Month: March 2021 (Page 2 of 4)

Enough is enough.

This needs sorting now.

It’s quite incredible that a week into free agency, the Seahawks are nearing an inglorious hat-trick.

For the last two years, they’ve done an appalling job addressing their pass rush.

In 2019 they traded Frank Clark before the draft and insufficiently replaced him. They forced themselves to reach for L.J. Collier, when preferred options were off the board. They then took a huge gamble on Ziggy Ansah’s surgically repaired shoulder.

By the time the pre-season came around, they were starting Cassius Marsh, Barkevious Mingo and Jacob Martin as their top pass rushers.

The Jadeveon Clowney trade bailed them out somewhat — yet he basically ran a one-man show in 2019.

The Seahawks finished with 28 sacks, second fewest in the league behind only Miami (23). Their sack percentage was 4.5% — third worst overall.

They had only 126 pressures, sixth fewest in the league behind Detroit (125), Oakland (117), Houston (117), Atlanta (115) and Miami (96). Seattle’s pressure percentage was the fourth worst in the league (19.3%) behind Detroit (18.9%), Houston (18.1%) and Miami (16.7%).

It was a mess.

They entered the 2020 off-season saying fixing the pass rush was the key — stating retaining Clowney was a priority.

Yet the unpredictable nature of Clowney’s approach to free agency caught them off guard. They found themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do you move off Clowney, potentially missing the chance to re-sign him down the line? Or do you keep waiting, missing out on alternative options?

In the end they waited and by the draft nothing had been resolved. They took another gamble — trading up for Darrell Taylor. Pre-draft, league insiders had expressed concern about his injury situation. He hadn’t been cleared to perform at the Senior Bowl or combine.

Due to the global pandemic, nobody could do the necessary homework on the injury.

Feeling desperate, the Seahawks traded a third rounder to move up in round two to select Taylor. He didn’t play a down as a rookie and faces an uncertain future.

This time there was no Clowney trade. They started the 2020 season asking Benson Mayowa — usually a rotational lineman — to play a large bulk of the snaps and be their primary pass rusher. More responsibility was placed on Collier and Rasheem Green.

Inevitably, it didn’t work.

By the mid-way point in the season they were on a historic pace in terms of passing yards conceded. They had a 3% sack percentage, the most total yards conceded per game and a horrendous third down conversion rate.

They’d practically doubled their usual blitzing total in order to try and create pressure.

A tremendous strain was being placed on Russell Wilson who was having to carry the team, putting up his own historic numbers in the first six games of the season just to engineer a cluster of tight victories.

The Seahawks were winning but it wouldn’t take much for the piñata to shatter. A 5-0 start was followed by a 3-4 record.

They made a trade for Carlos Dunlap before the deadline. Suddenly, they had a pass rusher. The defense transformed. It wasn’t all down to the performance of Dunlap. He did, however, seem to bring everyone together.

Jarran Reed was back to his best. Mayowa returned to his rotational role which suited him. The extra blitzing was a complement rather than a necessity. Their sack percentage more than doubled — going from 3% to 6.4%.

It’s a stretch to say the defense was a ‘strength’. They beat up a lot of bad opponents and second and third rate quarterbacks. The unit wasn’t a liability any more though — which, based on the way the season started, was a plus.

The Seahawks cut Dunlap recently to save $14m. It’s understandable that they didn’t want to pay him that much. An extension rather than a parting would’ve been preferable. Yet here we are.

They simply cannot afford not to bring him back.

Nobody should deem it acceptable to face a third year in a row of drifting along, hoping a solution emerges down the line to fix the pass rush. That would be rank neglect.

Pointing to the brief flashes from Alton Robinson — who only played 29% of the defensive snaps in 2020 — isn’t enough. He needs to be a bigger part of the rotation, not the person you hang your hat on.

Taylor has to prove he can even practise before we can invest any faith that he’ll play for the Seahawks. Even if he does play this year — how much can you realistically expect from him?

We’ve seen enough of Green and Collier to know that, if we’re being honest, they’re both eminently replaceable.

The Seahawks have been aggressive in many ways over the last few months. They traded the house for Jamal Adams. They just gave the Raiders one of their few remaining draft picks to acquire Gabe Jackson and his $9.35m salary. They traded up for Taylor.

There’s absolutely no reason to muck about with Dunlap and try to save a few pennies.

There’s currently $67m in non-guaranteed salary on the roster that can be moved around to create cap space.

There’s no excuse not to create room and get something done with Dunlap. And then once you’ve got him back on board — you can play the market to bring in a #2. But only then. Not now, not with Dunlap still unsigned.

If he goes somewhere else, what’s the alternative? A 33-year-old Ryan Kerrigan? A 32-year-old Melvin Ingram coming off an injury?

A return for Clowney barely seems realistic given what happened last year and it’s already been reported he’ll take his time (again) as he recovers from a knee injury.

There aren’t any other options after that.

Plus you only have two draft picks in the top-130. If they still owned their #1 pick (#23) they’d be in the perfect spot to tap into the pass rushers in the class. By #56 — the options are much thinner. And you don’t want to force another pick, again, because you failed to act in free agency.

