One reason Seahawks should add Derek Carr and two reasons not to

Second reason for Seahawks to say “no” to Carr: Fully buy into the rebuild

The second reason the Seahawks need not go after Derek Carr if he does become a free agent after this year is that Seattle simply needs to go all the way in on the current rebuild. Seattle’s rookies have mostly been very good this year and should be even better in 2023. Plus, 2023 is when the 2022 rookie class should be joined by some very good talent from next year’s draft. Basically, by the time 2024 rolls around, the Seahawks should definitely be a playoff team and a dangerous one.

But having the right quarterback could make or break the team. Geno Smith has been good for a lot of 2022, but he also has had a lot more turnovers in recent weeks. Is what we’ve seen from Smith this year more like what we saw early in the year or since Week 10? And do the Seahawks want the 32-year-old Smith to be their quarterback for the next several years?

What Seattle probably needs to do is not try to sign Derek Carr if and when he is released by the Raiders and also not bring back Geno Smith unless it’s on a one-year deal. If I am Smith, unless I get franchise-tagged, I am not going to sign a one-year deal with a team as I would want longer-term security. If I were Carr, I might sign a one-year deal to prove I am better than what I showed in 2022.

But with all the young talent the Seahawks are going to have, it’s probably best to have a young quarterback to grow with the rest of the team. This could lead to many seasons of success for the franchise. Not signing Smith or Carr also hopefully means not having to find a quarterback for at least five years.