Getty Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith.
Trade rumors continue to pop up surrounding the Seattle Seahawks and their quarterback situation. With training camp approaching, the buzz surrounding one quarterback in particular is starting to ramp up.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has generated more trade rumors than any other quarterback after the team acquired Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans. The Seahawks have reportedly had a high level of interest in trading for Mayfield, and now Aaron Wilson from Pro Football Network is reporting that the feeling is mutual.
“The Carolina Panthers, after holding trade discussions during the draft regarding Mayfield that didn’t come close to a deal, are not regarded as likely of a destination as another potential trading partner: the Seattle Seahawks,” Wilson said. “The interest between the Seahawks and Mayfield is mutual, according to league sources.”
At the time of this report, there is still more than a month until training camp, giving Seahawks general manager plenty of time to try and work out a trade if that’s what the team really wants to do.
Could Baker Mayfield Revive His Career in Seattle?
After a very promising start to his NFL career, Mayfield struggled in 2021. However, there are pieces in place in Seattle that could give him a chance to thrive if a trade gets done.
Mayfield was a college football superstar before going pro, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2017 after completing more than 70 percent of his passes with 43 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Despite his smaller size for a QB at 6’1″, Mayfield impressed the Browns enough to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
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The 27-year-old broke the rookie record for passing touchdowns with 27 in his first season, and helped lead the Browns to their first playoff win since 1994 in 2020. Over his first three seasons, Mayfield threw for over 11,000 yards with 75 passing touchdowns and 43 interceptions.
Things went much worse in 2021 for Mayfield and the Browns. The former No. 1 pick dealt with multiple injuries, including a torn labrum that he tried playing through throughout the year. Cleveland’s offense wasn’t nearly as efficient with Mayfield not playing 100 percent, and the Browns were ultimately unable to make the postseason.
A healthy Mayfield could be a different story in Seattle. The Seahawks have a pair of electric wide receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, while they’ve also added some key rookies on the offensive line in Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas along with a dynamic running back in Kenneth Walker III.
Who Will Start at QB if Mayfield Isn’t Traded?
If the Seahawks don’t end up making a trade, then the two likely starters under center will be Drew Lock or Geno Smith.
Smith is currently the early favorite to start for Seattle having been with the team since 2019 as Russell Wilson’s backup. He shined in limited action last season while Wilson was sidelined with a finger injury, and the Seahawks are hoping that he can ride that momentum into 2022.
Lock is the more intriguing option, but he’s struggled in the NFL since coming out of Missouri. A naturally gifted gunslinger with a great arm, Lock showed flashes as a rookie for the Denver Broncos. Those flashes started to fade away in his second season, however, leading to the Broncos starting Teddy Bridgewater over Lock in 2021.
The former Broncos QB is hoping for a fresh start in Seattle, but he’ll have his hands full in a QB competition, especially if the Seahawks ended up trading for another QB like Mayfield.