Earlier this week I posted a video explaining why I think the Seahawks will now go after Jimmy Garoppolo.
Watching the final pre-season game makes me more convinced than ever that this is what they’ll do.
Geno Smith has been named the starter almost by default. Look at his pre-season. He has played in three games and delivered just one touchdown drive. That’s despite playing two whole halves of football against Pittsburgh and Chicago’s backups.
In this game against Dallas, they even gave him Tyler Lockett to try and get something working. Yet it still ended with a back-breaking sack leading to a field goal.
Sam Williams, just as he did in college, had Charles Cross’ lunch money. Yet some of the blame goes to the quarterback. He took an age to get rid of the ball. That play easily could’ve knocked them out of field goal range. He had to get rid of the football.
He also has a knack for wandering into trouble when he panics in the pocket.
That was him done for the night and the pre-season. A thoroughly mediocre, fairly miserable experience for anyone who witnessed it.
I continue to believe that the New Orleans game last season, rather than the Jacksonville one, is the reality of a Smith-led offense. And I think the Seahawks know it too.
As the ‘leader in the clubhouse’ in this quarterback race, Smith hasn’t had to press. It was clear in this game that Drew Lock felt he had to do something drastic and it led to mind-numbing errors.
Lock deserves criticism — especially for the second pick. Yet I couldn’t help but feel like he was set up for a night like this. Despite Carroll’s insistence to the contrary — Smith has had the vast bulk of the training camp snaps with the #1 offense. Lock’s untimely illness meant he played in one fewer pre-season game too.
Smith has been able to play ‘not to lose the job’. If the Seahawks are looking for someone to do the basics, how was Lock ever going to show that from his second-ranked position? If he’d played a safe old game of football against Dallas, he wasn’t winning the gig. He knew he had to shine and go above and beyond.
It’d be very easy to suggest this has been no serious competition. And for that reason, I’m inclined to give Lock some sympathy for what happened as he made ill-advised throws and pressed like crazy.
However, he blew any hopes of starting with that performance. It was ugly. It was exactly what he showed at Missouri and Denver. He is wildly erratic — capable of brilliant throws and torturous mistakes.
Smith isn’t good enough. Lock is too erratic. All signs point to them going after Garoppolo to see if he can produce more than Smith is capable of.
I know the replies to this article will be calls to simply ‘suck with Smith’ for a draft pick. As also noted earlier in the week — I am comfortable with that but I’m not sure Carroll can afford that. If the Seahawks start badly against Denver, the pressure ramps up. His legacy comes into question. He’ll be portrayed as the man who ran the franchise quarterback out of town and then produced an appalling product.
If they continue to play poorly — and if Russell Wilson excels with the Broncos — that noise will grow even more.
The Seahawks do not communicate well with their fans. The owner never speaks. Carroll has spent months insisting this isn’t a rebuild — when all he had to do was be honest to fans. The team has traded a franchise legend (and cut another). The aim is to compete like crazy in 2022 but admittedly, this is a process that will require a bit of time (and some patience).
Carroll’s words — no rebuild, ‘we have two #1 quarterbacks’, ‘Lock is really good’, ‘Geno Smith was awesome when he started last year’, ‘the two quarterbacks have had the same number of reps/opportunities in camp’ — has felt like another example, sadly, of insulting our intelligence.
It’s on a par with ‘the Wilson trade talk is a media creation’ from a year ago — followed by telling the local media over and over again it was a non-story, thus making people look silly when the trade eventually happened.
It’ll be interesting to see if the members of the media impacted by that will be less inclined to sympathise with the Seahawks if this season goes south.
Can’t we just have a bit of honesty from Carroll for once? I feel like I’ve been listening to a desperate politician for too long. I’m ready for some straight talking. I’m ready, as a fan, to be treated with a bit of respect.
That doesn’t mean coming out and announcing, ‘yeah, we’re trash’. There are ways and means of handling this beyond the nonsense (‘we have two #1 QB’s’) that we’ve heard so far.
Because this looks, to me, like a team that is going to really struggle in 2022. I say that while also believing there’s a good chance for some typical NFL magic in week one against Denver. If that game was being played in week six, I think Denver wins at a canter. Kudos to the NFL for making it week one — increasing the chances of an upset win, in front of a jacked-up crowd.
Regardless, this team looks bad. People inclined to not hear any criticism of the Seahawks ever (and they are back out in force, sadly) will say it’s pre-season, it’s premature etc.
I think we can tell. I think they are scrambling around trying to piece this together. They have treated pre-season differently to other teams — keeping starters on the field for longer for the purpose of figuring things out. Yes — other key names have been rested. But there’s been a competitive element — an importance — to this pre-season in Seattle that other teams simply didn’t have in 2022.
And the Seahawks have been rubbish.
I think the best case scenario for this team is a 2011-style rough start and strong finish — which would be fine but isn’t a given.
And again — I’m comfortable with a bad year to gain draft position. I am, however, unsure whether I want to endure two or three more years of Carroll just because it’s convenient for the owners before a sale. It just feels like this is a franchise that needs a fresh start. I think this pre-season, and this QB competition, shows that.
I’ll happily admit if I’m wrong when the season starts.
I think Carroll knows he has to show some positivity on the field to keep the fans on board. And that’s why I think Garoppolo arrives next week, with the objective of replacing Geno Smith if/when he produces mediocre results.
It might not make them a good team. But it might help them avoid being terrible. And that’s probably what they want — to get into the 2023 draft without completely collapsing into a 3-4 win franchise.
My other thoughts on the Dallas game are limited to these notes:
— Myles Adams needs to make the team. He’s been very disruptive in pre-season and looks like a heck of a player. A good find and well done to Clint Hurtt and the staff for helping him reach a new level in pre-season.
— The depth at receiver is shocking. I think they spent their money very poorly in free agency and a better WR3 was required. This will likely be a draft priority again next year, I sense.
— Abraham Lucas is the real deal. It was ridiculous he lasted to round three. What an absolute steal for the Seahawks and an inspired selection.
— Alton Robinson has flashed enough to again make you question — what the heck have they been doing with this guy for the last couple of years?
— The depth on this team is concerning. They are a Jordyn Brooks injury, for example, away from catastrophe at linebacker (in my opinion). It just feels like a front heavy roster with some young talent we hope develops — then not a lot else.
— Does anyone else just think this is going to be another year where the Seahawks don’t make the most of their tight ends?
Anyway, roll on the real football. I’ve got an article coming up looking at my favourite non-QB draft prospects for 2023 (with notes on a few other players too). So stay tuned for that on Monday.
If you enjoy the content on Seahawks Draft Blog, please consider supporting us via Patreon (click the tab below)…
I didn’t expect to say so, but Jimmy might be our best bet at the moment. I wonder what we can do if he signs elsewhere. Should we try and make a move for Minshew, Ehlinger, Mond or Mason Rudolph, or should we stick with Geno?
Other thoughts:
– not only Lock is a bust, but we don’t employ the TEs correctly and Fant won’t be better than Everett. So we basically have the picks and hopefully Harris for Russ. Deal looks much worse now.
– was it Cade Johnson who dropped Eason’s throw? He’s totally not making the roster with his last 2 games. Fuller is also out the door. I don’t even know who we keep at WR, perhaps Hart. Swain, Melton, Young, Eskridge, Whiteside, Thompson, all seem not to work.
– if our leader in tackles was Dublanko and he makes such an awful miss on last TD of the day, our D isn’t much better than last year.
Mike White might get cut from the Jets, I’d take him with a quickness, for a 3rd qb or even over Lock.
There is a repeated roster error here, that stems from an assumption that a bunch of mediocre players competing for a job will somehow magically make one of them better than mediocre. This year we have Eskridge, Hart, Melton, Young, Fuller, Goodwin & Cade Johnson competing for 3 roster spots, none of whom are WR3 right now.
