HIGHLIGHTS
— Jake Fisher has an outstanding day, could be a first round pick
— Maxx Williams runs an official 4.78, excels in pass-catching drills
— Missouri’s Mitch Morse performs well across the board
— OT’s Flowers, Peat lose ground to Humphries, Clemmings & Collins
— Tony Pauline suggests Byron Maxwell could earn $10m APY
— Eagles reportedly leading the chase for Maxwell’s signature
— Pete Carroll says negotiations with Marshawn Lynch continue “in earnest”
— Eddie Goldman won’t work out tomorrow
— Eli Harold is 6-3 with 33 inch arms
— Jameis Winston shines during his press conference
For the next four days I’ll be live blogging during the combine. Keep refreshing this page for the latest Seahawks news, data from the defensive linemen measurement session and notes on the OL/TE workouts at they take place today (beginning 6AM PST).
Join in the debate using the comments section.
To start the day — the DE measurements are coming in:
Shane Ray — 6-2 5/8, 245lbs
Dante Fowler Jr — 6-2 5/8, 261lbs
Vic Beasley — 6-3, 246lbs
Randy Gregory — 6-4 7/8, 235lbs
That’s big news for Beasley. He’s bigger than many expected. There was some talk he’d be in the 230-240lbs range. Gregory basically is an outside backer at 235lbs.
Mike Mayock says there are six potential first round offensive linemen. He touts Ali Marpet from Hobart College as one to watch.
The O-linemen are running the forty. The NFL Network is providing an immediate time with a 10 yard split (in brackets).
The average times last year were 5.21 (1.82). The splits are really the thing to look for here. Anything under 1.80 is exceptional.
T.J. Clemmings — 5.24 (1.84)
La’el Collins — 5.13 (1.86)
Rob Crisp — 5.27 (1.91)
Jamil Douglas — 5.20 (1.75)
Cameron Erving — 5.16 (1.86)
B.J. Finney — 5.26 (1.84) — former H/S wrestler
Jake Fisher — 5.05 (1.75)
Ereck Flowers — 5.32 (1.90)
Jake Fisher looks the part of an athletic tackle or guard. I’d prefer him inside. Looks in excellent shape, nice length (33 3/4 inch arms) and ran a 5.05 with a superb 1.75 split in his first attempt.
Here are some of the key times on the second runs:
T.J. Clemmings — 5.15 (1.80)
La’el Collins — 5.16 (1.81)
Rob Crisp — 5.34 (1.97)
Jamil Douglas — 5.25 (1.81)
Cameron Erving — 5.20 (1.84)
B.J. Finney — 5.34 (1.88)
Jake Fisher — 5.01 (1.78)
Ereck Flowers — 5.29 (1.78)
Ereck Flowers managed a 1.78 split on his second run at 6-6, 329lbs. Remember, these are not official times. But if that holds, it’s big for Flowers.
Tight end Tyler Kroft won’t be running a forty today:
Tyler Kroft/TE/Rutgers strained his ankle during combine medicals as doctors twisted the joint too much. No 40 till pro-day.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 20, 2015
The O-liners are now going through movement drills (the wave drill). This is all about changing direction quickly, how quickly you can react and the coaches want to see if you have any stiffness in footwork and lateral mobility.
T.J. Clemmings looked very fluid and loose — very impressive. He looks the part of a high first round prospect he just needs time and coaching. Mike Mayock is signing his praises on the NFL Network, while noting his poor Senior Bowl display.
Rob Crisp looked a bit stiff but carries his weight well. It’s a really nice start for Cameron Erving who moves well for his size.
Jake Fisher’s lateral movement is good as you’d expect. Wonderful side step. Just looks like a really fluid athlete. Ereck Flowers also showed a nice slide. He’s not on Fisher’s level but he’s carrying an extra 30lbs, it’s hard not to be impressed with the start to his day.
They’re onto the pull drills — taking a stance and then off the snap tracking the direction they have to go (signal by the coaches) and the idea is you stay low and move fluidly, keeping your eyes up without a false step. Clemmings again looks sensational. Like the former D-end he is.
Cameron Erving has a football to snap for his version of this drill as a center.
The second stage of this drill has the players blocking a fake strong safety at the second level. Clemmings again is the star. It’s effortless. Jake Fisher almost just sprints the drill. This was the first time Ereck Flowers looked a bit sluggish.
The live feed has compared La’el Collins to Logan Mankins. I prefer the Joel Bitonio/Mankins comparison a year ago, but the two players do have a lot of physical comparisons (length, size, speed).
Mayock’s top OT in the class is Clemmings and it’s easy to see why teams might agree with him on this evidence so far. You can coach technique — and he only recently converted from defense. You can’t teach this combination of size, length and speed.
The bags are out and now they’re asking two linemen to work together. One runs a down block with the aim of driving the guy with the bag 6-7 yards downfield. The other blocks inside. This is where the technical flaws of Clemmings shows up. His hand use was poor, took a poor angle and struggled to drive the bag-man downfield. It was really awkward. La’el Collins looked good here. Shaun O’Hara compares Collins to Bitonio.
Fisher had good leverage on this drill, gaining pad level with his hands and driving forward.
Now it’s the kick slide. Clemmings is reminded, “Don’t wait for him” by a coach, as he slows to monitor the rusher. They want to see him finish this drill and flash how quick he can be. He’s showing by far the smoothest footwork here. Jake Fisher is a close second.
Clemmings and La’el Collins in their second go-around actually tried to block the guys getting their hands up — this is a footwork drill and they had to be reminded of that. Collins looked really smooth with excellent size/definition. He’s carrying minimal bad weight.
Here’s Ereck Flowers’ two attempts at the kick slide:
E.Flowers in that kickstep drill. https://t.co/oV987xwaQq
— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 20, 2015
Flowers at LT this time. Something is off. Looks stiff. https://t.co/TyBA6yiB1M
— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 20, 2015
As you can see — not great. He looked surprisingly sluggish on both tries (left and right side).
Pete Carroll and John Schneider are watching closely:
Mike Mayock says Ereck Flowers should be a right tackle at the next level, but can play on the left. He’s starting to struggle here.
Now it’s the mirror drill. Another big tick for Clemmings here. Wow. Just so athletic. Cameron Erving did an accomplished job with his footwork and staying square. Jamil Douglas also did well, ditto jake Fisher.
