The Kansas City Chiefs made the first move in the quarterback search of 2013, as they made a trade for former starter Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers, giving the team a former number one overall pick to ride into the future with new head coach Andy Reid.
The Chiefs felt that the weak free agent and draft quarterback class was reason enough to give up two important draft picks and now are in a situation where they can ditch former starter Matt Cassel and move forward. With Smith now off the board for other teams, the most likely candidate at quarterback for clubs looking for a passer like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raider and Buffalo Bills is Seattle backup Matt Flynn.
During the offseason, Smith and Flynn were talked about as the most likely trade candidates due to the fact that they were beaten out by younger quarterbacks who proved themselves to be entrenched as the starter. Smith was finished in San Francisco after he suffered a concussion and Colin Kaepernick came in, as coach Jim Harbaugh rode his hot hand all the way to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Flynn came to Seattle last season as a free agent after starring as Aaron Rodgers's backup in Green Bay. Flynn was expected to be the starter after signing a three-year, $19.5-million deal with the team, but he was surprisingly beaten out by Russell Wilson in training camp.
Head coach Pete Carroll made the right move, as Wilson turned the Seahawks into Super Bowl contenders and he led them to the playoffs with an 11-5 record. Flynn barely got on the field and now is one of the most high-priced backups in the NFL. There are a number of teams that could trade for him and the Seahawks said at the NFL combine that they were planning to listen to all offers.
One thing that might be trouble for the Seahawks though is the market that went after Flynn when he was a free agent. He had one fantastic game in Green Bay, throwing for 480 yards and a team-record six touchdowns, but only the Seahawks were willing to pursue him last offseason. His former offensive coordinator Joe Philbin decided to draft a quarterback in Miami, leaving Flynn to sign with the Seahawks.
"The thing about Matt Flynn, who no else wanted him last year?" said one AFC personnel executive to Yahoo Sports. "Philbin didn't want him; that told the whole story. Especially now, after Kolb and Cassel have failed. It confirms people's worst fears: that he's undersized, that the game's too big for him. Most teams viewed him as a really quality backup last year, and I doubt that's changed."
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Flynn was beaten out by Wilson. Many teams may see that as a bad mark on his resume, but teams that are desperate for a quarterback could take a chance, including the Jaguars, who have young star Blaine Gabbert, a player that has yet to develop.
Some other option for Flynn includes the Oakland Raiders, who have a high-priced Carson Palmer and an unproven Terrelle Pryor, as well as the Bills, who are not all that confident in Ryan Fitzpatrick after his play last season.
A team likely would be able to get Flynn for draft picks that are not very high, as the Seahawks are in a position where they don't have much leverage on other teams. The team could decide to keep Flynn as a high-priced backup and since Russell Wilson does run, they may need some insurance at the position.
Either way, once Smith was traded, Flynn became the most lucrative quarterback trade option in the league and could be moved once the free agency period begins.
