NFL Mock Draft: 3 first round mistakes the Seahawks cannot afford

First-round mistakes the Seahawks cannot make in the 2023 NFL Draft: Drafting a quarterback

Finally, and most importantly, this team cannot afford to draft a quarterback at the fifth overall pick. There are a few reasons, and let’s start with the fact that the organization just paid Geno Smith $40 million in guaranteed money on a three-year deal worth $75 million in total.

That means, Smith is set to be the starter this season and next season, unless Seattle wants to eat $17.4 million in dead money in 2024. Now, if Smith plays anything like he did last season, there’s no shot the team benches him or even thinks about inserting a rookie this year.

Assuming it’s one of C.J. Stroud, Will Levis or Anthony Richardson the team would take, why would Seattle draft any of them knowing that they’re going straight to the bench for at least one season, if not two? That’s a ton of draft capital to waste on someone who won’t even play right away.

Instead, if you have to draft a player at five, you go with an edge rusher or Jalen Carter, period. Those are game-changing, defense-altering types of picks this team could make and any of them would impact the organization immediately.

Smith had a great season in 2022 and looks every bit like a capable starter for a competitive team. Let’s not screw that up, at least not this year.