A familiar face will soon be returning to the Pacific Northwest to join the Seahawks quarterback room.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Seattle has been awarded second-year quarterback Jacob Eason off of waivers. A former five-star recruit who threw 102 touchdowns starring at Lake Stevens High School, he was surprisingly cut by the Colts earlier this week.
Originally a starter at Georgia as a true freshman after a storied prep career, Eason suffered a knee injury early in his sophomore season and was replaced by Jake Fromm, who held onto the starting job even after he recovered. Knowing Fromm would be the starter moving forward, he chose to transfer to Washington and after sitting out the entire 2019 season, he started 13 games for the Huskies in 2019, throwing for 3,132 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Rather than return for his senior season, Eason entered the 2020 NFL Draft and Indianapolis selected him in the fourth round with the 122nd overall selection. Learning under veterans Phillip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett, he didn't play a single game as a rookie and entered the 2021 season as the favorite to win the backup job behind Carson Wentz.
With rookie Sam Ehlinger starting the season on injured reserve, Eason served as Wentz's backup for the first six games and appeared briefly at the end of a Week 2 loss to the Rams. Completing two out of five passes for 25 yards in Wentz's absence, he was picked off by All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey towards the tail end of the defeat.
But with Ehlinger being activated this week and Eason reportedly struggling to grasp the playbook, Indianapolis decided to cut him, allowing him to hit the waiver wire with hopes of slipping him onto the practice squad. Instead, the Washington native will return to his old stomping grounds with a chance to back up Geno Smith while the Seahawks await Russell Wilson's eventual return from surgery on his right middle finger.
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 231 pounds, Eason offers elite arm talent and physical tools at the quarterback position. But after a dominant high school career, he never quite lived up to the hype at two college stops, struggling at times with accuracy and decision making. Those issues have carried over into the NFL and played a part in his early departure from Indianapolis.
However, Eason will only turn 24 years old in November and with Jake Luton and Danny Etling as the only other quarterbacks on Seattle's roster or practice squad behind Smith, he's a far more talented alternative with a much higher ceiling if he takes to coaching. After exploring numerous options, including veteran Cam Newton, the organization will certainly be eager for the chance to evaluate him in coming weeks with no timetable for Wilson's return yet known.
As far as when Eason could be available to dress for Seattle, he will have to learn offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's offense in quick fashion. With only five days until a Week 7 contest against New Orleans, he will likely be a healthy scratch and either Luton or Etling will be elevated as practice squad promotions. But it's possible he could be deemed ready by Week 8 against Jacksonville.
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