The Seattle Seahawks are right in the middle of the offseason, and it is one they haven’t had to experience in a while. For a decade, the Seahawks could go into every year knowing they had the No. 1 quarterback in the division. Now they are experiencing uncertainty at the game’s most important position. However, they are not alone.
The only NFC West team to have their quarterback settled are the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford’s first year in the City of Angels was a smashing success and will likely continue to be a reliable high-end quarterback in 2022.
As for the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, there are more than a few questions.
Last year, the 49ers traded up to draft NDSU’s Trey Lance. With Lance’s raw talents but lack of experience, conventional wisdom suggested he would sit behind Jimmy Garoppolo for a year. After 2021, it followed logic the 49ers would trade Garoppolo away and give the reigns to Lance. Yet here we are in mid-June, and Garoppolo is still a Niner.
Reports indicate the 49ers haven’t been impressed by trade offers, which is fair considering Garoppolo has four playoff wins under his belt as a starter. But at this point it is fair to speculate if Lance is ready to be the full-time starter yet. It’s not easy moving on from a quarterback who translates to many more wins than others who started in his place, but it would be easier if the team knew for certain they had a bonafide replacement/upgrade. It’s why the Packers were able to move on from Brett Favre, and why they have had to acquiesce to Aaron Rodgers since his supposed-replacement in Jordan Love has struggled.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals have had an offseason wrought with drama concerning quarterback Kyler Murray and his quest for an extension. Easily the most physically dynamic quarterback in the division, questions about maturity, leadership and most importantly, durability are likely holding up contract negotiations. In each year Murray has been a starter the Cardinals have improved their win total, but he has missed time due to injuries each year as well.
Although the Seahawks will likely be rolling with one of two quarterbacks who have underwhelmed thus far in their careers, perhaps they are better situated moving forward. No one considers Geno Smith or Drew Lock to be the future of the franchise. Since Seattle has made no additional moves to acquire other quarterbacks, it stands to reason they have their eyes set on a signal caller in a deeper draft class in 2023.
Perhaps they take their lumps for 2022, while positioning themselves for the future.
