It’s not something we’ve really discussed so I thought I’d bring it up today.
There’s an old piece of football rhetoric that suggests a sensible way to construct your team is to have experience on offense and speed/youth on defense.
It’s an understandable philosophy. Arguably the most important thing on offense is execution. A quarterback who can read a defense and get into the right play. Receivers who run the correct routes with precision. Blockers who are battle tested and understand their jobs.
On defense you also need to be organised and efficient. This is especially the case in Seattle’s scheme that demands cornerbacks stay on top and the defensive linemen play with great gap discipline. Arguably though, the most important thing is to be able to fly to the ball. The physical elements are vital — not just speed but also explosive power and strength.
An ageing, slow defense rarely succeeds. You want your organisers and your leaders on the field but you also want youth, quickness and the ability to cover as much of the field as possible.
Were the Seahawks conscious of this when they began their reset?
After all, they moved on a number of star defenders who were getting older. That’s not the only reason. Pete Carroll was trying to wrestle back control and re-establish his culture. Yet for the most part, they set out to build a younger group.
There are exceptions of course. You’re not going to have 100% experience on offense and 100% youth/quickness on defense. They kept Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright and the likes of D.K. Metcalf and most recently Damien Lewis have started quickly as younger players on offense.
There are some noticeable trends, however.
For example — the Seahawks have used six picks in the top two rounds in the last three drafts. Rashaad Penny was taken in round one in 2018 in a good draft for running backs when the Seahawks prioritised fixing their running game. After that, they took L.J. Collier, Marquise Blair, Jordyn Brooks and Darrell Taylor. D.K. Metcalf is sandwiched in the middle but that felt like an opportunity they capitalised on, having traded back into the final pick of round two.
That’s a fair old focus on defensive youth via the draft.
Alternatively they’ve moved to add experience on offense whenever possible. Their most expensive addition in free agency this year was Greg Olsen. Rather than spend a high pick on a receiver or running back (despite a very talented bunch being available) they instead signed Carlos Hyde on a decent backup salary and Philip Dorsett.
They traded for and then extended Duane Brown over the last three years. Their approach on the O-line since 2018, with the exception of the highly talented Lewis, has been to plug in veteran players on the O-line. This year they re-signed Mike Iupati and added Brandon Shell and B.J. Finney.
It’s possible this is all a coincidence or simply isn’t that relevant. After all — they also signed Ziggy Ansah a year ago and then traded for Jadeveon Clowney at great cost. They franchise tagged Frank Clark. Then again, Clark was a young core player and the Ansah and Clowney moves were necessary to try and create any kind of pass rush (rather than rely on Jacob Martin, Cassius Marsh and Barkevious Mingo).
The issues on defense and a lack of draft picks could change things. There’s a decent list of prospective or potential defensive free agents in 2021. Lots of teams are going to need to cut salary to get under the cap.
Von Miller could be a free agent. Franchise-tagged Matt Judon, Leonard Williams, Shaquil Barrett, Yannick Ngakoue and Bud Dupree are due to reach the open market. Melvin ingram, Ryan Kerrigan, Sheldon Rankins, Takk McKinley and Larry Ogunjobi are all currently set to be free agents. The Eagles, Saints and others might have to hack away at their rosters to cut costs.
Free agency is going to be massively unpredictable. Who’ll be available? How much will teams have to spend? How is the market for certain players going to change? How will players expecting big money react when it isn’t available?
It could create never before seen opportunities (or just a whole lot of frustration).
And as noted — with only one high pick currently (second rounder) the Seahawks are not exactly plush with draft stock to rebuild a D-line or replace a starting cornerback. They might lean on the veteran market on defense in 2021, especially with the offense looking relatively well stocked.
I suspect though that there might’ve been something to their approach since 2018 to build a veteran offense and a faster, younger defense. It’s logical.
The roles might be reversed in 2021 (and with another excellent receiver class emerging, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to draft a cost-effective #3 early). The suggestion maybe sheds some light on how they approached the reset though.
If you missed this weeks podcast previewing the Bills game, check it out below:
You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.
Loved this article Rob. Another great piece of work and insight.
When I look at the offense the only hole I really see is depth at OT and a long term option at LT. But the way Brown is playing they might get 2-3 more years out of him.
Great article. What I think Seattle has had reconciling is the timeline. It was a “rebuild” in name only because you had Russ and Bobby in their prime. They seemed to commit to Russ’ timeline by signing Brown, bringing in Clowney and DK. Also a part of that is keeping the younger players on the sidelines for the sake of “vets”. I am of the belief that young players need to play at least in sub-packages. Yes they will take some lumps but you have to know if they can sink, swim and survive. Blair was at least as talented as Hill or Thompson. Amadi was as least as talented as Jamar Taylor. Alton Robinson is at least as effective as Mayowa. Brooks is at least as good as Irvin. They went for it last year because they know they need to with Russ so they played it safe by keeping the young guys out to the detriment of the future. And here we are a year later and they are depending on young guys anyways.
