According to Tony Pauline, the Seahawks had representatives at the UCLA pro-day today to take a look at offensive tackle Kolton Miller.
Pauline also notes Seattle had a coaching presence at the Nevada pro-day to monitor Austin Corbett (Mike Solari?).
We’ve already covered Corbett (click here). He’s one of the more underrated players in the draft and just an extremely competent blocker. The breakdown last week goes into more detail but the Seahawks could do a lot worse than fill their left guard spot with Corbett.
So what about Miller?
Unlike Wynn and Corbett, the first thing that stands out is size and athleticism. Miller measured 6085 in height at the combine. That means he’s nearly 6-9. He weighed in at 309lbs and carries the weight well too. He also has decent length (34 inch arms).
Miller made headlines at the combine by setting an O-line record in the broad jump (10-1). How does that compare?
Kolton Miller — 10-1
Minkah Fitzpatrick — 10-1
Bradley Chubb — 10-1
Rashaad Penny — 10-0
Harold Landry — 9-11
Rasheem Green — 9-10
Tremaine Edmunds — 9-9
Shaquem Griffin — 9-9
Rashaan Evans — 9-8
Calvin Ridley — 9-2
Da’Ron Payne — 8-11
This highlights how impressive Miller’s attempt really was. Especially considering the explosive nature of some of the athletes also listed.
NFL.com provides historical combine data dating back to 2006. Here are the top-five broad jumps by offensive linemen in the last 12 years:
Kolton Miller — 10-1
Lane Johnson — 9-10
Taylor Lewan — 9-9
Eric Fisher — 9-8
Garett Bolles — 9-7
Now here’s the same list noting each players draft placing:
Kolton Miller — TBD
Lane Johnson — #4
Taylor Lewan — #11
Eric Fisher — #1
Garett Bolles — #20
The next two names on the list were Jason Spriggs and Joel Bitonio — both were second round picks.
Explosive athleticism matters in the trenches. Through TEF we’ve been able to highlight the problem facing the NFL. Many more ‘explosive’ defensive athletes are entering the league vs offensive linemen. Teams are desperate to redress the balance.
I keep coming back to this quote from Pat Kirwan detailing the importance of explosive athleticism in the trenches:
Every time a ball is snapped to start a play there is a critical element of explosiveness that takes place. When two players collide in an attempt to physically dominate each other, the athlete with the edge in explosiveness has the best chance to win the confrontation. It could be a blocker vs. a tackler, a tackler vs. a ball carrier, or many other examples of winning at the point of contact.
By jumping a 10-1 broad and adding a 31.5 inch vertical jump, Miller has shown he has the physical potential to win these 1v1 battles.
It means he can drive a guy deep into the end zone like this:
šš UCLA LT Kolton Miller took his guy for a ride pic.twitter.com/qC7LfQJbc2
— Footballzone (@UReady4Football) September 16, 2017
It doesn’t mean he’s necessarily destined to be a great player but at the very least he has the capability of developing into a very effective force.
Let’s look at how Miller’s combine compared to Lane Johnson’s:
Forty yard dash
Lane Johnson — 4.72
Kolton Miller — 4.95
Ten yard split
Lane Johnson — 1.68
Kolton Miller — 1.67
Short shuttle
Lane Johnson — 4.52
Kolton Miller — 4.49
Three cone
Lane Johnson — 7.31
Kolton Miller — 7.34
Vertical jump
Lane Johnson — 34 inches
Kolton Miller — 31.5 inches
Broad jump
Lane Johnson — 9-10
Kolton Miller — 10-1
Bench press
Lane Johnson — 28
Kolton Miller — 24
The only significant difference is the forty yard dash time — arguably the least important of the tests above. The 10-yard split is considered a more useful test for offensive linemen. There’s very little between the two players over 10-yards.
Again, this doesn’t mean Kolton Miller is going to be Lane Johnson at the next level. It’s clearly not as simple as that. Yet their physical profiles are very similar. For that reason, you have to do your homework. If you believe there’s even a moderate chance Miller can have a similar impact at right tackle, you have to consider him in the first round and possibly in the top-20. That’s how rare good offensive linemen are these days.
There are two other things to highlight.
Firstly, the aggressive nature of the players involved. Taylor Lewan, Lane Johnson and Garett Bolles were nasty, tone-setting offensive linemen. Yes they were explosive athletes but they’re also perfectly suited to playing O-line in the NFL. You want these types of characters blocking for you. The Seahawks have had characters like this in the past — Breno Giacomini for example. The likes of Lewan, Johnson and Bolles combine a similar attitude with first-round physical traits.
Miller isn’t cut from the same cloth. He’s not quite that grizzled, nasty blocker. He’s more of an athlete. He’s probably not going to get into an argument with Richard Sherman like Lewan or absolutely hammer a linebacker after the whistle like Bolles. It’s not necessarily a bad thing it’s just worth pointing out.
The other thing is the height. How tall is too tall? Being nearly 6-9 might have some benefits but it also presents a nice big target for defensive linemen. It’s harder to play with adequate pad level. You’re going to lose quite a lot of leverage battles. He might be susceptible to a change-up where a defensive end rushes with speed and then converts to power. Is he going to be able to adjust and avoid just being jammed in the chest? You don’t see many 6-8 or 6-9 offensive tackles. Giacomini is 6-7 and that might be the tallest Seattle has used so far.
Watching the UCLA-Stanford 2017 game, quite early in the tape you see a snap where he moves backwards to protect against a speed rush and the defensive end just prods him. Miller loses balance and does well to stay on his feet. By that point, however, he was extremely close to moving into Josh Rosen’s throwing lane.
There were a handful of occasions where this was repeated. The D-end gets into Miller’s frame and he loses balance/control. That’s not to say he’s consistently beaten off the edge. He isn’t. On each occasion Miller somehow found a way to recover and just about finish the block. He does manage a last-gasp anchor quite frequently. There are moments where you think, ‘here we go’ and then he ends up getting the job done. Just.
It’s a common theme watching his tape. Quite frequently you’ll see something and think ‘oh no‘ but he recovers just in time.
Look at this false step in his kick-slide. You’d imagine it’d lead to a problem. Miller recovers, stays calm and actually executes well in the end:
#UCLA LT Kolton Miller false steps forward but does a good job of recovering to cut off the DE and lock him down with his hands #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/zABQ52kBfr
— Brian Johannes (@Draft_Brian) January 22, 2018
Of course, it doesn’t always work that way:
Kolton Miller: āTop 10 pickā https://t.co/z81hssc9Cw pic.twitter.com/bQ6VKiZEqE
— Matthew (@MatthewReimbold) November 25, 2017
Isaiah Wynn and Austin Corbett showed an ability to drop the anchor and handle anything that’s thrown their way. They’ll contain against power, planting their feet and staying strong in the base. They handle double moves and stunts. They handle speed and power equally competently. Miller doesn’t provide that same reassurance.
That might be one of the things you have to live with if you draft him. Both Wynn and Corbett are going to move inside to guard because they’re squatty players without the kind of length and size you want at tackle. Miller has the size, the length and the rare athleticism to stick outside. He might need some work to realise his potential.
There are things to like. He does play with a degree of patience and calm. Despite some technical flaws and issues with his long frame — you don’t see him beaten very often. Nobody is blowing him away with speed off the edge. There were a couple of occasions against Stanford where he got up to the second level. He generally seems to take good angles in order to make life a bit easier controlling the edge.
When he plays square-up and goes up 1v1 against a defender he often wins. This is a good example below. Miller takes out two defenders highlighting the benefit of being an extremely explosive and agile blocker:
Kolton Miller has huge huge upside! Watch him slow down 3 rushers here. Guys 6ā7 with the wingspan he has donāt grow on trees #UCLA pic.twitter.com/HOrHVzd9W7
— Daniel Parlegreco (@DTPDraftScout) January 24, 2018
The sensational athleticism could get Miller through some possible growing pains. If he smooths out his kick slide and masters a way to keep people from getting into his pads he’s a good enough athlete where he could end up being a very useful NFL lineman. At the very least you’d be pitting an extremely explosive, talented athlete against another. Very few teams can say that about their right tackles when they face LDE’s.