Ereck Flowers looked tired and all over the place on this drill. His arms flailed around, he struggled to stay square, he was blowing a lot. Flowers started well and gradually got worse. It’s hard to say we saw a first round performance from him today.
Miami's OT Ereck Flowers looks like he'd get exposed quickly on edge. I'd move him inside as ROG and he could contribute from day 1 there.
— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) February 20, 2015
That’s the end for group one. The two standouts were Clemmings and Collins with an honorable mention for Jake Fisher. Charles Davis compares Collins to Josh Sitton of Green Bay.
Here’s the Collins/Mankins comp:
A quick further note on Ereck Flowers — James Carpenter didn’t have a great combine but he had tackle experience and projected well inside. Today’s performance wasn’t indicative of a NFL left tackle, but there’s no reason why he can’t be highly drafted as a guard. Daniel Jeremiah just compared him to Cordy Glenn.
Group two is just about ready to get going. For more on Tyler Kroft — this is bizarre:
Wow, per @TonyPauline Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft had his ankle injured during Combine medicals. Dr.'s pulled and twisted http://t.co/jR9HDNhuzs
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 20, 2015
A quick reminder, the average times last year were 5.21 (1.82). The ten yard split is in brackets.
Key Group 2 forty times
Chaz Green: 5.16 (1.75)
Rob Havenstein: 5.48 (1.86)
D.J. Humphries: 5.13 (1.81)
Tre Jackson: 5.54 (1.92)
Ali Marpet: 5.10 (1.81)
Andrus Peat: 5.20 (1.82)
Terry Poole: 5.10 (1.79)
Jeremiah Poutasi: 5.33 (1.86)
Ty Sambrailo: 5.37 (1.84)
Brandon Scherff: 5.07 (1.78)
Donovan Smith: 5.37 (1.86)
Laken Tomlinson: 5.39 (1.89)
Daryl Williams: 5.41 (1.86)
Andrus Peat is an odd shape. He was a big lower body and a flabby upper body. He didn’t look in great shape.
A Seahawks scout timing group two is spotted yawning on the live feed. Long days for these guys.
Daryl Williams sported gold track shoes to run his forty, before pulling off a 5.41. Talk about a deceptive image.
Tony Pauline reported during the Senior Bowl that Seattle had interest in TY Sambrailo and Terry Poole. Sambrailo is almost certainly destined to move inside to guard with a 5.37. Poole is intriguing with an above average forty and a sub-1.80 ten yard split.
Onto the second runs:
Chaz Green: 5.25 (1.83)
Rob Havenstein: 5.48 (1.86)
D.J. Humphries: 5.16 (1.82)
Tre Jackson: 5.56 (1.94)
Ali Marpet: 5.00 (1.74)
Andrus Peat: 5.26 (1.85)
Terry Poole: 5.17 (1.79)
Jeremiah Poutasi: 5.38 (1.87)
Ty Sambrailo: 5.38 (1.81)
Brandon Scherff: 5.07 (1.79)
Donovan Smith: 5.28 (1.84)
Laken Tomlinson: 5.33 (1.86)
Daryl Williams: 5.29 (1.75)
The NFL Network is comparing D.J. Humphries to Bryan Bulaga. Ali Marpet ran the quickest forty and ten yard split of the day (unofficially) with a 5.01 and a 1.74. Mayock says he projects to center at the next level.
The cameras panned onto Bill Belichick (wearing a hoodie sporting his own name) polishing off a chicken wing. There was no meat left on the bone. He ate every last bit. So far we haven’t seen the usual ‘Andy Reid devouring a big sandwich’ clip.
Brandon Scherff has the build of a guard — but moved really well. Very fluid athlete with a sub-1.80 split. Daryl Williams had a major improvement in his second run (he ran in a straight line for a start). He posted a sub-1.80 split at 6-5 and 327lbs. That’s special if it holds up officially.
No offensive linemen ran a sub-5.00 forty yard dash. There were five last year including Joel Bitonio and Taylor Lewan.
Tony Pauline is reporting Byron Maxwell could be set to earn $10m APY in free agency. He wont be returning to Seattle.
Yesterday I mentioned how hot the free agent cornerback market will be. Early numbers i'm hearing are $10 mill/annually for Byron Maxwell
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 20, 2015
Time for the drills.
Andrus Peat moved really well in the lateral drills. Effortless. Terry Poole also showed well and received praise from the coaches. They called for Ty Sambrailo to open up more and show more fluidity in his hips. “Stay down low” was the shout. Brandon Scherff clung to his hamstring after his first drill — hopefully it’s just a twinge.
Tyrus Thompson looks a lot like James Carpenter in body type. He took an age to stand up for the first drill but once he got moving he covered some ground. Donovan Smith also performed well, showing good change of direction and foot speed. This was a good start for group 2.
Neither the NFL Network or the online feed is showing the second drill. Brandon Scherff has changed and is done for the day with a tweaked hamstring.
D.J. Humphries did a nice job firing off the snap in the second pulling drill. Ali Marpet continues his athletic performance, sprinting in a similar fashion to Jake Fisher. Possible Seahawks target Terry Poole looks really crisp getting out of his stance and exploding to the second level. This is a nice, mobile group.
The tight ends will run later but they’re starting to go through the jumps. Jesse James posted 10-1 broad jump (impressive). Some more of the DL measurements are coming out too:
Eddie Goldman — 6-4, 336lbs, 33 1/8 arms, 10 1/8 hands
Arik Armstead — 6-7, 292lbs with, 33-inch arms, 10 1/2 hands
Eli Harold — 6-3, 247lbs, 33-inch arms, 9 3/8 hands
Dante Fowler — 6-2 1/2, 261lbs, 33 3/4 arms, 9 1/2 hands
Danielle Hunter — 6-5, 252lbs, 34 1/4 arms, 10 1/2 hands
The offensive linemen are onto the bag drills as we’re skimming through some of these measurements. Nobody stood out, but nobody had any glaring issues here.
There’s also some breaking news on Todd Gurley:
Via @MikeSilver, Todd Gurley refused to allow doctors to examine knee at combine.
–> http://t.co/8AXCbStdFE pic.twitter.com/AoEUzW19JF
— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) February 20, 2015
D.J. Humphries cut off his kick-slide. Missouri’s Mitch Morse looked good in this drill and received praise from the coaches. Robert Myers went the other way — putting in a poor effort. Andrus Peat’s was a little clumsy. Terry Poole was good here. Ty Sambrailo moves a lot better than his 40 would suggest. Tyrus Thompson just got hammered by the coaches. One shouted, “Don’t you listen?”
