Auburn’s Kerryon Johnson is very impressive

We’re focusing on running backs at the moment and with good reason. The Seahawks are going through a bit of a crisis with their running game. It doesn’t exist. They have two rushing touchdowns — both coming in the game against the Colts. This isn’t what they envisaged at the start of the year.

Even today’s news from Pete Carroll that Chris Carson could return in December has to be met with some caution. He suffered a broken leg and a high ankle sprain. It’s optimistic to think he’ll jump back into the lineup and provide the solution to this greatest of problems.

Change has to be expected in the off-season. We’ll see how generous the Seahawks want to be in giving C.J. Prosise and Thomas Rawls another opportunity. Eddie Lacy almost certainly will be a one-and-done. Whatever the situation with Carson’s health, they have to bring in another back. Possibly two. And because this is such a serious issue they probably have to do a little more than just look for value in day three.

This is a team known for aggressively addressing needs on the roster. That likely isn’t going to stop now. Running back could be the #1 target area in 2018 and they might go after it with some gusto.

Saturday was a good opportunity to watch some potential draft options. Auburn vs Georgia (see video above) featured Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Kerryon Johnson. There was a clear winner on the day.

Georgia came into the game as the #1 team in the country (the latest example of the playoff committee being as contrarian as possible to make headlines). They had a long touchdown drive to start the game — and were then completely dominated by Auburn’s impressive front seven for the rest of the day.

Watching Chubb and Michel try to run the ball in that environment brought back horrible memories of watching the Seahawks this year. Chubb managed 2.5 YPC on 11 carries. Michel managed 2.3 YPC on his nine totes.

It’s perhaps harsh to judge either running back on this evidence. Auburn got ahead and Georgia had to chase the game. Inevitably the run game was going to suffer and the Tigers were just too good up front.

That said — I suspect the Seahawks need more than just a decent back. As we’ve seen this year, the temptation to put the ball in the hands of Russell Wilson is too strong. He’s the best player on Seattle’s offense — joined by the likes of Doug Baldwin, Jimmy Graham and the receivers. They give the Seahawks the best chance to move the ball. And when things start slowly, as they’ve been known to do, the ball goes to Wilson.

That’s understandable.

Yet the Seahawks were at their best on offense when a 7-2 half-time deficit like they had against the Redskins recently would lead to a heavy dose of Marshawn Lynch. They felt a pressure to feature Lynch. And between that desire to run and the quality of the quarterback — the balance was always there. It created the perfect storm. Even when things started slowly.

Watching Georgia desert the run game and ask the freshman quarterback to throw more times than all but one of his games so far this season reminded me of the Seahawks. That might be a mistake on my behalf. It might not be indicative of Chubb or Michel. But I had nightmarish visions of either player in all-navy blue in 2018 watching Wilson doing his magician act while they run for 3 YPC on 10 carries before exiting stage left.

I think you have to be sceptical that Chubb is going to be the same athlete we saw at the 2013 Nike SPARQ combines too. He’s playing well this year. But he doesn’t seem like the player who shone so brightly when Todd Gurley got injured in 2014.

Then there was Kerryon Johnson.

There were two players who came to mind while watching him run for 167 yards on 32 carries. His patience and ability to wait for a play to develop was quite a lot like Le’Veon Bell. He isn’t Bell — for starters he’s about 12-15lbs lighter. Yet it’s the name that springs to mind watching the way he waited behind the LOS for the opportunity to emerge to make a big gain.

He also, funnily enough, looked a little bit like Chris Carson in his build. They’re both quite long-legged runners. Johnson is listed at 6-0 and 212lbs, Carson at 5-11 and 218lbs. They are both useful in the passing game.

I’ve watched Johnson a few times this season because we get a lot of the SEC games over here. With every performance you just get more and more excited. Physical, agile, a capable pass-catcher with some all-round ability. He is one of the best players to emerge in 2017 as a legit pro-prospect.

So let’s see what he does well:

Initially I don’t think he does the best job on this play. A reasonable hole emerges on the right hand side of the line and he manages to run into the back of his own center and almost into the arms of a defensive linemen. Having initiated that contact however he then somehow explodes to the second level, shows terrific balance to stay on his feet and then stiff-arms a defender to get the maximum out of this run.

That’s a tough guy to bring down right there.

Gary Danielson noticed the Le’Veon Bell stuff too (volume required):

I’m not sure a Bell-type is best suited to the Seahawks. A decisive, physical runner with either some suddenness or punishing physicality seems to be the order of the day. Pittsburgh’s blocking scheme is quite different to Seattle’s ZBS.

That’s the good thing about Johnson. He can be patient. He can also be very physical and aggressive to get the hard yards:

Does this look good to you?

During recruiting there was a feeling Johnson might end up as a safety. He was an ‘athlete’ prospect. With a run and a punishing hit like that, you can see why some people thought he’d end up being a strong safety.

He’s also decisive and willing to get up-field:

He likely won’t get a run as easy as this at the next level but here’s another example of his ability to take advantage of a hole and get upfield:

There’s something be said about a back that just consistently gets the most out of every run. That seemed to be what Carson was doing before his injury. Johnson doesn’t give up on any carry:

One of the slight issues with Damien Harris is his ability to get outside quickly when he needs to. He’s more of a north-south type runner. This is an area where Johnson has the edge:

For the season so far Johnson has 1035 rushing yards at 5.2 YPC and 17 total touchdowns. He should be in the Heisman discussion — and that campaign will grow if Auburn beats Alabama and makes it to the SEC Championship (setting up a rematch with Georgia who they just pummelled).

I haven’t been able to find any Nike SPARQ combine numbers for Johnson. He was listed as running a 4.50 according to this website — but that could’ve occurred at an all-star event. If anyone can find the numbers let me know.

While looking for Johnson’s SPARQ numbers I stumbled across a couple of interesting things. At the 2014 combine Saquon Barkley ran a 4.68 (!!!) at 5-11 and 208lbs. Don’t expect him to run at the NFL combine. He did perform well in the powerball and vertical jump though — so he’s likely more explosive than quick. Bryce Love ran a 4.47 but did so at 180lbs. Love was much better in the short shuttle, powerball and vertical — so he’s another who is probably more explosive than lightning quick.

