Getty SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 03: Injured cornerback Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks smiles from the sidelines before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at CenturyLink Field on December 3, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks didn’t end up taking a big name at quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, so there is expected to be a competition under center between the team’s top two veterans.
Head coach Pete Carroll recently gave his thoughts on who is in the driver’s seat for the starting job, but there is still an entire offseason, training camp, and preseason before any decision needs to be made. Former Legion of Boom star Richard Sherman also weighed in with his thoughts on the QB battle.
Appearing on The Richard Sherman Podcast with PFF, the former Seahawks cornerback was asked about his thoughts on this year’s draft class before talking about Seattle’s quarterbacks, and he felt strongly that Geno Smith should be the starter over Drew Lock.
“I think Geno is going to be the guy,” Sherman said. “I think they believe in what Geno was able to execute over the few games he started that Russell [Wilson] missed with the finger. I think that they felt good about those games, they felt like they should have won those games, and they’re right.”
Sherman also didn’t seem thrilled about the idea of Lock starting, jokingly pretending to forget the former Denver Broncos quarterback’s name when talking about Seattle’s QBs.
Richard Sherman says he believes this draft gives Pete Carroll a chance to get back to his core but he seems pretty confident that won’t involve Drew Lock…
The Case for Geno Smith
Sherman and Carroll have both given their public support towards Smith, who sat behind Wilson as his backup since signing with the team back in 2019. Based off of his play in 2021, Smith should have a real start at being Seattle’s starter in Week 1.
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Smith appeared in four games last season, starting three of them while Wilson was sidelined with a thumb injury. The former second-round pick played well in those games, completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 702 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception for a passer rating of 103.0.
With three seasons in Seattle under his belt, along with some strong performances as the starter in Wilson’s absence, it makes sense why Smith would be the favorite to land the starting job by the start of the regular season.
Seahawks Could Wait on QB Move Until 2023
After making the case for Smith to be Seattle’s starting QB, Sherman also mentioned that he believes the Seahawks will wait to take another big swing at the position until the 2023 offseason, either through free agency or the draft.
That would make the most sense for the Seahawks, who could spend this season evaluating the position with both Smith and Lock. The 2023 NFL Draft is expected to feature a handful of top QB prospects, including Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
A handful of intriguing quarterbacks are also slated to be free agents after this season, including a pair of Baltimore QBs in Lamar Jackson and his backup Tyler Huntley. Both players being athleticism and mobility to the quarterback position, which is something that the Seahawks will miss after the departure of Wilson.
A trade could also be a possibility next offseason, although it’s too early to tell which quarterbacks could be wanting a change of scenery.