KING 5's Seahawks season preview: Wilson vs. Seahawks, game-by-game predictions and more

It's finally here. 

After over six months of anticipation, the Seattle Seahawks will square off against former franchise quarterback Russell Wilson on Monday Night Football to open the 2022 season. 

You couldn't write a better script. 

• TIME: Monday, 5:15 p.m. ESPN
• OPENING LINE: Broncos by 6.5, according to FanDuel SportsBook.
• AGAINST THE SPREAD: Broncos 8-9; Seahawks 9-8.
• SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 35-21.
• LAST MEETING: Broncos beat Seahawks 27-24, Sept. 9, 2018, in Denver.

BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH: Wilson makes his return to Seattle following a decade as the Seahawks starting quarterback and his offseason trade to the Broncos. The reception he receives will be one major question. So too will be how the Broncos offense looks with him in charge and under first-year head coach Nathanial Hackett. Wilson didn't take a snap in the preseason.

SEAHAWKS PLAYER TO WATCH: For the first time since 2014 Geno Smith begins the season as a starting quarterback. He waited behind Wilson as the backup and never saw the field until Wilson suffered a finger injury last season. That gave Smith another taste of being a starter and he outplayed Drew Lock during the offseason and training camp by making fewer mistakes. The job is Smith's to start the season although any faltering could open the door for Lock. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THE BIG GAME.

By Associated Press and KING 5 Staff

With just three days before Wilson's return to Seattle, we have a complete timeline of his entire 10-year career with the Seahawks.

From draft day to the Super Bowl to Malcolm Butler to the eventual blockbuster trade that ended his Seahawks tenure. It's all here.

Buckle up. 

April 27, 2012

The Wilson era officially began more than a decade ago when the Seahawks took the University of Wisconsin product in the third round. 

Wilson, who has been the draft's most accomplished player, was the sixth quarterback taken in the class behind Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden and Brock Osweiler. Four of those five quarterbacks are no longer in the NFL.

Aug. 26, 2012

This was a full-scale admission that the Matt Flynn contract (three years, $26 million) was already a disaster.

The Seahawks named Wilson, a third-round rookie, the team's starting quarterback after he beat out Flynn for the job in the preseason. 

Flynn threw just nine passes for the Seahawks before he was traded in 2013. 

TIMELINE OF WILSON'S ENTIRE CAREER. 

By Quixem Ramirez 

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett, defensive tackle Al Woods and safety Quandre Diggs all will have a tall task for the 2022 NFL Season.

As three of the team's four captains for the upcoming season, the trio will be asked to fill the leadership void left by the offseason departures of quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

Nick Bellore is the lone holdover among the captains as he also was the Seahawks' special teams captain in 2021.

Wilson was one of the Seahawks' captains in each of the previous nine seasons, while Wagner had been one in six of the previous seven years.

Lockett replaces Wilson as the offensive captain as the wideout enters his eighth NFL season, all of which have been with the Seahawks. FULL STORY HERE.

By Alex Didion

Quarterback

• Starter: Geno Smith 
• Depth chart: Drew Lock
• Last season's leader: Russell Wilson (3,113 passing yards)
• NFL rank last season: 23rd in passing yards (3,432) and 10th in passing touchdowns (30)

The Seahawks enter the regular season with just two quarterbacks after cutting former University of Washington star quarterback Jacob Eason at the deadline Tuesday.

At this point, neither quarterback on the roster has put together a season even resembling league average. 

Smith, who will replace Wilson as the starter, has bounced around four NFL teams in nine seasons with little success. The 31-year-old's career high in passing yards was 3,046 in his rookie season. Which was back in 2013. Oh.

Lock, whose uninspiring three seasons in Denver led them to trade for Wilson, hasn't even reached 3,000 passing yards in a single season. He's thrown 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions for his career.

Barring a late-career renaissance or a fourth-year breakout, the Seahawks will be among the bottom of the pack at the league's most important position. 

FULL OFFENSE PREVIEW HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez 

Shelby Harris and Poona Ford are expected to be the Week 1 starters at defensive line, while Al Woods will hold down the nose tackle spot in the team's new 3-4 defensive scheme. 

Harris was part of the package the Seahawks received in the Wilson trade with the Broncos. The veteran started 16 games for Denver in 2021, finishing with six sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble along with a total of 49 tackles.