I’m not convinced this is a direction the Seahawks will go (or a direction they should go). After all, Miller lacks the ability to kick inside as a worst-case scenario if he doesn’t stick at right tackle. A lot of people want to write-off Germain Ifedi but he probably deserves a year working with the new staff (he’ll also greatly benefit from the pass-blocking ability of Ed Dickson). They also believed enough in George Fant to make him the left tackle of the future a year ago. He’ll be returning and could win the right tackle job.
That said, they might see this as too good an opportunity to pass up. Miller’s upside is considerably high. If you believe he can develop into a Lane Johnson type, that’s hard to ignore. He’s the type of player that might not have lasted to the Seahawks in previous years. If they acquire extra stock from a possible Earl Thomas trade, they could be interested. It’s also worth noting — they like to take high-upside players early. Players with unique traits.
Very few offensive linemen with Miller’s upside are available.
So what are they looking for if they decide to go O-line early? The upside pick with major tackle potential (Miller) or the competent guard who might be more reliable early in his career albeit with a lower ceiling (Wynn, Corbett, Hernandez)?
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Great analysis Rob. I would really prefer they focus on getting stud interior OL man but I could definitely see Miller go in Rd #1 with the lack of OT talent in this draft.
TB just paid Ryan Jensen $42 mil for 4 years to play center.
I guess Britt is now not over paid?
Athletically, very intriguing. Heās just so long, and he doesnāt appear to have a ton of quality weight room experience. The thing is… this would follow along the same lines of what we have been complaining about for years now. High-level athlete who doesnāt necessarily dominate his college competition, and may have serious flaws in their game. All rookies struggle, but would this guy come in and show well enough to justify early playing time? How many guys like Pocic should we take, (guys who need to physically develop)? When you watch Hernandez, Price, Wynn, and Corbett, you see polished players who can lay the wood. They look adept at reading defenses and making adjustments. They show solid technique and footwork which translates to the next level. If we take an offensive lineman early, it needs to be from that group of four. Thatās just my opinion. However, if he were available later on he would be a nice project… but it sounds like he wonāt last.
I think he’s destined to go early.
Personally, I’d rather focus on the interior linemen and running backs early. But, we know they like outstanding athletes.
Agreed, and thatās my biggest fear is we keep going for āathletesā and donāt remember what got them to the top in the first place. Gamers WITH athleticism.
Another thing that bothered me is that Iāve peobanpy seen UCLA play 3-4 times this past season. I donāt remember him at all. Announcers didnāt mention him, he didnāt really stand out that much. I had to remind myself of his name a couple of times. I want guys who are kicking butt and taking names. I want linemen who built a reputation of bullying defenders AND can also move around and be explosive. Those guys are tough to get, obviously. Quenton Nelson is a top 5 pick. Heās physically dominant, agile, and SMART. He is outstanding. We canāt get him, but we can definitely work on the other four previously mentioned and if they do somehow trade Earl, we can also get our choice of running back not names Barkley.
It’s the lack of a gritty backstory or firey competitiveness that would concern me. Curious, the examples you showed were pretty much pass blocking. How would you rate his technique as a run blocker? Might his height be more of a negative in run blocking than for pass pro?
Why does he need a gritty back story?
Rams signed Sullivan for 2 years, $15 mil.
not a cheap, vet center anymore
Blount signs with Detroit for $4.5 mil/1 year
I’m going to call our new TE Ed Richardson until I become more familiar with him and then I’ll call him Dick. So we did sign a Richardson in a way, Yay! I wanted Luke back but sometimes change is good for all! I’m not sweating it I have faith in Pete and John, they did it before, they can do it again!
Go Hawks!
My biggest concern with a 6’9″ tackle is how well Russell Wilson can see over him. The movement and explosion are great but if he’s a wall for the QB it’s a big problem.
Russ played behind a huge line in college
VHawksfan- agreed a 6’9″ OT with a poor anchor is ill fitted to work with Wilson.
I’d much rather have one of Wynn, Hernandez, Williams, Price or Corbett. We can trade back probably 2 or 3 times and still get one of them. If we trade Earl for a 1st or top 40 pick I could see us taking 2 of these guys and waiting on a compliment for Carson. They seem high on him, and there’s still 2nd and 3rd wave FAs to get.
Why are we just talking about LG? We need a RG just as much.
All we have on the roster is Roos and Odhiambo. That’s seriously it. Lol… My coworker said we’re moving Ifedi to guard? Even if that’s true I personally don’t like him there.
Why not get Corbett and Price in the 2nd then come back and get a RB in the 3rd? There’s 2 studs to fill the gaps in between Brown, Britt and Fant. Price at RG would help Fant at RT and vice versa, that’s an exciting match imo. Corbett and Brown would be sweet together! Austin has a bit to learn and I could see Brown liking his grit and taking him under his wing. Both real good combo blockers, smart, savvy but savage. Britt would work well with both of them also.
LT- Brown
LG- Corbett
C- Britt
RG- Price
RT- Fant
GG
I could run for 1,000 yards behind that line. Or pass for 3,000.
Draft could end up looking like
2. Corbett
2. Price
3. RB of choice
3. Leon Jacobs
4. Natrell Jamerson
5. Tyquan Lewis
5. Troy Apke
And so on
ARe you giving up on Pocic already?
They arenāt taking two of them. They just spent a second on Pocic, a first on a Ifedi two drafts ago, and traded for Brown. Also, they signed Britt long term. We stink at the guards for sure, but Pocic is still a young pup, and honestly, Ifedi COULD move back, leaving Fant to play RT. We havenāt heard anything about Fluker either. If they signed him, it would be tough to justify spending a high pick on a guard, unless you plan to ditch Britt and let Pocic play Center. Honesty, I got super excited about the Pouncey being let go by Miami, but I havenāt heard anything since. He would be my number one and I donāt care what it means for Britt.
Britt could move to guard. He stunk before, but he got better at centre and not just because he is playing centre. He just became a better player. He should be able to be an average to above average guard, which by Seattle standards that last few years is HOF material.
Nice point. Not all good players come in making magic, especially offensive linemen. Robbie Tobeck was a former undrafted free agent from Washington State whom the Falcons signed as a longshot guard in 1993. He played 14 seasons, seven for Seattle including the 2005 Super Bowl. Tobeck, Hutchinson, and Jones were the most feared left side offensive line trio in the league. Britt is more athletic, has earned a pro bowl, and is a team leader. Unless he prices himself off the team I don’t know why you would want to move him.
Ifedi is a jag. Pocic’s best position is center, he could allow us to let Britt walk down the road.
Of course he has to be able to block. so there’s that.
honestly if he improves that would be ideal. I just think he may be like Britt before. a bit of a reach pick.
I would rather a price or ragnow someone who actually dominated at center and is not playing their best position.
Ifedi will come good.
Anybody heard anything about Pocic’s ability to bulk up and get stronger in an NFL training room?
I think we can take 2 OL if we trade Earl and move back. Plenty of picks for what ever we need
Listening to KJR and Tony Sofli had mentioned that Pocic put on some good weight. thinks he is going to be really good as our left guard. Thinks we need a right tackle more than anything
Infedi should be a guard.
Maybe that’s the plan with miller? We all think it’s interior play that needs an upgrade and maybe pocic moves left and ifedi moves inside? Solaris likes mailers at guard and I feel is built like one and can’t seem to stay on an island by himself.
I still think Seattle should be using a pick on a right guard. Ifedi is two years in and it seems as likely that he gets it as he never does.
Honey Badger signs with Houston, so cross them of Earl list, and cross HB off Earl replacement list for hawks
1 yr, $7 mil
ššš
That guy isnāt really a free safety, though. Heās a rover type. I wouldnāt trust him back there to play the deepest man.
I wouldn’t trust him to be healthy
Exactly. Heās unreliable.
At this time it seems like Price is getting seriously devalued. Seeing lots of buzz and mocks with Hernandez, Wynn and even Daniels taken in the first over him. Maybe he is a guy that drops to round 2 if/ when we trade back. Even more so if we get another 1st.
He’s been my favourite prospect if those interior guys for a while. But his arm length worries me, he’s probably best fit at center, do we really want to be forcing another center out to guard like we did with Pocic?
