Month: March 2021 (Page 4 of 4)

This is the eighth part of a guest-post series written by Curtis Allen

#8 defensive backs

Players under contract for 2021: Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Marquise Blair, Tre Flowers, Ugo Amadi, DJ Reed

Players under contract for 2022: Marquise Blair, Ugo Amadi

Restricted Free Agents: none

Unrestricted Free Agents: Quinton Dunbar, Neiko Thorpe, Shaquille Griffin

Exclusive Rights Free Agents: Ryan Neal, Linden Stephens

Players Signed to Futures Contracts: Gavin Heslop, Jordan Miller

Salary Cap Notes

2021 Cap Commitment: $21.4 million (12.02% of $178m cap)

None of Diggs’ $5.5m salary or Adams’ $9.86m salary are guaranteed in 2021

Franchise Tag — the 2021 numbers have not been finalized yet but we can look at the 2020 numbers for a good idea of approximately what they will be:

Tag for Safety in 2020: $11.4m exclusive, $9.86m transition

Tag for Cornerback in 2020: $16.3m exclusive, $14.2m transition

2020 Season Overview

It was a dreadful season for this group. Injuries, lack of pass rush from the defensive line and lack of chemistry all badly hurt this unit.

Injuries:

– Three of the projected starting four (Griffin, Dunbar, Adams) missed a total of 18 games and had their performance seriously diminished by injury in many others

– Key players Marquise Blair and Tre Flowers missed another 18 games

Bringing Jamal Adams into the defense introduced another set of challenges. The Seahawks blitzed Jamal Adams out of the strong safety position almost as much in only his first three games (31 times) as they had Bradley McDougald in his previous two seasons total (34 times).

That introduced the factor of the corners, linebackers and free safety getting less coverage help than the Seahawks usually scheme for.

Add in the fact that the Seahawks did not add effective pass rushers to an already poor defensive line and this unit was seriously lacking support and frequently left to their own devices. They just could not live up to handling that kind of workload.

The 2020 quarterback ratings allowed by this starting group demonstrated that clearly:

– Griffin 93.3
– Diggs 92.7
– Dunbar 111.0
– Adams 106.3
– Flowers 106.1

If there was ever an offseason that the defensive backs needed to get healthy and on the same page as a group, this was it. Unfortunately, the shortened offseason, injuries and major scheme changes all conspired to make this an historically bad unit in the first half of the season.

At one point in the early going, an exasperated and embarrassed Pete Carroll told reporters the backfield played ‘like they did not practice all week.’ Later he expressed frustration that the players were doing everything the coaches needed to see in practice but could not translate that to the game on Sunday.

In the second half they improved enough to avoid going into the record books as the worst of all time but this unit was adjusting on the fly all season, without a solid base to work from. That frankly caused too many problems to effectively put a cohesive unit together.

There are some bright spots to be found in 2020 though.

Jamal Adams collected 9.5 sacks on all those blitzes and killed some drives. He helped an improved pass rush put up better numbers in 2020.

DJ Reed proved to be an excellent find by John Schneider. Plucked from San Francisco when they waived him with an injury designation, he turned out to be durable, fiery and fantastic in coverage. He brought a spark in the return game as well. He was praised by Pete Carroll for having ‘elite’ foot quickness and acceleration.

He then took another big step forward, taking on the vacant outside cornerback spot and playing very well. Carroll remarked that Reed does not fit his physical ideals for the outside position, that Schneider talked him into acquiring him and he has worked out well for the club.

The Seahawks have Reed under contract for another season. If he can translate his 2020 play into 16 games of 2021 play they will have found a gem and saved themselves a lot of money.

Ugo Amadi was clearly behind Marquise Blair on the depth chart in Pete Carroll’s mind going into the season. Yet when Blair got hurt, Amadi got his shot and proved to be a nice option at the nickel spot, earning praise from his coach and putting his name into the mix for 2021. There were times in 2020 that Amadi seemed like the only corner on the field who both knew what he was doing and was doing it with skill and toughness.

Ryan Neal was an intriguing player in 2020. He went from nearly quitting football to being a valuable piece to occasionally starting in Jamal Adams’ place. He had some key plays early in the season, including an interception to put the game on ice against Dallas and a couple fantastic hits. He also showed some ability when called on to blitz in the Adams role and had a blocked punt in the Giants game. He is an Exclusive Rights free agent and an easy choice to bring back for depth in 2021.

Offseason Questions to Address

1. Are the Seahawks really going to shape their defense as well as their salary cap around Jamal Adams?

We need to talk about the offseason elephant in the defensive room. Jamal Adams.

Absent a Russell Wilson trade, what they do with Jamal Adams could determine the entire direction this team takes this offseason, from how they deploy the players they already have on the roster, to who they draft, to what free agent decisions they make, to how much cap money they have available in the next 3-4 seasons.

It demands the team’s attention. Right now.

The Seahawks made probably the biggest trade splash in their history last offseason, trading first round picks in 2021 and 2022, a third-round pick in 2021 and Bradley McDougald to the Jets for Adams and a 2022 fourth round pick.

Pete Carroll spent all season praising Adams as well as John Schneider for working so hard to get this trade done. Doth protesting a little too much perhaps. It might have been a public attempt to justify giving up such a massive haul to upgrade the strong safety spot.

