The Answer to the Seahawks Backup Quarterback Situation Is…
By Lee Vowell
With Trevone Boykin’s offseason arrest, there are questions as to who should backup Russell Wilson
First, Russell Wilson probably should have missed a game or two last year. He was injured multiple times. If the Seahawks had a better known resource as their backup quarterback, Pete Carroll may have pressed Wilson more to sit out. Boykin actually played pretty well when he saw time in the meaningless waning moments of football games in 2016. But saying that he is ready to be the quarterback who leads Seattle to the playoffs if Wilson were to be greatly injured is another issue. Plus, there is no knowing how much confidence Seattle has in Boykin.
Not football-talent confidence; confidence in Boykin’s real life decision-making process might be in doubt.
Recently re-signed Jake Heaps is not the answer at backup quarterback. Heaps showed a ton of potential in high school and then did nothing in college. He did change schools twice and wound up going to three universities, however. At least he can help with the Seahawks’ travel organization duties.
One might suspect for Seattle to sign a veteran free agent. While this player would not be a long-term answer for Seattle should Wilson suffer a long-lasting injury, the Seahawks would still be better off over an eight game span, for instance. Plus, should Wilson be injured and Boykin take his place, who would be Boykin’s backup? Surely not Heaps, I would hope.
The few veteran free agent quarterbacks that would fit the Seahawks system
There are three fairly logical choices for the Seahawks as far as free agent quarterbacks. Those players would be former Cleveland Brown and Washington Redskin, Robert Griffin III, and two former San Francisco 49ers, Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick. There are, of course, issues with all three.
Gabbert is the epitome of mediocrity. He has a total of 38 touchdown passes in his career and 37 interceptions. At least he is on the plus-side. He is somewhat mobile and is somewhat consistent. He has not ever been very good. But he also has not been atrociously bad. The Arizona Cardinals are also looking for a backup, but our friends at Raising Zona also do not want Gabbert for Arizona. So why would the Seahawks want him either?
Griffin might be good in a pinch. But basically a pinch is all you would get. No offense to Griffin but this is how I would imagine a worst-case scenario. Wilson tragically gets injured (for the football season; not in life) in week three at Tennessee. Griffin comes in to replace him. Griffin finishes the game and starts and completes the next game and goes a combined 23-28 for 400 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions. Then in week five on the first series of the game he gets injured and is lost for the season. This has always been Griffin’s problem: he gets injured too much.
Griffin potentially is a good signing as a backup. But realistically he is not because he cannot stay healthy.
Kaepernick is not a bad person or a bad quarterback
People seem to get the two mixed up and neither is true. Kaepernick may have political ideas that you disagree with. Probably I do too. Also, probably do most people you know. That does not make us bad people; it makes us people you disagree with politically. Also, Kaepernick played on a terrible team last year. He still was able to throw 16 touchdowns versus four interceptions. When you think about how awful the 49ers were, Kaepernick was pretty impressive. Especially when Chip Kelly decided not to start him most of the time. (Kelly also got fired after one year.) Kaepernick would also probably receive a more favorable welcome among the team and city of Seattle than almost anywhere else. He wants too much money. Besides that, Kaepernick would be a great fit as Russell Wilson’s backup.
The answer to the Seahawks backup quarterback situation is Colin Kaepernick. If money allows…