It’s confounding how this same issue has dogged the Seahawks for years. It’s a terrible review of the front office efforts, frankly.

It speaks to the misuse of resources that so much has been ploughed into other positions (linebacker, safety) rather than a key position such as defensive end.

Look at the rest of the division:

— The Rams have Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd

— The Cardinals have Chandler Jones and JJ Watt

— The 49ers have Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Dee Ford and Javon Kinlaw

The Seahawks have Collier, Green, Robinson and Taylor.

You’re not competing for any Super Bowls with that. It’s time to get this sorted — now. No more waiting for the exact right value. If you have to pay a bit more to get Dunlap back — so be it.

And as I’ve suggested all along — if you need to be bold and sacrifice an asset to do it, so be it.

You spent a first round pick on a middle linebacker a year ago. Why do that when you’re already paying your starter $17m this year and $20m next year?

In 2019 you traded down from the first round into the early second to select Marquise Blair. You made that call, nobody forced the Seahawks to select him. Then you trade an obscene amount for a blitzing box safety.

You could trade Jamal Adams and give his $9m salary to Dunlap and get back in the draft to fill other remaining holes and depth.

Whatever way they do it, something needs to be done now before it’s too late.

They have to create resource. At the moment, it’s not clear how they’re going to fill out the roster with no money and three draft picks.

They could of course restructure Russell Wilson’s contract right now without even consulting him. The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes just did it. They choose not to though, despite the saving it would create. You can only assume they haven’t done this so they can leave their options open regarding a trade. That’s where this franchise is at.

They cannot continue with this annual game of musical chairs with the pass rush, or with the mystery surrounding Wilson’s future.

It’s time a little pressure was applied by people on the outside, so that pressure can be applied by those on the field.

If you missed my interview with Jake & Stacy on 710 ESPN on Friday, talking Seahawks and the draft, check it out below…

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Today I was invited to talk about the Seahawks, free agency and the draft with Jake & Stacy on 710 ESPN. You can hear the full interview below…

Meanwhile the Seahawks re-signed Chris Carson today on a three-year deal worth $24.6m. Reportedly, it voids after two years.

They needed a running back. None of the options were perfect. Leonard Fournette has had a strange career to date and wasn’t a sure thing to lead the running attack. Phillip Lindsay is electric and explosive but undersized (he’s just signed with the Texans).

Carson is exactly what Seattle likes in a runner — tough, physical and capable of high-quality performance. The problem is his health. They practically had to coddle him through the second half of last season to get to the playoffs.

A lot of people would’ve freaked out a year ago had the Seahawks used their top pick on a running back. Yet here’s the reality of the situation today. Jonathan Taylor’s cap hit is $1.7m in 2021. That’s considerably cheaper than Chris Carson’s cap hit.

Was it really worth drafting a middle linebacker, given the huge investment already made in Bobby Wagner, rather than saving yourself considerable money at the running back position, with years of cheap club control?

Even though Jordyn Brooks showed some promise as a rookie, I’m still not entirely sure why the Seahawks settled on that position with their top pick in 2020.

Nevertheless, the physicality Carson plays with carries real value. He’s one of Seattle’s draft hits over the last few years. The offense benefits greatly from his presence when he’s 100%. A cap-hit of about $5.5m with incentives is decent value for a player with his talent.

So what’s next? Pass rush is the #1 need. They must address that. They can’t repeat the last two years of trying to solve that problem right before — or during — the regular season.

At the very least, they have to find a way to bring back Carlos Dunlap and deliver a solid #2 — whether that’s Benson Mayowa or someone else.

They could also do with adding an eye-catching third receiving option. You need weapons in the modern NFL.

In order to do this, they’ll have to create cap space one way or another. They now have $67m in non-guaranteed salary to play with on the roster, which can be moved around via extensions or restructures.

I also think they should consider trades. Surely they can’t only pick three times in a draft with a lot of eye-catching options? After all, they have the fourth fewest players signed for 2021. How do you fill out the depth on your roster with no picks and severely limited cap space?

If you missed my article earlier today discussing the latest on the Russell Wilson situation, click here.

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This is Adam Schefter, the leading journalist covering the NFL, insisting that Russell Wilson ‘will’ be traded if the #Seahawks find a quarterback to replace him in the draft.

Even if it doesn’t happen this year, I just don’t know how you can ignore this. pic.twitter.com/O7dNWDFmUM

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) March 19, 2021

Every time I tweet about the Russell Wilson situation, the following happens.

I get a whole bunch of Bears fans asking how likely it is he’ll end up in Chicago (courtesy of their franchise allowing fans to dream about the possibility, only to make a craptastic offer to the Seahawks which was inevitably rejected).

I also get a whole bunch of Seahawks fans shouting, swearing and insisting that this is all one big drama over nothing.

It’s time to get real.

Adam Schefter is the leading journalist in the NFL. I’ve been a journalist for the BBC for 13 years. I could only dream of reaching Schefter’s level. It’s akin to Nick Bellore going to bed at night and contemplating an alternative reality where he’s the one lifting his seventh Lombardi Trophy as the GOAT.

