Seattle Seahawks: Backup QB Situation In Trouble
By Erik Lambert
Just a week ago, the Seattle Seahawks were looking strong at quarterback. All of sudden, they are very much in danger.
While Russell Wilson is healthy and primed for the best season of his career, the depth behind him took a massive hit. It started when Tarvaris Jackson, his primary backup since 2013 was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against his wife. According to reports he pointed a loaded gun at her while intoxicated and threatened to kill her. He later admitted to that.
Jackson was a free agent and the Seahawks had expressed hope to bring him back for another year. That no longer looks possible given the severity of the crime and the stance the NFL has made against domestic violence. Still, Seattle didn’t have great cause for concern since they had just added promising rookie Trevone Boykin, who enjoyed a successful run at TCU and emulated much of the same style of game that Wilson does.
Unfortunately that backup plan is in jeopardy as well as NFL.com reported.
"“Seattle Seahawks quarterback Trevone Boykin has been charged with misdemeanor assault in connection to his arrest on Dec. 31, according to Bexar County (Texas) court records.The former TCU standout, who was was suspended from playing in the Alamo Bowl following his arrest on a suspicion of assault charge, was indicted by a San Antonio grand jury on on a charge of assault causing bodily injury. The misdemeanor carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. His arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 1 — three days into Seahawks training camp.Boykin also could face a charge of assaulting a public servant, a third-degree felony. The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office stated it’s working on a possible plea deal with Boykin.“We are still discussing the terms of a possible plea agreement with Mr. Boykin and his attorney,” the district attorney’s office wrote in a statement to NFL Media.”"
Not only is the jail time a significant problem, but it’s possible Boykin could face discipline from the NFL for this as well. On top of it all, the Seattle Seahawks are put in a very precarious position. With Boykin out, the only quarterback they have behind Wilson is Jake Heaps. Even though Wilson has never missed a game, he has a tendency to get sacked a lot lately behind what has been a less-than-adequate offensive line that just lost two starters in Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy.
Expect them to go hunting on the free agent market for emergency options. Given the type of player they’re looking for keep an eye on names like Michael Vick, Josh Johnson, or Josh Freeman. If things get bad enough they may even search the trade market for a possible cheap option.