.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Seattle Seahawks: 5 Reasons they'll regret passing on Colin Kaepernick
49ers
January 1, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) runs against Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 25-23. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
After making the decision to sign Austin Davis, here are five reasons why the Seattle Seahawks will regret not bringing Colin Kaepernick on board as a backup.
Despite all of the controversy that surrounded Colin Kaepernick and his protests from the 2016 season, it's tough to explain how the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has yet to find a new home for the upcoming season. The Seattle Seahawks recently seemed to be Kaepernick's best shot at landing a job as a backup, but for some reason they felt better off going with Austin Davis instead.
Even though he never would have been able to beat Russell Wilson out for the starting job in a million years, Kaepernick seemed like he would have made a great backup quarterback for the Seahawks, which can be tough to find these days at the NFL level. Over the years, there have been plenty of playoff-caliber teams that have seen their starter go down, and go on to struggle due to the fact their backup quarterback didn't have what it takes to handle the pressure of running an NFL offense.
With Kaepernick, not only would Seattle have been able to bring a backup on board with a strong resume consisting of starting experience, but a player with a similar style to Wilson, even if the Seahawks starter has proven to be way more successful throughout his career. Passing on Kaepernick may not have been the easiest decision in the world, but here are five reasons why the move may come back to haunt the Seahawks down the road.
Oct 9, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Austin Davis (4) warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Falcons won 23-16. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
5. Austin Davis hasn't proven himself
After going undrafted in 2012, Austin Davis would eventually sign with the St. Louis Rams before eventually being released by the team prior to the start of the 2013 season. But as fate would have it, Davis would find himself back on the Rams later on down the road, and even started eight games during the 2014 season, finishing with a 3-5 record.
More from NFL Spin Zone
Over the years, Davis has found himself as part of five different teams over the years (including the Seattle Seahawks), and the fact that he's bounced around so much is the perfect example of how unreliable he is as an NFL quarterback. If Davis were truly cut out to even be a backup in this league, one would think he wouldn't have an issue earning a spot on a team like the Rams or Cleveland Browns, both of which have a history of quarterback struggles over the last few years.
At the moment, Davis finds himself on a Seattle depth chart that already consists of Trevone Boykin and Jake Heaps. In other words, why would the Seahawks be willing to give an unproven quarterback like Davis a chance to compete for a backup job when they arguably would have been in better hands with someone else like Colin Kaepernick?
Sep 25, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated San Francisco 37-18. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
4. Other backup quarterbacks don't seem reliable
First off, let's address the issue of Trevone Boykin not having the best history of staying out of trouble off the football field, whether it happens to be his college or pro days. From a fight at a bar during his days at TCU back in 2015 to a recent arrest in March for public intoxication and possession of marijuana, Boykin still has a long way to go when it comes to proving himself worthy of a roster spot on the Seahawks in the future.
The argument can always be made that someone like Boykin is young, and eventually will mature into the type of NFL player Seattle is looking for, but an incident this early in his pro career is never a good sign. Seeing that Boykin would be the No. 1 option at the moment if something were to happen to Russell Wilson should terrify the Seahawks fan base when considering the risk of ruining the team's chances of being serious contenders in the NFC.
As for the other option along with Austin Davis, Jake Heaps is another one of those quarterbacks that has found it difficult to remain on an NFL roster since 2015, not because of off-the-field issues, but due to the fact that teams felt they had better options at quarterback. So to see a team like Seattle pass on a quarterback with a strong resume like Colin Kaepernick while settling for players like Boykin or Heaps is a little concerning to think about.
Jan 14, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) is tackled in the end zone for a safety against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
3. Russell Wilson played through injuries in 2016
If anyone has every doubted Russell Wilson for his ability to be an effective quarterback, the 2016 season is the perfect example of why he's considered one of the best in the league at what he does when seeing the role he played in leading the Seattle Seahawks to another playoff berth. Between an ankle injury suffered opening weekend against the Miami Dolphins to a knee injury against the San Francisco 49ers a few weeks later, Wilson didn't let any of this prevent him from lining up under center each week for the Seahawks.
Ever since joining the league in 2012, Wilson has always been praised for being one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the league, and to see him finish last season with 4,219 passing yards (career high) to go along with 21 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions was amazing. With Wilson putting up these kinds of numbers while being aggravated by two injuries along with a lack of support in the ground game, just imagine what could be in store for the 2017 season for the Seahawks quarterback if he can manage to stay at full strength.
Of course, that's always the main concern for any starting quarterback in the NFL, especially the ones that tend to be mobile like Wilson. Nothing against Wilson, but his ability to be just as dangerous on the run tends to put him more at risk for injury, and it would be a shame to see Seattle find themselves in a tough position where their beloved quarterback went down with an injury without a reliable backup, like Colin Kaepernick, to take his place.
December 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) throws against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
2. Kaepernick's familiar with NFC West
No matter what team it is, there's nothing more frustrating than to see a former star player jump ship to sign with a division rival, even if that player was part of a release, like Colin Kaepernick was with the San Francisco 49ers. It wasn't long ago when the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks were considered one of the biggest rivals in the NFL, as the two squads spent multiple seasons being strong contenders in the NFC during Kaepernick's prime days at quarterback.
While the Seahawks continue to be one of the teams to beat in the NFC on a yearly basis, the 49ers haven't been to the playoffs since the 2013 season, which coincidentally they lost in the NFC Championship to their favorite division rivals. With all of the history between these two organizations over the years, watching Kaepernick end up on Seattle would have stung for San Francisco, even if they were the ones who pulled the trigger on their former quarterback's release.
Not to mention, Kaepernick has spent his entire career playing in the NFC West, which means he would be quite familiar with the playing styles of the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams as well. It may not seem like a big deal, but being familiar in a tough division like the NFC West could have been a major advantage for the Seahawks if they had just decided to go with Kaepernick as a backup.
Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) is pressured by Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Jelani Jenkins (53) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
1. Numbers from 2016 were impressive for Kaepernick
Yes, it was frustrating and annoying to see all of the stories surrounding Colin Kaepernick's protesting at times throughout the 2016 season. But from a football perspective, the numbers displayed by Kaepernick during the 12 games he appeared in for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2016 season are a lot better than some of the other backups landing jobs across the NFL.
For example, take a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their decision to give Ryan Fitzpatrick as a backup to Jameis Winston after seeing how much of a disaster he was during his 2016 campaign with the New York Jets. If anything, the Buccaneers should have done everything in their power to avoid Fitzpatrick since his 12 touchdowns to 17 interceptions comparison in 14 appearances last year is the perfect example of how he's anything but reliable as an NFL quarterback.
As for Kaepernick, the fact that he threw for 16 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions while starting 11 of the 12 games he appeared in shows what he would have brought to the table for the Seattle Seahawks as a backup. Not to mention, Kaepernick deserves even more praise for displaying these type of numbers, despite the 49ers barely providing him with any reliable weapons to work with on offense.
