Free agent priorities for the Seahawks

Priority #1 — Re-sign your players

This was an easy one to list at the top. The Seahawks have only 47 players contracted for 2019. They have numerous out of contract starters and several restricted and exclusive rights free agents. Some players are destined to move on. Earl Thomas’ time in Seattle is over. K.J. Wright will likely get a big offer in free agency. Frank Clark, J.R. Sweezy, D.J. Fluker, Justin Coleman and a few others are more likely to remain. Seattle has a developing roster ready to play competitive football. Major changes won’t be healthy — especially with limited cap space and only four draft picks. They also need to look ahead. If Clark receives the franchise tag that’ll mean four stars — Clark, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed — will all be out of contract after the 2019 season. With only one franchise tag, that could spell trouble. Seattle’s clear #1 priority this off-season is to keep the core together and make sure they don’t go into the 2020 off-season with a major dilemma on their hands.

Priority #2 — Get the kicker sorted

This has been a question mark for three straight years in Seattle. For a team that wants to play things tight and highlight the importance of a closed circle between offense, defense and special teams — they need a reliable kicker. It’s time to make this a secure position. No more messing about. Get the money out and go and land Robbie Gould from the 49ers (if they don’t franchise him). He’s been a highly consistent and reliable kicker for years. It’s time to pay a bit more than they’ve previously been willing to get this problem solved. If Gould isn’t available, Stephen Gostkowski and Matt Bryant are alternative options.

Priority #3 — Add a pass rusher at value

Despite suggestions to the contrary, the Seahawks won’t have the money to go on a big splurge this off-season. Frank Clark is going to eat up $18m in cap space alone. They need to re-sign multiple free agents and fill out the roster. They won’t be in the running for a prime free agent pass rusher. They need to look for value and provide a partner for Clark. Anthony Barr could be the man to target. His career stalled as a linebacker at Minnesota. Thus, he might be facing a slightly cooler market. Does he need to go somewhere for a year and rebuild his stock? Maybe. It’s equally possible he gets big money somewhere. He’s a great age and has a fantastic physical profile. If he does end up needing a one or two year prove-it deal, the Seahawks should be ready to get him. Failing that, go and get a veteran rusher like Terrell Suggs, Brandon Graham or Clay Matthews (again, if the price is right).

Priority #4 — Find the next Tony McDaniel

McDaniel was often labelled the unsung hero of Seattle’s defense. His combination of stout run defense, toughness and consistency was unheralded but highly valuable. He cost $2.75m in 2014 and $985,000 in 2016. It’s difficult to suggest a name to be the 2019 version. There are always cheap run defenders on the market but very few are as effective as McDaniel. Darius Philon has a reputation for quality run defense but he’s nowhere near the size of McDaniel and the Chargers might pay to keep him after parting with Corey Liuget and Brandon Mebane. Reuniting with Mebane could be an option for a year if he wants to keep playing at 34. We talked a lot about Brent Urban on the blog when he was at Virginia and in 2018 he was finally healthy and had a good year. Adding him could be an option but can you trust him to play 12-16 games?

Priority #5 — What are you doing at linebacker?

This isn’t a higher priority because I think they’ll already have a plan. Mychal Kendricks’ court date has been pushed back but if he avoids jail he’s an obvious re-sign (and Pete Carroll has already talked about bringing him back). K.J. Wright will likely get a big offer in free agency — one the Seahawks won’t be able to match. They might need to add one more. I suspect they’ll have their house in order to plan and prepare for this. Thomas Davis could be an option if they need another veteran to cover the expected loss of Wright.

Priority #6 — What are the O-line alternatives?

For years the Seahawks tried to plug in young starters to the offensive line and it didn’t work. In 2018 they lined up a much more experienced line with Duane Brown, J.R. Sweezy, Justin Britt, D.J. Fluker and Germain Ifedi all boasting multiple seasons in the NFL. Sweezy and Fluker are now free agents. If either moves on, they’re probably best served replacing them with another veteran. Former Seahawk James Carpenter is a free agent and has enjoyed a healthy spell in New York with the Jets. Ty Sambrailo has been a disappointment so far but prior to the 2015 draft Tony Pauline noted the Seahawks had some interest in him. Ja’Wuan James is another player they seemingly liked prior to the 2014 draft. They’ll need alternatives even if it seems likely they’ll keep Sweezy and Fluker.

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124 Comments

  1. LLLOGOSSS

    I’m starting to feel fairly tenuous about our ability to add more talent than we will lose over the next two years. This impending standoff with Russell Wilson is going to impact a lot, and I don’t see Clark mortgaging any perceived short-term value for a long-term deal, either. Players now seem much more willing to bank on the 20% pay increases on franchise tags than in years past. Although times change, and the salary cap keeps going up, $18 million guaranteed for Clark is still a very comfortable sum. If you bet on yourself and “lose,” you still have generational wealth.

