This offseason signaled the end of an era for the Seattle Seahawks. Russell Wilson, their starting quarterback for the last 10 seasons, was traded to the Denver Broncos in a franchise-altering move.
Without Wilson in the fold, the Seahawks now need to figure out what they are going to do at the quarterback position going forward. They received Drew Lock in the return package from the Broncos, but it is hard to imagine they have much confidence in him as an answer for this season or in the long term.
The Seahawks aren’t too far off from contending with their current roster, but given the moves they have made this offseason, they could be heading toward a rebuild. Seattle also moved on from long-time linebacker Bobby Wagner this offseason, who subsequently signed with the defending champion Los Angeles Rams.
If they are going into a semi-rebuild, one NFL scout believes they should be aggressive in the 2022 NFL Draft to find a new quarterback prospect. The scout said that they would make an aggressive move up the draft board with the intention to select Liberty quarterback, Malik Willis.
“A quarterback is the biggest need for Seattle right now. Not just for the present, but a long-term franchise builder. If I’m the Seahawks, I’m making an aggressive attempt to trade up to get Malik Willis.”
From Seattle’s perspective, it is imperative to get ahead of the Carolina Panthers, who are selecting No. 6, and the Atlanta Falcons, who are selecting No. 8. They are the biggest threats to the Seahawks when it comes to selecting a quarterback before they get on the clock with the ninth pick.
Luckily for the Seahawks, they will have ample opportunities to trade up in the first round if that is the route that they take. The New York Jets, who pick No. 4, and the New York Giants, who will be on the clock with the No. 5 and 7 selections, are two prime candidates to make a deal with.
The only way to ensure you get the prospect you want is to trade for the No. 1 pick, which seems like a long shot. But, if Willis is not selected by the Detroit Lions with the second overall pick, the Seahawks should start working the phones finding an opportunity to trade up for the quarterback many people think has the most upside of any signal-caller in this year’s draft class.
