One of the ongoing tug-o-wars throughout most of the FG threads this offseason regards the health of Matt Hasselbeck and whether the Hawks need to draft a long term replacement. In an interview with Mitch Levy, Mora talks about Hasselbeck and the QB position. For those of you arguing that Hasselbeck is just fine and that a pick spent on a QB would be a waste, prepare to taste mudpit:
“He’s seen upteen specialists. And he’s worked very, very hard on rehabilitation of the back. But once again, Mitch, as you said, there’s an uncertainty, especially as you get up there in age and you’re dealing with a back injury. There’s just certain things that you can’t predict. Right now all indications are that he’s going to be fine. But that could change. So what’s important for us as an organization is as we go through the draft and as we go through free agency, is to not just say, ‘Matt’s going to be fine. Oh, Matt’s going to be OK. We can ignore that position.’ I don’t think that’s the thing to do.”
Mora went on to say the team will not necessarily look at free agency, but will look at the draft in terms of finding an heir apparent for Hasselbeck when his career is over to groom as the future starting quarterback of the franchise.
Read that again. Coaches are seldom candid about injuries, opting for nebulous responses over cold hard truth, but Mora lets on quite clearly that there are concerns organizationally over Hasselbeck's health going forward. If Mora and Ruskell are on the same page, the Seahawks will be drafting a quarterback in 2009.