Continuing with our recent series of articles evaluating potential options for the Tennessee Titans as they embark upon the journey of finding their next starting quarterback, today, we’ll take a look at another veteran possibility.
Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck is a 35-year old vet who’s certainly paid his dues as a quality NFL starting quarterback. After struggling through the 2010 regular season, Hasselbeck was able to turn back the hands of time with an impressive postseason showing during the 7-9 Seahawks’ improbable playoff run.
Hasselbeck, unlike some of the other guys we’ve already discussed, won’t require trade compensation due to the fact that he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
Yea or Nay: Should the Titans consider bringing in Hasselbeck as a potential starting QB option?
Will the real Matt Hasselbeck please stand up?
Due to his advancing age, the Seattle Seahawks were already prepared to move on to life without Matt Hasselbeck as their starting QB. Philip Rivers’ former backup, Charlie Whitehurst, was acquired last offseason and was designated as the present and future signal-caller for Seattle.
Despite the presence of Whitehurst, Hasselbeck ended up as Seattle’s starting QB in 2010 and for the most part, had a pretty uneven year. His TD to INT ratio was anything but impressive: 12 TDs, 17 INTs and he even missed a couple of starts due to injury.
In the playoffs, Hasselbeck appeared rejuvenated, displaying the form that earlier this century, made him one of the league’s better quarterbacks. In two postseason starts, “Hass” threw for a combined 530 yards while tossing an impressive 7 touchdown passes and only 1 interception.
His more-than-adequate playoff performance showed that despite being 35 years old, maybe he still has something left in the tank as a starting QB in this league.
Verdict
If the Titans decided to pursue Hasselbeck, they’d still be able to keep their draft picks due to the veteran being an unrestricted free agent. That’s a good thing, considering the myriad of needs the Titans should and will likely address with their draft selections this April.
Hasselbeck is the definition of a stop-gap: A guy who is capable of holding down the fort for a year or two while a youngster waits in the wings. Of course, that youngster is currently not on the team’s roster (sorry, Rusty Smith) so if the Titans decided to acquire Hasselbeck, that means that they will likely pursue an up-and-comer at QB with one of their high draft selections.
In the event that the young quarterback that the Titans would acquire via the draft steps up and emerges as the starter from day one, Hasselbeck would be a perfect backup QB option if Kerry Collins isn’t re-signed or decides to call it quits.
So what’s your take, guys? Matt Hasselbeck: Good or bad fit for the Tennessee Titans?
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