    Long gone are our days of paying a large core of homegrown players at the top of the market. I will miss that. Lost in the drama of the LOB’s demise was the fact that those players could never fit under a budget with a top-5 LT and QB.

    Somehow I think Bobby Wagner’s contract will be fairly simple: a four-year deal for top money. How can one debate he’s not worth it? After that we are barreling toward losing one — if not two — of Wilson, Clark, or Reed. They still have time to sign Reed in the next year, but signing Clark before the tag deadline would’ve been enormous for the future outlay. Doesn’t look like that will happen.

    • Coleslaw

      I hear ya. This is why I brought up the possibility of trading Baldwin earlier in the offseason. Gonna be tough to add to this roster without some extra help. May just be looking at simply adding depth for 2 years until we can afford to trade 1 or 2 players for a load of picks. Could very well be an underwhelming few years.

      • Rob Staton

        Trading Baldwin certainly wouldn’t add to the roster for a start…

        There’s no need to refer to any underwhelming future. They’re a good team. Just got a few contracts to manager and got to draft well. No drama.

      • Volume12

        No. It won’t be tough. Shouldn’t be at least. IMO they’ll clean up this year in UDFA more than they have in the past few seasons.

        It’s ok to still have a couple needs or 1-2 holes going into the season. They won’t be alone in that regard.

  2. Zxvo3

    It may not be a splashy free agency, but resigning the free agents on this team and getting Robbie Gould would be a big win for the Seahawks.

  3. Volume12

    Wasn’t Seattle interested in LB Brandon Marshall a couple years ago or am I remembering wrong?

    • Rob Staton

      I seem to recall a link to him when he was tendered.

      • Volume12

        Vaguely remember myself, but wasn’t sure it was him or someone else from Denver.

        Wonder if they’ll be interested again or if that ship has sailed.

    • C-Dog

      That was something that was reported.

  4. CestrianHawk

    PC’s apparent penny-pinching attitude to kickers in recent years has always seemed to me to be at odds with his philosophy. Given that his approach inevitably often leads to very close games in the 4Q, I would have expected him to place a great premium on the position as it will so often determine the outcome of those close games.

  5. icb12

    If they wouldn’t pay to keep Hauschka a couple years ago, why would they suddenly change their tune and pay for a kicker now?

    Not that I have anything against Gould, but It’s only this last year that Gould jumped Hauschka on the most accurate kickers list.
    In 2015 he was just barely above Blair Walsh…

    They should have just paid the solid kicker that they HAD in my opinion. Brought about this kicking disaster on themselves.

    • Rob Staton

      Because Hauschka had a rotten 2015 season and they’ve since endured two more years of concern at the position.

      • Hicks

        No decent kickers in this years draft?

        Cole Tracy and Austin Seibert are top two on walterfootball

        • Kenny Sloth

          Utah Kicker Matthew Gay is one I’ve tabbed before as a probable draft pick.

          I’m not super confident in my scouting criteria

          • Sean-O

            I wonder if there are any kickers in the AAF that they’d give a look to?

      • Matt

        I’ve always thought Haushka’s drop off in 2015 was partially attributable to them cutting Clint Gresham to save a few pennies. Seemed they had LS issues that year, and messed up the tight unit of Haush, Ryan, and Gresham.

        Thanks for this space, Rob, a tiny corner of sanity for Hawks fans.

        • Rob Staton

          Thanks for reading and thanks for enjoying. Spread the word 👍🏻

    • LLLOGOSSS

      There’s no doubt they should’ve paid Haushka instead of embarking on this lost odyssey of kicking, but they can’t go back in time. I bet they learned their lesson.

      • GerryG

        Haushka was not really $ issue, it was a performance issue. His 2016 season was awful, he missed several extra points, and multiple very makable FGs

        • LLLOGOSSS

          And how did they rectify that performance? By paying at the bottom of the market and hoping for the best. Haushka’s career wound up continuing much as it started — as a very dependable kicker. I remember his struggles that season, and I recall rumblings that he hadn’t made adjustments to his kick trajectory (most of his struggles were due to kicks being blocked, not missed outright) despite being coached to do so. The team certainly thought they could do more with less, but they were so wrong, weren’t they? The money is a factor, if it wasn’t they would’ve paid Haushka and bet on a return to form; instead they decided to gamble and it cost us roughly 3-4 wins the past two seasons. It’s no coincidence that Haushka is paid as a top kicker and we’ve trotted out bargain basement projects.

