Seattle, WA
Riddick: Gap between Seahawks’ Geno, Lock ‘Grand Canyon-esque’
The large query mark for the Seahawks going into the offseason is on the quarterback place.
ESPN host thinks it’s a no brainer for Seahawks to re-sign Geno Smith
Sure, Geno Smith was a shocking success taking on for Russell Wilson as Seattle’s starter in 2022, incomes his first profession Professional Bowl nod. However he’s set to be a free agent, as is his backup, Drew Lock, who Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and basic supervisor John Schneider haven’t been shy about saying they have been impressed with regardless of him not taking any snaps this season.
Smith will undoubtedly price extra to convey again, so there’s a principle that the Hawks may very well be higher off re-signing Lock to go away extra wage cap house to enhance at different areas.
Louis Riddick, a former NFL participant and who’s now a longtime analyst for ESPN, joined Seattle Sports activities’ Brock and Salk on Monday morning and shared his ideas on the 2 choices.
Co-host Mike Salk posed this situation to Riddick: “What for those who determine to not signal Geno Smith (and as an alternative) signal Drew Lock, who you say you want rather a lot – I imply, Pete and John have each been adamant about how nice Drew was this 12 months. You avoid wasting $25 million… (after which) you signal (Professional Bowl defensive deal with) Daron Payne and also you commerce for (Professional Bowl edge rusher) Maxx Crosby? Which crew is healthier: Drew Lock, Maxx Crosby and Daron Payne, or Geno Smith?”
Depend Riddick in column B.
“I believe the gulf between what Drew Lock may do and what Geno Smith did this 12 months is Grand Canyon-esque,” he responded. “I don’t care how a lot (the Seahawks) say they like (Lock) – I don’t see it. I imagine that drop off can be so important and so dramatic that Daron Payne higher be Warren Sapp and Aaron Donald mixed when he will get there… I don’t see that as being a scenario the place then they enhance on their file this 12 months and take one other step.”
Riddick defined why he believes extra within the worth Smith carries on the sector than the financial savings that may very well be used elsewhere on the sector for Seattle if it let him go away in free company.
“Your margin for error shrinks clearly when there’s extra cap {dollars} allotted to the quarterback place, however it’s not an computerized demise sentence and a recipe for mediocrity if it’s a must to pay your quarterback. … What folks robotically equate this to is, ‘Nicely, I can’t then exit in free company and simply purchase up a bunch of fellows. I can’t unfold it round and get all these different guys that I would like.’ I do know that that sounds nice in principle, and it must be nice in principle to have the ability to attempt to reap the benefits of that window of a less expensive quarterback or a quarterback on his rookie contract.”
Lefko: New wage cap makes Seahawks’ choices for QB and draft simple
Riddick then pointed at one of many two groups on this week’s Tremendous Bowl.
“I can inform you this: based mostly on the best way that they drafted this 12 months, and the return on funding they received with their draft picks this 12 months, and the haul of picks that they’ve this 12 months arising – have a look at what Kansas Metropolis did so far as their rookies this 12 months. Take a look at the return they received on their rookies this 12 months. They received six guys taking part in on protection proper now which might be key, key contributors. … Geno wasn’t the explanation why this crew couldn’t take an extra soar this 12 months, and I don’t suppose that cap house is essentially one thing that it’s a must to safeguard to the diploma the place when you have some extra cap house and also you do get a younger quarterback in there, that cap house that you’ll then achieve will will let you exit and get some gamers that can get you over the hump with a younger quarterback. I don’t essentially imagine that to be the case.”
Riddick coated far more within the dialog, together with his ideas on prospects from the Senior Bowl. You’ll be able to hear within the podcast beneath.
Brock Huard: How this draft’s power helps the Seahawks in free company