I was invited on to the ‘Cigar Thoughts’ podcast this week for a good hour of Seahawks conversation.
Check it out below on Apple or click here for Spotify.
Welcome to Seahawks Draft Blog, providing daily analysis on the Seattle Seahawks and the NFL Draft.
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Rob Staton
Hot topics
- Why Sam Howell’s performance on Sunday doesn’t mean anything for the Seahawks’ future at quarterback
- The reality of the current day Seattle Seahawks and why change feels inevitable on offense
- Instant reaction: Seahawks embarrass themselves, chuck ice water on season vs Green Bay
- Curtis Allen’s week fifteen watch notes (vs Green Bay)
- My first 2025 NFL mock draft
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Hot topics
- Why Sam Howell’s performance on Sunday doesn’t mean anything for the Seahawks’ future at quarterback
- The reality of the current day Seattle Seahawks and why change feels inevitable on offense
- Instant reaction: Seahawks embarrass themselves, chuck ice water on season vs Green Bay
- Curtis Allen’s week fifteen watch notes (vs Green Bay)
- My first 2025 NFL mock draft
Eagles have $10m in cap space and haven’t signed all their draft picks yet, so naturally they’re acting like Scrooge McDuck.
Eagles roster looks pretty tasty in a conference without that many top teams. But can Jalen Hurts elevate?
Jalen Hurts is promising, they should have him throw little more 🙂 after all he is QB.
Not wholly convinced, I did see that the Eagles were the only team below Seattle in middle of the field pass rate, which doesn’t bode well for AJ Brown.
Agreed. I think the Eagles will have a real good season in a watered-down NFC. Can Hurts elevate? We’ll see but he’s got some solid weapons around him to help.
I got a little money on them at +190 to win the NFC East & +2500 to win the Super Bowl.
Rob, your popularity has grown leaps and bound this year. Well deserved attention from the media and fans.
Listening to the pod now, got to the point where you mention your annoyance that the WC isn’t this summer, and I’m right there with you.
With the Prem season winding down I’m very disappointed that I won’t have any sport until August. Plus now the WC is gonna interrupt my other sports. Stupid FIFA.
//waves hand
Come on over to the NHL. Now’s the perfect time.
The first round of the playoffs was electric. Almost every series went to 7 games and featured at least one OT thriller.
Tampa Bay going for a three-peat as champs.
Edmonton featuring the best player in the world and trying to break their playoff slump against a bitter province rival.
I am with you Cha the NHL playoffs are the best.
hockey is so hard to watch on TV.
MLS and Sounders have entered the chat
So have the Seattle Mariners
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Oh wait, yet another year of suck seems likely. Never mind.
The M’s will make a great run in September…and miss the playoffs.
Rinse and repeat.
I don’t know how anyone else feels, but after watching the Premier league for years, I have a really hard time watching MLS. The quality is so much lower.
To be fair, it’s virtually two different sports.
Football is just a different beast over here. And while there’s plenty of money in the MLS, the speed and physicality of the game is just a different level.
Even our second tier division is the fifth best league in Europe.
You got it above the French? Or the italian?
The one major thing the MLS has done is to allow people who played soccer for years as a kid the ability to continue that love by supporting their local professional club.
Add in all the bars around the PNW that support a particular international club, and you get a knowledgeable fan base who are usually savvy enough to realize the difference in talent level between MLS and European/British clubs.
It’s also very telling when a major US TV network airs an international match, mid-day on a weekday.
That never used to happen, unless it was a World Cup match that the US women (usually) were involved in.
Agree with hockey Cha. There isnt anything quite like playoff hockey. For anyone who hasnt gone to a game live you are missing out. Its the best sport live to watch.
I totally agree and I hold nothing against people who like to watch MLS. But I just can’t, which kind of sucks because we have a very successful club right here in Seattle, but I just have very little interest. Pre-kids, Mrs. Mandrake and I would go to the George & Dragon and watch soccer at an absurdly early hour for a Saturday or Sunday. I do miss that place.
This. I’ll watch PL because the quality is amazing, but i have a hard time with it because I’m the kind of person who needs a rooting interest. I support the Sounders and watch when i can. They’re an exciting group.
If you watch any league, you will eventually pick a team. For me, that was Arsenal in the late 90s, which means I got to see an undefeated season, league and cup doubles and almost champions league and Europa league (it was the UEFA league back then) titles. Unfortunately, that also means that I got stuck watching a fading team for the last 10 years as well as the team being bought by the Kroenkes. That last one… ugh.
You are totally correct. It is almost a different sport. Unfortunately I started watching the PL before there was MLS so I got spoiled. I’d kind of equate it to watching the NFL your whole life then switching to the XFL. Same sport, but such a difference in quality.
