Matt Flynn is set to be traded to the Oakland Raiders, finally ending an off-season of speculation about the fate of the Seahawks backup quarterback. Multiple sources have reported that the Seahawks will receive two draft choices. But the clubs did not announce the deal as of Friday night.
The Seahawks and Raiders apparently have agreed on the picks, but Flynn has been asked to restructure his contract. He is scheduled to make $5.25 million. Trading him would be a savings of $3.25 million for the Seahawks against the salary cap, leaving them about $10 million to spend if they chose.
The Raiders are set up dump their starting QB, Carson Palmer, who has $13 million coming in 2013 and doesn’t want to renegotiate his deal.
Seahawks GM John Schneider said he was happy to keep Flynn, but there was no advantage in saying otherwise. Flynn appeared supportive of the rookie star who beat him out, Russell Wilson, but unsurprisingly made it known he wanted to play regularly. A career backup, Flynn will be 28 in June.
The Raiders have only three picks in the first five rounds of April’s draft, so the Seahawks may have to take a pick in 2014.
The Seahawks have no other QB on the roster, having released Josh Portis after the season and signed with Toronto of the Canadian Football League. Among the veteran names mentioned are Cleveland’s Colt McCoy and Tyler Thigpen, a seven-year veteran who has been with three teams, most recently Buffalo.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2148514 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2148514">7 Comments
Wow – I thought Flynn had a great attitude being Wilson’s backup and it would last another year. Now what do the Hawks have behind Wilson, whose style may get him injured sooner than later?
The Raiders have NO offensive line – Palmer just got hammered every down last year – so it’s too bad for Flynn. He’d better practice his speed and evasive moves, because he will need them on the Raiders. Their OL has to be the worst in the NFL.
Pete and John have shown they know what they are doing, so I’ll trust them on this………
Flynn is 28 in June and he’s better than a backup. It would be asking a lot of him to do it a second year. He knew it was nobody’s fault that Wilson was phenomenal. But I’m sure he asked out.
Appears the Hawks will be drafting a QB again this year, wonder which round it will be in. Maybe they give Vince Young a shot…oh dear, can’t believe I just wrote that…
Niether can I. They’ll want a mobile guy comparable to Wilson, and thy aren’t that unusual.
According to the (what is left of the) PI, I may have been right after all!
Kind of late in the game to find a back up QB, especially one familiar with the offense. Too bad Hass isn’t available. I thought for sure Flynn would be here at least one more year. No guarantee that Wilson won’t go through the sophomore jinx.
That’s quite a carousel the Raiders have going on at QB. The Raiders campaigned loudly for Palmer, a USC grad, and gave up a first and conditional second round pick for him in 2011. Then dump him this year. They just can’t settle on one having had 16 starting QB’s in the past ten years. Sure would be fun to be back in the AFC West right now!
Seahawks are taking a risk, but Flynn had to want out of Seattle. His career would be wasting away. Don’t want that in the locker room.