I asked about free agency in the comments a few articles back and I still think JS is banking on finding Avril/Bennett type deals but that is real risky. It would be nice though to kind of re-do what many thought this off season would be. Get some sweetheart deals in FA and draft WR and OT with their early picks.
I think you’re absolutely right to say that “Free agency is going to be massively unpredictable.” In addition to the issues you mention, there’s real uncertainty about the cap beyond 2021. The currently projected cut of roughly $25 million in next year’s cap won’t begin to cover the likely drop in revenue this year from lost ticket sales, and there’s no guarantee that attendance will bounce back to normal next year. The upshot is that the cap could remain constrained for a number of years beyond 2021 even with a new tv deal on the horizon. If that appears to be the case next spring, the free agent market will be even more depressed.
One implication of this scenario is that the value proposition may be shifted away from players on their first contracts and towards veterans. It appears the Seahawks have already moved in this direction; according to OTC, their 20 free agent signings this year were the most in the league (the average was 13) but their average annual contract value, at $2.73 million, was the second lowest next to the Jags. In other words, the Seahawks have seen value where most other teams have not – though not everyone is entirely enthused about all of their free agent signings.
Vic Beasley cleared waivers.
What’s his deal? Why was he late showing up and how did he go 1st round pick to leading the league in sacks to garbage pile?
Dunno, that’s for the Seahawks and other suitors to find out.
I wonder if Quinn has any insight into personal issues that he could/would share with Pete.
Sounds like Beasley is not intent on playing football. KJR hosts today mentioned he had been wanting start his own ministry, and wants to pray instead of play. Seattle might be a great place for him to practice squad and see if he can find some passion for the game again. The leaders on the team are very strongly religious, and might jive better with his current thinking.
When you don’t get the results you expected/guessed, check your premises. Many of us here speculated on which teams would shed which players by the trade deadline so that they could clear future cap space and “get something rather than nothing”. And yet, the actual decision makers didn’t make the choices that seemed logical to us. Their reason(s) for standing pat or asking inflated prices probably vary due to circumstances we may not see, but they still made the choices they made that baffled us to some degree. As noted, there is a lot of uncertainty in what next season will look like and the salary cap is high among those potential issues. One possibility is that there might be a movement to negotiate, with the players union or individual players themselves, for a roll back in contract values equal to the percentage (let’s say) of the cap reduction, or revenue stream that drives that. Sure, individual or group “greed” will be an obstacle, but that’s what negotiations would have to deal with. In the absence of something like that, a lot of players (call them mid-tier if you wish) could be left out of any bargaining strength unless they are absolute blue chippers. Could be some interesting surprises ahead. Not all GMs/Coaches, just like players, are equal in talent.
I wasn’t baffled at all, personally.
I didn’t expect the Saints to have a fire-sale in a do-or-die season. The Eagles have started to establish themselves as the team to beat in the NFC East so likewise, I wouldn’t expect them to get rid of 3-4 key players. When we talked about them having a sale, it was before Dak Prescott’s injury or prior to their latest wins.
All of the problems remain. Basically they are going to have to cut players before the new league years starts. The Eagles have a huge chunk of cap space and created more this year to tackle some of the dead money they will take on. I have no idea what the Saints are going to do.
I say go veteran on defense this one time: https://www.nfl.com/news/j-j-watt-on-future-in-houston-i-m-not-looking-to-rebuild
Pass rusher is the one position on defense that I find ages pretty well. His injury history scares the crap out of me but if he could stay healthy for 2-3 years I would love to see him in a Hawks uniform.
But he would cost to much and in a year where cap space is an issue (2021, 22) I just don’t see JJ coming here.
Great read! Maybe the plethora of good FA DL targets could drive down the asking price too…along with the Cap Crunch you mentioned.
Rob, I strongly agree with your point that if Stephen Sullivan is getting 20 snaps in a crucial game, there’s no justification not to take a stab at Beasley. Or even Matthews. Cap is the biggest issue though.
Sullivan getting 20snaps also lets you know how they feel about Shaqeem as a rusher. So Beasley definitely an upgrade if he wants to play. Cap shouldn’t be an issue. Most likely he’d be playing on veteran minimum.