Contrary to what people generally think, ‘clicks’ are not what motivates journalists. I’m not so naive to suggest it doesn’t play a part in some sections of the industry. It does. At the end of the day, private companies need to pay the bills. Practically every local and national news service requires you to click on their website to feed advertising revenues. Otherwise, they cease to exist.

Yet at the very top of the game you have individuals such as Schefter. Here is a man with 8.2 million twitter followers. I’ve had a twitter account for 12 years. The first person I followed was Schefter (with Mike Sando a close second).

In all of that time, I can’t think of a single thing Schefter has misreported.

This is a professional at the very top of his game. He has a well-earned reputation as a man with his finger on the NFL pulse. He is the big beast of NFL journalism. When it comes to breaking sports news, Adrian Wojnarowski is pretty much his only peer.

This is not someone who tosses around thoughts to provoke a reaction. Or gain clicks.

It might be inconvenient for Seahawks fans to hear what he has to say. It might be extremely tempting to fire back at Schefter, accusing him of clickbait or stirring up a non-story.

But the reality is this is just a coping mechanism for the harsh reality of what is going on. People don’t like the thought of following a dysfunctional franchise with question marks surrounding the best player.

Yet that’s exactly what we have here.

The Seahawks might not trade Wilson this year. It’s possible that they don’t find a quarterback they love in this draft. Frankly, I’d almost be a little bit surprised if they did find one. Not only that, they’d have to be picking in the top three to absolutely make sure they could get them.

That’s not really the point though, is it?

This isn’t about whether Wilson is dealt this year.

It’s about a broken relationship.

It’s about an inevitable divorce that appears part of Seattle’s destiny, sooner rather than later.

I’m already getting twitter replies discrediting Schefter. Someone highlighted that Wilson said ‘Go Hawks’ on an Instagram post (as if that means anything).

People will cling to anything to deny reality — yet ignore the following:

— Wilson’s agent literally sent the NFL’s #1 insider a list of four teams, on the record, that he’d be willing to be traded to

— Tony Pauline reported last week that the Seahawks are as prepared to move on as Wilson is and it’s just a case of whether it’s this year or next

— Multiple reporters have declared that the Seahawks indulged the Chicago Bears in trade talks and only decided to turn down their offer this week (and is it any surprise given what was offered?)

— Mike Florio reported last May that people within the NFL believed Wilson’s days in Seattle were numbered

— Colin Cowherd, who is close to the Wilson camp, read out a lengthy monologue detailing why the quarterback was unhappy with Pete Carroll, the offensive vision, the control Carroll has within the organisation and other concerns

— Neither the Seahawks or Wilson has moved to deny this story, which they could nip in the bud immediately

— Just today, Jason La Canfora (also with connections to Mark Rodgers) reported: “A contentious offseason between player and team has moved the camps further apart, and done nothing to quell the superstar quarterback’s reservations about where the franchise is headed and how well he will be incubated from future sacks and beatings.”

That is the reality.

I could keep listing things. The old saying ‘no smoke without fire’ barely feels adequate. This is just fire. Lots and lots of fire.

If I was going to put $20 on how this plays out — I’m not convinced I would put the money on Wilson leaving in 2021. I don’t know whether it’s realistic that Seattle will do a deal with the Jets, Dolphins, Falcons, Eagles or Panthers. Or that they could make a deal with the idea that someone like Trey Lance can come in immediately and get this team rocking.

Equally, I’m not sure how they’d work a way for Sam Darnold to come to Seattle — the other name that has been linked by reliable sources such as Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune.

La Canfora says Wilson isn’t willing to expand his list of teams this off-season anyway, making the whole situation moot unless he has a change of heart.

But again, I’m not sure any of this matters.

The main thing is a divorce seems to be on the cards. Whether it’s this year or next.

And we need to talk about that, not pretend it’s fake news.

If you missed my live stream with Danny Kelly yesterday, check it out here:

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Danny Kelly from ‘the Ringer’ joined me earlier to discuss free agency and the Seahawks. You can watch the playback below.

The Seahawks have signed back Ethan Pocic today for $3m. Rather than start a new post I thought I’d just share a thought here. I think this is a draft hedge. It’s a cheap(ish) short-term deal for a player familiar with the team. If the center options are strong at #56, you can still go in that direction.

Another thought — if you had the opportunity to draft Landon Dickerson and wanted to give him the chance to get fully healthy, this also allows you to do that.

I don’t think either of the moves for Pocic or Gabe Jackson prevent the Seahawks from taking an O-liner early.

Don’t forget to check out my article from earlier today, discussing the next step in free agency for the Seahawks.

The floodgates are open.

By spending over $15m on two players — Gerald Everett and Gabe Jackson — the Seahawks used any remaining cap space.

Combined with Poona Ford’s extension and the addition of Ahkello Witherspoon, they’re now in the red. They’ll need to create cap space.

So why stop there?

Neither the Everett or Jackson move was calculated, value shopping in the market. These were two aggressive additions.

$6m on a tight end with a stat-line of 417 yards and one touchdown in 2019 — playing in the offense you want to lend from going forward — is a big investment.

Using one of only four remaining draft picks on an ageing guard with a contract worth $9.35m is no small thing either.