While he did have 9.5 sacks and a couple of key defensive tackles, he returned a terrible QB rating in coverage, only had three passes defensed and did not record an interception. Put another way, when he was not getting a pressure on the quarterback, he was not much of an asset to this team at all.

PFF was not swayed by Adams setting the sack record for defensive backs, rating him at an uninspiring 64 grade in 2020 (53rd ranked safety).

An acquisition of that magnitude should answer more questions than it raises. Yet the harsh reality is the opposite is true. The Seahawks have several questions they need to work through when it comes to Jamal Adams.

Can he stay healthy for 16 games? He had groin and shoulder injuries in 2020. Given his size, how long can he stay healthy regularly lining up across players who outweigh him by 60-80 pounds and then throwing his body at running backs trying to block him?

Is it acceptable that he only created one turnover in 2020?

Honestly – where does he fit in Pete Carroll’s vision of the defense?

Pete has never blitzed his strong safety this much. Can the Seahawks reconcile the cost of having a safety so frequently blitzing with the results he brings?

Is he going to improve in coverage? Or do you need to blitz him eight times a game to get max value? If that is the case, what do you get with him that you do not get with say Ryan Neal at a fraction of the cost?

If the Seahawks are going to pay Adams like a feature piece of the defense and play him the way they did in 2020, they are going to need the corners to be outstanding in man coverage more frequently than Pete’s system traditionally calls for.

Also, the free safety will not have the freedom (pun not intended) to roam around and make plays – he will regularly be too busy covering deep looks and making sure the region behind the linebackers is not completely empty. Are those factors worth the 9-10 manufactured sacks they will get from Adams, or will it put too much strain on the defense?

Plainly put, if Adams is free to blitz unblocked, that means there is an offensive player that is uncovered. It is very likely that clever coordinators and accurate quarterbacks, having had a season of tape on Adams, can take advantage of these scheme concerns enough to control the flow of the game.

Do they have an answer for these issues?

Adams is highly strung and never fails to speak his mind. While the vibe is fun when he is happy and motivated, it needs to be asked – what kind of effect will he have on the team when he is unhappy?

He will likely require a top market contract and be justified in asking for it since the Seahawks gave up so much capital in trade without conditioning the deal on working out an extension. How much will it be? The floor seems set at Budda Baker’s $14.75million per season but Adams will likely ask for much more, if the leverage wielded by Jalen Ramsey and Laremy Tunsil is any indication.

Brass tacks: Adams played 784 defensive snaps in 2020. He got 25 quarterback pressures in 98 blitzes. So, 73 of those snaps he blitzed and did not record a pressure and the backfield was on their own. The rest of those 686 snaps? He was a league average player.

Are those 25 pressures worth a contract averaging $15million per season? Let alone the $20million he will likely ask for?

Can the team reconcile all these questions and concerns? 

The Seahawks have put the expensive engagement ring on his finger. Are they ready to book the chapel and rent a tuxedo?

If you are going to consider trading him, this is the offseason to do it. His value will never be higher.

2. Do they need to completely revamp the outside cornerback spot?

They have Tre Flowers and DJ Reed currently on the roster with starting outside corner experience but that is it.

Shaquille Griffin and Quinton Dunbar, the starters in 2020, are unrestricted free agents. They did nothing to inspire hope that they will be effective in 2021. Nor did either of those players make the team think of giving them any kind of serious contract in terms of years or dollars.

The Seahawks coaches have been very positive about Griffin but he recorded a 64.1 PFF grade in 2020. He surrendered six touchdowns and was often very open about this awful play. After a very poor performance in the Dallas game, he admitted the Cowboys lulled him to sleep by not throwing his way much and then hitting him with a deep ball.

It was generally thought that Griffin had made excellent progress in his third year but in 2020 he regressed. The best that can be said about Griffin at this point is he has been a four-year starter in the league.

The Seahawks will likely let Griffin test the market and see what his value is. In this depressed market he could need to accept a bargain one year contract and try to reestablish value for 2022. Some team may feel like he is worth a nice contract but absent a serious leap in performance, that team should not be the Seahawks.

Dunbar was clearly an upgrade from Tre Flowers when healthy. That did not last long. His knee was an issue for him all season and the Seahawks finally shut him down. They paid a draft pick in trade and over $3m in salary to Dunbar and got very little in return. He will have to prove his knee issue is not chronic and likely take a veteran minimum deal to prove he can still play in the NFL at this point. With his legal and injury troubles, 2020 was a lost season for Dunbar.

Tre Flowers should not be counted on to be a starting corner in the NFL. The experiment has not produced the results that the Seahawks have hoped for. He openly struggled with his confidence off and on all season and his play reflected that.

He will have one more year on his cheap rookie contract and if he is brought back in 2022, it would likely be for the veteran minimum and the promise he can fight for a spot on the roster, no more. In the meantime, it would not be wise of the Seahawks to consider him a starter in 2021.

So, can DJ Reed take one of the two starting spots? Can the Seahawks go into the offseason thinking they have the right cornerback spot covered between Reed with Flowers as his backup?

