Seahawks' late-season slide could put them back in play for QB in NFL Draft

The Seattle Seahawks' second-half slide is not only hurting their chances for a surprising playoff berth, but it might also be putting them back in the quarterback discussion at the top of the 2023 NFL Draft.

For most of the year, Seattle and quarterback Geno Smith were one of the feel-good stories in the league.

Seattle was exceeding expectations after trading franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in the offseason, while Smith seemingly found a home in the NFL with a late-career resurgence that had him as one of the top quarterbacks. 

But now that Seattle has lost five of its past six games to fall out of a playoff spot in the NFC, while Smith has shown some signs of coming back to earth, it might be time to start exploring the team's long-term quarterback situation. 

They have a great opportunity to do so with two picks in the first round. Including a potential top-three pick from Denver as part of the Wilson trade.

This past week Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times analyzed the quarterback situation and the complicated position it is now in with Smith. 

He has been great for the most part this season, but he is also a free agent after this season, could likely command upwards of $30 million, and he has only had one standout year in the league. He is also going to be 33 years old next season. There is always the possibility that he could be a modern-day Rich Gannon and be an extremely late bloomer thanks to the right circumstances, but that is a pretty significant risk for the Seahawks to take.

Especially as he has shown some regression over the past few weeks, not only with more turnovers but also more general ineffectiveness. He has not had a passer rating higher than 91 in each of his past three starts (all Seattle losses). 

This is all important when you get back to those two first-round picks (including Denver's pick in the top five).

When it comes to the immediate short-term future Seattle's biggest need is clearly on the defensive side of the ball. That unit has been consistently weak all season, and as CBS' Ryan Wilson pointed out in his recent mock draft either Jalen Carter or Will Anderson would instantly step onto the field and be Seattle's top player. 

But every championship team in the modern NFL needs a franchise quarterback. If the Seahawks do not think Smith is that player (short-term or long-term) it would certainly make C.J. Stroud or Will Levis an attractive option with Denver's pick. Not only could they find their next franchise quarterback, but they would also still have another first-round pick to address the other big need on defense.