.@PeteCarroll agrees to a 3-year contract extension with #Seahawks.http://t.co/HIlb4Ru5zh

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 4, 2014

I remember the day the Seahawks fired Jim Mora.

Seattle had just finished the 2009 season with a 5-11 record. Among the eleven defeats were several blow outs — including games that were over long before half time.

The Seahawks had no real identity. For all of Mora’s enthusiasm, his brand of football was non-specific. The key component to the offense was ‘balance’. Defensively it was just a bland 4-3 at a time when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens were dominating the AFC with aggressive and creative 3-4 schemes.

Players were going on radio shows mouthing off about the dynamic in the team. In Mora’s end of season press conference he refused to pinpoint any issues — simply repeating they’d assess everything.

When asked what positives he could build around — he name-checked the punter.

The Seahawks were irrelevant.

Forcing a new GM to inherit Mora as Head Coach felt like an exercise in futility. They had to break free, take the hit and find a fresh vision for this team.

On the 8th January 2010, “Jim Mora fired by the Seahawks” rolled across my Rotoworld timeline (in the days before Twitter, of course).

It was exciting because it showed mediocrity wasn’t acceptable to this franchise.

But not as exciting as the news that would break an hour or two later.

The Seahawks were going after Pete Carroll.

Forget the success at USC, the ‘big name’ hire and the end of the muddled Mora era (such as it was).

The best thing about Carroll was his strong vision. He knew what he wanted to do and how to implement his plan.

The Seahawks had direction again.

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December 12th, 2010.

Debilitating. Hopeless. Gut wrenching.

A Seahawks team that had scratched its way to 6-6 were shredded by a 4-8 San Francisco outfit.

It was a game Fox Sports cared so little about, they were willing to experiment with a backing track during the broadcast. After every snap, a drum beat played over the announcers to try and force some excitement into what the rest of the country saw as a mediocre contest.

(Imagine if they tried that now for a Seahawks/49ers encounter?)

The game finished 40-21 to the Niners. The size of the task facing Pete Carroll was never more ominous.

A now 35-year-old Matt Hasselbeck threw four lousy interceptions and lost a fumble. Michael Robinson was Seattle’s most productive running back with 33 yards rushing.

Ruvell Martin was the teams leading receiver with 75 yards. Aaron Curry led the team in tackles.

The Seahawks didn’t force a single turnover in the game, with Alex Smith slicing and dicing his way to three touchdowns.

The score was 40-7 heading into the final quarter. A Leon Washington kick return and a late Deon Butler touchdown added some gloss to a miserable day.

Carroll had a turnover machine at quarterback, a festering stench of a running attack and an impotent defense.

It was a horror show — and the Seahawks were a million miles away from the Super Bowl.

The only building blocks they had were players drafted in Carroll and John Schneider’s first class. Russell Okung and Earl Thomas showed promise — while a young special teams stand-out called Kam Chancellor was creating a stir with his effort and application.

The new regime inherited a mess. I’m not sure non-Seahawks fans realise just how bad the situation was.

They were expansion-franchise ugly by the end of 2009. As Kenneth Arthur points out, Seattle were 29th for DVOA in 2009 and 30th in 2010.

In 2012 and 2013, they ranked #1 in DVOA.

If you’d have told me after that San Francisco game in 2010 that this team was three years away from getting to the Super Bowl — I wouldn’t have believed it. No way.

And that’s why Carroll’s work should be praised and celebrated among the greatest jobs ever by any coach, GM or owner.

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Gratitude to @PaulGAllen, the @Seahawks, and our coaches & players for this special opportunity to be here. So humbled & fortunate. #GoHawks

— Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) April 4, 2014

It’s not just the way this team has been built, because a lot of the credit there must be shared with Schneider. No other team in the league has managed to discover the following within four drafts:

– A franchise quarterback in the third round

– A shutdown, elite corner in the 5th round

– The best strong safety in the NFL in the 5th round

– An elite running back and tone setter for a trade worth little more than a 4th rounder

They also crafted the deepest and classiest roster in the league, aided by multiple hits in the later rounds or undrafted free agency. How many other teams can win the Super Bowl when their two most explosive players (in Seattle’s case, Christine Michael and Percy Harvin) are sat on the bench or in the treatment room for most of the year?

Seattle really left no stone unturned in piecing this together. They rejected conventional wisdom. They did it their way.

It’s not just about acquiring talent and hitting on draft picks. It’s about developing talent. Carroll put together a staff who are adept at getting the best out of their young players.

While the rest of the league now scrambles to mimic the current World Champions — all will fail unless they re-create the systems in place to develop their talent. It’s not just about drafting tall, long athletes to play in the secondary. That’s the smallest part of the team building exercise.

The key is what you do with those players when they enter the building. And that’s where Carroll wins.

He is a fantastic coach. And while someone like Bill Belichick continues to receive most of the plaudits (and rightly so) — you also have to note the decline in New England’s defensive performance in recent years. Belichick, by nature, is a defensive coach.

I doubt you’ll ever see Carroll’s defensive backs or defense in general play lousy football. If there’s one guarantee you’ll get from this group, it’s fine secondary play. That’s Carroll’s forte.

It won’t matter if defensive coordinators move on, or other coaches. While ever Carroll is part of this franchise you should expect high standards on defense. It’s his project, he is pulling the strings.

Today’s announcement of a new contract isn’t necessarily a surprise, but it’s the best news anyone in Seattle could’ve asked for this off-season.

The Seahawks are fortunate to have Carroll. They’re fortunate to have the ‘Win Forever’ vision. And they’re fortunate that there’s going to be at least three more draft classes that benefit from his wisdom.

***********************

Why three years?

That was the question both Schneider and Carroll had to dodge in the press conference and then an appearance on Brock and Danny shortly after.

When news of an extension broke I think most people expected at least a five-year deal. Carroll’s a young 62 — and the Seahawks have an opportunity over the next decade to win multiple Championships.

Three years just seems a little… short.

I wouldn’t read too much into it though and I certainly wouldn’t fear it’ll be three and out by 2016.

Carroll w/ @IanKJR & @JasonPuckettKJR says he'd like to coach past the 3 yr deal. Says it does not signal an end to his career. #Seahawks

— Sports Radio KJR (@SportsRadioKJR) April 4, 2014

This might just be an exercise in Carroll keeping his options open. He doesn’t need long term job security. And I doubt he has much interest in being tied down for the rest of his working life.

By the end of 2016 he might feel like he prefers another challenge in football. Or he might want to do something completely different.

Or he might just sign another three year extension. I don’t even think Carroll himself knows where his head will be in a few years time.

I’ve already seen people speculating on Twitter about what will or won’t happen. Why even have that debate? Pete Carroll will be the Seahawks coach for at least another three years — maybe longer.

Even when he leaves — almost certainly to return to L.A. or Southern Cal in some capacity or another — it doesn’t mean Russell Wilson, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman also automatically move on.

Today is a day for celebration. Big Balls Pete is staying put. That’s all that matters.

***********************

Carroll isn’t just a Super Bowl winning coach. He’s an inspirational public speaker with a message that goes far beyond a football locker room.

A lot of what he teaches his players can be installed into everyday life. I suspect that’ll be his next challenge and project — installing Win Forever into a broader non-sporting universe, further growing projects like ‘A Better L.A.’ and inspiring a new generation of young people to achieve their potential.

He recently returned to USC to conduct a seminar at the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. There’s a few Seahawks-nuggets in this session, but more than anything it’s a great insight into Win Forever and how it can be used in a non-football environment.

