These Seahawks quarterbacks have a lot to prove against the Raiders
With roster cuts right around the corner, two Seahawks have one last chance to prove they deserve a place in the NFL tonight.
With the roster getting cut to just 53 spots Saturday, the fourth preseason game is the last chance for a lot of players to prove they belong on the team. For some, it’s a chance to show they at least belong in the league, if not exactly on the Seahawks. That’s exactly where Seattle’s two backup quarterbacks find themselves tonight. They have to put on the best show of the year so far.
Sounds like the usual story, right? The crafty veteran tries to stave off the push of the raw rookie. Well, that part fits well enough, as Austin Davis has 10 NFL starts under his belt, scattered over four seasons. Rookie Alex McGough is about as raw as they come, but has shown flashes of a big upside. Same old story.
Except in this case, it’s almost impossible for either Davis or McGough to make the roster now. That’s because a quarterback that just joined Seattle Wednesday will almost certainly be Russell Wilson’s backup. That quarterback is Brett Hundley.
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In case you blinked yesterday, the Seahawks traded with Green Bay for last year’s Aaron Rodgers insurance policy. There are Packers fans who will tell you Hundley was awful last season. The fact that Green bay decided to go with DeShone Kizer as a backup instead tells you that Hundley probably isn’t destined for greatness.
Personally, I’d much rather have Hundley. Kizer was much worse last season – yes, I realize he was in Cleveland, so that’s part of it – but he was also really cocky for a terrible player. Hundley wasn’t great, as he three 12 picks against just nine touchdowns.
Compared to Kizer, though, he looked like Russell Wilson. Kizer threw twice as many interceptions as touchdowns, 22 to 11. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the third worst quarterback in the league last year. Kudos for ranking ahead of Brock Osweiler and Blaine Gabbert.
Hundley was ranked ahead of Jacoby Brissett, by the way. You remember, the guy the Seahawks were supposedly going to trade away the second round pick they don’t have? I’ll take a comparable player for a sixth round pick instead of a second rounder any day. I’m more than happy with the former Packer as a backup.
Hundley probably hasn’t had time to unpack his toothbrush, let alone read the Seattle playbook. So tonight will be a showcase for Davis and McGough. Hopefully Davis looks good enough to get a call from another team when he gets the inevitable visit from the Turk Saturday. I say inevitable because he simply doesn’t fit the Seahawks scheme as well as McGough.
McGough is raw enough that he’ll very likely clear waivers and make it onto Seattle’s practice squad. And thankfully the Seahawks now have a backup with experience, talent, and a skillset that matches what Seattle wants to see behind center. The best of luck to both Davis and McGough tonight. Oh, and the Seahawks, of course!