We’ve been here before in previous seasons at CB and at O-Line. All it does is use up picks, $, roster spots that could have been used more effectively elsewhere.
I’m not all doom and gloom for this season, I am looking forward to watching the O-Line and the D grow, but I can’t help wonder if a car crash of a season will rid us of a coach who has lost his way. The NFL has moved on, and sadly Pete not adjusted with it.
Coaches have a shelf life with teams
Carroll, for me, should’ve gone when he considered it in 2017
The Seahawks need a new leader
Whether they get one before the team is sold 🤷♂️
Don’t think of it as spoiled milk. Think of it as sour cream!
Rob, and Im not expert on Head coaches, do you feel Pete is or was an innovative HC (not college but NFL)? Or did he rely on mainly supreme talent. For me its the latter but Ive been told that a third of league uses Petes strategy.
I don’t think innovation is the word I’d use. But certainly be changed and influenced the league tremendously and his ideas paved the way for the greatest defense in the modern era to thrive.
However, nothing lasts forever. This is his 13th season and for me it has been five too many
Thank you for the response. Well it might be 3 more yrs then.
Based on how we’ve looked so far it might be necessary to get a QB upgrade just to properly evaluate the roster. You need sustainable drives to give both sides of the ball a chance to actually impress, right now we’re looking at a choice of constant turnovers or repetitive 3 and outs.
And for all his faults, Jimmy is very handsome. Would literally raise the watchability of the team.
I have been a huge defender of Pete over the years but the way this QB competition was handled was awful from start to finish. It was bad luck that Lock got covid the week he was supposed to work with the ones but if this was a real competition they should have been swapping reps with the ones earlier. It’s pretty apparent that Pete put his finger on the scale. Maybe they didn’t want to start Drew against Denver. I’m hopeful he gets a real shot to start after Geno most likely underwhelms a few weeks into the season. I don’t believe Drew has a huge chance at becoming the long term answer at QB but if there was ever a chance to fix him he needs to play and see if Shane can coach the bad decisions out of him. I also thought it was BS to announce it after the game. How hard would it have been to say we will look at the tape and have a decision soon. I know they are professionals but to march Drew out there in front of the media right after finding out did him a disservice. It’s a long season and I’m positive Lock will get a chance but this situation has been handled poorly.
Wow.
https://twitter.com/gbellseattle/status/1563423325476442115?s=21&t=8rJqQithBiZkIlcMekdpHA
If only a fraction of that snarky bulldog energy he directs at fans could be applied to getting answers from the head coach, he’d be so thoroughly better regarded….
That tweet is horrendous
Pretty hard to ask the head coach anything with your mouth full.
I lost respect for him for the way he handled the aftermath of the Wilson saga.
He took zero responsibility for the condescending ways he interacted with people who asked him about
a possible trade.
He just doubled down and then blamed his “sources”.
Obviously, I don’t know the guy personally, but he comes off as an arrogant ass.
Showed himself up then
Doing so again now
A man who seems to need to be humbled
Okay, fair enough. But let’s not lose sight of the original point he was making – that Drew Lock is a class act and took the high road despite the fact that this “competition” was handled appallingly, just as Pugs1 summarized above, and that he was never given a fair shake.
Here’s the problem Gary.
Bell clearly was jonesing for Lock to get a legitimate shot at the job. His tweets tracking who was getting reps in practice showed that pretty clearly.
He’s one of the few people afforded a chance to actually press Carroll on why Lock rarely got time with the ones yet with a straight face kept terming it a competition. Pete announcing Smith as the week one starter in the postgame press conference clearly demonstrated that he’d made up his mind already – another betrayal of his words to the press and fans as Rob outlined in the article.
Yet Bell didn’t press him.
Instead he got snotty with a fan. As is his custom.
If he really wanted to get in Locks corner he would have asked Pete why Lock never got a real shot at the job while insisting it was an open competition all summer.
I’d argue PC has been enabled to keep his gaslighting techniques up because nobody is calling him on them. And that’s the problem.
He could’ve made that point without saying:
‘This is why I’m here and you’re there’ to a fan
Or, for that matter, simply praised Lock’s attitude without the frankly hilarious initial tweet that made a cinematic moment out of a journalist shaking hands with a backup QB
When Gregg Bell says “…I am here”, where exactly is “here”? Some place higher than ours, in a stratum far more rarified, I presume? In need of a humbling, indeed. Self-importance is inimical to good journalism…and to good anything, for that matter.
A man who is on a heck of a run on Twitter over the last two or so years
“It might not make them a good team. But it might help them avoid being terrible. And that’s probably what they want — to get into the 2023 draft without completely collapsing into a 3-4 win franchise.”
Honest question, why would Jimmy Garoppolo want to come here? Sure SEA would likely give him the best chance to start potentially, but all things equal, it will likely come down to who gives him the most money & which team gives him the best chance to be successful. Is that place SEA? I doubt it.
Plus, is a 3-4 win team really much different than a 5-6-7 win team?
Florio thinks it’s possible that SF keeps him through the start of the season. Then takes it week by week till the trading deadline. That would be awfully awkward considering he’s not been practicing directly with the team this whole off-season.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/27/will-the-49ers-actually-keep-jimmy-garoppolo-through-week-one/
Jimmy G should go to the Browns. Completely ruin that team in as much as he could probably do very well with that roster and create a complete headache when Watson comes back.
Him to Seattle? Don’t see why. I think it’s getting fairly obvious that Waldron is a JAG. I’m watching the same offensive product I’ve seen for years without a QB that can throw td’s in the mid 30’s.
Mick above brought up Fant. The ideal Seattle TE is a Will Dissly type back when he could still catch. Nice blocking, a few catches here and there, and that’s it. Right now I see Fant as a TE with 45 catches, 500 yards, 4-5 tds.
I’d be stunned if they did that
I would be shocked if the Niners keep JimmyG into the regular season because that would mean guaranteeing him about $24 million…for a backup QB, not to mention the added pressure on your franchise QB that you gave up multiple 1st rounders to move up to draft.
I understand why the Hawks would want JimmyG but I still can’t see why he would come to the Hawks. We’re a rebuilding team with lots of holes. Why would he choose Seattle over the Browns where he could/should start also but supported by a better OL, running game, and defense?
I 100% agree that the QB competition wasn’t fair, and that Geno could afford to play not to lose, but I also think it’s important to remember that by far the most likely outcome is that both her and Lock are not starting caliber QBs. I’d rather see Lock just because that’s not quite a certainty with him, but in all likelihood it didn’t matter who won this job from a long-term perspective.
Stay on schedule. Do not pick up Jimmy G and stay with your current QB room. The Hawks are 6pt underdogs week one ( seems to low) and then we are on to an epic season of losing and hopefully growth. After the season mutually part ways with PC and draft a stud QB and continue the rebuild.
If Penny and Walker can both magically suit up that day I think it could very well be close. Heck I might even take Seattle. If both can’t go or god forbid Penny does he one run in, several out for some fresh air bit and carries the rock 5-7 times. Woof. It’s going to be a long night.
With no #3 receiver how’s the offense going to function? Two guys on Lockett, two guys on DK and seven guys rushing as Smith counts to three waiting for either to get open.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a defense double team two WRs at the same time.
If one did do that, it would mean the offense’s 3rd WR, TE and even RB are completely and totally undefended. And I bet one or two completions to a wide open player would change that double double team strategy immediately.
If you were a defensive coordinator against this team there’s two players to worry about. Of course you can’t cover everyone with doubling two receivers. The lack of a third reciever and any threat from TE’s….currently….looks like a lot if three and outs.
Hopefully Walker can roll soon. And maybe, maybe Penny wasn’t just balling out to get that paycheck.