That said yeah in the second round i love the value
Well he did seriously injure himself at the combine and didnāt compete so until heās healthy they wonāt know what he can do, athletically. I do feel like his best position is center st the next level.
Jaron Brown is a seahawk. Rather strange.
Seahawks signed Jaron Brown! That’s a nice add.
Coleslaw? Just looked that up no news on Jaron Brown. He’s 6-2 in the mold of Darboh he did have a decent year with 31 receptions for 477 yards and 4 TD’s, also seems durable. Were ya having a laugh?
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/974847155583311872
Nevermind it’s down in the Twitter feed I never look there. Hawk’s have agreed to term’s with Jaron Brown so I guess it’s Darboh insurance and a veteran presence.
Go Hawks!
I think he’s competition for the 3rd receiver spot with Darboh and Moore. He was the #3 in Arizona too.
Amara Darboh 6’2″ 214
David Moore 6’2″ 225
Marcus Johnson 6’1″ 204
Jaron Brown 6’2″ 205
Plus they still have Tanner McEvoy at 6’6″ 230. I like that they’re getting more size at the WR position. One has to figure at least one of those receivers is going to emerge, they’re all athletic, and play special teams.
It all comes back to the Benjamins with the Brown signing; waiting to see the numbers.
I’m still waiting to see the real numbers for Dickson; the only thing I know for him is 3 years $14.1M, 1st year guaranteed, $2.6M signing bonus.
Seahawks have moore listed at 6′.
But nfl.com has him at 6’1″ so who knows
any numbers? There are a bunch of interesting wr’s
You beat me to this. Good signing. Seattle gets bigger at WR.
Good signing, especially if it’s close to or under 5 a year. He’ll be in the mix for WR3. It’s Baldwin, Lockett, then Brown and Darboh compete for WR3. Liking all these signings so far. Just a bunch of guys, no big names, no big contracts. Build through the draft and supplement through FA. Younger, cheaper, and hungrier.
Honestly I hope it’s less than 4 he had a solid year last year but overall he’s not really done a ton yet. I’m not down on him in just guarded in my optimism.
Solid, unspectacular get. Much in line with this off-season. I like him. Man I can’t shake my hunch about Moore. He seems like he will be a great YAC guy. A little bit ofTate in his game
Yeah, Tate plus like 4 inches in height and 20-25 pounds. The team thought enough of him last season to cut Dwight Freeney, and bring him up to the active roster to keep another team from poaching him.
Both him and Darboh have more athletic upside than Kearse, and despite what some may have said about him, he’s made a pretty decent career for being an UDFA.
Not sure how Kolton isn’t the first tackle off the board.
https://www.playerprofiler.com/nfl/kolton-miller/
Best physical comp is Taylor Lewan. Scouting OL is so subjective, and one play can really stick in your mind and influence your whole impression of a player. I feel like everyone gets wrapped around the axle about “gritty” players and “nasty” blockers on O-line because they flash a temper on a play or two. Same way year in and year out we talk about a mediocre DL athlete coming out of Alabama as being a “grown man” who ends up being a rotational run stuffer.
Miller looks like he has the pass pro chops to mirror speed rushers, and shows he can run block effectively and get to the second level well. Not sure that LT is the Hawks most pressing need, but Kolton Miller should be gone by time the hawks pick. As you said a year or two ago, Rob, that interior OL might be more important to the hawks facing Aaron Donald twice a year, and with RW’s scrambling ability.
IMO, other first round OT look like Connor Williams, Tyrell Crosby, and maybe Mike McGlinchey.
Bob Condotta
13m13 minutes ago
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Bob Condotta Retweeted Maurice ć½
Looks like Seahawks have signed safety Maurice Alexander. Was released by Rams in October and took a visit to the Seahawks last fall but did not sign then.
Bob Condotta
11m11 minutes ago
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Bob Condotta Retweeted Maurice ć½
Alexander played at Utah State with Bobby Wagner and has 23 starts in the NFL. And a hat tip to @mmjohns195 for the alert on this.
I saw this on my twitter feed, and for the life of me I couldnāt figure out who this dude was haha. So thanks for the update
Need to see the details, but this looks like another solid signing. A good player for the Rams. He’s a SS who can compete with Hill for SS1. What does that do for McDougald though? FS2…or maybe FS1…hmm???
I really just see him as a veteran camp body. Maybe he’s better than Tedrick Thompson? Which would be too bad, I liked Thompson in college because he had legit ball skills. Alexander’s career screams JAG to me.
The Bandit package is making a comeback. š
Hm.. Alexander is a SS. McDougald can play SS but naturally more FS. I think an Earl Thomas trade might be around the corner.
We are going for it!!! …in 2020. š
+1
OL Justin Pugh to Arizona. Was that your boy Greg H?
5 years $45M.
It was, along with ASJ. Looks like I was a solid 0 for 2
Jaron Brown Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJPPpArH0vs
Two safeties signed… Tedric and Delano in the ranks.. does this spell an Earl trade?
I saved the UCLA at Washington game on the DVR so Iām watching it now to see Miller specifically. First series: Miller had a good drive block on a running play. Got his man turned. Second play Rosen drops back to pass and they show blitz but back out and Vita Vea slides inside of his inside shoulder and sacks Rosen. He never had a chance, but the defensive look confused him initially. Other than that he looked active. He will struggle to line guys up on occasion, but you can see the potential. When he was trying to block shorter guys on the move he wasnāt quite as effective. He didnāt play poorly by any means and the athleticism was easy to spot.
The athleticism definetly jumps off the screen.
Agree on the potential as well. He’s a natural. Only 23 career starts which shows. Clunky footwork and doesn’t have much play strength yet which is why he probably latches.
Would be nice to get Dial on board, since we are thin at DT now…
This
Really interesting additions in Brown and Dickson today. Both seem a fit the Air Coryell system Schottenhiemer is going to run. Brown has a blend of size and speed, and Dickson had an impressive 14.6 yard average per catch in 2017. Add in the fact he excels in pass pro, Seattle is definitely going to be shots down field. Marcus Johnson has crazy speed to go along with size.
Darboh, Brown, Johnson and Moore are all 6-1 to 6-2 range with speed.
I’m a bit worried that Seattle spent a lot of last season with the deep ball and turns out of you can’t pass protect it doesn’t work.
You make a pretty astute observation but I’m not sure how they get to that point. I do hope of they go that way then someone like chark get a a bit on the radar. I know he needs to work his technique but he’s got speed and explosion to go with his size.
Itās tied to an effective power run game. The Air Coryell is more vertical with pre snap motions to detect zone and man. Itās not all deep shots, a lot is shorter and mid range, but you need size and speed at receiver., which it looks like Seattle is amassing a bit.
Basically, run the ball well, and the passing game feeds off that.
Right but……….
I hope You are right about the foundation moving forward. I’m a little concerned that Wilson hasn’t spent any time throwing receivers open but rather a wait and see technique.
Also it would be nice if they had a te who could catch.
I do wonder if chubb/Johnson make the most sense at runningback? Got to be able to set the tone and now Seattle is just Carson and mckissick? Prosise even when healthy, although a possible interesting weapon isn’t really a tone setter.
I strongly believe Chubb might be the target. I can see Johnson, as well.
It might take RW a bit of time getting the timing down with his receivers, but I think trust he has the talent and aptitude to get there fairly quickly. I think this will be a good offense for his skill set.
I think it’s sort of an unlocked skill and he has to me the arm talent. PRrich made himself a ton of cash but Pickett will be back to 90-95% and could thrive in that type of offense. I rarely worry about baldwin but Pickett had that speed previously to get to a spot.
I think it will be an interesting opportunity for him. They only signed Brown to a one year deal, which might bode well for Lockett to earn an extension if he takes to the new system.
Bummed about losing Richardson for 8m if true as I thought he was one we wanted to keep. Why take 8 over a multi year deal at 11? Real shame as he was the perfect age & position to build with alongside Clark. Now that group looks thin…yet another spot with holes.
Apparently Seattle only offered him $6 million. My guess is that they werenāt that serious about keeping him around. Perhaps they view Jarran Reed and Naz Jones as emerging talent they can build off of.
