The backup quarterback position for the Seattle Seahawks has been a revolving door the past few seasons, as iron man Russell Wilson has made it a near certainty that whoever wins the job won’t see the field at all – unless they are asked to do the coin toss in overtime.
Geno Smith is an unrestricted free agent and seems likely to pursue employment elsewhere, leaving Seattle once again on the hunt for a backup QB. They were known to be scouting the XFL’s P.J. Walker, who recently signed with Carolina, but otherwise there has been little info about their plan at that spot.
While budgetary constrictions may make it tough, one name the team could pursue if he is unable to find a starting job – which looks likely – is former Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston.
Winston threw for a league-leading 5,109 yards as well as 33 touchdowns last season in Bruce Arians’ air raid offense, but he also threw a whopping 30 interceptions, and his 84.3 quarterback rating was his lowest since his rookie season in 2015.
However, famous Jameis is still just 26-years-old, and learning from Wilson while spending a year as a backup would be an ideal destination for him as he looks to get himself back into a starting role in the future. Plus, for Seattle, should anything actually happen to Wilson causing him to miss time, Winston is far and away the most talented backup they could get into a Seahawks uniform – even if he has major flaws.
The contract will be the big sticking point here, as the Seahawks already need to clear some cap space if they want to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney, and adding an expensive backup quarterback is more of a luxury than a necessity considering Wilson’s history.
It only takes one play to derail a season, however, and Winston would be extremely valuable insurance if Seattle can make it work.
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