A reminder that Alabama’s Damien Harris ran a 4.48 at the Nike combine — at 208lbs. He’s very underrated as an athlete. Here’s the difference in SPARQ score and forty times from the 2014 event:

Bryce Love — 129.75
Damien Harris — 126.93
Saquon Barkley — 116.79

Bryce Love (180lbs) — 4.47
Damien Harris (208lbs) — 4.48
Saquon Barkley (208lbs) — 4.68

If Johnson is in the 4.50 range it won’t really make much difference to the Seahawks as long as his size is as listed (around 6-0, 212lbs) and he can have an explosive workout. For a reminder of what Seattle seems to like in a running back prospect, check out Friday’s piece on Damien Harris here.

A quick final note on the Auburn vs Georgia game. Keep an eye on receiver Javon Wims at Georgia. Every time I’ve watched the Bulldogs this season he’s found a way to make an impact. He high-points the ball, makes competitive grabs and is the type of player you can imagine the Seahawks having a bit of interest in on day three. He’s 6-4 and 215lbs.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

Nike NFL Team Free Trainer v7 Collection Shoes

156 Comments

  1. Nick

    I love the idea of an RB earlier than Round 5 and it seems like Johnson could be someone we get in Rd2-4 range.

    Gotta imagine that we spend the vast majority of our picks on offense. OL, WR, TE, OG all come to mind.

    • Ty the Guy

      As of today, IMO our Top Needs this offseason will be:

      (THIS IS ASSUMING WE RESIGN EVERYONE WHICH I KNOW IS UNREALISTIC, BUT HUMOR ME)

      1. RB – The Marshawn- sized void Rob has eluded to is real. Has been since he left. We will be lucky to find a RB of that caliber. At the very least, it would be nice to have a guy you can feel good about giving the ball to 15-20 times a game.

      2. T/G – With the way we switch guys around, the exact position doesn’t really matter. I’d love to get a tackle and bump Ifedi to the inside, but he may just need a good partner on the right side to develop with. Also, having a contingency plan for the LT spot would make me rest easier.

      3. CB – Sherman may lose a step, but I truly believe he has a lot more football left in him. That being said, depth is crucial here. Shaquil Griffin was a huge pick up for us. Adding a similar guy in the draft sounds like a no-brainer.

      4. Edge Rusher – Depth is key here. I love our rotation, but some of our DL is getting long in the tooth.

      5. WR – I only put this up there, because I still dream of a big bodied WR to pair with our little guys. P-Rich has been playing big and has an incredible catch radius, but I still dream of a 6’4″ leaper.

      Depth across the board is always needed and can be a luxury. SAM LB is up there, TE too. A backup QB with a bit more mobility would be awesome too.

      • j

        Sherman won’t be back to mid-season next year. We have to add a CB, either as FA or in the draft.

        • Logan Lynch

          After a quick Google search, it looks like Achilles Tendon rupture recovery time after surgery is 6 months. There’s a good chance he’s ready by training camp. They could ease him in and he should be all set for the regular season barring any setbacks.

          • J

            “The length of time to allow full activity after Achilles tendon repair is generally thought to be four to six months.4-6 The 11 months needed to return to play as a professional football player seems considerably longer. However, there is a major difference between allowing full activity and returning to play in the NFL”

            http://lermagazine.com/article/return-to-football-after-achilles-tendon-rupture

      • Nick

        So you don’t see TE as a place to go? I like your list otherwise.

    • RWIII

      Seattle NEEDS to steal a page from Bill Belichick’s playbook. The Patroits throw a ton of passes to their running backs. It’s interesting to note that the two teams in the Super Bowl (New England and Atlanta) threw a ton of passes to their running backs coming out of the backfield. Also Belichick is in LOVE with the two tight-end offense.

  2. Del Tre

    Awesome article, would love to see the Hawks draft this guy! Yes Bryce love looks good but he is going to be a first or second round pick. I’d expect Kerryon to be available into the third with the RB depth this season.
    But i disagree on your point about the hawks not being best suited for a Bell type running back, i actually see a lot of similarities between Carson and Bell. Carson has the same patience as Bell meaning he can churn his legs and look for a hole to shoot right through. Which really only contributes to Johnsons profile for the hawks.
    I know some people are dissapointed with how this season has gone, but there is a lot of good news, the rams have 2 games against 7-2 teams with great defenses in these next two weeks and I’m certain it will change the confidence level if they drop 2 straight, lets just say the rest of their schedule looks bleak if Goff stumbles and Gurley fumbles. And if we can beat the eagles it isnt unreasonable to expect them to drop one more. Things aren’t bad. Honestly we could see an improvement as a unit on defense if the coaching staff is innovative. We just signed Maxwell and Shead could be back, we aren’t in bad shape at CB but like 20 other teams in this league we dont have a proven lockdown corner, boo hoo, we still have a great D line that can wreak havoc, a young fast CB with great ball skills who is going to be doing everything he can to show that he can replace Richard Sherman with no drop off (When we looked at Shaq last year we saw he believed in himself the same way all the greats do). Heck, what do we know? Maybe if Kam sits out this week Hill will have the game of his life and start replacing McDougold in our 3 safety sets, anything can happen, thats whats crazy about this team and this coaching staff, they never give up, they all believe that the breakout game is right around the corner for the next man up, maybe as fans we ought to as well

  3. drewdawg11

    I like Johnson’s style a bit more than Harris’ because of the ability to get the edge. Harris probably has more natural feet in the hole, but I really do enjoy the explosiveness in which Johnson runs. If we don’t get an impact runner in this draft, with all of them talented options available, we failed.

  4. Rawls

    I’m not sure why putting the ball in Wilson’s hand is a bad thing. Relying on rb’s when all the rules are geared to help passing doesn’t seem worth it. You said the Seahawks best years were with Lynch but you didn’t mention how dominant our defense was and how many turnovers they generated. Relying on a top 10 qb (which we have) is the easiest way to maintain consistency. We have less draft capital over the next 2 years and using high picks on a rb would be a huge mistake in my opinion.

    • Ed

      Agree, to a degree. Don’t reach for a RB for the sake of an RB. They will trade down, no ifs ands or buts about it. 3 biggest needs:

      RB (nothing on this roster)
      TE (no JG or LW next year)
      WR (DB, TL and what else)

    • Rob Staton

      Putting the ball in Wilson’s hand isn’t a bad thing. That’s not the point I tried to make on that.