And because they’re signing suh!
Please.
Kolton Miller Looks quite a bit like young Nate Solder to me.
The Jaron Brown signing I can get with. Not gonna move the needle, not very inspiring, but a pretty good get nonetheless.
Seahawk scouts spent quite a bit off time with Oregon St HB/FB Ryan Nall today.
Nall is another example of a guy that was shot down when mentioned due to being too tall, too slow, too small, too raw, one dimensional, had a down year, etc. Aka the exact type this team will target.
Nall is being seriously undervalued and I’m not surprised they are all over him. I see him going in the 7th round in mocks all the time, but I don’t think that will last.
He’s a weapon. I like him. Prefer him to Chris Warren III hands down.
No doubt on that one.
I’m a big nall fan living near the area getting to hear him speak son radio. Grown up. Just a real professional especially how bad Oregon st. Has been and with Anderson leaving the team in the year.
I think realistically he’s undrafted. Scouts and gms forget about and undervalued down programs all the time. That and what’s his role? Fullback? He didn’t actually play that position. Does he have special teams value?
I also wonder if Miller, Quessenberry, or someone on the Udub team (Pettis, Coleman, Victor) was who JS was checking out when they played this year.
Agree Vol, I think Quessenberry is their guy if Corbett, Wynn, and Price are off the board.
All comments on here refer to ‘getting younger and cheaper’. Shouldn’t we be concerned about whether that equates to actually getting better at the same time?
The thinking might be that one has to come before the other.
Real dream last night.
Hawks trade Earl to Browns for #17 and with the first two picks they take Tony Madarich and Brian Bosworth. Mel Kiper loved the picks.
i would call that a nightmareš¤£
I was!
Ryan Nall… this guy is underrated. But what does he do? Next Derrick Coleman? Next Eddie Lacy?
Sweet, looking forward to the next videos in the series:
https://www2.chubb.com/us-en/expect-more/path-to-success/
$11m this year with incentives for Sheldon? I like the dude, but in that case I’m happy to roll with Reed and Naz (and maybe McDowell and Suh).
By Jason from OTC : Suh will be 15,5mill APY.
Link to Sherman’s podcast appearance. Honestly, I’m not even paying attention to whatever he says about Seattle, but I do find the first few minutes (from 32:00 mark) where he talks about the thought process behind his contract negotiation quite interesting.
The ThomaHawk Show – Richard Sherman Joins the Show
https://youtu.be/YQI8OQS1Y0c?t=1927
And he clarified he does not need to pass a physical on the first day of training camp for his guarantees to kick in, but rather by the last day players can come off PUP, which is around Nov. 11.
I wonder how incentive laden contracts like Sherman’s are accounted for from a cap perspective. Like the Pro Bowl bonus…SF won’t know that until the end of the season so how do you budget/account for that??
Rob what are your thoughts on OT Will Richardsen. NC State. I know he has character issues. DUI. As far as woyld he be a good fit with Seattle
Not watched him ā will see if I can check him out soon
Not sure whats going to happen, but I hope that we come with some DT help, Suh, would settle me down, but we need guys who can occupy blockers and keep our linebackers free to make plays.
S Richardson is gone, and it leaves a hole. We have some talent, Naz, Reed, Jefferson but we rely on a rotation of players and I fear that we are needing help.
It would be great if we could score someone like Settle, especially since he may drop some because he does not test well, but there may be some other hidden gems.
Of course, that can only be done after fixing the running game. Glad I am not a GM.
@OBS: +1. Nice post. I have enjoyed reading your posts over the last many weeks. They are generally well written and make a lot of sense and you’re pretty funny as well. You play a great role here in the “oasis of sanity”.
I think they should look at Tom Johnson (and similar types). He may be older, but he should be cheap. Also he’s been consistently productive, averaging 4 sacks per year with MIN. 4 sacks per year is Clint McDonald/Jordan Hill, and SEA could use someone like that.
I thought that branden jackson played well on the dline last year. So perhaps he will step up.
What kind of deal do you guys think Suh gets now? Does his talent transcend the DT market a bit? Will his value go down because of what the other DTs got or up now that most other options are off the board?
My feeling on Suh is ā he will end up signing for a team that feels heāll push them over the top. The way this has gone so far, the Seahawks seem completely unwilling to add any significant contracts. Heās meeting the Saints and maybe he ends up there? And itāll be for a deal similar to Calais I think.
The Saints have less than $6M in cap room. I mean, they might be able to do something to cram him in, but they’re already pretty tight.
Suh also has a visit scheduled with the Titans. They have about $41M in cap space. That would be my guess for his landing spot unless the Seahawks somehow miracle him onto the team.
Makes sense. Let’s take Calais’ deal as a starting point: 4yr/$60m, 30gtd.
If it were your call, would you pull the trigger for the Hawks at $15m/apy for Suh?
Does that change for you if Earl is traded or not?
I suppose it depends on what theyāre planning here. If itās getting younger and cheaper as a priority then it doesnāt fit. I plan on doing a google hangout discussing early free agency tonight touching on this.
Glad to have submitted the first question for your Hangout, then!
It surely depends on what they are planning, and maybe it’s due to a short-sighted fan mentality, but I’m inclined to sign him, whether we keep Earl or not. To me, it’s about more than just his individual impact (which is indeed huge in itself). You need a guy to stir the pot up front on defense, to keep the opposing OC’s attention at all times. And we’ve lost that with Bennett and Avril. We could try to find it in the draft (Hurst, Settle, etc.), but it’s far from a sure thing and running game takes priority anyway.
Someone who commands double teams pretty much every snap has that exponential effect on the other rushers and the LBs as well. And the better the pass rush, the better we can get by without our stars in the secondary. Everything really does start up front in the trenches.
Kind of like what you talked about on offense at the RB position. We need someone who defenses have to worry about constantly, game plan against, respect the run threat, not just a guy.
Seems like we could possibly structure a large cap hit in year 2 since we will have freed up money from Bennett and Kam’s contracts as well in 2019.
It would provide some excitement to a fan base that needs a lift. Fans are wondering what the plan is here. And at times like this, a press conference or radio appearance might not be such a bad idea. Just to talk through the situation and reassure. But if they add Suh people will be relatively content. It will be a show of ambition for 2018. I sense, however, that theyāre sticking very firmly to younger, cheaper and more competitive.
If be alot more comfortable with that plan if we had the draft picks, i fear the competition is going to be between lower teir vets and late draft picks. Our depth on the dline right now, for example, is absolutely dreadful. Maybe it works out but theyd need to nail this draft.
Excellent questions and responses throughout this thread.
I whole heartedly agree with Rob that it would be nice if there was some defined plan going forward. Perhaps a presser or a signing.
H- completely agree if you knew without a doubt that the first pick had turned into a 2nd and a 3rd then an attack through the draft would feel imminent. Now it almost seems Seattle is sort of gun shy and confused as to which way to go forward.
I get the positive attitudes of posters about the signings this far sbut Dickson? Jaron Brown? Perhaps decent depth signings but neither provide a spark or any tangible way to believe an improvement is forthcoming. Dickson perhaps a bit more with the blocking.
I think at certain positions in particular (TE, WR) we don’t need to swing for the fences. Just need solid guys who can do their jobs.
We’re moving back to a run-centric team, so we are not expecting any one of these guys to be a stud and win us the game on his own, so to speak. Both TE and WR just need to be able to block and catch the occasional target that comes their way. I see the Dickson and J. Brown signings in this light.
Plus, the more high-priced FA you bring in, the less inclined you will be to give your young guys a serious shot at winning the job.
But they needed TE and WR help, and neither position is the focal point of PC’s offense. What’s wrong with addressing those less-important needs with decent albeit unspectacular players? Doesn’t that free them up to concentrate on more important needs in the draft?
Not completely true that they are not focal points of a pc offense. We just need to look at draft resources namely tate, harvin, and the graham swap to point that they are pieces that pc values.
As well as going back to the initial churn era with big Mike williams, rice, bringing in Braylon edwards. Plus they are always churning on te’s and project recievers.