In isolation it’s easy to pick holes. Everett’s lack of production and Jackson’s age and declining performance (63.7 PFF grade in 2020 — the 40th best guard in the league) are at least worthy of consideration and discussion.

But if they are part of a more aggressive free agency approach this off-season, then it’s harder to criticise a team shooting its shot.

It basically comes down to this. If these two moves are Seattle’s only real powerplay in the veteran market — we’ll compare the $15m investment to other signings made by other teams.

It’ll be no different than looking at the +$10m spent on Greg Olsen and Jacob Hollister a year ago, or the +$9m they spent on Brandon Shell, Cedric Ogbuehi and B.J. Finney, when Jack Conklin was available for $8m in year one of a multi-season contract.

Yet if the Seahawks just want to go for it — at least then you can’t accuse them of not giving themselves a chance.

That was part of the issue last year. They had so much cap space and sat idly by while the top players left the board. We could all see they hadn’t come close to fixing the pass rush or setting themselves up for the draft.

By the time training camp arrived they still hadn’t addressed key needs — leading to the overly-expensive Jamal Adams trade and starting the season with one of the worst defensive units in the NFL.

It can be different this year. They’re already over the cap, so why stop there?

It is perfectly plausible to create cap space without screwing yourself down the line. If there’s a trade that enables you to recoup draft stock and gain salary relief, do it.

And then get stuck into the remaining options on the market.

This is the time period in 2011 and 2013 when the Seahawks went to work — landing the likes of Zach Miller, Sidney Rice, Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril.

This team has been desperate for impact signings like that for a long time, with the draft providing minimal results over the last few years.

Kenny Golladay appears destined to join either the Giants or the Browns. Yet Will Fuller, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Sammy Watkins are still available.

Wouldn’t it be something to see one of those three admirably filling the WR3 position in Seattle, creating a dynamic receiving trio Russell Wilson couldn’t help but admire?

In the case of Fuller and Smith-Schuster, you could even structure a smaller year-one cap hit. Or lean on Wilson to convince them to sign a prove-it deal. Come and play with one of the best in the game.

If you’re going to be so aggressive to make the Adams trade last August, why not consider something like this for your offense?

D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Fuller or Smith-Schuster and Gerald Everett would be a potent attack. The rest of the NFC would be put on notice.

Then go and land a running back with the potential to lead your ground game. Seal the deal with Leonard Fournette and bank on him finding inspiration to turn all of his LSU promise into a proper pro-career. You pulled it off with Marshawn Lynch, can lightning strike twice?

Pair him with Mike Davis and have a proper one-two punch in 2021.

Then, perhaps most importantly, go and sort out your pass rush once and for all. Bring Carlos Dunlap home and pair him with another option. If it’s Benson Mayowa, so be it. It’s at least worth considering a Jadeveon Clowney return or the addition of Ryan Kerrigan or Kerry Hyder.

Why not make the pass rush rich in depth and a strength of the team?

Let’s keep this going. Can you bring Richard Sherman home, making cornerback a strength too? And after all this — why wouldn’t K.J. Wright fancy another run back as you create an exciting roster.

How realistic is it? Well here’s the thing. We’ve just seen the LA Rams pay Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. They gave Jared Goff a huge contract, then paid him to go away. Ditto Todd Gurley. They paid their top two receivers and tight end. They then acquired Matthew Stafford’s contract.

They put themselves in cap hell — and still found a way to retain Leonard Floyd on a huge deal. How did they do it? By structuring his contract to only pay him $5.5m this year and backload the contract.

They’re currently $16m over the cap.

It’s not just the Rams. The Chiefs are paying Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Frank Clark, Tyrann Mathieu and Chris Jones. They still splashed out for Joe Thuney and were in the hunt for Trent Williams.

In 2013 nobody thought it was possible to add Bennett and Avril after trading for (and paying) Percy Harvin. They pulled it off.

With minimal cap picks the Seahawks only really have free agency to put themselves in a far better position to compete in 2021. They have $58m of flexible non-guaranteed salary on the roster.

It’s time to be bold, creative and aggressive.

It’s time to load up the roster and become a contender.

That way — the $15m splurge yesterday looks less like an act of mild desperation and more like one small piece of a puzzle to get back to the top.

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Deal #1 — Gerald Everett

The #Seahawks are signing TE Gerald Everett to a 1-year deal worth $6M, source said. The former #Rams TE finds a home.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2021

There was plenty of talk about the Seahawks being in the tight end market and so it proved.

Gerald Everett has a history with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. However, as a former second round pick he didn’t really deliver for the Rams. He never had more than the 417 yards he recorded in 2020 and he’s never had more than three touchdowns in a season. Last year, he scored once in 16 games.

Here’s his stat line:

2017 — 244 yards, two touchdowns
2018 — 320 yards, three touchdowns
2019 — 408 yards, two touchdowns
2020 — 417 yards, one touchdown

A $6m contract is quite the commitment for that level of production.

It’s similar to the investment Seattle made in Greg Olsen a year ago. They received very little bang for their buck — they’ll need to do much more to justify this signing.

The hope will be that Waldron’s experience with Everett will help. Yet, as noted, it never really happened for him in LA.