If I were playing the Seahawks I’d go all-out to stop the run and make Geno Smith beat me
I think it’ll work most weeks…
Rob, you mentioned how Sam Williams has enjoyed quite an advantage over Charles Cross, from college to pro. Williams is the guy I thought PCJS were eyeballing in the second round this year, figuring Pete would trust in his own ability to address the character stuff, and trust in the player’s willingness to accept enculturation. But after the Hawks went with Ken Walker instead (which is an excellent pick, positional value considered), followed that by NOT doing one of their classically bold second-round trade-ups, and then continued on-sked with the drafting of future (correction: present) stud Abraham Lucas, it hit me that the Hawks just weren’t that high on Williams. What kind of player do you think the Cowboys got in him?
A very good one, with some concerning off-field red flags pre-draft
Hard to grow if you are rubbish every week
I’m pretty much in agreement with you Happy Hawk. Pete has this quarterback situation right where he wants it. If they are going to suck all season, start the quarterback who hasn’t scored all preseason.
I also don’t think Lock has had enough playing time with the Seahawks to evaluate him. The shortened preseason is hard on new players. You can get a feel for their athletic abilities but not for how well they will fit into the scheme.
So if I’m wrong – the Seahawks will make a play for Jimmy G or any other backup they can find. My prediction is they will stand pat and play Geno Smith. Possibly we will see Lock by mid=season.
It’s incredibly disappointing that we are scrambling for a WR3, after spending a 2nd round pick on Eskridge last year.
He has shown absolutely nothing as a receiver, and even his fly sweeps are nothing special.
It’s Seattle though.
It’s taken forever to draft oline players who might pan out until this year.
Four third rounders, a second, and two firsts on safety and their best one is a nearly 30 year old from another team and a guy with an ankle sprain.
Seattle just struggles to find certain positions. And WR, with two great ones, has been a position that’s been super hard to find.
This last draft looks like it might rule. But this team is showing the fruits ( rotten as they are ) of mismanaged trades and whiffed drafts. Seattle’s depth used to be players that could nearly start on other teams. Now it’s a ton of try hards that you hope don’t see the field much if at all.
Rob, on a more positive note.
Anyone to watch for in Nebraska vs. Northwestern? Thankfully college ball is back. One of my best friends is going to the game with his wife who is a Nebraska alum.
No names on my list at the moment I’m afraid but hope it’s a good game
Thanks! Maybe there will be a cam jurgens/ taylor-brit that pops.
Fingers crossed my friend doesn’t try to join a band. I gather he’s been pregaming since 9 am your time for a game at 9 am my time.
I saw that Trevor Penning is out with a turf toe.
Who did he kick?
He got hit in the leg around knee high. How does that result in a turf toe?!?
It’s funny how, based on preseason, Lock seems to be the complete anti-Russ. Completely comfortable-great even, at throwing to the middle of the field, and absolutely scary throwing 5-10 yard sideline routes. Yesterday whenever he threw a highly choreographed ball to the sideline it was nearly a pick 6. Still goes to show how mediocre Smith is that I still would rather have Lock out there than Smith. For some reason I’m endeared to the Matt Hasselbeck-esque gutsyness he posseses. But it’s not what Pete wants in a QB. Maybe after a month of sub-200 yard, sub 2TD/game output from Geno Pete will think differently.
I think Geno will stay as starter as long as he keeps playing this boring safe football, provided we don’t get Jimmy. Sacks aren’t a problem, no TDs aren’t a problem, three-and-punt aren’t a problem, but god forbid he takes a chance on a receiver. I strongly believe DK will end up with more rushing than receiving yards this season anyways. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Pete ranks Eason above Drew.
I think it’s telling that Pete names Geno the “week one starter” rather than this year’s starting QB. His whole mantra is controlling the ball, keeping possession, and Geno is somehow worse at that than Lock despite not turning the ball over (which can and will change.)
Not winning will be the biggest problem.
Not sure, Pete is great at making up excuses, and some of the losses will be close – but Wilson will most likely demolish us.
I meant more over the course of the season. Excusing a loss in isolation has never been a problem for Carroll
Though you make a point about close losses and excuses. Especially if the close losses are due to the contemptibly familiar shooting themselves in the foot, like slow starts, dumb penalties and (probably more this year) turnovers.
That may work with ownership, if the games are close but the wins are few. I don’t think it will work on the fans. But as Rob points out, this organization doesn’t communicate with its fans well, so we shouldn’t expect much to change if that’s how this season unfolds.
And here we have the next huge potential for conflict in the house.
Wasn’t Lock Metcalf’s “guy”. Possibly, our just resigned 20m+ WR is absolutely able to discern, what type of QB he needs to succeed. Will he acquiesce into an untenable situation for his career, just eating the money? Nope, I guess.
To be fair, I think Metcalf has a lot of time for Geno. We’ll see if he feels the same 8 weeks into the season though, if he has about 400 yards
I saw some study a while back, that indicated that teams are better off not tanking, but staying competitive. Even if it seems worse in the long term because they draft more poorly, they keep the competitive culture. Remember when the Steelers had a down season, and they traded their first rounder for a stud safety to get them competitive again?
I like Garopallo for those reasons. Keep the team from being terrible. Give the kids a chance to make an impact – if we’re a 3 win team, no effort in the world from Abe or Mafe or Walker will make an lick of difference.
how could any hawks fan root for anything short of a 1 win season and gteed 1st pick?!
Adams and Robinson epitomize the type of players who recognizing the new scheme and alter their training regimen to fit that scheme.
Adams bulked up on lean muscle to become powerful and lighter on his feet. A real pass rushing DT.
Robinson dropped weight to improve his first step quickness.
Both need to be rotational guys in this system. Cheap, determined rotational guys to give this defense a boost.
As for Pete, the only time I remember him speaking with absolute honesty was when Russ was injured and the team looked like garbage. He spoke of probably not having a job if it weren’t for Russ.
Then he traded him.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
“I think they are scrambling around trying to piece this together.”
Ah yes, Pete’s tried and true formula for success:
– championship strut because you know all of the free agents have Seattle and the culture you’ve created here circled as their destination of choice.
– pass on the top guys as too expensive.
– claim you were in it ’til the end on the second and third tier guys as they sign elsewhere.
– grossly overpay a ‘remember when’ guy who is then immediately injured…again.
– make a panic trade in which you grossly overpay again for a piece or pieces that don’t really fit your vision.
– claim victory.
It works every time, except for when it doesn’t.
I, for one, am incredibly excited to see the team that Pete proclaimed after January’s win over Arizona, as, “having the core of the next Super Bowl team” on the roster and the team that most of the Seattle media said was on the right path because that Arizona win meant so much for 2022. Chills.
Coach ‘em up, Pete. It’ll be awesome.
Too right mate. Absolutely nails it, Pete’s schtick is so old.
So bummed at the state of the Hawks as I would be so pumped and jacked for the start of the season but instead just feel flat and indifferent.
The organisation is so overdue for a correction from top to bottom.
“Flat and indifferent”. Thanks for putting into words my feelings Darrell.
Nailed it as usual Gross.
I listened to Pete’s press conference. He didn’t talk like Geno was guaranteed the job for the season. “Best chance to win right off the bat.”
His description of Lock is that he needs to develop.
Pete said he hadn’t watched the film of the interceptions. That tells me Pets had decided before the game. Two of the INTs belong to the receivers. Swain also dropped a big pass.
Pete is making a bet on the season. The day 1 best chance to win is with Geno. As Lock learns the system, we’ll see. It’s not the approach Holmgren said he would take, but I really think Pete wants to work with Lock in practice for awhile yet. We’re not used to that, but that’s what I think is going on.
I bet Lock rarely used timing routes for example. Perhaps the Penny Hart pass was his fault. If so, that’s what Pete needs to see before putting him in the lineup.
Can I just pause the negativity here for one minute and mention a few things I’m excited about this year? I’m not even going to discuss QB. I’m tired of hearing about it.