    • Gro

      Let’s not forget that they had a pro bowl kicker on their roster in training camp last summer and opted for experience instead. I didn’t like the Janikowski pick up at the beginning and I still don’t. It was just kicking the van down the road and seemed like the kind of pickup you make when you’re going “all-in” to get to the Super Bowl. Sort of a last piece of the puzzle, and he obviously wasn’t that.

      • Rob Staton

        I love all these ‘had a pro bowl kicker’ comments. Talk about hindsight. How many people were saying, ‘there’s future pro bowl kicker Jason Myers’ in camp?

        • Group captain mandrake

          To be fair, I had no idea he would turn out that well. What I did know is that he was younger, cheaper and kicked just as well in camp. Why sign Janikowski when he obviously doesn’t have much in the tank and you’ll just be looking for a new kicker in two years at most? They could have filled the position for cheaper and longer term. Maybe I have my own bias about it, but I never wanted them to sign an old kicker with possible back issues.

          • Rob Staton

            They clearly thought Janikowski was better — as did most fans who passed comment at the time. Very easy to look back with hindsight and say a team should’ve acted differently.

            • Group Captain Mandrake

              True, it’s very easy to look back and pass judgment. Hindsight, after all, is 20/20. But I never liked the Janikowski signing from the jump. Seemed like a stop gap at the time when they could have taken the younger guy instead. If he doesn’t work out, you get another kicker. If it does, you have your answer for years. Janikowski was never going to be that long term guy and now, I would assume, they are right back to square one.Either that or they saw Janikowski as the missing piece in a championship run, which, if that is the case, fair enough. But I never thought that was the case. In fairness, they performed much better than I thought (I was guessing 6-7 wins on the year), but I never saw him as one of the missing pieces to get them there.

        • McZ

          Me, actually, on this blog… but not “future pro bowl kicker Myers”, but “younger, less expensive Myers kickin’ as good as Janikowski in preseason’.

          • Rob Staton

            He didn’t kick as well in camp

  6. C-Dog

    I think what Seattle might look at for DT is a player than is flexible to play 1T and 3T which is what a lot of the guys have been in the past, and even Mebane had that ability. Branch, McDaniel, Rubin, and Reed are/were all big bad@sses that can shift inside however the alignment decides.

    For me, Bennie Logan is one to watch out for. They brought him in for a visit last year. He was lost a bit in the Titan rotation last year, but I think had pretty decent marks from PFF, or so I read somewhere.

    In terms of edge, I would love to see Clay Matthews reunited with Pete Carroll in a Seahawk’s uni. A; Packer fans would flip out, and B; that dudes veteran roughness on this young offense just feels like some Ken Norton Jr would love to have on board. I think Russell Wilson would appreciate seeing him in a Seahawks uniform.

    If these were the two main moves Seattle did in FA, I would feel great heading into the draft. IMO, they have talent waiting to emerge on this defense. They just need a couple sage vets to show them the ropes.

    • Volume12

      I so wanted them to draft Clay Matthews in ’09 instead of Aaron Curry.

      • Whit21

        Mel Kiper Jr would disagree.. the ‘value’ wasn’t there at pick 4, for Clay Mathews….

        I used to like Mel Kiper and since PC and JS took over his analysis for the seahawks is always terrible.. He usually mocks a WR or CB.. which they never take in round 1.. so much for 30 years of draft knowledge………

  7. icb12

    I think that it was over reaction and nothing else.

    Hauschka missed two (2)! Field goals in 2015. And both misses were from 40 plus yards.
    Gould missed 6 in 2015

    Hauschka missed 4 xp attempts. to Gould’s 1.
    3 points > 1 point in my book.

    I have always maintained that SHs 2015 was Not as bad as everyone made it out to be.
    I’m not trying to make this a comparison between Gould and Hauschka, just saying in my opinion they screwed up plain and simple when they let one of the consistently better kickers in the league walk and now they have to find a fix.

    Do you think BB and the Patriots will really let Gostkowski walk?
    I don’t see that happening. I don’t think they make the same mistake Seattle did. I for one would be surprised for sure if that happened.

    The grass ain’t always greener.

    • Rob Staton

      How many extra points did Hausch miss?

      And one of those FG misses cost them the Arizona game.

      • Elmer

        Yeah, his final season here was not good. I can only say that it wasn’t as bad as watching Blair Walsh.

      • LLLOGOSSS

        I think it’s well established by now that regression to the mean meant Steven Haushka returned to being one of the better NFL kickers, as he has been throughout his career. You can point to any kicker missing an important kick, but if we’re being serious we’d all love to have him back, and we’d all love to have replaced the Walsh and Janikowski years with Haushka.

        • Rob Staton

          And hindsight is great

          • LLLOGOSSS

            Sure, I’m not one to say every outcome that doesn’t work out was a bad decision. You follow a sound process and hope to be rewarded, come what may.

