John Schneider wants to draft a quarterback. He’s wanted to draft a quarterback since trading Russell Wilson. In fact, he wanted to draft a quarterback earlier than that if you believe the talk about Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
Having the intention and possessing the ability to execute the plan relies on supply meeting demand. In the three drafts since Wilson’s departure, the Seahawks simply haven’t had the opportunity to draft anyone worth having.
Part of the reason Geno Smith likely wanted to move on from Seattle was due to a desire for commitment — financially and in terms of contract length. The Seahawks wanted to save as much money as possible and retain the flexibility to move on whenever they wanted.
Swapping Smith for Sam Darnold didn’t change anything. Darnold might be younger and therefore might have a greater chance of providing a longer-term solution. He turns 28 this year while Smith turns 35.
That said, at no point during this pivot have I thought that was it for the Seahawks in terms of potentially drafting a quarterback.
Mike Florio today revealed Darnold’s contract details. According to Florio:
Bottom line? If Darnold regresses in 2025, he could be released after only one season. And the Seahawks will be out only $37.5 million. With Geno Smith apparently looking for much more than $37.5 million per year on a new deal in Seattle, the strategic decision to pivot from Smith to Darnold makes sense — even if it ultimately puts the Seahawks back in the market for a quarterback a year from now.
The signing of Darnold is quite handy for the Seahawks. It’s a hedge against the draft and it’s also a misdirection. If their intention is to potentially draft a quarterback early, teams might second-guess that intention with Darnold on the roster.
The Seahawks’ greatest quarterback move in franchise history involved a big free agent signing (Matt Flynn) followed by a steal of a third round pick who pinched his job (Russell Wilson). It seems they’re at least open to history repeating.
This isn’t unusual for the NFL in general. The Bears signed Mike Glennon to much fanfare, invited him to their draft party as a special guest, then promptly traded up to select Mitchell Trubsiky second overall. A year ago, the Falcons spent a fortune on Kirk Cousins and then drafted Michael Penix Jr with the #8 pick.
Darnold’s contract is entirely flexible for the Seahawks. It doesn’t mean they’ll draft a quarterback in round one. They might prefer to use one of four day-two picks on a signal caller.
However, I also wouldn’t rule it out in round one. Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough have been gaining momentum for some time. Shough in particular seems to be having a similar off-season to JJ McCarthy, where his stock grew as teams got to know him. It’s also worth noting that nobody really knew where Penix Jr and Bo Nix would land this time last year. Some thought it likely they’d last to day two. They were both top-12 picks.
I’ve had this feeling that Shough might’ve caught the attention of John Schneider. He has a terrific personality, great size and athleticism, a competitive edge, a good arm and he’s a creative gunslinger. There’s been some buzz about a potential first round placing. I don’t think it’s out of the question the Seahawks take him to compete with Darnold.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if they waited until round two or three and let the board come to them. Either way, with a middle-class of quarterbacks for the first time in a while, I still think the Seahawks will take one. It also might be sooner than some people think.
Other notes
One player who I thought had a really good combine session on the field was Malaki Starks. He just looked so smooth in his backpedal, his range was strong, I love the way he tracks and high-points the football and everything is in control.
A few months ago he was seen as a consensus top-15 pick. However, a bad second half of the 2024 season sunk him on many boards. He just stopped making plays.
Even so, don’t be surprised if between now and the draft word gets out to the main players in draft media that Starks’ stock is back on the rise. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Mike Macdonald really likes his versatility and fit in Seattle’s defense.
With four picks currently on day two, if they think they can address their O-line properly later on, they might be quite flexible at #18. At the moment they haven’t signed a safety and while many might assume they’d prefer Nick Emmanwori, I’d keep an eye on Starks if I were you.
It’s also worth noting that he has excellent football character and a strong personality, something the Seahawks pay a lot of attention to.
A year ago there was a feeling the Seahawks would’ve taken a cornerback at #16 if Byron Murphy was off the board. They’re willing to go by their gradings and it’s possible Starks will have a high grade.
One of the other discussions that might be had in Seattle’s draft room is a debate around Tyler Booker’s tape, leadership, ability to start quickly and size versus Grey Zabel’s superior athleticism and scheme fit.
As I’ve mentioned a lot recently, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur both coveted and invested in Aaron Banks — a player with a similarly poor testing profile. For that reason I’m not ruling out Booker to Seattle. Sean McVay also recently opted to blend size/power and adapt his zone scheme, so it’s not out of the question the Seahawks do something similar.
In many ways Booker is perfect. He’s the exact type of character the Seahawks want. He’d set the tone up front, provide a voice for the line that is lacking and he can play quickly. The poor testing will be mitigated somewhat by the tape and a good combine workout. There’s always going to be that nagging thought though about his physical profile and upside. Will it show up when the opponents are far better? Or do they simply think, ‘great — this will keep him on the board at #18’?
Zabel carries no such concern. He’s a perfect scheme fit but there might be a bigger learning curve for him in the NFL. He also doesn’t have the kind of personality and aura that Booker has — few do.
I’d be fine with either pick in round one and the Seahawks could still consider other linemen. I’d love to know how they’re weighing up the O-line options but either Booker or Zabel would be a quality addition at guard. I wouldn’t assume they’ll take an offensive lineman at #18 though, especially with good day-two options available.