Our RB room might be top 5. Penny was a beast to finish last year and is finally healthy. Walker looks legit. Homer and Dallas have taken big strides. With the run blocking the oline is showing, I am excited about the run game this year. And ..ahem..the play action game. I also think that the screen game might just happen this year for the first time in forever.
Our oline is young but so exciting. Even if they take their lumps, watching cross and Abraham develop is going to be a blast. I think the interior is also underrated. Lewis should be back soon but I like what Haynes has been doing and think Curhan could be legit at guard. Blyth and Jackson are placeholders but know their roles.
I know everyone is hand wringing about wr3 but when have we ever been strong there? Eskridge barley played last year and is just back so cut him some slack. He is basically still a rookie but looked very quick and decisive to me. Also don’t write off the TEs yet as the #3 option. Dissley hasn’t played much but is finally healthy and we know he has the potential to be a baller. Still not sure about Fant but I was impressed with his routes and might blow up once he settles in.
I know there will be some tough games but I think this is a young roster with tons of potential. I haven’t even talked about the D but am more optimistic about that group. If even 3/4 of the roster develops and we grab a good an next year watch out! Add that with a high WR, Center and LB pick and a few key free agents and I could legit see this team contending in 3 years. Just sit back and embrace the suck!
I stopped reading at ‘Penny is finally healthy’.
No offence.
Or, here’s a thought, you just share your views without needing to accuse others of ‘negativity’?
What a totally pointless introduction to your post.
Well in that case, we’ll all stop talking about it just for you.
Penny is also injury prone and played well in about six games. Ken Walker is already injured.
So let’s pump the brakes on ‘top five’ for now.
‘We’ve always been crap at WR3 so why are you complaining?’ is a curious counter argument.
Or perhaps you cut fans some slack for wanting more from a high-price draft pick after one wasted year and everyone legitimately fearing another
He played 15 games last season and recorded 231 yards and one touchdown.
In 2020 he played a full 16 games and had 251 yards and two touchdowns.
That is quite liberal use of the word ‘baller’ to be fair
Yeah, just give them… three whole extra off-seasons to get it right.
This wasn’t much of a push-back, Beastie…
Jeez. If you took this post as an accusation of anything you have completely misread anything I’ve ever said about this team. I’m just as down on this team as anybody right now. It’s been an absolute train wreck. What I’ve been trying to say is that everything that is happening now is predictable and embraced by you and most of your readers including me. This is what a rebuild looks like. I enjoy your takes and your writing and think you are spot on most of the time.
Neither Smith or Lock is going to be QB1 on this team next year and likely won’t be on the team at all next year. They’re placeholders. That is it. If you google Seahawks preseason right now there are countless articles about these two and none of it really matters. It’s fun to pick them apart, there is drama, it’s kind of fun but that isn’t what 2022 is about.
What I’m interested in is where are the areas were we Look good? What can we build on and get excited about while we watch this long season? What are areas of strength. What rookies are going to start and make waves. What will be the gaping holes after the season? I see a lot to get excited about and even if we are getting spanked I think it will be fun to watch
I didn’t take it as an ‘accusation’. I think you whinged about other people unnecessarily and made some points I disagreed with strongly. Thus the reply.
We’ll see if you’re saying that in a few weeks
agree w most of the original post here – except I don’t really see the Pete-feeling-the-heat dynamic happening – not in a year where they trade their franchise QB and are staffing the position w clear also-rans. It has all the ingredients of a rebuild year, even if Carroll isn’t the type to ever say it out loud, and I think it would take some 35-0, team-quitting-on-him beatdowns to start any sort of drumbeat at all. If we look equally bad the following year, that’s a different story imo.
Pre-season is pre-season, but I also agree that this team is really going to struggle – probably even more than I was thinking it would. Hopefully, there will be a few highlight weeks to get us through – but it’s going to be really ugly when we go against above-average defenses.
But that’s the point. THEY traded the franchise QB. And they play him in week one.
The fans are already booing during pre-season.
And they’ve done nothing with their communication this year to encourage patience
They have the opposite of a free pass from fans.
maybe so – but I also think some fans also get that it’s a process that was maybe a year overdue – and have expectations pretty well in check as to results this year.
Separate question for you – limited sample size I know – but curious on your take as to whether Lock has the tools and skillset to ever be an above-average NFL starter? Last night was interesting for me, as he really kind of looks the part…until he doesn’t.
I’m sure some do think that.
A very, very, very small number.
Compared to the huge amount that will go absolutely ape shit if Wilson has a great year and the Seahawks suck
They got booed at a pre-season game, pdway
He has the tools, he just can’t figure out how to make best use of them
I have come full circle. At end of 2021, it was “Peter’s gotta.” Then, “good draft. Don’t reach for a QB.” Now, it’s “Pete’s got to go”.
Ol:
I’ve been adamant that Abe Lucas appears to be our best offensive lineman. He’s done a beautiful job on stunts, mirroring off the edge and wants to be the pancake leader. Only a few reps where pass rushers have gotten underneath him when he had stood a little too tall.
Stone doesn’t appear agile enough to be a tackle and will have to kick inside.
Curhan has been better than I thought he’d be, I wonder how much of it is due to his own development, playing with better players around him who can cover up warts, and/or working cohesively with everybody.
I haven’t noticed anything with Blythe admittedly. Taking that as a W lol
RB:
I don’t think Penny will stay healthy, I’m glad to see Homer not dying upon contact like when he was a rookie and Dallas looked really great.
WR:
The lack of any player separating themselves as a wr3 option is spooky. Usually I like to see a Kasen or somebody making some splash plays but Rob is right, we’ll be in the market next year for a WR3 again.
QB:
WTF was that lol
Geno had a hard time moving the ball and Lock imitates Jameis.
There’s positives and negatives about getting Jimmy G.
Pro: Handsome Kirk Cousins.
Con: You might be a bad team that loses out on a better draft pick.
I want us to get good draft picks but I at least want to see a team capable of lions level of football from last year. Lose by a touchdown but stay if the game and give our team progress at areas of our team going into the draft.
Great takes!
We are not going to be good this year. I strongly agree with Carroll and company insulting our intelligence. That’s gone one for years, aided and abetted by a weak local media that is still far too happy to just be in the conversation in any given professional sports league. Seattle has grown in so many ways, but our meek media reminds me of the days of Seattle as South Alaska.
I wonder what Carroll (and Schneider) presumably have told Allen about our QB situation, both now and say a few months back. Is it bunk about how set we were at QB? Or is it a “yeah, we see 7 wins as our absolute ceiling”. If it’s the bunk route, would Allen entertain acquiring Garoppolo? I mean, Carroll told her everything was peachy. I doubt it happens without crossing her desk now, especially since so much appears to be in preparation for a team sale (even if such a sale is years away). Now if Pete has been more honest with her then you’d expect more support for picking up Garoppolo.
I of course do not want him. A mediocre QB could help us net some wins, dropping our draft pick. I don’t want us to actually pick too high, but a really high pick could allow us to move down, get the QB we want and then have more draft capital (say to fill our WR problem). That as opposed to a lower Round 1 pick or where we might even have to draft up for that QB.
No, I do not see any value in bringing in Garoppolo, although perhaps he would be bad enough not to make much difference in our draft pick.
“But what about Carroll?”
My loyalty is to the Seattle Seahawks. I give no consideration to Carroll (his legacy and such). I certainly do not want it hurting or in any way inhibiting the team’s future prospects. If Carroll’s rear gets scorched this year he will have done much to turn up that dial himself.
“My loyalty is to the Seattle Seahawks. I give no consideration to Carroll (his legacy and such). I certainly do not want it hurting or in any way inhibiting the team’s future prospects. If Carroll’s rear gets scorched this year he will have done much to turn up that dial himself.”