I’m fine bringing in guys. Or bodies. But lockett has yet to recover to full speed and now losing graham and prich, which is fine, they are as it stands banking pretty hard on baldwin alone to not get hurt and a slew of unproven talent to have a player step up.
Is that an impossible ask? No not at all. Has Seattle honestly been less successful at developing wr talent then other positions? Yeah they have. so come draft time to keep with the theme of competition is like to see one or more drafted wr’s. Or at least some udfas because the cupboard is bare right now.
I don’t know where you’re getting that Lockett “has yet to recover to full speed”. I was at the Arizona game at the end of the season, and watched him flat-out outrun Patrick Peterson on his kickoff return TD. Just in case you forgot, Peterson is…pretty fast. š Now if that was Lockett at, say 80%, and given another full off season, uh-oh. Either way, the least of my concern is the current condition of Lockett’s rocket boosters. He’ll be all right.
I think thatās exactly what they are going to do. I think signing Suh probably hinges on whether they trade Thomas. If the deal Thomas, it opens up the opportunity to add Suh. If they keep Thomas, they probably roll with young and hungry up front.
But will he want to come to Seattle if Earl isnāt here?
I think he has made it pretty clear that he wants to go where ever he gets paid the most. If Seattle trades Earl, presumably that frees up the most short term dollars.
@garyhadida
@Jason_OTC prediction on how much Suh is going to cost a year
@Jason_OTC
$15.5M
To the highest bidder…. ~ Suh
He more or less stated this already. I can;t see him being less than 10M… but 15M may not be realistic… as the money starts to dry up in the FA pool. I guess he could go to the Browns… they still have some cap space.
So cutting Kam will add 10mil for this year but it will clear cap space for 2019. Maybe wi will have enough cap space to cut him.
Pugh got $9m/apy…? Good player or not, this OL market is crazy expensive. Guys I’ve never even heard of resetting the market at the Center position.
We had better not kid ourselves: other teams are going to feel this as well and be looking for OL early since there are good prospects to be had.
QB, WR, OL, and DL are ridiculously expensive in FA. Thatās why itās critical to look at those positions early. Iād be fine if the went with one of the stud RBs with their first pick because the talent is there in this class and the need is great. But best case for me is to tap into the very good guard class. Such an important position in todayās NFL and so expensive to fill in FA. If they do trade Earl, it wouldnāt surprise me at all if they take a DL high as well.
Thatās insane. Heās a nice player. Heās making a lot more than a āniceā player should make. The market is blowing up.
That is why I think interior OL needs to be the first pick for the Hawks. It is a perfect scenario where a strength of the draft and major need match up. Combine this with the ever increasing Guard salaries and it should be a no brainer IMO.
The only scenario I think they should not is if Vea, James or Edmunds is still on the board.
If we get an extra first rounder Iām all for that. OL, then RB.
I think weāre going to be after difference makers again in the draft. This team functioned best when they went all in on a stars and scrubs roster. More of that and less mediocre role players please.
I was just looking at Jacksonville’s cap situation, because like many im kind of confused as to how they’re making ends meet with all their signings.
They’re 15m under for 2018, Norwell’s cap hit is an astoundingly low 5m, but front loading contracts has its draw back as they’re currently set to be 13m in the red for 2019.
Looking at the numbers for 2019 however and you kind of see how this is gonna shake out for them: they can save 10m by cutting Marcel Darrius, 11m for malik Jackson, 7.5 for Gibson, 8 for Hurns, 6.25 for Church, 6 for Parnell, 6 for Linder.
None of those players would be devastating losses for the Jags. Some really impressive cap manoeuvring by them, gives them an unbelievable roster for this year, and some flexibility moving forward.
Yep, and this is why contract structure is generally more important than APY. The only exception is for QBs or other players you canāt afford to cut.
Iām more of the opposite view. Those guys are part of their core DL rotation/depth. Farris was more of the icing on the cake, but Jackson is valuable to them. Remember when we started losing guys like Clint McDonald and Browner? Remember when Hill wasnāt healthy after that one decent year? Guys started playing lore snaps, being less healthy. If they donāt win it next year theyāll start to feel the pinch.
They dont necessarily have to cut those guys though, there’s a big list of potential cuts that they can choose from to get them under. Theyve got a year to decide who’s most important to them moving forward.
Although this year does seem like a big oppurtunity for them, it will certainly be tougher from 2019 on.
Whoa! Here we go already!!!
(and the #6 overall, obviously…)
Seems like a huge overpay but they must be confident the player they really want wouldn’t be there at #6.
From a Hawks perspective, the more QB’s early on the better! Just pushes down other position players.
Haha that makes more sense! Good for them I guess. They still need to prove that. They can develop anQB and spend money well.
You would assume theyd have rather move up to 2nd to make sure they get atleast their 2nd choice qb. So dies this imply the Giants turned them down because they’re going QB?
Wow. Strange that this would happen so early. I guess they are okay with any of three QBs that might be there?
And i assume this also means that Teddy B is not their qb of the future?
Smh jets and might I add lol.
B A N A N A S.
Nice work, Indy.
Desperate move by the Jets. One that may have been necessary.
This means that if Seattle acquires the Browns pick at 4, they can draft Barkley, because the first three picks (in that scenario) will definitely be QBs.
If the Browns keep their 4th pick, they might take Barkley at 1 or 4, using the other pick at QB. Depends on whether they want their pick at QB. Either way, they probably get Barkley and their QB of the future.
If, however, they would prefer to have an All-Pro safety and their QB, they can trade their 4th pick to Seattle. Maybe Seattle has to throw in something extra – another pick, maybe, or a player.
As Rob said some time ago, if you can get Barkley, you do it.
Have we ever landed a targeted FA AFTER they left town?? I can’t recall this happening incl. Lang last year they leave and find better deals. Probably how JS plays it on negotiations but if they leave town ..
So sadly while we can all still hope Suh is still in play I suspect “Elvis has left the building”
TJ Houshmanzadeh haha
Mora kept his watch so he’d have to come back and get it.
I hated that move when they announced it. Iām sad to say he was worse than I ever imagined. I sincerely wanted to forget that one. Thanks!
Jet want SB or QB?
I think Jets assume Barkley is gone and they will have one of the top two QB.
Wonder how far Mayfield falls…
Maybe they want Chubb
Colts now have ammunition to cone up to 18.
Anyone else think one of indy’s 1st’s and a 3rd for earl sound very doable to pair malik hooker with earl and have a pretty formidable saftey combo? That would be a big move for new coach Franj Reich. Big statement. Anyone know anything on Indy’s cap situation ?
Also if they gave us a 1st and 3rd, would you take that based on their position in the draft?
Thanks as always Rob!
Malik Hooker is not a SS. Heās a CF FS
And no way would a team give up #6 for Earl. Just not happening.
Around $72m, largely unspent.
I donāt think they would want to pay up for a luxury of free safety depth. Honestly I just want this trade or no trade to be decided already.
Been mentioned above to some extent but Ryan Nall Oregon State RB/FB pro day numbers: 6’2″ 232lbs, 4.53s 40yrd, 34″ vert, 122 broad.
The guy can play. He will be an NFL guy. True skill flexibility. Started at LB first year. Then moved to TE, then HB before settling in at RB. Head big games surrounded by bad players. Some break away ability at that size. Real good hands. Real good screen guy. Ok pass blocker. I wonder about him in a FB role though. Had nagging injuries last 2 years.
Met with Arizona, Washington and Cincinnati in addition to Seattle. As Beaver if love to see him in Seattle. He needs a really defined role though. ImNot sure what that is. He can help this team for sure though.
Others of interest Jordan Villamin WR. 6’4″ with good speed. Pretty much Chris Matthews/Tanner McAvoy guy. Excelled when we actual had a QB.
Kyle White. RB to CB convert this year. 6′, 205. Little raw but surprising ball skills. Good tackler. Ended up being one of if not the best CB
Could qbās go 1-2-3-4?
If you want the remaining QB out of Rosen, Darnold Allen, Mayfield (Iām excluding Lamar as a top 10 pick) you may have to jump Denver at 5.