I’d recommend watching all two hours if you have the time.

	#1 Blake Bortles (QB, UCF) He’s elusive for a 4.93 runner. He extends plays. Bortles is a very creative quarterback. Houston’s offense is set up for a big rebound year if they find a solution here.

	TRADE #2 Jadeveon Clowney (DE, South Carolina) Doesn’t it just seem inevitable? The Falcons move up for Clowney. The Rams are happy to deal down.

	#3 Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A&M) The ultra competitive Manziel fits Gus Bradley’s approach perfectly. The Jaguars need someone who can come in and elevate this team. Manziel can be that guy.

	#4 Greg Robinson (T, Auburn) Just take the best player on the board. Robinson would dominate at right tackle or guard. Make the offensive line your identity and run the ball.

	#5 Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson) The best receiver prospect to enter the league since A.J. Green and Julio Jones. You can build around a talent like this.

	TRADE #6 Khalil Mack (OLB, Buffalo) When’s the last time a Jeff Fisher team spent a high pick on the offensive line? Mack can play linebacker and create a terrifying triple-threat attack rushing the passer.

	#7 Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M) Josh McCown had Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey last year. If they’ve signed McCown to start, give him Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans this year.

	#8 Aaron Donald (DT, Pittsburgh) He won countless awards in college, had major production and lit up the combine. Mike Zimmer might see Geno Atkins in Donald.

	#9 Jake Matthews (T, Texas A&M) This would be good value for the Bills, who can start Matthews at right tackle.

	#10 Marqise Lee (WR, USC) Matt Stafford throwing to Megatron, Golden Tate and Marqise Lee. That’s how you kick start this team. Get a cornerback in round two.

	#11 Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan) Some believe he’s a bit of a phony tough guy. Others really like him. It’s worth a shot here.

	#12 Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State) Finding a big target for Eli Manning has to be a priority. Benjamin oozes potential, even with those inconsistent hands.

	#13 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S, Alabama) They need to keep adding talent to their secondary. This would make a lot of sense here.

	#14 Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville) They’ve added Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen up front, now they need to improve the secondary. A bit of a reach.

	#15 Odell Beckham Jr (WR, LSU) Receiver is now a big need for the Steelers. They need someone who can come in and have a quick impact. Out of all the WR’s in this class, Beckham Jr is best served to hit the ground running.

	#16 Anthony Barr (DE, UCLA) I wouldn’t draft Barr this early, but the Cowboys are stuck without moving up or down. After bringing in Henry Melton, they need an edge rusher. They have no alternative.

	#17 Joel Bitonio (T, Nevada) While the rest of the league sleeps on this guy, a smart team like Baltimore will add a legit top-20 prospect.

	#18 Eric Ebron (TE, North Carolina) The Jets need to add a receiver or a tight end here. If Ebron lasts this long, he’s an option. They should keep adding weapons on offense.

	#19 Zack Martin (G, Notre Dame) An absolutely superb tackle in college, but expected to move to guard in the NFL. Could play left guard next to Brandon Albert.

	#20 Ra’Shede Hageman (DT, Minnesota) They don’t have a lot of remaining needs — apart from finding a long term answer at quarterback. Even so, Hageman is a value pick at this point. They can add a developmental QB later.

	#21 Ryan Shazier (LB Ohio State) Green Bay’s defense is too slow, too sluggish and doesn’t have enough playmakers. A linebacker like Shazier can help take this unit away from total mediocrity.

	#22 Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State) A physical corner who plays with an edge. Good blitzer. Philly wants tough football players on defense and this fills a big need.

	#23 Donte Moncrief (WR, Ole Miss) He’s a big time athlete with good size. Kansas City needs a sparky receiver like this. His best football will come in the NFL.

	#24 C.J. Mosley (LB, Alabama) Linebacker and cornerback are the big needs here. Although they need to do their homework on Teddy Bridgewater. Do you really want to pay Andy Dalton?

	#25 Louis Nix (DT, Notre Dame) They need to bring in a nose tackle. Nix isn’t Dontari Poe or B.J. Raji in terms of athleticism, but he can hold the point and absorb blockers.

	#26 Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State) I think they’ll be happy to wait until round two for a quarterback. They have the #35 pick. We always expect teams to move up for a QB and it never happens.

	#27 Morgan Moses (T, Virginia) New Orleans can’t afford to mess around at left tackle any more. Moses deserves a chance to start on the blind side.

	#28 Brandon Thomas (T, Clemson) I’m not sure how Carolina has allowed a situation to occur where they’re suddenly desperate at receiver and the offensive line.

	#29 Martavis Bryant (WR, Clemson) He has a little Randy Moss to his game. Bryant would provide an explosive X-factor to the Pats offense.

	#30 Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State) Nearly benched last season and overrated after a great combine. The Niners can afford to take a chance on this gambler with their dominant front seven.

	#31 Chris Borland (LB, Wisconsin) Denver needs a tone setter. A leader. A guy who flies around. This would be a smart move. You want this guy on your team.

	#32 Cody Latimer (WR, Indiana) Competes for the ball in the air, runs in the 4.4′s, possesses strong hands and run blocks superbly.

Round two

#33 Houston Texans — Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State)
#34 Washington Redskins — Jimmie Ward (S, Northern Illinois)
#35 Cleveland Browns — Derek Carr (QB, Fresno State)
#36 Oakland Raiders — Stephon Tuitt (DE, Notre Dame)
#37 Atlanta Falcons — Jace Amaro (TE, Texas Tech)
#38 Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Timmy Jernigan (DT, Florida State)
#39 Jacksonville Jaguars — Jarvis Landry (WR, LSU)
#40 Minnesota Vikings — Zach Mettenberger (QB, LSU)
#41 Buffalo Bills — Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers)
#42 Tennessee Titans — Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Louisville)
#43 New York Giants — Kony Ealy (DE, Missouri)
#44 St. Louis Rams — Xavier Su’a-Filo (G, UCLA)
#45 Detroit Lions — Kyle Fuller (CB, Virginia Tech)
#46 Pittsburgh Steelers — Jason Verrett (CB, TCU)
#47 Dallas Cowboys — Demarcus Lawrence (DE, Boise State)
#48 Baltimore Ravens — Marcus Smith (OLB, Louisville)
#49 New York Jets — Davante Adams (WR, Fresno State)
#50 Miami Dolphins — Ja’Wuan James (T, Tennessee)
#51 Chicago Bears — Stanley Jean-Baptiste (CB, Nebraska)
#52 Arizona Cardinals — Antonio Richardson (T, Tennessee)
#53 Green Bay Packers — Allen Robinson (WR, Penn State)
#54 Philadelphia Eagles — Dee Ford (DE, Auburn)
#55 Cincinnati Bengals — Marcus Roberson (CB, Florida)
#56 San Francisco 49ers — Bruce Ellington (WR, South Carolina)
#57 San Diego Chargers — Jeremiah Attaochu (OLB, Georgia Tech)
#58 New Orleans Saints — Jordan Matthews (WR, Vanderbilt)
#59 Indianapolis Colts — Deone Bucannon (S, Washington State)
#60 Carolina Panthers — Cyrus Kouandjio (T, Alabama)
#61 San Francisco 49ers — Marcus Martin (C, USC)
#62 New England Patriots — Troy Niklas (TE, Notre Dame)
#63 Denver Broncos — Gabe Jackson (G, Mississippi State)
#64 Seattle Seahawks — Brent Urban (DT, Virginia)

– I’ve included one trade this week. I think it’s almost inevitable we’ll see a deal between St. Louis and Atlanta. Thomas Dimitroff and Les Snead are close. Not just in a football sense — they both have ridiculous hair. The Falcons go up to add Clowney, the Rams fall back and play the percentages. One thing worth noting — Jeff Fisher never invested a great deal of draft stock in his offensive line during the Tennessee days. Don’t be shocked if he goes in a different direction here. They’re already paying big money to Jake Long and Roger Saffold.