The full list of measurements is slowly coming out for the defensive linemen. You can see them here.
Vic Beasley is tall (6-3) but only has 32 and 1/2 inch arms. Eli Harold has decent length at 6-3 and 33 inch arms. Markus Smith had 34 inch arms last year.
Xavier Cooper is tall (6-3) but shockingly short arms (31 1/2 inches). That might put him out of contention in Seattle.
Leonard Williams is 6-5, 302lbs, has 34 5/8 inch arms and 10 5/8 inch hands.
Back to the OL drills — D.J. Humphries has really nice hips, opens up in the change of direction drill and looked incredibly smooth. Mitch Morse again looked good. He has short arms but incredibly mobile. I like Terry Poole’s overall workout. Moves well. Looks like a guard convert. Ty Sambrailo looked really tight in the hips. Daryl Williams also struggled somewhat.
Mike Mayock is praising the injured Brandon Scherff, comparing him to Maurkice Pouncey. At the same time, Daniel Jeremiah is Tweeting this:
Arrow down. RT @MoveTheSticks: I'm not all the way on board with the Scherff hype. He gets beat a lot in pass pro. Maryland game was rough.
— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) February 20, 2015
They’re onto the mirror drills. Humphries again moves well and might be seeing a nice boost for his stock having got above 300lbs. Mitch Morse looks really, really smooth. Love the way he’s worked here. One to go back and watch on tape next week.
Mike Mayock on Andrus Peat: “He looks like a young, big (Barack) Obama.”
Shaun O’Hara watching Ty Sambrailo work out says he could use a redshirt year. Andrus Peat is tough to diagnose. He’s huge in the lower body and moves surprisingly well. But when he got tired, his technique disappeared and he looked awkward. He doesn’t have a traditional left tackle body despite having ideal length and weight. He’s going to be a really tough one to work out. He could go anywhere from #10-25.
That’s the end of the second group’s drills. The winner’s for me were Mitch Morse, Ali Marpet and D.J. Humphries. Both Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis say they expect Humphries to be the first offensive tackle taken this year.
Now we wait for the TE’s to run the forty and perform drills. And it’s time for me to eat…
Florida State DT Eddie Goldman says he will not do the drills at the combine.
There’s also this:
Present word has the Philadelphia Eagles as front runners for cornerback Byron Maxwell.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 20, 2015
The official forty times are the offensive linemen. Here are the best times:
Ali Marpet (4.98)
Jake Fisher (5.01)
Laurence Gibson (5.04)
Brandon Scherff (5.05)
Terry Poole (5.09)
La’el Collins (5.12)
D.J. Humphries (5.12)
T.J. Clemmings (5.14)
Mitch Morse (5.14)
Cameron Erving (5.15)
Tight end forty yard dash times:
Blake Bell: 4.80 & 4.82
Nick Boyle: 5.04
Jesse James: 4.86 & 4.83
Nick O’Leary: 4.93 & 4.94
Wes Saxton: 4.56 & 4.66
Jean Sirfin: 4.84 & 4.84
Clive Walford: 4.79 & 4.81
Maxx Williams: 4.90 & 4.77
Nobody expected Williams to run a great forty, but I don’t think anybody expected a 4.90. His second time of 4.77 is more realistic for his skill set. It’s about what you’d expect.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why the Seahawks are reportedly very interested in Julius Thomas. The few TE’s who actually ran here (many didn’t) showed very little explosion. There’s just not that much to get excited about with this group. People who fantasize about later round picks will convince themselves there’s a find here. In reality, this is yet another poor class of TE’s.
If the Seahawks want a dynamic pass-catching tight end, they are probably going to have to look at Thomas and Jordan Cameron. Thomas is a fantastic open-field runner who can make big YAC in the open field. He can take a pass over the seam for a chunk play. He’s an exceptional athlete and receiver, not just a dynamic red zone target (24 touchdowns in two seasons).
Mayock compares Maxx Williams to Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph.
The drills are about to begin. There’s really only two things I focus on here — hands and catching technique. Do they cup the football? Do they double catch? Is it smooth?
Nick Boyle double catches on the sideline and spills the ball, getting the attention of the coaches who say he should’ve caught it. The coach leading the drill says, “You need to move your feet like a typewriter but you guys probably don’t know what one is.”
Jean Sifrin looks lean, almost more like a big receiver. Clive Walford and Maxx Williams do a great job on the first drill (route to the sideline, catch in bounds) — the coaches let them know it too with some big praise.
The TE’s are now running downfield. Maxx Williams is putting on a clinic. No wasted steps, tracking the ball downfield, catching over his shoulder, cupping the ball (perfect technique) and catching it at the highest point. NO body catches so far. Just a really, really nice workout.
He isn’t a mismatch in terms of size/speed (or a great blocker) but he’s going to be a very reliable target for someone at the next level. There’s a bit of Dallas Clark on show here. He is very clearly the best tight end in this years draft, assuming Devin Funchess continues on this quest to prove he’s a receiver for financial purposes (he lacks the short area quick’s or long speed, he’s better working the slot or TE).
The one thing Funchess does that Williams won’t? Box off defenders. And that’s one of the things Seattle desperately needs on offense.
Official forty times for the TE’s:
M. Pruitt — 4.58
W. Saxton — 4.65
M. Williams — 4.78
C. Walford — 4.79
B. Bell — 4.80
J. James — 4.83
J. Sifrin — 4.84
N. O’Leary — 4.93
4.78 seems about right for Maxx Williams.
Now it’s time for the gauntlet. Blake Bell showed nice catching technique and didn’t drop a ball. The coaches yelled, “Classic” at him. Nick Boyle had a tough run, dropping a couple of balls. Cam Clear dropped two passes. Jesse James dropped one pass, let the ball into his body and he weaved around the route.
Ben Koyack looked smooth apart from one bad drop. Nick O’Leary was slow but showed fantastic hands — and he didn’t wear gloves. MyCole Pruitt jogged through his rep and dropped a couple. Wes Saxton labored through his. Jean Sifrin double caught one and missed another, but also high pointed a high throw.
Clive Walford dropped one but like Sifrin high pointed a really tough catch. Maxx Williams caught every ball away from his body and looked excellent. Again. He probably has the best hands in the draft (WR and TE).
