Pete Carroll wasn't kidding about win now. That is the only explanation I can think of for extending an offer to a quarterback that turns 28 before the start of the regular season. I typically think of Matt Hasselbeck as a late bloomer, but Seattle traded for Hasselbeck when he was just 25. Charlie Whitehurst thinks back to 25 nostalgically.
Carroll must see a lot in the Seahawks that he likes, because the best case scenario for signing Whitehurst is that he hits the ground running like Matt Schaub. Even Schaub didn't exactly explode on the scene. He endured a get up to speed season in 2007, but is now among the best quarterbacks in football.
The two have a lot in common. Both are prototypical in the generic sense. They are tall, pocket passers that can make all the throws. They both proved their ability in the ACC. Both were record setting quarterbacks at their respective schools, though Schaub owns a much better completion percentage. Schaub finished with a 66.9% completion percentage. Whitehurst, 59.7%. Schaub played with much better talent too. He was protected by D'Brickashaw Ferguson and threw to Heath Miller. You can also include Alvin Pearman, Billy McMullen and Marquis Weeks. Whitehurst got Dustin Fry, Derrick Hamilton and Airese Currie. You can pop in Chansi Stuckey too, but Stuckey only had 28 receptions before Whitehurst graduated.
Seattle does not have a third round pick, but has reportedly worked out something equivalent. Maybe a conditional pick next season, depending on Whitehurst's playing time. Without extending a lengthy analysis, I think Whitehurst is a pretty good play, and apart from Jimmy Clausen, perhaps Seattle's only chance to add a quarterback to a defense that should be hitting its prime. The upshot of trading for Whitehurst is that Seattle can now despoil the best parts of the draft. Neither Clausen nor Bradford are grade "A" prospects, whereas any other talent that could fall to Seattle at six is. Clausen has good potential and should be plug and play, but I can counter almost anything I like about him with something I don't. He may not be risky, but he may not have much more pro potential than Charlie Whitehurst.