Matt Flynn May Never Play Quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks

For those fans who are clamoring for Matt Flynn to come in at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, I have some thoughts for you. 

A $26 million contract does not guarantee anything.

You may never see Flynn at starting quarterback for Seattle. Ever.

Russell Wilson continues to be analyzed from just about every angle, and one thing is clear: there is no clarity.

Will Wilson get better? Is this part of the learning curve? Can his leadership and charisma help him to develop into a star in the NFL? Will he help redefine the bias against shorter quarterbacks?

None of these questions have definitive answers just yet. There are certainly strong opinions on either side, but the reality is that he remains the starting quarterback.

All indications point to him keeping the job unless he starts throwing multiple picks on a weekly basis and individually causing losses. Again, some fans already believe that he is costing Seattle victories, but we will set that aside for now given that he is still the starter.

I recently wrote that Wilson could still lead Seattle to an 11-5 record in 2012. It will obviously help if the defense remains stingy and Marshawn Lynch continues to run the ball effectively.

In that article, I polled fans and asked them to project how the Hawks will finish this season. As of the publishing of this article, 53.5 percent of respondents voted for a 10-6 record, while only 17 percent believe that 11-5 will happen.

Back to Flynn.

Let us assume that the masses are right, and the Seahawks finish 10-6. Whether 10-6 is good enough for a playoff spot is a separate question. If Seattle finishes 10-6 and Wilson has been the starter all season, I would argue that this would be deemed a generally successful season. 

A 10-6 finish would also provide some optimism going into 2013, and that would include Wilson. 

In addition, a 10-6 finish probably means that Wilson enters next season as the starter, without the uncertainly of an open battle during camp. This is where Flynn's contract becomes relevant.

Flynn reportedly received a $6 million signing bonus. He will make $2 million in salary in 2012. In 2013, he can make $5.25 million, but only $2 million is guaranteed.

Translation? Flynn could get cut or traded before the rest of the contract kicks in, which means that the “big contract” may only cost Seattle $10 million in guaranteed money.

Granted, you hate to pay $10 million to a guy that never takes a snap, but as Pete Carroll said in the preseason, this is the price of having a quality backup.   

Obviously, we are getting ahead of ourselves and projecting through the rest of the season and into next year. If Wilson really struggles in 2012, we will likely see Flynn. In addition, an injury to Russell will put Matt right on the field.

However, this scenario is a very real possibility. Many fans are wondering how Matt Flynn might do at quarterback for Seattle.

If Wilson hangs onto the job for the rest of the year and facilitates a successful season, we may never know.

Follow @tpheifer