Oakland Raiders: Is Matt Flynn the Long-Term Answer?

May 20, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterbacks Matt Flynn (15) and Terrelle Pryor (6) prepare to take the snap at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Whether a newly acquired quarterback for the Oakland Raiders is a legitimate long-term answer is a question that remains up in the air.

Matt Flynn, a 28-year-old quarterback out of LSU, lacks a vital component needed to be Oakland’s long-term answer at quarterback: experience.

Flynn was drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, and he has been a backup ever since. Flynn has been a backup to some extraordinary talent, and his lack of experience is concerning.

We know about his jaw-dropping breakout game a couple years back, when he threw for 480 yards on six touchdowns and completed 31 of his 44 attempted passes in a shootout victory over the Lions, 45-41.

This was simply an amazing performance which caught the attention of many general managers, owners, and coaches throughout the league. However, as incredible of a performance that Flynn put out, you most certainly cannot judge a quarterback off of one outstanding performance.

Flynn was targeted by many teams to potentially become their starting quarterback in the offseason. The organization that finally got their hands on him was the Seattle Seahawks, as Flynn signed a three-year deal with the Seahawks worth $26 million, with $10 million guaranteed.

Flynn was brought in to compete with 2011 starting quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and Wilson for the starting quarterback position. Flynn and Wilson became the two front runners for the starting job, and they battled extremely hard.

Wilson was then later named the starter, which made Flynn and his contract expendable.

Now, Flynn finds himself in an identical situation in Oakland. After the departure of Carson Palmer, the Raiders traded for Flynn by giving away a 2014 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2015 round pick. Flynn is now in to compete with Terrelle Pryor and rookie Tyler Wilson. The youngster is looking to out play this Wilson during the offseason, and his chances are looking better and better.

I believe Flynn will win the starting job and become the new starter for the Oakland Raiders.

But is he a long-term answer? From what I’ve seen when he has played, he certainly has great potential and could become a solid quarterback for the Raiders for years to come. His velocity seems to be there, he can be very accurate with the ball and he moves well outside of the pocket along with good footwork on his drawbacks and in the pocket. However, I need to see more from him due to his lack of in-game experience.