– I have nine receivers going in the first round. Not a single one is a reach in my opinion. Nine offensive linemen went in the first round last year — this really isn’t any different. It’s a fantastic group of receivers. Simple as that.

– Cody Latimer is this weeks #32. He’s a freakish athlete with basketball skills, he’s a terrific run blocker and he competes for the ball in the air. If you want to take shots downfield he’s got the 4.4 speed to run by defensive backs and the strong hands to win contested passes.

– Any team that gets Brent Urban late in the second round needs to get the champagne out. If the injury issues this off-season lead to a fall, it’ll be a crying shame. A smart team will capitalise.

– Joel Bitonio goes at #17 to Baltimore. He’s a legit top-20 player for me and the Ravens always seem to draft the players I bang on about (Courtney Upshaw, Jimmy Smith, Arthur Brown). Joking aside,  check out this interview with Bitonio for an insight into the man. Athletic bloodlines, incredible combine, excellent tape, flawless character. He’s everything you want in a first round pick. It’ll be nice if he lasts until #32.

– I didn’t deliberately avoid the offensive line for Seattle. What we see here is a very real scenario — a handful of options leave the board before #32 (Bitonio, Moses, Thomas) and the same thing happens at #64 (James, Richardson). You can’t fight the board — and it could mean an OL-heavy end to the draft as Tom Cable goes through his late-round list.

Tom cable now taking over offensive line drills #hoss pic.twitter.com/4EiC3lyL6q

— Jordan Dajani™ (@JDnumba3) April 2, 2014

It’s not uncommon to see Seattle coaches attending a pro-day.

Today John Schneider, Pete Carroll, Darrell Bevell and Kippy Brown all attended the Washington event. As far as I’m aware, Carroll and Schneider have consistently attended the Huskies pro-day.

But Tom Cable was extremely active in Tennessee’s work out this afternoon, having a good long look at tackle duo Antonio Richardson and Ja’Wuan James.

There’s a difference between mere attendance and helping conduct the work out.

For all we know Cable was invited to run through a session because he’s a respected offensive line coach with a strong reputation. Likewise some people might speculate this is some kind of elaborate smokescreen.

I think the truth is he probably just went to have a closer look at both players. Nothing more, nothing less. No conspiracy theory needed.

Richardson is massive at 6-5 and 336lbs. He has 35 inch arms. At the combine he struggled badly during drills, particularly in the kick slide and mirror. He just looked incredibly sluggish all round and there were also reports of a lingering knee issue.

On the field at Tennessee he was a classic underachiever. Some people suggested he was holding back for the draft. You could definitely make that argument watching him play. His effort was up and down, he didn’t finish blocks and for all his mountainous size — he never made it count.

And yet a coach like Cable probably sees pure potential. If the Seahawks want to win getting off the bus — a lineman with Richardson’s size makes a statement.

He’ll want to know exactly what he can and can’t do. Is there enough evidence to feel like you can mould him into a productive starter? Can you get his fire burning? Or is it just too much work?

Cable, like the rest of Seattle’s staff, is all about development. Richardson has oozed upside throughout his college career — even if he never dominated in the SEC.

James also boasts intriguing size at 6-6, 311lbs and again 35 inch arms. He started at right tackle at Tennessee, with Richardson on the left.

In some ways he had the more impressive college career. He’s more polished and requires less technical improvement. While the upside isn’t anywhere near as high, James is more of a plug-in-and-play prospect. He carries less risk — he’s mature, composed and established. But he has a much lower ceiling overall.

He’s a little bit finesse at times. You’re not talking about a great run blocker — he’s better as a pass protector. He doesn’t bust a gut to get to the second level and his footwork can be sluggish at times.

I’ve seen both players graded anywhere from rounds 2-4. We should expect the Seahawks to take multiple offensive linemen in the draft — even if they go in a different direction at #32.

Here’s some tape vs Alabama from 2013:

You can’t often say with a high degree of surety that a minimum of five receivers will go in the first round of a draft.

This year it’s almost guaranteed.

Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Marqise Lee, Odell Beckham Jr, Kelvin Benjamin.

Not even the most sceptical of pundits is likely to deny this quintet a day one projection.

Even Benjamin’s critics will probably accept he’s unlikely to get past Seattle at #32 as a worst case scenario.

It’s likely he’ll be long gone before the Seahawks are on the clock.

The quality isn’t restricted to five players either.

The 6th-8th best receivers in this class are better (again in my opinion) than the #2 defensive tackle, the #2 defensive end, the #2 offensive guard, the #2 safety and all of the cornerbacks and running backs.

In several cases you’d have to really fight the board to go in a different direction.

There’s a strong chance eight or nine receivers will be drafted in the first round. I could be proven wrong on that. But I don’t think there’s a better way to begin making my case than stating the belief that the 2014 receivers are just better than most of the other players in this class.

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Detroit’s biggest needs are at cornerback and safety. Assuming they don’t trade the #10 pick, what are they likely to do?

Reach for a cornerback? Reach for a safety?

Or look into the possibility of adding another top receiver to create a formidable passing attack?

The signing of Golden Tate alone doesn’t address Detroit’s substantial need to provide better support to Calvin Johnson. Remember, this is a team making the passing game the focal point of everything they do. That’s why they appointed Jim Coldwell. They’re going to throw a ton of passes, so having multiple weapons at receiver will be crucial.

They need another receiver. One more. Imagine trying to stop Megatron, Tate and one of the top receivers in this draft? It’d be a match-up nightmare and that’s Detroit’s best way to become a forceful opponent.

Draft Tek uses a team of projectionists to judge needs for each franchise.

The site lists ‘speed receiver’ as a ‘P3′ need for Detroit. Here’s what P3 means in the Draft Tek system:

“In need of starting caliber talent, but will not reach for it. Some teams use a “best available player” draft discipline, this fits the P3 code well.”

So essentially they’re saying if BPA is a ‘speed receiver’ at #10, there’s every chance they’ll go in that direction.

I’ve been projecting Marqise Lee to the Lions. While he’s not a 4.3 type runner, he’s a brilliant and competitive athlete capable of creating separation downfield and winning with yards after the catch. A lot of people have soured on Lee after a difficult 2013 season, but I’d recommend watching his 2012 tape. Go and see what he’s capable of when teamed with a competent quarterback.

Imagine the 2012 version of Lee as part of a dynamic triple-threat Lions attack at receiver. It’s a staggering proposition.

And then consider the alternatives. Reaching for a good but not great Ha Ha Clinton Dix with the 10th pick in the draft. Going after Justin Gilbert — who ticks a lot of athletic boxes but was almost benched for bad play by Oklahoma State.

This would be the very definition of fighting the board. Unless Detroit can find a deal to move down, drafting Lee at #10 just provides better value and still addresses a position of need.

They could look at cornerbacks like Jason Verrett or Kyle Fuller in round two, while monitoring safety’s like Deone Bucannon, Jimmie Ward and Terrence Brooks.

I suspect the Lions will be a much better football team if they go Lee, Fuller and Bucannon (for example) instead of a cornerback at #10 and then hoping there’s no great rush on receivers before they pick in round two.