My feelings as well. Love your post
💯
Loved Holmgren. Hated he went out as he did. But I’m a fan of the hawks and could care less about a coach’s legacy as long as the team competes and there’s hope.
Among other random things about this season – just incredibly curious to see how RW plays over the year. Feels like it will either be some validation of the view (that I share) that his play has declined as he’s lost his all-world escapability and he’s now great, but not special; or, and I think it’s not impossible, he’ll kill it this year, and show that spotty O-line and stale schemes were bigger contributing factors. Either way, will be interesting to watch from afar.
There’s always a honeymoon with RW, I’d bet on the usual 8 games of elite play to start the season, followed by a few average weeks as the Broncos run out of ways to create deep and outside opportunities, followed bye ending the season as a bottom 1/3 of the league QB as it becomes apparent the league simply knows how to force Wilson into a style of play he’s poor at. He’s a league average QB, always has been a step below the elite players even in his prime, but was protected by Pete ball and a small market from really being exposed nationally until this year. I think we’d stomp (yes slight hyperbole) the Broncos at the end of the season, but expect a bloodbath week one facing a quick starter in Wilson, an offense there’s no tape on, with a defense that’s had zero time to gel. The schedule makers really screwed the Hawks on that one, and stacking our most winnable games at the beginning of the year as we try to figure out who half the starters are.
Winnable games? Where?
On paper but no where else Seattle has three “winnable,” games the first half. And two “winnable,” games the second half.
Currently those five I’d rate as a pick’ems at this point.
Man I’d kill to have a league average qb at this point. This team that just finished preseason doing next to nothing isn’t stomping any butt at any point in the year.
I get the bitterness I suppose. When the other guy most likely goes to the HOF it’ll be as a Bronco and that’ll suck as bad as when Cortez Kennedy went as a Saint.
Skylar Thomson anyone?
We might have to “Jon Kitna” this thing.
It’s as simple as this everyone
Either come in here and debate, discuss without being all guns blazing immediately seeking an argument
Or I’ll move things on
Frank and sometimes heated discussion ✔️
Angry mad opening posts ❌
Rewatching the PC press conference from last night, I have another bone to pick with the local press.
Pete was asked about who will start at CB and he was clearly fumbling, trying to come up with an answer, and a reporter INTERRUPTED him to ask about Lakiem Williams. Man was that a poor job reading the room.
Let the man talk. It was an interesting question. Tariq Woolen got a hearty endorsement from Clint Hurtt the other day but let’s hear from the HC that he’s going to go with the talented player and live with the occasional rookie mistake.
And then I turned to Lakiem Williams. I thanked him for his efforts, his candid nature. His rugged good looks. And I extended my hand. He shook it, earnestly. Then, as he parted with a flick of his hair, he said to me:
“Always”
And if anyone disagrees with this comment. Just know. This is why I’m here, writing a free blog in my spare time. And you’re there. Errrr… reading it.
Yes but did you type that post while standing knee deep in a flooded basement, hurt that somebody disagreed with you and wondering why the world isn’t a better place?
IMO. Two number two quarterbacks. Drew Lock could have easily won the starting job if he had performed. Think RW way back when. Let’s not make too much of this. One isn’t better than the other.
Watching Jake Browning in the fourth quarter of the Bengals tilt with the Rams made me jealous.
Jake Browning>Jacob Eason.
So they have two one’s? Or just the one, “one?”
Now the world is gone I’m just one…
Darkness imprisoning me, all I see, absolute horror
Awesome start to the day
“Two can be as bad as One; It’s the loneliest number since the number One”
Today’s trivia: it was written by Harry Nilsson
I don’t understand what you mean when you describe analysis of the QB decision as ‘making too much of it’
I am not sure I understand. “if he had performed”? Lock’s play was atrocious. In real-time I watched that pass and I could see the defender directly in the path of the ball. How could he ever, even as a rookie, throw that ball? And he has been in the league, and starting in multiple seasons, and even I would have known better not to throw that ball.
He doesn’t understand how to play the position, for whatever reason. All the tools in the world won’t help such a player. He is a fool on the field.
You can call him a fool
I would say the guy he was up against had the huge advantage of being able to play ‘not to lose the job’ and thus, won it by scoring one touchdown in three pre-season games
Lock had to ‘win the job’ and thus had to go above and beyond to overtake Smith. Thus he pressed and made bad mistakes
Out of 3 interception 2 was caused by WR but the 1 interception was terrible but overall i like lock more than Geno. Trust me max 4 games Lock will get his chance he should just improve his game and be ready to grab his opportunity.
Rob,
I’m a bit perplexed by your take here. You seem to be arguing that it was the situation Drew was put in by Pete that led to his poor production — that because he had to ‘win the job’ he put extra pressure on himself and made mistakes. But as you yourself have noted in other places, this sort of inconsistency is exactly what Lock has displayed throughout his entire football career, going all the way back to university.. It can’t be both a ‘situational’ problem and one that has persisted for years at the same time.
I’m not saying that Pete handled this in the best way, or that Lock didn’t experience pressure, But football is a game of overcoming adversity and the thing that Lock needs to do is to show that he has that capacity. I’m still hopeful that he can do this as he clearly has more upside than Geno. But he didn’t do it in the Dallas game,
Simply put, we saw Drew being Drew — playing with the same high level of inconsistency that he has displayed for years. Carroll deserves criticism for lots of reasons, but I don’t think that the way he handled the qb competition either explains or excuses Lock’s performance. Hopefully with more time in the system, a positive culture, and some coaching up he will exorcise whatever mental demons have prevented him from making the most productive use of the physical talents he obviously possesses. But that requires Drew to grow as a football player, In the end, its on Drew, not Pete. .
My take isn’t so much a review of why Lock played poorly. It’s a review of the pseudo-competition that took place.
Geno Smith essentially had one touchdown drive in three pre-season games and by all accounts just had to not lose the job. Drew Lock, in turn, had to go above and beyond to win it. Unlike Smith, he couldn’t check down or settle for a punt. Do you see what I mean? The whole thing was slanted in favour of Smith. It was set up for him to just avoid ‘losing the job’. So it wasn’t really a competition because Smith hasn’t snatched this away and neither was it a particularly fair contest IMO.
And that’s before we get into the fact Smith had about 90% of the training camp reps with the #1 offense.
Sure, but I think he had to go above and beyond that.
In order to win the job he had to basically play fantastic, explosive football and avoid risks/turnovers. Smith, to win the job, could afford to lead seven scoreless drives against Chicago’s backups and score one touchdown in three games.
That’s really the point I’m getting at.
I have noted his erraticism many times. But if he came into this situation being told — basically — punts are fine, just don’t turn it over and you’re getting the bulk of the reps with the #1’s… meanwhile Geno was told ‘you are behind in this thing, you better do something’ — I suspect the roles would’ve been reversed.
Especially because Geno Smith is just as erratic — see: 34 career touchdowns, 37 career picks.
If by ‘psuedo-competition’ you mean that the opportunities they were given and the performance expectations they had to meet were different, I’d agree with that. But, I don’t think that is necessarily a bad (or unfair) thing. There’s no doubt that the games would be more entertaining if Lock started from week one. But, unlike Geno, he has the potential to be an acceptable qb. The question is what’s the best way to help Lock reach that potential, even if it takes half the season before he gets to start. While I personally don’t see either of them as the long term answer, there is at least a glimmer of possibility that Lock can turn it around. But to get to that point he needs to turn himself into a better version of himself, not a better version of Geno Smith. And to do that, he has to meet different standards. That, it seems to me, is the marker that Pete has laid down.
.
I don’t know how anyone could possibly disagree. I laid out in my previous comment, there was a massive difference in the two situations, thus making a mockery of the competition.
I don’t think it matters whether anyone things it was bad, good, fair or unfair. The point I’m making is simply to say it was a pseudo competition.
I don’t think they’re even trying to.