In the second run it was more of the same. O’Leary was incredible again — natural catcher, no gloves, ran in a straight line, didn’t miss a step. No double catching. Excellent rep. Jean Sifrin dropped two passes on his second go-around. Walford’s second attempt was much better — no drops. Maxx Williams had another clean run with zero drops. Again, brilliant hands. Doesn’t let the ball into his body. All natural movements and technique.
Ball just sticks to Maxx Williams' hands. https://t.co/1iWsDtRb8N
— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 20, 2015
Mayock: “This whole thing (the workouts) confirms to me that this is a below-average group of tight ends in this draft class.”
Clive Walford jumped 10-feet in the broad jump. Still waiting on the other numbers. Jesse James had a 10-1.
You can’t help but feel Devin Funchess missed a trick not working out with these TE’s. Instead of looking like a physical freak among an average class, he’ll look like a big target among a bunch of really athletic receivers tomorrow.
It’s been a tough day for Nick Boyle. He had a nice Senior Bowl game but has struggled a bit here. Jesse James is lean — almost skinny — but runs nicely and can get to the second level. I don’t think he’s a big mismatch who can box people off, but give him a year to add size and maybe he’s a nice project for someone.
Every single tight end just struggled on a deep drill to the right hand side — except Maxx Williams. Whether they couldn’t locate the ball, catch it, get deep enough. Williams ran a fantastic route and caught it in stride without breaking sweat. Wonderful.
If you want to compare TE’s:
Luke Willson at 251 lbs and 6053, 4.51 forty, 1.53 10 yard split (jeez), 38 vert, 10-2 broad, 23 bench
— DAVIS HSU (@DavisHsuSeattle) February 20, 2015
That ends the drills for today. The most impressive performers? Mitch Morse from Missouri, D.J. Humphries from Florida, T.J. Clemmings from Pittsburgh, Jake Fisher from Oregon, La’el Collins from LSU, Maxx Williams from Minnesota, Terry Poole from San Diego State and Ali Marpet from Hobart.
I’ll keep the blog open for another hour or so. We’re still waiting for news on the vertical/broad jumps and the full list of DL measurements. There’s also this:
Coach @PeteCarroll is scheduled to meet with the media at 12 p.m. PT from the #NFLCombine.
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) February 20, 2015
According to Mike Loyko, Jake Fisher posted the third best short shuttle (4.33) for an offensive lineman and the fourth best 3-cone (7.25) since 2006. It’s impressive. We’ll need to consider his stock moving forward. Is he getting into Kyle Long territory? Very possible. Look at the physical similarities.
Jameis Winston is holding a press conference — and you have to say, he’s owning it. Very confident. Very chatty. Cracking jokes. The off-field concerns are legit but he played the role of a franchise quarterback very well today.
Pete Carroll’s press conference is taking place at the same time, meaning it’s getting very little attention and no live feed. The only news so far is he’s still looking to fill a couple of assistant coaching spots.
He praised Bruce Irvin, leading to this Twitter response:
@Seahawks atta boy Pete!
— Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) February 20, 2015
Carroll says they are negotiating “in earnest” to re-sign RB Marshawn Lynch. “We’ve had big offers out there.” He praises Jim Harbaugh and says he’ll “kick butt” at Michigan (it seems the pair became BFF’s following Seattle’s victory at Century Link during the 2014 season).
Going back to Jake Fisher, I had a look at Joel Bitonio’s combine numbers for a comparison. Bitonio had a 32 inch vertical (Fisher — 32.5), a 4.97 forty (Fisher — 5.01), a 7.37 3-cone drill (Fisher — 7.25) and a 4.44 short shuttle (Fisher — 4.33). Bitonio had 22 reps on the bench, Fisher had 25 reps. They are very similar. I’ve seen plenty of Fisher and felt, like Bitonio, he might end up moving inside. Bitonio is 6-4 and 302lbs with 33 7/8 inch arms. Fisher is 6-6 and 306lbs with 33 3/4 inch arms.
I’ll go back and review his tape with this new information. You have to say he’s in with a very good shot of the top-40 after this display and could easily land in round one if teams see the comparisons to another former Duck in Kyle Long.
That’s pretty much it for today. We’ll be back to do it all again tomorrow from 6AM PST. Don’t forget if you want to see any measurements or timings from today at the combine, click here.
Seahawks likely won’t be interested in anyone north of 1.84 10 yard split.
I really hope we can get Fisher at then end of the 2nd.
I think he’s a possibility to go late 1 if there’s a run on tackles. Early to mid 2 otherwise. Watch his tape from Oregon and his movement is pretty impressive.
I know…that’s why I said I hope. He’s a favorite of mine but I don’t think we’ll be ablet o get him.
I really believe he’ll end up projected as an athletic guard, similar to Kyle Long (not as good as Long, but that type of project).
I wouldn’t mind him at LG. Would be an athletic guard combo with Sweezy and could fill in at Tackle in a pinch.
He’d be a great fit.
Enough to warrant a R1 pick though? And is he strong enough in the run game that he makes sense?
I keep coming back to the positional value. Unless they can play LT, I think I wait til the mid-later rounds to target raw athletes to mold. I’ve just seen so many R1 OL in recent years do little-to-nothing.
I would take him at some point on day two. Not #31 though.
Give me SD St OG Terry Poole in the 3rd or 4th, much better value. This dude’s a stud.
My guy Jake Fisher showing up! Would love him on the Seahawks!
Great product placement by Microsoft!
anyone know off hand what Britt ran last year?
5.19 40 and 1.81 10 yd 33 1/2 arms and 10 1/4 hands
The most interesting (and disappointing, from my perspective) thing from Schneider’s press conference yesterday is something that nobody mentions: that we are probably looking to slide down again rather than stay put at 31. If the value isn’t there at 31 for Cameron Erving, any chance we move back a bit and take him with our first pick? He seems like a really good fit as a guy that can take over for Carpenter or Sweezy if we decide to move on/upgrade, and can fill in or take over for Unger if his injury problems persist. He seems to be showing well in drills.
Or we are just playing the game. With a potential 11 picks we could be even looking up.
I noticed it and think its business as usual. I think Schneider wants as mandy day 2 picks as he can get this year. Rounds 2-4 will have a lot of talent.
