Despite the Seattle Seahawks’ effervescent praise of their new quarterback, Drew Lock, head coach Pete Carroll said the team is open to potential trades for another quarterback. During a March 23 interview with KJR’s Dave “Softy” Mahler, Carroll was asked if the Seahawks would be willing to give up “significant draft picks” for a quarterback. He responded by saying the Seahawks were “wide open” to a potential deal for a quarterback or any other position.
“I really appreciate you bringing it up. Of course we’re up for that kind of stuff,” Carroll said. “We’re up for everything. Like we said, it puts [Seahawks general manager John Schneider] back in the wheelhouse. He’s got some ammunition now. He’s got some stuff he can work with.
“We’ll be up for everything. I mean, we’re looking at every position. It’s not just the quarterback spot. That’s one of them, but there’s some other stuff that could happen, too. We will be wide open. Those phones will be ringing, and we’ll be cooking on game day.”
ALL the latest Seahawks news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Seahawks newsletter here!
The Browns May Need to Trade a Draft Pick With Mayfield
Carroll was not asked about Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield specifically, but he is one of the few available trade options. Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reported there is a “mutual disinterest” between the Carolina Panthers and Mayfield, leaving Seattle as a logical landing spot for the quarterback.
The Browns are finding a limited trade market for Mayfield, and the Seahawks could be waiting to acquire the quarterback at the lowest possible price. There is a growing buzz that the Browns may have to attach a draft pick with Mayfield to make a deal happen.
“Baker Mayfield’s future was a popular topic at [Malik] Willis’s pro day,” The Athletic’s Ben Standig tweeted on March 22. “Nobody had a simple resolution. One executive with another team dismissed Seattle, believing they buy into Drew Lock. Some wondered if Browns get Osweiler’d — having to include a pick with Mayfield. Yikes.”
In March 2017, the Houston Texans made an unusual move when they threw in a fourth-pick when they traded quarterback Brock Osweiler to the Browns just to be rid of Osweiler, whom the Texans had signed a year earlier to four years and $72 million. The Browns cut Osweiler during the 2017 preseason. He made nine more starts across two seasons and is now out of the league.
The Seahawks Are Interested in Mayfield for the ‘Right Price’: Report
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported the Seahawks have an interest in Mayfield at the “right price.” Seattle could be pushing Cleveland to eat some of Mayfield’s $18.8 million salary.
“The Seahawks have inquired about Mayfield, and could get more intrigued at the right price, sources said,” Cabot wrote on March 23. “But they’re also excited about Drew Lock, whom they acquired March 8 in a blockbuster trade with the Denver Broncos for Russell Wilson.
“But with very few options for Mayfield right now, the Browns aren’t seeking a first-round pick to make up for one of the three they shipped to the Texans in exchange for Deshaun Watson. At this point, it’s unrealistic to expect they’ll land a selection that high. They’d take less, but they also know it might be difficult for a team to take on Mayfield’s $18.86 million guaranteed salary unless he’s absolutely their starter.”
The Seahawks Have ‘Bounced Around the Idea’ of Mayfield, Says Insider
There is also the chance that the Seahawks go with Lock and potentially select a quarterback in the upcoming draft. Another path is for the Seahawks to wait for the next disgruntled star quarterback who pushes for a trade. The Arizona Cardinals‘ Kyler Murray and the Baltimore Ravens‘ Lamar Jackson are both seeking long-term contract extensions, making them the next quarterback dominos to fall.
According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, the Seahawks have “bounced around the idea of trading for Mayfield.”
“One thing I can say is that the Seattle Seahawks have bounced around the idea of trading for Mayfield, but they feel no urgency to do anything at the present time,” Pauline wrote on March 23. “It could be a while before there’s any movement — sources tell me Mayfield may not be traded until immediately before the 2022 NFL Draft.”
Pauline added that teams are waiting for the Browns to absorb some of Mayfield’s salary to make a trade happen. All this points to an exciting few months for the Seahawks to see what path the franchise will take to find their next QB1.
Seahawks Break Silence on Blockbuster Quarterback Trade Rumors