Raiders get Matt Flynn from Seattle

Story posted April 2, 2013 in CommRadio, Sports, NFL Draft by Tyler Zulli

Flynn

After a tremendous showing in Week 17 of the 2011 season against the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn, backup to Aaron Rodgers at the time, looked to cash in on a huge payday. He got that payday in the form of a three-year, $26 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, who, in the 2011 season, struggled on the offensive side of the ball with the likes of Tarvaris Jackson under center.

The contract was signed with both Flynn and the Seahawks believing he would be the team's starting quarterback in 2012. But when Seattle's third round draft pick, former Wisconsin and North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson, beat out Flynn for the job, Flynn became one of the league's highest paid backups.

Wilson played above almost anyone's expectations, leading the Seahawks to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. His emergence as the franchise's quarterback of the future made Flynn expendable this offseason.

The Seahawks entered the 2013 offseason aggressively shopping Flynn, as there appeared to be a number of suitors. The Arizona Cardinals cut Kevin Kolb and John Skelton, but trading a quarterback within the division seemed unlikely from the start. This made the prime candidate the Oakland Raiders after a shaky season from their quarterback, Carson Palmer.

In the end, the Seahawks were able to strike a deal with the Raiders, sending Flynn to Oakland in exchange for potentially two draft picks: a fifth round pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015 based on Flynn's performance. Oakland flipped former starter Palmer to the Cardinals shortly after completing the trade for Flynn.

With the addition of Matt Flynn, an open quarterback competition seems to be in store when the Raiders open camp this summer, as Flynn will battle Terrelle Pryor and any potential quarterbacks drafted by the Raiders. But with Flynn in the fold, drafting a quarterback is much a much lower priority for Oakland heading into the NFL Draft.

Tyler Zulli is a freshman majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact him, email tcz5008@psu.edu.