If so that just leaves the left cornerback spot to be filled.

Richard Sherman might be a great fit at that spot. He has expressed that he is likely done in San Francisco and a return might be a welcome option for both parties. The Seahawks badly need some leadership in the backfield and with their thin depth, Sherman could assist in grooming the next late round corner find on the roster.

As the Seahawks will likely be still working out their pass rush issues in 2021, there will be games they will need the corners to take their man without help. Sherman could do that.

One of the underrated areas where Sherman could really be a great addition to Seattle is in run support. He is an able and willing tackler in the run game. He is not afraid to take on the pulling blocker and disrupt the play or lower his head and take a runner’s feet out from under him.

Griffin has not been very good in this area. Several games this season he was blocked right out of the play and the ball carrier ran right through the spot he was supposed to seal off and had nice gains.

Sherman has been injured, so the Seahawks would really have to do their homework on him to get him checked out first.

As well his contract demands would have to be reasonable and he would need to desire to play in Seattle again. It still appears to be a fit.

3. What do the Seahawks do with Marquise Blair?

Pete Carroll raved about Blair perhaps more than any other player on the roster in 2020.

He frequently singled him out for praise unprompted when talking to the media.

In his final press conference for the season, Carroll confirmed Blair’s rehab is going well and reiterated how excited he was about having him on the team in 2021. It will be very interesting to see where the Seahawks deploy him next season.

Do they keep the nickel cornerback experiment going? Or do they shift him back to a role as one of the safeties?

Trading Jamal Adams would open up a big, big role at strong safety.

Quandre Diggs is also in the last year of his contract. Would they groom Blair as the free safety to be the first up if Diggs gets hurt and then take the job over in 2022?

Ugo Amadi has impressed with his play at nickel. Would they want to move him back to free safety to get Blair on the field?

Finding out where the Seahawks think Blair fits best will be an interesting development to watch this offseason.

Rob’s thoughts on this draft class and potential Seahawks targets

It’s a deep class with several attractive options. I’ve updated my horizontal board in the last few days and it shows off the depth of talent:

In particular for the Seahawks, I think Benjamin St. Juste has the length, intelligence, run defending skills and attitude to be a project with serious potential at corner. I’ll be posting an interview with him over the weekend.

Eric Stokes at Georgia could also present a decent option. He was very consistent in the SEC and has the required size and length.

There were a cluster of other defenders with +32 inch arms at the Senior Bowl:

Bryan Mills (CB, NC Central)
6-1, 180lbs, 32 inch arms — flashed some good moments during the Senior Bowl

Robert Rochell (CB, Central Arkansas)
6-0, 195lbs, 32 3/8 inch arms — has been tested and ran a 4.38 then jumped an 11-8 broad and a 41 inch vertical

Mark Webb (CB, Georgia)
6-1 1/2, 210lbs, 32 1/8 inch arms — good reviews from his week in Mobile

Ifeatu Melifonwu (CB, Syracuse)
6-2 5/8, 212lbs, 32 1/8 inch arms — the brother of former combine standout Obi Melifonwu

D.J. Daniel (CB, Georgia)
6-0, 183lbs, 33 inch arms — also received positive reviews from Mobile

Basically if the Seahawks want to take a corner in this draft — they can do.

If they want to shift away from the strict parameters on arm length, Washington’s Keith Taylor had a terrific Senior Bowl. Ambry Thomas flashed cover talent and an aggressive playing style at Michigan.

Elijah Molden is one of the best players in the entire draft. He’s likely to go too early for the Seahawks.

It’ll be a stunning set of events if the Seahawks take a safety in this draft. There are still a handful of options but nobody you’d necessarily want to bang the table for over other, more serious needs.

If you’re on Twitter, please share this tweet and help change the conversation on this whole Russell Wilson trade saga:

For the last week, I've been trying to dispel the 'Russell Wilson can't be traded because of his dead-cap hit' myth. Here's a breakdown of the situation…

(please share) #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/ODPm3ZcFJt

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) March 6, 2021

And if you missed Thursday’s podcast, check it out below…

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Yesterday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler offered the following report specifically discussing Russell Wilson’s interest in playing for the Chicago Bears:

Hit on the Bears’ outlook on @SportsCenter: Why Russell Wilson likes Chicago, how Seattle is handling this, fallback options, Mitch Trubisky’s chances of a return and Allen Robinson. pic.twitter.com/aXv3Fzc03Y

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 4, 2021

It’s not immediately clear why this information was made public yesterday. Why, after all, would Wilson’s people want his interest in Chicago clarified in isolation?

Everything that is reported at the moment feels like bargaining through the media. Which, let’s be right, has been the case between the Seahawks and Wilson dating back to his first contract extension in 2014.

This is how Mark Rodgers operates and Seattle’s top brass are seemingly willing to play the game. After all, Michael Silver is extremely connected to the Seahawks and last week he revealed ‘the starting point for negotiations’ was three first round picks. Then this week, he stated the situation was more serious than he initially thought.

The mention of Chicago likely had a purpose. Just as the continued denials from the Seahawks likely have a purpose too. If any journalist rings John Schneider right now, he isn’t going to say anything other than Wilson isn’t for sale. Why? Because there’s zero negotiating advantage in admitting you’re open to a deal.

