Ranking Remaining Veteran QB Options For Seahawks

As the Seahawks' quarterback search continues, Ty Dane Gonzalez ranks 12 of the remaining veteran options.

In their first media appearance since trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos on March 8, Seahawks general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll expressed confidence in newly-acquired quarterback Drew Lock. But the new league year is still in its infancy, and both Schneider and Carroll have proven to be masters of misdirection, particularly as of late. 

Therefore, it's hard to take either's statement at face value, especially when Schneider himself added that he and the organization will continue to assess their options. And while many have linked Seattle, which currently holds pick No. 9 in next month's draft, to Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, NFL insider Josina Anderson is reporting that the team prefers to have a veteran succeed Wilson under center instead

I'm told the #Seahawks would 'prefer to add an experienced veteran starting quarterback.'
Inquiry* calls have gone out to the #Falcons about Matt Ryan, Cleveland on Baker Mayfield and others, per league source.

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 18, 2022

There are still several options—some better than others, of course—who may fit that bill. But the list grows small if the Seahawks are less focused on someone who can bridge the gap to their next franchise quarterback and more on a passer who would keep them in the postseason conversation. There's also the obvious hurdle of circumstance, as the nature of the situation changes from player to player, which makes certain quarterbacks harder to acquire and others easier. 

Let's go over 12 of the veteran options who may or may not be on the table for Seattle moving forward.

1. Matt Ryan

Deshaun Watson opting for Cleveland over Atlanta and others has greatly diminished the chances Ryan gets traded this spring, but never say "never" after the 14-year veteran's career-long team publicly vied for his replacement. The clearest, most realistic path for the Seahawks to legitimately compete in 2022 is still arguably with Ryan at the helm. Contrary to popular belief, the 2016 league MVP can still play at a high level, dragging a poor Falcons roster to a decent 7-10 record in 2021 while throwing for 20 touchdowns and 3,968 yards without Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley at his disposal. For Seahawks fans who've wanted a more fast-paced aerial attack that uses the entire field, Ryan would be the ideal man to make it happen. In Anderson's report about the team's desire for a veteran quarterback, Seattle was mentioned to have made contact with Atlanta in regards to Ryan's availability. If acquired this weekend, the 36-year old would only account for $8.1 million of the team's salary cap in 2022. 

2. Baker Mayfield

Welp, here we are. Mayfield is going to play for a new team in 2022—not because of his recent trade request, but because the Browns have successfully managed to supplant him with Watson. The Colts have reportedly been the most aggressive suitor thus far, but the Seahawks have been rumored to be in the mix to some degree as well. Mayfield certainly carries some glaring warts with him, including recent offseason surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, but he's a former No. 1 pick who's worked under three different head coaches through his first four seasons. Seeing if perhaps a change of scenery could help Mayfield get back on track may be well worth the risk, especially when the only thing that can drive up the cost of acquisition at this point is a potential bidding war with Indianapolis or whoever. Cleveland has more or less lost all leverage now that its intentions have been made clear. 

3. Jordan Love

After signing a record-setting deal to stay in Green Bay, it's unlikely Aaron Rodgers is going anywhere for quite some time. Love is still under team control for three more seasons, so it's possible the Packers could get a better look at him towards the tail end of that, but a half-decade of waiting or something close to it is a really long time for a former first-round pick to just sit. The issue for any potentially interested team is: it's hard to know what you're getting in Love at this point, and it's even harder to gauge how Green Bay feels about him. It's not as if he's being kept off the field by just any run-of-the-mill quarterback; Rodgers is the back-to-back MVP of the league. So there's quite a bit of risk involved here, and it's going to be too expensive to consider any trade a flyer. But once upon a time, the Seahawks acquired a backup quarterback from the Packers in a trade and it worked out pretty well for them. Maybe history repeats itself a little over 20 years later. 

4. Gardner Minshew

We're starting to get into the "why not?" portion of these rankings, which brings us to a quarterback who, frankly, could very well be the most universally welcomed of the bunch. Once a local star at Washington State, the famously mustachioed Minshew has brought an electricity wherever he's gone and would undoubtedly inject a level of fun the Seahawks sorely lack at the moment. Considering that he's firmly behind Jalen Hurts on the Eagles' depth chart, he should be available for a mid-round draft pick. 

5. Colin Kaepernick

If the Seahawks wind up going into the 2022 season with uncertainty at the quarterback position, they may as well do something meaningful with the open spot they have to offer. There's no telling how Kaepernick would transition back into the highest level of the sport after five seasons away, but he displayed good arm strength in his recent workout with Seattle receiver Tyler Lockett. Carroll has said this offseason, along with his program as a whole, is about "second chances" and went out of his way to mention Kaepernick by name as someone he feels deserves another shot in the NFL after being wrongly blackballed by the league. With no one established under center right now, the 70-year old head coach has an opportunity to turn his words into action. 

6. Marcus Mariota

Mariota may be the likeliest outcome on this list, looking to rebuild his worth in the NFL after spending two seasons backing up Derek Carr in Las Vegas. The former No. 2 pick served as a gadget player for the Raiders during that time, subbing in on occasion for an option play or two before heading back to the sidelines. Sticking with the theme of second chances—in a much different light, of course—this may be Mariota's last golden opportunity to prove he can helm an NFL offense once again. Stylistically speaking, Seattle makes a lot of sense. 

7. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick only played for a little over a quarter last year after suffering a season-ending hip subluxation against the Chargers in Week 1. He's expected to make a full return in 2022, however, and is one of the few remaining free-agent quarterbacks who may actually see regular-season action this fall. Like Minshew, the 39-year old journeyman has become a fan-favorite around the league and has proven capable of keeping his teams competitive despite his limited skillset. 

8. Cam Newton

Newton is not the player he once was, but it's difficult to say there are 32 professional quarterbacks better than him right now. His past three seasons have been discouraging at times, sure, but the arm talent still appears to be present and his playmaking ability on the ground is not entirely gone either. It would be interesting to see how Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron would work with the former No. 1 pick. 

9. Jameis Winston

After falling short in the Watson sweepstakes, the Saints are likely to retain Winston. But even if that weren't the case, it's hard to envision Carroll and company having much interest in the turnover-happy passer. 

10. Jimmy Garoppolo

It's tough to imagine the 49ers would trade Garoppolo—whose teammates' adoration for him has been well-documented—within their own division. If that wasn't an issue, he probably would have been first or second on this list, but the chances of him playing for the Seahawks in 2022 are more or less zero. 

11. Jared Goff

In terms of potential outside additions, Goff would bring the most familiarity with Waldron's system. But that's about where the benefits of adding the former No. 1 pick begin and end, especially when factoring in the $16.1 million salary cap hit he would carry in a pre-June 1 trade. 

12. Sam Darnold

If Darnold gets traded this offseason, it will likely be for cheap. But the Seahawks may feel more confident in rolling with Drew Lock than giving up a draft asset for a similar floor and ceiling. If so, it would be hard to blame them.