To Draft Richardson or SignCarr is the Question

 Trading away Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos provided the Seattle Seahawks with a few opportune choices to build their future. In ten days Derek Carr of the Vegas Raiders will become a free agent. He has more come from behind wins than any other QB playing today, possibly because the Raiders often weren’t well positioned to win a game the past several seasons. The Raiders, like the Jets when Geno Smith played there, were not a very good team. If Seattle signs Carr for a couple of years they may advance farther into the playoffs.

Yet the Seahawks have two first round draft choices in April and should be able to pick a franchise quarterback. Three qbs are available that appear to be outstanding prospects and Anthony Richardson is most likely to be available at number five and twenty. Richardson would need to learn the position for a couple of years from the bench since he is just 18 years and was a college freshman. A very talented though untrained and unseasoned draft prospect. Smith or Carr could start for two or three season while Richardson learned the pro style.

The Broncos absorbed Russell Wilson's vast contract freeing up cash for signing prospects for the Seahawks. The Broncos also signed a real coach today; the tough guy Sean Payton, so they may be spending more too having discovered the futility of not having a proven winner arranging things.

Gambling on quarterback prospects has worked out badly for several teams picking one with their first round choice. Drafting the second best edge rusher in the nation is a more conservative choice that can pay off and isn't likely to fail. So the Seahawks may draft an edge rusher with pick five in the draft and hope Richardson is still available when pick twenty rolls around. Coach Carroll seems to be a one with a good eye for picking QBs and knowing when to release them.

Plainly drafting a quarterback with a team's first round pick also pays off. Mahomes was the first round pick of the Chiefs in 2017 at number ten. Burrows was picked by the Bengals in 2020 at number one. On the other hand, Jalen Hurts was draft by the Eagles in the second round at number twenty-one.

If the Seahawks can sign Carr maybe they change their draft priorities, and perhaps not; Richardson is 18 while Carr 31 and Smith is 32. Having a fellow who might be the number one quarterback selected in the draft if he remained in college through 2024 on the Seahawks bench is a rare opportunity for a time that isn't likely to have a losing record the next several years. Waiting for resolution of the circumstance to learn what coach Carroll chooses to do is one of the more interesting diversions of the season, especially since Geno Smith and the Seahawks went on a losing streak after playing a game against Tampa Bay in Munich last season yet still made the playoffs. If Smith isn't a reliable QB of the future for Seattle, could he mentor Richardson for two or three years and win enough to make the project profitable?