Detroit won’t be the only team faced with such a conundrum. Passing on a 2014 receiver in the first round will be the toughest decision many GM’s make this year.

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One other note from the Draft Tek projector — 14 teams have ‘featured wide receiver’ listed as a P2 or P3. Eight list ‘speed receiver’ with the same status.

P2 is stated as, “in great need of starting calliber talent and will reach to fill the need.”

Seven teams, according to Draft Tek, would be willing to reach for a featured receiver. Let’s look at each one and see what Draft Tek considers a comparable need:

Buffalo Bills
Draft Tek needs: WR, RT, TE
The Bills could legitimately go for Taylor Lewan or Eric Ebron at #9. However, both players made headlines for the wrong reasons recently (Lewan, Ebron). Even so, I think there’s as much chance Buffalo goes for a tackle as they do a receiver. Lewan has a desirable skill set. But you also have to consider the value of taking a right tackle in the top ten versus a game-changing receiver.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Draft Tek needs: WR, DE, QB
The age of Chris Clemons and Jason Babin plus the availability of Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack could make this a no brainer. Ditto if the Jaguars have fallen for a quarterback and want to take one at #3. But what if a team trades above them to get Clowney or their chosen QB? Is Mack a scheme fit? Sammy Watkins could become a legit option for the Jaguars, particularly if they plan to draft a quarterback later. But I’m still expecting to see Clowney or a QB in round one.

Kansas City Chiefs
Draft Tek needs: WR, FS, CB, G
The Chiefs lost Dexter McCluster and were publicly frustrated when Emmanuel Sanders snubbed them for the Broncos. Dwayne Bowe has been a big disappointment after signing his new contract. They’re thin at receiver and have a quarterback who relies on playmakers. While they have needs at safety and corner, they also have good starters in place already (Brandon Flowers, Eric Berry). It’d make a ton of sense to get a receiver at #23.

New York Jets
Draft Tek needs: WR, TE, OLB, FS, CB
For too long the Jets have been a mess on offense. They’ve lacked an identity, they’ve switched offensive coordinators regularly. Now they’re letting Geno Smith and Michael Vick battle for a starting job. Whoever wins that particular competition needs better weapons. Eric Decker alone is simply not enough. Rex Ryan’s defense was good enough last season to compete, and it’ll be no different this year. They must get either a dynamic tight end or a top receiver at #18.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Draft Tek needs: WR, CB, RB
In the last year they’ve lost Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders. The depth at cornerback in this draft means they can address that need in round two. They should also be able to find a running back later — although the recent addition of LeGarrette Blount takes the pressure off there. They’re perfectly placed to grab a receiver at #15 and will have some good options in that spot.

Seattle Seahawks
Draft Tek needs: WR, RT, DT
I think there’s every chance Seattle considers an offensive lineman early, but I also suspect Tom Cable’s list of late round options will be ready and waiting if the board goes in a different direction. They’ve lost Sidney Rice and Golden Tate, while Doug Baldwin is a free agent next year. Adding a receiver at #32 and getting them on a cheap deal for five years appears increasingly desirable. Much will depend on where the greatest value lies.

St. Louis Rams
Draft Tek needs: WR, OLB, FS, CB, G
Quotes from the Rams front office seemed to play down the likelihood of a receiver being drafted early. It’s only a year ago that they spent a top ten pick on Tavon Austin. They also invested a high second rounder in Brian Quick. It’d actually make a lot of sense for the Rams to add another receiver — it’s still a need and they’re well placed at #2 and #13 to get a really good one. And yet oddly they might bypass the position with both of their first round picks. Signing Kenny Britt today on a one-year deal decreases the chances they’ll take a receiver early.

When you break it down there are probably only two out of the seven with a very high probability of going receiver. Seattle’s decision will depend on what’s left with the final pick in round one. There’s a strong possibility Jacksonville and St. Louis don’t take a receiver in the first round.

However — for me it’s not a case of needing 7-8 teams who must get a receiver at all costs in order for that many to go in round one. This is about value.

I suspect it’s the teams without a defining need at the position that’ll push the first round quota beyond a normal rate. Simply because the players available are too good to pass.

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It’s kind of strange that while this receiver class is universally regarded as very deep, quite a few players (in my opinion) are still underrated.

I wrote a piece about Donte Moncrief last week. Here’s a section from the piece: “I suspect some teams are going to look at the 2012 tape and really buy into this guy. He could easily be the 3rd or 4th receiver on a few draft boards. The national pundits aren’t really discussing this, but for me he could easily be a first round pick. Easily.”

There really hasn’t been much national discussion about Moncrief at all. Or Martavis Bryant. Or Cody Latimer.

Compare this to some of the other players who are clinging to high grades.

Scouts Inc via ESPN still rank C.J. Mosley as a top-10 player in the draft. I like Mosley. But he’s a health risk, doesn’t play in a premium position and is he really one of the ten best available prospects in this great draft?

Dee Ford and Jeremiah Attaochu are also given first round grades. Ford looks like a one-dimensional speed rusher with limited upside. I’d second-guess taking him in round two. He struggled badly against Alabama in 2013 and against Texas A&M’s Cedric Ogbuehi. Attaochu was shut down by Morgan Moses — the best opponent he faced last season.

Timmy Jernigan is one of those players who’s been in the first round discussion since forever — but has anyone ever offered a convincing argument as to why? And what has Louis Nix done since the 2012 college season to justify a slot in the first frame?

Scouts Inc lists just five receivers in their top-32. I’m absolutely positive teams won’t view Ford and Attaochu higher than the likes of Kelvin Benjamin or Moncrief.

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One opinion I’ve seen is that a deep draft at receiver will allow teams to look at other options in round one.

I think it might be the other way around.

You can afford to get your receiver early, then go back and fill other needs later.

You’re not going to find many teams scrambling to draft an edge rusher once Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack are off the board. Anthony Barr has serious bust potential, while players such as Kony Ealy and Dee Ford, as discussed above, are simply overrated.

And yet there are several options later on that are enticing, such as Louisville’s brilliant Marcus Smith or Boise State’s Demarcus Lawrence.

We’ll see two or three cornerbacks go in round one, but there’s enough depth to see you through into round four.

There’s also depth on the offensive line, depth at quarterback, a lot of the running backs will last until the middle rounds.

Any team that really values the receivers in this draft won’t necessarily say, “It’s OK — we’ll get one later.” They might be saying instead, “Let’s get our receiver now from the elite group — because the value’s there and we know we can fill other needs later.”

****************

I sat down tonight and wrote down all of the players I felt deserved genuine first round grades.

Here’s a breakdown of the numbers per position:

QB — 1
RB — 0
WR — 7
OT — 5
OG — 1
C — 0

DT — 1
DE — 1
OLB — 2
MLB — 0
CB — 1
S — 1

I didn’t include any prospects I considered fringe first/second round players and seriously erred on the side of caution — including at receiver.

Now of course there are more than 20 players I’d consider drafting in the first round (and more than seven receivers). I was deliberately strict for the purpose of this article.

I wasn’t surprised, however, that the strength of the draft appeared to be at receiver and offensive tackle.

So while the likes of Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack are certain to go in round one, there’s every chance teams will have a similar looking tally themselves. And if the best players on the board are at receiver, why would you fight against it? Especially if you need a receiver?

There’s around 19 teams in the first round who are likely to consider drafting a receiver. Not all of them will, but there’s something of a perfect storm emerging where supply matches high demand.

****************

The Seahawks picking at #32 also adds a unique angle to this debate.

