Reports: Seahawks, Raiders finalizing Matt Flynn trade

[seer-12thman]

Reports: Seahawks, Raiders finalizing Matt Flynn trade

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By Brady Henderson

Multiple reports say the Seahawks and Raiders are finalizing a deal that would send backup quarterback Matt Flynn to Oakland in exchange for draft pick compensation.
A tweet from ESPN's Ed Werder earlier Friday said the Seahawks and an unknown team are discussing a trade involving Matt Flynn. That team has since been identified as the Raiders.
The Raiders want to restructure Flynn's contract, according to Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Flynn is scheduled to make $5.25 million in base salary in 2013, the second year of a three-year deal he signed last offseason.
Trading Flynn would save Seattle $3.25 million in salary cap space this season.
There hadn't been much on the Flynn trade front before this week, when a report from CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora said three teams -- the Jaguars, Raiders and Bills -- all had some level of interest in the Seahawks' backup quarterback.
A potential trade with Oakland was the focus on Thursday's edition of "Cold Hard Facts." The Raiders have a connection to Flynn in the form of general manager Reggie McKenzie, who was working in Green Bay's front office when the Packers drafted Flynn in 2008. The Raiders could have an opening at quarterback if they release starter Carson Palmer, who is reportedly unwilling to reduce his $13 million salary for the upcoming season.
We will keep you updated as this story develops.

 

[TheBandwagon]

Any word yet on what the Hawks are getting in the deal?

 

[Idahawk]

I'm sure they will be late round picks , the money was the issue ,can't pay a back up who's never done anything that type of salary , plus he got a 6 mil bonus , Flynn's the winner in the deal , hawks fans that saw the second coming of Hass , lol I told you so !

 

[TwilightError]

Well we never got to see him properly. Losing a job to a Wilson is no shame, even the first coming of Hass would have lost.

 

[TheBandwagon]

I was just gonna say the same thing. Flynn could have made for a solid starting QB and 99 out of 100 times he would have been the starter. Losing the job had little to do with Flynn not being up to snuff and everything to do with how well Wilson did. If you think Wilson is a top 10 QB now then that means at least 20 starting QBs would have lost the job to him last year.
It's really hard to say what kind of QB Flynn is. Not enough information after two starts. According to Pete he was as good as expected and he looked capable for the most part in preseason last year.
Good for Flynn because the man has paid his dues sitting for five years. It's time for him to get his shot and I'm looking forward to seeing him play.

 

[seer-12thman]

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A trade that would send Matt Flynn from the Seattle Seahawks to the Oakland Raiders is close to happening. Someone might have to blink in a staredown between Flynn and the Raiders for the deal to go down.

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NFL.com's Albert Breer reported Friday that trade terms between the Seahawks and Raiders have been settled. The Seahawks would acquire a 2013 draft pick and a conditional 2014 selection as part of the deal, if it's completed. The Seahawks' portion of the deal essentially is done. Now it's on the Raiders, but a deal isn't expected to be completed Friday, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.
Sources familiar with Flynn's thinking told Rapoport that the quarterback would be resistant to changing the terms of his contract. That indicates the Raiders aren't necessarily happy with paying Flynn $5.25 million in 2013 and $6.25 million in 2014. This looks like the holdup.
It's telling that the Raiders could be looking to change Flynn's contract. If that's the case, they must not see him as a true starting quarterback. The $5.25 million figure is barely more than Matt Hasselbeck will get as a clear backup with the Indianapolis Colts. The Raiders must see Flynn as an option to start, but someone who will have to compete for the job. (Carson Palmer, meanwhile, surely would be released in short order if Oakland adds Flynn. It's also possible the Raiders are trying to find a suitor for Palmer in the meantime.)
It makes sense for Flynn to stand his ground. He's due good money from the Seahawks. Does he really want to take a lesser contract to join a difficult situation in Oakland? Even if Seattle eventually cuts Flynn, at least he'd get to choose his team.

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Meanwhile, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM NFL Radio reported that the Raiders have some interest in Kevin Kolb. Perhaps the Raiders are just using Kolb as leverage, but I'd rather have Kolb than Flynn if Kolb cost less. (Kolb won't cost any draft picks.)
One last thing to keep in mind: Oakland doesn't have a lot of salary-cap space. Flynn might have to take less money to make this happen. We'll see if Flynn or the Raiders flinch first.

 

[Dane]

The Raiders are not in any real position to bargain about Flynn's contract. Kolb just got locked up by Buffalo, and Carson Palmer would rather be released over taking a pay cut (some reports have him preferring to be a backup somewhere else over staying in Oakland at $8mil to $10mil a year). Their options now are to complete the trade for Flynn ($11.5 million over two years is chump change for a QB you expect to start), find another backup QB to trade for (I'm sure they can convince Buffalo to send them T-Jax), pick one up in the upcoming draft (very unpromising between this QB class being rated poorly and the Raiders having more holes in their roster than swiss cheese and few draft picks to fill them), or visiting the QB scrap heap and hoping the one you pick can serve as a decent stop-gap.

Personally, I think Oakland is dragging their feet because they're hoping to trade Palmer for draft picks first so the sting of losing another draft pick this year isn't as bad. The trouble with that is that everyone now knows Palmer wants out, that his contract is overpriced, and that Oakland won't keep him if he refuses to take a pay cut. On top of that, there aren't that many teams left interested in acquiring a veteran QB. The only ones that come to mind are Arizona and Jacksonville at the moment, and neither seem inclined to give up much to get him.

Anyways, all I hope for in this deal is that we don't give Flynn up cheaply. I'd rather keep him as a backup at $5.25 mil this year over trading him on the cheap. On a side note, how great is it when your team is in such a good position that the biggest, most serious topic in the local sports talk world is the debate on whether you should trade your backup QB and if so, who do you get to replace him?