Ford was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and enters his fifth season in Seattle. He started all 33 of the team's regular-season games the past two seasons at nose tackle and likely will slide between both tackle and end throughout the season. Ford has 53 combined tackles with two sacks in 2021.

Woods returns after signing a one-year contract with the Seahawks before the 2021 season. Woods set career-highs in tackles and QB hits last season and will be counted on as one of the elder statesmen of this somewhat young defensive unit.

The Seahawks also claimed defensive end Daryl Johnson off waivers after he was let go by the Carolina Panthers. He played three games in 2021 before going on injured reserve and could end up playing either defensive end or outside linebacker in the Seahawks' new scheme. Speaking of which... FULL STORY HERE. 

By Alex Didion

Drew Lock starts at least 3 games

He might not have won the starting job out of training camp, but Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has maintained throughout that he believes Lock is a capable No. 1 quarterback.

Smith might have been the safer choice, but it won't be long before a lackluster offense leads Carroll to give Lock a chance as the starter. Whether it be by injury or on-field product, Lock will get his chances to prove himself in 2022 after COVID-19 and an awful preseason finale kept him from winning the job out of camp.

Pete Carroll retires at the end of the season

This will be Carroll's 13th season as head coach of the Seahawks. He's won the franchise's only Super Bowl in 2013, very nearly won another in 2014, and led the team to the playoffs in nine of 12 seasons. The Seahawks have averaged 10.5 wins per season under his tutelage, one of the best marks in the entire NFL.

This is a long way to say, simply, that Carroll has accomplished everything he could have in Seattle during his tenure.

He's the NFL's oldest coach, too, and the Seahawks are positioned for a multi-year rebuild after Russell Wilson's trade.

Does he want to continue coaching teams that are on the outside of the playoff picture?

CLICK HERE FOR 8 MORE BOLD PREDICTIONS.

By Quixem Ramirez and Alex Didion

With the team's home opener less than two weeks away, the Seattle Seahawks have set its full 53-man regular-season roster.

To reach the NFL's required roster size, the Seahawks needed to cut 23 players by 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Here were the Seahawks that were cut at the deadline:

• Justin Coleman, cornerback (released)
• J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (waived)
• Marquise Blair, safety (waived)
• Joel Dublanko, linebacker (waived)
• Jacon Eason, quarterback (waived)
• Greg Eiland, tackle (waived)
• Aaron Fuller, wide receiver (waived)
• Jarrod Hewitt, defensive tackle (waived)
• Cade Johnson, wide receiver (waived)
• Josh Johnson, running back (waived/injured)
• Vi Jones, linebacker (waived)
• Kevin Kassis, wide receiver (waived)
• Tyler Mabry, tight end (waived)
• Bo Melton, wide receiver (waived)
• Tanner Muse, linebacker (waived)
• Scott Nelson, safety (waived)
• Liam Ryan, tackle (waived)
• Dakoda Shepley, guard (waived)
• Tyreke Smith, linebacker (injured reserve)
• Freddie Swain, wide receiver (waived)
• Darwin Thompson, running back (waived)
• Lakiem Williams, linebacker (waived)
• Deontai Wiliams, safety (waived)

FULL STORY HERE. 

By Quixem Ramirez

Week 1: vs. Denver Broncos (Sept. 12)

Game prediction: Broncos 27, Seahawks 13. 

The Big Game will end with a Big Seahawks Loss. (Sorry.) The home fans will certainly bring the energy for the entire game, but it won't be enough to push the Seahawks to a win. 

Seahawks current win-loss record: 0-1

Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers (Sept. 18)

Game prediction: 49ers 24, Seahawks 17.

This game could end up being closer than expected, with the Seahawks having a chance to pull off a road victory. It will still be early on in Trey Lance's tenure as starting quarterback, which is good for Seattle because he's capable of making mistakes that could swing the result of a game. 

Seahawks current win-loss record: 0-2

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons (Sept. 25)

Game prediction: Seahawks 20, Falcons 17. 

The Seahawks' first win! Though this one is also in doubt, with the Falcons adding rookie wide receiver Drake London to its receiving corp and a possible second-year breakout season for tight end phenom Kyle Pitts. Still, let's give the Seahawks a nice home victory.  

Seahawks current win-loss record: 1-2

MORE GAME PREDICTIONS HERE. 

By Quixem Ramirez

Geno Smith wins QB job ... for now

After beginning training camp atop the depth chart, Smith indeed will be under center for Week 1 at Lumen Field. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll officially declared Smith the starter following Friday night's game in Dallas.