I think Patrick Lewis did a great enough job to leap frog Lem Jean-Pierre for the back up center spot. I can see them drafting him for his versatility, he’d make a greaet fit for Cable’s system. Have him start at LG day 1, but I don’t know if you would want to use your first pick on a guy like that, that isn’t a LT. However if they did, I’d be fine with it as long as we didn’t pass up any difference maker at WR or RB
There seems to be so many good players projected to go in day 2, though. If we could turn our first rounder and a 4th round pick into a couple of good day 2 picks, that would give us 4 picks in rounds 2-3. It would be hard to pass up a starting quality tackle if they are there at #31, though.
I’m probably more excited for day 2 than the first round this year.
Re Day 2 picks: I guess. Again, really starting to worry that we just think we’re the smartest guys in the room after getting lucky on Sherman and Kam. ’11 and ’12, we largely stayed put and had great drafts. ’13 we slid down and essentially traded Eddie Lacy for Christine Michael. How nice would it be to have Lynch’s replacement already on the roster? ’14 we slid down and essentially traded Bitonio, Jordan Matthews, or ASJ for PRich, Norwood and Marsh. Guy with injury history who got injured and two guys who barely played. Again, how nice would it be to have Carp’s replacement already on the roster? Or Zach Miller’s?
I don’t think I’m cherry picking too much here. These were guys at spots of need for us (maybe not TE at the time) who I was banging the table for all pre-draft that were taken within a handful of picks after we traded down. We could have identified them and taken them with no special foresight.
We seem to be trading starters for the chance to audition a lot of guys who will end up getting cut. I say skip an extra 4th-round “contributor” and go grab some starters.
Lacy was never coming to Seattle, Michael was the guy they wanted and they got him.
Bitonio wasn’t the guy they wanted either, they thought they had an ace in the hole in P-Rich and he would have been picked at 1.32 if they stayed put, so I don’t think the goal is to pass on the guys they want and hope they drop to them. It’s to add picks and get guys they want in the mid/late rounds and still get the guys they want in the early rounds.
A team will always claim they got the guy they wanted, even if it wasn’t the guy they wanted. Then the other teams cover each others behinds. I find the Seahawks early round drafting strategies curious. Bitonio had a much better record then Britt so why trade down and avoid him? P-Rich was no more special as a receiver then half a dozen other receivers available. After months of research why didn’t they see the issues with free agent Harvin and 2nd round pick Michaels, two clear whiffs? These picks are haunting us now with no #1 receiver and no replacement for Marshawn Lynch. How did we end up with Walters as a kick returner?
If Bitonio wasn’t the guy they wanted last year, maybe the Seahawks need to reavaluate what they are doing.
I disagree with the idea that Richardson wasn’t special. They were looking for a vertical threat and Prich was unique in college football in that regard. He also checked a number of other boxes they were looking for.
C-mike also presented potential stardom that I don’t think Lacy really does. There are frequently RBs pretty much like Lacy in the draft. There’s not a lot of RBs with Michael’s athleticism.
Of late, when JS has spoken of being ‘fooled’ by athleticism, and missing a lack of desire to play, or a love for the game, I can’t help but think at least one of the players he’s talking about is Christine Michael.
The reality is, the draft is a lottery. Teams are going to miss, a lot. It’s not entirely fair to go back and look at who they could have drafted. Especially because we don’t have full insight into what kind of specific, particular skill sets and mentalities they’re looking at. Nor do we know what coaches, trainers, even professors, and others have told them about players in their background checks.
I think it is fair to look back at drafting records if it is over a number of years. Like three years for instance. Who have we picked in the first two rounds that is a starter, not-injured with a potentially season ending injury, and impresses you with their play? Irvin and Wagner are the only two that come to mind out of a potential 6 picks. Britt has been okay, as long as not matched up against an elite defensive end. I won’t count P-RIch as a success since he didn’t make it through a season. The players in the early rounds should have a 50% chance of making it. The percentages become lower as the Seahawks move down.
Should of, could of , would of. Lot of 2nd guessing for a team that just made back to back SBs in a league that’s designed to go 8-8 every other year.
Seattle is 5-6 players away from having a roster with no holes really. And that’s mind blowing in this day and age.
Some teams don’t value the receiver position highly. Should they? Probably, but there’s more to it than just on-field talent. Percy Harvin is a perfect example.
As for HB Eddie Lacy? JS keeps talking about guys that ‘love the game of football.’ That’s not Lacy. He has repeatedly said that football isn’t his no 1 priority or passion. This guy takes himself out of games when his team is counting on him the most, and once he gets that deal after his 4 year rookie contract is up, IMO it will be game over for him.
I don’t think you can keep bringing up the superbowl like that is the sole measure and all else is forgiven. I could argue that we could have won the superbowl if we had simply stashed Harvin until the superbowl and then used him as a deep threat receiver (which we never used him as for some reason). It isn’t like we got anything from the Jets for him (okay maybe a 4th or a 6th draft pick but that is so far below his worth). Also on the shoulda woulda train, if Burley had been active then Lane’s injury wouldn’t have been so crippling to the secondary.
But my main point is that the Seahawks last three years draft record in the first and second round is average at best, and it would be helpful if they want to win a superbowl to hit on some difference makers. Those difference makers tend to get picked by other teams when you trade down.
Don’t forget the need of a starting CB after Maxie leaves.
I know there is a lot of second-guessing, but I think it’s warranted. Yes, we made the SB twice. But we’ve also gone two years of the draft with one full-time starter to show for it (Britt).
And it’s not all because the roster is so hard to crack. We’ve got OL and WR issues that could have been better fixed that just weren’t.
I’m sorry Alaska, why can’t I bring up the SB as the ‘sole measure?’ It is the sole measure! That’s what every team plays the game for.
As far as being forgiven, what? Should the Seahawks apologize to their fans because they didn’t draft who they wanted or called a play they didn’t agree with?
We never used Harvin as a deep threat, because he isn’t. Dude’s washed up and has been for 3 years now.
The draft’s a lottery, you win the lottery by buying more tickets.
Just to add some perspective:
J.R. Sweezy at the combine – 6’5, 34 inch arms, 298, 5.01 forty, 21 reps, 36 vert., 113 hor., 7.40 3 con.
impressive…
Eli Harold 6030 and 247. Big enough to be a LEO?
Has his measurements come in yet? Very curious on Harold’s weight. Have seen anywhere from 251 to 235.
Also very interest for Danielle Hunters measurements. I just saw Harold at 247 like you said. That’s decent.