The Seahawks have a long history of splurging on tight ends under Pete Carroll. They spent big money on Zach Miller in 2011, a signing that worked out. After that — the investment in Jimmy Graham, Ed Dickson and Olsen hasn’t produced results.

It’s not a cheap contract for Everett. Along with the signing of Ahkello Witherspoon and the extension for Poona Ford — they’ve now pretty much spent all of their available cap space.

There aren’t a ton of options in the draft but there are prospects who fit Seattle’s penchant for strong agility testing. Brevin Jordan ran a 4.21 short shuttle at 250lbs at SPARQ. Tommy Tremble — a fearsome run blocker — ran a 4.20. Pat Freiermuth (4.44) and Tre McKitty (4.13) also excelled and have plenty to offer.

All four, if drafted outside of the first round, would’ve cost no more than $1.5m this year. That’s the salary of the #33 overall pick. If they were drafted in the same range as Damien Lewis, they’d be on $800,000.

That level of salary is a little easier to stomach if you continue to struggle to find ways to feature your tight ends in the passing game.

This is the problem with taking yourself out of the draft. So far, the Seahawks remain with only one pick in the first three rounds (#56). It’s hard to imagine that’ll stay the same — especially in a year when cheap talent is so important.

The assumption is that the Seahawks have been biding their time in free agency, seeking value. In reality, $6m for one year of Gerald Everett doesn’t seem to be that cheap at all.

They’ll hope he can become a legit #3 target and provide quickness and mismatch ability. Watching his mic’d up videos — he also seems committed, passionate and a leader.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens to the receiver market. Were the Seahawks better off paying Everett $6m for one year — or would they be better going after the likes of Kenny Golladay, Will Fuller or JuJu Smith-Schuster on a longer term basis with a low year-one cap hit?

Curtis Samuel has just agreed a three-year, $34.5m contract in Washington. That might suggest it’ll be a little too rich still.

But the Seahawks don’t have a great track record with tight ends and they’ve made quite a big commitment to Everett.

Deal #2 — Gabe Jackson

And another offensive line trade for Las Vegas: Raiders are trading Gabe Jackson to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2021 draft pick, per @JFowlerESPN and me.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2021

The deal is for Seattle’s fifth rounder. The Seahawks only had four picks in the 2021 draft. That’s now down to three.

I think Gabe Jackson’s reputation is better than his recent performance level. He’s seemingly been on the brink with the Raiders for a while and it was announced on March 3rd that he was going to be released.

However, a market seemed to emerge and now Las Vegas — as they did with Rodney Hudson — have been able to trade him instead.

PFF graded Jackson at 63.7 in 2020 — the 40th best guard in the league. The year before he was given a 61.8 grade.

My fear, expressed prior to this signing, is that he’s well past his best. Formerly one of the best guards in the league — I’m not sure he’s anywhere close to that level as he approaches 30.

He’s also very expensive. His base salary is $9.35m this year — about the same as Jamal Adams. Frankly — he’s already ripe to be a cap cut down the line if the competition is close.

For that reason I think using #56 on a guard remains realistic. Especially given the quality on the interior line expected to be available in that range.

Spending over $15m on Everett and Jackson is quite the commitment. Is it the best use of resources? That question needs to be asked — while acknowledging they have at least addressed two needs.

With only three draft picks — a trade of some description seems almost inevitable at this point. Fans on twitter are clamouring for Jarran Reed — but what exactly are you fielding on the D-line if you do that? And how much are you getting in return for a defensive tackle who turns 29 this year?

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Before we get into the piece, on Tuesday I appeared on 950 KJR to talk to Softy & Dick about the Seahawks. You can listen to the full interview here:

Quite aside from the unresolved situation with their franchise quarterback (which many people will gloss over now — and that would be a mistake) — there’s another issue that lingers for the Seahawks.

There’s nothing wrong with being penny-wise in the early stages of free agency. It’s often where good or average players are paid elite money.

But eventually there comes a time when you’ve got to do more than dip your toe in.

Last year was a classic example. As Seattle waited and waited for Jadeveon Clowney, other opportunities slipped by.

It’s not just a 2020 problem. The free agent additions Seattle have made in recent years have generally been quite poor.

Rather than acquire talent at good value, more often than not they’ve added average, replacement level players.

We’re already approaching the second wave of free agency and a host of names remain available. This should be the time when you capitalise.

The Seahawks aren’t the only ones shopping, of course. But with only four draft picks — including just one in the top-120 — this is really their only chance to get better.

Look at Tampa Bay last season and consider their defensive line — anchored by Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea, with Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul rushing the edge. Three of those players were free agent signings.

With the likes of Carlos Dunlap, Haason Reddick, Sheldon Rankins, Jadeveon Clowney, Ryan Kerrigan and others still available, the Seahawks could put together a competitive D-line.

The alternative is another year of what we saw at the start of the last season. You bring in a Benson Mayowa type, give him far too many snaps, rely on Rasheem Green and L.J. Collier and pray something emerges before the trade deadline.

They surely can’t do that again?

And wouldn’t it be nice to have a proper rotation up front?

Sticking with the Buccs — look at the weapons they had for their quarterback too.

