Based on the history of the Seattle Seahawks handling a situation with an expensive player not being really important anymore, there’s a good chance that Matt Flynn, one of the most coveted backup quarterbacks in the NFL, might not be traded but released if he doesn’t take a pay cut.

Flynn enters 2013 in the second year of a three-year, $19.5 million deal. He’s set to make $5.25 million in base salary in 2013, $2 million of which is guaranteed. If traded or let go, Flynn’s contract would count about $4 million against the team’s salary cap. He has already been paid $8 million in 2012, despite taking only 34 snaps, all garbage time snaps, getting a bit of un-important time behind the surprising winner of the quarterback battle in the Northwest, Russell Wilson.

Based upon past relations with players like T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Julius Jones, Mike Williams, Aaron Curry and Lofa Tatupu, the current Seahawks administration has no problem going to players and demanding that they take a pay cut; if the player declines, he’s released.

Still, it isn’t that likely Flynn will be automatically released, even if he is intent on making all of his $11.5 million for the next couple of years. First of all, he’s a great insurance policy to have if something happens to Wilson, which according to his style, which does border on the risk taking, isn’t that far fetched. Second, there is his worth as a trading chip. Without a real intriguing start-me-now option currently emerging among the quarterback ranks in the 2013 NFL Draft, a lot of teams that do need a QB might be looking to trade for someone who is perceived as a guy who can start right away.

According to rumors brewing in the state of Washington, the price could be a third-rounder or a swapping of second-round picks, if the acquiring team’s spot in the order is high enough.