      The point is you need some form of balance to succeed on offense. There’s a reason why we’re generally a disjointed mess. We have absolutely nothing in terms of a run game. And rather than try to establish one, when things start slowly EVERYTHING is placed on Wilson to bail them out. It’s too much pressure on him. We’re living and dying with Wilson. That’s not how we were built, that has never been the intention and it’s not how good teams succeed.

      Look at the Pats for example. Is it mostly on Brady? Yes. And yet Blount had nearly 20 TD’s in 2016. You need some form of balance, even if Wilson is going to be the main man.

      No running game also makes life easy for a defense. If you don’t have to worry at all about a running game, you can spend the week scheming against Wilson. It certainly looks like that is what the Redskins did.

  5. Forty20

    Given how the media love to over-analyse and tear down top prospects as we get closer to the draft, I am curious to see what will happen with Barkley if he runs a poor 40 or abstains at the combine. Saying his tape speaks for itself doesn’t really do justice to how exciting a prospect he is.

    How does Johnson fare when it comes to doing the other Le’Veon Bell stuff in receiving, Rob? He may be made of glass but Prosise did some awesome things for us in the few opportunities he got. Giving Russ a consistent check down option can help both him and the o-line.

    • Rob Staton

      Johnson has shown some ability as a pass catcher. Not a former WR like Prosise which helps C.J. — but there’s evidence Johnson can help there.

      • Rowlandice

        They should consider just moving Prosise to WR anyway since he can’t stay healthy as a RB, He could be a potential replacement for Richardson alon with Darboh.

    • H

      He ran a 4.38, hand timed, this summer. So im willing to bet he’s faster now than he was in 2014.

      • Rob Staton

        I doubt Barkley will run a 4.68 at the combine — but it’s very hard to trust the hand timed 4.38. At least at the Nike combine it’s a proper test.

        • Ishmael

          I think he’ll come in somewhere around 4.5. 4.68 doesn’t show up on the tape at all, but equally he’s clearly not a 4.3 kind of guy.

  6. Donald

    Since the Hawks don’t have a 2nd or 3rd rd pick in 2018, they better get the best RB available in the 1st rd. Kerryon Johnson is very impressive, and won’t last until late 4th Rd.

    Javon Wims WR at 6’4 also looks good, maybe he is picked in the 4th rd.

  7. Aaron

    I’ve warmed up to the idea of having a great RB for the Hawks. Bevell’s had the luxury of having AP and Beast Mode in his offense. I think that’s where he is at his best and the Hawks are too. Guess the two big questions are 1) Is there a special RB in this draft that fits the Hawks style and 2) Do we have an OL that can actually run block. Right now I don’t see a special RB outside of the first round, does that force them to use their first round pick?

    I see an OL that has three players who can’t run block in Pocic, Aboushi, and Ifedi. Ifedi can do it physically but his technique is so shoddy. Pocic isn’t big enough yet but I hope he gets stronger and takes over at RG next year. Aboushi can leave imo, he’s a place holder. Keep Joeckel and have a Brown-Joeckel-Britt-Pocic-Ifedi line next year. That’s a solid line imo, and one that will win a lot more in run blocking. Plus a special RB will get more than what’s blocked.

    Rob, if RB becomes their no. 1 priority, which I gotta say it should be, do you think they actually use their first round pick on one given their lack of a second rounder?

    • AlaskaHawk

      I think they will trade down to top of second and get another third or fourth round pick out of it. There will probably be 2 running backs max taken in the first round. Top of the second round puts the seahawks right in the sweet spot where a lot of teams will be looking for a running back, and their choice of 3rd running back off the board. Harris was fine by me, and so is Love for a small shifty McCaffrey type game changer.

    • Rob Staton

      Possibly. Or they might move down into R2 and take one.

  8. nichansen

    Don’t we have a third?

    • House

      No. Since Jeremy Lane failed his physical the trade was changed to:

      Duane Brown
      HOU 2018 5th rd

      for

      SEA 2018 3rd rd
      SEA 2019 2nd rd

      • JimQ

        Per a recent “Field Gulls” article, ( Ref: https://www.fieldgulls.com/2017/11/1/16597180/seahawks-were-involved-in-a-lot-of-draft-pick-trades-what-do-they), the remaining Seahawks picks (if accurate) are as follows. I’ve tried to estimate the approximate pick #’s in each round. IMO- A trade out of the 1-st round looks very realistic to try and get a high 2-Nd and add an additional pick or two in the 1-st half of the draft, otherwise, most of their picks are day 3 hopefuls. If the Seahawks can land 3 or 4 players that stick with these picks, that would tell me that PC/JS have done their scouting homework.
        Rd-1–Seahawk’s — Native pick, approximately #27-32 (hopefully!)
        Rd-4–Seahawk’s — Native pick, approximately #119
        Rd-5–From Oakland, approximately #145
        Rd-5–From Houston, approximately #150
        Rd-5–Seahawk’s — Native pick, approximately #155
        Rd-7–From Philly, approximately #210
        Rd-7–From Jets, approximately #215
        Rd-7–From Minn, approximately #222.
        I’m not 100% sure the trades are all accurate as stated but they may be the best estimate of coming draft picks currently available.

  9. nichansen

    Panthers are a dangerous team again.

    • House

      MIA is a dumpster fire. While CAR has looked good, MIA is horrible. The NFC South is going to be interesting though

    • vrtkolman

      Too similar to Seattle. One game they look like the best team in the league and then the next they look like garbage. Cam is way too inconsistent.

    • CharlieTheUnicorn

      I think the Saints are the most dangerous team. They have an elite QB and have been able to make a 2 RB attack work on offense. Ingram and Kamara have been outstanding. The defense has actually played fairly well… and can at least give the Saints a chance to be in everygame, without having to start chucking the ball 40-50 times due to being down by a bunch of points..

  10. Ukhawk

    Rob. What round do you speculate that Harris & Johnson go in??

    Can’t h ol but notice how much better Auburn blocked than Georgia.

    I see them getting Hyde in FA before the draft to take pressure off. If so they may go with someone like KJ or Love IMO.

    • Rob Staton

      I’m comfortable projecting R2.