The options available on the market are pretty remarkable still. Kenny Golladay, Curtis Samuel, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Will Fuller, Sammy Watkins, Gerald Everett, AJ Green, Antonio Brown.

Will there be a better chance to add a proven #3 target? Potentially at a good age?

At running back there’s currently just a great big mystery. Signing Leonard Fournette, which appears possible, or bringing back Chris Carson would add a name and a body. Yet the depth and talent at the position still remains lacking. The hope should be to add at least two players here.

The Seahawks, with the way they play, need a bell-cow. It’s not clear how they achieve that this year. The only other alternative is to have a great rotation. Mike Davis and others could help provide that on top of, say, a Fournette addition.

They’re yet to make any significant signings to the O-line — with the likes of Rodney Hudson, David Andrews and Nick Martin available at center.

They’ve signed Ahkello Witherspoon and the value/fit makes sense. Yet it’s impossible to look at Seattle’s cornerback position and have any real faith that it’s sorted. It feels like they need more — competition and talent. Richard Sherman is still available, as is Kevin King.

I could keep going. They have the second fewest contracted players in the NFL currently, so depth is an issue too. Other players — such as KJ Wright — will need to be re-signed or replaced.

In a way the Russell Wilson saga has acted as quite a distraction to an equally important topic.

How do the Seahawks actually build a team in 2021?

A year ago at this point they still had millions to spend and a collection of draft picks, including three in the first two rounds.

Now they have #56 and a whole lot of nothing. Their available cap space has halved just by signing Witherspoon and extending Poona Ford. Unlike in previous drafts when they’ve had no picks — there’s no real means to trade down because they don’t have a first rounder to bargain with.

They’ve not done anything to create cap space yet.

They’ve taken a decision not to trade Russell Wilson, according to reports, yet they aren’t restructuring his deal (which they can do without his permission) which kind of suggests they’re leaving the door open.

But even if their intention is to proceed with Wilson for now (and who knows, really, given Tony Pauline reported just last week that they’re as ready to move on as he is?) — they haven’t re-worked any other deals or traded anyone to provide cap relief or extra picks.

So it does feel like a big few days for the Seahawks. Firstly, they need to create some stock. I don’t know how — but they need to. Whether it’s picks or salary cap relief. Unless the plan is to start Phil Haynes at left guard, Kyle Fuller at center, Rashaad Penny at running back, Colby Parkinson at tight end and Freddie Swain at receiver. And maybe that is there plan? I would argue, however, that would make for a completely pointless and futile 2021 season.

They need more to work with. They have done for weeks.

So can they acquire some stock, then rekindle the 2013 magic and come up with some eye-catching additions to bolster their roster?

Or will the penny-wise approach develop into a pound-foolish one again if they end up trying to fill out the roster with duds? Without even a draft to look forward to where you can add cheap, young talent.

Can they avoid doing what they’ve done for the last couple of years — failing to address key needs going into training camp, then needing to scramble around for solutions at the last minute?

In the last four years they’ve used two firsts, three seconds and three third round picks on deals either just before or just after the season started. That’s insane.

The problem is, this is a franchise that feels like its lost its mojo when it comes to player acquisition. Every year they have an opportunity to get it back — and they never seem to.

And the rest of the NFC West remains highly active. The 49ers have just retained Trent Williams and signed Alex Mack to bolster their O-line. The Cardinals have signed JJ Watt and the Rams continue to be creative with the cap, retaining Leonard Floyd.

What is Seattle’s blueprint for progress?

Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport says the Seahawks only decided not to trade Wilson to the Bears yesterday — and that it was Pete Carroll’s call not to pull the trigger.

It does sound awfully like the franchise has made another decision somewhat based on the emotion of the day from their all-seeing decision-maker.

Jason La Canfora claims the Bears bailed too early, adding “If Wilson is dealt, it will be close to the draft.”

It’s another hint that the dysfunction will continue and drag on for some time, following Adam Schefter’s suggestion that the Seahawks simply weren’t in a position to make a trade yet and that nothing had been ruled out:

“To date they’ve not said, ‘we’re not trading Russell Wilson’ publicly”

He also provided this update this morning, flat out suggesting Wilson could still be dealt before the draft:

Adam Schefter essentially saying Russell Wilson could still be traded before the draft #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/RE4RzmIKjf

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) March 17, 2021

Brandon Marshall also said this:

“I don’t think it’s over but I think they want more time to think this through.”

“If they don’t figure it out now, there’s going to be a trade partner here pretty soon.”

Mark Rodgers’ next move will be interesting.

Last week we argued that this was a situation that had to be resolved, one way or another. Either with a truce or a trade.

Letting things fester and linger was not the answer — and yet it appears to be the chosen path for Carroll.

Finally, today is the Georgia pro-day. Azeez Olujari will be among those working out.

In anticipation of the Seahawks potentially acquiring the #20 pick, I went back and re-watched all of the top pass rushers in this class. Off the back of that, I’ve moved Olujari to a legit first round grade on my horizontal board.

He’s a terrific player and for me, could easily find a home in the top-15.

Olujari measured today with 34.5 inch arms — ideal length and he’s destined to be a high pick.

