Seahawks have three approaches to consider with the No. 5 pick. Which one will they go with?
In what feels like the most anticipated draft in the Pete Carroll-John Schneider era, the primary question on most fans’ minds is: Who is the pick going to be?
But that might not be the right question. The more pertinent one is this: What are the Seahawks prioritizing right now? Because those priorities will dictate what they do Thursday.
There are three approaches Seattle could take in the year’s draft — particularly when it comes to that No. 5 overall selection. 1) Go in win-now mode and build around quarterback Geno Smith. 2) Think about the future and select a quarterback (if available) such as C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson or Will Levis. 3) Trade down to free up cash/cap space due to budgetary concerns. All are possible.
Approach No. 1 is likely what most Seahawks fans are hoping for after that surprising playoff appearance last season, an appearance made possible by Smith’s Comeback Player of the Year-winning campaign. The man who spent the prior seven years as a backup posted a league-leading 69.8 completion percentage and leveraged what was supposed to be a place-holding 2022 into an offseason contract that gives him generational wealth.
So you’d think the idea would be for Seattle to make next year’s team as formidable as possible by taking the players that would best help right away. And if that’s the case, the abundance of elite defensive lineman at the top of the draft — mixed with the Seahawks’ need to beef up the defensive front — makes it seem as though a player such as Will Anderson, Jalen Carter or Tyree Wilson will be part of the team early Thursday night.
“Makes it seem” are the relative words, though.
Smith’s contract — which includes $40 million of guarantees — is team-friendly. Most of that money comes next season, meaning it wouldn’t cripple the Seahawks financially if they moved on from him in 2024. And Carroll and Schneider have been open about their interest in quarterbacks, taking selfies with the top prospects at pro days, and Schneider saying QBs “don’t grow on trees” during his media availability at the NFL combine.
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Remember, Schneider was the general manager who acknowledged his interest in Patrick Mahomes several years back despite having Russell Wilson under a massive contract. If he and his head coach see a generational talent that’s still on the board, it wouldn’t be a shock if they grabbed him.
After all, Seattle still has four of the next 78 picks after No. 5 — including the 20th, the 37th and 52nd. They’ve built Super Bowl teams with selections in the second round (Bobby Wagner), third (Wilson), fourth (K.J. Wright) and fifth (Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman). It’s not as though they can’t acquire a quarterback at the top and still create a division winner (or more) next season with their extensive draft capital. But it would be harder.
And then there’s that balloon-popping scenario driven by that pesky thing called pragmatism.
As Times Seahawks writer Bob Condotta pointed out Wednesday, the Seahawks are $3.4 million over the salary cap when considering the $9.6 million needed for their 10 draft picks. The No. 5 pick would cost over $34 million over four years and a cap number of $6.1 million. The Seahawks also operate under a budget. It’s not an ultra-constrictive budget, but it’s a budget nonetheless, and Schneider conceded during the league meetings that when it came to “cash and cap” the Seahawks were “pretty tapped out.”
So how do you free up cap space and acquire more dough? Well, you might have to trade down the highest draft pick the Seahawks have had since 2009.
This isn’t an ideal situation for anyone — particular if Seattle is salivating over a particular player. But the cap is the cap and the budget (which isn’t public) is the budget. Trading down would certainly lift the luster off this draft. But it might be necessary — and still productive if the Seahawks can hit on the picks they receive in exchange.
In short, the Seahawks invested in a quarterback that has proved he can win, and building around him seems optimal. But they’ve also left some wiggle room if they desire a signal caller for the future, and there very well could be one available for them. Additionally, they seem to need money. And cap space. And they have to figure out how to attain them.
This is far from a clueless front office. But as far as what it will do in this draft? We don’t have a clue.
Source: The Seattle Times