At that point if youāre Buffalo do you give up your 2 1ās to jump to 4 which puts Cleveland in a great position to either take their top rated non qb or trade down and get additional draft picks
If JS wouldn’t pay Sheldon $8m then he’s not going to win a bidding war for Suh. Nor are the Hawks Suh’s best shot at a title for 2018. Had my hopes up high for him and ASJ, but its not going to happen. :/
Honestly, I don’t imagine there is a bidding war for Suh, currently. More like he and his agent have a number they are asking teams for, and the first one to match it gets him. Apparently though, nobody has yet, either because they are hoping to get him for less or are waiting for some other moves to shake out before investing.
One more note in favor of Seattle shelling out for Suh: our scheme relies on getting pressure with a 4-man rush on most snaps. When one guy occupies two blockers, that leaves other three in 1v1 matchups most of the time, which is ideal.
Not getting my hopes up either, but it would be nice to have a focal point on our defense other than Bobby (especially if Earl is traded)
Iāve always liked Nall. Heās going to be one of those guys who the Pats utilize. Good player, part of a stable ofngus, adds something unique. I hope someone doesnāt try to move him to another position. Hand him the damn ball and let home work.
Stable of backs*
Down to Seahawks athletic parameters, there are two OL-prospects matching those criteria. Kolton Miller is the first, Braden Smith, Auburn, the second. The latter could still be available R3, so having Austin Corbett in R2 and Braden Smith in R3 would finally fix the OL.
This Jets-Colts-Trade is strange, but telling. Of the 4 teams picking before the Jets at #6, only the Browns were sure to sign a QB. It also means, Browns and Giants are not available for trades, leaving only the Colts and Broncos open. Only the Dolphins and Bills have enough purchasing power and are desperate for QB talent. With Jets at #3, the Browns are forced to take a QB at #1. Giants cannot pass Barkley, which turns this Giants team into a contender. Then, Browns may trade #4 to Bills for #21 and #22, with Bills taking a QB. Broncos at #5 will trade down to #11, with the Dolphins drafting a QB, too.
Giants for my money are going after a qb. They are not saquon barkeley away from contending. That team needs to think long and hard about its future.
The Seattle Seahawks have signed S Maurice Alexander
https://twitter.com/MoYo_45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnfltraderumors.co%2Fseahawks-signing-s-maurice-alexander%2F
It is interesting to notice that they have signed guys from teams they have played a lot in recent years (in division and Panthers).
I was listening to John Clayton this morning. He thought that last night before Mo Alexander signing that the chances of trading ET was 15%. He thinks this signing boosts the chances up to 20-25% chances.
Vinny Curry released by Philly after declining to take a pay cut. He a possibility for the d-line rotation?
Absolutely
Seahawks Hosting WR Terrelle Pryor For Visit Sunday
Hawks should go ahead and host brandon coleman. Same size oddly cheaper and a better catch rate.
Pryor could be a back up qb as well
that is a possibility. I’m not up on my udfa qbs like some other players but it seems to me that there have been some interesting names thrown out there and Seattle needs one.
I’m not against pryor per se, he just seems kind of “just a guy.”. Potential sure but at 29 is he maybe all ready delivering on his potential?
he was drafted as a qb, foreget for who, but he was here 4-5 years ago we asked if he would move to wr he said no ened up as wr anyways
If the price is right, why not. He’s a big target & some mentoring with ADB would mean a lot I’d think. Plus, emergency #3 QB!
I could see backup QB, but I think more of a trick play QB or an emergency QB. Kam used to be our emergency QB.
I saw more Bruins football last season than any other college team. Miller’s an intriguing athlete who had a fairly middling college career (before the Combine I would have projected him to go early Day 3 based on his play), at a position that really isn’t a need for SEA this off season. I suppose you could draft him to play RT and move Ifedi inside, but why not just draft one of the excellent OG prospects?
Thatās how I feel. Draft one of the fantastic OG prospects instead. I think between Ifedi and Fant you are in pretty good shape at RT.
That is how I am leaning as well. Who knows the date of ifedi but there are some very good guards that arm ready to roll as is.
Its gonna be and when Ifedi busts and they have to pay a soon to be Duane Browne. Unless Fant can get back to improving. Even then, this why we’re in this position. Not drafting well at key/cornerstone positions.
* soon to be over aged
Unfortunately they can really only correct one spot on the line this year with a trade down out of the first. You’re either hoping Corbett hangs around until there pick in the second, or though they’ve shown no interest in any of them really that price, ragnow, Smith last….so maybe they are going to say bleep it. Miller as a right tackle, ifedi back inside for that experiment all over, pocic to the left and can’t keeps working to take over on the left in a year or so.
I do have one honest concern about Miller. It’s his weight. That is a light dude with that frame. Rob made a good break down of his tape but I just wonder how he’s going to handle even stronger edge rushers.
Miller didn’t start to excel until they moved him from RT to LT. The muscle memory is totally different for some. The move for Fant to the right is sketchy, seeing as he was trained on the left side. You are starting him at a new position after-all. May not work.
Nice list of the top 50 FA still available if anyone wants to skim through for suggestions:
http://nfltraderumors.co/top-2018-nfl-free-agents-list/
1. Suh, cost though.
2. Byron maxwell, resign.
3. Fluker,? Sort of a hedge for guard prospects during the draft
And not in the list only for a very cheap deal…..kony ealy, as a super rotational piece.
Fluker makes sense. We definitely need to hedge against draft surprises.
Orlando Scandrick got cut. Terrell Pryor visiting Seattle tomorrow
https://youtu.be/ET-397gphZk
3:57 in that video they face each other. It’s a good matchup and I’d like to see them both on the roster.
So, Iāve been watching Pryor since the all star game before he went to Ohio State and he wowed me. Heās always been an effortless athlete. Some guys run 4.4 at the combine but donāt play that fast or slow down early in there career. Pryor is not that athlete. He has the skinny tapered ankles and calves and plays his 4.4 speed. Imagine what he can do with Russell on scramble drills, reverses, options, trick plays, etc. He can be our emergency QB. Kam used to be our emergency QB. I was sad when we cut him in 2014. I want him back on a 2 or 3 year deal. I donāt know cap figures or the money part, but we need a redzone target. Russell throws a pretty perfect āimperfectā fade to the corner of the endzone and we need someone tall and fast to catch them.
I think the Orlando Scandrick cut has a lot to do with creating cap room for Earl. I also think theyāre trying to trade Dez.
Jonathan Hankins cut by Indy 1 year after signing for $10M APY.
2013 draft class, only 2nd round though.
So probably not a future Seahawk.
But did he have a draft day fall? did Seattle have him on their board as a potential first round target?
Don’t know. But here is our man.
Sylvester Williams cut by the Titans (making place for Suh I guess).
Picked at 28 in 2013.
How awesome is going to be to see Williams in Seattle tomorrow!
Hankins would be a great fit, if we are going to spend $ on a run stuffing DT.
NFL.com says heās being cut because they are switching back to a 4-3 and heās a 3-4 guy?
Seattle runs a 4-3 with 3-4 personnel, though. Hankins could be the nose and one of Jones & Reed the 3T. I think heās a player to consider.
Watch out for Colts Earl?
They already drafted their Earl in round one last year — Malik Hooker.
Anyone else watching this 2013 NFCCG on NFL Network?
Iām watching now. Football>>>basketball all day everyday.
We’re almost at the greatest play in Hawks history! The Tip Dave!
I turned it on just in time to see it.
Sherman’s interview with Erin Andrews may be better than the tip and beastquake
I hardly watched a lick of CBB this year. I got my 2 favorite schools Kentucky vs Gonzaga and Purdue (my grandpa’s alma mater) vs Michigan St in the Final 4.
Basketball was my 1st love though. So it holds a special place in my heart.
Iām just bitter since UW didnāt make it and we lost the Sonics. I have zero interest in Duke. I do love and pick Michigan State. I always pick coaches and the culture they create at their schools. What do you think about early free agency?
That’s why I don’t watch much NBA either. Shawn Kemp is my all time favorite player. I was obsessed with the Sonics. Not unlike the Hawks.
I live in Spokane so I gotta go with the Zags.
Free agency in general or Seattle’s FA?
If we’re talking in general, like league wide, its been awesome. Exciting as hell.
