http://blog.seattlepi.com/hawkfan/archives/234397.asp?from=blog_last3
http://blog.seattlepi.com/hawkfan/archives/234397.asp
Should the Seattle Seahawks Trade for Kyle Orton?
If you follow the Seahawks it should go without saying the future at quarterback is the hottest topic surrounding the team.
Matt Hasselbeck has struggled and Charlie Whitehurst has been bi-polar, tossing three INT's against the Giants in his first career start and playing the role of game manager perfectly in the NFC West clinching victory last Sunday.
The fact that Pete Carroll has refused to name his starting quarterback for the playoff game against the Saints shows there is uncertainty, especially considering Hasselbeck was reportedly able to play against the Rams.
Thank god they didn't play him.
Many fans are clamoring for the Seahawks to draft Huskies quarterback Jake Locker to replace Matt Hasselbeck and he could very well be available in the No. 21-25 range they will more then likely be choosing.
At the same time though, he might not be, with so many teams ahead of the Seahawks desperate for a franchise quarterback; Carolina, Arizona, San Francisco, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Miami, and possibly Tennessee, Locker may not even last past San Francisco at No. 7.
There very well could be five quarterbacks who go in the top 10-12 range. Carolina, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Arizona, and San Francisco represent five quarterback needy teams in the top eight alone.
Simply put, they can't bank on a quarterback being available, they have absolutely no shot at Andrew Luck, Cam Newton will be gone, Blaine Gabbert will probably be gone, and the only match besides Locker would be Ryan Mallet. Like I said though, there are eight teams who need quarterbacks besides Seattle and there are only five who make sense as first round selections, Mallet might be gone as well.
A contingency plan is needed, and out of all of the quarterbacks who might be available this off season, Kyle Orton is the most appealing option.
He seems to be disliked by each fan base he goes to, but he is quietly putting up gaudy statistics and he has had success wherever he goes.
I don't think any 12th Man should mind seeing Orton in Seahawks blue considering his averages during two seasons in Denver.
315/520, 60.45 CMP %, 3,727 YD's, 21 TD's, 10 INT's, 7.15 YPA, 87.2 QBR
The Broncos asking price is reportedly a second round pick. Considering the fact that Seahawks are already without a third, their fourth, and sixth round pick. Considering the Patriots 4th rounder they aquired is going to be very low, that makes the price prohibitive; unless the team plans on drafting a quarterback and misses out on their target.
The draft is a crapshoot, and the Seahawks have swung and missed finding a franchise signal caller more then once. Is any quarterback they could take in the second round or reach for in the first round capable of passing for 3,700 yards and 20 TD's by default?
Orton is not a sexy choice, and he will never be regarded as a franchise quarterback. At 28, he has plenty to offer in the right system, and he flourished with Jeremy Bates during his breakout year in 2009 in Denver.
The Bates system has sputtered in Seattle, producing low rushing totals and less them impressive ticks in the quarterback stat sheet. Why not bring in a replacement that has proven to be effective in the offense he is trying to install?
The only other options besides the draft are likely going to be Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb, and while those are bigger names then Orton, they both are not playing nearly the same caliber football as he is.
Honestly as a hunch, I see McNabb ending up in Minnesota, I am calling it now and if I could put money on it I would. The marriage just makes too much sense, so I don't see him being a possibility for Seattle.
Another trade option would be Kevin Kolb, but Seattle like several teams balked at the first round asking price before the draft last year. Again though, the argument could be made that Kevin Kolb is better then who the Seahawks could land at No. 21-26 as well.
The more important thing to me is surrounding whichever quarterback they trot out with more weapons and more protection. If they don't pick anyone significant up in the free agent market at receiver or the offensive line I think it would be much wiser to target those positions early in the draft.
There are some exciting names at receiver, and the one that immediately jumps out is Vincent Jackson, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent (pending a new CBA). Expect the Seahawks to pounce on him considering they were willing to pay him top dollar and give up value in a trade to get him. Don't be surprised if Seattle is the first visit on his free agent tour.