  11. bankhawk

    That was a right and proper bludgeoning that Johnson (and I do love the sound of Kerryon-be great for road games at airport check-ins) delivered to Georgia in the 4th quarter. As to the issue of his abilities as a check-down guy in the passing game, I really liked the TD in the 4th. His use of his blockers thêre spoke to his already discussed patience-kinda like Miles Davis directing his band-Cool, baby-then bring it home!
    Im kinda nervous about the rest of the season, but feel pretty good about corner with Maxi back on board. Watched his Hawk highlights over on FGs and it brought back good memories of his ability to get his head around at the critical moment and make a play on the ball. Nothing but encouraged by what Ive seen from the young guys on the back end of the d and floored by the stockpiled depth on the D line. As to the O, Im hoping Joeckel gets back sooner than later and Brown isnt out for too long.

    • AlaskaHawk

      He does look a bit like Marshawn with all those guys that he ran thru. The defense will have to wrap up to get him down!

  12. AlaskaHawk

    Does anyone else here think bringing Carson back this season is too soon?? I would hate to see him have another career ending injury.

    • Donald

      I think it is too soon. If anything, wait until the playoffs for him to play minutes, and then it would only be on a rotational basis.

      • Myfanwy365

        Pretty much this, don’t force it. No harm in calling up Mike Davis at some point to see what he could do, couldn’t any worse right now.

        Save Carson for when it matters

    • cha

      When he went down it was said by PC that there was a chance he could return this season.

      PC restating that on Monday would indicate very good progress in rehab and recovery to this point.

      I can’t recall a situation where the Hawks rushed a guy back from serious injury too early. I trust the training staff, but I also recognize PC is always super-positive about injured guys and their recovery.

      • AlaskaHawk

        We have had recurring issues with the running backs so I can say that they have been rushing them back in. I don’t think it wise = considering the magnitude of his leg injuries – to bring him back until next season.

  13. Jeff M.

    Hard to act on RB before the 3rd day when we only have 1 pick before the 3rd day…

    Even assuming we move our 1st for a 2nd and a 3rd (this is the likeliest scenario IMO), are you passing on OL or DL help in favor of a RB (or on a CB if Sherman’s not going to be back to start the season, or some other higher-value need)?

    The only time in their tenure here that PC/JS used a premium pick on a non-premium position was CMike, and they pretty clearly view that as a lesson learned, not something to repeat. Outside of him it’s exclusively OL, DL, pass catchers, and coverage guys.

    We should probably expect them to use that 4th or later to look at RBs (that’s where they’ve had success, including the Lynch trade, and not before)…I’d be really surprised if they risked another CMike, especially in a year when our draft ammo in the first half of the draft is super-limited.

    • Rob Staton

      D-line, or edge rusher more specifically, could be a focus especially if Avril retires.

      If he returns, Seattle’s D-line is absolutely loaded. And they’ve spent a ton of stock on the OL too. I’m not sure they can do much more.

    • Donald

      I disagree. Just because the Hawks made a mistake in drafting CMike high in the draft, doesn’t mean that every RB they draft in the 1st is automatically going to fail. There is no connection between the two. That is like saying they should only draft CB’s in the 5th rd, and QB’s in the 3rd rd because they were successful.

    • AlaskaHawk

      I think they should address running back early and late with at least two picks. They need to find some guys that can hold up.

      .

  14. Drew G

    “This is a team known for aggressively addressing needs on the roster.. Running back could be the #1 target area in 2018 and they might go after it with some gusto”

    Leveons a free agent this offseason… haha its a nice dream but I don’t see really any way of that happening. Let’s say they bring in a rookie RB and a free agent RB. Rob – are there any upcoming free agent RBs that you could see as a potential fit for the seahawks?

    • Rob Staton

      I like Carlos Hyde.

      • Forty20

        I really like Hyde as well. Experienced with zone blocking and an explosive play artist. Problems are that he hasn’t had the cleanest bills of health in his tenure at the 49ers and should he command even a modest contract he is beginning to slip out of our price range.

        Hyde/Carson would be an awesome 1/2 set of hammer blows though.

        • Greg Haugsven

          He would fit our system well but he would cost. Also do you want to give big money to someone elses running back? Just not sure if that would happen. Maybe?

  15. Logan Lynch

    I haven’t commented in a while, so pardon the novel. I tend to agree with many of the points made by Del Tre above. The Rams are much better than I gave them credit for, but they have some tough games ahead which will prove if they’re ready to be NFC contenders or not. The NFC South will hopefully beat each other up. The Eagles are good, but no one team seems unbeatable this year.

    Sherman is gone. That sucks. His production can’t be replaced. The season is not lost, however. IMO, the DL and offense now hold the keys to the season. If the DL can play like the Death Row they claim to be and pressure opposing QB’s, that will take the onus off the back end to be perfect in coverage. If Earl can come back and keep the top on the defense, the CB’s just need to keep everything in front of them. Make other teams dink and dunk their way down the field.

    In conjunction, the offense needs to produce earlier in games. Giving the D a lead early on would do wonders and could lead to more turnovers. Your best players need to step up in big moments. Russell hitting some of those early deep throws he’s been missing could open the field up. Seattle has a tough schedule coming up too. Iron sharpens iron. They will be battle tested. If they can get through the schedule and prove they belong, then we should feel confident in them against anyone.

    • Sea Mode

      Well said! Agree on all points.

  16. Bigten

    Any chance the 49ers want to get into back of 1st for there late 2nd and 2 thirds?

    • cha

      We moved back 3 spots for their 4th round pick in 2017, so unless they were absolutely over the moon about a guy, I’d say no.

      • Bigten

        There 2nd is late, because they traded there early second for jimmy garop. This would be moving up around 20 places

  17. Carl

    I’m sure we are watching different things on the same plays, but I honestly think, using JUST the 30 minute full game footage, that Chubb looks better suited to our offense than Johnson. Yeah, Johnson had the better stats, but he also had a much easier time finding holes. And in the few plays where there weren’t any holes, I saw Chubb churn his legs and drive low with more effort and consistency than Johnson, and that is one of the most important factors to look for in a Seahawks running back, in my opinion.

    I keep dreaming we nab him in the late 1st/early 2nd after trading down, then allow him to fully heal and get back to that crazy SPARQ Beast he used to be.

    Having said all that, I understand that you’re currently branching out and getting a nice macro-view of several possible backs. I do think Johnson looks like a good back. I just don’t know if he’s the BEST back for OUR style of play. I do appreciate your review, however. It was a good read. 😀

    • Volume12

      But, that’s not how this works.

