Drew Brees Won't Be Short-Term Answer to Seahawks Quarterback Concerns

In theory, Brees throwing passes to DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Noah Fant would be a sight to behold. But for several reasons - some obvious and some not - this pipe dream has absolutely no chance of happening.

Based on their recent public comments, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider seem perfectly content rolling into the 2022 season with veteran quarterbacks Geno Smith and Drew Lock battling to replace departed starter Russell Wilson.

After opting not to draft a quarterback last month, Carroll spoke with Ian Furness of Sports Radio KJR following the conclusion of Seattle's rookie camp and offered a strong assessment of Lock, suggesting he would have been the first quarterback selected this year.

“I think he’d have been the first guy picked, of quarterbacks anyway,” Carroll told Furness. “He’d have been the first guy in this draft. I don’t have any hesitation saying that.”

This latest comment came only a few days after Carroll told reporters during rookie minicamp that Smith held the early edge over Lock and Jacob Eason. Not surprisingly, the ever-optimistic 70-year old coach has expressed great confidence in both veteran signal callers as Seattle enters a new era without Wilson under center.

While they are always looking at options, Carroll shot down the idea the Seahawks would make any moves to deal for a quarterback in his interview with KJR. After weeks of rumors linking them to former Browns starter Baker Mayfield, such remarks make a deal on that front seem unlikely, if not improbable.

“I don’t see us making a trade for anybody at all. I don’t see that happening,” Carroll said.

But would Carroll and Schneider's tune change if a future Hall of Fame quarterback wanted to come out of retirement and could be signed in free agency?

On Sunday, long-time Saints star Drew Brees created quite a stir when he tweeted about the possibility of returning to the field, immediately leading to speculation about other teams making a run at him if he attempts a comeback. The tweet came on the heels of a report he would not be returning to NBC as a broadcaster in 2022.

Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided. I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy, I may train for the pickleball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I’ll let you know

— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) May 15, 2022

Brees, 43, announced his retirement following an injury-marred 2020 season in which he only played in 12 games and threw for 2,942 yards, his lowest total since 2003 when he started for the Chargers. While his yardage production took a significant dip and he struggled to throw the ball downfield, he still completed 70.5 percent of his passes and threw 24 touchdowns compared to only six interceptions.

From a storyline standpoint, Brees ending his one-year retirement to throw passes to DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Noah Fant would be fascinating. The Seahawks could certainly do much worse in the stop-gap quarterback department and even given his diminished arm strength, it's possible he could be a better option than what they currently have on the roster given his accuracy and experience. He also would be a welcomed addition in the locker room.

However, the chances of Brees donning a Seattle uniform in 2022 are less than zero for a plethora of reasons - some obvious, some not.

First off, if Brees truly does want to play again, it seems unlikely he would want to do so for anyone other than the Saints, who currently have Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, and Andy Dalton atop the depth chart. He played his final 12 seasons in New Orleans and coming back to play for any other team would simply feel wrong. It'd be on par with Brett Favre wearing a Vikings uniform.

Assuming Brees would be willing to sign elsewhere, though they have an intriguing array of weapons at the skill positions, the Seahawks wouldn't seem like the right fit on numerous fronts. Carroll loves for his quarterbacks to take vertical shots in the passing game and as evidenced by his last couple seasons in the league, the former Purdue star cannot do that anymore. Metcalf and Lockett's greatest strengths would not be maximized.

Based on how things played out with Wilson over the past several years, it's also debatable if the defensive-minded Carroll and Brees could co-exist from a philosophy standpoint. Going from Sean Payton to Carroll would be quite the changeup and while it could potentially work - see Matt Hasselbeck in 2010 - that would be one hell of a roll of the dice by the organization and the player.

It's also worth noting Brees recently underwent surgery on his left shoulder. While his recovery may not be a lengthy one and the procedure wasn't done on his throwing shoulder, that would be another wrinkle that could complicate a potential comeback effort.

With him in the midst of his rehab and his family residing in Louisiana, why would Brees want to pack his bags and try to revive his career with a rebuilding team in the Pacific Northwest? And from Seattle's perspective, why would Carroll and Schneider bring in a quarterback who no longer possesses the football traits they desire at the position? And likely pay a premium they currently can't afford to do so?

Ultimately, as new Saints coach Dennis Allen said to reporters on Monday, Brees' tweet likely was written "in jest" after reports of his expected departure from NBC came out. Out of all the options he outlined for his future, there's a much better chance Brees takes his talents to the pickleball court than wearing an NFL helmet again, let alone for the Seahawks.