What if we had resigned Matt Hasselbeck?

[Tech Worlds]

I was talking with a fella, he shall remain unnamed, at Temple Billiards prior to the Jags game. He brought up an interesting topic...

What if we had resigned Matt Hasselbeck and rolled with him as our QB that year that TJack was our starter?

Would we have won more games? Would Hasselbeck had even made it through the season without being carted off on a stretcher? I dunno. With a good running game and defense that we gave TJack perhaps the Hawks thrive with Hasselbeck? That last year that Hasselbeck was our starter he was garbage but we also didn't have the running game or the defense we gave TJack . I remember watching that season with TJack as our starter that if we only had competent QB play we would have been a playoff team. Yes TJack was and is a tough guy and yes the team loves him, but that doesn't change the fact that we could have and would have done much better that year had we had better QB play.

Then comes Flynn... Would we have ever made the Flynn decision? Perhaps instead of that Flynn money we use it to keep Hasselbeck here?

Then up came the idea of what would have happened in a QB competition between Hasselbeck and Wilson.. Would Wilson have seized the starting position if he had a healthy Hasselbeck to complete with? Would he have been the opening day starter? I dunno. At some point he would have. Perhaps after a Spazzelbeck game or thru the inevitable injury that would have sidelined Hasselbeck?

Either way I am damn happy with our QB situation as it stands right now and am happy that our club made the tough decision to move away from Hasselbeck. It is always better to part with a player a year too early then a year too late.

 

[Msfann]

Hass is one of my favorite players this team has had but i think that he was probably done being one of the better qb's in football around the time he left here, he was good but still had some issues.

I don't think he would have done better than Tjack.

 

[seahawks08]

He would have been worth for the price Seahawks was willing to pay and the number of years. They could not look long term as they wanted athletic, fast and young personnel. I think if he accepted, he would have won us more games and probably been a back up for RW. Would have also given QB tips for all these years of experience to RW. The price was just not right.

 

[Throwdown]

Based on what we saw from 2010 in Hasselbeck, and in 2011 in TJack, I'd say it would be the same result.

And yes, Wilson would've mopped the floor with a healthy 35+ year old Hasselbeck. His days as a starting quality QB were numbered after 2009 IMO, started in 2010 cuz who was better? The shell of Hasselbeck? Or that craptastic QB Whitehurst?

 

[BigMeach]

Someone refresh my memory on this, perhaps I'm completely off base. But didn't we attempt to resign Hass and he refused our offer?

 

[Tech Worlds]

Based on what we saw from 2010 in Hasselbeck, and in 2011 in TJack, I'd say it would be the same result.

And yes, Wilson would've mopped the floor with a healthy 35+ year old Hasselbeck. His days as a starting quality QB were numbered after 2009 IMO, started in 2010 cuz who was better? The shell of Hasselbeck? Or that craptastic QB Whitehurst?

I dont know if you can say that for sure. Hasselbeck in 2010 didn't have the team that TJack in 2011 had. I think Hasselbeck would have done better had he be able to survive. TJack took a beating that year. But part of that was because he held onto the ball so damn long. I think we make the playoffs with a Hasselbeck that is not the turnover machine he was in 2010. With a running game and a defense I think we would have had a better Hasselbeck then the year before.

 

[olyfan63]

The turning point, in 2011...
The Giants game--remember Eli Manning's game-winning TD pass to Victor Cruz? Oops, I mean Browner's TD return of the Manning pick
And then beating the Ravens, yes, in Seattle, but out-smashmouthing the smashmouth kings... THAT was when we knew we had something special going, beating the last 2 Super Bowl champions.

I just see Hasselbeck taking such a beating with the crappy offensive line we had that year. Less mobile than TJack, Hass would have seen the right read, but not been able to execute it, plus in Bevell's system, maybe Hass is a split second slower and less accurate on his reads.

What if?

Hasselbeck would have been bruised and bloody pulp week after week behind that OL. Which games were W's and L's might have differed a couple times, plus and minus, but the record would have been the same or worse.

 

[Hawks46]

Based on what we saw from 2010 in Hasselbeck, and in 2011 in TJack, I'd say it would be the same result.

And yes, Wilson would've mopped the floor with a healthy 35+ year old Hasselbeck. His days as a starting quality QB were numbered after 2009 IMO, started in 2010 cuz who was better? The shell of Hasselbeck? Or that craptastic QB Whitehurst?

I dont know if you can say that for sure. Hasselbeck in 2010 didn't have the team that TJack in 2011 had. I think Hasselbeck would have done better had he be able to survive. TJack took a beating that year. But part of that was because he held onto the ball so damn long. I think we make the playoffs with a Hasselbeck that is not the turnover machine he was in 2010. With a running game and a defense I think we would have had a better Hasselbeck then the year before.

You know it's funny, I've actually had the same exact thought on this subject. Originally, I thought we put TJack in there because he's a strapping lad with some mobility and he was the only one who would've survived that OL. You're right though...Hass would've gotten rid of the ball quicker, and to all areas of the field, not just the right side that TJack favors (hey, what side of the field was that awesome TD pass to Baldwin on last game?). Now, did we have the WRs to hit the quick slants ? I honestly don't think we have them now.

