Getty Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and head coach Pete Carroll appear to have won the Russell Wilson trade.
The Seattle Seahawks may already have their starting quarterback on the roster, at least according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Heading into free agency, the NFL insider noted that the Seahawks view Drew Lock as more than just a throw-in from the recent blockbuster Russell Wilson trade. The Seahawks are optimistic that Lock will benefit from a change of scenery citing the revolving door at offensive coordinator in Denver.
“Don’t be completely shocked if Drew Lock is the Seahawks’ starting quarterback next season,” Fowler detailed on March 13. “Sure, they could be in the mix for Watson or others. They are also studying quarterbacks who are free agents and others who might be on the market. But I’m told the team did not consider Lock a throw-in in the Wilson trade, but rather a viable fallback option.
“There’s a belief among some with Seattle that some of Lock’s issues in Denver were a byproduct of a revolving door of offensive coordinators and a defensive-minded head coach in Vic Fangio. Seattle is in the process of deciding whether it needs to go all-in for Watson or bet on coach Pete Carroll’s ability to build a winner from the ground up. If it chooses the latter, it might prefer Lock.”
ALL the latest Seahawks news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Seahawks newsletter here!
Lock Was the No. 42 Pick in the 2019 NFL Draft
Lock was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Missouri and was selected by the Broncos with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. The quarterback’s best season at Missouri came in 2017 when Lock threw for 3,964 yards, 44 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Yet, Lock has been unable to take a firm grasp of the Broncos starting gig during his three NFL seasons. Lock started just three games last season as Teddy Bridgewater primarily served as Denver’s QB1. The quarterback threw for 4,740 yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while completing 59.3% of his passes during his three seasons in Denver.
Lock Has a $1.3 Million Salary on the Final Year of His Contract
Drew Lock taking over Seattle 🔥
The larger point is that Lock is on a team-friendly $1.3 million salary as he enters the final season of his four-year, $7 million contract that will make him a free agent in 2023. The best period of the John Schneider-Pete Carroll came when the franchise had Wilson on his rookie deal. Seattle was able to build a championship roster around Wilson and became a perennial contender.
Things took a turn for the worst after the Seahawks signed Wilson to his current $140 million contract. It would be unfair to just blame Wilson’s deal for the Seahawks woes which also included subpar drafts and whiffs in free agency.
‘I Don’t Think Drew Lock Is Their Answer,’ Says Former NFL Exec
Not everybody is buying the idea that Lock is the Seahawks quarterback of the future. Former NFL general manager and Heavy.com’s insider Randy Mueller believes Schneider has “another card in his back pocket” when it comes to quarterback.
“I always thought that their best deal to be made with Russell would be a place like Philadelphia where a quarterback would come back in return,” the ex-Seahawks executive explained. “And I’m not talking down about Drew Lock, but I don’t think Drew Lock is their answer. I don’t think they think he’s their answer.
“I think a quarterback that brings more options to you in return for Russell Wilson was the way the Seahawks might go. But having said that, I think people trust, and I do too, that John [Schneider] has another plan. I think there’s another card in his back pocket that has to drop for everybody to say, ‘Ah, now it makes sense.'”