I think getting Beasley at a basement price is worth the add. Adding both him with Dunlap could be a coup. Considering Seattle was willing to give up a 5th to get Martin back, this move should a no brainer. But maybe Beasley cleared waivers for a reason or there enough red flags for teams to stay away from a top 10 draft talent.
The FO now has a glimpse of what Russ can do with 2 tier one WR.
I think a strong case should be made to draft a WR in R2. Mostly as a hedge against the aging/extension of Lockett, and eventual top market deal for DK in 2 years.
Seems to me that there are likely to be more FAs than usual, because of the cap, and that money will be less than usual for the same reason. I think next offseason could be exceptional for bringing guys in on cheap one-year deals if they aren’t able to sign some defensive help long term
…they’ll draft a WR in R4
; )
totally agree w the premise of the article. would add 25 y.o. jamal adams to your list.
my 17 y,o. kid has become an astute Hawks fan, and he said to me once, ‘defense wins championships, but offense builds dynasties’ – and it’s another version of the points you made above. QB’s can get better and better, and O-lineman can stay really effective well into their 30’s. But you’ve never about a great aging defense.
I think it’s what you note above about flying around and covering the field – and also b/c of the two sides of the ball, it’s defense that is even more reliant on reckless/crazy energy, they throw their bodies around even more than offensive players do. And let’s face it, doing that is a young man’s game.
good article. thanks.
I know Rob said no election talk, and I’m not going there, except to say. . . I am exhausted by it all, and thank god for sports, sitting down and watching the game tonight, and looking forward to the hawks on sunday are the most welcome respites I can think of right now.
Politics infects everything.
Everyone feels like they have to have their say on it on the internet. No you don’t.
The world didn’t stop rotating when people didn’t have a platform to ram their politics down your throat.
And there’s nothing worse than pious sports journalists complaining when someone pushes back against them telling us all how it is. Most people follow sports for a release. When the people you get your Seahawks info from also want to constantly force their political views on you, it’s not healthy. We all need to have a break from politics or a place where we can go to get away from it. To switch your brain off and just indulge in a passion.
People wonder why they’re miserable and depressed. Start with the never ending online discourse around politics.
Here Here agree 100% with your comments Rob! Last night i turned off the news and tried to watch some NFL and enjoy my evening. It is always good to see the Niners get roughed up!
So well said Rob. I used to look forward to the PC, RW and other players/coaches pressers on YouTube. Watched them all the time. I stopped this year because of the political BS. I’m so tired of it.
A lot of people are.
It’s a shame local sports journalists spend so much time navel-gazing and cozying up to the players/coaches during press conferences. They seem so utterly unaware of what fans want from those conferences.
Well said pdway. Problem is the 9ers are just such a shell of the team they were at the start of the season that the game was over very early tonight.
what a total disaster lost season for the Niners and the Cowboys . . . sometimes when it rains it pours.
This season. Let’s get all the additions and current team members able to get on the field… on the field together.
The 2021 season is going to be wildly unpredictable FA and draft. With UW/Cal game getting cancelled and more games possibly being cancelled… what kind of draft will it be? Will a “generational” talent slip through the cracks and end up at the bottom of the 2nd round? I can see Seattle going for a smaller WR….. one with quicks… since they now have the unicorn WR PC has been looking for since 2010… in the draft. They also need to sort out the RB room as well. LT/LG are also positions of possible depth or “long-term” need. TE could also be considered a need, since they really only have Dissly past this season… unless they can talk Olsen into 1 more season.
They drafted two TE’s this year. They’re fine.
I want no part of another year of Greg Olsen too. Just not contributing.
I guess maybe the only thought that comes to mind about this approach on defense is the LOB talked about how having played together for so long gave them an advantage as far as communication, trust, knowing intuitively where the other guy was likely to be on a play, etc. Agree timing and mind-meld are more important on offense, but least in the secondary it seems like a valid point, especially if you’re playing zone and your CBs aren’t on an island the whole game.
Only 70 snaps with Adams, Diggs, Shaq and Dunbar. They need time together. Amadi/Reed too. Could come on strong late on season
I remember Holmgrem saying something to the effect that a mistake he made when he got here was going young on offense and old on defense when it should have been the reverse. Guys I wanted to move on from like KJ, Iupati, etc have stabilized this team so they could win early without a full offseason. Now we need the young guns to start to pop, find the right DL rotation/blitz ratio and Dunlap to be 2019 Dunlap. I think this defense has so much more upside than last year’s despite the early yardage struggle partly due to the speed and hitting Adams and Brooks can add to spots which were slow last year.
We have a two year window to win a SB with this core group and I see adding a CB with our first pick next year after trading back for an extra 4th. :). And then tapping the FA market because they didn’t blow their wad on overpriced free agent we were clamoring for and who have mostly disappointed.