As a non soccer fan who’s tried to watch, what is the difference? I see 11 guys passing it around with little scoring…and flopping. Is it faster? Serious question.
BTW…not trying to be a dick. I’m asking for help in helping me watch.
Ok
For me it’s really the skill level. You watch the big European pro leagues and their passes and control are unreal. It’s like watching college football and thinking they are pretty good players and then watching the NFL and seeing the elite players. I’d say that if it is just 11 players passing it around to you then it’s mostly not having knowledge of the game. It would be kind of like watching an NFL game for the first time and it just looks like a bunch of guys jumping on a pile.
The best example of this to me to get curious fans interested is coming up in the World Cup. Where the “passing and flopping,” is eliminated by pretty stark contrasts of styles.
Sure flopping exists but not much more than basketball or geck the modern BFL where recievers start politicking on a play they couldn’t have made.
Getting pretty excited BTW to see some of these brackets unfold.
I much prefer club soccer to the national teams, but damn if the WC doesn’t suck me in every single time.
t’s absolutely a lack of knowledge of the game for me. I know the rules, I used to play, But I don’t see a difference on tv from MLS to Premier. I just don’t. Same game with passing and Same lack of offense. What is better about the passes and control? Perhaps I need to see it live.
If they kickec it 30 yards farther in the air, ran faster, were taller, scored more…I’d then see it.
It is very true that I don’t find the game of soccer to be beautiful. Maybe that’s my problem.
It is totally different
Akin to watching CFL and saying “they throw the ball, they run the ball, I don’t see the difference”
Browns fan can’t believe how hawks team got so smart and trying to sell Baker.
Top priority: Be open to new ideas under center
It sure feels like the Seahawks think they’re smarter than everyone else. We look at their quarterbacks — Geno Smith and Drew Lock — and see backup fodder. They peer at the pair and announce right back: “We’re good.” Flowery words from Pete Carroll about Lock and Geno make for pretty sonnets in leafy May. Darkness arrives when the games begin and Seattle’s promising draft and general joie de vivre are scattered to the wind by the discovery that neither can carry a team for an entire season. The Seahawks can proceed with this plan as they please, yet I simply beg: If it’s apparent this offseason you’ve got a genuine issue — and it will become apparent — consider other options. For starters, I would take Baker Mayfield over either of these players, even if the ‘Hawks appear entirely unmoved by the concept.
No. No reason to trade for Baker. If he’s released, maybe they can revisit him.
💯
The season is likely to be crap Ashish. Anyone that isn’t blinded by Pete’s bullshit or Russ hate can see it. Baker would be nothing more than a band-aid. Just don’t see the point but I certainly get your frustration. Jody chose PCJS. Next draft is gonna determine if they are able to find another Super Bowl level QB.
IF (and it’s a VERY unlikely if) the 9ers were willing to cut Jimmy and Seattle had to only pay the vet minimum cuz Frisco had to pick up th rest of his salary, I’d be a lot more interested.
I’m on board with Drew and Geno as QB for 2022 its win win situation. If he plays well good else we have higher pick. Some browns fan can’t believe why we are not eager to trade.
No reason to trust Baker, Lock or Smith as being the long term answer. So why pay them big contracts?
It Wouldn’t break my heart if they featured a running attack and let the chips fall where they may. At least Pete Carroll could fufill his dream.
Sorry this content is from nfl site not from me LOL.
Ah, makes more sense now.
The premise of your position is flawed however – the comparison is not simply “Mayfield vs Lock or Geno Smith”…an accurate description would be “Mayfield vs Lock or Smith +18.8MM in cap space + a 2023 draft pick”. I would never take that deal…now, if he is released and can be signed for a small contract, then that’s a completely different story. And to be clear: this team is not aiming for a 2022 Superbowl campaign, this is a rebuild year…we are not a QB away from anything, which would justify more extreme investments.
Seahawks came out with Day 1 and 2 draft room stories. Looks like it was not KT they were looking for, and it wasn’t Carolina they were trying to trade up with, but rather New York at 7 to jump the Falcons for one of the OT’s.
https://www.seahawks.com/news/inside-the-seahawks-draft-room-on-days-1-2-of-2022-nfl-draft
Interesting read.
Sounds like their tackle board was 1) Ickey 2) Cross 3) Neal.
The CBs would have been considered at 9.
Jermaine Johnson wasn’t someone they were considering.
A trade up for Linderbaum was a thought.
40 was going to be either Arnold E or Mafe.