“He’s going to start the opener,” Carroll said postgame (h/t The Athletic). “He’s earned it, he’s won the job.”

Smith finished the preseason with 256 passing yards, throwing no touchdowns and no interceptions over 39 passing attempts. Smith also added a rushing touchdown, and ended up with an impressive 90.4 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade.

Lock attempted the same number of passes as Smith, throwing three touchdown passes but also three interceptions, all of which came in the preseason finale against the Cowboys. Lock's final preseason PFF grade came in at just 70.5.

Missing the Seahawks' second preseason game due to a positive COVID-19 test, Lock played the majority of Friday night's game, but ultimately didn't do enough to outlast the veteran Smith for the starting job. Carroll long has put great value into not turning the ball over, and Smith's steadiness made him the clear choice coming out of the preseason. 

“It’s a huge statement, taking care of the football,” Carroll said. “We’ve been one of the best teams in the NFL over the last bunch of years taking care of the football and owning it. It’s really hard to get it away from us with the fumbles and stuff like that; our guys are fantastic at it. Decision-making goes along with that, treasuring that football. It’s so hard to win when you turn it over. We’ve lived for a long time with a big conscience about it. We’ll keep going." FULL STORY HERE.

By Alex Didion

QB competition winds down 

Geno Smith has been the No. 1 quarterback on the "unofficial" depth chart throughout training camp, but Drew Lock's solid performance in the first preseason game has many Seahawks fans torn on who should be QB1 going into Week 1.

Lock was initially slated to start the second game before his COVID diagnosis, and likely will see at least a few series with all of the starters the Seahawks elect to throw out there for the preseason finale.

Carroll's quotes recently have indicated Lock has closed the gap between him and Smith since training camp began, and that he and his staff plan to take as much time as needed to determine who will start atop the depth chart.

Lock was one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL from the first week of preseason games, and has a chance to prove himself worthy of taking over the starting job with a strong performance in Dallas. FULL STORY HERE.

By Alex Didion

Arizona Cardinals

• 2021 record: 11-6 (lost in Wild Card Game vs. Rams)
• 2022 matchups vs. Seahawks: Week 6 at Lumen Field (Oct. 16), Week 9 at State Farm Stadium (Nov. 6)

Offense: Kyler Murray ended all of his offseason drama by signing a new $230.5 million extension with Arizona, although it came with an interesting clause that eventually was removed. Murray is right up there with Lamar Jackson among the quickest quarterbacks in the NFL and should present a significant challenge for a new Seahawks linebacking corps featuring several fresh faces.

James Conner was named to his second career Pro Bowl in 2021 after racking up 752 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground for Arizona and returns for his second year in the desert in 2022. The Cardinals also added Darrel Williams on a one-year contract. Williams was a solid contributor for the Kansas City Chiefs, including getting 144 carries for 558 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2021.

Three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be the No. 1 target for the Arizona offense, although he will begin the season serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy. Marquise "Hollywood" Brown was acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens, and the former first-round draft choice will be getting a lion's share of targets while Hopkins is away from the team. Hopkins will be back with the team for the Cardinals' second matchup with the Seahawks in Week 9, but will be finishing up his punishment when the teams first face off in Seattle on Oct. 16. Tight end Zach Ertz also figures to catch quite a few balls after being only behind Mark Andrews in targets from Weeks 7-18 last season (Ertz joined Arizona's roster ahead of Week 7).

Arizona has one of the NFL's most-experienced offensive lines but also features several players with lengthy injury histories. Expect Seattle's young crop of pass-rushers to have some of their most productive outings against the Cardinals in 2022. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks the Arizona offensive line 25th out of 32 teams.

Defense: J.J. Watt is the most notable name from Arizona's defensive line and still delivers impact plays now and again even as he enters his 12th NFL season at the age of 33. Chandler Jones, the franchise's all-time leader in career sacks, departed for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Rashard Lawrence battled injuries in 2021 but should make strides in his third NFL season.

Arizona features two high-potential inside linebackers in Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, both of whom were drafted in the first round. Markus Golden also returns and provides veteran leadership along with strong pass-rushing ability, having amassed 11 sacks in 2021.

