Getty The Seahawks could be an ideal trade destination for Bears QB Justin Fields.
The Seattle Seahawks could potentially be on the hunt for a new franchise quarterback in the offseason.
The Chicago Bears‘ Justin Fields could become available given the Bears’ draft position, and the Seahawks would make sense as a potential landing spot for Fields, according to FanBuzz’s Matt Lombardo.
“The Seahawks might be a Fields away from legitimately challenging the San Francisco 49ers for NFC West supremacy,” Lombardo wrote in a November 29 story about Fields’ top trade destinations. “The Seahawks could turn the clock back with Fields and add a quarterback whom the young playmakers on offense can grow and win with well into the future.”
The Bears currently hold two high first-round picks, including the Carolina Panthers‘ first-round pick, which is shaping up to be the No. 1 overall pick of the draft if the Panthers (1-11) don’t improve upon their league-worst record in the final five weeks of the season.
Why Seahawks Could Eventually Move on From Geno Smith
The idea of adding Fields — a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who has struggled to find success in winning games early in his career — comes as a direct result of Geno Smith‘s own struggles in his second season as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback.
“Playing some of the best football of his career, Geno Smith guided the Seahawks back to the postseason in 2022 by maximizing the likes of dynamic receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett with a heavy dose of rookie running back Kenneth Walker,” Lombardo wrote. “This season, Smith has battled through a shoulder injury that has limited his upside — although Walker is averaging 4.1 yards per carry with six touchdowns and is on pace for a second consecutive 1,000-plus yard season.”
After leading Seattle to a surprising playoff bid last season while winning the Comeback Player of the Year award, Smith’s production has declined this season.
Smith has 15 touchdowns (3.7% touchdown rate) versus 9 interceptions (2.2% interception rate) for an 89.1 passer rating. Those numbers are a stark decline from his 5.2% touchdown rate, 1.9% interception rate and 100.9 passer rating from last season.
During the offseason, Smith re-signed on a three-year, $75 million deal with the Seahawks. However, there’s a potential out in the contract for the 2024 offseason that would see Seattle incur a $17.4 million dead cap hit by moving on from Smith. That cap hit eases if the Seahawks wait one more offseason by releasing/trading Smith, when it lessens to just an $8.7 million dead cap hit.
The Seahawks are still within striking distance of a playoff spot at 6-6, but they’ve lost three straight games and four of their past five games.
While the individual statistics don’t look impressive, the advanced analytics paint a different picture. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith has posted a 78.9 offensive grade and 78.3 passing grade this season. Those numbers are actually very similar to his grades from last season, when he posted a 79.8 offensive grade and 76.1 passing grade during his career-best season.
Why Justin Fields Is an Intriguing Option for Seahawks
Meanwhile, Fields, who will be 25 when the 2024 season starts, is the league’s best rushing quarterback, gaining 1,143 yards in 2022, the second-highest total in NFL history. His number of rushing yards were so high that he ranked seventh among all players in the category.
He’s also shown bright spots when it comes to passing, having already ranked within the top 10 in yards per pass completion in each of his first two seasons and ranking No. 6 last season and No. 7 this season in passing touchdown percentage.
However, he holds a 7-26 record since entering the league in 2021. Among starting quarterbacks since the 2021 season, that’s the worst record.
It’s clear that Fields is one of the more talented quarterbacks in the league. However, playing for an organization such as the Bears isn’t doing him any favors in his development. If he were to arrive in Seattle, he’d play for one of the best head coaches, Pete Carroll, and he’d have one of the most talented offensive supporting casts, in Metcalf, Lockett and Walker.