41 was going to be Walker, Lucas, possibly Jurgens or Goedetke. Maybe Petit-Frere. But they read the cliff at RB after Walker properly and saw that the Oline depth could still have good options left in the 70s.
It doesn’t appear that they suffered any disappointments. The alternative dream may have been Ickey, Linderbaum, Ebiketie; but they still did very well.
Where do you see that the CB’s were considered at 9?
To me it read like they were prepared to move up for Tyler Smith or Tyler Linderbaum, until both were taken. Then they considered moving up to 28 to jump KC for a pass rusher.
I think they were choosing between Walker and Lucas at 41. That’s honestly what I think they were doing and I think it was hinted at in this piece, given how much they liked Lucas. And they still got him in R3
I think if one of Mafe or Ebikite were drafted in the first round, they would’ve tried harder to trade to 27 or 28th to get one of their pass rushers, but since that didn’t happened, they were able to hold.
I came away thinking the same. Tyler Smith was probably their favorite right tackle . Abe was number 2. At the Kenny Walker pick I wonder if they were considering Jurgens there as well. I guess they also like ebketie a bit more than mafe from the sound of it but it was close. Which is odd because I think mafe is a much more intriguing prospect from a size and athleticism standpoint. I’m very glad they didn’t trade up for Tyler smith because I felt he was a bit of a reach anyways in the first.
Weird how they didn’t have much interest in Jermaine Johnson or Logan Hall.
According to Brett Kollmann, in his breakdown of the offensive lineman on YouTube Zach Tom and Ikem Ekwonu had really great tape against Jermaine Johnson. So, maybe they had about the same grade on him as Boye?
Also, had interesting things to say about Lucas and Faalele. He accurately predicted that the Ravens would be very interested in The Manatee.
I was really high on jermain Johnson until I saw his pressure percentage. Acc was arguably the weakest power 5 conference last year, even worse than the pac 12. Johnson racked up good sack numbers but maybe he’s more of an lj collier in the pros than a frank Clark. Worth noting he transferred out of Georgia because he couldn’t pass up the travon Walker’s on the depth chart there.
Brett Kollman is a fool. Sorry.
I think Sam gold has better analysis
Because of his Jamal Adams analysis I’m guessing.
This article is as good as it gets.
He also thought Justin Herbert was going to suck and that Sam darnold was a franchise qb
We’ve all been hysterically wrong about quarterbacks.
You know, some times CaptomJack, even someone very misinformed that you consider a “fool” has some valuable information.
Even when it it bad information Plato teaches us that you can learn from context from the Allegory of the Cave, from the Rebublic. He also teaches us that useful information can be gleaned from a slave in Theaetetus..
Ickey + linderbaum would have been amazing, especially if you could hang on to your third round pick to take Abe Lucas. I like Ickey more than the top pass rushers, personally.
But I’m very glad they got mafe over ebiketie. I think Abe Lucas could very well be a better pro than Tyler Smith so I’m glad that didn’t happen. Personally though, if going through the draft again, I would have picked center Cam Jurgens over Kenny Walker. I think jurgens and linderbaum were both grade A center prospects. The center situation looks grim right now, Blythe likely starts. Will be a major need next offseason.
Hopefully Walker is incredible as a pro and I eat my words.
did you get a load of Andy Dickerson? As far as Abe Lucas is concerned, it looks like the dude abides!
Where did you see this?
It was meant as a response to the previous thread about the seahawks.com article…
There’s a video of JS calling Abe Lucas from the draft room and Dickerson is the last coach to get on the line.
Jurgens has really good potential and size but he’s raw and needs time, i think the impact of a great RB with an improved o line is way better, We can snag te best center next year
Ferdinand the Bull disagrees with you.
https://twitter.com/Eagles/status/1520824565487788034
Need to see how he does against a bull rush.
Thank you! I’ll be here all week!
Maybe we should go revisit Dalton Trumbo’s “the Brave One.”
I absolutely love that inside the draft room article every year. So many valuable nuggets sprinkled in and so many affirming how Rob portrayed Seattle’s views for months. There was finally a lot of good content due to the draft picks they had.
I thought it was really interesting that the trade up scenario was most likely for Ickey rather than KT and with the Giants rather than Carolina.
Also really interesting about the trade up scenario at the end of the first. The targets seemed like it was probably Tyler Smith, Tyler Linderbaum, Arnold E and Boye Mafe. Almost can’t believe JJ was not a target there.
At 41, they debated between Walker and an offensive linemen. I think Rob’s right, one was probably Lucas but I could definitely have seen it being Jurgens after missing out on the trade up for Linderbaum. Despite not drafting a C, I definitely feel good about them at least attempting to prioritize it. Probably a big target next year in the early 2nd.
