Heaps: Who will start at quarterback for the Seahawks in 2022?

For the first time since 2012, the Seahawks will have a new starting quarterback.

Did the Seahawks get enough from the Broncos for Russell Wilson?

After 10 years as QB1 for Seattle, Russell Wilson is heading to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster trade that results in the Seahawks receiving five draft picks and three players, including a young quarterback.

With Wilson gone, one of the next questions, naturally, is who will start for the Seahawks at quarterback next?

Former NFL quarterback Jake Heaps discussed the two names he thinks make the most sense during 4-Down Territory on Seattle Sports’ Jake and Stacy on Wednesday.

“I say that it’s either going to be Drew Lock or it’s going to be Matt Corral. That would be my initial guess right out of the gate,” Heaps said.

So who are Lock and Corral?

Well, Lock is the quarterback the Seahawks got from the Broncos. He’s a 2019 second-round pick and is 25 years old.

Russell Wilson Trade: Who Seahawks reportedly get from Denver

Lock has played in 24 career games, including 21 starts, and was Denver’s starter for 13 games in 2020 where he struggled, completing 57.3% of his passes for 2,933 yards, 16 touchdowns and a league-high 15 interceptions.

In 2021, Lock appeared in six games (three starts) where he completed 60.4% of his passes and had two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Corral, meanwhile, is one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. The Ole Miss product finished seventh in Heisman voting in 2021. Over his final two years in college, Corrall threw for over 6,600 yards with 49 touchdowns to 19 interceptions and rushed for over 1,100 yards with 15 rushing scores.

While Corral is an intriguing prospect and played for a former Pete Carroll assistant in Lane Kiffin, Heaps thinks Lock will be the starter. He also isn’t quite sold on the prospect of the Seahawks drafting a quarterback early in the 2022 NFL Draft.

“The reason why I say Drew Lock is because look, in this year, this is not an overwhelming draft class for quarterbacks. You do not necessarily need to get into the quarterback market right away from a draft perspective and I’d actually prefer if they didn’t,” he said. “I would rather they use their capital that they have this year and just focus solely on foundational pieces. Go and get yourself an elite either corner, edge rusher or tackle in this draft at pick No. 9.”

With their two second-round picks, Heaps thinks the Seahawks should then address linebacker, defensive line, offensive line or corner.

“I think that there is a lot of depth there in this draft from a defensive perspective. I believe ultimately that’s what they should do and we punt on the quarterback situation this year. And quite frankly, it might be the best move,” Heaps said.

Heaps thinks that the Seahawks struggling in 2022 would allow them to draft a quarterback highly in 2023 unless they’re “in love” with Corral or fellow top quarterback prospects Desmond Riddler or Malik Willis.

“I don’t understand the need to get a quarterback now. So I would rather see them get those foundational pieces so that’s why I think it’s either Drew Lock or Matt Corral,” he said. “I have a hard time seeing them really truly invest heavily in a veteran market outside of outside of Gardner Minshew.”

Listen to the full second hour of Wednesday’s Jake and Stacy at this link or in the player below.

Russell Wilson trade reaction from Seattle Sports:

• ‘This trade stinks’: Wyman & Bob react to Seahawks trading Wilson
• Huard: Seahawks trading Wilson ‘biggest sports story’ in Seattle history
• Clayton: Won’t be easy for Hawks to replace Wilson after surprising trade
• Heaps: What’s OK and not OK about Seahawks trading Wilson
• Salk: Whether Hawks or Wilson initiated deal, someone needs to ‘own it’

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