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Wednesday, May 22, 2002
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Full house
The Seahawks’ hand is the best one Leaf will see
By Jeff Agrest, Senior editor
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| The Ryan Leaf road show continues, with Seattle
as its next stop. Leaf, the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, was signed by
the Seahawks on Tuesday. He returns to the state where he starred in college, leading
Washington State to the Pac-10 title in ’97. The question is: Will some home cooking
be just what Leaf needs for a revival?
The Cowboys, who cut Leaf on Monday, were the quarterback’s third NFL employer. He
was drafted by the Chargers, released, then picked up by the Buccaneers and released. Now
the Seahawks will try their hand — and it’s the best one Leaf will see.
Leaf has a few things going for him in Seattle. He’ll play in the Northwest, his
home region (he was born in Great Falls, Montana). He’ll play in the state where he
was a hero. And he’ll play for Mike Holmgren, one of the foremost QB gurus in the
league.
If it doesn’t happen for Leaf in Seattle, it won’t happen anywhere.
The problem is, Leaf is firmly planted in the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. The highly
paid Matt Hasselbeck is in front of him, and if starter Trent Dilfer struggles, Hasselbeck
will get the call. That said, Hasselbeck hasn’t exactly lit it up since moving to
Seattle from Green Bay.
Last season, his first as a starter, Hasselbeck had the third-worst passer rating among
NFL qualifiers (70.9). It was a streaky year for the Boston College product, who has
played his best pro ball in the preseason — hence his Mr. August tag in Green Bay.
This isn’t to say Hasselbeck can’t develop into a fine quarterback. Heck,
Brett Favre took his lumps his first few years. But Hasselbeck has the added pressure of a
hefty price tag. He’s in the second year of a five-year, $24 million contract —
not exactly a backup’s salary.
That’s where Leaf comes in.
He reportedly will sign a one-year contract worth $525,000, the minimum for his
experience level. He’ll have to pass a physical to complete the deal. But what a
golden opportunity this is for such a maligned player. Trent Dilfer won’t be the
Seahawks’ starter much longer, and if Hasselbeck continues to struggle, he won’t
be the Seahawks’ backup much longer.
Simply put, the future of the QB position in Seattle is up in the air. Leaf has the
chance to bring it down to earth. |
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