If we’re talking Seattle’s its about what I expected. No. That ain’t true. I expected at least one big name. It’s OK, but next season is when they’ll reap all the rewards for what they’re doing. It’s gonna be a process. I still think Seattle will be good and a playoff contender in ’18, but far from a SB contender.
Itās been playing almost entirely as I expected in terms of Seattle. It feels like they are mostly signing guys to push on others already on the roster.
Dickson to push Vannett.
Alexander to push Delano.
Brown to push Darboh.
Mingo is the one signing I think they might have a definitive role for at SAM, but I think itās about guys from the 2016 and 2017 who they want to push to become starters.
I love the Mingo signing. Rob and SDB knew him because of his 10 yard split before he was a high draft pick. He wore #51 for the Pats when he was there. I donāt think heāll be as good as Bruce Irvin was, but I see a lot of similarities in their game. Length, quickness and pass rush ability. Mingo looks like a Seahawks SAM.
I agree
Shawn Kemp is mine too. As far as FA goes, Iām surprised by the amount of money. Someone talked about the shock of Pugh signing for $9 mil/yr. Thatās as shocking as Paul Richardson getting 5 years for $40 mil.
Gus Williams for me. Though I suspect that will date me somewhat. I also really liked Gary Payton. Maybe respected is the better word.
Bowman injury still makes my bad knee ache.
Hauschka is money and we need someone like him again.
Our O Line was really bad even during the super bowl runs. Iām glad Solari is here.
That’s a tough one to watch for sure.
One thing I’m seeing that concerns me? RW bailing way too soon. He hasn’t corrected that in how many seasons? I guess that’s just his big weakness though. Gotta live with it.
He can still grow out of that habit. If pass pro improves consistently so he has more time to let a route develop or check down, he should move beyond it.
Iām going to miss Sherm even if he posted a picture of himself on Facebook this morning in 9ers colors. This was great game in Seahawks history.
Yup.
Me too my man. Me too. Although I am fired up for another Hawks/9ers rivalry.
Just got done watching it.
Isn’t Mo Alexander the dude the Rams drafted? Used to be a janitor or something at his JUCO school?
Yep
That Jets/Colts trade just got oddly appealing as a Seahawks fan.
37 and 67 isnāt a 1st and third…but itās pretty close to it.
Earl to the Colts for Malik Hooker and #67
I was thinking more like what Lewis was mentioning. That trade would be pretty good, but isn’t Hooker coming off a gruesome injury or am I overplaying the extent of it?
Why on earth would they do that? Get older and insanely expensive?
The Colts have lots of cap space and need a leader on that D.
Plus the Colts d has been bad since Bob Sanders last played a nearly full season. You can’t keep going to battle with what they consider to be a defense and now a shaky offense if luck never comes back to full strength and think you’re a contender especially as that division has become a bit better every year.
Sorry, but unless they have zero faith in their number one pick from last year, who many scouts compared to Earl when he was coming out, this doesnāt make sense. At all. We would be the ones throwing in a draft pick, not them.
Gotta be honest hooker < earl by a wide margin. And he already kicked off his career by being injured.
Got to play the game to be compared to earl first and foremost.
Realistically you're right but in an otherwise boring free agency weekend it's fun to entertain the idea of a team trading for earl and really including Seattle I'm not sure any team couldn't use someone of earls skills.
I really hope someone signs Joeckel, Lacy and Wilson.
If they do we could sign. 4 outside FA and get the two 4th round comp picks next year
Balance of Free Agency
WR – Pryor as that big red zone threat
RG- Fluker as big mauler compete for RG spot and backup RT
DT- Dial, S Williams or Hankins
After the date when it counts towards comp picks
DT- Clinton McDonald as a 3rd down interior pass rusher. He is still effective in that role.
SS – Eric Reid if is is still not signed. Appears to be getting kind of black balled
In House
– Maxwell is a must resign IMO.
God. Joeckel and Lacy might be the 2 worst FA signings, let’s not mention that K, under PC/JS.
At least they were only for a year. Richardson too. Itās like they could see things were starting to fall apart, but werenāt ready to admit it, so they tried to patch everything for one last shot with the existing core of players.
Great point. Could not agree more.
Agreed 3 worst signings in the PC/JS era
Carey Williams
Joeckel
Lacy
I don’t think there is question.
If JS had waited on Joeckel last year I bet we could have gotten him on a vet min deal coming off the ACL and we would not have had all the cap issues last year.
I think we both agreed the McDowell pick and Joeckel signing we so out of character for JS and in hind sight they are the main reason for the mess last year and required rebuild now.
I forgot about Cary Williams. He looked pretty good the first 2-3 games or so, but the wheels definetly came off of him quickly.
I like your list. Russell is so good throwing that fade. I think Pryor should be on the receiving end of it. Jimmy jumped high for those balls. I think Pryor can be just as effective with more speed and a higher vertical.
+1 if I was Pryor I could not think of a better situation to rebuild his value as you know he would get a ton of red zone targets now that Russ has figured out how to use a big target in the red zone. I think he is a 8+ TD guy in our system.
I have to think more guys will be signing with teams once all the big spending is done
So far this free agency feel like being stood up on a date.š¤š
I think if we sign Fluker and hit on a starting LG rookie in the draft (Wynn, Hernandez, Price, Corbett, Smirh) that the OL could be really, really good next year with Solari’s scheme.
It will be like Bizzarro world. Strong OL and offense needing to play well and control the ball to help out a young developing Defense. Who would ever have dreamed that this time last year.
LT Brown, Rees
LG Hernandez, Roos
C Britt, Hunt
RG Fluker , Pocic
RT Ifedi, Fant
That would be a solid and deep/ versatile OL IMO.
Do you not like Texas OL Connor Williams?
I do but think he will be the first or 2nd OT off the board with Mcglinchey. I actually really like Connor Williams but as a Guard.
Yeah, I see him as a guard as well but also a guy that can play OT in a pinch or due to an injury.
Little inconsistent (could’ve been due to his injury), and needs to add some more weight, but he’s one mean SOB. Nasty.
I do…
Hernandez and Wynn for me. As much as the draft keeps moving in still sold on those two being the best to upgrade the line.
I know covert has his fans and I think he’s got something but I watched Wynn on multiple occasions to against the best and not have a problem in big games and for full games. Hernandez look like and moves like a real deal no project guard for the nfl.
As per fluker if the price is right I’m in. they can’t fix every spot on the line at once and if the contract is right and he’s a good fit let’s do it. And if pocic is actually better than him so be it. It’s time to get back to the mentality of whomever is best plays…….
I agree those 2 are by far my favorite prospects in the entire draft for the Hawks.
Along with Derwin James and Vea as guys who have been mocked in the 15-20 range.
I’m with you. Wynn and Hernandez. If you have the choice, which one and why?
After them, I like Price, Smith, Corbett, Daniels, & Ragnow. Also interested in Chukwuma Okorafor (as a LG) in late R3 or R4 if they miss on all of those.
Okorafor is too much finesse to play guard. Good pass blocker though. Reminds me of brown a little.
I wonder if no teams sign Eric Reid before training camp if the Hawks would sign Kapernick and Reid to low $ deals to come in and compete for jobs?
I don’t think guys like Bennett and Sherm were let go for their political beliefs but because they tuned out Petes message and were becoming a bad influence on the young guys.
They are two really talented guys who by all accounts are good team mates. I cannot think of a better backup for Russ or replacement for Kam at SS on the market right now.
I think kap wants to do other things with his life at this point. I like the idea of him competing and he would be a he’ll of a backup of need be. I just feel. Like activism and potentially politics in the bay area is his calling.
Reid however let’s do that. I think him at a lower than market value would be great. Seattle seems to roll with noise better than most cities and dude can play.
Not a fan of Kapernick, he is a one-read, then take-off running QB.
When the League caught on he was ineffective.
Yeah but for a backup? I mean the dude is actually factually a better qb in the stats that matter like wins, playoffs, and tds to ints than Kirk cousins. But one isn’t playing and the other just got a contract that is going to make russel Wilson the richest qb who ever played the game in two years.I
In a an more of you think Wilson is overpaid now what do you think he’ll be worth after cousins contract for a vastly inferior qb?
