Rival Seahawks also passed on QB in the draft
May 10, 2011, 4:24 PM | Updated: 5:31 pm
Some talk after the NFL Draft was about how certain teams, like the Cardinals, passed on the opportunity to add a quarterback.
Clearly lacking in that area, the Cardinals — along with division rival Seattle — had their drafts questioned by some ‘experts.’
While the Cardinals said they considered the signal callers but ultimately felt like they were drafting better players, the Seahawks took the strategy of finding guys who could protect the QB, whoever it may be. Head coach Pete Carroll, in the Seattle Times, said his team just could not afford to take a QB yet.
It was a telling comment, one that shows how Carroll plans to build this team. The NFL has been described as a quarterback’s league, but Carroll saw the offensive line as the more urgent situation facing his team. That’s why Seattle chose offensive tackle James Carpenter in the first round and followed with guard John Moffitt in the third.
“You saw us go after a couple guys that were offensive linemen, which is an area that — without that — the quarterback can’t play,” Carroll said.
Carroll makes a fair point, as it would be difficult for any QB to complete passes while lying on his back. That said, the Seahawks also have Charlie Whitehurst on the roster, and while he may not be that great, they did trade for him just one year ago. There’s also a possibility that veteran Matt Hasselbeck may come back as well.
So, while the Seahawks passed on a QB they had some legitimate reasons to do so. Whether it was because they placed a priority on fixing the offensive line (something the Cardinals didn’t do) or because they like the options they currently have (something the Cardinals can’t truthfully say), the last two teams to win the NFC West each failed to land a quarterback in the draft, but each seems to be perfectly fine with how things played out.
