It’s crazy how quickly NFL head coaches forget the importance of a great quarterback after having one on their team for an extended period of time. You have the idea that it was just their coaching that made these guys great and all of a sudden you get Bill Belichick signing Cam Newton.
The most recent example of this is Pete Carroll, who has said the Seahawks don’t need to draft a QB — or acquire a viable one. They received Drew Lock in exchange for Russell Wilson going to Denver and the Seattle coach said sports radio KJR that he thinks he got a player who would have been the first quarterback drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“I think he would have been the first pick by the quarterbacks anyway. He would have been the first man in this draft. I have no hesitation in saying that.”
uh ok Lock went with the 42nd draft pick in 2019 and this is a bad year for QBs, so he might be right that no one will be better than his extremely average, if anything, quarterback. The problem, however, isn’t whether Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett will be an underperforming pro, it’s that we know Lock is. Whether the 12th Man is/was mad at Wilson’s JumpShip doesn’t matter because everyone is mad at the situation below the middle.
To make matters worse, Carroll put his pom pom in his mouth during this segmentfellow Hawks’ QB Geno Smith says he’s just as talented as Lock.
“First look at Drew, he’s really athletic, he’s really a confident athlete, you can see he’s got a lot of body control, he’s got fast feet, he’s got a fast arm, he’s got different ways of how he likes football as can release his body in different positions,” said Carroll. “He has a real knack there. He’s got a strong arm, he can throw the ball a mile across the field. He compares himself to Geno, and Geno Smith has a great arm. He’s got a world-class arm and all that. Matching it, that says a lot.”
Arguing that Lock would have chaired this year’s QB draft class was a better way to cheer the fan base than to say, “Hey, he’s just as good as Geno Smith, aka that guy you saw last year.” seen filling in for Russell .”
If Carroll wants to step up and add a quarterback to his roster as a theoretical first QB in 2022, nominate Smith, who was three picks higher in 2013 than Lock was in 2019. Is he bidding for a future head coaching job or one? just right for the first take?
Of most accounts, the Seahawks had a good to large draft. They brought in Charles Cross who was under discussion best tackle in the draft — and this isn’t random propaganda pouring out the side of my mouth. Kenneth Walker III is an ideal defenseman for Carroll’s run-heavy approach (and the current quarterback situation).
The coach and front office refuse to call this a conversion. And until Tyler Lockett isn’t on the team and they’re reluctant to give DK Metcalf the massive contract he’ll be looking for next offseason, it will be true. Right now, Seattle feels like the franchise Lock just came out of, but the version that’s still looking for a quarterback. However, at least the Broncos were trying to address the issue.
I understand that Carroll is approaching his situation with a half full mentality. He’s an optimistic person by nature and nothing good will come of dumping the already fractured confidence of his collection of outside QBs. But frankly, this isn’t even an argument with a good side. Either you have a quarterback or you don’t.
We have no idea if Willis or Pickett will be the guy for the Titans and Steelers, but there’s at least a chance they are.
It’s okay though, Seattle fans. Give Carroll about five halves to watch frustrated receivers and an even more stagnant-than-usual offense, and he’ll realize very quickly how hard it is to win without a great quarterback, and the tanking will follow.
