The early signs point to Geno Smith being with the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, but the team could still make a move to add another quarterback. Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard believes the best fit for the Seahawks is former Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Fresh off leading Michigan to a championship and a solid NFL combine performance, McCarthy is projected to be gone by the time Seattle is on the clock at No. 16. Huard believes the Seahawks should “do whatever it takes” to trade up in the draft and select McCarthy.
“My conviction would be you do whatever it takes (to get him),” the former Seahawks quarterback noted during a March 7, 2024 edition of “Brock and Salk.” “Is it trading DK Metcalf? Is it trading next year’s (first-round pick)? I really would love for him to be this year’s (first-round pick). I really would.
“I still would love to add a Troy Fautanu and some of the difference-makers who are in the top-50 of this draft. But I don’t walk away from this draft without doing and exhausting every opportunity to go get J.J. McCarthy.”
Seahawks Rumors: Seattle Will Likely Need to Move up to Draft QB J.J. McCarthy
Don’t normally have such strong convictions this early in the process…but on March 7th, JJ McCarthy is my guy
Don’t normally have such strong convictions this early in the process…but on March 7th, JJ McCarthy is my guy pic.twitter.com/CinRxbZ5tD
— Brock Huard (@BrockHuard) March 7, 2024
The Seahawks still have Metcalf under contract for another two seasons. Metcalf has a three-year, $72 million contract that runs through the 2025 season. The playmaker is slated to have a $13 million salary and a $24.5 million cap hit for 2024.
Let’s examine the current draft order to consider how high Seattle would need to move up to land McCarthy. For this thought exercise, we are assuming that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye are all selected in the top-five pick as most project.
This would leave the Giants (No. 6), Falcons (No. 8), Vikings (No. 11), Broncos (No. 12) and Raiders (No. 13) as potential landing spots for the next quarterback. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has the Vikings moving up from No. 11 to No. 7 to snag McCarthy in his latest mock draft. Minnesota sends the No. 11, No. 109 and a 2025 second rounder to Tennessee in order to move up four spots for McCarthy.
NFL Draft Rumors: The Raiders Are J.J. McCarthy’s Floor at No. 13
Have yourself a first half Roman Wilson 🔥@UMichFootball makes it 28-0 in the first half vs Nebraska 💪 pic.twitter.com/BLkJfAkflA
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 30, 2023
As for the Seahawks, players like Metcalf are not traditionally involved in trade packages to move up in the draft. We did see the Panthers include receiver D.J. Moore in a deal with the Bears to snag the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
If the Seahawks were to move on from Metcalf, the star receiver could likely net at least a first-round pick, if not more assets. McCarthy’s upside is a bit hard to project given Michigan’s offense relied heavily on their rushing attack.
The star quarterback threw for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions while completing 72.3% of his passes in 2023. McCarthy also added 202 rushing yards and 3 TDs on the ground. ESPN’s Jordan Reid believes McCarthy’s floor is the Raiders with the No. 13 pick.
“He is still a raw passer, and that was seen throughout the throwing session,” Reid wrote in a March 3 story titled, “2024 NFL combine: Top draft prospects, best workouts, risers.” “McCarthy will need to clean up his lower-body mechanics to improve his accuracy toward the sideline and on deep passes. But I still don’t see him lasting past the Raiders at No. 13 overall.”
With question marks remaining on his NFL outlook, is McCarthy the type of prospect that warrants Seattle giving up a lot of assets to land via trade? Seahawks fans should have their questions about this kind of move.