But there’s enough smoke out there. Silver’s ‘the situation is worse than I previously believed’, Dianna Russini revealing the Seahawks are listening to offers or the big news last week with Mark Rodgers going on the record to Adam Schefter to offer what amounted to a passive aggressive trade request.

Brad Briggs from the Chicago Tribune wrote this today:

The thinking among multiple sources is the Bears have prioritized making a run at Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

So why are the Bears possibly emerging as the most viable option?

First and foremost, there’s a sense of desperation.

GM Ryan Pace is the man who traded up to draft Mitchell Trubisky when he could’ve had Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson. If the Bears have another season like the last two in 2021, there’s a reasonable chance he will be fired.

Matt Nagy, the Head Coach, is in a similar boat.

Compare that to the other three teams. There’s no imminent pressure on Sean Payton or Jon Gruden. In Dallas, Jerry Jones isn’t going to fire himself.

If Pace made a deal for Wilson, he’d go from zero to hero in an instant. Regardless of cost. He would be the man who landed a franchise quarterback, filling a decades long void for fans in Chicago.

The Bears would be competitive in 2021 and both the GM and the Head Coach would benefit greatly.

They’ve been bold and ambitious before. Pace famously traded multiple high picks to the Raiders for Khalil Mack. There’s precedent for big trades and big statement moves within this organisation.

So the motivation is there to do what it takes to make this happen.

People wonder why Wilson would pick Chicago, of all teams. There are actually plenty of reasons.

The Bears were 12-4 in 2018 with Trubisky at quarterback. Last year, as they mixed between Trubisky and Foles, they still made the playoffs and finished 8-8 after a 5-1 start.

Tampa Bay went from 7-9 to Super Bowl Champions after acquiring Tom Brady. With Wilson at quarterback, Chicago would be competitive.

Furthermore, the desperation works in Wilson’s favour. If he can’t persuade Pete Carroll to do what he wants, he’ll surely have no trouble convincing Pace and Nagy to buy in as they try and save their jobs. He’ll get the influence he craves — with the Bears likely basing their model around Brady and the Buccs.

When it comes to legacy, what could be better than succeeding at a storied franchise such as Chicago? In a huge market with plenty of attention and earning power.

In terms of compensation, it could be limitless. Again — this is a GM and Head Coach in self-preservation mode. Having draft picks for the next few years won’t be much use if someone else is using them.

While the Raiders, Cowboys and Saints have reason to have some self-control — the Bears pretty much have to get this done. They’re in ‘name your price’ territory.

Who knows what it could end up being? If Jamal Adams is worth two firsts, a third and a player — a franchise quarterback on a Hall of Fame trajectory could blow that deal out of the water. Three first rounders was the starting point. It could be anything. Use your imagination and then extend your expectations — you’ll probably be close by that point.

So while many people get caught up on Chicago ‘only’ having the #20 pick this year — in this instance quantity could top quality.

The key to any deal, however, is what veterans you acquire on top of any picks. Because quite rightly, people point out that Pete Carroll won’t want to go through a major rebuild as he nears 70-years-old. Any move has to come with a top-level player (or players) going to Seattle so they can try and construct a competitive (albeit different) roster for this year.

The clear and obvious target would be Khalil Mack.

He graded as the NFL’s #1 edge rusher in 2020 according to PFF with an elite grade of 92.5. He has been a consistently brilliant force. Adding him to Seattle’s defense could elevate the entire unit — allowing them to rush more effectively with four defensive linemen.

The Seahawks would have him under contract for the next four years with a salary of $17m in 2021, $12m in 2022 and $17m in 2023/24.

That would be a bargain for one of the best pass rushers in the league.

You could cut Carlos Dunlap, replace him with Mack, and it’d only cost you $3m to upgrade. And you could still re-sign Dunlap at a cheaper cost.

Of course, someone will mention Mack’s dead cap hit.

I’m starting a movement called ‘dead cap hits are overrated’.

When the Eagles can trade Carson Wentz and the Rams can trade Jared Goff and inherit Matt Stafford while being tens of millions over the cap, then it’s pretty clear teams can do whatever they want to manipulate salary.

And as I’ve pointed out a lot this week — Wilson’s dead cap hit is the biggest red herring on the internet at the moment.

Here are the facts on why it isn’t as significant as many will have you believe:

— The Seahawks, if they trade Wilson, would be left with -$500,000 to spend. It’s not a great situation but it’s still better than nine other teams in the NFL including the Saints (-$62m), Rams (-$35m), Eagles (-$34m) and Chiefs (-$22m)

— They would, however, clear $37m off the 2022 salary cap, leaving them with $178m to spend next year. That would be significantly more than any other team in the league. So they would have ample room to restructure or extend contracts this year to lower cap hits to create cap space. If they wanted to borrow $50m of their 2022 cap, they could do it easily. They’d still have a whopping $130m to spend next year

— If they waited 12 months to trade Wilson, it would still cost them $26m. So while many people keep saying ‘next year it’s easier to orchestrate a trade’ — the reality is it would still cost you a lot of money. And if you don’t resolve your issues with Wilson, you’d essentially be saying that $13m is more important to a multi-billion dollar franchise than avoiding a toxic 12 months with Mark Rodgers leaking to the media, the Head Coach and quarterback at odds with each other and the roster potentially splitting as players picked sides

This is why the dead cap hit stuff is massively overrated. It’s a mere inconvenience and not a road block.