You can expect Terrell Owens-Seattle rumors to be floating during the off season as well. One of Braylon Edwards or Santonio Holmes is probably going to be available as well, and along with names like Malcolm Floyd, Steve Smith (G), Sidney Rice, Steve Breaston, and Mike Sims-Walker there are plenty of options to replenish a depleted receiving unit.
If they don't go out and get one of those guys, they will need to draft at least one receiver. Considering they just took Golden Tate in the second round last year and generally take longer to develop then a guard, or cornerback; I think it would be wiser to target one or more of the above names in free agency.
Going offensive line in the opening rounds make sense to, but if they are going to take a quarterback in the draft they would be best served picking up a pair of starters on the open market.
Logan Mankins is the obvious favorite, but he is the top guard available playing on the best team in the league. A divorce seems inevitable, but getting Jackson and Mankins seems like a pipe dream at best.
Realistic names they could target would be guys like Harvey Dahl, Justin Blalock, Carl Nicks, and Ryan Kalil.
Cornerback is another area I see Seattle pursuing a starter at, it all depends on what they want to do in a draft. If they draft a quarterback then they will only be able to draft one other player who they could feel comfortable starting right off the bat.
I really like Jonathan Joseph, but who wouldn't, and if Mankins and Jackson is a pipe dream, then all three is unfathomable. Getting one those players John Hancock on a contract in Renton would be a huge score though.
Brent Grimes is a guy I could feasibly picture the Seahawks pursuing, but why would he want to leave Atlanta unless they throw a low ball offer at him?
Champ Bailey and Carlos Rogers would also be up there as the best available players, Champ Bailey has lost a step but he is still an excellent option as a No. 2 cornerback.
What happens is anyones guess, but I am totally bought into whatever Pete Carroll decides to do after leading the Seahawks to the NFC West title at square one. Considering he has made 250 transactions in about one calender year, you can expect this to be a very active off season.
Posted by Andrew Auger at January 6, 2011 3:00 a.m.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/hawkfan/archives/234397.asp
Should the Seattle Seahawks Trade for Kyle Orton?
If you follow the Seahawks it should go without saying the future at quarterback is the hottest topic surrounding the team.
Matt Hasselbeck has struggled and Charlie Whitehurst has been bi-polar, tossing three INT's against the Giants in his first career start and playing the role of game manager perfectly in the NFC West clinching victory last Sunday.
The fact that Pete Carroll has refused to name his starting quarterback for the playoff game against the Saints shows there is uncertainty, especially considering Hasselbeck was reportedly able to play against the Rams.
Thank god they didn't play him.
Many fans are clamoring for the Seahawks to draft Huskies quarterback Jake Locker to replace Matt Hasselbeck and he could very well be available in the No. 21-25 range they will more then likely be choosing.
At the same time though, he might not be, with so many teams ahead of the Seahawks desperate for a franchise quarterback; Carolina, Arizona, San Francisco, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Miami, and possibly Tennessee, Locker may not even last past San Francisco at No. 7.
There very well could be five quarterbacks who go in the top 10-12 range. Carolina, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Arizona, and San Francisco represent five quarterback needy teams in the top eight alone.
Simply put, they can't bank on a quarterback being available, they have absolutely no shot at Andrew Luck, Cam Newton will be gone, Blaine Gabbert will probably be gone, and the only match besides Locker would be Ryan Mallet. Like I said though, there are eight teams who need quarterbacks besides Seattle and there are only five who make sense as first round selections, Mallet might be gone as well.
A contingency plan is needed, and out of all of the quarterbacks who might be available this off season, Kyle Orton is the most appealing option.
He seems to be disliked by each fan base he goes to, but he is quietly putting up gaudy statistics and he has had success wherever he goes.
I don't think any 12th Man should mind seeing Orton in Seahawks blue considering his averages during two seasons in Denver.
