Seahawks 2023 draft: Only one QB is worth selecting in the 1st round
By Jake Luppino
Seahawks have leaders in the right places
Geno Smith entered the NFL as a 2nd-round selection with a high upside. But, immaturity issues coupled with no mentor really hurt him early on in his career. He was thrown right into the deep end and drowned. He understands the harsh realities of the NFL and images that the media can portray based on a rookie’s poor performance. People forget to remember that rookies are allowed to be rookies for a season.
Being thrown into the lion’s den that is the New York media is no easy task for any human. No amount of preparation or schooling can teach you how to deal with it. During Geno’s tenure in New York, he made it harder on himself by attracting headlines. It is no coincidence that he came into his own after backing up Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning, and Russell Wilson.
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Geno Smith presents a really unique perspective on life and I think he can help immensely for a guy like Anthony Richardson. With the ability to franchise tag Geno or re-sign him to a 3-year deal, they would essentially be giving themselves a timeline on when they need to have Richardson ready. Similar to the Jordan Love route that Green Bay is taking.
Or, similar to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. I know many fans want their young players, especially QBs, to play right away so they can attain the necessary experience. But, I push back on that notion simply because each situation is different. Sticking with Mahomes and Kansas City, they were a playoff team back in his rookie year with Alex Smith under center. Meaning, there was no need to rush Mahomes to start.
When, as an organization, they felt he was ready, they installed him as the starting QB. Of course, not everybody is Patrick Mahomes, but the direction a franchise is heading towards factors in heavily whether or not you are going to rush a rookie QB into play.
Next. 4 Seahawks that might not finish out their current contracts. dark
Given that, it makes that much more sense for Richardson to be the only targeted prospect for Seattle if they wanted a QB in the 1st-round. Not to mention Pete Carroll is a zen master himself. Growing behind Geno, whether it’s 1 or 3 years, can prove to be seismic for the career direction of Richardson if he were to land in Seattle.