A recent article listed the Seattle Seahawks as a “medium” threat in the “QB panic meter.” I don’t know what the hell that is, but I understand the article’s motivation. The sad fact is that general manager John Schneider hates drafting quarterbacks. History doesn’t lie.
The Seahawks have yet to draft a quarterback since selecting Alex McGough in the seventh round of the 2018 draft. McGough is lingering on the Green Bay Packers roster, but his tenure in Seattle lasted one season on the practice squad. Before McGough, Schneider’s last quarterback draft pick was Russell Wilson in the 2012 third round.
Seattle lucked out with Wilson, but ironically, his selection was on the heels of Scheider signing Matt Flynn to a three-year, $20.5 million contract. Flynn was brought in as the new franchise quarterback, but Wilson won the job during training camp, and the rest is history. And for what it’s worth, Pete Carroll wanted Wilson in Seattle so severely that he pulled the Jedi mind tricks necessary to persuade Schneider.
Michael Penix was the perfect scenario for the Seattle Seahawks
Revisionist history bothers me, but there’s an alternate universe where the Hawks enjoy OTAs with Michael Penix understudying Geno Smith. In such a universe, I’m sure Seattle doesn’t measure on the “QB panic meter.”
But in this universe, the Atlanta Falcons shocked the league and drafted Penix with the 8th overall pick. Minnesota and Denver also opted for quarterbacks, leaving Seattle with no viable quarterback option when pick 16 came around. The Seahawks used their pick to address the defensive line, reinforcing their faith in Geno Smith.
I won’t complain about bringing Byron Murphy to Seattle, but part of me will wonder, what if…? What if Scheider found a way to reunite Penix with his offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb? I wonder long enough for reality to set in. The fact is Schneider was unlikely to draft a quarterback last April regardless.
The Seattle Seahawks really hate drafting first-round quarterbacks
If the Seahawks had their hearts set on drafting Smith’s successor, I think they would have done so during the 2023 draft. Schneider had a pair of first-round picks (including pick five) and plenty of ammunition to move into the top three. Instead, the Hawks doubled down on Smith for the near future at quarterback.
Such a decision is tough to argue, considering Smith led Seattle to playoffs and finished in the top ten MVP voting in 2022. Conversely, Smith is nearing his mid-30s and is only under contract through 2025.
Schneider’s reluctance to draft a quarterback follows a longstanding trend in Seattle, but two quarterbacks in 15 NFL drafts is…something. As for first-round draft picks, the Seahawks have only drafted two in franchise history: Dan McGwire (1991) and Rick Mirer (1993). McGwire played four seasons in Seattle but never emerged as the franchise expected of a first-round draft pick. Mirer showed some promise as a rookie but was an interception machine traded to Chicago after four seasons.
Who comes after Geno Smith at quarterback?
Schneider probably believes Sam Howell is the Seahawks quarterback of the future, which is laughable. I don’t dislike Howell, but I don’t envision him as anything more than a long-term backup. The former Washington starter is simply Schneider’s latest attempt to find a diamond in the rough instead of looking to the draft.
Smith’s performance in Grubb’s offense (with an overhauled interior offensive line) will likely determine Schneider’s next move. I see a scenario in which the Seahawks run their quarterback room back in 2025 if they consider 2024 a success. But if Smith stumbles and Howell doesn’t show the ability to relieve him, Seattle will be forced to look elsewhere.
I would expect Schneider to consider a Trevor Lawrence-type trade if Jacksonville gave up on the young quarterback. However, it will be tough for Seattle to avoid doing homework on the 2025 NFL Draft class at the position. Four teams addressed their quarterback-of-the-future needs last April, but three to four teams will likely follow suit next year.
Seattle might find themselves in the mix to surrender future draft capital to move up in the first round of the next draft. That’s assuming the Hawks and Schneider are willing to do what they hate: draft a quarterback.
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