In the secondary, Byron Murphy Jr. and Marco Wilson should be the starting cornerbacks with Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker covering the two safety spots. Wilson held his own after being thrust into a starting role as a rookie in 2021, although his numbers tailed off near the end of the season as opposing offenses targeted him early and often. Budda Baker made his fourth Pro Bowl in 2021, but PFF ranks Arizona's secondary 27th out of 32 units in the NFL. MORE DIVISION ANALYSIS HERE.

By Alex Didion

It's rankings time.

This ritual is a rite of passage for dedicated sports before, during and after every season.

For the 2022 Seahawks season, this is an interesting exercise that will see a new No. 1 for the first time in basically a decade. Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner are gone, leaving the door open for Seahawks, young and old, to claim the mantle as the team's best player.

4. Jamal Adams

• 2021 stats: 87 tackles, 2 interceptions, 0 sacks, 2 quarterback hits
• Three-year averages: 82 tackles, 1 interception, 5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits

Adams is perhaps the toughest Seahawks player to rank. When he hasn't been missing games for injury, he's been a liability in pass coverage and struggled to pressure the quarterback. 

But it's hard to rank him much lower than No. 4, because Adams' elite physical ability allows him to make truly unbelievable plays. (Just watch this highlight reel from his All-Pro season in 2019.)

Adams totaled 16 sacks in two seasons before failing to record even one for the Seahawks in 2021. It was his rare combination of size, speed and strength that made his NFL peers name him the 31st best player in the league heading into the 2021 season.

Adams didn't even make the top 100 in the 2022 version of the list, though. He has some work to do to restore his reputation as an elite defensive player. FULL TOP 10 RANKINGS HERE. 

By Quixem Ramirez

DK Metcalf

• Average Draft Position: 4th round (43rd overall), 16th wide receiver drafted
• 2021 stats: 75 receptions, 967 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns, 241.7 PPR fantasy points

Fantasy outlook: In his third season, Metcalf reverted to his rookie levels in yards per game and yards per target after his All-Pro sophomore season. Russell Wilson injured his finger during the 2021 season, missing games for the first time in his career, and Metcalf's productivity dipped across the board. 

Now Metcalf heads into the 2022 season with the worst quarterback situation of his career. (At least he got paid!)

His draft price, however, still puts him among the elite WR2 options in the league. Metcalf is being drafted ahead of Mike Williams on average, which does not feel right when you consider the Seahawks' middling offense will suppress production.

Skip the price tag on Metcalf and draft another wide receiver in a better offense in the fourth round. MORE SEAHAWKS FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYSIS HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez

The Seattle Seahawks are one step closer to beginning its 2022 National Football League (NFL) season.

Quarterback Geno Smith will lead the way in the Seahawks' Thursday night preseason game against the Chicago Bears.  

Drew Lock was initially scheduled to start the Seahawks' second preseason game Thursday night, giving him a prime chance to leap forward in the quarterback battle. 

Lock tested positive for COVID-19 hours after the announcement. Now Smith will have the start and can effectively claim the starting job if he plays well enough against the Bears. 

The momentum for Lock has been slowly since his performance in the Seahawks' "mock game" on Aug. 8. He outplayed the veteran incumbent, finishing with 185 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Smith threw for just 94 yards in the game.  

In the team's first preseason game, Lock had a 141.0 passer rating, 100 yards and two touchdowns when the pocket was "kept clean," according to Pro Football Focus. Smith matched Lock's efficiency on a per-attempt basis, but he did not throw a touchdown in the loss to the Steelers.

Can he do just enough to ward off the emerging Lock? FULL STORY HERE. 

By Quixem Ramirez

5. Los Angeles Rams (Week 18)

This game may not have the highest playoff implications if the Seahawks live up to pre-season expectations (Vegas pegged them as a five or six win team this season), but it does give Seattle a prime opportunity to spoil the defending Super Bowl champions' season in some way or another.  

By the final week of the regular season, the Rams could be vying for the NFC West division title or perhaps a first-round bye in the playoffs. A loss on the road to Seattle could be a big setback in their title defense. 

4. Kansas City Chiefs (Week 16)

Fun fact: The Seahawks won its first and only matchup against Patrick Mahomes in December 2018. Russell Wilson outdueled Mahomes in his first season as a starting quarterback, tossing three touchdowns and 271 yards as Seattle clinched a playoff berth.

Less fun fact: Wilson no longer plays for the Seahawks.

Even less fun fact: Mahomes still plays for the Chiefs.

