Getty Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll could get another QB before the trade deadline.
The Seattle Seahawks have been linked to quarterbacks all offseason after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. While the number of quarterbacks potentially available continues to dwindle, at least one name is starting to get floated around as potentially being on the trade block.
Alex Kay with Bleacher Report gave their list of trades that each NFL team should make before the start of the 2022 season. Kay mentioned the Seahawks parting ways with former first-round pick L.J. Collier, but also mentioned that the team should make a run at Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold.
“Geno Smith and Drew Lock are duking it out for the job in preseason, but neither is a viable long-term option under center,” Kay said. “Rolling the dice on Darnold could potentially give the organization a franchise QB for a throwaway draft selection.Because Seattle isn’t expected to contend in 2022, Darnold can get a low-stakes audition in the Pacific Northwest, a final chance to prove he’s capable of becoming a decent starter in this league.”
With Baker Mayfield now playing for the Panthers and named the team’s Week 1 starter, Darnold could be on his way out after just a season with the team. If the Panthers want to move on from Darnold, the Seahawks would make sense as a landing spot for the 25-year-old QB.
How Did Sam Darnold Get Here?
Heading into the NFL, Darnold was expected to be one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Unfortunately for him, the opportunities to thrive haven’t been there heading into his fifth pro season.
Darnold was a 4-star quarterback out of San Clemente High School with offers to play for Oregon, Northwestern, Tennessee, and multiple other schools. The class of 2015 QB decided to stay in his home state and play for the USC Trojans, where he quickly became a star.
After backing up Cody Kessler and Max Browne, Darnold stepped into a starting role just a few weeks into his redshirt freshman season in 2016. He was named the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year after throwing for 31 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. The expectations were sky-high for Darnold after that dominant first college season.
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He wasn’t as dominant in 2017, but Darnold was still named the first-team All-Pac-12 quarterback after throwing for over 4,100 yards and 26 touchdowns. After two strong college seasons, the New York Jets were confident enough in Darnold’s ability to take him with the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Despite being a top draft pick, Darnold has struggled with consistency in his first four NFL seasons. In 50 games (49 as the starter), Darnold has gone 17-32 with 54 passing touchdowns and 52 interceptions for a passer rating of just 76.9.
In Darnold’s defense, he’s played with some poor supporting casts in New York and Carolina. If he does end up playing for a new team in 2022, a team like Seattle with top-tier weapons and a developing offensive line could give him the tools to unlock his full potential.
Who Will Start at QB for the Seahawks?
Assuming that the Seahawks don’t end up making a trade for a quarterback like Darnold or Jimmy Garoppolo, the QB competition will come down to either Drew Lock or Geno Smith. Unfortunately for head coach Pete Carroll, the QB competition hasn’t gone exactly to plan.
After Smith started the preseason opener against Pittsburgh, the plan was to have Lock start the team’s second game against the Chicago Bears. However, that plan took an unexpected turn almost immediately after Lock was announced as the starter when he tested positive for COVID-19.
Lock will have an opportunity to get some significant snaps against the Dallas Cowboys in the preseason finale, but he’s facing an uphill battle for the starting job. Unless he blows the team away, expect Smith to be starting under center in Week 1 against the Broncos.