Kyler Murray deal proves Seahawks don’t need (insert flavor of the month)
The Seahawks passed on Baker Mayfield, and Kyler Murray’s new deal proves exactly why they did the right thing by sticking with Geno Smith and Drew Lock.
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard this one, 12s. The Seahawks moved on from the greatest quarterback in franchise history this off-season, and so destroyed the 2022 season. You also heard they could have salvaged their season by bringing Baker Mayfield to Seattle.
Now you’re hearing that they could still set things right by getting Jimmy Garappolo. These are all terrible, bad and not good at all ideas. Once again, no one seems to be looking past 2022, except the Seahawks.
Kyler Murray signed an extension with the Cardinals this past week. Normally, there’s not much to celebrate when a division rival keeps their starting quarterback in place. But I have to agree with Lee Vowell, this is a very good deal for the Hawks. It isn’t just that Murray is particularly bad against the Seahawks, because he is. It’s that his contract will make Arizona that much worse, a fate Seattle avoided.
Seahawks were right to pass on big-contract QBs
As detailed in this piece by Charles Robinson for Yahoo Sports on the state of QB contracts, the market just keeps getting higher. Murray’s extension is for five years, $230 million, with $160 million of that guaranteed. Murray’s a good quarterback, sure, but he’s had a tendency to melt down in the second half of the season. December finds Murray with more fumbles, tied for his most interceptions, and his lowest passer rating of any month.
Let’s look at it another way. Let’s compare Murray with the QB so many people wanted the Hawks to snatch up, Baker Mayfield. This is quite simple, courtesy of the fine folks at Pro Football Reference. Murray has the edge, but not nearly enough to make one a $160 million man and the other a cast-off.
That’s the market for quarterbacks going into 2022. I wouldn’t call Carson Wentz or Jared Goff stiffs, but – yeah, I think I will call them stiffs. At least they are compared to Russell Wilson. Goff and Wentz are guaranteed $110 and $108 million, respectively. Rumors are sizzling that Wilson expects a contract commensurate with Aaron Rodgers, $50 million per year. After the extension that Murray got, it would be difficult to say he’s wrong.
The Seahawks couldn’t afford to keep Wilson. And while they could afford Mayfield or Garappolo or Lamar Jackson (this is where you insert your flavor of the month) for 2022, any of those QBs would demand a huge salary boost for 2023. If they have a good season in 2022, they’ll have earned it. And if they don’t play well, what was the point of getting them in the first place?
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If you want to keep DK Metcalf around, you need resources. The money the Seahawks saved by not going after a high-profile QB is how they can afford to build a complete team. Let’s not forget the Hawks went 6-8 with Wilson on the field last season. Adding a name at QB would simply put Seattle back in the same situation they just resolved. So thanks, Cards!