When you hear people say a deal this year is impossible — they’re just wrong.

Going back to Mack, his dead cap hit this year is $21.4m. However — if the Seahawks are expected to write that off for Wilson, Chicago should be expected to do the same for Mack. It would also mean the Bears creating $27.1m in cap space next year, giving them $102m to spend in 2022.

So like the Seahawks, the Bears could add Wilson, trade Mack and borrow against the cap next year.

As a reward, they get Wilson at a discount price of $19m in 2021/22 and $22m in 2023.

As you can see, if you’re willing to look beyond one dead-cap hit number, there’s a pathway to this working out for both teams.

The Seahawks might ask for another Chicago player too. Nobody obvious springs to mind. You can list names, of course, and make a case for certain individuals. There’s nobody like Mack though who just stands out as a viable option.

Plenty of people will argue this is a bad deal because you’re not left with a viable starter at quarterback.

Here’s the reality. If you want a legit starting quarterback in 2021, then you need to make it work with Russell Wilson and accept what he is requesting. Otherwise, you have to prepare to go down a different path.

You would have major spending resources to take on a free agency period that is set up to be one of the most intriguing in years. You would also have a war-chest of draft picks.

It’s not unrealistic that you could create a loaded roster with increased talent on both sides of the ball.

And while it’s certainly preferable to have a fantastic quarterback, there are teams who succeed with lesser quarterbacks and extreme talent elsewhere.

After all, the Broncos won a Super Bowl in 2016 playing essentially without a functioning quarterback. Case Keenum took Minnesota to the NFC Championship a year later, where he lost to Nick Foles (who went on to win the Super Bowl). After that, Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo represented the NFC at quarterback in the Super Bowl. Ryan Tannehill reached the AFC Championship in 2019 and Blake Bortles was a few minutes from the Super Bowl in 2017.

Clearly it’s not impossible to succeed without a top-five quarterback.

The Seahawks would need to create competition and a bridge to the future. For me, that would possibly mean signing a seasoned veteran (someone like Alex Smith), adding a younger veteran (Jacoby Brissett? Gardner Minshew?) and then drafting a rookie.

May the best man win. It worked in 2012.

Alternatively you could try and trade for someone like Sam Darnold or maybe even Jordan Love. I wouldn’t want to go big on either player, however. Marcus Mariota would be another option.

Personally, I don’t think Kellen Mond or Davis Mills are that far behind the top quarterbacks in this class. I wrote about both in detail last week. I think there’s a gap between Trevor Lawrence and the rest — and the next tier has a cluster of flawed yet talented players. I would include Mond and Mills within that tier.

I wouldn’t be that opposed to trading down from #20 and taking either with your top pick. You’ve got to buy some lottery tickets if you trade Wilson.

So there are some thoughts on how and why this might end up happening. For more on the situation with Wilson, watch our podcast below:

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I’ve said it a few times now. I think it’s completely wrong to write off this draft class.

One of the justifications for the massive cost of the Jamal Adams trade was the unique nature of this draft. The lack of a combine. The limited information.

Why not have a ‘blue chip’ player instead? A proven commodity?

That’s one way of looking at it. Here’s another.

The NFL is facing a cap crunch due to the impact of Coronavirus on the global economy. You are going to need to find cheap starters.

There are two ways to do that. Exploiting a free agent market that’ll be very different this year. And the draft.

By trading so much for Adams, the Seahawks have put themselves in a position where, just as NFL belts are tightening and the need for value has never been greater, they face the prospect of trying to finalise a record breaking contract. At the worst possible time. For a non-premium position.

For some reason this is never discussed. The Seahawks received media approval for turning their back on the draft class, largely just because things are a bit different. Hardly anyone has questioned why they thought it was a good idea to make a major investment in a safety, when cheap value is so clearly the order of the day.

Teams need players like Damien Lewis on an $800,000 salary, starting and playing at the standard he did.

We didn’t need a combine to realise Lewis could play. It was obvious — thanks to the tape, the Senior Bowl and the interview we did with him pre-draft.

There are plenty of players in this class who look the part too. Writing them off would be foolish, simply because they didn’t have an opportunity to take part in the underwear Olympics.

I know I’m seriously flirting with ‘flogging a dead horse’ territory here but I do think it’s important for the Seahawks to get back in this draft. Four picks in total and one pick in the first two days isn’t enough in the current climate.

This is a rich class in the top-75. I think you have to take advantage and play the hand the pandemic has given you with the reduced salary cap.

I don’t think it’s good business to have Jamal Adams instead of three cheap club controlled players. Not in this environment.

And before anyone points out Seattle’s recent draft record — that’s no justification. You don’t throw in the towel and give up on the draft because you’ve done a bad job over the last few years. You do a better job. There’s no other choice.

Furthermore, paying Adams $18-20m a year from 2022 will be a massive waste of resources. No safety is worth that much, even one you blitz 8.2 times to manufacture 0.8 sacks a game. It was a poor trade, devised through sheer desperation because the Seahawks had failed to add any impact players to their defense by the time training camp had arrived.

