may have to hand the keys over to the former Utah State star earlier than anticipated. There's no question about his arm talent and he could end up becoming a quality NFL starter, but this would be a big win for the Seahawks facing the Packers at Lambeau Field in early November minus No. 12 on the opposite sideline.

18. Tyrod Taylor, Texans

Now entering his 11th NFL season, Taylor hasn't been a full-time starter since 2017 with the Bills and has attempted a grand total of 121 pass attempts over the past three seasons. He lost his starting job early in the 2020 season with the Chargers due to a punctured lung suffered in a medical accident, which opened the door for rookie Justin Herbert to step into the lineup. Set to turn 32 before the start of the season, the ex-Virginia Tech standout still offers decent mobility but has never been able to lock up a long-term starting role. At this stage, he'd be a serviceable spot starter at best with below-average passing ability.

17. Andy Dalton/Nick Foles, Bears

Both Dalton and Foles have enjoyed runs of success as starting quarterbacks in the NFL. The former led the Bengals to the postseason four times and led them to a total of 70 regular season wins in nine seasons, while the latter carried the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory less than four years ago and has previously been a Pro Bowler during his first stint in Philadelphia. But despite those past triumphs, with both players now well into their 30s, neither will move the needle as a starting quarterback and neither offers much in terms of mobility. If either one manages to win the job for Week 1, they're likely just keeping the seat warm for rookie Justin Fields to eventually take over in quick order.

16. Taysom Hill, Saints

If this list was based strictly on running and receiving ability, Hill would rank much higher, as he's been one of the NFL's most feared gadget players for the past several seasons. Last year, he rushed for 457 yards and eight touchdowns and he's been a problem for opponents as a unique tight end in the past. But he has yet to prove himself as a capable NFL passer with just 134 attempts and four touchdown passes on his resume. Given that small sample size, though he completed north of 70 percent of his throws a year ago, it remains unclear whether he has enough talent throwing the football to secure the Saints starting job in the wake of Drew Brees' retirement.

15. Trey Lance, 49ers

While the athletic 6-foot-4, 224-pound Lance oozes with potential as a dual-threat quarterback who could wreak havoc in the NFC West for years to come, he only played in a total of 19 college games at North Dakota State. This includes dressing for a single game during the COVID-19-impacted 2020 campaign. This lack of experience while playing against inferior FCS competition could mean he needs at least a full year of learning on the sidelines before he's ready to be thrust into the lineup. With that said, coach Kyle Shanahan understands how to groom quarterbacks and if the young signal caller picks up on things quickly, he could take the reigns before Seattle hosts a rematch San Francisco in prime time in Week 13.