Pete wants a QB that will help him get into the 2023 draft without half of Seattle calling for his head.
But that’s not really the point. Geno Smith’s ‘standard’ was — don’t give us a reason to bin you off. He could play three games, have one touchdown, have seven scoreless drives against Chicago’s backups and he was given the job 10 minutes after the Dallas game.
Drew Lock, by all accounts, had to play magical football and blow everyone away.
Again — that isn’t a competition. Which is the point I’m making.
It only makes a ‘mockery of the competition’ if you are viewing it as a ‘competition’ to determine the week one starter. Personally, given Lock’s history with confidence issues, I have never thought that there was any chance he would start against Denver. So, from my perspective, there was never a ‘competition’ for week one starter. In practical terms, Pete can’t change his mind after one game. So, I’ve always thought the realistic window for Lock taking control was somewhere after week 4.
Viewed in a longer perspective, the Hawks need a transition qb for two years. Yes, they might strike gold in the 2023 draft and pick someone who can take control immediately. But the probability of this is small. And the likelihood of ruining a quality qb by running them out early is significant. So you hope that the 2023 draft will yield your starter, but you plan on the presumption that it won.t.
If that is the case, how do you proceed now? Two years of Geno is not going to happen. So there are two options. They could blow the whole thing up and opt for JimmyG. The viability of this option is currently unclear, so it can’t be the basis for the decisions that you make at this moment. Personally, I suspect the Hawks interest in JG is higher than JG’s interest in the Hawks and, since it takes two to tango, in the end I doubt it will happen. But it is a realistic possibility.
The second option is to put in place a structure that maximizes the 5-10% chance that Lock can sort out his issues and become someone who can be a viable placeholder for the later half of this year and be a mentor next year for the 2023 draftee. This, in my view, is what Pete is doing. Do I expect it to work? Probably not. But given the cards he is holding, it is the decision that I would make.
It also provides a way for Pete to make it through the season without “half of Seattle calling for his head.” Presuming that everything totally falls apart,. it seems clear to me that this narrative — we went with Geno at the beginning of the year because of stability and his knowledge of the system and we switched to Lock after a few games when he showed he had the skillset (even if he then tanks) is a better narrative for Pete than “we’ve found our guy in Drew” and he then tanks. Going back to Geno in the middle of the year would be a much worse look than turning to Lock in the middle of the year. Lock is still the new and shiny toy that can be held out as a beacon of hope for a not insignificant fraction of the fan base..
I know you don’t agree with my take that Pete is actually trying to develop Lock, but you’ve just stated that as a conclusion, without providing any explanation for why you believe it..
Gary, there’s no point discussing this any more because you’re now moving the goal posts. We’re going beyond why I felt it was a competition with Lock at a disadvantage to you now asserting it wasn’t ever a competition to begin with (despite, you know, the Head Coach constantly referring to the competition).
It’s starting to feel like you’re just angling for an argument and carrying this on for the sake of it.
I find the suggestion that Carroll has, all along, been setting up a situation from which Lock can emerge down the line as a two-season placeholder, fanciful at best.
If he was doing that he simply would’ve named Smith the starter ages ago and asserted they were giving Lock time to settle in with no pressure to try and win a job in camp. This would also have removed the debate, mystery, clamour for preferred starters and constant media questions.
They also wouldn’t have had to worry about snaps and playing time.
I explained my position on the competition to you as you challenged me on it. That’s it. I don’t have to explain away anything you have stated. This is a really odd thing to say and just increases my suspicion that you’re going to just drag this out forever, constantly arguing, for whatever reason.
Rob,
You seem to have removed my ability to reply to your response, so I’ve put it here. I’m not looking for further debate, nor was I challenging you. All I was doing, in a way that seemed to me to be perfectly respectable, was explaining why I saw things different from you. I appreciate the time and effort you put in the site and the lengths you go to to keep the conversation civil and without trolls. But you’ve totally misconstrued my motives and I’m personally very offended by your accusation. Best wishes for the future, but I won’t ever post again..
No I haven’t.
WordPress only allows a comment strand to go on for so long. I can reply to anything in the admin section but once the limit has gone on a comment thread in terms of fresh messages, there’s nothing I can do about it.
If you’re very offended by the suggestion that you are keeping an argument going for the sake of it on a Seahawks blog, god knows how you get out of bed and leave your house everyday.
If anything sums up the western world in 2022, it’s that comment right there from Gary.
Jesus wept.
I just don’t think we can judge Lock this soon. He’s playing in a new system, with new coaches and learning new plays etc. He’s barely played and it looks raggedy – because the season is just starting. This isn’t even a regular old preseason, everything is shortened with less practice time.
Let’s see how he does in 8 weeks when he has had a chance to settle in.
I don’t think it’s too soon to judge him. The mistakes he’s made and the inaccurate throws are not a result of misunderstanding some new scheme or system. There are only so many route concepts to go around, and he seems not to understand what each one is designed to do. His second interception was a simple three-man concept designed to free up the inside receiver on a stick route. He popped open, the throw was there to make, and for whatever reason Lock decided to hold the ball and throw to a guy who was never going to be open in that concept unless the DB fell down.
What about the ball the receiver batted in the air? My take on all that is – I”ve been waiting to see a Seahawks quarterback throw to the middle of the field. Now I realize the dangers of it when the receiver can’t handle the ball.
Then there was the receiver that didn’t come back for the ball. Miscommunication for sure.
And one legitimate interception -in the what were you thinking mode?
Look I’m not saying Lock will ever be an elite starter – but he can improve and get better. How do you get better? More practice. I’m just not willing to give up on Lick when he is given minimal playing time with the second string on a new team.
Gather around, Seahawk fans, and listen to the story of the “Dry Patch”.
At the end of the 2021 football season, it was clear that something had to change. The coach (PC) and the star player (RW) could not go on together. It had to be one or the other.
After said season, PC (head coach) and JS (general manager) met with Jody (team owner). They presented the following plan:
1 – trade RW. He is expensive and no longer wishes to play within the scheme. We can get a boatload of draft capital in the trade.
2 – Use the 2022 and 2023 draft capital to seed the team with core players for a brighter future.
3 – pass on QB in the 2022 draft (nobody worth taking)
4 – start Geno Smith at QB. We can get away with it because “he knows the system”. He is not very good, and we will win very few games, but we can all try hard as a team, and still end up with a top draft pick for 2023. This is important because 2023 is a much better class at the position.
5 – come the 2023 draft, refer to Rob Staton’s QB rankings, and select his number one QB. Hopefully this can be done with our top draft pick, but if not, trade up to get our guy.
6 – use the rest of the 2023 draft to complete our team.
7 – win multiple Super Bowls.
NOTE: RW also submitted a plan, one that involved firing all of the front office and the entire coaching staff, installing him as the President/CEO and General Manager of the organization, with final authority on all future hiring and draft selections. Jody was intrigued, but decided to go with the PC/JS plan.
“NOTE: RW also submitted a plan, one that involved firing all of the front office and the entire coaching staff, installing him as the President/CEO and General Manager of the organization, with final authority on all future hiring and draft selections. Jody was intrigued, but decided to go with the PC/JS plan.”
I thought Ciara was supposed to be in charge of the team.
And his official title was Mr. Unlimited.
As good as Charles Cross has looked at times during the preseason, I think the Seahawks are going to regret not taking Kenny Pickett at #9. LT was a big need but I think Pickett will turn into a solid NFL QB, someone who could compliment the running game nicely as a good enough passer that opposing defenses couldn’t just focus solely on stopping the run.
This is a good point. I’m not sure that I agree, it’s very early and the jury’s still out on Pickett. He has looked good though. Even if he starts and does ok, will it be better than a potentially great LT? I think the bigger risk was getting into the habit of drafting a qb high in the first round every year without a team to play around them, i.e. Cleveland the majority of the last couple decades. We may forget about Eskridge over Humphrey and forever speak of Cross as the guy that should have been Pickett. Who knows.