One of the off-season priorities should be damage limitation. Get what you can for Adams, save money, get back in the draft and move on.

The Miami Dolphins have four picks in the first two rounds. Adams would be a superb fit in their defense. The Belichick tree loves hybrid safeties who can play up at the line. Cleveland needs a splash in the secondary. Contact them.

See if you can get a first and a third, or two second rounders, or a second and a third. It’s a discount price but I think, ultimately, you’ve just got to bite the bullet. Better that than tying yourself to a big extension.

With the $18-20m you save in 2022 you could structure a contract for Corey Linsley, filling the hole at center with a stud addition. Give him a low year-one cap hit and make the most of the room you created by dealing Adams.

You would save $9m this year too and you could restructure/extend contracts to create more room — providing a chance to fill the various holes on the roster.

I better apologise now. Whenever I write about what I think the Seahawks should do — I’m going to bring this up. Because to me it’s not even a consideration as to what is best for the long term future of this team.

Having an insanely expensive box-safety who blitzes a lot is not something I would commit to. Especially at a time when the quarterback is making it very clear he’s open to a trade. Now is the time to build around him — by shifting resource from positions like safety and linebacker and converting it to the trenches.

While I’ve talked about the players below already, I wanted to again emphasise why I think certain prospects would really boost the Seahawks on offense — and why I think there’s a lot of value in getting back in this draft.

Ben Cleveland (G, Georgia)

The Seahawks have two big problems that they’ve been trying to solve for ages. One, they never have an answer for Aaron Donald. Two, they’re not physically intimidating.

The first issue is difficult because Donald is one of the greatest players ever. The only true way to stymy his impact is to limit the damage with scheme.

You can still put someone in front of him to give you a fighting chance.

The second issue has long been a thorn in Seattle’s side. They crave being the team they were from 2011 onwards. They’ve tried everything — from the Adams trade to focusing on specific types of players in the draft. The reality is the Seahawks don’t scare anyone. They are not a physical team. They never beat anyone up in the trenches. Against the Giants and Rams last season, they got their arses kicked up front.

For all the guards and centers in this draft, I would have no problem drafting Ben Cleveland very early.

He’s legitimately ‘the Mountain’ from Game of Thrones. He’s just over 6-6 in height and he weighs 354lbs. Yet he carries that frame wonderfully. There’s hardly any bad weight on him. He’s just massive.

As I noted when I’ve written about him before — he took Auburn’s soul away in 2020. Their defensive linemen were giving up against him. There was no route through. They were throwing their arms up in the air. They were visibly frustrated. You couldn’t beat him.

He was tipped to break the bench press record at the combine and the Georgia trainers had to stop him at 45 reps to avoid injury because he’d just go on and on.

He’s a far better athlete than many draft types will have you believe. He’s good on the move and pulls well. I’ve seen some very nimble shifts to allow the center to progress to the second level, with Cleveland stepping across to confront the nose.

The sheer presence, size and brute force of the man would deliver such a physical, brutal edge to Seattle’s O-line.

Is he flawless? No. He can do with learning to sustain blocks a little more rather than constantly looking for the devastating blow. Is he the prettiest player? Not at all.

But if you want someone who is just going to get out there and kick some arse and give you a fighting chance to set the tone up front — this is the guy. More so than the other interior linemen available.

If they took him at #56 — no complaints from me. Of course, I don’t have all the information teams have. I don’t know if you’ll need to consider him that early. But I do think a line consisting of Duane Brown, Cleveland, Linsley, Lewis and Brandon Shell could give you a chance to beat a few teams up (for a change).

Brevin Jordan (TE, Miami)

Twitter is awash with talk of adding another veteran tight end. Some of it is in jest, some of it is semi-serious.

Whether it’s the recently released Kyle Rudolph, the seemingly soon-to-be released Zach Ertz or a younger player such as Gerald Everett or Jonnu Smith — the Seahawks appear determined to add someone who can contribute as a third weapon next to D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Here’s an idea — instead of an expensive, ageing re-tread or an expensive, younger alternative — why not draft someone with the potential to be great?

For me, Brevin Jordan just oozes class.

He’s charismatic during interviews, he makes explosive, eye-catching plays and he just looks like a top-quality tight end should look.

Time and time again we’ve talked about the correlation between the best TE’s in the league and their agility testing. Jordan’s 4.21 short shuttle at SPARQ, despite weighing 250lbs, was sensational.

You see it flash on tape too. He’s adept at motion, working across the line on shorter or crossing routes and creating the subtle separation to provide easy completions. When the ball’s in his hands, anything can happen.

He has the suddenness on the short range to beat coverage on slants. His release on the post is special. He’s not going to run an Evan Engram-style 4.4 forty but he doesn’t need to.

He’s basically everything the Seahawks need. How often do games become a chore because the offense can’t move the ball early and then they resort to looking for the kill-shot rather than finding those easy completions to get a few drives going?

Jordan’s ability to move well in a short space, combined with his massive frame and ability to turn up-field and create YAC, would make him the ideal #3 target.

