The Seattle Seahawks have exceeded expectations here in 2022 after trading former Pro Bowl signal-caller Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
Many expected Seattle to be one of football’s worst teams in 2022. Instead, they find themselves at 8-8 heading into Week 18 with the chance to make the postseason. This is largely thanks to the play of Comeback Player of the Year candidate Geno Smith and a strong rookie class headlined by Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Kenneth Walker III, Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant.
But Smith is a free agent at the end of the season, and Seattle will have two first-round picks (their own and Denver’s selection from the Wilson trade). Head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider won’t be short on options when it comes to the QB position.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports projected two big QB moves for the Seahawks in the 2023 offseason. For starters, he predicts that they’ll re-sign Smith for two years at $58 million Secondly, he believes the Seahawks will draft their quarterback of the future in Ohio State star C.J. Stroud:
“Some would argue he’s just as, if not more, likely to go No. 1 overall because he pairs more standard size (6-3, 218) with maybe the best precision pocket passing in the 2023 class. Regardless, he feels like a virtual lock to go in the top five. Seattle picks at No. 3, and while the Seahawks could easily double-dip on defense in the first round, the luxury of owning two Day One picks could also convince them to find a longer-term alternative to Geno Smith, even if Smith returns as the rookie-year mentor.”
This could be a win-win scenario for the Seahawks. Re-signing Smith would allow Carroll and company to take their time in grooming Stroud. While Seattle develops Stroud, they can also focus on remaining a playoff contender with Smith leading the way.
We’ll have to wait and see how everything plays out, of course. The Houston Texans will have the first choice between Stroud or Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, and there’s always the possibility of teams trading to move up on Seattle for a QB.
