Seattle Seahawks Draft: The chess game begins at NFL Draft Combine

Seahawks using rare opportunity as leverage 

The best liars always tell the truth. Oftentimes, in negotiation or when trying to out-leverage someone, exaggerating is a tactic that can be used to proclaim a certain end result. Now, I am not saying that John Schneider and Pete Carroll are liars. In fact, I think they are very clever. Especially, in how they used their words in responding to questions surrounding the 5th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

When discussing the possibility of selecting a QB at pick number 5, Carroll called it a “rare opportunity” and went on to say the following:

"The position we’re in, we are totally connected to the quarterbacks coming out…We’ve been drafting in the low 20s for such a long time, you just don’t get the chance (at) these guys. So, we’re deeply involved with them."

Pete Carroll is actually being quite honest there. During his tenure with John Schneider in Seattle, they’ve only picked in the top 10 twice. Ironically, they used both of those picks on an offensive tackle. In 2010, they selected LT Russell Okung with the 6th overall pick and most recently in 2022, they selected LT Charles Cross with the 9th overall pick.

So, when Pete Carroll calls it a rare opportunity, he isn’t lying. But, it doesn’t just apply to the quarterback position either. However, by implying it about the quarterback position and speaking with such conviction, it puts pressure on other teams in the draft choosing behind Seattle who are in need of a quarterback.

https://twitter.com/NFLRookieWatxh/status/1600247029367570433?s=20

Teams such as Carolina, Las Vegas, Tennessee, and Washington are some candidates who might try and trade up to select their franchise QB. If they truly believe the Seahawks are all in on drafting a QB, they would then want to supersede them and trade into the top 4. Ultimately, playing into the hands of the Seahawks by having 3 of the first 4 picks be quarterbacks and giving themselves an opportunity to get either Jalen Carter or Will Anderson at pick 5.