Rob , former browns and patriots personnel guy Michael Lombardi has a podcast (The GM Shuffle), he states that the Draft is for the next year team rather than the present year team.
Whats your opinion on this?
On another note :
How much do you think the Seahawks have whiffed not trading aging defensive stars to get picks for the “Reset” that was coming in 2018.
Also on the Roster Construction approach ; how do they keep MESSING UP the first round of the draft , it is absolutely astonishing how they didnt extended NO ONE after the Earl Thomas pick , this blows my mind.
Cheers from Argentina, super fan of the blog
I think they should’ve done for sure. But they were also probably unrealistic in their values. They should’ve taken whatever they could get for Earl and moved on. They didn’t and it cost them.
I think Russell Wilson disagrees.
In Rob’s stellar interview with Jim Nagy before the draft, pretty sure Nagy said the same thing as Lombardi-about the Seahawks specifically. That JS often drafts for a year out.
Before the Adams trade, on twitter Nagy stated that Marquise Blair was going to be the atarting SS. That was his reasoning behind Nagys belief that the Hawks would not trade for Adams. It should be noted that Nagy routinely props up former Senior Bowl participants- understandably so.
One thought I would like to add. This Covid-19 off-season was the most unique one we’ve had since the last strike.
Teams were limited in OTA’s, FA visits, training camp, preseason…etc…is it any shock that Seattle went with players they were familiar with? Comfort in situations matters to PC. Practice habits, intensity, love of football which matters to PC. In a void of visits, look who Seattle added on the DL or went after.
Clowney, after being in their program, they went after and when they couldn’t get him they went with two former Seahawks who were productive, Irvin and Mayowa. Familiarity was something Seattle really valued this off-season due to certain constraints. Seattle went with Tavares Jackson who played with OC DB n Minnesota to replace Hass when he didn’t re-sign.
Adams game tape spoke for itself so that made a trade easier for them based on where they pick in the 1st round every year. He’s blue chip! I feel of Dunlap were added in the off-season rather than mid season we all might have a more positive outlook on the defensive additions on a whole.
Yet Seattle stayed prudent and wanted to see what they had before making any commitments to players outside of their program on the DL.
Covid my have really factored in the brasses decision making here. Secondly, maybe the Secondary was more of a priority than the DL. Adams, Dunbar, Reed, and Blair were big revamps to what PC might value the most, the secondary. From a team building perspective Seattle has prioritized its 3/4 of the secondary more than any other team in football when you look at the cap during the LOB era. I think PC is still in that mode when we review his off-season moves.
The points I bring up aren’t an argument over what they should prioritize but only a review of how they seem to prioritize. I feel the more insight we have in PC/JS thinking the more we can evaluate the structure of how they team build in regards to the cap.
You’re just using Covid as an excuse for the bad job they did fixing the pass rush and defense.
The 49ers looked like a team ready to pick in the top-10 again.
Understandable when they are basically down all their meaningful starters. It’ll be another Joey Boss to a good team situation, but this time I think they find a way to flip Jimmy G for a decent pick and add a cheaper, better vet (your Matt Ryan suggestion makes a ton of sense. MVP performance with Shana Jan) and a R1 rookie QB as well to learn behind him.
P.S. I’m just gonna leave the auto correct typos…
Nick Mullens turned back into a pumpkin against a defense with a pass rush. Go figure.
I am not sure the stats necessarily support that statement.
The Seahawks had 8 QB hits and 3 sacks against the 9ers.
One week later, GNB had 5 QB hits and 1 sack against the 9ers.
Granted, most of the pressure was applied before Mullens replaced Garappolo, but at the point Mullens entered the game, the Seahawks already had a 99.7% win probability, and it never dropped below 99% for the entire 4th quarter. The Seahawks simply didn’t send pressure and played a soft prevent clock killing zone defense. When Mullens came in to play, the game was simply no longer a competitive event.
The Seahawks continued to blitz Nick Mullens.
You have a knack of trying too hard to defend the team yet in this instance you’ve argued against yourself by pointing out that most (all) of Seattle’s pressure was applied when an injured Garoppolo was on the field.
It is what it is.
That soft prevent clock killing zone defense sure didn’t kill much clock. I get what you’re saying, but let’s not act like the defense forced the Niners into slow time eating drives. Come on, they gave up multiple huge plays and quick TD’s.
Good stuff. Interesting birds-eye-view of roster building. Disagree with the idea of taking a #3. Take the best player available (as long as it’s not a safety lol, but it can be a DL or OL or corner).