      Say Chubb is Seattle’s 1A. Now he’s off the board quickly followed by their 1B. You just don’t draft a RB? No. You move on and get you guy that you still love, but might not check as many boxes.

    • D-OZ

      You like Chubb a lot more than I do. He is just not the elite player he was. Not sure if it is mental or physical, could be both. May just need more time…

      • Rob Staton

        Chubb just reminds me too much of some of the players we have. Incredible physical potential but got hurt, maybe has that in the back of his mind now and has possibly lost a step too.

        I’m willing to be proven wrong though. I’ll get round to doing him soon. And there’s still plenty of football left in the CFB season including the SEC Championship that Georgia has already qualified for. His combine will be fascinating if he works out.

  18. New Guy

    Sean Salisbury was just on KIRO710 with John Clayton and said that there’s a possibility the Cardinals could go after Kirk Cousins next season.

    The NFCW could get interesting again.

    .

    • Volume12

      That’s grade A reporting right there. Every team that needs a QB will make a run at Kirk Cousins.

      • Greg Haugsven

        He needs to go to Jacksonville, that team would be scary good.

  19. Adog

    The rb that keeps catching my eye is ronald jones from usc. Looks like a clutch home run hitter…maybe a “healthy” version of procise.

  20. Volume12

    Brock Huard back on his bullsh**.

    ‘This guy is right. Seattle needs to throw more screens to their WRs.’

    Does he not understand how incredibly difficult that is for a QB of RW’s stature to make those type of throws? He’s not Drew Bree’s! He doesn’t play on his tippy toes.

    • Volume12

      Play to your strengths and mask your weaknesses.

      • Logan Lynch

        So throw the screens to the RBs then or try quick slants over the middle?

        Kidding…

        • Volume12

          Hahaha.

          Slants yes. Put Lockett in the slot where he belongs and let him use those return skills. Those guys are almost impossible to get a hand on coming off the LOS. Thing is, they don’t have any size at the WR position to do that.

          They’re forced to be a passing team right now with a bunch of the same skill sets at receiver.

        • Volume12

          Dammit. Don’t jump on my post trying to ruin my narrative or take my shine like Triple H. 😉

          • Logan Lynch

            Hah, I always did like Triple H…

            You’re right about our WRs though. We have guys like Lockett, Baldwin, and even McKissic who are built to win right off the LOS.

            • Smitty1547

              I just don’t understand out of the playbook the screen being that difficult for a short QB.

              • Logan Lynch

                I may be wrong, but on RB screens specifically I believe it has to do with the fact that the OL lets the DL through and the QB needs to find a way to get the ball over or around them in order to complete it to the RB. When the DL is right in his face, it makes it extremely difficult to get the ball over them without it being batted down due to his height. He has to try to sneak the ball around them instead, which probably makes it difficult for the RB to anticipate where the ball is coming from. Now, a 6’5″ QB has a much better chance to lay the ball over the DL to the RB. Then again, I could be completely wrong.

                • Smitty1547

                  No I agree that is the theory behind what I hear is the problem, I just myself do not see that it would be much more difficult than hitting a quick slant or TE over the middle. At the end of the day it slows down the rushers, tires them out and seems to be an effective play because they never expect us to run it. I understand it not being or bread and butter but once or maybe twice a game does not seem unreasonable. If it’s not available throw the ball down at his feet and move on to next play. No different than any other pass play.

    • cha

      I honestly wonder if there is quite this level of play-call MMQB-ing if RW hits the 3-4 deep balls he’s overthrown in recent games.

      • Volume12

        IDK, but Bevell gets a bad rep man. Simplistic, easy to grasp, fundamental football. Its not his fault that Seattle fails to execute and shoots themselves in the foot more than Elmer Fudd shot himself.

        • nichansen

          Bevell is at least better than Jonathan Smith

    • vrtkolman

      Thank you! Since Russell started, I have seen maybe two or three cleanly executed screen plays. Every other time is a struggle.

  21. Forty20

    Mike Davis activated to the 53 man roster. Prosise to IR maybe?

    • Volume12

      #WeLikeMike

      Excited to see what he can do.

      • nichansen

        Secret JS fan? 😉

    • cha

      Prosise to IR

      • D-OZ

        They should put the fat guy on IR….

        • Hawktalker#1

          +1

    • KingRajesh

      People giving up on Prosise are the kind of guys who would have given up on Paul Richardson when he got hurt twice in 2 years.

      • Logan Lynch

        He will likely get the chance to play out his rookie deal. I still have hope for him, but at this point we need healthy RBs. Davis looked good in preseason, so I’m hopeful for him too.

      • AlaskaHawk

        I would like to wait and see if he can finish a season in one piece before declaring any sort of victory with Richardson. Great receiver = but oh so skinny!

    • Rowlandice

      As I posted above, let the conversion to WR begin. He might have more value as a WR/RB hybrid to this team. If he can stay healthy. Maybe being out on the perimeter more will help in that respect.

      • House

        Tavon Austin type of weapon

        • Hawk Eye

          agreed!!
          WR, a little 3rd down RB, maybe some kick off returns, etc.
          They will probably lose P Rich, so instead of drafting his replacement, draft a RB instead.

          but he really needs to get into some serious rehab, change some things on his body, maybe some serious Yoga. B Max did it to change his body, he was always injured his first 2 years. Maybe just bad luck, but his injuries are legit, and he just gets so many.
          Still, cheap 4 year deal, keep him 2 more years and see what happens

      • Logan Lynch

        Just to play devil’s advocate a bit, maybe the reason Prosise was switched to RB in the first place is because he couldn’t make it to the NFL as a WR? The whole theory behind him being a weapon as a pass catching RB is that he’s a mismatch coming out of the backfield. Too fast for a LB to cover. If you split him out all the time he’ll be going against CBs who are just as fast or faster than CJ. He’s not all that big for a WR either at about 6’1″ 220 lbs, so it’s not like he’d have a huge size advantage. His best attribute as a WR would most likely be RAC ability, but what if he has trouble getting separation? It’s like Ty Montgomery. He wasn’t showing much as a WR, so they moved him to be a hybrid WR/RB. Now, he gets hurt all the time and isn’t consistently productive.

    • pran

      Probably Prosise is the only one where fans celebrate a player going to IR! Convert to WR or go through some body transformation whatever if he has the motivation. Generally Pete is very good in helping out players but could not get this guy straightened out in 2 years.