I thought the term “upsets” for players they didn’t rate highly was interesting too. What an opposite term haha.
They will have another chance at a center when the cuts are made before regular season. They will just have to evaluate what they have seen in preseason vs which centers got cut by other teams. However, I don’t see a whole lot of concerns from the team over the centers they have on hand. It doesn’t really even seem a priority since they traded Unger years ago.
I’m happy too that center was in consideration.
Rob, for next year draft QB and Center are definitely targeted first. This rebuild has definitely bring life in college football too.
Pure speculation, but worth a short read just for fun:
https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/gm-report/projecting-seahawks-2022-season-game-by-game-predictions
Just a fact to remember: PC has NEVER had a losing season vs the NFCW.
From the “500 roster moves” first season to last year’s disaster, the worst he’s done is 3-3.
Have to agree. Corbin has us going 1-5 in the division. Division games are just different beasts and I’d expect us to at lease go 3-3.
These articles are worth the paper they are printed on…which in this case is 0.
If we could go 7-9 I’d be amazed but the Seahawks will not be an easy out for anyone this coming season.
I’ve got a few thousand words rattling around in my head about this.
I want Old School Pete in 2022. Run out your talented young guys, take your lumps, live with their mistakes and split the first 6 games 3-3, 2-4 or so and then when it gets cold and starts raining, have a tough defense gelled and a running game hitting on all cylinders for the Nov-Dec stretch.
7-10 floor 10-7 ceiling and a full head of steam for 2023.
I’m of the mind that Pete has been licking his chops to do this, ever since they decided Russ was to be traded and started the negotiations with the Broncos.
The man has been floundering for years trying to patch together a team of a few high priced stars, young guns and past-their-primes. Not his forte.
Pete is a motivator of young, hungry men. You can see the old fire back in his pressers and even his posture. He’s got that old SC swagger back. Something that has been missing for a while.
question – on the surface Coby Bryant – seems like something of a steal in the 4th. Won the Jim Thorpe award, seems universally seen as a great team leader and student of the game, voted team captain at a high-end program. Playing across from a top-5 pick, you got to figure he was targeted plenty.
So what dropped him to the 4th?
Mostly measurables. He has short arms, and his athletic testing wasn’t the best.
I think there was an injury too.
Anyone else find themselves on the Levi Lewis hypetrain?
Is there a reason to get off of this train? something I’m missing?
Just found out he is 5’9″… yikes
He is fun to watch.
Imagine if they signed him to the practice squad and cut Eason?
And, why not? Who better to train your defense against if your going up against Murray twice a year?
The play Rob referred to in the pod
https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1473457103398264836
Watch BW just walk away from that massive hit while teammates are hooting and hollering.
Bobby realizing that he would have made that same play a few years ago must have been sobering.
Instantly, brutally sobering.
I know it’s just one small clip from a full game’s play, but sadly-Bobby looking less the leader there, and more like the young bucks have passed him by.
And Rob, the podcast had the customary greatness that all your appearances in the local Seahawks media of late have displayed. So good to see you getting somw well earned recognition there for the hard work and expertise over the past decade or so.
Would Bobbies lack of play be from not wanting to play anymore or just too tired of pc and KNJR etc
We will find out the answer to that question when he’s playing for the Rams this year.
Rob thanks to you and Jacson for the content driving to/from work today. All the talk about running backs got me thinking and contemplating.
You talked about, from memory:
Kerryon Johnson
Ronald Jones
Nick Chubb
J. Taylor
CEH
Two of which worked out two of which didnt. Jury still out on penny & CEH. k.walker to come.
Two questions from me:
1) Pre their NFL starts how would you have graded them all in one class? Or if with hindsight thats not possible due to the fact we have more info in the pros, just based on college, where do you see k.walker in the mix talent wise?
2) Is there any one thing now retrospectively that elevates a Chubb/Taylor type vs a Johnson/Jones? How much does scheme play a part in that for you? And again, does k.walker have the “IT” factor for you?
Anyone see Mike Garafolo tweet about George Iloka trying out for the hawks at a cover linbacker type role? I think a hybrid type cover linebacker is something we are sorely missing. I don’t know how people feel about the injury history with Iloka, pretty serious one to come back from and be the player you were before. But just some food for thought, to me, it seems like the perfect low risk, high reward type move of old. This off season just keeps providing reasons to hold on just a little longer with Pete and John and their “master plan”.
Love the blog as always !