I think you meant “flush” not “plush”.
Enjoyable read, this. As enjoyable as watching SF lose last night.
Instead of bringing politics into sports, why not bring sports into politics lol… 😂
https://mobile.twitter.com/NFL_Memes/status/1324577130865401856
I LOL’d not bad
There are 5 guys that I think are critical to how the roster is structured going forward who I am anxious to see how they play for the balance of the year.
1) DJ Reed- He was really good in his Seahawks debut. Is he a flash in the pan or have the Hawks finally found a quality slot CB. If they have then he should be locked up long term as in todays NFL that postion is critical IMO.
2)Colby Parkinson- Can he show something to indicate that he could be our pass catching TE going forward. If he can show the ability to make some plays in the pass game and hold up as a blocker he could form a great young duo with Dissly going forward allowing the Hawks to move on from more expensive options (Hollister and Olsen).
3) Alton Robinson – I think he has shown the most potential of any DE on the roster. Shown he can play the run on early downs and flashed a little as a pass rusher in limited options. He is not a guy you build around but could be a really solid rotational guy. At this point any long term help on the DL is a bonus.
4)Simmons – He always seems to play well when filling in at LG. I actually think he is better than Iupati at this point in his career. Can he stay healthy and prove that he can consistently perform at a level where he could be considered a long term option at LG. Given Phil Haynes has not really shown anything yet he could be a huge part of the OL going forward.
5)Ethan Pocic – I think Pocic consistent play has been one of the understated stories of this season. He has come in an been almost invisible every week which is what’s you want in your Centre. He is not the most powerful in the run game but holds up well in pass pro. There will be other veteran options but if he can continue playing like this I think he might be the Hawks best option going forward.
Sullivan (Wildcard)- I have made fun of him playing DE but it is not his fault the Front Office screwed up the off season and DL so badly. For a guy who has never played DE to come in and play 20 NFL snaps is amazing really and a credit to his work effort and competition level. I am not saying he can develop into a starter or even a rotational guy but given his length, speed and body type it will be interesting to see what he could do with an off season getting stronger and actually learning to play the postion and rush the passer. Could he develop into a rotational 3rd down pass rusher. Who knows but if he can they it could be a tremendous bonus. I would not count on it however.
Injured and Suspened(Taylor and Gordon)- Can Darrel Taylor get healthy and show why the Hawks traded up for him? I really liked his college tape when he was not hurt as he looked like the ideal 3 down DE in the Hawks scheme. His injuries scare the crap out of me but if he can get healthy if drastically changes the outlook for the DE going forward.
Josh Gordon would be the perfect WR 3 to go with Locket and Metcalf. If he gets reinstated and his healthy and motivated then the Hawks passing offense would be almost unstoppable (unless it rains). Hope he gets another shot and can stay on the straight and narrow. His talent is something that has never been questioned.
If 3-4 of these players can prove they are legit long term pieces then the roster looks much better going forward.
Sullivan, I’m sad to say, may have the same measurables as Clowney, and gets equally little bend. Maybe he finds a way to swarm inside like Clowney does, but I’m not sure a Clowney-super-light has a 3rd down role in the league.
I feel like this (hopefully short) stint at DE will give Sullivan greater insight into being a TE when he reverts back to the position. It will help him understand blocking and give him a taste for the more physical nature of playing closer to the line.
Please, let’s not compare a seventh round TE playing as a makeshift DE with a former #1 overall pick at DE.
I am certainly not doing that. I think absolute best case is he is a 2-3 year project and even that is less than 20% probability.
“Josh Gordon would be the perfect WR 3 to go with Locket and Metcalf. ”
David Moore is turning out to be the perfect WR 3 to go with Locket and Metcalf.
Even though we are in the positive for cap next year do you guys see any vet cuts to save some money? If the players are going to sign some low ball contracts it may be a good way to upgrade at minimal cost. My first thought is J Reed. I know they see him as a leader but his performance is average at best. He is making 11M(?) next year. I think I’d rather exchange that money (or less) for Sheldon Rankins. Also Quandre Diggs. He is due over 5M and has not played well at all. They already have a cheap option in Marquise Blair. Blair is no longer needed at nickel since Amadi and DJ Reed seem like they have it covered.
Reed is a challenge. He signed the deal knowing full well 2021 will be unpredictable due to COVID (although the extent of that is probably much bigger now). It’s very possible the way the 2nd year is structured, both sides agreed knowing it would push them towards an extension or cut type situation. I could see the Seahawks talking to him about a reduced salary to avoid being cut, and the threat of a depressed free agent market for the not-top-level guys like Reed could make him amenable to a discussion.