I also think Tomlin does an amazing job at setting his young players up to succeed. He seems to scheme well and not ever ask too much of guys that aren’t ready, and he always fields a defense that is competitive. His ability to keep Pittsburgh relevant through drama with high profile players, and an dealing with an aging and oft injured qb is so admirable. Is the environment in Seattle right now even close to functional enough for a rookie qb of any caliber to come into and succeed? Drew Lock thinks not so much.
I doubt they’ll regret passing on Pickett
Many thought no qbs would go in the first round. This is the first time I’ve seen someone make the argument that Pickett should’ve gone ever higher in the draft. I bet JS didn’t even think about qb at 9. Now if Pickett made it to early 2nd round, maybe things would’ve gotten interesting (but I doubt it).
Jittery G is your best hope…for what? At what cost, dollarwise and in terms of suckage, if the goal is to set up for a high draft pick.
Jittery G will get the team stuck, the same way he got the 49ers and Pats lulled and fooled. You all have seen it. He would immediately provide an upgrade over Geno, and play solidly, with spasms of pocket panic under pressure, but enough to make a team respectable, perhaps even up to .500.(Thus ruining the suckage plan.) Then Jittery will absolutely face plant—humorously, comically— in the critical games, ending the team’s hopes and season. With him, a team will be left exactly where the 49ers are now, with an obstacle that prevents going all-in for a change.
Would be better to simply experiment all season? Bring in someone “riskier” like a Minshew, or someone else after cut down day, and see what happens.
Week 3 against Atlanta seems like a real hinge point type of game for the season and the PCJS regime. By all rights they should get whupped on national TV in week one by their jilted QB … then have a short week to turn around and get whupped by San Francisco.
If they’re a real bad looking 0-2 there’ll be a lot of pressure on that Falcons game. Theoretically they should be favorites at home, but really it’s two poor teams and Atlanta probably has the better coach and QB. The sliding doors between “we righted the ship with a win, we’re building something” at 1-2, and the snowballing catastrophe (fans with bags on heads, players sniping in the media, “how did it come to this?” features in national publications) at 0-3 with looming road games vs. Lions, Saints and Chargers could tell the tale on whether the franchise has its pick of the QBs next year, and on who gets to make that pick.
It’s amazing how easy the trolls tell on themselves… then prove you to be 100% right when you decide the community doesn’t need them
You should see some of the absolute whoppers people have posted over the last 24 hours
I get that in ’22 being a troll is most people’s 2nd job.
What I don’t understand is:
1. If you want to skip through the fields of positivity about this team fine. But check the facts. Vegas has Seattle as the third worst chance of getting to the superbowl. Easily the worse odds in a decade. Most betting sites I see have Seattle at 5.5 wins. And if you as a troll disagree, great, put some money up.
2. Before you troll. Take a minute and think about anything else you can be doing. Fly a kite? Hang out with your kids? Learn a new skill?
3. Back to the team. I’ll be generous here. You got DK. Lockett. A sometimes great punter. Diggs (here’s where the generosity begins because of age/injury). Lucas. Heck I’ll throw in Woolen and Bryant. And two olb’s in Taylor and Mafe who we hope are going to be awesome. That’s the team. Nine players. Again that’s generous. Cause right now teams are thinking how do we stop DK? Can we stop Lockett as well? Good luck against Lucas. And that’s the ball game.
Everything else is a hope that such and such player turns out great.
Even if you don’t like to hear it if by a miracle Smith punches above his weight and plays as well as a poor Wilson last year it’s still a losing team.
I’d throw in Cross too. I think he is going to be better than I thought. Two young bookend tackles would be a very good start if they continue to pan out.
Fair. Hope he continues upward.
FFS Peter, stop letting facts get in the way of “win forever”.
You will always have trolls critiquing your work here, no getting around that. Seems like the best approach is to just ignore them, although you are rather good at putting them in their place! You have a great community of loyal followers/readers/posters here who thoroughly enjoy your work, as well as the work C. Allen puts in. There is usually very good posts with thoughtful comments, and sometimes some spirited debate, which makes for excellent reading.
I must admit though, it’s quite entertaining to read some of the troll dialogue if you are comfortable sharing a whoper or two!!
Carry on with the top shelf work, like many others I look forward to each new piece with anticipation!!
Appreciate the extra effort you put in. It’s hard enough following this team in it’s current state, I have zero need for zapping my energy with useless trolls.
Rob: given our abysmal depth at LB, Are there any late round draft picks at linebacker on other teams who might be cut? The Seahawks should be scouring the waiver wire for linebacker depth. Don’t you think?
I’m sure there are but I can’t say my knowledge of fringe roster linebackers is particularly strong!
One thing we should stop doing is signing a LB just because he can do special teams. We need someone who can actually take snaps from Brooks and Barton. I wouldn’t mind trading a 5th for a LB if that works out.
I have been very pessimistic on the Seahawks win total this year well before these abysmal pre season games. I have repeatedly tried to argue that this team has very little talent overall but may fanatics don’t want to hear it. They believe this team had a realistic shot at going to the playoffs. The real nuts say that Russell Wilson was awful and that Geno is better. I believe that Russ won more games in his first 10 years in the NFL than any QB ever, and he is terrible?
The fanatics that have really gotten under my skin are ones that say Seattle has somenof the best RBs in the game. That Penny is a top Running Back despite missing more games than he plays in. If your best RBs show up to the games in crutches or wheelchairs then they can’t be the best in the league.
They can’t be best in the league, but they most certainly can be the best in the nation
I don’t know what’s not to get about Penny.
Clearly if you take just the best four out of his last five games last year and average that out for 17 games he’s on pace for 2200 yards and 17 tds.
Nevermind that he was the 26th best rusher last year behind even a qb. And forget that tons of other RB’s are better than him and his stat line is only a bit better than Thomas Rawls….
I think this season is all about the running game. I don’t think for a second that Jimmy G or Geno or Lock can deliver quality wins consistently without a quality running game. Look at the difference last year, RW was struggling throughout the season(Geno too) whenever the run game faltered, then Penny took off and they won a few games down the stretch. I just don’t see Jimmy G being much more capable than the other options when the running game struggles, so why bother? The question I have is does the running game look like rubbish? I think it looked promising, I’m not convinced that stacking the box will shut it down and force us to abandon it. I am convinced that most opponents will try it and force the offense to show something in the passing game. I don’t think that Jimmy G could make much of a difference when that happens. I also don’t think that PC will perceive Jimmy G as a significant upgrade when it comes to limiting turnovers like Peteball requires. Having said that, it may still be worth it to bring him in for 1 year and hope for a comp pick. I don’t see Jimmy G taking us from 6 wins to 9. If we were looking at 11 wins, maybe a different story.
I agree with you that the running game will be the driving force this year. Just look what they have done using Dallas and Homer, pretty good if you don’t factor in the holding calls.
Also I don’t get the “the opponent will stack the box” argument. The reason I don’t is because the opponents are stacking the box anyway so they can blitz our second string quarterbacks and shorten the time they can hold the ball.
That’s nothing to do with the argument made
Dee Eskridge has been a disappointment, but a somewhat expected one. We need a big WR3 to move the chains. Eskridge creates turnovers (he did for Wilson and he’s still doing it). It was nice to see Seattle try him at return specialist (I think they were waiting on his return and this was their plan). He’s just not good enough right now at any facet of the game (return game, jet sweeps, WR3, etc.). A solution is needed in the return game (I don’t think Ken Walker is the solution there either). This team is going to need someone who can flip the field on special teams and someone else who can hold onto the ball on short 3rd down throws (drops by our backup WRs have been a problem all preseason).