This is a team that has so far ignored conventional wisdom and media scrutiny to basically do as it pleases.

They were willing to take the next best offensive lineman on their board in 2011. They identified a specific scheme-fit pass rusher in 2012. They wanted a tackle and a safety in 2010.

They’re willing to aggressively address a need in the draft. They’ve targeted players or positions for specific rounds.

For example, it seems they knew they wanted to take Bruce Irvin, a linebacker and Russell Wilson with their first three picks before the 2012 draft even began.

They look for the best possible way to upgrade the roster based on what they already have at their disposal. They don’t just sit there with a list of names ranked accordingly. They appear to be very specific with the positions they target.

If they go into this draft thinking, “we want to get a receiver” — they’ll do it if the right fit is there. It doesn’t matter if five, six, seven or eight wide outs are off the board by #32. If there’s a player who fits what they’re looking for, they’ll take him.

I could just as easily see the Seahawks gratefully accepting Odell Beckham Jr or Kelvin Benjamin at #32 as I can see them getting panned for ‘reaching’ on a Cody Latimer or Brandon Coleman.

So even if a lot of receivers leave the board before Seattle’s pick, there’s always the chance one more will be taken to end day one.

****************

For whatever it’s worth, this is my top twelve at the position right now. There’s no particular order, even if Watkins, Evans and Lee are at the top.

Click on each players name for a highlight video.

1. Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson)
2. Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M)
3. Marqise Lee (WR, USC)
4. Odell Beckham Jr (WR, LSU)
5. Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State)
6. Donte Moncrief (WR, Ole Miss)
7. Martavis Bryant (WR, Clemson)
8. Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State)
9. Cody Latimer (WR, Indiana)
10. Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers)
11. Jarvis Landry (WR, LSU)
12. Bruce Ellington (WR, South Carolina)

Zach Kerr is one of those players who started the post-season well, and just kept building momentum.

It started at the Shrine game where according to Tony Pauline, Kerr, “was explosive and showed a variety of skill.”

He tested well at the combine, running a 5.08 at 6-1 and 326lbs. Pauline again singled him out for praise, listing him among his top defensive risers in Indianapolis: “He moved well in position drills showing not just straight line speed, but lateral quickness and the ability to easily change direction.”

At his pro-day on March 18th, the Seahawks sent their defensive line coaches to get a closer look.

In the video above you see flashes of quality. He can collapse the pocket, work into the backfield and make splash plays. He’s got a relentless attitude, the motor keep running until the whistle. There’s enough burst there to think he can have an impact at the next level.

He also has fairly long arms for his height (nearly 33 inches).

I’m away with work until Sunday night so unfortunately I’ve had to keep this brief. The Seahawks are likely to be searching for depth on the defensive line and Kerr’s one to keep an eye on in the mid-to-late rounds.

I’d encourage everyone to check out this article by Cablinasian at Field Gulls.

The Seahawks take SPARQ seriously. It’s a calculation of different variables (40 time, three cone, vertical, broad jump, bench press, height, weight) to provide one overall score.

Until this year, Nike had an online calculator that worked out SPARQ scores with relative ease. It’s no longer available, so Cablinasian has put together his own formula (calling it rSPARQ) so we can review the 2014 receivers.

To see the grid listing all the players and their projected scores, click here.

Unsurprisingly, Jeff Janis is ranked at #1 and it aint close. If anyone ‘won’ the combine, it was Janis.

Height/weight: 6-3, 219lbs
40 yard dash: 4.42
Vertical: 37.5 inches
Broad jump: 10.3
Three cone: 6.64
Short shuttle: 3.98
Bench press: 20 reps

Janis’ rSPARQ score is 137.4 — 5.5 points higher than the second placed receiver (Brandin Cooks).

He’s an incredible athlete, certainly the type Seattle is unlikely to ignore.

But working out how he fits into the 2014 draft is incredibly difficult.

He played at Saginaw Valley State, so he’s a small school player. It’ll be a steep learning curve when he gets into training camp — and even with incredible athletic skills, you’re never really sure how a guy like this will adapt.

He could fit like a glove, thrive on the improved competition and work to develop as quickly as possible. Or he could just be completely out of his depth.

He’ll be a 23-year-old rookie in 2014.

If you’re so inclined you can watch over 45 minutes of coaches copy tape on Janis to get a feel for the type of player he is:

He has small hands (9 inches) and it tends to show up on tape with some clumsy drops. His catching technique could use some work — he doesn’t really attack the ball in the air and he’s not a reliable catcher in traffic.

Having said that, there are some eye-catching grabs too and he’s a legit deep threat.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if someone like Seattle took a chance on him in the round five range with the idea of red shirting him for a year.

Looking at the rest of the rSPARQ scores, Brandin Cooks (131.9), Martavis Bryant (127.4), Donte Moncrief (122.0) and Odell Beckham Jr (120.1) all score highly. There’s a genuine chance all four could go in the first round — or at least the top forty.

I also find it interesting that Kelvin Benjamin and Brandon Coleman are right next to each other on the list (Coleman — 106.6, Benjamin — 104.1).

It really makes you wonder what Coleman’s stock would be like if he had Jameis Winston throwing the ball instead of Gary Nova.

Manziel madness

Here’s Ron Jaworski, praising Johnny Manziel’s pro-day…

For those who aren’t aware, Jaws previously stated he wouldn’t take Manziel in the first three rounds of the draft. A truly hyperbolic remark right up there with last year’s “Colin Kaepernick could be one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL”.

Merril Hoge — who spends his time watching tape with Jaws and Greg Cosell — offered a similar assessment, claiming Manziel had “bust written all over him” giving him a “zero or a one” out of ten in the following categories:

– Decision making
– Playing within the structure of an offense
– Throwing into “voids”

Here’s the video for the rest of Hoge’s critical review:

Again, the “zero or one” out of ten remark is pure hyperbole. But hey, it’s Hoge’s right to be critical. I’m not here to argue Manziel is Andrew Luck or even for that matter Russell Wilson.

But what does irk me slightly about the three musketeers — Jaws, Hoge and Cosell — is the fact they all seem to be living in 1974.

The NFL has changed. It’s different.

Yes, there’s always room for a 6-4 pocket passer. Those types of players still exist.

Yet we’re now in an era where mobility is crucial. The top college athletes are playing defense and the offensive line talent simply can’t match-up for the most part. That’s starting to filter into the NFL.

Being able to escape pressure, extend plays and improvise is vital in the modern game. It’s not just a case of being able to stand on the spot and make three or four precise reads any more. You might need to make two reads, get out of the pocket, keep your eyes downfield or just take what’s on offer and run for a few.

The read option hasn’t been found out as a passing fad. It’s here to stay as a valuable wrinkle for a specific game plan.

Manziel should be judged on how he works within the game today.

You can still make a case for needing better decision making or initial work within the pocket going through reads. But in context, he does most things perfectly well.

You can’t block J.J. Watt. When Seattle beat the Texans in 2013, Watt had their decimated offensive line for dinner. The Seahawks only won that game because Russell Wilson could escape the pocket, extend plays and create a little magic.

Most people remember Matt Schaub’s careless pick-six to Richard Sherman as the key moment. For me it’s the 90-yard drive from Wilson to make it a one-score game. He faced crucial third and fourth down calls. He was under constant duress. He dragged the offense kicking and screaming into the end zone with sheer escapability and inspiration.

Joe Flacco would’ve gone three and out on that drive — while eating a face full of turf courtesy of Watt and co.