Here's an interesting thought while we're on that vein.....if we kept Hass, would we also have retained BMW ? Hass made that guy a monster because he could throw a guy open, and wasn't afraid to throw the jump ball to Mike Williams. TJack needs you to be open a mile, and if you're lining up on the left side of the field, he still probably won't see you (look it up on a throw chart...the dude is scared to throw to the middle of the field, and the left side almost doesn't exist to him). I think this was the biggest reason we got rid of BMW; he didn't play to TJack's strengths, but he meshed with Hasselbeck great (anyone remember that AZ game ? Hell, I've never seen CBs collectively shake their heads and look at eachother like "what else can we do?").

If Hass was retained, we definately don't go after Flynn...but that might've have actually been better for Flynn's career arc (that's a whole other thread). I still think we grab Wilson in the 3rd, and I honestly think he beats Hass out. Hass was great, one of the smarter QBs around and he was surprisingly still mobile. But his arm strength was dwindling fast, and he can't make the vertical throws from PA (although he sells the fake awesome) that Pete wants his QB to make and Wilson can.

Here's one other fun thought for the road: say we kept Hass, and still drafted Wilson. Wilson beats out Hass. With Hass mentoring Wilson, how much more quickly does Wilson progress last year ? Enough to improve our seeding ? We only lost the division by a half a game....think Hass would've helped Wilson to one extra win ? I kinda think he would've. BOOOM. Just blew yer mind.

 

[Laloosh]

Hasselbeck would have been injured by week 2 and we'd have been doing this... :argue:

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Luke Kuechley would be a Seahawk. No Bruce Irvin or Bobby Wagner, unless they move him to OLB. But most likely we use the 2nd rounder on Wilson after trading back.

Now if Hasselbeck WASN'T our QB in 2010 you're looking at J.J. Watt on the Seahawks with Red Bryant in New England but BeastQuake wouldn't exist.

J.J. Watt is a monster but I think I would take Bryant and BeastQuake everytime.

 

[RussellMania]

Hasselbeck was simply a fantastic passer. He had that Bret Favre thing where you felt like you might score at any time. He also had the Bret Favre thing where you need to get in field goal range in over time and you throw it right to the Bear's cornerback. If he stayed healthy it would have been totally possible to make the playoffs, but I don't think the defense was good enough to win on the road and earn home field advantage.

 

[seahawksTopGear]

I would have loved to have Hasselbeck in Seattle doing what he ended up doing elsewhere. Teach a new QB and transition out.

I bet that that was offered to him here, I would also bet that the offer he got elsewhere did not mention that transition part.

 

[Subzero717]

I vividly remember the first preseason game in San Diego. Hass would more than likely still be in the Intensive Care Unit after that game.

 

[falcongoggles]

Hass would be drinking through a straw if he were resigned.

 

[FDNYHAWK]

Hass was offered a one yr deal but wanted a 2 yr deal so he did turn it down.
Personally, I think he would've gotten killed behind that line but if he didn't he would've probably won more games which would've put us in a different draft position and could've changed everything about that draft. There's no way to be certain that we would've been able to draft Wilson unless we took him in the 2nd round or traded up into the early part of round 3 or traded up to the end of round 2

 

[seahawksTopGear]

Hass was offered a one yr deal but wanted a 2 yr deal so he did turn it down.

We could have easily given him the same "3 year" deal he got elsewhere. He would have still played one year just like elsewhere. I believe our fo was being too nice, and it is not the first time.

 

[loafoftatupu]

I think he would have won at most 2 more games. One thing TJack did then was hold on to the ball far too much. That got him killed at times.

However, I do think Wilson would have beat out Hass in camp the next year and the season TJack had made him a warrior of a backup. The Hawks are one of the few teams that will come out throwing deep with their backup.

 

[ImTheScientist]

No, I would hate to see history change and not have us get Russell Wilson. Wilson is already better than Hasselbeck ever was.

 

[Scottemojo]

I like this what if.

Hasselbeck would have been killed in the Vikings pre-season game. Pete would have shot Whitehurst soon thereafter. It was a real bad time to be the Hawks QB. 2nd year left tackle who barely played his first year, new LG, center at new position, new RG and RT...a lockout...new offensive coordinator...That team was custom made for dead quarterbacks and a slow start.

I have no idea how the identity of our team would be affected, but I think that Pete and John target certain player types. Who knows, they might have traded back and then taken the same or similar guys.

Also, young players would not have been shown by Tarvaris what toughness means.

 

[drdiags]

If Hasselbeck survived the OL, he would have made a difference in the Browns game and possibly made the Bengals game more competitive (with a chance of winning that game). He may have helped them win the xmas eve game against the 9ers that TJack fumbled away late. Cardinals final game?

Definitely would have kept them from signing Flynn but they weren't resigning Whitehurst, so who would they have brought in before the draft? They probably would still draft Wilson, given the chance. If it was Matt vs Wilson in a 2-way competition and Wilson won, the local media and fans would have been more divided than they were with Flynn and Wilson. Softy, Hawkblogger, KJR and all the local beat guys would have whipped the fans into a frenzy.

Things worked out well for all involved. Moving on from Matt was always going to be a tough one but he got a chance to continue as a starter for awhile and now is backing up a pretty good young QB. It may have been harder for him to accept being the backup for the team he had been a starter of for 10 years.