The Seahawks traded star quarterback Russell Wilson earlier this month, putting them back on the quarterback market for the first time since 2012.
Drew Lock, acquired in the trade that sent Wilson to Denver, and Jacob Eason are the only quarterbacks on the roster.
Coach Pete Carroll reiterated that the team plans to re-sign free agent Geno Smith, who backed up Wilson the past three seasons. Carroll said he would expect Smith to compete for the job with whoever is on the roster.
“I think it would be a shame if he misses this opportunity,” Carroll said. “He’s invested a lot with us. He knows our system the best. He performed well at it once he got going last year. Can he take off from where he finished up? Unfortunately, the Jacksonville game was his last game. It was almost a perfect football game for them. We have very high hopes that he can run the system very well. He’s not going to miss out on this opportunity. It’s just too good for him.”
The Seahawks aren’t done at the position, though.
“We are totally in the mentality that the fourth guy may be important to us for the long haul,” Carroll said. “So we are definitely still in the quarterback business.”
That quarterback could be a veteran or a rookie selected in the draft.
“There are some veterans out there to be had,” Carroll said. “There are still some guys out there. Yeah, we are still looking.”
It doesn’t seem likely that Colin Kaepernick will be in the mix despite a conversation between Carroll and Kaepernick. Carroll said the initial talk with Colin Kaepernick has not “progressed from the early connection that we made.”