Seahawks should target these QBs in 2022 draft to replace Russell Wilson

The Seahawks are going to have to replace quarterback Russell Wilson one day. The question is how soon Seattle wants to do that. Wilson is currently under contract through 2023 and Wilson has no real power to leave Seattle until after 2023. The NFL works differently than the NBA days, for instance.

So how long Russell Wilson remains as the quarterback for the next two and a half years is completely up to Pete Carroll and John Schneider. Wilson will turn 34 years old midway through the 2022 season and does appear to be a tad slower than he used to be. Mobility is one of the things that has made Wilson great over his career.

There are three things I want to note before you start hating me for writing this article.

One is that I don’t want Russell Wilson to not be the Seahawks quarterback. He is by far the best quarterback in franchise history and hopefully has many years left to play. The players that I mention in this piece aren’t going to replace Wilson in 2022, at least that isn’t the expectation. I don’t think Wilson gets traded, or should be traded, after this season. But the players on this list could replace Wilson in a few seasons.

Three quarterbacks Seahawks could take in 2022 NFL draft

Two is that Seattle needs to start grooming a good and young backup to Wilson. Geno Smith is an OK backup but if Seattle drafts someone in the 2022 draft in a fairly high round then that quarterback is going to be in Seattle for the next four years and that is plenty of time to prepare the quarterback to be a starter in the NFL one day.

Three is that all of the quarterbacks that follow could be available in the second or third round when Seattle has a chance to take them. The Seahawks don’t have a first round pick in 2022 and since I don’t think they trade Wilson after this year Seattle is unlikely to be able to trade up into the first round next year.

And if you think a third round pick is good to get a great quarterback, remind yourself what round Russell Wilson was chosen in.

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

Desmond Ridder wins games and has very good athletic ability. He doesn’t yet have the throw-to-throw accuracy that an NFL quarterback needs but he can learn that with proper coaching. Remember when Bills quarterback Josh Allen came into the league? Everyone questioned his accuracy. But he’s clearly overcome that and is a good quarterback.

Ridder doesn’t have Allen’s arm strength but he does have Allen’s athleticism and Ridder makes good decisions with the ball. Over the last two seasons, Ridder has a 41 to 12 TD-to-INT ratio. He has also scored 17 touchdowns running and this is part of what makes him an interesting prospect.

Assuming Shane Waldron remains as the Seahawks offensive coordinator, having a quarterback who can run fits his system. It puts more pressure on a defense. This is also partly what made Russell Wilson so effective in his first several seasons as well. Wilson’s ability to run kept drives alive and I wish Wilson would do it more often still.

Ridder also has started all four years in college and his teams have a combined record of 41-6. A quarterback that comes from a culture of winning to an NFL team that has a culture of winning is an excellent fit. Ridder would also understand he isn’t going to play a lot straight off. But that only helps player and team by 2023.

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

McCall would have to declare for the NFL draft in 2022 to be eligible but why shouldn’t he? He is unlikely to increase his draft stock for 2023 when the 2022 draft has several quarterbacks who are more risks than sure-things. McCall should declare after the season and find a team to learn and develop on.

That team should be the Seahawks. McCall is a perfect player for Seattle to take and spend a few seasons teaching how to play like Russell Wilson so that he can spell Wilson if Wilson gets hurt again or just take over for Wilson by 2024.

McCall isn’t asked to throw deep currently in his college program. But he can. What Coastal Carolina asks mostly from McCall is to keep drives alive and not turn the ball over and create chaos when possible. This is basically what the Seahawks asked from Russell Wilson during Wilson’s early seasons. McCall has perfected this in college.

McCall is currently injured but his injury isn’t long-term (he has an “upper body” injury, not one involving his arm) and if he misses the rest of his college season, fine. He doesn’t need to prove himself anymore and just needs time in the NFL to learn how to be an NFL quarterback.

McCall doesn’t turn the ball over and wins games. As a redshirt sophomore, McCall has played in 21 games and has thrown for 44 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. He knows how to keep the ball safe but also put his team in a position to score.

But here’s the thing, besides just throwing the ball the 6’3″ McCall can run. In 2020 he ran the ball 111 times for 569 yards and 7 touchdowns. McCall can run a Shane Waldron offense fully and use his legs, as well as his arms, to get points.

Carson Strong, Nevada

Strong is good enough to be an NFL quarterback for the next 12-to-15 years. The question is whether his previous knee issues (he hurt his knee initially in high school) make him fall to the second round or longer. His arm talent is first round good and possibly the best of the 2022 draft. But injuries scare NFL teams a lot and Strong could drop to the second round because an NFL team doesn’t want to take on the long-term availability at the team’s most important position.

NFL teams are also more and more looking for a quarterback who can run as well as throw. Mac Jones of the Patriots was a first round pick and he looks like he is going to be a good quarterback but he also joined a system that was perfect for him. Most teams don’t run offenses the way the Patriots do anymore.

And to be fair, the Seahawks want a bit of mobility in their quarterback too but if Strong is still available in the second round, the Seahawks should snag him. Strong could be a productive starter by 2023. If Seattle does want to do a rebuild and trade Russell Wilson, Strong would be a pretty good replacement.

Strong has completed 70.7 percent of his passes this year (70.1 percent in 2020) and has 28 touchdown passes and just 7 interceptions. He also plays on a team that cannot run so defenses know Strong has to throw and he still succeeds.

Strong would need to declare for the 2022 NFL draft but there is little chance he won’t. He has nothing else to prove in college. He won’t replace Wilson is 2022, but he could by 2023 and be a starter until the 2030s.