Yes. Very similar size to Bruce when he was at the combine. He can easily add weight to get into the low 250’s. If he was on the lower side of the 240’s I’d be a little more worried about it.
33 inch arms. Just enough length for me.
Awesome numbers for Hunter, I know your not the biggest fan but my gut tells me the Seahawks are going to draft him. Well find out more on Sunday.
I’m in the some boat you are Greg. There’s just something about this kid I love.
He has gorilla arms and 252 is a good weight. Well watch him Sunday tear up the rest!
And let’ not forget, this kid is basically just that. A kid. It would almost be the equivalent of getting a 5-star recruit on an NFL roster.
Right now it seems that its just you and I on the Hunter bandwagon. We need some more riders.
He turns 21 in October…if he pans out he could actually be signing a second contract at age 23 or 24.
That’s what I mean. There won’t be many 20 year olds when the NFL calendar year starts, if any.
That’s really exciting that someone, hopefully us, could be getting someone who won’t even be 21 almost half way through the NFL schedule.
LOL! We do, but if not, at least I got someone else who’s high on this kid.
I wrote a fanpost on field gills a week or so predicting this kid for our first pick…most likely I’ll be a mile off but well see.
Can’t believe Gurley’s not letting anyone get a look at the knee. That’s the only reason he’s there. That’s got to be a bit of a red flag, right? He has nothing to fain by doing this unless there’s something he doesn’t want found, and he had to know that would be the assumption as soon as he refused to let anyone check it.
It could be he just doesn’t want doctors that aren’t his pocking and prodding him. I don’t think its a big deal, as teams will get to check out his knee before the draft. He is already jogging and is planning to be able to play day 1. If there was something of concern for his knee that he didn’t want people to know, I doubt his recovery would be going so well.
After they injured Kroft during evaluation…can’t say I blame Gurley. That said, if he does this later in the process on team visits, then it could be a big red flag.
As for now, I take it as a reaction to the Kroft situation, which apparently has happened before.
Apparently teams are comfortable with the decision, according to Mike Silver. These physicals can be demanding. Knees and ankles have been re-injured during these tests.
He’s there to network, meet with teams, coaches, interviews, etc…
No point in risking a re-injury over nothing. Let the thing heal fully first.
If I’m Gurley I wouldn’t let those doctors near my legs given what they did to TE Kroft.
Very impressed with Vic Beasley’s size. On the field he doesn’t look quite that big, but his shorter arms do show up on tape. I’m excited to see the numbers he puts up.
If Jesse James had 10’1 broad jump, I’m curious as to what his vertical will be and his forty. Sounds like he has some serious lower body explosion strength for a man that size.
I like that Flowers is screwing up the combine… maybe he’ll fall all the way to 31 or even further. I think getting coached by Cable would be great for him and he could slide right into LG and work next to Okung with the possibility of replacing him next year…
Williams is not a first round TE. At least we’ve settled that.
4.9 wow I am incredibly surprised. I agree not a 1st rounder with that time.
4.77 on his second attempt, so fastest TE at the combine. Remember a guy named Zach Miller? In case you didn’t… 40 Time: Low: 4.83 / High: 4.90 / Official 40 Time: 4.87
He tumbled out of the first round because of a slow 40. Think the Raiders minded scooping up that slow-poke in the mid-2nd? Let’s not get too cute here, Maxx Williams makes plays on the football field and doesn’t get caught from behind on the football field.
Sorry – skipped over Sexton. Still not convinced he is a TE though at his size, maybe a joker – but he isn’t superior to either Willson or Helfet.
Not familiar with the Zach Miller guy 😉 Just kidding
Along the lines of Zach Miller, if he’s in the 4.85 – 4.9 range (remember 4.77 is unofficial), He could take a Zach Miller tumble into the 2nd round as well which I am ok with because that would give Seattle an opportunity to pick him up. With what I think will be one of Seattle’s two 2nd round picks.
Rob just posted 4.78 is the official. Not bad considering the first 40 try. I was expecting 4.65 – 4.7 so 4.78 is not as good as I thought but it is what it is.
“Maxx Williams caught every ball away from his body and looked excellent. Again. He probably has the best hands in the draft (WR and TE).” The last TE that got that sort of endorsement was Virginia’s TE Heath Miller. I’m not saying it’s a sure thing, but the evidence of having a successful NFL career as an in-line TE is really stacking up.
Yes, it is a poor group of TE’s. Sexton was the only one under 4.6 which is the gold standard. We should be able to get a TE in the 3rd thru 6th round but they will not stretch the field. So, we ought to look at them as blocking TE’s. Luke Willson runs a 4.5 forty. Zack Miller can probably run faster than these guys coming out. Mayock says, Maxx Williams is the best of the bunch but belongs in the 2nd round. After the forty times he and Walford may have slipped into the 3rd round.
Walford or Williams at 2.31. would be a dream come true. I would be fine with either at 1.31, even happier with a slight trade-down to add a mid-round pick.
I only saw Walford’s second Gauntlet and was imperssed.
Anybodys thoughts on Sirfin?
He’s old, and entirely raw, but he’s athletic, great size, freakishly big hands. I’m really interested to see where he goes.
Sifrin*
I’d be down to take a flier on the kid. 27? so what…most NFL careers are 3 years…he’d be 30…it could work
Rob, where do you think Morse and Poole go in the draft? 2nd/3rd? Morse is new to me, but I had Poole on my list of guys to watch this week.
TE Williams – I haven’t been as high on him as others, but he could run faster at his pro day, so I wouldn’t get too excited by a bad run or two today.
Morse will be later round at best. Poole day three.
Thanks Rob – those seem to be Seattle type OL then – day 3 guys
Rob,
I can’t remember if you touched on this yesterday, but since it was revealed that Jeremy Lane has a torn ACL in addition to the broken arm, CB is becoming a higher priority with Maxwell all but gone. Considering how badly Tharold Simon was abused in the post season, CB is one of those positions that I’m paying extra attention to.
Yep — they need to draft two I think. Damian Swann a guy I like. If he’s there in round one (doubt it) I’m a big Jalen Collins fan.
Do you think Lippett will get drafted by the Hawks, or will another team wanting their own shot at Sherman draft him early?
I’m not convinced he’ll generate that much interest. Project.
I’m looking at Quinten Rollins, and Eric Rowe, 2 guys I like for CB.
