For the third straight summer, the Seattle Seahawks are in the midst of another competition for the backup quarterback position. This year features two signal-callers who are first time Seahawks in Paxton Lynch and Geno Smith.
Both Lynch and Smith are former high selections in their respective drafts, with Lynch going No. 26 overall in the 2016 NFL draft and Smith No. 39 in 2013. However, neither players’ careers panned out as franchise-caliber quarterbacks.
Lynch was released after only two years with the Broncos – the team that drafted him – and spent the entire 2018 season as a free agent. Smith started strong as a rookie, but eventually fell into a backup role and is now on his third team in as many years. The two are currently battling it out for the right to be Russell Wilson’s backup.
As of now, the battle is very much alive as indicated by Seahawks coach Pete Carroll when asked about who has the edge between the two at training camp.
“There’s no edge,” Carroll stated. “We won’t know anything for six weeks, five weeks. We’ll play this thing out the whole way through the preseason. We’ll give these guys a great shot to show where they fit and let them settle the issue. This is all about competition.”
This would seem to be par for the course for the Seahawks, as both the last two backup quarterback competitions were not resolved until the preseason had been completely played out.
It should also be noted the Seahawks have set a precedent of being willing to find other options at backup quarterback if they are unsatisfied with what they have. Last year Seattle traded for former Packers quarterback Brett Hundley after Austin Davis and rookie Alex McGough battled for the position all offseason.