I really hope we see Fant and Dissly in some creative packages, disguising the direction of the run, rolling out from angles, etc.. But, I agree that I’m waiting for underutilization and lack of creativity. I think Parkinson is a bust (hope I’m wrong).
As for Jimmy G, I think he’d last two weeks before an injury. This coaching staff will want him to buy time in the pocket for deep shots and he’ll get killed. If we can simplify the offense to quick short passes, leverage our TEs and hit some quick slants, fine. But, I din’t think they will and I do think he gets hurt very quickly. I honestly, just don’t see him as a good fit. He’s not a threat to run and doesn’t excel in keeping plays alive OR “taking shots” deep. If we can get him cheap and get a significant comp pick next year after he signs somewhere else, he might be worth $10 million. But, if he gets hurt, as I expect, that money would have been better to roll over.
Your point about the 3d WR is well taken. There are 3 wide outs over 200 pounds on the team, Metcalf, Arcega-Whiteside, and Dareke Young. Metcalf is a given, but the other two still have to make the team and haven’t shown much yet. Otherwise we have a bunch of smaller, fast guys. It will be interesting what direction they take.
I’d be down for bringing in Jimmy but after reading this article, I’m getting the sense they aren’t going to release him next week.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/08/27/will-the-49ers-actually-keep-jimmy-garoppolo-through-week-one/
They will release him
You don’t keep a $24m contract for insurance or on the off chance of getting a pick back
What if they fear that Lance might be utterly terrible? I have not watched any pre-season 49ers games to see how he went, but could they hit a point where the insurance is necessary, beyond any extra pressure it puts on Lance?
They spent three first round picks on Trey Lance.
They’re going to play him and find out.
They aren’t going to carry a $24m insurance policy, who hasn’t even been allowed to practise with the team during camp.
They aren’t going to make it easy for the Hawks on purpose either. Maybe they will trade him as far away as they can for big of balls and some salary support.
Nobody is trading for him.
His contract is $24m. If there was a deal to be done, it’d be done by now.
We don’t need to overthink this. The Niners will release him on Tuesday
They’re not going to lose a player they’d otherwise keep on their 53-man roster to keep Jimmy G around to play games for a bit longer and they’re not going to guarantee his $24m contract for insurance
It wouldn’t shock me one bit if they kept him on the 53 and have a Nick Bellore type guy they cut but have a handshake agreement to bring back onto the roster when they eventually move on.
Just to keep the clock running right up until the Sept 10 deadline.
I’d be surprised by that
Jimmy G has, by all accounts, been a good soldier so far. That would be incredibly poor form.
LOL
https://youtu.be/RvWEB8iKmBQ
Reply for Cha. That YouTube link. Well worth it.
I suspect they will release him. Not only because of his salary but they have a deep roster. If they keep him it means cutting one more player they would prefer to keep.
Chris Simmons thinks it makes more sense for Jimmy AND the 49ers to keep him on the roster.
https://twitter.com/CSimmsQB/status/1564225166099550209
And it is interesting that Jimmy hasn’t been vocal about them cutting him already so he can move on.
Guess we’ll find out who’s right tomorrow.
It will never make sense to retain a $25m insurance policy at QB when you have just spent three first round picks on a QB who has already had his redshirt season
Well, this pretty much ends all of the speculation:
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1564369463180419074
Seeing this group of players wearing Seahawks’ gear, the same unis worn by the LOB, Marshawn, et al, is going to be like seeing Grand Funk Railroad at the County Fair – that ain’t Grand Funk, man. Jimmy G or other castoffs from around the league won’t change much, if anything, although less Geno is the best Geno, so, yeah, go get him, but does it really matter? It does not. I’ll be interested in watching the young guys develop and Petespeak in subtle blameshift mode this season. I guess that’s something, but we may not see Grand Funk again for a long, long time.
Yeah but “the monkees,” at the Puyallup in around ’86 were “the monkees.”
Except for Peter Tork. I think. I saw them there but it’s been a while.
I’m not giving more effort than Wikipedia but that says he did rejoin them in ’86 for some touring.
Come in football this off-season is way too long😀
I saw them at the puyallup but I remember it being later than 86. I know one of them was missing. I thought it was Peter but it may have been mike.
what mike was up to around 1986…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi0b8tcCQSE
Will they pick Will Anderson or Will Levis?
Or Will both be gone by pick 3-ish?
Has to be QB doesn’t it? Unless they are trying to really build the roster before drafting qb. Makes more sense to draft one early next year then be better the following year and have to trade the farm for the right guy.
Why waste assets or anything to bring in Jimmy to win five games instead of two or three?
The second Russ was traded, this season was not about wins.
All of the following can be true:
1. It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is this season.
2. It doesn’t matter how many games the hawks win this season.
3. Preseason doesn’t mean shit.
4. The Hawks will be awful this year and need to nail the next two drafts.
Understood?
Maybe you could try and understand the point being made first.
We aren’t making a case for signing Jimmy G.
We are making a case for why Pete Carroll might.
“Understood?”
Where’s Bobby K? I want to read his take on Drew Lock again.
The question for me is…
How many games can you afford to lose without nuking the morale of the team and any trust the player’s have in the coaches?
It may only be 9 or 10.
Maybe 11.
More than that you’re in dangerous territory if you’re Carroll
Disagree. The players will have bought in to what is trying to be achieved and aren’t going to have second thoughts if things aren’t going well. The final 53 will be all in for better or worse.
I’m not sure about that Alex.
There might be some wondering if it’s time for a change if things go badly.
I wouldn’t assume blind loyalty from the entire roster if people feel their best years are being squandered
I can’t imagine a scenario when very competitive guys like Al Woods, Diggs (even though he’s used to being on bad teams) and DK aren’t getting increasingly frustrated during the season as the losses pile up.
Sure, they seemingly got better deals here than they likely would’ve gotten if they forced their way out of Seattle and didn’t like the culture here but I’m not sure any of them envisioned the QB battle and the preseason games to go this terribly. Would hate Al Woods’ last couple of years to be on sub, sub 500 teams.
Better to overpay for Garoppolo than end up with a demoralized squad whose development is stunted by abysmal quarterback play. While better than Smith and Lock, Jimmy G is still not great… the Seahawks could still end up with a top-10 pick. Thanks for all the work Rob. Looking forward to the stream with Jeff later this week.
Out of curiosity and boredom, I watched the rams bengals preseason game to see Jake browning at qb for the bengals.
Same player he was at UW honestly. Fairly accurate. Makes good decisions. Weirdly mobile and his foot speed surprises you when he takes off to scramble.
Same weak ass arm. Some throws you make you think “this is an nfl qb?”. But they’re on point in terms of placement. If you screwed Browning’s brain into Lock’s body you’d have a damn good player. Glad to see he can stick around the league as a third stringer type though. He’s a tough little prick
That is a very accurate assessment. The question for me is would you rather have someone like Lock who is capable of the amazing an the maddening in the same series (is it even fixable at this point? I am not sure anymore), or someone like Browning who is limited, but is smart doesn’t make the same mistakes over and over?
Its nice to see Jake still kickin’ around on rosters and making plays. I have no problem saying that I didn’t think he’d get many camp invites after his first year or so. FWIW coming out I thought Trace McSorely was a rich man’s version and would end up as a starter before the end of his rookie contract. Hopefully Jake can make a long career as a backup. Definitely agree that if only he had more god given talent that he’d be special.
Saw this gem this morning and figured I’d share… Might be more excitement in this one play than our possible season, but I will keep my hopes up. Go Bo Melton!
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRPe7Bnt/
Suspect he’ll be cut and land on the practise squad
My thoughts as well. Seems like he was doing well in practice and then fell off a cliff.
I think that, even if Lock didn’t miss game two and played lights out, or even just competent, Geno still would’ve been crowned starter. Once your Pete’s favorite, which Geno is, you’re given a lot of cushion.