There’s every chance in a few years we’ll wonder how he lasted as long as he did if he goes in the second round as most people expect.

Use Will Dissly as your main blocking tight end in 2021. Just use Jordan as a big slot as he learns the ropes. Feature him in the passing game. And if you take him in round two, he’ll cost about $1.6m a year.

That to me is far more ideal than squandering millions on the position, as they did with the +$10m they spent on Greg Olsen and Jacob Hollister in 2020.

Javonte Williams (RB, North Carolina)

You don’t need to see Williams run around in shorts and a vest to know he’s exactly what the Seahawks need at running back.

He’s a prototype for their historic ideal at the position (5-10, 220lbs) and he runs with the kind of toughness and unforgiving nature that Pete Carroll loves so much.

It’s why I don’t understand why people are so keen to write this draft class off. I can’t for the life of me imagine Carroll watching Williams and not being positively giddy. This is what he craves. This is exactly the type of runner he wants.

He flattens defenders. He runs them over. He’s a yards-after-contact machine.

He ranked #1 in the NCAA for broken tackle rate (46.5%) in 2020.

He had a record 0.48 broken tackles per rush attempt, registered 7.0 YPC and 4.59 yards-after-contact per carry.

You just put on the tape and watch him plough through contact and take it to the opponent. How can you not want this?

The idea of going out there next season with Williams running behind the proposed offensive line suggested above would be tantalising.

Compare it to the suggestions we’re seeing elsewhere. Bring back Ethan Pocic with his 59.8 PFF grade in 2020 and mediocre numbers in both pass-pro and run blocking. Bring back Carlos Hyde — who was barely any healthier or more reliable than Chris Carson. Go and squander millions on a tight end.

What kind of plan is that? Really?

Give me Javonte Williams running behind Corey Linsley and Ben Cleveland. Give me Russell Wilson on a bootleg with Brevin Jordan running across the field for an easy completion. All for a fraction of the price.

They’re not the only coveted options. East Carolina’s D’Ante Smith played so well at the Senior Bowl, he could be a fantastic guard/tackle project for the long term. Quinn Meinerz was outstanding too. Cade Johnson lit up Mobile with his routes and could be another Tyler Lockett in the making. D’Wayne Eskridge is absolute dynamite.

What exactly is the great mystery with these players that you need a combine to prove?

And how can anyone seriously suggest that getting a collection of these players on tiny contracts, in the midst of a huge economic collapse in the NFL, is not more attractive than having the opportunity to pay PFF’s 53rd ranked safety in 2020 a kings ransom, that costs you the opportunity to sign other players at other positions?

Be bold, Seattle. Trade Adams and start Marquise Blair at strong safety — the player you deemed good enough to warrant the #47 pick in the 2019 draft. The player you selected 17 spots ahead of D.K. Metcalf.

Use the money to make a splash on your O-line — in order to stop your franchise quarterback running for the door. Then use the draft stock you’ve acquired to tap into the exciting options in this class.

There’s been too many bad decisions over the last few years. Spending money and picks in the wrong areas then going cheap elsewhere when investment was required. Where’s the forward planning? Thinking long term at key positions.

If you’re going to spend this year — make it on someone like Linsley. And get back in the draft to build around your franchise quarterback, ending the madness.

What about the defense? Ideally you’d address that too. But the priority right now has to be offense. Russell Wilson’s made sure of that.

There are three potential starting quarterbacks for Seattle in 2021:

1. Happy Russell Wilson
2. Unhappy Russell Wilson
3. Somebody else

The only option you can’t live with this year is #2.

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You will really like Darius Stills. Check out the interview below and please share it around if you’re able. Also, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel because there’s a ton of content on there.

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It’s fair to say this is one of the most complex off-seasons the NFL has ever witnessed.

With no combine and 12 teams currently over the cap for 2021, the global pandemic continues to have a long-lasting effect on elite level sport.

For the Seahawks it’s especially tricky — given their long list of needs, minimal available cap space ($1.7m), small number of draft picks (four) and the fact the quarterback is making it very clear he’s not happy.

If Russell Wilson moves on, Seattle’s world changes completely. Finding a replacement quarterback suddenly becomes a massive priority. Unless one is included in a trade, you’re probably looking at a stop-gap option such as Alex Smith (who, it was revealed today, is leaving Washington) and then drafting to develop.

What a time to be alive.

If they somehow manage to work out a truce with Wilson, then there’s serious work to be done on the roster.

Not only will they need to fill a big hole at cornerback, they’ll also need to bolster their offensive arsenal and pass protection.

As I’ve noted a few times, at the moment the Seahawks don’t even have the cap space to offer Poona Ford a second round tender as a restricted free agent.

Something’s got to give.

Brady Henderson recently reported/speculated on the possibility of Carlos Dunlap being cut. This would free up $14m immediately, providing some wiggle room for the Seahawks to do business.

In terms of freeing up money, it makes sense. Combined with a couple of restructures, the Seahawks would have the room to get a lot done.

There are a couple of significant consequences though.

Cutting Dunlap would mean, for the third year in a row, the Seahawks parting with their best pass rusher.

They struggled to replace Frank Clark in 2019 and they struggled to replace Jadeveon Clowney in 2020.

