Exclusive; Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sees Seahawks Acquire ‘Premier’ Passer
The Seattle Seahawks may enter the 2024 NFL Draft to secure their next quarterback.
As part of Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler’s list of “blockbuster” trade proposals, the Seahawks would receive the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and a fourth-round NFL draft pick (No. 111 overall) from the New York Jets. They are traded for several draft picks, including the 16th overall pick, two 2024 third-round picks (78th and 81st overall), and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
The reason this offer is considered a “blockbuster” is because the Seahawks would be trading for University of Washington graduate pick and Heisman runner-up Michael Penix Jr.
“Landing in a city like Seattle is the type of atmosphere that will allow Michael Penix Jr. to grow quickly,” Fowler wrote. “After years of watching Lamar Jackson tear down defenses as a playmaker, new Seahawks HC Mike McDonald (former Baltimore defensive coordinator) could prioritize Penix, who is one of the best vertical passers in the class and an exciting playmaker.”
Why Michael Penix is a ‘polarizing’ draft prospect Penix,
The 23 year old, is one of the biggest names to enter the draft. In addition to finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting, he finished as a first-team All-American and won the Maxwell Award for his incredible 2023 season.
Penix led the Huskies to a 13-0 regular season record and 36 passing touchdowns for 4,903 yards, ranking first in the nation in the latter category. There is no doubt that Penis is a prolific and talented defender, but there are questions about how well he will perform in his professional career.
Further complicating matters is his injury history. Penix tore his ACL twice while playing at Indiana University in the 2018 and 2020 seasons. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso actually calls Penix the most “biased” quarterback prospect of all time. This will happen because some experts project Penix as a first-round pick and some believe he may go undrafted.
Penix’s pre-combine evaluation of Trapasso is similar to his evaluation of Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis, who was selected in the first round of last year’s draft before ultimately being selected with the first pick of the second round, 33rd overall. — in the 2023 NFL Draft. “Based on what Penix has shown in Washington in 2022 and 2023, he is clearly a prospect,” Trapasso wrote. “In fact, my current pre-combine grade is very similar to what current Titans quarterback Will Levis graded a year ago. So he’s okay.”
Why the Seahawks will likely select their next franchise quarterback.
The Seahawks’ current starting quarterback is Geno Smith, but he will be 34 years old in 2024 and may have already reached his ceiling. After winning career Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2022 (he also led the Seahawks to the playoffs), Smith posted average performances and declining numbers overall, but fell behind Seattle in the postseason.
Smith finished the 2023 season with 20 touchdowns, 3,624 passing yards, and a 92.1 passing grade with a 64.7% completion percentage. Both of these numbers are down from previous seasons. Offering a “blockbuster” deal to select Penix’s hometown product in the first round would certainly be a gamble. But all signs point to the Seahawks selecting a top quarterback prospect to be Smith’s quarterback successor, whether it’s Penix or someone else.