A fun fact to distract you from the previous two facts: This game is on Christmas Eve! THE TOP 3 SEAHAWKS GAMES HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez

How will fans react to Russell Wilson's return?

The most important storylines of the upcoming season center around a player who no longer plays for the Seahawks. Go figure.

Seattle will host Wilson in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, giving the raucous home fans an opportunity to cheer (or jeer?) its former franchise centerpiece for the past decade.

Wilson guided the Seahawks to its first and only Super Bowl championship and was a pillar of the community until he was traded to Denver in March. (Wilson denies demanding a trade from the only National Football League (NFL) team he's ever known, but he did confirm a "trade list" of teams he'd be open to playing for was real.)

It will certainly be interesting to see the gamut of fan responses to Wilson's much-anticipated return. 4 MORE IMPORTANT STORYLINES HERE. 

By Quixem Ramirez 

After an offseason that featured a lot of turnover at key positions, the Seahawks returned to the field Saturday for their first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, all of which will be broadcast live locally on KING 5.

Here are five takeaways from the Seahawks' last-second 32-25 loss at Acrisure Field in Pittsburgh.

Little insight into quarterback position

Geno Smith, who has been at the top of the depth chart throughout training camp, got the start and played a pretty conservative but efficient two quarters of football. He completed 10-of-15 passes for 101 yards, and showed off some mobility on the final drive of the first half, scoring the team's first touchdown of the game on a scramble run. Of Smith's five possessions, three ended in punts and two resulted in scores.

Drew Lock got the second half and started off with a bang, marching Seattle down the field and punctuating the drive with a short touchdown pass to rookie Dareke Young. Lock finished with 11-of-15 passes completed for 102 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Lock had a chance at a potential game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, but was strip-sacked from behind and the Steelers recovered the fumble.

With the Seahawks starting running back and two top wide receivers not suiting up, this wasn't a very viable chance to determine whether Smith or Lock might be the better option under center. The Seahawks second preseason game likely will feature more starters and could be a more legitimate game to evaluate the two. FULL STORY HERE. 

By Alex Didion

The NFL preseason leads to a lot of questions and few concrete answers.

Don't worry, though. We have you covered before the regular season kicks off. 

The KING 5 team answered several burning Seahawks questions, including our takes on the 2023 starting quarterback, our favorite Russell Wilson era memories, who is the team's best player, what games we are looking forward to and more.

Who would you like to see as the Seahawks starting QB in 2023?

Alex Didion: This very much depends on how the 2022 season unfolds for the Seahawks, but there's little doubt the organization realizes it will have to upgrade at the position in order to be competitive with the rest of the division and the league overall.

Personally, I think Bryce Young would be the perfect player to step in and become the next face of the franchise for Seattle. Featuring a similar build to Russell Wilson, Young is mature beyond his years and already has won a Heisman Trophy and a national championship at Alabama. It would require the Seahawks to have the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in next year's draft, but one year of struggles would be worth it to bring in a signal-caller of Young's caliber.

Jake Garcia: Bryce Young, CJ Stroud or Drew Lock. The chances of Stroud and Young happening are probably a longshot. The Seahawks probably won't lose enough games to get either of these guys (projected to be the top picks in the next NFL Draft). And Young or Stroud probably won't struggle enough to drop to wherever the Seahawks are drafting.

As for Lock, if he's the team's starting quarterback next year, he took a step this year. I'm not sure if that will happen, but he's talented and maybe this coaching staff can unleash that talent.

Quixem Ramirez: The best quarterback available in the 2023 NFL Draft. Regardless of the team's draft slot, Seattle should be actively searching for a young quarterback to ease the awkward transition from the Russell Wilson era. FULL STORY HERE.

By Alex Didion, Jake Garcia and Quixem Ramirez 

For the past three seasons, it's been the DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett show.

Metcalf and Lockett have combined for 6,456 receiving yards in three seasons, accounting for 53% of the Seahawks' overall passing yards during this time. 

The other 26 Seahawks -- yes, I counted -- to catch at least one pass have totaled 5,714 receiving yards in three seasons, comparatively.

Seattle has subsisted on a revolving door of third receiving options. All have made scant impacts on the team's overall bottom line.

While it's certainly possible to build a good NFL offense with a heavily consolidated passing tree, popular criticism of the Seahawks' offense has been the inability to find a reliable third option to take the pressure off Metcalf and Lockett. At this point, NFL defenses know they can key in on the pair because the other receivers lack the ability to test defenders vertically or horizontally.