The Seahawks can’t carry on this way.

Even if the aim would be to bring Dunlap back at a cheaper cost, there’s no guarantee he’ll return. What then? Another mad scramble to find a replacement? Starting the 2021 season, as they did in 2020, with an inadequate D-line? Hope that a last-gasp solution presents itself before the trade deadline again?

It’s a huge gamble — but one the Seahawks almost are obliged to consider, given the situation they find themselves in.

The other issue is that while cutting Dunlap creates cap space, it doesn’t necessarily provide a pathway to filling a lot of holes.

It’s certainly true that the market this year could be full of bargains. With the cap lowering, the expectation is many players will take ‘prove-it’ deals to get back into free agency next year, when hopefully the NFL economy has improved.

However, this hasn’t exactly provided options for the Seahawks in recent years. When’s the last time they pulled off a coup in free agency? 2013?

My fear is they’ll see his $14m salary as an opportunity to sign 5-7 cheaper veteran players. This is not a strategy that has paid dividends in recent years. Look at how much they spent last year on average, below average or ageing players.

A lot of people will tell you this is a draft to avoid. The lack of testing numbers, proper medical checks and meetings create a lot of mystery.

However, the simple fact is the draft provides a unique opportunity to acquire cheap talent.

Damien Lewis cost the Seahawks $800,000 in 2020. Being able to get a quality starter at that price only happens through the draft.

When you have a whole bunch of holes, you need young players like Lewis to come in and contribute.

The Seahawks, realistically, only have a second and fourth round pick this year in which to find possible cheap starters.

Corbin Smith recently reported Seattle’s interest in Jonnu Smith. He suggests they’re set to make ‘an aggressive run’ at the Tennessee tight end.

That kind of move will be expensive.

And while Smith is talented and very athletic — he’s never had more than 448 yards in a season. In four years with the Titans, he has 1,302 total receiving yards.

I can’t help but think — what’s the best move here? Be aggressive to sign someone like Smith? Or get back in the draft and target someone else?

Miami’s Brevin Jordan is an outstanding athlete. As noted in another article recently, the Seahawks pay a lot of attention to agility testing at tight end.

Jonnu Smith ran a 4.18 short shuttle at 248lbs at the 2017 combine.

At SPARQ, Jordan ran a 4.21 short shuttle at 250lbs. So he’s right in Seattle’s wheelhouse.

The difference between Smith and Jordan is one player will cost millions per year, while the other — if drafted in the top-50 — will cost an average salary of about $1.6m for the next four seasons.

I would argue that given the Seahawks have struggled to truly incorporate the tight end position into their passing game, a lower-salary arrangement would be best. There’d be nothing worse than investing millions (as they did with Greg Olsen) for another mediocre stat-line.

Sure, using a high pick on the position could also be a waste of resources. Yet the difference between a $7m salary and a $1.6m salary is more significant than ever this year. If you want to prioritise the position, the draft provides the solution.

This is why I think it’s vital the Seahawks acquire extra draft stock in the coming weeks. Having three picks between rounds 1-3 instead of only one pick can be the difference between three cheap starters and having to rely on what you can get on the veteran market.

In this draft class you should be able to get a tight end, left guard and a receiver in the first three rounds that you really like. There’s a lot of depth at cornerback too.

Here’s a reminder of the horizontal board I published recently, showing some of the potential options:

I don’t want to sound like I’m beating a dead horse but I still think the best way to acquire more draft stock is to trade Jamal Adams.

I won’t rehash all my old arguments about his scheme fit and expected salary. I wrote a lengthy argument here, so if you missed it the first time I’d recommend checking out why I think moving Adams is the best decision.

Start Marquise Blair at strong safety (you did draft him in round two, after all) and see what you can get. Will the Dolphins give you #36 and #50 for Adams, for example? Can you get a first and a third off the Browns?

Yes, it’s a discounted price. I think it’s necessary though. And with the $18-20m you’re saving by not paying Adams in 2020, you’re in a far better position to lend from the future cap to provide short-term relief.

It’d mean being able to offer a structured, competitive contract to Corey Linsley. You could bring back Richard Sherman and possibly K.J. Wright.

You can talk about blue-chip players all you want. You’re basically deciding between one player (Adams) versus having three cheap rookies (R1, R1, R3) and about $15m in available cap space to spend elsewhere. That’s 4-6 players.

With the Seahawks in their current state — and with the NFL economy in its current state — Adams is a luxury. He’s good enough to make some eye-catching plays but he’s not a difference maker, capable of elevating this team to greatness and justifying the massive outlay spent on him.

Give me Linsley at center instead, with one of the quality interior offensive linemen in this draft at #56. Give me one of the top young tight ends — Brevin Jordan or Pat Freiermuth. Give me a dynamic #3 receiver from this terrific class at the position or an exciting young corner such as Benjamin St. Juste. Have the resource to bring Sherman home and make sure you cling on to Carlos Dunlap (or replace him properly).

That’s a much better package than possessing a blitzing safety, taking up $18-20m of your salary. If it’s an either/or — for me it’s a no-brainer.

Of course if you end up having to trade your franchise quarterback — money and draft stock isn’t going to be a problem.

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