His wins came early when Harbaugh did a good job of simplifying the offense to use Kap’s strengths which was running the ball. These were early days of the read-option that took the league by surprise.
The league defenses have now adjusted. I would not want to see the Hawks run the Harbaugh offense.
You want a backup QB that you don’t have to change the offense for.
I have to agree with Bill, especially not as a backup because a backups main job is to game plan and study film. both things were knocks on kap. davis is apparently great at those and makes sense why they got him.
So Kolton Miller is nearly 6’9″ and he can jump. Has he ever blocked a field goal attempt?
I’m a little “meh” on signing Pryor, but what if it was to maybe compete with McEvoy as a Joker/U (Move) TE in Schott’s offense? I’m just spitballing, but both those guys have size and speed for the position.
Iāve been thinking about maybe trying McEvoy as a move TE. His rookie year they tried him there a bit. Against the Jets, they had him line up at TE and he caught that deep crossing pass for a big play. Heās got the body for it. Why not?
Don’t think he can putt on the required weight. I was banging the table for him when he came out. called him a Swiss Army Knife. Rob said we don’t need a SAK. I will say though, he has let me down some in clutch time. Those crucial missed catches stick in my craw man.
Both Pryor and McEvoy are around 230-235. How much do you think a guy like Evan Engram weighs? He’s listed at 234.
For the love of God, Seattle, please don’t draft this guy unless it’s in the 5th or 7th. Look at his highlights, they’re against Memphis. Even against Memphis, when it’s a passing down, he’s starts from a two-point stance, even on first and ten when it’s not an obvious passing down.
He’s a marginally talented lineman who’s now being over-valued based on combine numbers. Ten yard splits are a great data point for D-linemen as how fast they can get to the edge is important, and they run in the forward direction. Since O-linemen pass blocking run sideways and backward, the 10 yard split means nothing. I want to see highlights of Miller blocking a highly rated end starting from a 3-point stance, like I’ve seen over and over again from Wynn. Until then, I’m going to continue to feel this guy has “BUST” written all over him.
Not true at all. 75-80% of the time bet on the O-lineman who run a sub 1.81 10, 7.83 3 cone or better, and at least a 4.76 SS.
Some of the guys who have? Trent Williams, Lane Johnson, Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, Jack Conklin, Taylor Lewan, Alex Mack, Garrett Bolles, Duane Brown, TJ Lang, Ali Marpet, James Carpenter, Taylor Decker, Ryan Kelly, Kyle Long, Jason Spriggs, Nate Solder.
That is an amazingly impressive list! Wow
The 10-yard split is widely considered an important test for offensive and defensive linemen.
Just listened to Sherms interview. Dumbest thing I have ever heard is that Pete Carroll a coach who had his team in he playoffs 5 straight years, won an SB and went to another has a philosophy that is better suited for college. I can think of 29 other organizations that would take those results in a second.
Such garbage from a player I really liked. All he had to say is Petes message lost meaning to myself and a couple of other vets (if he wanted to name names).
Perhaps if they had kept listening to the message and following the philosophy instead of doing thier own thing the results would have been better.
If that was his attitude in the locker room then good riddance. No wonder they tried to trade him last year.
I do agree with his point that the Hawks seem to have lost their way in player evaluation and the draft because McDowell was the most anti Seahawk pick ever.
I think the proper translation of what Sherman said is: that approach worked better with Sherman when he was in college/first came into the league.
He did not say it in the first person refering to himself though?
Yeah, I don’t think that was what Sherman meant. I think what he meant was that Pete was comfortable with the college approach, where frequent roster turnover is the norm and you have constant competition to be the next guy to step into a starting role.
That was missing from the team the past few years because the starters were largely set, there was no real competition, and maybe the energy and drive were down because the vets had heard the same message repeatedly. I think that was the only part of it where he meant Pete’s approach would work better in college b/c with new players every couple of years, the message can never get stale. Always a fresh audience.
I think the Hawks are showing interest in Miller as a smoke screen. With the lack of OT talent in this draft he could be one of the guys teams trade up with Seattle to pick.
He is a great athlete but looks nothing like the OL Solari seems to like.
Could be right.
I’m still hoping for Hernandez. He’s a pitbull man.
He and Brown on the left side would be flat out nasty in the run game! He is everything you look for in a G and seems to have the ideal attitude. Going to be a multi year pro bowler IMO.
Wynn or Hernandez. Just please for the love of Pete don’t F this up! Let’s stop perpetuating past mistakes. Yes we don’t have a 2nd or 3rd at the moment but there are worse things than grabbing a great player to fill your biggest roster hole. If you HAVE to trade back, don’t go too far. Get one of these 2 guys.
+1
They could be opposition scouting. All the other NFCW teams could use tackle help.
I think the ‘smoke screen’ explanation is overused personally. They were probably just checking out a really intriguing physical talent. Doesn’t mean they’ll draft him but usually I imagine every team is present for a big UCLA pro-day so having a closer look at one guy isn’t a big deal.
I don’t think we go WR early but I am really surprised that guys like Ridley and Kirk are rated ahead of Courtland Sutton.
I think he has great tape and his agility #s for a guy his size a really good. I personally think he is he only true #1 WR in this class.
If Edmunds, Nelson are off the board I predict Sutton does not get past SF and the get Jimmy G a new toy.
He’d be my ‘wldcard’ pick for Seattle. Pretty good route runner too, but obviously wants to get even better with that aspect of his game and is why he’s working with Anquan Boldin.
He has the agility to be a great route runner for his size. I like him a lot.
Haven’t seen where Kirk is rated ahead of Sutton.
Vol you were right about Hooker I did not know he tore his ACL.
I just really liked him a lot coming out of college as a true Ball Hawk FS and though he would excel in Petes scheme. I guess it depends on his medicals now. He was the one guy I have seen in college who I thought could truly replace Earl.
I did too. I still like him quite a bit.
Rob loved him as did I.
The only way I could see the Seahawks as somewhat outlying contenders this season would be to add Suh, keep Earl & then absolutely kill the draft, udfa & all remaining fa signings.
At what price point would you buy a discounted Richard Sherman jersey? Bennett? Earl may join them in the near future. Iāve only had one navy home jersey and itās RW. I really want a Kam, especially if he retires. Kam Chancellor bone jarring hits make me smile even when Iām in a foul mood.
I just checked Robās link above. Sherman jerseys are $60 for replica and $90 for stitched on number replicas.
I would buy a Thomas jersey. š
Maybe get a custom “Dave” jersey with your favorite number on it. You won’t get traded or cut anytime soon.
I bought a clearance Sherman t-shirt the week before they released him and I paid like $12. I wear it proudly. Tribute to a great player who helped us win the super bowl.
Random thoughts that occurred to me while driving around today:
We won’t sign Suh, won’t sign Pryor, won’t sign anybody else you really want or that you’ve heard of. Possible exception is interior OL. Not because they won’t take big chances or because they can’t, but because they don’t want to.
I believe the goal of this FA period has not been to fill holes in the way we commonly think of it (e.g., hey, we lose PRich, we need to sign a #2 WR to take his place), but to increase competition for those holes. Think Pete thought we’d gotten stagnant. Only maybe Reed, Griffin and Ifedi in past two years drafted with clear path to #1 starter spot. Others were backups and depth. Think Pete wants them to see themselves as truly vying for starting spots, so we aren’t going to sign a guy to block them again.
I have the distinct idea that IND will look to move up from the 2nd rd back into the 1st. Taking #37, 49 and their 5th rd pick would match pretty close in terms of the updated Trade chart. Thoughts?
Considering the best value this year is in rounds 2-3 — I think they’re more likely to take advantage of those second round picks.
Coleslaw pointed out that the Cowboys are releasing Orlando Scandrick. We sign Mo Alexander. If they cut/trade Dez, Cowboys are trading for Earl, right?
Maybe — but the Seahawks would have to lower their demands.
Jerry Jones is hosting the draft this year at Jerry World. Cannot imagine for one second he’s going to host that event and the Dallas Cowboys aren’t going to pick in R1.
I canāt inafone why anyone would keep Dez and his current salary. He canāt separate from corners anymore. Not a clutch player anymore. Big name. Not a big time player any longer.