The Denver Broncos spent the last six seasons in quarterback hell, trying to find a quality starter to replace Peyton Manning after his retirement. That streak will come to an end this week when the trade to get Russell Wilson becomes official.
The Seattle Seahawks aren’t in QB hell just yet, but the signs say they’re certainly heading in that direction. According to ESPN, Seattle doesn’t see Drew Lock as just a throw-in as part of the Wilson deal but rather as a “viable fallback option.”
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Denver’s six years is an extreme example, but some teams go even longer without getting a quality quarterback. The Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns have been trying literally for decades.
Drew Lock is only 25 years old and there’s still a chance he could develop into a solid starter. While it’s rare there are recent examples of QBs making a big leap with a change of scenery. Josh Allen’s incredible ascension between his second and third NFL seasons may be the most remarkable leap any professional quarterback has ever made. Ryan Tannehill’s rise after being traded from the Dolphins to the Titans was also impressive, if nowhere near as much as Allen.
All that being said, the odds are against Lock suddenly becoming a good starter in this league – especially considering the Seahawks don’t have a quarterback whisperer on their coaching staff. Lock does have a strong arm, plus mobility and throws well on play action – all of which can be built on. However, the overall package is underwhelming and we’d be surprised if he’s still on the team in 2023.
So, which direction will the Seahawks go in?
Knowing Pete Carroll’s preferences it’s tough to see him embracing a rebuild centered around Lock, who has some serious turnover issues. Our best guess is that they want a different kind of QB – despite the reported interest in Deshaun Watson and Malik Willis.
Carroll seems to prefer a ball-control, run-first kind of offense, which means investing major resources – either a lot of draft capital or a big contract – in an aggressive quarterback doesn’t make much sense.
Seattle will flirt with Watson and show lots of pre-draft interest in Willis, but we’re willing to bet that Carroll has his eye on a game manager quarterback who’s already an established starter. If he thinks he can get either Derek Carr or Kirk Cousins for a second-rounder he’ll do it.