            In this instance I think we can say they made a mistake. I can’t defend the process there; wasn’t sound.

            • Rob Staton

              But this is what I have an issue with. You say ‘the process wasn’t sound’. Nobody — and I mean nobody — said at the time ‘they should’ve kept Jason Myers’. He was a nobody. A camp body. The fact he had a relatively decent (but far from spectacular) season isn’t cause enough for questioning the process. Janikowski was kicking better in camp. He had the lead in that race throughout. There was no process flaw here. Janikowski wasn’t even that bad. Not great but not horrid either. The only thing that happened here is Jason Myers didn’t have a terrible year for the Jets and perhaps achieved above expectations. There’s no need to second guess the Seahawks.

              • Whit21

                Hauschka was 33 out of 37 with 6 missed extra points. 2 of the FG missed were from 20-29 yards.. I get what people are saying now in ‘hindsight’.. 1 of those 20-29 was the arizona game where he hit the upright and it ended in a tie.. but when you move on from hausch and go with blair walsh….. I think people were hoping for a better plan than walsh.. and he did what many expected.

                Jason Myers had some good kicks in Jacksonville and i thought he was a little bit better than just a “camp body”.. not surprising he did well in New York. For whatever reason New York kickers seem to do well.. Nick Folk was good until he tried to go to Tampa..

                Just my 2 cents

              • LLLOGOSSS

                You’re forgiven since you’re putting out fires all over the blog, but I don’t fault the Seahawks for picking Janikowski over Myers at the time — I’ve been referring to letting Haushka walk and replacing him with Walsh, et al, as the process that was unsound.

  8. drewdawg11

    Barr would be an ideal player to bring in on a short-term deal. I also agree about the kicker position. It’s been shaken to poor for three seasons now. Not having a kicker kept us out of the playoffs last year, and certainly did us no favors in the playoffs this year when Sebastian blew out his leg. Gotskowski is worth some dough. Gould is worth it. Make it happen. If not, draft a young guy, (Matt Gay from Utah). That kid is consistent and has a big leg.

  9. RWIII

    Rob: I just want to say thank you. I love your blog. I go back to it three or four times a day.
    Thank you!

    • East Side Stevie

      I Second tbis!

      THANK YOU Rob.

      We all know you’re about to be in grind mode this draft season. Im extremely greatful for your countless hard work. Not to mention all the hours of sleep you will be sacrificing these next couple months.

      • Josh

        Third that! One of my favorite sports outlets!

  10. JC3

    I would take my chance with rookie kicker if that extra few mils can help secure Clark long term.

  11. charlietheunicorn

    If anyone can share their thoughts on the AAF…. and if any players stood out week #2?

    Thanks mucho

    • Sea Mode

      Did you see my reply to your comment the other day?

      https://seahawksdraftblog.com/updated-mock-draft-15th-february-2#comment-402311

      • charlietheunicorn

        I saw it earlier. I was just wondering if anyone is actively keeping tabs on the league and potential FAs prospects. It appears to be better than NFL Europe was 15 years ago…. and that league made a few guys into NFL players.

        On a recent radio interview, one of the founders (Polian) said they had some other big name guys who were unsure if they were going to try it out this year, but they think it will be 100x better next season talent wise. There is also some talk of making it more like the NBA or even MLB minor leagues…. skipping guys even going to college and going directly into the league. This is more 5 or 10 years down the line, if it is successful.

  12. Seahawks193

    How do you feel about Stefen Wisniewski ? Release candidate from the Eagles.

    • Kenny Sloth

      The lowlights certainly are low….

      • Kenny Sloth

        Meant to reply to the above comment about AAF

    • Look Who's Hawkin?

      They were interested in him back in 2015 when he was a free agent, but he inevitably signed with the Jags. I remember them bringing him in for a visit if I recall. Or at the very least expressing interest.

  13. Largent80

    They had an pro bowl kicker in camp last year that was as cheap as they come and they chose poorly, yet again.

    And as was stated, the way they play, the PK position becomes as important as DE or QB. Games are won / LOST by these players, take a look at the last 2 years for proof of that.

    I think LB is a big priority and with Kendricks situation being pushed back it makes it harder because FA will already be well underway.

    • Rob Staton

      No they didn’t choose poorly.

      Janikowski and Myers had similar numbers.

      The Pro Bowl means nothing. KJ Wright made the Pro Bowl after barely playing.

      Stop being negative for the sake of it.

      • Largent80

        I wasn’t being negative. In my world, it was reality. You don’t choose the older guy who is more expensive if you have a younger guy doing the same thing for a LOT less money and do it for several years.

        It was a poor choice. Easy to see after the results.

        • Rob Staton

          It’s revisionist history Largent.

          Janikowski performed better in camp and was always in the lead for the gig.