I like Rowe too
I’m in on Utah CB Eric Rowe as well.
4 guys I’m very interested in are Georgia’s CB Damian Swann, UCF’s CB Jacoby Glenn, Kansas CB Ja’Corey Shepherd, and even Miss St DB Justin Cox.
Obviously I’d prefer a LSU CB Jalen Collins, U-DUB CB Marcus Peters, Michigan St CB Trae Wayne, Florida St CB PJ Williams, but those guys are probably some of, if not the 1st corners off the board. I’m looking at the guys who will probably go in rounds 2-4.
Wonder where Ifo Ekpre Olomu’s stock is at?
According to this, Shaq Thompson will do LB and RB drills.
https://twitter.com/A_Jude/status/568846298759110657
I wondered about this prospect a couple of times, especially when Rob wrote about Lynch’s value and the difficulty of replacing him. Nobody seems to take it seriously, but this is the moment. If Thompson ranks as a talented but slightly undersized LB in this draft, where would he rank as an RB?
Nick O’Leary is performing like the player we thought Maxx Williams was. Absolutely owned all the catching drills. Wow. I can see this guy catching all those passes in the flat that Willson routinely muffs, plus he’s a solid blocker. Gonna go back and watch his game tape. Very impressed.
Maxx Williams was the best performer in the catching drills. O’Leary had a superb gauntlet but didn’t have the same success on the deeper routes/catching deep.
We have Willson and maybe JT for the deep seam routes. I love the potential I saw from O’Leary catching short passes in the flat and over the middle where we don’t have a reliable catcher at TE right now. This guy could give Williams-like production with a day three pick.
Anyone have a time machine to jump us ahead to Free Agency? That would be great
I’ve been thinking a bit about the TE position and I’m not sure that Seattle needs to really do anything in FA about it. Besides his combine numbers blowing away all comers from this years combine, Luke Willson yes of course has the head slapping plays, but is literally further along with his career then JT was at the similar point.
I understand the FO has made inquiries about him via trade but what they really need to do in my opinion is work on Willsons catching sure should he make the most of his opportunities? Indeed, but lets get real here he wasn’t even really playing in College. I’m probably binding a homer here but I actually think he’s in for good season next year after his rough acclamation.
JT is great at Denver with Manning but color me skeptical of FA acquisitions in receiving positions and the Seahawks long, long history of getting next to nothing out of players that they didn’t draft originally as a WR or TE.
As for all the TE’s un the draft currently id give it a,solid “meh,” followed by a resounding “uhmmmm,” and then finally a decisive, ” bring on the WR
Injuries curtailed Thomas’ career to begin with in fairness. In his first full season of any relevance in Denver he had 12 touchdowns.
I’m not tied to the idea of signing Julius Thomas — but he really is a truly dynamic tight end with superb athleticism and playmaking qualities.
Rob no doubt he’s a talent my point is he was very raw and had injuries and time and Peyton manning to acclimate him to the kevel he is at. I lived un Colorado when they drafted him and he wasn’t exactly the Thomas he is now. He was all potential who put it together. U just wonder if we’re a bit harsh on Willson who has had to contribute,since his first day vs. A guy who yes had injuries but was also afforded a hall of fame wb and two years to redshirt
Totally agree. I don’t see anything special in any of these TEs.
Signing receivers from a Payton offense is like the Mariners signing hitters from Colorado.
Tate was undervalued, JT is overvalued.
If I were the Seahawks I would be looking at Virgil Green and the guys we already have. If McCoy and Miller look healthy we may be better off standing pat at the TE position until next year. Maybe we take a guy for the practice squad. That is about it.
Man, Miami OL Erick Flowers kick slide is awful. This dude is too stiff for a ZBS scheme. How’s he supposed to get an angle on a defender when he’s stiff as a board?
I find it very telling that there were reports of Oklahoma OL Tyrus Thompson being lazy and having a bad work ethic, and one o the coaches/instructors yells at him ‘don’t you listen!’ LOL. Sums him up perfectly.
These TEs look awful, and I think JS knew this way back in October when they tried to trade Harvin for 5 different tight ends. Man I’m hoping they work out something with TEs Jordan Cameron and or Julius Thomas.
The one thing I’ll mention about JT is that he has had some injuries – Cameron too. It is hard for me to see Seattle paying him a lot to have that risk. We saw what happened with fragile Percy.
I’d rather pay a semi number 1 veteran receiver over JT. I think Brandon Marshall is going to be cut. He came out here before he signed with Chicago last time – I could see that happening again. I think he’s very competitive rather than disgruntled – it reminds me when Dougie was in Russell’s face yelling at him.
It didn’t stop them spending big on Sidney Rice in fairness — and he had a laundry list of issues before signing in Seattle.
I like Marshall but some of the stuff we read about last season was more than just Baldwin getting in Russell’s face. He said things like the Bears would have “buyers remorse” on Cutler’s contract. One of PC’s big rules is to put the team first.
Any thoughts on picking up Chris Polk for RB depth/competition (assuming the Eagles don’t re-sign him)?
I’m not sure he’d add that much, apart from maybe a kick return option.
He definitely seems like a good fit, but how far do you trust that degenerative shoulder? That’s the only reason he wasn’t drafted in the first place.
Yeah, Brandon Marshall would be nice, but how much? Is he going to be satisfied with 4-5 targets a game?
Yes, both guys have a history of injuries, that’s just the game of football. The guys who are never hurt, hardly ever hit the open market.
There’s a reason Seattle is and has been targeting the TE position. Sign Cameron or JT and draft a Ty Montgomery, Nelson Agholor, Justin Hardy, Stefon Diggs for example.
If they want a dynamic pass catching TE what they need to do is chain Willson to a jugs machine for the next four months…
I for one am not counting out TE Luke Wilson. I think this dude is a rising star, and will soon be one of the game’s best young TEs, but Seattle has always wanted 2 TEs.
Could you imagine this offense with TEs Luke Wilson, either JT or Jordan Cameron, and 5-6 receivers with different skill sets, including an exciting young rookie and the moose of a man in ‘Hardball’ Matthews?
Its honestly nuts how.much his combine was over this current crop. I’m with you I could.see him.having a huge jump with a solid option beside him
I agree on not counting him out but I am also not counting on him.
JT is always hurt and JC has concussion problems. I would avoid paying them high $. Would rather use the money on Suh or Paea and Sheard. Maybe get Clay or Green. Really looks like we need a CB in the first 3 rounds too.
