August 26, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; A Seattle Seahawks helmet sits on the sidelines during warmups before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Believe it or not, there aren't as many teams in need of a quarterback as there typically are. Teams like the Panthers, Bears, Colts and Falcons all have young talent they are developing. Others, like the 49ers, Saints, Cowboys, Dolphins, Cardinals and Bengals, all have veteran options that they are either locked into or unable to upgrade from unless something drastic happens.
That leaves Seattle at No. 18, who could be the team to shake up the 2025 NFL Draft.
Historically, the Seahawks haven't had to invest much in their quarterbacks. They got players like Jim Zorn and Geno Smith cheaply as free agents before becoming a mainstay. They found Dave Krieg as an undrafted free agent, brought Matt Hasselbeck back into the draft in a trade, and then took Russell Wilson in the third round of his class.
Honestly, this would be new territory for the Seahawks. They're currently in offensive limbo after firing their first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, but they also have to make a move on Geno Smith, who wants an extension this offseason but hasn't quite reached the peak of his breakthrough year ago two seasons.
This would give the Seahawks a clear direction for the near future when pursuing any of the prospects. The trade could also potentially result in Geno Smith returning to the Browns, a player who can help them compete in the short term but act as a bridge until DeShaun Watson's contract expires.
The closest precedent in recent history for a similar trade would be when the Rams traded up to the first overall pick of Californian Jared Goff. The then-St. Louis Rams started at pick No. 15 and sent that to the Titans along with two seconds, a third, a future first and a future third.
If Geno Smith came along, I expect it would cost at least a pair of second-day picks, but with or without him, this would be a great way to start retooling a roster that's struggling in the final few picks Picks have been missing for years and give them a surplus of ammo to work with.
