Pete Carroll’s Clever Reaction to Signing a New Quarterback

Geno Smith, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, and the offense as a whole are struggling right now.

Smith completed just 46.4% of his throws for 157 yards, zero touchdowns, one fumble, and one interception in Seattle’s 37-3 loss against the Baltimore Ravens. He has three turnovers and seven interceptions in eight games.

Pete Carroll, the head coach of the Seahawks, expressed complete faith in Smith’s ability to turn things around, but Smith added some extra insurance. The Seahawks announced their hiring of former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Brett Rypien on Friday, November 10.

Carroll gave a hazy response when asked why they chose to add Rypien to the practice squad during his Friday interview with reporters.

Carroll remarked, “A chance to get a guy who could potentially help us maybe.” From what we can tell, he’s a highly intelligent young man. We know a great deal about him. Thus, introduce him and observe how he fits in.

Although Holton Ahlers came and went from the practice squad multiple times, Seattle has been without a quarterback for the majority of the season. Carroll didn’t go into detail about how Rypien can assist or whether Smith’s backup, Drew Lock, is a cause for concern.

If Smith’s problems persist, Lock—who has 20 interceptions in 25 game appearances (21 starts)—might not be the solution. Since Rypien and Lock’s seasons with the Denver Broncos overlapped from 2019 to 2021, they are already acquainted.

Brett Rypien Started For the Rams Last Week, Seattle Plays Los Angeles in 9 Days

While some in Seattle expressed surprise at Rypien’s arrival in light of Smith’s difficulties, the timing of the move caught the attention of players throughout the league. Nine days from now, Seattle will play the Rams, so perhaps Rypien can provide the Seahawks with some information about their NFC West adversary. In the first game of the season, the Seahawks hosted the Rams. 30-13 was their loss.

The Rams acquired Rypien over the offseason. Last week, Rypien started for the first time for the team due to the injury that kept starter Matthew Stafford out. His completion percentage was 26.4% on 13 of 28 passes attempted for 130 yards and one interception in the Rams’ 20-3 loss against the Green Bay Packers. After that, the 27-year-old quarterback was cut, and Carson Wentz, a quarterback, was signed by the Rams.

“It’s always a possibility, right?” Rypien revealed to The Seattle Times that he gave Carroll some Rams advice. “I don’t really feel like that [was the reason why] in my interactions. However, it is undoubtedly going to happen when we face them the following week.

The nephew of two-time Super Bowl champion Mark Rypien has made 10 appearances (two starts) after going undrafted in 2019. Over his career, the Spokane, Washington native has thrown for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions on 58.3% of his passes completed.

While the past 48 hours has been “crazy,” Rypien said he’s “ecstatic” to be playing for his home state.

Pete Carroll Is Committed to Getting Geno Smith Back on Track

Rypien isn’t currently vying for Smith’s position. Given that one of his worst games ever occurred against one of the NFL’s top teams, the 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year has some wiggle room.

Carroll hasn’t given switching quarterbacks any thought yet. Carroll shared the responsibility, saying, “We struggled across the board on offense.”

“In this game, everyone had some challenges, and it just so happened that the quarterback was also in the middle of it.” We need to perform much better. Though we must assist him, I believe Geno’s steady accountability is one of his strengths and benefits the guys around him. Make sure we’re contributing what we can.

Carroll stated in an interview with Seattle Sports on November 6 that a quarterback change would only take place in the event of a “clear situation where a guy isn’t doing his part.” The coach must first determine the source of the real issues. Is there a problem with the guys up front not being reliable? Are we not following our route properly? Do we not make the game calls for him?

The Seahawks’ constantly shifting offensive line failed to cover Smith against the Ravens, and there was a breakdown in communication with the receivers. According to SI, “The quarterback dealt with pressure on 18 of his 33 dropbacks for an eye-opening 54% pressure rate and absorbed four sacks under constant siege, per NFL Next Gen Stats.”

Carroll anticipates the Commanders will pay a price. He told reporters, “This is a great opportunity for us to get back into the mindset and make sure we’re on and we play a great game at home.”