Ben Cleveland ran an unofficial 4.85 forty. Obviously this is a ‘pro-day’ 40 but it validates the expectation that he could’ve run sub-5.00. I’ve always maintained he’s a far better athlete than some in the media are suggesting. The strongest player in the draft. He’s a definite name to keep an eye on, as early as #56.

Tight end Tre McKitty and cornerback Eric Stokes are two others. Stokes measured with nearly 33 inch arms — that is fantastic length and he has a shot at the first round.

There are so many good options in this class at defensive end, receiver, offensive line and cornerback. There are some tight ends worth pursuing — and at least one running back who fits like a glove.

We don’t need the underwear Olympics to appreciate this. The Seahawks need a way back into this draft.

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Chicago made “a very aggressive pursuit” of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, per sources, and the Bears were told that Seattle is not trading him at this time.

The Bears were one of four teams Wilson’s agent named as a place of interest. Now Chicago has an agreement with Andy Dalton.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2021

You might think this is the end of the drama.

But really, it isn’t.

There’s been no resolution between the Seahawks and their franchise quarterback. We’d know about it by now if there was.

There would’ve been some form of statement or symbolic gesture. From something minor like a tweet from Russell Wilson, to something more significant like a new contract.

The middle ground would’ve been the Seahawks restructuring Wilson’s contract to create cap space. They have a function to do that, even without his permission.

Yet they haven’t. And they’ll need to do something eventually. Once Poona Ford is tendered, they will have just $14m to spend and four draft picks. They have seven key players to retain or replace. They also have the second fewest contracted players in the NFL currently — so depth is an issue too.

Something has to give.

It’s just unclear what exactly it’s going to be.

Wilson’s next move will be interesting.

So far, the Seahawks haven’t granted his wish to make a bold move on the offensive line. Rodney Hudson, recently cut by the Raiders, would be an opportunity to do that (although we have to remember he turns 32 in July).

Yet they didn’t land Joe Thuney, Corey Linsley or Kevin Zeitler. The remaining options are very much in the ‘name recognition’ category but the likes of Trai Turner and Gabe Jackson are well past their best.

Will Mark Rodgers re-emerge? Will Wilson extend his list of potential suitors and be willing to consider other teams?

Will the Seahawks and their star player use this moment to create a truce? If so — it better be a long term one, not a ‘see you in 12 months for more of the same’ arrangement.

I still think the best thing to do would be to create resource by shifting stock from linebacker and safety to create picks and cap space. From there, you could improve your O-line in the draft and take a punt on a receiver market that increasingly appears to be carrying some value.

Then you grant Wilson’s desire to have more input in the offensive vision. After all, if you’re willing to shift to bear fronts on defense and double your blitzing to accommodate Jamal Adams, why aren’t you willing to listen to a quarterback you opted to pay $35m a year?

However, what I fear is this is merely a delaying tactic.

For example — there’s been plenty of talk about Sam Darnold recently. Brad Biggs from the Chicago Tribune quoted a GM as saying the Seahawks were a team to watch with Darnold. Colin Cowherd also made the connection, as did a report in the New York Daily News — citing a league source.

The Jets insist they won’t make a call on Darnold’s future until they’ve seen the top quarterbacks in the draft throw live. Zach Wilson’s pro-day, for example, isn’t until the end of the month.

It’s also possible the Jets are simply not inclined to deal Darnold at this stage. What’s the rush? Especially if a vibrant market emerges with a little patience.

If that’s the case, this might be a situation that isn’t resolved for weeks.

After all, look at Schefter’s wording:

“the Bears were told that Seattle is not trading him at this time“

The Bears weren’t told they aren’t trading Wilson, period. They were told they aren’t trading him at this time.

Schefter went on to add in an ESPN appearance later:

“That doesn’t mean eventually… next month, next year, whenever it may be, that Seattle won’t eventually trade Russell Wilson but the Bears were finding the Seahawks were unwilling to budge right now”

He then added the Seahawks haven’t been able to do sufficient work on the 2021 quarterback class, before adding:

“To date, they’ve not said, we’re not trading Russell Wilson publicly — but they essentially rejected the Bears advances, with the Bears holding the 20th pick in the draft”

Sadly, this saga appears set to drag on for a while yet.

And as Mike Florio points out, that might not be great news:

If, as seems likely, Wilson stays, that won’t automatically solve the issues between player and team. Wilson wants the offense to run through him. Unless the Seahawks decide to give Wilson what he wants, it could be a potentially awkward and dysfunctional season for Seattle.

If the intention is to move forward together — then three things need to happen:

1. Make it right with Wilson and then make it public that you’ve made it right

2. Nail the rest of free agency (there are lots of pass rushers and receivers available, channel some of the 2013 magic to land some needed quality)

3. Get back in the draft — because combine or no combine, there are some great options in this class to get cheap talent (this means trading an asset)

Meanwhile, the Seahawks made their first move in free agency — agreeing to sign 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.

Like Shaquill Griffin, he was a third round pick in 2017. He fits the Seahawks prototype perfectly. He turns 26 next week and had an 80.2 PFF grade last year — their sixth ranked cornerback.

Of course, Quinton Dunbar was PFF’s second ranked corner a year ago…

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It’s not about missing out on Joe Thuney and Corey Linsley.