It's left the Seahawks offense limited to fewer options on any given play. You can only throw deep passes to Metcalf and Lockett for so long before it becomes predictable.

Heading into the 2022 season, the Seahawks have a few possible options to complement Metcalf and Lockett. FULL STORY HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez

After selecting just three prospects in the 2021 National Football League (NFL) Draft, the Seattle Seahawks tripled that in the most recent draft.

Not all nine of the rookies selected will see much on-field action and not even all of them are locks to make the team's final 53-man regular-season roster.

However, some of the first-year players will be starters and critical contributors for a Seahawks team with a lot of new faces at important positions.

Let's break down how each of these nine rookies will factor into the Seahawks' plans this season, with the team's first preseason game scheduled for Aug. 13.

Fans can watch that matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers and all of the Seahawks' preseason games locally on KING 5. FULL STORY HERE. 

By Alex Didion 

The Seattle Seahawks are a profoundly weird team in an era relying more and more on its quarterbacks to generate offense. For much of the Pete Carroll era, Seattle has preferred to lean on its running game rather than the other way around. 

Seattle ranked within the top five in total rushing attempts in five of the last nine seasons. 

The team ranked 21st and 27th, respectively, in overall rushing attempts in the only two seasons Seattle missed the playoffs in the Russell Wilson era (2017 and 2021). 

Under Carroll, Seattle has combined volume and efficiency to create one of the most consistently bankable units in the NFL. 

When the team's rushing efficiency dipped - like in 2017 - the Seahawks had one of its worst seasons with Wilson at the helm. 

But can the Seahawks continue to buck the NFL trend and keep winning while running the ball more often? FULL STORY HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has given all indications that the team's offense plans to focus increasingly on the ground game, after quarterback Russell Wilson's offseason departure to Denver.

But who will be getting the lion's share of the carries in new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's first season in Seattle?

Following Chris Carson's injury-induced retirement ahead of training camp, two obvious candidates stand above the rest of the Seahawks' current crop of tailbacks.

Let's examine the most likely options to lead Seattle in rushing, as well as who else might earn some snaps at running back in 2022. FULL STORY HERE

By Alex Didion

When the Seattle Seahawks passed on trading for Baker Mayfield this offseason, it signaled a clear intention for the organization.

The cost to acquire Mayfield, a former No. 1 pick, was just a 2024 conditional draft pick or, in other terms, a fourth-round pick at best. 

Trading for Mayfield would have been a cheap opportunity to add a potential quarterback of the future, but Seattle elected to standpat with Geno Smith and Drew Lock, a pair widely regarded as backup-level quarterbacks masquerading as starters. 

Quite simply, it's a tacit admission that the team's long-term answer at quarterback is not currently on the roster. 

This means the Seahawks do not have not a realistic path to playoff contention, much less the Super Bowl aspirations that were omnipresent when Russell Wilson was the No. 1 guy. 

Without a long-term option at the league's most important position, the Seahawks are projected to lose a lot of games and land a premier pick in a draft that is expected to have a stronger quarterback class than 2022's historically inept group.

Here are a few options not currently on the Seahawks roster that could be the long-term answer to replacing Wilson. FULL STORY HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez

Update on Aug. 8: Quarterback Drew Lock outplayed incumbent Geno Smith in Saturday's "mock game," finishing with 185 yards and a touchdown. Smith threw for 94 yards, but the veteran continues to take the majority of reps with the first-team offense.

For the first time in a decade, the Seattle Seahawks have a quarterback battle on their hands. 

Since a rookie Russell Wilson took the reigns of the job from Matt Flynn in 2012 (what a time to be alive), Seattle has had one of the most stable quarterback rooms in the entire league. 

For years it was just simply a matter of which player would hold a clipboard behind Wilson, who did not miss a single game for nine consecutive years. 

On the list of important Seahawks discussions, "who will be the starting quarterback?" ranked just about dead last. 

Until 2022. 

With Wilson in Denver, and a new young quarterback, the Seahawks are facing a problem they were fortunate to avoid. 

Geno Smith, the incumbent backup, and Drew Lock, acquired in the landmark Wilson trade, headline a quarterback unit that ranks among the least desirable in the NFL. 

But, of course, someone does need to win the job. FULL STORY HERE.

By Quixem Ramirez