Seahawks don’t need an elite Quarterback

Seahawks don’t need an elite QB!!
With only one game left for our Seahawks to play, a lot of the attention has shifted to the upcoming draft and whether or not the Hawks will be positioned to snag a Quarterback of the future. According to more than a few people on Twitter, the Seahawks will be selecting somewhere between 10th and 19th overall, should they keep their own selection and not trade it. It is my opinion that Quarterback, pass rush, and linebacker are the teams greatest needs. My debate is whether they should reach for a guy like Landry Jones or Ryan Tannehill, or address the other needs where they stand. I wont get into trading up or down in this article. @hawkblogger on twitter posted a great article on his blog about the value of trading up.

Here’s a look at the selections made in this range since 2005. If you look close, you’ll notice a trend. 48 of the 77 picks or 62% are defensive picks, with 28 being either Linebackers or Defensive Ends. 9 of those 28 are pro bowlers, a whopping 32%, and 9 of 24 for 37% if you discard last years four Defensive Ends, although I’m sure Robert Quinn and Ryan Kerrigan will be future pro bowlers. There have been 6 quarterbacks selected in this period, with 1 pro bowler in Jay Cutler. Others include the very average group featuring Matt Leinart, Joe Flacco, Josh Freeman, Christian Ponder, and Blaine Gabbert. While the jury is still out on Ponder and Gabbert, neither has shown the potential that warrants a top 20 selection in the NFL draft. Josh freeman is a perfect example of a guy with tremendous upside that has squandered opportunity on a bad team. Joe Flacco may turn into an above average player with experience, but is extremely inconsistent and has been carried by defense and a great running game. My opinion, if they select here, (and RG3 is gone, and he will be) will be for them to select what they think can be a pro bowl type defensive player at Linebacker or Defensive End. Recent history shows we have a great chance of finding one here. These names speak for themselves.
†- denotes pro bowl
2011:
110Jacksonville Blaine GabbertQB
111Houston Texans J. J. Watt DE
112Minnesota Christian Ponder QB
113Detroit LionsNick FairleyDT
114St. Louis RamsRobert QuinnDE
115Miami DolphinsMike PounceyC
116WashingtonRyan KerriganDE
117New England Nate SolderOT
118San Diego Corey LiugetDT
119New York Prince AmukamaraCB
120Tampa Bay Adrian ClaybornDE

2010:

110Jacksonville Tyson AlualuDT
111San Francisco Anthony DavisOT
112San Diego Ryan MathewsRB
113Philadelphia Brandon GrahamDE
114Seattle Seahawks Earl Thomas † S
115New York Jason Pierre-Paul † DE
116Tennessee Derrick Morgan DE
117San Francisco Mike IupatiG
118Pittsburgh Maurkice Pouncey † C
119Atlanta FalconsSean WeatherspoonLB
120Houston TexansKareem Jackson CB

2009:

110San Francisco Michael CrabtreeWR
111Buffalo BillsAaron MaybinDE
112Denver BroncosKnowshon MorenoRB
113Washington Brian Orakpo †LB
114New Orleans Malcolm JenkinsCB
115Houston TexansBrian Cushing † LB
116San Diego Larry EnglishDE
117Tampa Bay Josh FreemanQB
118Denver BroncosRobert AyersDE
119PhiladelphiaJeremy MaclinWR
120Detroit LionsBrandon PettigrewTE

2008:

110New England Jerod Mayo †LB
111Buffalo BillsLeodis McKelvinCB
112Denver BroncosRyan Clady †OT
113Carolina PanthersJonathan StewartRB
114Chicago BearsChris WilliamsOT
115Kansas City ChiefsBranden AlbertOT
116Arizona CardinalsDominique Rodgers-Cromartie† CB
117Detroit LionsGosder CherilusOT
118Baltimore RavensJoe FlaccoQB
119Carolina PanthersJeff Otah OT
120Tampa BayAqib Talib CB

2007:

110Houston TexansAmobi OkoyeDT
111San Francisco 49ersPatrick Willis †LB
112Buffalo BillsMarshawn Lynch †RB
113St. Louis RamsAdam CarrikerDT
114New York JetsDarrelle Revis †CB
115Pittsburgh SteelersLawrence TimmonsLB
116Green Bay PackersJustin HarrellDT
117Denver BroncosJarvis MossDE
118Cincinnati BengalsLeon Hall CB
119Tennessee TitansMichael Griffin †S
120New York GiantsAaron RossCB

2006:

110 Arizona CardinalsMatt LeinartQB
111Denver BroncosJay Cutler †QB
112Baltimore RavensHaloti Ngata †DT
113Cleveland BrownsKamerion WimbleyDE
114Philadelphia EaglesBrodrick BunkleyDT
115St. Louis RamsTye Hill CB
116Miami DolphinsJason AllenS
117Minnesota VikingsChad GreenwayLB
118Dallas CowboysBobby CarpenterLB
119San Diego ChargersAntonio Cromartie †CB
120Kansas City ChiefsTamba Hali † DE

2005:

110Detroit LionsMike WilliamsWR
111Dallas CowboysDeMarcus Ware †LB
112San Diego ChargersShawne Merriman †LB
113New Orleans SaintsJammal Brown †OT
114Carolina PanthersThomas DavisLB
115Kansas City ChiefsDerrick Johnson †LB
116Houston TexansTravis JohnsonDT
117Cincinnati BengalsDavid PollackLB
118Minnesota VikingsErasmus JamesDE
119St. Louis RamsAlex BarronOT
120Dallas CowboysMarcus SpearsDE

Teams that are quarterback hungry tend to reach for players that aren’t worthy of their draft status and thus end up committed to an average or below average general firing commands for their respective teams in crunch time.(Insert Tjack reference here). Pete Carroll and John Schneider have resisted this on may instances. This next statement might get a few stones tossed my way… ready?….THE SEAHAWKS DONT NEED AN ELITE QUARTERBACK!!!!. Let me explain. The Seahawks are going to feature a power running game, and elite, ball hawking defense. This is a formula proven more successful than any other in the history of the NFL. A team we all hate exemplifies this perfectly, with their 7 super bowl titles; this has been the formula for success in Pittsburgh for many years. Some will argue that Ben is an elite Quarterback, and he may be, but was he in 2005 when they beat the hawks? No. His defense and running game nursed him to the player that he is now; he was given the opportunity to succeed on a good team. Every team wants to land a Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers type guy that can mask many holes in a team, but the truth is that the Seahawks will not need to mask many holes because this is turning into a very complete roster.