Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is expected to test the free agent market this offseason, according to ESPN's Jessamyn McIntyre. Jackson reportedly took less money to come back and play in Seattle last season, and he expects the market to be strong for him this year.
The 10-year veteran quarterback has a career-starting record of 17-17 and could make a viable backup option for plenty of teams across the league. The Dallas Cowboys saw firsthand the importance of a legitimate backup quarterback this past season, and while Jackson may not be a starter in the league, he could make a strong backup behind almost any quarterback in the NFL.
Jackson hasn't started a game since he joined the Seahawks in 2011, and he had 3,091 passing yards and threw 14 touchdowns to 13 interceptions that year. The Seahawks quarterback turns 33 years old this offseason, and it will be interesting to see what interest he garners on the open market.
The Seahawks depth chart has no quarterback listed behind Russell Wilson, but they did sign quarterback Phillip Sims to a future contract last month, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Seattle's star quarterback, Wilson, has yet to miss a game in his NFL career since being draft in 2012, but Seahawks general manager John Schneider knows the importance of a viable backup option, as it's the most important position on every team's roster in the league.