          Nobody was up in arms when the decision was made. But they are now — because Myers had a rather fortunate looking Pro-Bowl call-up.

          • McZ

            Janikowski was one XP better. If we hadn’t endured a season full of Blair Walsh, I’m sure they would’ve retained Myers. Hence, nobody but a few commentors was up in arms.

            I think, they will not test the kicker FA market, much because the issue can be solved in UDFA. Some quite highly regarded guys will fall into this area. I would even spend a late draft pick, if we can get one of the top 3 kickers in this dense class.

            Then, Ficken and a rookie can fight it out. I cannot see them acquiring a highly regarded kicker and make the same contest.

            • Rob Staton

              Janikowski made a lot more kicks in camp. They practised every day and the reporters regularly kept tally on their success rate.

              I can’t believe this is a thing for people.

          • Largent80

            For a team that once used the franchise tag on a friggin kicker they have mishandled the position for years now. It cost this team games. They seem to be approaching it like it’s an afterthought. I NEVER, ONCE wanted an old seabass on the Seahawks and thought it was a joke. The joke was on us as fans. His pathetic lack of any kind of athletic ability and unwillingness to even make a tackle was dreadful.

            This isn’t a “thing” as you put it, but in a 16 game season, it certainly is an important part of the game and the way the Hawks play said game.

            • Rob Staton

              Sounds to me like the combine can’t come here quick enough when fans are pissing and moaning about which league average kicker they kept in 2018.

    • GerryG

      In hindsight, they kept the wrong kicker, but they didn’t cut a pro-bowler, they cut an unproven kid who went on to have a pro bowl season.

    • CestrianHawk

      The other factor when selecting a kicker (and it’s a hard one to judge before battle-testing) is how they perform/react when under real pressure (eg game-decider in late 4Q and particularly in play-offs). That’s hard to judge on unproven players, and I suspect may have been a deciding factor in the choice of Janikowski.

  14. drewdawg11

    https://youtu.be/7j51qgpPnBM

    Or, if they sign a veteran again, this kid will be a senior next year. Blankenship has a booming leg. Regularly kicks it through the end zone, also comfortable from well over 50 yards out. He would maybe be worth a Michael Dickson type draft investment.

  15. Hawkmonkey

    I’m inclined to say the value move on kickers might be looking at the AAF. I don’t support going after Robbie Gould. They need to save money on kickers and be more aggressive on first down. A slight change in playcalling sequence could make them a top 5 scoring offense that still bullies on the ground, while reducing the need to pay out the nose for a kicker

    I’m also inclined to believe that DJ Fluker isn’t better than Jordan Simmons on both an injury and talent perspective. I’d let him and Sweezy walk if they want anything more than a couple million. Much of the improvement rushing last year was due to having more talented running backs, not Fluker and Sweezy. Sweezy still has a big penalty problem that probably cost us at least 2 games. Draft someone, or use the guys we have, that’s my thoughts. Jordan Roos still hasn’t seen the field much.

    I think that we can’t go spending much money as we’d rather keep Russell, Bobby, Clark and Reed together (could argue Doug, too). I don’t know how you fit an expensive kicker into that equation. This is without considering an extension for George Fant, who may be our left or right tackle of the future given that Ifedi will soon be expensive and Brown is getting old.

    Splurging on marginal players like Fluker and Sweezy doesn’t make sense outside 1-2 year deals at low cost.

    • Rob Staton

      1. ‘Being more aggressive on first down’ doesn’t make field goal kicking any less likely to happen or any more important in close games.

      2. They won’t be ‘splurging’ on Fluker and Sweezy. They were street FA’s. They will get a pay rise for a well deserved reward. But a pay rise from the bare minimum doesn’t mean they jump to $6m a year.

    • GerryG

      Jordan Simmons has played 2 NFL games and landed on IR. He was never able to play more than a handful of games his entire college career per Pete Carroll. He looks promising, but not someone we can bank on.

      I share your concerns of Fluker (injury) and Sweezy (penalty), if upgrades can be made I am all for it, but I dont want the whole OL to burned down and starting over either.

      • Whit21

        Hawkmonkey clearly wasnt watching the games.. It was clear and evident when Fluker started week 3, the rush offense was much improved over week 1 and 2.. and the rest of the season..

  16. Gr8sparky

    What would be the ramifications of PS putting a first or even second round tender on Earl Thomas?

    • Rob Staton

      They can only franchise him and that isn’t happening.

      • LLLOGOSSS

        Knowing it’s unlikely (even if possible) I’ve wondered if we could transition tag him to let him set his market, and then trade him? Or are you only allowed one of the Franchise or Transition tag?

        • Rob Staton

          This isn’t possible. The transition tag is —- he would have the opportunity to agree a deal with another team. Then Seattle would have the right to match it or let him walk. No trade option.