      • vrtkolman

        I’m not celebrating it at all. Prosise is a legit playmaker and would have been key in our now pass heavy offense.

  22. D-OZ

    I truly believe that is coming next season.

  23. AlaskaHawk

    There is an interesting article on field gulls site about how Washington lined up their defense to combat RW and the offensive line. The whole point being that many of the pressures are not coming from the offensive line, but from missed blocks by other players, or defenses exploiting weaker blockers.

    For instance, any time RW lined up in shotgun they put the defensive tackles on the outside of the guards. Britt had no one to block = unless someone blitzed or stunted up the middle. Defensive ends were lined up wide of the tackles. I guess we were lucky = Arizona would have put seven in the box and blitzed.

    • vrtkolman

      It seems odd that Seattle wouldn’t counter that by just running right up the middle behind Britt who is free to hit the 2nd level.

      • AlaskaHawk

        They would have to deal with the middle linebacker and any of his buddies who can get over to the hole, but after them there should be some open space.

  24. Greg Haugsven

    Really excited to see Mike Davis. Hes kind of our last shot at getting something going on the ground for right now. Maybe Carson coming back later can help late and in the playoffs.

  25. red

    Check out Auburn OL Braden Smith he is playing OT, but he started at RG last year he will top 50 pick and OG in the NFL. This appears to be good year to grab a good OG in round two or three.

    • red

      Braden Smith #71 playing RG in this game.

      • Rob Staton

        I believe he’s played RG all year. At least he has the times I’ve watched Auburn.

    • Sea Mode

      Haven’t watched him at all yet, so this isn’t an endorsement or anything, but as I posted the other day, he scores a 3.22 TEF from reported testing numbers.

      6052, 303
      33 vert
      9.75 broad
      24 bench
      97.71 wTEF

      • Ground_Hawk

        He also is reported to have good arm length, although I couldn’t find any precise measurement. Definitely one to watch out for.

  26. Thy Hawk is Howling

    I really like Kerryon Johnson he is desisive, nice vision, and determined. Right now him and Lavon Coleman UW would rule!

    If we could turn our first round Pick into Kerryon and Dante Pettis somehow and get Lavon Coleman on Day 3 I’d be a very happy Boy! That would be a series Upgrade I feel!

    Go Hawks

  27. Greg Haugsven

    What do you guys think both offensive and defensive lines will look like in 2019? Not 2018 but 2019? My guess would be like this:

    Offensive: Brown, Odi, Britt, Pocic, Ifedi

    Defensive: Clark, Reed, Richardson, McDowell

    Whats your thoughts?

    • Rob Staton

      I think they’re higher on Joeckel than some fans/media.

      • Greg Haugsven

        Possibly, there will be limited cap space so it will be interesting to see where they spend it. This should be a fun couple of off seasons coming up.

  28. Ground_Hawk

    This article by Mookie Alexander, https://www.fieldgulls.com/2017/11/15/16653156/seattle-seahawks-turnovers-offense-please-score-more-touchdowns, addresses some issues with Seattle’s Red Zone inefficiencies. It basically highlights that after the Seattle defense forces a turnover that the Seahawks offense consistently leaves more points on the field than their opponents do in the same situation.

    What can they do to improve this area?

    • Greg Haugsven

      Stop sucking, hopefully Mike Davis can help a little bit. It might be wishful thinking but we will find out soon enough.

    • AlaskaHawk

      I am of the opinion that they need to hire a coach that can design passing plays. There is very little adjustment to the defense, especially in the first half. Lots of passing plays are closely covered. There are no screens, very few slants in the middle, and the tight ends are usually running routes like wide receivers instead of running 6 yards down field and turning to catch the ball, or continuing downfield to exploit the middle. Often the long touchdown attempts have two receivers in the same spot, is that by design???

      Since Seahawks are more of a passing team this year, I think it would help to find someone who is a pass first guy to design plays for them. Not a run first guy.

      • Greg Haugsven

        The screen play for sure is interesting. Carroll has really never used it and Holmgren didnt either. I saw a couple a few weeks ago, both to Rawls, one that worked and one he dropped.

      • 12th chuck

        I am not so sure we need a new o coordinator. It is on the players as well,drops on 3rd and long, get a good run and to have it called back due to a penalty, lets face it, Wilson shares some blame as well. I think the biggest negatives are the penalties and red zone efficiency. I am however in favor of more screen plays. whether it be to a running back or receiver. I am not so sure on zone blocking anymore. Our running backs are struggling to say the least, if it means going to a different scheme maybe its time we try. isn’t that the base of a west coast o is to throw short to open the long ball? I don’t think jimmy g is a good fit for this o. I am not sure how to measure how effective or decoy he is on the field.

    • mishima

      Keep working JFG + read option.

  29. drewdawg11

    For what it’s worth, the offense must be a priority this offseason for the simple fact that if they can possess the ball longer, the defense can breathe a little more. We do need to address the aging of some guys like KJ and Cliff, and how long does Kam have left? The point is, when these guys move on we will still have Russell Wilson and by that time, his speed and elusiveness will be somewhat diminished so they need to solidly the running game and make sure that he can be a pocket passer the majority of the time. A young, feature back combined with hopefully an improving line and they can get back to that physicality that made this team great. Penny, Johnson, whoever we can find to be that bell cow and possibly a speed back to team with Carson and all of a sudden people are scared of facing our offense, and then they can’t just tee off and Russell.

  30. Greg Haugsven

    Just wonder what will happen this off-season?

    UFA’s:

    S Richardson
    P Richardson
    J Graham
    L Willson
    L Joeckel
    E Lacy

    RFA’s:

    T Rawls
    J Coleman

    New Extension Candidates:

    F Clark
    T Lockett

    Old Extension Candidates:

    D Brown
    E Thomas
    R Sherman
    KJ Wright
    C Avril

    Trade/Release Candidates:

    J Lane
    R Sherman
    C Avril

    • Bigten

      wouldnt mind adding Michael Bennett to the possible trade list if you ask me

      • nichansen

        I’d love to trade Bennett. Over the hill.

    • Trevor

      It is going to be a very interesting off season I agree Greg. I think a lot depends on how they do the remainder of the year. A deep run or SB berth would likely result in the core being retained. A playoff miss or 1st round loss and I think we are in for big changes.

