Seattle faithful, welcome to the other side of the fence. After Aaron Rodgers wrangled headlines on Tuesday morning announcing his return to Green Bay, the blockbuster that was the Seahawks trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos quickly shifted the focus of the NFL landscape.
While 10 years of Wilson have come and gone, and the absence of the nine-time Pro Bowler will be sorely missed in the Pacific Northwest for some time, focus now turns ahead to this fall, and, more importantly, who will align under center for Pete Carroll’s Seahawks come Week 1.
Newfound owners of the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seahawks have found themselves in a comfortable place to add talent in a quarterback room lacking such. While Wilson has entered each fall as the de facto face of the franchise, it’s full-blown rebuild time in Seattle where the Seahawks will attempt to make their way back up from the cellar in one of the most competitive divisions in football.
Here are three draft options the Seahawks could pursue at quarterback this April.
MALIK WILLIS
The clear option for me at No. 9 overall, comparing the success Wilson had under Carroll to the potential ceiling of Malik Willis could represent a seamless fit. While he could come off the board as early as No. 6 to Carolina, if Willis were to slip to Seattle and I’m general manager John Schneider, there isn’t a talent in this class I’m willing to take a risk on in the top 10 OTHER than the elite dual-threat talent that is the Liberty product in Willis.
With D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in town, pairing Willis’ playmaking ability and bazooka for an arm could see the offensive trio reap the rewards if all comes to fruition. Willis by no means presents a clean, refined talent under center, but if you’re looking for a potential replacement of Wilson with a similar skill set out of college, Willis is the poster child of the class.
KENNY PICKETT
An unlikely scenario, I just don’t see Kenny Pickett moving the needle for Carroll. The hand size concerns are what they are, and while I believe he’ll progress into an average NFL starter, using a top-10 pick on a guy when you could take a swing on a big-arm talent in Jameis Winston—the route I expect Seattle to take instead of Pickett—seems odd. Pickett can sling it around a little bit, but considering what Wilson did so well for so long making plays off-script and delivering downfield, I’m not sure Carroll will take that risk on a player with a limited performance ceiling.
DESMOND RIDDER (TRADE BACK)
I really like this scenario if I’m Schneider. If Washington (No. 11), New Orleans (No. 18), or Pittsburgh (No. 20) would like to come up to No. 9 with Willis or Pickett on the board, be my guest. Swap firsts and gather another second-rounder all while grabbing Desmond Ridder, a fast-rising signal-caller with premier leadership qualities and an enticing skill set? Sign me up. After showcasing 4.5 40 speed and above-average arm talent at the combine, Ridder is a versatile talent, who, similarly to Willis, could be a star if all were to come to fruition. If I’m Schneider, I’m looking for a difference-maker with a high ceiling, and Ridder more than fits the bill.
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