As for the 2021 cap, it will be very fascinating to see how teams like NO and Philly handle the pending apocalypse. There will be bargains to be had on quality veterans for smart teams.
2021 there will be TV deals negotiated and the gambling revenue will start to be more formalized, and future cap years very well could prove very fruitful. I see the smartest teams manipulating the contract structures to fit the 2021 cap and take bigger hits in future seasons, particularly for the top tier guys.
For the Seahawks that’s traditionally something they’ve avoided, but I really, really hope they re-evaluate that policy. For instance, in 2019 they franchised Frank Clark and then traded him to KC. The Chiefs signed him to a deal that only had a first year cap hit of $6.5m. A month later, the Seahawks signed busted-shoulder Ziggy for $9m on a one year deal. Imagine an alternate 2019 where the Hawks had Clark AND Clowney bookending their DL for nearly the same money as Ziggy. And an alternate 2020 offseason where they already had Clark locked down on a contract.
Will they be able to be smart about the 2021 offseason? 2020’s doesn’t fill me with confidence. But the opportunity is definitely there.
For sure feels like Reed could be the main one. Either if he is released or they agree to a lesser contract. The best way for us to gain cap space would be off extensions. Lockett, Adams (might not be much), Dunlap (could gain a lot of cap space if he doesnt work out or gain a little a good amount if we extend him), Brown (if he wants to keep playing past 2021).
Interesting. Thanks for the insight. The Frank “what if” kills me. Is the reluctance to go cheap early and move money to later years in a contract a new practice? Didn’t the big money hits come later in the second contracts for all the LOB guys?
The LOB contracts weren’t bonus-heavy so while they had a bigger cap hit each successive year, the bonus proration didn’t make it as steep a spike up in cap hit per year as other teams who give big bonus money do.
It’s definitely been around, and the Hawks tend to generally have the first year hit be lower than future years, but not as much as the others. For instance the Frank Clark contract has that low cap hit his age 26 year, but would be extremely painful to get out of his age 27-28 years. It’s fine for his age 29 and 30 years. So there’s an element of risk you’ll get stuck those two years but a pretty sweet reward of cheap production the first year.
It’s all about cash flow, managing your roster and how much risk you’re comfortable with.
I’d push for the Hawks to loosen things up because 1-they have the franchise QB in his prime, 2-there might be some really opportune deals to be made when teams like NO and Philly are slashing to the bone, and 3-as I said with the gambling $ and the cap normalization coming, there’s less risk than might initially be perceived.
Good thoughts but the trade value for Clark was at its peak for what Seattle could get for him prior to franchising him. First year contracts are always great to use but the balloon after that on a long term deal would’ve cost much more against the cap. They only got Clowney for cheap because he was in a franchise year.
So would a franchised Clark for $18 mil plus Clowney serves as a better evaluation against the cap vs Ziggy and Clowney.
Seattle got nothing for Irvin and wasn’t going to make that same mistake again if they new Clark priced himself out of their market.
None of this matters.
The Clark trade was fine but it took away Seattle’s only good pass rusher and created a huge problem that they had to fill. They emphatically haven’t filled that problem.
Inevitably we will ask if it was the right call. Clearly with hindsight it wasn’t. This would’ve been a better team having paid Clark, and they could afford him, than letting him walk for the sake of acquiring players like Collier, Blair and being able to trade up for Taylor.
Duceyq I was using the Clark contract as a hypothetical to further illustrate the difference in cap mgmt.
But there are several issues with the points you raised, but Clark is gone and there’s nothing we can do about that now.
And just for the record, I wish Seattle figured out a way to keep Clark too. I think they underestimated his value.
When they let Irvin walk they still had Avril, Bennet, and the LOB. It wasn’t the same when Clark was traded. He was probably Seattle’s best defensive player next to Wagner.
A big miscalculation by PC in my opinion.
I think they redo Browns deal and add a year. Hopefully similar with Reed. I think both are important for next couple years.
This blog is my refuge as well. I really appreciate that Rob and 99% of the commenters keep it civil, objective, and humane. A good example for everyone.
I can’t wait for the 2021 draft, and checking this blog four times a day (up from the usual three).
99% is likely after Rob removes some of the worst comments.
100% especially with this election stress!
Agreed 100%. I don’t need to be lectured by athletes to vote, especially when their insinuation is to slant me to vote a certain way. Not only athletes, but I don’t need or want Fox News or CNBC to tell me either. The only difference is I don’t watch football to be told what should be my political beliefs, whereas if I watch a slanted view like CNBC or Fox News I would expect there would be political talk because that’s what they do. Sometimes we get sick of reality and escaping for a football game is fun. Plus, there are many times fans of the same team come from way different backgrounds and that bonding with someone totally different than you is special, too. It means something, imo. I’m sick of all the division on everything.
