Quarterback
You would think I wouldn't have much to say about the quarterback position with the Seahawks only having one on the roster... lifetime backup Charlie Whitehurst. Longtime starter Matt Hasselbeck is a free agent, and the Seahawks failed to select a QB in the draft.
So where do the Hawks go from here?
Option 1: Put an incredible amount of confidence in Charlie Whitehurst and pencil him in as the starter. Whitehurst only started two games last year, so his amount of work (507 yards, 57% completion percentage, 2 TD, 3 INT) is too small for Seahawks fans to make a final judgement on him.
To Continue... But if I were Pete Carroll, I wouldn't throw all my playoff hopes on a man who has only started two games. The pressure on Whitehurst would be immense, and I wouldn't bank on him not folding.
Just not a logical risk.
Option 2: Re-sign Matt Hasselbeck. Before all you Hasselbeck haters start yelling at me, put it all in perspective a bit. Hasselbeck showed that he can still be a good QB in the playoff win against the New Orleans, and still has the football IQ (it's not like players get stupid as they get older) to make good decisions under pressure.
Pete Carroll drafted two offensive linemen with his fist two picks in the draft, so obviously he recognized that the passing game needed fixing protection wise. If Carroll really wanted Matt out, he would have drafted a QB or a skill player with one of those draft picks.
The lockout screwed everything up, so now Hasselbeck is just floating in the free agent market without the ability to sign with a team. If the Seahawks want to play it safe and want to know what they're getting, then re-signing Matt would be the decision.
Option 3: Trade for a younger quarterback, like Kevin Kolb. I like this plan better than the first one, because if you trade for Kolb, you know what you're getting... sort of. Kolb has started 7 games in his career in Philadelphia, completing 60.8% of his passes for 11 TD and 14 INT.
The Eagles had him slated as Donovan Mcnabb's successor, but after the emergence of Michael Vick, Kolb became expendable. Now the question arises: Do the Seahawks trade for him once the lockout is lifted?
Yes and no. If you fail to re-sign Hasselbeck, then giving up draft picks for Kolb is the right decision. If the Seahawks re-sign Matt, then don't go for Kolb.
So in the end, the QB position in 2011 will weigh heavily on whether Hasselbeck re-signs. The Seahawks MUST be proactive in a search for a QB, because I'm not confident that Charlie Whitehurst can lead the Hawks back to the playoffs.
Prediction: NFL analysts have been negative in regards to Hasselbeck re-signing, and I can't argue with them. Hasselbeck signs with Arizona, and the Seahawks give up 1st and 3rd round draft picks for Kevin Kolb.
Sorry Charlie.
Reach Nathan Parsons at nathanparsons98@yahoo.com