Players like Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and even someone like Aaron Rodgers are having success because of their mobility — not just because they operate within the pocket standing tall chucking bullets around the field.

They’re built to deal with players like Watt and Robert Quinn.

All we’ve heard from the Jaws/Hoge/Cosell trio is Manziel isn’t a good enough pocket passer. He’s too frantic, leaving the pocket too soon and creating chaos for himself.

And yet here’s a guy who thrives amid chaos. I’m not suggesting he runs the football twenty times a game or remains quite as reckless with his body as we saw at Texas A&M. But Manziel’s ability to be creative, to buy time and to make plays downfield is everything you want to see.

Embrace him. Build your offense to enhance his strengths and limit or improve his weak spots. Acknowledge that he’s different to the Joe Flacco’s of this world and ‘different’ can still win a Super Bowl.

If your preference is a conventional system and quarterback, just say. But don’t make out a guy like Manziel can’t succeed unless he’s willing to conform to your conventional ways.

Seattle won a Super Bowl by being thoroughly unconventional.

Going back to the original video — which is essentially Jaws offering a gushing review of Manziel’s pro-day — I fully expected a much more positive impression going forward.

And then I read this quote, courtesy of PFT:

“I certainly would move him up a bit… I moved him from the fourth round to the third round.”

How generous.

He then revealed his top-five quarterbacks for 2014:

Ron Jaworski's Top-5 QBs for the 2014 draft: 1. Blake Bortles 2. Zach Mettenberger 3. Teddy Bridgewater 4. Johnny Manziel 5. Derek Carr.

— Evan Silva (@evansilva) March 28, 2014

What a surprise — tall, immobile pocket passer Zach Mettenberger comes in at #2.

“When you watch him on tape, this guy has an NFL skill set.”

Of course he does. He’s tall and a pocket passer. Boxes, ticked.

I long for the day when the band of brothers — Jaws, Hoge and Cosell — are able to admit the game is changing. That we don’t have to build a football team based on age-old formula’s and specifics.

But let’s not hold out any hope. Fast forward to 28:30 in the podcast below:

When Cosell is asked — twice — to name a player he missed on in the draft, he refuses to answer the question. Even when pushed by Ross Tucker, he finds a way to avoid offering even one name.

I’ll give you two names, Greg.

Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick.

And they succeed not just because of the benefit of great defensive play either. This is the NFL in 2014. Unconventional quarterbacks like this can thrive.

Johnny Manziel won’t fail just because he’s not an orthodox passer. We shouldn’t be judging him like there’s only one way to succeed at the position.

DeSean Jackson cut by the Eagles

After careful consideration this offseason, Eagles decide to part ways with DeSean Jackson. The team informed him of his release today.

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 28, 2014

The Seahawks were linked to Jackson for a while, and then those rumours were denied.

Now that he’s a free agent, it wouldn’t be a huge shock if they looked into this — even if it’s an exercise in leaving no stone unturned.

Jason La Canfora seems to think there will be interest…

The Seahawks, 49ers, Jets, Raiders among the trams that had prior interest in DeSean Jackson, FWIW. Have a gut Seattle is a major player

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 28, 2014

This article raises some off-field concerns and it could limit his potential to sign a new long term deal.

The Seahawks have an estimated $15.2m in remaining cap space. Much will depend on background checks not just relating to the gang-stuff, but also the questionable work ethic noted in the article.

Pete Carroll hasn’t shirked away from players with character flags — yet even he will be cautious on this one. Carroll has spent considerable time trying to end gang violence through ‘A Better LA’.

Albert Breer says the pair have some history:

I know there are reasons why Seattle wouldn't sign DeSean Jackson, but Pete Carroll's relationship with him makes Seahawks worth watching.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 28, 2014

He was recruited by USC, had an official visit and even attended a camp before committing to Cal. A week ago Jackson posted this picture on his Instagram account. It shows Carroll sat in his front room during a recruitment visit.

*** UPDATE ***

Jackson has released a statement in response to the claims made in the article above. Here’s an exert:

“I would like to make it very clear that I am not and never have been part of any gang. I am not a gang member and to speculate and assume that I am involved in such activity off the field is reckless and irresponsible.”

I really wrestled with this mock draft today.

There are four or five players I could’ve easily paired with Seattle before I even wrote this piece. It’d be very easy to say, “this is the mock where the Seahawks get Donte Moncrief.”

But that’s not how I want to do these. I want to go pick-by-pick and not pre-empt anything.

And I want to be open to the idea of other teams taking the players I like for the Seahawks.

If I’m going to write articles praising the underrated qualities of a Moncrief, Martavis Bryant or Joel Bitonio — why should I assume the Seahawks might be the only team who sees the same thing?

If I wanted to put Moncrief with the Jets at #18 because it looks like a legitimate option, then I’m going to do it.

If there was an obvious choice for Seattle at #32 — great.

On this occasion, that wasn’t the case. Not by a long shot.

Eight receivers were off the board and six offensive linemen.

I was tempted to go with Clemson’s Brandon Thomas — a tackle who could eventually transition to guard.

Yet I’m intrigued by a Tweet written by Davis Hsu this week. He’s relaying a comment by Pat Kirwan (close to Pete Carroll) discussing Tom Cable’s approach to drafting offensive linemen:

@30AcreFortress said he gives Pete & John a list of 6-7 guys he is happy with Day 3…doesnt need early round guys? (Wow)

— Davis Hsu (@DavisHsuSeattle) March 26, 2014

I genuinely believe this could be the plan.

When you think about it, Cable’s had more success with late round picks and UDFA’s (J.R. Sweezy, Michael Bowie, Alvin Bailey) compared to players drafted early (James Carpenter & John Moffitt).

They were also able to turn a waiver wire pick-up into a quality starting right tackle (Breno Giacomini).

It wouldn’t shock me at all if, once again, they take 3-4 guys in the later rounds/UDFA and allow Cable to work them into his scheme. Neither would it shock me if both Bowie and Bailey started next year.

Hey, it doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right way to go. But is it implausible that they wait to address the offensive line? Absolutely not.

With that in mind I tried to think about what they might do in a situation where as many as 4-5 potential #32 picks are already off the board much earlier than the national pundits are currently projecting.

Defensively the options aren’t great. I’m a big fan of Brent Urban but persistent injury problems might keep him on the board until rounds 2/3. I don’t see Dee Ford, Timmy Jernigan or Louis Nix as players the Seahawks are likely to covet (or as first round picks at all).

I’m going back and forth a lot with Stephon Tuitt. With a fully healthy off-season he could be trending upwards. That isn’t the case, and there’s no new news on the foot injury that kept him out of the combine.

So then I come back to the offense, and specifically to LSU’s Jarvis Landry.

If I had to write a list of ten players I’d love the Seahawks to get, Landry would be on it. Without a shadow of a doubt.

So many people talk about Jordan Matthews. For me he’s a middling player who’s suddenly flavour of the month because he performed better than expected at the combine.

He is prone to the occasional ugly drop, he isn’t overly competitive, he’s quite finesse at times and a lot of his production came on quick screens that needed good-to-perfect blocking to succeed.

Now I appreciate that there are positives too that I’m not mentioning here. But the point I’m trying to make is — Jarvis Landry might be the player everybody thinks Jordan Matthews is.

He’s a brilliant hands catcher, a driven and edgy receiver who loves to hit people in the face. He’s the guy who high points the football, plays above his size and makes the impossible possible.

I sat down today and re-watched a ton of LSU tape just to have another look. It’s so incredibly difficult to mark this guy down.