1st Trade back and get WR (Smith/Strong/Coates/Agholor/Dorsett)
2nd OL
3rd CB
3rd OL
Not in this exact or particular order.
Give me LSU DE Danielle Hunter, Alabama HB TJ Yeldon, one of these WRs- Stanford’s Ty Montgomery, E. Carolina’s Justin Hardy, USC’s Nelson Agholor, Maryland’s Stefon Diggs, or W&M’s Tre McBride, SD St OG Terry Poole.
Can’t wait for the CBs to go and get measured so we can eliminate the ones that don’t have 32 inch arms.
DL is such an overrated need for Seattle. They’ve never had a dominating DT. We replaced Branch with two guys and then replace those two with 2 others.
It’s not a huge need, but if they feel like a DE or DT is the BPA available, they’ll pull the trigger.
Yeah, I think they take a couple DTs later on or draft at least 1 and sign a FA. Houston’s DT Joey Mbu has some ridiculous 35 inch arms! He’s also rumored to be a fantastic teammate and to quote PC ‘just a really cool guy.’
I think one of the sleepers this year in FA is Baltimore Raven Pernell McPhee- 6’3, 280 lbs., can play 5-tech, 3-tech, and at his size he can drop into coverage and probably play some SAM LB in a pinch. Incredibly versatile and unique.
Rob, what about Oklahoma TE Blake Bell as a day 3 option who’s somewhat in the mold of Zach Miller? I like the fact that he sees the game through a QBs eyes, being a former one himself. Lot of upside, old-school tight end.
I liked the way he caught the ball today. Big project of course. I just think the Seahawks need more of an impact at that position and need to use the later picks on other positions (CB, OL depth). Bell is a nice project for a team with an established passing game, can maybe sit on the practice squad for a year or two and develop.
Oh, I wasn’t talking about him as the guy they think could be the answer.
I should of said if they sign Jordan Cameron or Julius Thomas, what do you think about him as a day 3 option, and a no. 3 TE.
I’d rather bring him in in as an UDFA with upside.
What did ND TE Ben Koyack run? Norte Dame has been ‘TE-U’ recently, and he’s another intriguing guy.
Didn’t run. Said he had been working to get his diploma not practicing for the combine.
Huh.
When do the CBs get measured?
Tomorrow.
1 yd. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
ahhhhhhhhhhgreed!
How likely do you think it is Eli harold will be a top 10 draft pick? Some guy seems to believe he’s a 2nd round pick at best.
I think if he performs well here he can get into that range. For me at worst he’s top-40.
WOW at Jake Fisher.
It’ll be a damn shape if Cooper drops because of his arm length. Bottom line is that he knows how to use his arms and hands. What he lacks in length he makes up for in skill. Best 3-Technique in the draft after the clear-cut first rounders (and most of them are 5Ts or 1/0Ts anyway).
Ali Marpet and Jake Fisher both stood out with measurables. 3 cone drill, 40 times. The bio on NFL . com for each mentions them being ideal in a ZBS. One or both will make it to the Hawks…. 2-3rd round pick for Fisher and 3-5 pick for Marpet.
Fisher could play OG or OT, while Marpet could play C or OG. Let’s get it done JS/PC.
I like your thought earlier about Brandon Marshall (not putting the team first with the “buyers remorse” comment) but they knew he had character concerns in ’10 and still went after him pretty hard. I wonder if they will go after him? Him being a legit #1 would open up Baldwin quite a bit, too.
I worry about J. Thomas if we sign him. He’s a threat, no doubt. However, we still wouldn’t have a #1 WR (I know if we got Marshall that we wouldn’t have a great TE threat either). He hasn’t exactly been an ironman throughout his career either. He played this past year but was obviously not himself the second half of the season (turns out torn ligaments-not just sprain).
He’d probably get more targets in Seattle, too, which would open him to more hits (and injuries). The Broncos have had all kinds of other great weapons, whereas he’d be “the man” in Seattle. I don’t know if he could handle it. Maybe he could. There’s not exactly a reason he couldn’t. While Denver throws more, he may get more targets here (if that makes sense because he’d be needed so much more in Seattle with their lack of playmakers outside).
Make no mistake, something has to change and a legit infusion of talent needs to be made on the offense. The offense was horrible for most of the Green Bay game and Wilson didn’t even complete a pass until well into the second quarter of the Super Bowl.
LG is a black hole. Any thoughts to Stephan Wisniewski playing LG (rumors he wants $3M+ per season), where he started his career before taking over at C in Oak? He’s better than Carp (doesn’t say much).
Maybe now Maxx Williams will be available after today?
Carroll said Miller will be ready for camp. I wonder if that also means he definitely in their ’15 plans?
Would be nice to have a Devin Smith player. One who is fast AND quick.
So many questions…
On Julius Thomas, I have no questions over his talent. For me he’s the third best tight end in the league in terms of a physical mismatch behind Gronk and Graham. You just don’t get many players with his speed and mobility. It’s intensely attractive because the one thing Seattle has lacked for two years is a true mismatch target. That was supposed to be Harvin. But if you put Thomas up against linebackers or slot receivers he’s almost unstoppable. The Seahawks need someone like that. He also has sneaky YAC ability.
The concern I have is the health problems. He’s been banged up. But all you can do is let him have the medical checks and if nothing serious shows up — what can you do? After all, you could sign Suh and the next week he tears an ACL falling down he stairs. You trust the medical staff and make a calculated decision.
For me, Thomas could be a #1 target. A possible 10-TD, 900-yard target.
Marshall I’ve always liked as a player but I’m concerned about his presence in what seems like a volatile locker room (more so than in 2010). Wisniewski at $3m? Not bowled over. Would still rather look to the draft or re-sign Carp. I think Maxx Williams goes early second.
There are two schools of thought on Thomas:
1. He’s selfish (according to reports) and injuries find him too often.
2. However, with that being said, if those reports were, indeed, true – then why would the Broncos offer him $8M/year prior to last season?
I’m on the fence on this one. I’ll fully support it if we get him and root for him like crazy but… If we do get Thomas, I sure hope we have at least one TE who can block. If we pay Thomas, I can’t imagine keeping MIller at 4M. I know Carroll said today that he’ll be ready to go for training camp, but will that camp be in Seattle? Is he a candidate to restructure… again?
A Thomas and Miller duo would be impressive though.