I’m always amazed when sports journalists act surprised when people push back when they voice their politics.
Heads up their own arses.
Self righteous.
Yep.
“I suspect though that there might’ve been something to their approach since 2018 to build a veteran offense and a faster, younger defense. It’s logical.”
Agree completely.
“They might lean on the veteran market on defense in 2021, especially with the offense looking relatively well stocked.”
There should be bargains to be found in FA. Its highly improbable, but I’m dreaming the Hawks can get Bud Dupree! Who, in Robs listed potentially available FA’s, would people wish we could sign next off season?
I just don’t see any way in hell Dupree isn’t tagged or extended by the stealers. He’s simply too good at rushing the passer and we as Hawks fans are seeing first hand how important that it is.
Pittsburgh has no money
Didn’t realize Leonard Williams was a free agent. Do you think he may be affordable if they cut/trade Reed, or is he completely unrealistic, cap wise?
Sort of exciting thinking of Williams to go with Von Miller/Kerrigan ect.
It’s hard to say who will be affordable next year. Free agency is going to be very unpredictable.
Friday Press Conf w PC
[bob condotta] Carson closer? “Couldn’t make it today. Today was the day we tried to decide and we couldn’t make it. Take care of him and get ready for next week.”
[b] Collins? “Terrific week, feel very good about him.”
[corbin] Shaq Griffin hamstring? “Hamstring wasn’t ready. By Wed next week. Hammy wasn’t ready so didn’t look at concussion protocol.”
[maz veda] Deejay Dallas week? Start helped him? “Sensed his confidence coming to him. Finished off a really good first game, on a good note. Full of juice this week, excited about opp to play some more. Help a guy, confidence thing is an issue, did enough to look forward to next chance.”
[Chris] Pass pro for RBs difficult? “It is, if they hadn’t been called on a lot in CFB days. Guys called on in pass pro, slow to evaluate, need to understand. Deejay in camp, good job, couple difficult plays, but he’ll come around, gotta get him reps.”
[Curtis crab] Dunlap week? Rasheem Green? “Complete week, ready to go, studied over the weekend. Play really clean. Concern new system. But transition was nothing, seamless. Having fun with everybody all week. Counting on him to do well. Rasheem great shape, ready to get out and play. Worked hard. Great shape before we started last week, looked really good.”
[brady] Jamal limit snaps sunday? “No, not at all. Took everything this week. Looked great this week, flying. No restrictions.”
[brady] Collins play this weekend? “Comfortable with him playing Sunday.”
[] Adams bring to the defense energy? “Fireball, so much juice. Translates to other guys, gives them confidence. Positive effect, big factor. Even when he’s not playing. Such a good ballplayer. Not sure how rusty he’ll be, but you’ll know he’s out there. Excited about what we can play him.”
[Michael shawn] Long term injury to Iupati or Mayowa? “Iupati felt good yesterday and today. Depends if he can withstand workload. Next week see how he responds. Mayowa high ankle sprain. Thought coming along, went after it he wasn’t able to get back. Hopefully next week chance to get back out.”
[MSD] Work on your spiral throws? Gloves? [cha ed…good Lord]
[MSD] Russ use glove? ‘Not always’
[neko] Snacks status? “Best two weeks by far, best week this week. Ready to go, just got to get a spot for him. Haven’t felt like sitting anyone to get him up. As soon as opp pops he’ll be ready.”
[tim] Convo about why he’s on PS? “Absolutely, deserves consideration. Acknowledged he needed to work his way back in. Busting his tail to get in shape. Fairness to other guys working hard. Just hasn’t quite popped yet.”
[tim] Carson setback? “No. Hadn’t been able to do enough to have a setback. Cuts, etc need to be all there to play in style. Wait it out.”
[bob] Ugo Amadi? “Next week, by Wed Thur know. Important weekend for him. Not able to full speed yet.”
[bob] Luke back? “Love to see him back, love him on our team.”
Carroll’s has enough of Wilson struggling in the rain then and wants him to wear gloves.
Got to imagine Snacks Harrison’s patience limit is running low.
The good news is it’s supposed to be mid-60s and sunny in Buffalo on Sunday. But of course a rain game is coming. It’s inevitable.
Good to hear that Dunlap and Greene are good to go. sucks that Snacks is a non-starter. Also hope that Collins will be able to contribute but bummer about Ugo and Quill
I don’t really understand why Snacks isn’t at least on the active roster.
