Seattle Seahawks Position Battles: Terrelle Pryor vs. Tarvaris Jackson

The Seattle Seahawks will eventually need to pick a backup quarterback. Granted, there exists the possibility that they could keep three QBs on the roster. However, in the NFL, roster spots are very valuable so you hate to keep a guy that is unlikely to ever see the field.

With that in mind, Tarvaris Jackson or Terrelle Pryor could soon be looking for a job. Or, it could be B.J. Daniels.

This is one of the weirder positions in football, simply because it is a key player that you hope does not have to come into the game unless it is a blowout. This is particularly true if you have a good quarterback.

The backup QB is like an insurance policy. You pay the premiums, put the policy in the drawer, and hope that the day does not come where you have to pull out the paperwork and read the fine print.

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Unless Russell Wilson experiences a sharp decline in productivity (unlikely), you won’t see the backup. If he gets hurt, the team now has a whole host of questions.

Back to the candidates.

Tarvaris Jackson is the grizzled veteran, more familiar with the Seahawks system and arguably the more conservative pick. Whatever that means. In the first preseason game, he was 5-for-7 for 47 yards. His 71.4% completition rate contributed to a quarterback rating of 89.6. Decent, and not particularly jaw-dropping.

Terrelle Pryor is the “upside” guy, six years younger and in possession of more athletic tools. He was given more time against the Denver Broncos, going 9-for-16 with 137 yards and a pick. He completed 56.3% of his passes and had a 58.6 rating. More time, but not necessarily more production. Pryor looked very good at times, both as a passer and as a runner, but he has looked good in the past.

In addition, this is still the first game of preseason.

Neither of these sets of numbers are particularly compelling. Both have been starters, and both have had enough success to still have a shot at backup jobs in the NFL.

Ultimately, it may be Jackson getting the backup nod. The Seahawks are known for taking chances on players, but certain positions are filled with known quantities. Pryor had a shot with the Oakland Raiders, and he wasn’t an amazing signal-caller.

Stay tuned to this battle. It may be one of the most heated in camp, as Jackson, Pryor and Daniels battle to hold the clipboard.