The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a trade to the Oakland Raiders for backup quarterback Matt Flynn, bringing back some of the draft picks they gave up in the Percy Harvin deal, but that might not be the end of it for the team, as they could make a play for Tim Tebow to be the backup quarterback.
Crazy yes, but head coach Pete Carroll is known for his out of the box thinking and this could be another one of those moves. According to ESPN.com, the Raiders traded a fifth-round pick in the 2014 draft and a conditional pick in 2015 to the Seahawks for Flynn, giving them a new starting quarterback while they try to figure out what to do with Carson Palmer. After trying to get him to take a pay cut, the Raiders may trade him to the Arizona Cardinals, but the Seahawks also could be an option, as Carroll was Palmer's former coach.
The trade was announced on Monday, but there still are a number of details to work out, including Palmer's deal to the Cardinals. Palmer would be in a much better spot than last season, as he would have an elite receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and could serve as a veteran leader like Kurt Warner did back when he was still playing.
Flynn has had limited starting experience, but he did play fantastic against the Lions in a start for the Packers, throwing for 480 yards and six touchdowns. He had one other start during his time as a backup and although he signed a three year, $19.5 million deal with the Seahawks before last season, he never got the chance to start after Russell Wilson beat him out in training camp.
Flynn now moves to a team in transition and general manager Reggie McKenzie felt comfortable bringing him in after working with him and scouting him during his time with the Packers. Flynn will make $5.25 million and trade was speculated about for a number of days since the Raiders, Bills and Jaguars emerged as favorites for Flynn's services.
The Raiders have been looking for a legitimate quarterback for over a decade and according to ESPN.com, the team ranks third from last in passer rating and last in percentage completion over the past 10 years while also having the second worst record in all of the NFL. The team has just 49 wins during that span and the team used 15 different quarterbacks, with names like Kyle Boller, Kerry Collins, Andrew Walter and Rick Mirer getting chances during that time.
"I've known Matt Flynn since 2007 and scouted him before and after he entered the NFL," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said in a statement on the team's website. "Matt is a tough football player, and a talented quarterback. He will get the opportunity to compete to be a starter with the Raiders. I believe Matt has that potential, but I also know he hasn't had enough experience."
Flynn will compete with Terrelle Pryor for the starting job, but after giving up picks for Flynn, chances are he will be starting next season. The Seahawks now have some options for backups, including Matt Leinart and Tyler Thigpen, but they also could of after Tebow if things go south. It seems nuts, but since he is a mobile quarterback and a smaller guy like Wilson, Tebow could provide a new level of offense for the Seahawks, who clearly have a legitimate starter now in Wilson and will have no worries about competition.
The team could have gone after other names, but chances are they will stick with the free agent options while possibly taking someone later in the draft.