          Earl Thomas will be a free agent and will leave Seattle.

  17. millhouse-serbia

    https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1097551480607911938?s=19

    • bigten

      wonder how much this affects his stock.

      • Volume12

        Lisfranc is damn serious and could limit his biggest strength. Explosion. Combine that with him already having a slight frame and my guess is it’ll impact his stock in a major way.

        • Jake

          As a senior working towards my Athletic Training degree I’ve witnessed Lisfranc sprains from grade 1 to grade 3. The fact that he had surgery tills me that he had a grade 3 sprain which means that he completed tore it. This however is not a major game changer, with the right rehab protocol and training staff he could easily return to top physical condition, if he is dedicated to returning. The only thing that would concern me is the possibility of recurrence. That being said NFL training staffs have programs for injury prevention.

      • Eburgz

        Probably a lot. Same injury that has given Sammy Watkins so many issues. I’d say it knocks him out of R1 but not out of the top 100. I’d stay away if I were the hawks all considered.

  18. Eli

    This is a good take Rob. I’m excited to see what the free agent market brings in terms of defensive lineman – I think there will be some interesting cap casualties. So far Vinny Curry has been cut by the Bucs, and some of the other faces we might see come available include Gerald McCoy, Malik Jackson, Robert Quinn, and Timmy Jernigan.

  19. AlaskaHawk

    I’m not as worried about K.J. Wright leaving due to a high offer, which I’ll set at 12 million or higher. I like him as a player, and think he is important to the defense. I think I would rate him above average, but kind of a quiet player. Not a lot of flashy plays or QB sacks. Kendricks was doing okay as a replacement, but it is more trouble to train someone new then hold on to what you got. In short, I think your giving it a Seattle favorite factor.

    My prediction is that he will try out free agency, and if the Seahawks want him (I’m not sure that they do want him due to the other cap situations) then they can get him in the 8 million dollar range. That is because he is aging, and while a solid player he is not a game changer.

    • Volume12

      I’m not a huge fan of this LB class overall.

      Speaking of KJ Wright though, for me Duke’s Joe Giles-Harris has a lot of the same qualities. Obviously not the same physical profile (doesn’t have his size or length),not the flashiest guy, not the most athletic, but the way he plays in space and diagnoses what he sees is very familiar. Extremely disciplined, tackling technique is damn near perfect, and a great fit for a zone coverage team.

      • Elmer

        Thoughts on Burr-Kirven?

        • Volume12

          Great college player. Think he’ll be a standout STer and give a team some good depth. Not 100% convinced he’s a LB at the next level though. Might be better suited as a SS.

          • Look Who's Hawkin?

            I don’t think he has the speed to play SS in the NFL. He is undersized, and he does play fast, but I would be surprised if he cracks 4.7 in the 40. Will find out soon though !

    • Simo

      I for one hope you’re right Alaska! KJ has always been low key, even under appreciated, but he’s an important player for our defense. He compliments Bobby so well, why they make a such a great tandem. Guarantee Bobby would say so!

      In addition to being a good tackler, KJ is very underrated in coverage. In today’s NFL linebackers have to be able to cover RB’s and TE’s, or they’re almost useless.

      If his knee issues are safely behind him now, I’d love to see him back on a 3 year deal for 8MM per year. He’s definitely worth that to the Hawks, hopefully not to anyone else. Now Rob seems pretty confident he’s going to get an offer we can’t/won’t match, so we’ll see what happens.

      • BobbyK

        I’m curious what kind of market there will be for KJ. He’s a very good player when healthy, but the fact of the matter is that he played only 5 games this past season (granted, finished the season playing healthy and well) and will be 30 years old when training camp begins. I hope they bring him back, but am not counting on it.

    • C-Dog

      For me, it feels like the team is set to move on from him, which if true, is too bad because he was always one of my favorite players. I think with RW, Clark, Reed, and Wagz, the team probably doesn’t have much further room for big veteran contracts. I think we could be looking at $35 mill for RW, $19 for Clark, $15 for Reed, and maybe as much as $14 for Wagner. That’s over $80 million on four players, almost half the allotted cap money, and you are still paying ADB, Lockett, Brown, and Britt.

      I think that is why Carroll has said he would love to have Kendricks back, and why KJ has been telling the boys on KJR 950 that he is set to enter free agency for the first.

      • AlaskaHawk

        Yes, the Seahawks may be turning into a team with a few highly paid talented players, and the rest of the players fighting for leftovers.

        When I think about the cap situation, I don’t think they would keep Wright unless he was under 5 million. That isn’t a reflection on his value so much as a reflection on the free agent market. The money you mention is for elite athletes, I would agree with retaining all the athletes you mention. So I just don’t see anyway out of the cap issue.

