Seattle Seahawks Should Not Pursue Bad Baker Mayfield Trade For 2022
There has been recent speculation that the Seattle Seahawks are still interested in acquiring Baker Mayfield via trade. This doesn’t make sense.
If you happen to be a Seattle Seahawks fan in 2022, you are definitely thinking about who should be running the ship next after the departure of Russell Wilson. There are two quarterbacks on the roster at this point (Geno Smith and Drew Lock), and lots of fans are hungry for an upgrade at the position. One player whose future is undecided is the Browns’ Baker Mayfield. A recent report from Josina Anderson states:
I’m told the #Seahawks still have a high-level of interest in acquiring QB Baker Mayfield and behind-the-scenes are open to contractually extending him, per league source. I also know that the process of collecting information and insights into Mayfield is still ongoing. @JosinaAnderson, Twitter
The Anderson report has NFL fans talking. On paper, Baker Mayfield would turn the Seahawks offense into something that has potential to be at least decent. Drew Lock and/or Geno Smith have been ruled out by most as irrelevant in the league, but I don’t think it’s that simple.
Making a trade for Baker Mayfield is a bad idea. It’s not that trading draft capital or players away is an issue. In fact, I would normally admire the Seahawks for making a move of picks/players to acquire a young talent. The problem lies in the fact that making a trade for Mayfield would likely result in a long-term deal between Mayfield and the Seahawks. I’m a fan of Baker’s, but getting on board with inking a quarterback to an extension before he touches the field would be very difficult for me (here’s looking at you, Sam Darnold).
Not only would adding Baker Mayfield and signing him to a new deal hinder any sort of progress Drew Lock or Geno Smith may have and disable the Seahawks from picking up a quarterback in a loaded draft class next year, but it would interfere with the superb salary cap numbers the Seahawks have in future years. While Mayfield obviously will not command monster money like Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson will be making, I would guess he will earn between $20 and $25 million per year on his next deal.
With the Jamal Adams and Tyler Lockett contracts about to come into effect, and a monster deal in the works for DK Metcalf, the Seahawks should try to remain competitive while other players are on cheap deals. This would involve drafting a rookie quarterback and using the rookie talent they drafted in the 2022 draft during the first four years of their careers to try and win a Super Bowl. The priority should be to carry as few $18 million per year or higher contracts on the books and use superb young players to push the team to the top in the coming five years.
So how, you might ask, should the Seahawks play their cards at the quarterback position? My master plan is as follows: do not add anyone to the mix in 2022. Start Drew Lock, and if he absolutely falls apart, replace him with Geno Smith. In my opinion, Lock will be at least decent surrounded by the skill players the Seahawks have. At the end of the 2022 season, the organization will have an easy decision to make: stick with Drew Lock and get him on a longer contract, or part ways with him and use great 2023 draft capital to select the next great Seahawk quarterback.
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