The Seattle Seahawks might have a quarterback problem. Current starter Geno Smith has been dealing with injuries that have not only caused him to miss the last two days of practice, but will have him get imaging done to see just how bad things are. The Seahawks won’t say what the exact injury that’s ailing Smith is, but that really doesn’t matter right now. What matters is the fact that the season is approaching and Seattle likely needs another quarterback.
So, who better to bring in than free agent Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill has said that while he’s enjoying his time off with his family, he still wants to play this year.
“I’m staying in shape and staying ready if the right thing pops up and comes available,” Tannehill told the “Scoop City” podcast. That “right thing” just might be in the Pacific Northwest.
He’s not going to come in and be expected to take over for Smith long term, nor should he think that. However, Tannehill would instantly give Seattle more comfort at the position where, behind Smith, it’s just Sam Howell and PJ Walker. Both options are ok in their own right, but aren’t likely to really keep a team that is expecting playoffs in the race. Tannehill could do that.
The 12-year-veteran is the best available signal caller right now and is just a couple seasons removed from leading the Tennessee Titans to the number one seed in the AFC. While yes he was benched for rookie Will Levis last year, it made sense for Tennessee to see what they had from a rookie during a year where playoffs just weren’t going to happen.
His best years may be behind him, but Tannehill is still a quarterback that a team could trust should they need someone to throw into a starting role for an injury. His position grade of 68.7 at Pro Football Focus isn’t that good, but he’s still higher-graded than even some expected starters like Deshaun Watson (67.3), Daniel Jones (63), and Sam Darnold (66). It’s rare to be able to find that type of quarterback this late into the year when a need appears.
Tannehill also isn’t going to wow you at this stage of his career, but he’s smart with the football and doesn’t make the major mistakes that will cost a team. If he can do enough to get D.K. Metcalf the ball and help keep defenses from shutting down Kenneth Walker III, then everything could be status quo for the Seahawks
Of course, there’s the possibility that Smith won’t miss any regular season time allowing Howell or Walker to hold down the fort. But if he’s more hurt than expected or even reaggravates it between now and the regular season, Seattle bringing in Tannehill to stable the ship could be what keeps them in a playoff race in 2024.