  20. Volume12

    Why is Jaylen Ferguson not gonna be at the combine?

    • icb12

      He was in a fight at a McDonald’s his freshman year. Was convicted of battery.

      Per the rules – his invitation was rescinded

    • C-Dog

      He apparently got into a fist a cuff at a McDonald’s when he was a freshman in college. Hate to use the old adage “kids being kids” but, kinda sounds like that.

      • DC

        He asked for ‘no pickles’ when he ordered his ‘Royal with cheese’ but guess what he got? Um-hmm, mfin pickles.

        Should have gone to In-n-Out.

  21. Tony

    Or how about we trade for OBJ lol. Atleast that’s what I’m seeing over at field gulls. Figured u could use a good laugh rob. Especially with such insight as sign and trade Clark, release baldwin and trading a 1st and 3rd….

    I like your logical takes here. Keep up the great work rob. I use this as my first stop for hawks news and insight. Thanks again.

    • Hawktalker#1

      Yep. Trading for OBJ . . . What a joke. Yeah, that what we need. LOL

      Let’s add trade Russ, fire Pete, draft a DB in R1, trading up, not trading down. Where does it end?

      At least a majority of everything discussed here has some rationality to it. For sure its an oasis of sanity here.

      Thank you Rob and the SDB community.

  22. SamL

    Did you guys see the NFL segment where Reggie Wayne suggests a good trade could be Antonio Brown being sent to the Seahawks in exchange for Frank Clark after he is franchised. NFL network has really gone downhill, I couldn’t stop laughing. How could anyone logically come to the conclusion that not only trading for Brown is a good idea, but to bring it about by trading a key player from a position that is already a need. So glad for this blog, so I don’t have to rely on the mainstream networks. Keep up the good work Rob.

    • Volume12

      Antonio Brown would be thrilled getting 4-5 targets a game here.

  23. BobbyK

    I’d be thrilled to see a return of Mebane as a situational player. He could very well be the version on Tony McDaniel referred to. They’ve done well with situational guys signed in free agency. I don’t believe they would have returned to the Super Bowl in ’14 had it not been for what Kevin Williams did down the stretch when Mebane got hurt. That was a big and minimum type signing we’re looking for again.

    • C-Dog

      +1

      I would love to see Mebane back.

    • Simo

      Loved Mebane the first time around, but does he still have anything left in that 34 year old body? We need to find younger d-line talent, not older. He may be a good one year stopgap, but then he’s just taking reps from a younger, long-term option!

  24. Dale Roberts

    Why were the Seahawks bad against the run this year. I think the answer is a lack of talent, players that can make the tackle when it’s available. McDougald mentioned that running backs were getting an extra 2 or 3 yards after contact. You know who didn’t give up yards after contact, Kam Chancellor. I think we really miss the boom. The other position that would make a big difference is nose tackle. So yeah, the next Tony McDaniel would be wonderful. A great pass defense won’t help if the opposing offense is always 2nd and 3. So personally I’d fix the run defense then worry about adding pass rush.

    • Aaron

      We definitely need to add a pass rusher, but I agree with the need for better run stuffing. I would love to get another young run stuffer and also a veteran too. Stopping the run is the secret ingredient to a great Pete Carroll defense.

  25. GauxGaux

    Thanks, Rob. Appreciate the content – and the effort.
    Round 3 Mock? Hanging on a thread after only one pick in first two rounds….

    R2: Jones/Saunders (Simmons?)
    R3: Jelks/Hill
    R3: Hodge/Pratt
    R4: Johnson/Peters
    R4: Sample/Wesco
    R5: Preston Williams?

    Add a FA SAM/LEO (Ray?)
    Add a Guard after cuts from a strong O-Line, à la Jordan Simmons…

    Just some thoughts. Starting to enjoy the offseason and draft process as much as the season.
    Cheers.

  26. JimQ

    –DL-Daniel Wise, Kansas, 6-3/290, Currently #83 @ drafttek.com — A potential Seahawk pick at #85?
    An ideal 3-tech? (Bennett 2.0 = ?) needs coaching up and adding strength. Has Good production and bloodlines: Also recently saw this: Daniel is the brother of former Arkansas and current New England Patriot defensive lineman Deatrich Wise and the son of Deatrich Wise, Sr., who was a ninth-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1988. Will history repeat? It may be “wise” to keep an eye on this kid as a possible interior in/out DL’er for the Seahawk rotation?

  27. Kenny Sloth

    ((((Wish Kaep hadn’t signed a NDA😞))))

  28. Sea Mode

    Woo hoo, we get Polite again in Mel Kiper’s mock!

