Seahawks might have uncovered gem of all UDFAs with this record-setting QB

The Seattle Seahawks did not really need a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft. Choosing one, especially a QB in the first round, might have sent the wrong message to Geno Smith, Sam Howell, and the rest of the offense. Nothing screams, "We don't like our quarterback!" like taking one early in an NFL draft. Just ask Kirk Cousins how he felt when the Atlanta Falcons chose Michael Penix, Jr.

Instead, general manager John Schneider combined the best of both worlds of "best player available" and "draft for need" and chose defensive tackle Byron Murphy II in round one. He did the same thing in round three by taking UConn guard Christian Haynes. We won't know for a few years, of course, how all Seattle's picks pan out, but upon initial review, the 2024 class looks good.

That class thankfully did not include a quarterback. Seattle signed one as an undrafted free agent, however, and that was the best avenue Seattle had this offseason. A quarterback chosen in the draft implies to other teams that quarterback might be worth taking a chance on if the QB is released when final roster decisions are made before Week 1 of the season. A quarterback signed as a UDFA mostly receives less notice.

Seattle Seahawks may have found a UDFA diamond with quarterback Chevan Cordeiro

Seattle's UDFA quarterback signing is worthy of notice, though. San Jose State's Chevan Cordeiro has a rocket of an arm for someone of his size. Cordeiro is only 6'1" and 190 pounds. He needs to gain weight before he expects to get a lot of snaps in the NFL. He might not be able to hold physically if he doesn't gain mass.

His other drawback is that he is already 24 years old. Many teams get turned off by a quarterback entering the draft who is older than 22. That is because most rookie quarterbacks are done with their initial rookie contracts by the time they are 25 or 26. Cordeiro is clearly almost that age already.

Not that that matters to the Seahawks, of course. They are willing to take a chance at seeing whether Cordeiro can earn a roster spot and they should. The quarterback has elite athleticism for his position and has shown a willingness to stand in the pocket and take a hit if he thinks he can complete a pass that leads to an explosive play.

Cordeiro played 61 games in college, the same as first-round pick Bo Nix, though he had fewer starts (46). With San Jose State the last two seasons, he threw a combined 43 touchdowns versus only 10 interceptions. He completed 61 percent of his passes while not having a great receiving group. He also ran for 12 touchdowns, likely because his 40 time was a brilliant 4.58. He is the all-time leader in total yards and touchdowns for the Mountain West Conference.

He has no issues throwing with velocity to any part of the field even though he does not have great size. Maybe a bit of added muscle will even allow for more velocity because his core would be stronger.

The best-case scenario for Cordeiro is he performs so well in training camp and the preseason that Seattle cannot say "no" to him when roster cuts are made and the Seahawks keep three quarterbacks. At worst, Cordeiro might end up on the practice squad and be Seattle's third option on game days. He also might be so good that he becomes a fan-favorite and supplies a bit of production. In other words, he is Seattle's 2024 version of Jake Bobo (only a quarterback, of course).

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