When Matt Flynn signed a three-year, $26 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks last offseason, he was viewed as the presumptive starter for a team dangerously thin at quarterback.
Then came rookie Russell Wilson, whose breathless rise transformed the Seahawks' offense this season and kept Flynn on the bench from start to finish. Seattle has a nice problem under center, but Seahawks general manager John Schneider acknowledges Flynn might be shopped in the coming months.
"I'd be lying to you if I told you that we wouldn't be listening to people," Schneider told KIRO-AM on Wednesday. "I think we all believe he's a starter in this league, but we structure ourselves in a salary-cap manner where we're in a very good position with him. Having two quarterbacks like that is pretty special. We're going to do what's best for the organization -- period.
"This isn't like -- 'Now that Russell's done so well, what do we do with Matt?' We have two guys under contract that are good."
It's a rare and appreciated show of transparency from an NFL front office -- and it makes sense. Flynn is set to make $7.25 million next season. Just $2 million of that is guaranteed, but that's a steep price for a backup quarterback.
There's another wrinkle here. The Seahawks are one of a handful of teams using option elements in their offense. We wouldn't be surprised to see Schneider and coach Pete Carroll seek a backup who fits that type of scheme.
Flynn, meanwhile, remains a mystery. He's still the guy with just two NFL starts, but intriguing physical skills and enough allure to tempt a quarterback-needy team. With new coaches spread all over the NFL, Flynn should generate interest -- if the Seahawks are willing to part ways.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