Cheers
Saw on Twitter today that former Bengals Safety George Iloka tried out for the Hawks today for a coverage linebacker type role. For the right low risk deal I think it could be a good fit. Looking at our lb core I don’t see anyone on the roster currently that would be the same type of matchup. Potentially a Keanu Neal type of death backer position would be interesting.
Only red flag other than the position switch, is the injury history for me. Any one have any thoughts on the potential move?
Also fun to note, another Cincinnati guy looking at the Seahawks as a potential new home. Maybe Dunlap liked his time and put in a good word about working here?
Another side note about the potential move, Iloka is generally well liked by the Bengals community and from what I remember about his play (without actually digging into film) is that he wasn’t JAG in that cincy locker room.
I just love that this off season has reignited my spark for interest in this team. It seems like the past 3 or 4 years became very stale. This is an exciting freshness that I’m sure many others here can feel aswell.
Love the optimism. But you’d have a hard time convincing anyone he’s anything other than a camp body at best.
Didn’t I read comments on here re Adams possible deathbacker in the new scheme?
Forever the optimist! Unfortunately, I don’t think they would be able to find a veteran player amongst those left that would give the team a significant boost without being tied into a unfavorable contract. Part of me knows that Iloka is hard pressed to make the final 53.
*Sigh*. Missing the Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett type of free agent signings of old. Nothing against Nwosu, we haven’t seen him play a down for us yet.
Hoping to sign at least one more guy that the rest of the league under values but can help our team (that’s not Baker Mayfield)
Here’s hoping they will be keeping a close eye on the cuts throughout camp.
Good stuff now that I finally got around to listening.
Can I mention one aspect of having a great running game that no one has talked about yet? It allows you to have much more control over TIME OF POSESSION! I had to write that in caps because this was one of the most infuriating things for me watching the Hawks over the past few years which was pulling up the game cast and seeing the opponent hold a 2-1, or even 3-1 advantage in TOP. Hell, I’m sure there were moments where the opponent had as much as a 5-1 advantage at some points in the recent past.
Being able to run the ball for 1st downs, keep the clock moving, with a lead is a MASSIVE advantage and boost for your defense. Asking your defense to hold a lead when they are gassed is a recipe for disaster and frustration as we have seen.
It also limits possessions. Keeps game scores low and close.
Great podcast
Think another understated aspect supporting our pick of KW3, is his success within the Mich St pro style offense which included inside and perimeter zone blocking schemes.
He’s already proven he can do it so it’s a lower risk pick and, even for the position, he can potentially hit the ground “running” and adapt to the NFL even faster.
This is what I also find so appealing about Levis! Less prospective time frame to develop and produce.
Interesting interview with Clint hurtt on Mike Salk show (its the first 18mins of the hour) about the defence changes coming up
https://sports.mynorthwest.com/category/podcast_player/?a=9c602da2-4896-43b8-a892-ae99011ce673&pr=e102a6c8-9bb7-4bb0-a4c6-ad97012cde86&pl=450f56e2-85f6-4914-af99-ad97012de073&n=Mike+Salk
Thanks for posting this link D. I listened further after Hurtt’s segment when Brock got on the show. Brock said something that was really interesting about Ken Norton that I always assumed was Pete’s call. Norton was the one who didn’t want to play the young guys, not Pete. I remember how frustrating it was at times when our good young guys were not on the field when they should have been. I always blamed Pete for that. Live and learn!
Brady Henderson said the same thing in an article on ESPN recently. Don’t know if they got it from one another or from the team, but it seems to me that KNJ is playing the role of scape goat
Here is the written article with some of the good quotes highlighted.
https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1619992/clint-hurtt-explains-why-seahawks-changing-to-3-4-impact-on-secondary/
This way you don’t have to type out things like this:
“Some of the principles are different,” Hurtt said. “Here, our Cover-3 stuff has been a lot of vision and break and spot drop.”
What exactly does that mean?
“Vision and break, really what that means is you have two different principles,” Hurtt said. “When you play zone coverage in this league, some teams are spot drops, where you really focused on hitting landmarks and once you get to your depth, you’ve got your vision on the quarterback, and you’re melting and moving off the eyes of the quarterback and reading the shoulders and whatnot for where he’s going with the football, and then you’ve got to break and react on the ball. And the other side you can play is more of a zone matchup principle where you’re really playing bodies and pattern matching more so than playing in an area. So are you playing a man or are you playing the area? There’s a difference.
Looks like we are down a QB again…
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/05/20/seahawks-cut-levi-lewis-leaving-them-with-three-quarterbacks/
Lol Levi Lewis hype season was short lived.
that was too easy
No kidding! Kyler Murray’s little brother!
Looks like Indy waived Max Borghi too
https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/max-borghi-waived-by-indy/