Seahawks potential choice: Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo

While the Seahawks do have Geno Smith and Drew Lock, Seattle could also have the chance to add Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo. Should they? And what is the difference between the two?

Of course, the Seahawks might (and possibly should) play it safe and just go with Drew Lock and Geno Smith this season. Neither is horrible and there’s no guarantee that Jimmy G or Mayfield are much better. They might be a bit better than Smith or Lock but are either long-term options?

If not, what is the point in acquiring them anyway? Does Seattle want to go from maybe 7 wins to maybe 9 and still miss the playoffs? What would be the point of that? Of course, as we have learned in the Pete Carroll and John Schneider years, they will explore every avenue that might improve the team.

So if Seattle is going to try to obtain Mayfield or Garoppolo, which one should they get?

Seahawks choices: Jimmy Garoppolo versus Baker Mayfield

Raw stats

Mayfield has played in 60 games in the NFL and started 59 of them. Garoppolo has played in 63 games and started 47. That’s a pretty close comparison. Garoppolo has a wide lead over Mayfield in quarterback rating, however. Jimmy G’s career QBR is 98.9 which is really good. In fact, it would rank fifth all-time if Garoppolo had enough passes thrown.

Mayfield’s passer rating is 87.8 and he is highly inconsistent from year to year. Good Mayfield means the team might win. A bad Mayfield means his team will likely lose. Mayfield is 29-30 in his career (but he has overall played with less talent on his team than Garoppolo has had). He also has thrown for 92 touchdowns versus 56 picks.

In his career, Mayfield has 6 4th quarter comebacks and 7 game-winning drives. Garoppolo has been better. He has 10 4th quarter comebacks and 10 game-winning drives and in fewer starts than Mayfield. Garoppolo led the NFL in 4th quarter comebacks in 2019 with 4. This was the last year the 49ers went to the Super Bowl.

What might matter the most

But here is the thing about Garoppolo. He gets hurt. A lot. He played in all 16 games in 2019 and played in 15 in 2021. But in 2018 and 2020 combined, Garoppolo played a combined 9 games. Plus, this offseason he had surgery on his throwing shoulder so who knows how soon he can return to being near 100 percent?

Mayfield has missed a combined five games in his four seasons. As Russell Wilson proved during his time with the Seahawks, availability is a skill too. And Garoppolo doesn’t seem to be as good as that as Mayfield. Plus, Mayfield was injured midway through the 2021 season (he was doing well before the injury and not so well afterward) but managed to play through the pain after returning. Jimmy G might need to be more like Mayfield in that aspect.

So where does that leave us with the Seahawks possibly adding Mayfield or Garoppolo instead of just going with Lock and Smith? Not much. So what if Seattle wins a couple of more games in 2022? This team is being built for 2023 and beyond. Seattle should just stick with Smith and Lock.