Seahawks won’t force quarterback issue

INDIANAPOLIS – The Seahawks are looking for a quarterback in the draft every year, said general manager John Schneider.

One year they might even get around to picking one. It hasn’t happened since Schneider and coach Pete Carroll took over in 2010, and entering the third season of their regime, quarterback remains Seattle’s long-term question mark.

So will this be the year, then? In a draft class headlined by quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor, is Seattle going to pony up the king’s ransom it would take to vault toward the top of the draft? Or will the Seahawks instead opt for one of the next tier of prospects at that position, someone like Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill, Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins or Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler?

All those quarterbacks are in Indianapolis for this week’s scouting combine. They will be available for interviews today and then work out Sunday.

The Seahawks have passed on drafting a passer the past two years, and Schneider was asked if that creates an expectation that it’s time to pull the trigger on a quarterback early in this year’s draft.

“No,” Schneider said. “If it happens, it happens. You can put yourself in a tough situation if you just go all-in with a guy that you feel pressured to take. You can end up setting your organization back.”

Commence the wailing from those Seahawks fans who want to see the team lay down a long-term commitment under center. And, by the way, it needs to be a quarterback capable of winning a Super Bowl.

So far, Seattle hasn’t been ready to settle down with anyone since Carroll arrived. Starter Tarvaris Jackson is unsigned beyond 2012, and Josh Portis is the only other quarterback currently on the roster for next season.

No one really expected it to go this way. When Schneider arrived two years ago, Matt Hasselbeck was entering the final year of his contract and there was every expectation the Seahawks would find a younger player to develop behind him.

“When we started out, I thought we were going to put a quarterback in to go along with Matt,” Schneider said. “It just didn’t happen.”

Two years later, the Seahawks are still looking for that quarterback of the future.

Jackson played better than many expected last year, and Portis has shown promise, but he’s an undrafted rookie who would be doing well just to compete for the backup job in his second season.