    21. Seattle Seahawks Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida

    Even if the Seahawks re-sign (or franchise tag) free-agent defensive end Frank Clark, we know Pete Carroll & Co. are always looking for edge rushers. That’s Polite, who had 11 sacks last season. At 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, Polite will have to put on some weight to play end in a 4-3 defense, but that shouldn’t an issue. In fact, the comp I’ve made for him is a guy drafted by Carroll and GM John Schneider: former West Virginia pass-rusher Bruce Irvin, who came in at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds at the combine in 2012.

    (I’m at least celebrating getting him in any mock drafts since it’s unlikely to actually happen.)

    And D.K. Metcalf going to the Bills at #9! I guess all it takes is one team to clear his medicals and buy in to his upside.

    • millhouse-serbia

      Where we can find his whole mock?

      • Sea Mode

        Click on his name in my comment above…

    • Hawktalker#1

      Hard to get excited no matter who is mocked for us at 21 since we all know we are trading down from that spot. No sense in getting excited since will never pick there.

  29. millhouse-serbia

    Now I saw you already posted itd. Thanks. 🙂

    • Elmer

      Right, mocks are interesting only in the abstract-to see what positions the Hawks are predicted to fill with their first choice. For example, I fel; that mocks currently having the Hawks take a safety with their first pick are less credible. I even saw one mock out there that had the Hawks drafting a player who has decided to return to college.

      But what do I know? The Hawks are lucky that I’m not their GM.

  30. RWIII

    We all know that if Seattle doesn’t get a long-term deal done with Frank Clark they will franchise him. But let’s look at 2020 and beyond. Frank Clark’s salary could be in the neighorhood of 20mil per year. Russell Wilson’s salary could be in the neighborhood of 35mil per season. That’s 55mil per year just for two players. That’s a TON of cap space. Just for two players.

    • Aaron

      Great players are worth every penny

    • AlaskaHawk

      All the other teams must be facing similar situations. Even the bad quarterbacks are getting 20 million.

      Kirk Cousins is getting 28 million/year and fully guaranteed 84 million for three years with the Vikings.
      Matt Ryan is making 30 million/year with Falcons.
      Cam Newton is making 21 million/year with Panthers. It must be an older contract.
      Joe Flacco just hired by Denver at 22 milliom/year.
      Stafford at 28 million with Lions.
      Aaron Rogers at 33.5 million with the Packers. The newest contract.
      Drew Brees 25 million with the Saints.
      Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Rothlesburger, all around 20-21 million/year.

      Quite a spread on QBs. And of course there are all the rookies.

  31. Sea Mode

    Really solid mock from Casserly. Doesn’t get cute and just puts the DL talent first. Murray is best QB in draft. Rock Ya-Sin rises to R1. Seahawks take Sweat, who he says is a better athlete than Clowney coming out.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001018293/article/charley-casserly-2019-nfl-mock-draft-10-three-qbs-in-round-1

  32. Milwaukee Hawk

    Rob,

    Sheldon Richardson- didn’t go as planned after trading for him last year. Going to be a free agent again. Think the Hawks will have interest or rather not go down that road again?

    • LLLOGOSSS

      I’m good on that one, myself. He didn’t strike me as a real gritty guy, and I think his star is setting (you can see by the numbers). The team talked big about re-signing him, but in the end they made a pretty paltry offer. Shows what they really thought of his services, in my opinion. Sure, they would’ve liked to’ve had him to make that 2nd rounder worth something, but I think that ship has sailed. We need younger, hungrier (and more effective) players.

    • Rob Staton

      I think it’s unlikely. Doubt either party interested in it

  33. Edgar

    I have said this 12 times……why on this green planet would you not have the best kicking game if your plan is to muddle it up? Pete gets torn between 2 worlds, and I actually love it!

    • Hawktalker#1

      I have no idea what this is supposed to mean. Can you explain?

  34. Noah

    How much would it cost to bring in Gould on a multi-year contract

    • Rob Staton

      Apparently San Fran are going to franchise him

      • Largent80

        Well, just keep the Bass, I mean the Hawks are ok with “league average”.

    • Eli

      Top tier kickers are going for about $3.5 to $4 million per year

      • Noah

        Thanks for clarifying Rob

  35. bigten

    This may be dumb question, but what is the worth of a future 1st round pick? I ask this because I personally am all about future picks, and stocking up on picks. Texans have our second round pick this year, and they are in need of a running back, if we are at 30, would the texans trade up for josh jacobs, giving us a late second, and a first next year? Or what about their 2 late seconds?

  36. jj

    Cowherd is “reporting” that Wilson wants out of Seattle and to go to the Giants. Let the games begin.

    • Rob Staton

      And this is why I’ve been writing what I’ve been writing for the last few weeks.

      This is going to be a battle between team and QB, played out mightily in the media, and the end result could be anything.

      Article coming soon.

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