When the Seattle Seahawks start the season with a primetime home matchup against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 12, they'll see their former franchise star wearing a different uniform, and standing on a different sideline. It's now been three months since the Seahawks dealt veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos, in a mammoth trade that signaled the end of a decade-long era.
Consequently, the retooling Seahawks will enter summer training camp with a quarterback competition between former NFL backups, Drew Lock and Geno Smith, and neither is an intriguing option. Last month, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll dismissed the notion of adding Baker Mayfield in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. But if the opportunity presents itself at a favorable market price, should Seattle pursue him? Shaun Alexander is straddling the fence.
"It's interesting, because I feel like Baker Mayfield might, on paper, look a bit better than Drew or Geno. But, I don't know if there's a higher ceiling for any of those three guys," the former Seahawks running back told The Zach Gelb Show on Thursday. "If we make a trade, are we willing to lose something that doesn't have as high of a ceiling? That'd be foolish... To lose picks or people for something with a ceiling that's not as high, I don't think that's the wisest."
Mayfield, whose long-awaited divorce with Cleveland has yet to be finalized, endured a disastrous 2021 campaign. For three-plus months, the 27-year-old dealt with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, and in mid-January, he underwent surgery to repair the injury. The former Heisman winner threw for only 3,010 yards with 17 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a career-low 35.1 QBR in 14 games. Cleveland finished the season 8-9, missing the playoffs.
The Browns exercised the fifth-year option on Mayfield last spring, and he's set to make $18.8 million in 2022. Despite the injury concerns and mediocre performances, Spotrac lists his current market value at $159.4 million across five years. With an average annual value (AAV) of $31 million, Mayfield would become the league's 10th-highest paid player and quarterback. But, there's virtually no chance that he'll receive this type of contract anytime soon.
The entire conversation between Alexander and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.