      I would like to see the following

      Sign UFA
      -S Richardson
      -P Rich on team friendly deal
      -L Willson on team friendly deal
      -Carlos Hyde

      Extensions
      -Brown
      *Frank Clark (This is a must)
      -E Thomas (if can help with cap)
      ?Maxwell or Shead or both (if Sherm released)
      ?Deion Jordan

      Let Walk / Release
      -Rawls
      -Lacy
      -Lane
      -Joeckel
      ?Sherm depends on play of Maxwell and Shead in this system opposite Q.Griffin
      ? Jimmy Graham (I would prefer they keep him some how but not sure how they get that done)
      ?Avril (I have a feeling he retires)

  31. Trevor

    Another great write up Rob. I don’t think there is any question the hawks address the RB in spot via both free agency and via the draft. As you have noted many times correctly when JS identifies a team need no GM in the league is more aggressive than he is in trying to address it.

    In an ideal world I would love to see Nelson to some how fall to us in round #1 and give us a perennial pro-bowler at LG. I think he can be that good. If Nelson is gone I hope we go pass rusher / LB with the first pick and then RB with the next pick.

    Of the guys I have seen and that you have hi-lighted the two guys that jump out at me that might be there in the late 2nd /3rd are Johnson and Rashaad Penny from SD St. I think either of these guys could come in and contribute Day #1.

    2018 Draft to fix running Game
    Rd #1 Quenton Nelson (Rd #1)
    Rd #4 Rashaad Penney or Kenyon Johnson or Royce Freeman
    *Remainder of draft developmental talent (LB, CB, TE)

    2018 Starting OL
    LT Brown (2yr Extension)
    LG Nelson (1st Rd Pick)
    C Justin Britt
    RG Pocic
    RT Ifedi

    A 2018 RB group
    -Chris Carson
    -Carlos Hyde (FA)
    -Rashaad Penny (3rd Rd Pick)
    -Mckissic or Prosise (Battle for 3rd down RB Spot)

  32. Trevor

    The loss of Sherm sucks as I still think he is a top 5 CB in the league and important in our scheme. I am however really curious to see how Lane and more importantly Maxi / Shead play in his absence.

    If Maxi or Shead on his return can step up and play at a high level I think one of them could earn an extension this off season and give the team a little leverage in dealing with Sherm.

    • cha

      Wouldn’t surprise me to see Sherman extended this offseason and they find a way to reduce his 2018 cap hit down from $13m.

      • Greg Haugsven

        Sherman for sure will be interesting. I could see a trade or an extension before he plays out the last year as is.

    • Volume12

      I like the Maxi signing because he’s familiar with the scheme, has had success playing in it, and here we are in week 11. But, I don’t think he’s going to be great for us or anything. He has struggled like no one else these past 2-3 years. Hope he proves me wrong.

  33. Volume12

    So people think the NFL ratings are struggling because of the players kneeling or whatever?

    The reason is pretty simple. This week we’re getting Ryan Fitzpatrick, Blake Bortles, Josh McCown, Kellen Clemens, Tom Savage, and Nathan Peterman as starting f***ing QBs in the year of our lord 2017.

    And speaking of Nathan Peterman. They’re benching Tyrod Taylor! The dude with the lowest average of INTs thrown in games in history? Seems reasonable.

    It’s the definition of ‘Check Engine light comes in car and you change the got damn tire.’

    • Volume12

      Put Tyrod on the Jags with Fournette behind him, grab a WR early in the draft, and we’re looking at a team that wins 11-12 games year in year out.

      • Ishmael

        😂 Are the Bills seriously starting Peterman? Yeah, Tyrod Taylor is absolutely the reason the Saints were able to clown you last week. What was it, 24 straight run plays in the second half? I hope he goes to the Jags and they stomp the AFC.

        • drewdawg11

          I think they just know that they aren’t paying Tyrod and they want to sss if the young guy has any juice. Their season really isn’t going anywhere as far as a title is concerned.

        • cha

          Two days after the Bills coach gave Taylor the dreaded ‘vote of confidence.’

          Taylor made not be a world-beater but Buffalo basically stumbled into a good quality QB and have tried their best to screw him up as much as possible.

          He could excel on a number of other teams next year. Jacksonville, Washington, Arizona, maybe even the NY Giants.

          • Greg Haugsven

            If Im Kirk Cousins, Jacksonville is looking good. They have alot of cap space to sign him.

    • cha

      Speaking of bad QB play, I was re-watching the 2012 Skins-Seahawks playoff game last night. The one on a pitiful excuse for a field in Washington.

      It’s nearly criminal what Shanahan did by keeping RG3 in the game. His knee wobbled and moved multiple times and he was clearly having trouble moving around. Kirk Cousins sitting there watching. Knee Whisperer Dr Andrews on the sideline, biting his nails with every offensive series.

      They had Alfred Morris running well and the defense was chasing RW all over the field.

      What stupidity. Lost the game and ruined the guy’s career.

      • Volume12

        100% ruined his career. Cut off his nose to spite his face.

  34. Volume12

    Remember when Seahawks twitter was triggered on draft day because the Hawks missed out on some CBs they liked and ended up with Shaq Griffin instead? Haha. Good times.

    • Forty20

      It was mostly the blowback from not drafting any of the talented UW backfield but it was entertaining, doubly so in hindsight. Griffin would be drawing a lot more hype outside of Seattle I feel if it weren’t for the ridiculous season that Lattimore is enjoying.

      I think the degree of difficulty for Griffin coming into Seattle is probably under rated as well. Yeah he has ETIII and Kam behind him but as the corner opposite Sherman teams have really gone after him as the ‘weak spot’ in the secondary and he has stood tall. Zero interceptions to his name is a deceptively unflattering statistic as well because he has been desperately close to quite a few turnovers.

      Given the awesome temperament Griffin has displayed to date I hope the injury to Sherman proves to be the making of Quill.

      • Volume12

        Shaq is outplaying all the Udub DBs. Sid hasn’t played yet so that remains to be seen. The Hawks are getting round 1 play out of a 3rd rounder.

        Never thought any of the Udub guys were a fit for Seattle. King a little because of his size profile, but he did not tackle well enough IMHO to be a Seahawk DB.

        LSU’s Donte ‘Cheetah’ Jackson and his 4.3 speed, physicality, and personality would be a much better fit for Seattle than Budda Baker would’ve been for example.