The only thing stopping me going ‘all in’ on a first or high second round grade is the combine performance — where he ran a 4.77 at clearly less than 100%.

Is he a 4.77 runner on tape? Absolutely not. But neither is he a 4.43 guy like Odell Beckham Jr.

He’s probably a 4.60-4.65 type. Which isn’t exactly blazing at a shade under 6-0 and 205lbs.

Yet everything else about his game compensates for that.

I more than anyone gets caught up in the size/speed argument when considering prospective Seahawks.

They’ve drafted a ton of athletes. Carroll clearly loves physical difference makers, and they do pay attention to things like SPARQ.

I also appreciate the way this offense is set up. They love to take shots. They want to make chunk plays downfield off play action and scrambling drills.

Even Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin — two former UDFA’s — ran in the 4.4′s.

But it’s not just about speed. If it was, Zach Miller wouldn’t be still on the roster, pay cut or no pay cut. Marshawn Lynch isn’t exactly what you’d call fast. Michael Bennett and Red Bryant aren’t brilliant athletes either, but they possess other skills to emphasise their value to this team.

It’s not just about size and speed, whatever Seattle’s ideals may be.

It’s also about competition.

Fierce competitors.

Players who are going to put it all on the line — not just on the field, but in the weight and film room too.

Landry is a model student, a driven and determined individual and a productive football player.

I’m a big fan of receivers who clearly have an understanding of their position and the kind of routes they’re going to run. You can tell from this combine interview below that Landry isn’t going to be overwhelmed when he gets a pro-playbook:

He might not be ‘Seahawky’ in terms of height or speed, but he’s plenty ‘Seahawky’ when it comes to high pointing the football, great hands, run blocking, special teams value and attitude.

He makes some of the most difficult catches you’ll ever see. They have to be seen to be believed. I’ve included some tape below today’s mock for people who haven’t had a chance to watch him play. Just absorb what he’s capable of. Forget the 4.77 for an hour. Watch the tape and form your opinion on what you see him doing on the field.

Is he Anquan Boldin — another player who suffered in the draft due to a poor forty time? They’re not perfect physical matches, but there are some similarities in terms of the time they ran (both 4.7′s) and how it doesn’t really represent what you see on tape.

I know what the reaction’s going to be to this pick — and this isn’t me saying Landry is definitely a first rounder or anything. I want to think outside of the box and I want this community to do the same. I don’t want us to assume Landry is just a mid-rounder because of one bad forty time with a tight hamstring.

I guarantee fans wouldn’t complain anywhere near as much if the Seahawks traded down to #40 and took Landry. Even if it meant getting as little back as say a 5th rounder. There’s a stigma attached to the first round and perceived ‘reaches’ are over analysed. As soon as you get into round two, players like this are considered valuable.

As we’ve discussed many times — trading out of #32 is going to be incredibly tough. If they can’t do it — then why not just take a player like this and not second guess it?

If we’re talking about potential impact players who can step in and just get at it, this guy can do that. And while I’d much rather grab a Bitonio at #32 and feel smug about a Landry pick in round two — there may well be a situation, as we see below, where options are limited with the final pick in round one.

I’ll say it again — this isn’t me saying Landry is definitely a first round pick. This is me tossing a pitch for people to swing at.

Give me the ultimate competitor at receiver at #32 over Louis Nix, Dee Ford, Xavier Su’a-Filo or any other ‘big name’ every day of the week.

	#1 Blake Bortles (QB, UCF) He’s elusive for a 4.93 runner. He extends plays. Bortles is a very creative quarterback. Houston’s offense is set up for a big rebound year if they find a solution at quarterback.

	#2 Greg Robinson (T, Auburn) I suspect the Rams will trade this pick, but you can argue they’d be better off staying put and drafting Robinson.

	#3 Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A&M) The ultra competitive Manziel fits Gus Bradley’s approach perfectly. The Jaguars need someone who can come in and elevate this team. Manziel can be that guy.

	#4 Jadeveon Clowney (DE, South Carolina) They’ve appointed a defensive minded Head Coach and Clowney’s not going to fall too far. He can line up in a three or four man front.

	#5 Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson) The best receiver prospect to enter the league since A.J. Green and Julio Jones. You can build around a talent like this. Get a quarterback later.

	#6 Jake Matthews (T, Texas A&M) The Falcons should just sit tight and see what falls to #6 — but it sounds like they’ll be moving up again. They need to protect Matt Ryan and they need to find a pass rusher.

	#7 Khalil Mack (OLB, Buffalo) He’s a little overrated for me, but Tampa Bay looks like a good landing spot. They need to bolster the pass rush and Mack can play DE and OLB.

	#8 Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M) Teams are going to see the incredible talent available at the receiver position and not think twice about getting stuck in — whether it’s a top need or not.

	#9 Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan) Some believe he’s a bit of a phony tough guy. Others really like him. It’s worth a shot here.

	#10 Marqise Lee (WR, USC) This would be a good position to trade down and add to the secondary. If no such deal exists — don’t fight the board. Megatron, Golden Tate and Marqise Lee is a frightening trio.

	#11 Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State) Again — don’t be shocked if these receivers start flying off the board. If you want a really good one you better get in early.

	#12 Eric Ebron (TE, North Carolina) The Giants suddenly have a ton of needs. But that also means they don’t need to force this pick. Ebron provides value as a seam-busting safety net.

	#13 Aaron Donald (DT, Pittsburgh) How do you block Robert Quinn and Chris Long off the edge if you’ve got this guy rushing the interior?

	#14 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S, Alabama) They’ve added Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen up front, now they need to improve that secondary.

	#15 Odell Beckham Jr (WR, LSU) Receiver is now a big need for the Steelers. They need someone who can come in and have a quick impact. Out of all the WR’s in this class, Beckham Jr is best served to hit the ground running.

	#16 Anthony Barr (DE, UCLA) I wouldn’t draft Barr this early, but the Cowboys are stuck without moving up or down. After bringing in Henry Melton, they need an edge rusher. They have no alternative.

	#17 Ra’Shede Hageman (DE, Minnesota) After losing Arthur Jones in free agency, the Ravens could use an athletic replacement up front. Hageman fits the bill as a possible five technique.

	#18 Donte Moncrief (WR, Ole Miss) It’s only after really studying Moncrief (in particular his 2012 tape) that you begin to truly appreciate just how much potential he has. Don’t be shocked if he goes this early.

	#19 Zack Martin (G, Notre Dame) An absolutely superb tackle in college, but expected to move to guard in the NFL. Could play left guard next to Brandon Albert.

	#20 Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State) Receiver isn’t a huge need for the Cards, but he’d add another dimension to the offense as an explosive playmaker. Keep Ted Ginn on returns.

	#21 Ryan Shazier (LB Ohio State) Green Bay’s defense is too slow, too sluggish and doesn’t have enough playmakers. A linebacker like Shazier can help take this unit away from total mediocrity.

	#22 Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State) A physical corner who plays with an edge. Good blitzer. Philly wants tough football players on defense and this fills a big need.

	#23 Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville) Andy Reid had a good look at the defensive backs at the combine. Pryor would add a hard-hitting element to Kansas City’s secondary.

	#24 Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State) Gilbert has everything you want in a corner physically. He could go much earlier than this. But he was also almost benched in 2013 for poor play. He’s a really tough one to work out.

	#25 Joel Bitonio (T, Nevada) Underrated, incredibly athletic tackle or guard. Versatile. Outstanding character. He’s a Logan Mankins clone.