It’s not about a quiet first day of free agency.

The problem with the Seahawks is a lot more serious than that.

What exactly is the plan here?

For the last six weeks we’ve had rumours galore about the future of Russell Wilson, including a passive-aggressive trade request sent to Adam Schefter.

The Seahawks haven’t done anything to nip this in the bud.

There’s been radio silence.

Which is fine, provided a solution is actually forthcoming. If you just let the situation fester, without any kind of resolution, you appear dysfunctional.

Michael Silver described it as a ‘mess’ earlier today. And he’s right.

By now the Seahawks should’ve done one of two things. They should’ve sat down with their quarterback and sorted through their differences. And if no resolution was forthcoming, they should’ve moved on.

Instead they appear to be stuck in no-man’s land. Unwilling to listen to Wilson’s concerns and act upon them, while simultaneously not ripping off the band-aid and going in a direction that according to Tony Pauline, both parties are destined.

Meanwhile fans are just left in the dark.

Let’s be real here. When Wilson complained about a lack of adequate protection, it wasn’t a nudge to go out and land one of Gabe Jackson or Trai Turner.

He wanted a big addition. He wanted the Seahawks to show the kind of ambition they offered the strong safety position last summer.

He wanted one of Thuney or Linsley.

Instead the Chiefs, who started the day with less cap space than the Seahawks, make the bold investment to protect their franchise quarterback.

It’s not just the indecision and mystery surrounding Wilson’s future though, or the inability to land a top offensive lineman to placate him.

The only move the Seahawks have made so far is to cut their best pass rusher to create cap space. They have about $16-17m to spend.

Carlos Dunlap joins the long list of players needing to be re-signed or replaced.

Yet with so many needs and hardly any draft picks — what exactly is the plan here?

Are they going to fill a bunch of holes with $2-3m signings?

How exactly do they take a step forward doing that?

Despite their 12-4 record in 2020, they weren’t a serious contender. We saw that in the playoffs. They spent half a season trying to fix a terrible defense. Then in the second half, they had a stagnant offense and didn’t do anything to address any of the issues — such as major problems on third down or an inability to adjust.

Losing a bunch of starters and replacing them on the cheap isn’t exactly a path to success is it?

And people wonder why Wilson possibly wants out.

No restructures to free up room. No extensions. No trades — either to create cap space or get back in the draft.

What exactly is the plan?

You pay a quarterback $35m a year but seemingly don’t want his advice on how the offense should operate, leading to an off-season of drama.

You prefer a brand of football that requires a certain level of play in the trenches. Yet you focus your investment in other areas, such as linebacker and safety.

You’re very conservative when it comes to free agent spending, yet you’ll happily splurge draft pick after draft pick on a series of trades.

You don’t have any picks this year yet you haven’t created the money to be big players in free agency — despite having a laundry list of needs.

What’s going on?

There’s still time to make it right. Perhaps not in the eyes of Wilson, who will be glancing enviously today at Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Yet this is a very different free agency period. Value will be available at other positions as time progresses. The Seahawks need to rediscover their Midas touch from 2013 in order to capitalise.

Some answers need to be provided soon, though. On Wilson, on the state of the roster, on the lack of cap space and picks.

And frankly, it’s about time the franchise gave the fans some hope and clarity — after the mentally draining last few weeks of the Wilson saga.

I’ll continue updating the open thread/live free agency blog if anything happens.

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We’ll be across any big breaking news regarding the Seahawks, via articles and live streams. I’ll update this post when anything happens.

In the meantime here’s an open thread and a breakdown of the latest:

— Mike Garafolo says the Seahawks were interested in Kevin Zeitler, before he agreed terms on a three-year deal worth $22m with the Baltimore Ravens. Assuming the Seahawks aren’t in the Joe Thuney/Corey Linsley market, Zeitler was seen as a viable (and cheaper) alternative.

Brad Biggs from the Chicago Tribune has spoken to two NFL GM’s about Russell Wilson’s future. One didn’t think a trade would happen, citing the usual reasons (lack of draft stock from the Bears etc). The other thought a trade was possible with Chicago (“They’re desperate, and if I’m Seattle, I just keeping asking for more and more and more”). That same GM then connected the Seahawks to Sam Darnold, as Colin Cowherd did on Friday. What would the price be? A high second round pick apparently, or the equivalent value. For any Wilson trade to occur, you’d have to think Darnold would either be part of the deal or a Seahawks trade with the Jets would have to be arranged first. They cannot afford to get into a negotiating battle with other teams for a replacement quarterback.

The Seahawks are reportedly interested in Texans offensive lineman Brett Jones. He has started just 19 games in five years and he turns 30 this summer. Looks like they’re swapping one BJ (Finney) for another.

Corey Linsley is signing with the Chargers and Joe Thuney is joining the Chiefs. If you were hoping the Seahawks would make a splash to placate their disillusioned franchise quarterback, you’ll be disappointed. Still, I’m sure Russell Wilson be taking this news well.

Carlos Hyde and Phillip Dorsett have both signed with the Jaguars

According to Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News, a source says to ‘keep an eye on Seattle for Sam Darnold’.