        Highlights (2016):
        https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5WxTfv_Dn1A

        • Kenny Sloth

          Tedric ‘wheres the ball’ Thompson tho /s

          • Volume12

            What about him?

            If they can’t re-sign McDougald they’ll need to address that FS spot somehow.

  35. RWIII

    Seattle NEEDS to steal a page from Bill Belichick’s playbook. The Patroits throw a ton of passes to their running backs. It’s interesting to note that the two teams in the Super Bowl (New England and Atlanta) threw a ton of passes to their running backs coming out of the backfield. Also Belichick is in LOVE with the two tight-end offense.

    • Forty20

      Mike Davis accidentally revealed in a preseason post-match interview the target Seattle has for running back receptions. I can’t recall it or find the interview after a very quick search but I think we are well below the figure that he let slip out. I think we had a goal/plan to utilise our running backs a lot more in the passing game but it hasn’t translated to the field for whatever reasons.

  36. 503Hawk

    What is the contract situation w/ Tyrod Taylor? Seems like he would be a great RW 2.0 for our backup QB.

    • East Side Stevie

      Na. Someone else will pick him up give him more money to be a starter.

  37. East Side Stevie

    Word around the campfire is Seattle is going to look at Kam Chancellor in 2 weeks and decide whether to IR him or not…. yikes! He likely misses Monday night against Atlanta. (Pretty nervous Duane Brown will also miss) Should get Earl and Joekel back though. I really hope Kam can make it through the testing and there isn’t any long term concern. God how sad would it be to lose Sherman and Chancellor to IR.

  38. GoHawks5151

    He was definitely the best back on the field during that game. What ever happened to Kamryn Pettway!? I think Johnson has a ton of potential and looks the part of a Seattle back. Don’t know why but he reminds me a bit of Matt Forte. Similar to Carson as well. Run game will be interesting next year. It seems like people are forgetting about Fant. Besides Britt everyone is looking at him and being the second best lineman on this line before injury. I would think they’d give him a strong chance at one of the tackle positions next year. Don’t know what that means for Ifedi

    • Kenny Sloth

      I think Ifedi could benefit from a move back to guard.

      Get him off that island and get his paws on guys

      • D-OZ

        +1

  39. Greg Haugsven

    Just remember the last two games a team went limping in. The Giants at the Broncos a month or so ago and the Redskins vs the Hawks just recently. Both wounded teams won. Hawks are limping in against the Falcons.

  40. Trevor

    The Huskies LB Victor was I guy I really liked priori to his injury last year. Thought he had 1st round talent to be honest.

    This year seems to be a disaster for him. First loosing his starting LB spot and then this DUI. I am not from he PMW so don’t have much insight into him off the field. Is this just a one of issue or does he have serious character issues?

    A lot of times players never really get back to being themselves till the 2nd year after an injury. Is he a guy the Hawks should consider if there in the mid rounds to add to the LB group and potential be our new SAM to add some youth along side KJ and Wags?

    • D-OZ

      Might be able to get him with a 7th rounder or even UFA now. IMO

      • Nathan W.

        Bonehead move… so much talent and potential. PC/JS haven’t shied away from potential character problems though… the talent there is undeniable if he can get his head straight.

  41. CDub

    Hey, how does everyone feel about Pettis as an NFL RB? He looks pretty good this year, but I don’t know if his skills “translate to the next level.”

    • SeaHusky

      At worst, I see him as a punt return specialist who can also play a little receiver.

      I think his skills will translate to the next level well at WR. He has size, good speed, and can consistently get nice separation from the DB. He’s too lanky to play RB.

  42. Millhouse-serbia

    Kam is out for.remainder of regular season.

    • Rob Staton

      This hasn’t been confirmed. Just twitter speculation for now.

  43. Drew G

    Kasen Williams released… Seahawks reunion possible?

    • East Side Stevie

      Yes Lawd!!!! We could activate him for the playoffs like we did so with Chris Mathews. Unless Kasen was released because of injuries. He has battled with those throughout his NFL career.

      • Drew G

        They reactivated Corey Coleman and needed a spot. Josh Gordon will probably be reactivated as well in the next few weeks for them so don’t see him being needed there any more

        • East Side Stevie

          I will find it interesting to see what the browns end up doing with Josh Gordon. How much juice will he have left? How will he act on a short leash this off season when there isn’t anyone to supervise him?

  44. East Side Stevie

    Rob are you hearing any rumblings or any inside scoops on the Duane Brown and Jarran Reed injuries? Also anything on Luke Joekel or Eddie Lacy?

    • Rob Staton

      No inside scoops I’m afraid — only Pete Carroll saying in his press conference that Reed has a chance to play on Monday and Brown is a game time decision. Lacy practising and Joeckel hoping too by the end of the week.

  45. 503Hawk

    Got this from some national mock draft site.
    Because the Hawks don’t have their 2nd or 3rd, you know they will trade down to get some picks back. We also know its extremely unlikely that they draft a CB in the 1st round.

    BUT… If Mayfield is there when they pick… I would pick him in a heart beat!!!

    22. Seattle Seahawks | Josh Jackson | CB | Iowa

    Richard Sherman will turn 30 this offseason, and will be coming off a major injury, making corner their biggest need after they found a left tackle via trade. Jackson is one of the hottest prospects in the country after a dominant stretch over the past few weeks, where he’s shown off his combination of size, athleticism and nose for the big play.

    23. Jacksonville Jaguars | Baker Mayfield | QB | Oklahoma

    • East Side Stevie

      I don’t think they draft Mayfield at all. There’s a video of him running from the cops lol. Not exactly a seahawks QB. Not to mention why would you look at QB before Round 3 if he is going to be a backup. The seahawks would rather have a veteran as a backup, then an unproven 23 year old college prospect.

      As for Josh Jackson word around the camp fire is he isn’t declaring for the draft. He wants to return to Iowa for his Senior year like Desmond King did. Plus I’m not sure Seattle would take him any earlier than a late 3rd. We don’t know his arm length or how he will test athletically.

      • 503Hawk

        East Side…
        The above will never happen, but think outside the box.
        Either you trade that pick IF Mayfield falls to you, or you draft and then trade. Again, that scenario will never happen anyway. (Kind of like “Draft Day” the movie)

© 2024 Seahawks Draft Blog

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