	#26 Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Louisville) I get the sense Cleveland is just going to play the hand it’s dealt. If there’s better value at #4 or #26, they won’t force a QB pick. In this slot Bridgewater would equal supreme value.

	#27 C.J. Mosley (LB, Alabama) If he checks out medically, Mosley is a plug in and play defender who can have a quick impact. New Orleans is trying to get tougher across the board.

	#28 Morgan Moses (T, Virginia) I’m not sure how Carolina has allowed a situation to occur where they’re suddenly desperate at receiver and the offensive line.

	#29 Jace Amaro (TE, Texas Tech) Adding a pass-catching tight end makes sense, even if Rob Gronkowski returns to full health.

	#30 Martavis Bryant (WR, Clemson) The 49ers have plenty of possession style receivers. Why not add a home run hitter? You’ve got the quarterback to make it work.

	#31 Chris Borland (LB, Wisconsin) Denver needs a tone setter. A leader. A guy who flies around. This would be a smart move. You want this guy on your team.

	#32 Jarvis Landry (WR, LSU) An edgy competitor with massive hands. Ideal attitude, work rate and personality. If the only thing letting him down is a bad combine, I’ll take my chances.

Bears gave DE Jared Allen a four-year, $32M deal that voids down to three years of $24M, of which $15.5M is fully guaranteed.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 26, 2014

There was nothing the Seahawks could do about this.

In an off-season where a banged up, soon-to-be 32-year-old Demarcus Ware and a declining 34-year-old Julius Peppers both got paid — it was pretty stunning that Jared Allen lasted this long on the open market.

For me he’s the better player. He’s younger, plays a ton of snaps and his production has shown no signs of dropping off as he approaches his 32nd birthday.

Seattle saw an opportunity and tried to recapture last years magic.

Could they do it again? Grab an established pass rusher with a stalling market and bring him in on the cheap?

It sounds like they came pretty close. But this time someone else stepped up to the plate. They went over Seattle’s threshold, paying about $8m a year on average.

According to Spotrac, Allen will be the third best paid player on the Bears roster.

Good for Chicago, and good for Allen. It works out well for both parties.

The Seahawks just move on. They weren’t going to pay Jared Allen more than Michael Bennett. Not when he turns 32 later this year.

They’ve now got more than enough money to extend at least Earl Thomas and possibly Richard Sherman this off-season. That’s the next priority.

There’s no crisis here. Signing Allen was merely one of the few moves they could’ve made to improve an already dangerous pass rush.

It just creates an opportunity for somebody else.

Pete Carroll revealed today that Tony McDaniel will replace Red Bryant as the five technique and Cliff Avril will replace Chris Clemons at right end.

Dan Quinn recently stated he felt Bruce Irvin “was in the right spot” at strongside linebacker and would stay there. You have to wonder if he might convert back to defensive end following today’s news?

Perhaps not coincidentally, the team website is now listing Irvin as a ‘DE’ again after switching his description to ‘LB’ last season.

You could argue they haven’t got much to lose. Irvin is 27 in November and you don’t often draft athletic SAM linebacker-converts with the #15 pick in any draft.

You have a need at end, you drafted the guy to be the “ideal LEO”.

Maybe it’s time to give him another shot there?

No prizes for guessing what Bruce wants to happen…

@JessamynESPN @710ESPNSeattle mannnn I hope soo!

— Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) March 26, 2014

Certainly nobody can begrudge Malcolm Smith an opportunity to move into a starting role. Aside from winning the Super Bowl MVP award, he finished the season with four interceptions in five games — and returned two for touchdowns.

Irvin could replace Avril, doubling up on the left side with Bennett. K.J. Wright could start at the SAM, Bobby Wagner at the MIKE and Smith at the WILL.

As for the rest of the defensive line rotation — Jordan Hill is almost guaranteed to get more playing time as a former third round pick. Benson Mayowa was protected on the roster throughout 2013 and will get another chance to compete in camp.

Greg Scruggs is returning from injury, while Mike Brooks, D’Anthony Smith, Dewayne Cherrington, Kenneth Boatright and Jesse Williams remain on the roster.

Would you bet against one of those players really stepping up to the mark next year, in the same vein as Tony McDaniel and Clinton McDonald?

My money’s on Brooks for what it’s worth. He flashed throughout pre-season last year and had an impact in the road game against Arizona.

They could re-sign O’Brien Schofield and/or another veteran.

So what about the draft?

With the interest in Allen, I’d started to focus on receivers and the offensive linemen for picks #32 and #64.

I’m not sure anything dramatically changes off the back of one players decision, but I’m at least willing to broaden those horizons a little bit following today’s news.

The big problem is — you’d be fighting the draft to take a defensive lineman at #32 unless a Ra’Shede Hageman falls or someone of that ilk. This isn’t a top-heavy draft on the D-line. It’s loaded with first or second round receivers, and a fair few offensive line prospects who deserve to go in the first frame.

Personally I’d rather wait until later on and look at the following players:

Marcus Smith (DE, Louisville) — LEO style prospects — 6-3 and 251lbs, ran a 4.68 at the combine. Long arms (34 inches) and great production (13.5 sacks in 2013). Really good player who’s flying under the radar. Worth a look in round two, but if you can move down from #64 and get him in the third — even better.

Brent Urban (DT, Virginia) — Really tough, long defensive tackle. Dogged by injuries this off-season after a fleeting visit to the Senior Bowl. On tape he really looks the part and he might fall due to the injuries. A smart team will capitalise. He’s 6-7, 295lbs with long arms. He could be one of the steals of the draft and a huge impact player.

Demarcus Lawrence (DE, Boise State) — Another long pass rusher who also put up decent numbers this year. Has similar size to Marcus Smith — he’s a shade under 6-3, 251lbs with almost identical arm length. He ran a disappointing 4.80 though. His game speed looks a lot faster on tape.

Taylor Hart (DE, Oregon) — Graded in the round 4-5 range, he’s another tall, versatile lineman. Doesn’t have the longest arms for his height (just under 33 inches) but reports suggested he ran a 4.78 at his pro-day. There’s plenty to work with here.

Chris Whaley (DT, Texas) & Dominique Easley (DT, Florida) — Two redshirt types you can stash. Both are recovering from serious injuries — and both flashed big time potential in college. Ideal interior pass rushers, in particular Easley who was a beast at Florida. He’s a sure-fire first rounder without two ACL injuries in college.

Will Clarke (DE, West Virginia) — 6-6 and 271lbs, with nearly 35 inch arms. Ran a 4.77 at the combine. Tape is poor for the most part — doesn’t play up to his size and he’s pretty ‘meh’ as a pass rusher. Physically he has all the tools. Worth a day three pick to see if you can coach him up.

James Gayle (DE, Virginia Tech) — 6-4 and 259lbs, ran a 4.68 at the combine. He also managed a 37 inch vertical. Strong in the upper body and will be able to compete. More of a rotational pass rusher but for a late round flier you might as well take a look. High motor. Has NFL bloodlines.

Caruan Reid (DT, Princeton) — Looked really smooth at the combine. 6-2 and 302lbs, ran a 4.91. He has 33 inch arms. He’ll need some technical refining as a pro but he turned a few heads in Indianapolis.

Deandre Coleman (DT, California) — I’ll watch more of his tape before the draft. My initial impression is — good run stuffer, could be plugged in as a rotational guy. Moves well for his size but will be drafted predominantly to defend the run.

There’s depth to be had in this draft right into day three. So nobody should be panicking about needing to go defense in round one, or missing out on Jared Allen.

I’ll have a new mock draft available tomorrow.