Seahawks Sign QB Sean Mannion

Adding veteran Sean Mannion on Saturday, the Seahawks suddenly have a competition at backup quarterback.

The Seahawks have added some depth to their backup quarterback competition behind incumbent starter Russell Wilson. Signed by Seattle on Saturday, six-year veteran Sean Mannion is expected to directly compete with Geno Smith over the next month for the chance to serve as Wilson's backup, as first reported by Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic.

The Seahawks are soon expected to sign QB Sean Mannion, I'm told. No word on corresponding roster move. Seahawks have 3 backup QBs on roster right now: Geno Smith, Danny Etling and Alex McGough.

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) July 31, 2021

Mannion worked out for the Seahawks on July 26, right before the start of training camp. He joins Wilson, Smith, Alex McGough and Danny Etling to give the team five signal-callers on its roster, though it remains to be seen if one of those names—particularly Etling or McGough—wind up being the corresponding move to make room for Mannion. 

Selected by the Rams in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Mannion has appeared in 13 career games and started two. Most recently serving as Kirk Cousins' backup with the Vikings, the Oregon State product has 384 passing yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions and a passer rating of 57.5 to his name. 

For the past two seasons, Smith has been the Seahawks' No. 2 quarterback. In that time, he's developed a close relationship with Wilson and has signed with the team on three separate occasions, including this past offseason. 

It'll be hard for Mannion to overcome the team's comfortability with—and Wilson's appreciation for—Smith, but his place on the roster is nothing to scoff at. In Pete Carroll's program, competition reigns supreme. 

Boosting his cause is his familiarity with new Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron who, as a member of the Rams, served as his passing game coordinator in 2018. So if he outperforms Smith in the month of August, he may find himself joining the team in Indianapolis for Week 1 of the upcoming regular season. 

At the very least, his arrival adds intrigue to a position that was originally thought to be a foregone conclusion.