315/520, 60.45 CMP %, 3,727 YD's, 21 TD's, 10 INT's, 7.15 YPA, 87.2 QBR
The Broncos asking price is reportedly a second round pick. Considering the fact that Seahawks are already without a third, their fourth, and sixth round pick. Considering the Patriots 4th rounder they aquired is going to be very low, that makes the price prohibitive; unless the team plans on drafting a quarterback and misses out on their target.
The draft is a crapshoot, and the Seahawks have swung and missed finding a franchise signal caller more then once. Is any quarterback they could take in the second round or reach for in the first round capable of passing for 3,700 yards and 20 TD's by default?
Orton is not a sexy choice, and he will never be regarded as a franchise quarterback. At 28, he has plenty to offer in the right system, and he flourished with Jeremy Bates during his breakout year in 2009 in Denver.
The Bates system has sputtered in Seattle, producing low rushing totals and less them impressive ticks in the quarterback stat sheet. Why not bring in a replacement that has proven to be effective in the offense he is trying to install?
The only other options besides the draft are likely going to be Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb, and while those are bigger names then Orton, they both are not playing nearly the same caliber football as he is.
Honestly as a hunch, I see McNabb ending up in Minnesota, I am calling it now and if I could put money on it I would. The marriage just makes too much sense, so I don't see him being a possibility for Seattle.
Another trade option would be Kevin Kolb, but Seattle like several teams balked at the first round asking price before the draft last year. Again though, the argument could be made that Kevin Kolb is better then who the Seahawks could land at No. 21-26 as well.
The more important thing to me is surrounding whichever quarterback they trot out with more weapons and more protection. If they don't pick anyone significant up in the free agent market at receiver or the offensive line I think it would be much wiser to target those positions early in the draft.
There are some exciting names at receiver, and the one that immediately jumps out is Vincent Jackson, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent (pending a new CBA). Expect the Seahawks to pounce on him considering they were willing to pay him top dollar and give up value in a trade to get him. Don't be surprised if Seattle is the first visit on his free agent tour.
You can expect Terrell Owens-Seattle rumors to be floating during the off season as well. One of Braylon Edwards or Santonio Holmes is probably going to be available as well, and along with names like Malcolm Floyd, Steve Smith (G), Sidney Rice, Steve Breaston, and Mike Sims-Walker there are plenty of options to replenish a depleted receiving unit.
If they don't go out and get one of those guys, they will need to draft at least one receiver. Considering they just took Golden Tate in the second round last year and generally take longer to develop then a guard, or cornerback; I think it would be wiser to target one or more of the above names in free agency.
Going offensive line in the opening rounds make sense to, but if they are going to take a quarterback in the draft they would be best served picking up a pair of starters on the open market.
Logan Mankins is the obvious favorite, but he is the top guard available playing on the best team in the league. A divorce seems inevitable, but getting Jackson and Mankins seems like a pipe dream at best.
Realistic names they could target would be guys like Harvey Dahl, Justin Blalock, Carl Nicks, and Ryan Kalil.
Cornerback is another area I see Seattle pursuing a starter at, it all depends on what they want to do in a draft. If they draft a quarterback then they will only be able to draft one other player who they could feel comfortable starting right off the bat.
I really like Jonathan Joseph, but who wouldn't, and if Mankins and Jackson is a pipe dream, then all three is unfathomable. Getting one those players John Hancock on a contract in Renton would be a huge score though.
Brent Grimes is a guy I could feasibly picture the Seahawks pursuing, but why would he want to leave Atlanta unless they throw a low ball offer at him?
Champ Bailey and Carlos Rogers would also be up there as the best available players, Champ Bailey has lost a step but he is still an excellent option as a No. 2 cornerback.
What happens is anyones guess, but I am totally bought into whatever Pete Carroll decides to do after leading the Seahawks to the NFC West title at square one. Considering he has made 250 transactions in about one calender year, you can expect this to be a very active off season.
Posted by Andrew Auger at January 6, 2011 3:00 a.m.