Especially when they’ll probably have FOUR tight ends activated again this weekend and never throw them the football.
A head scratcher for sure. Just makes no sense. Is Snacks really NOT that good?
Or a practice squad activation for that matter. The wacky Stephen Sullivan Experiment aside, you seriously needed another DB for special teams last Sunday but couldn’t find a way to get Snacks 10-20 snaps to see what he looks like in game action?
I see no reason whatsoever to not have a fourth DT activated for Sunday to get him a few snaps vs Colby Parkinson watching from the sideline.
Heck they had four active when Rush was on the roster!
I’m pretty certain Luke Willson’s 3 offensive snaps were the 3 kneel downs in victory formation.
They were. You aren’t mistaken.
I’m most bummed about not having Carson or Hyde this week, especially Chris of course. Not surprised but bummed none the less.
Yeah, totally agree Big Mike. Can’t wait for Chris to get back on the field.
Wait, we seriously brought Luke Willson back already? 🤦♂️
Sorry no. “Would you LIKE to have Luke back?” I can see how that would read.
Good article on 710 from Jon Clayton on how all the free agent pass rushers from last off season are doing in their respective new spots.
https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1210858/clayton-seahawks-better-off-offseason-pass-rush-moves/?fbclid=IwAR3DB6fwxVSjLE4-KUW-Wu3k2ApTtcETPc7E6tEjG4rj3Cx_ApPViGB3NOI
I don’t think it’s a particularly good review of the situation personally.
There are multiple players who were available this off season who are in the top-20 for sacks.
Clowney and Quinn are both graded well via PFF despite their lack of sacks.
And circumstance also matters too. I suspect Dante Fowler for example might be performing a bit better on a non-useless team as we saw during his time in LA.
But I appreciate there’s a movement out there trying to justify Seattle’s poor off-season.
Quinn had 11.5 sacks last year and has 1 this year. 13 TFL’s last year and has zero this year. 22 QB hits last year and 2 this year.
Your team pays 70 million and your not happy with those totals. Period.
Robert Quinn’s contract cost:
2020 — $6.1m
2021 — $14.7m
After 2021, they have an easy out on the contract.
Maybe you should do some homework before claiming they’re paying $70m.
His cap hit this year is comparable to Bruce Irvin’s and Greg Olsen’s and next year it’s comparable to Carlos Dunlap’s.
That’s how much his contract total is and you are right they have a nice out to cut him for under performing which if he keeps up those stats they most certainly will.
It’s a shame Bruce only got a few games in but it’s impossible to say he wouldn’t have tallied similar numbers to at least Quinn’s thus far. I mean he still has more TFL’s then him in playing only 2 games…
I know it’s the totality of his contract but you know as well as I do that non-guaranteed ‘total money’ isn’t worth paying attention to. You said it’s a $70m contract but it isn’t in the slightest. You should admit it.
The simple fact is Robert Quinn is basically on $10m a year for two years and then Chicago can get out of the contract very easily. The Seahawks are paying Greg Olsen more in 2020 than the Bears are paying Quinn.
You’re fixated on a couple of statistics and missing other valid points. Robert Quinn is grading well per PFF — far better than any of Seattle’s defensive ends. The Bears have the #6 defense per DVOA. Maybe you should consider his wider contribution to the unit instead of pointing out a lack of sacks and TFL’s. If he has two good games with a few sacks and TFL’s it blows your entire argument up.
I’d swap Olsen for Quinn right now and it’d be a total no brainer.
If they cut Quinn after 2 years, there is 9.3 million of dead money. Not outrageous, but not chump change either.
They’d save $7m to do it outright and can stagger the dead hit if needed. It’s a standard out after two years.
It’s 30 million guaranteed which you seem to have a hard time admitting. You seem to struggle against a strong argument. Like it hurts your fragile little ego.
So you’ve gone from saying it’s a $70m contract to a $30m contract.
You refuse to accept the true terms of the deal (that they’re tied to him for basically $6m this year and $14m next and then they can get out of it).
And you’re so incapable of arguing like an adult, you have to resort to insults.
Pathetic.
I think they got gun shy from paying Ziggy and Clowney for having the worst defensive line in the league last season and said “what the heck, we can have the worst defensive without paying for it”, hahaha
Last week: “Seahawks pass rush is a serious problem – worse than 2019. Something must be done to fix it.”
This week: “Good thing Seahawks didn’t make a big investment in pass rush this offseason.”
John Clayton ladies and gentlemen.
John Clayton next week…
“Maybe they should’ve traded for Yanny Nogokoo.”
So THAT’S how you pronounce it!
Or drafted Gross Toast.
They definitely missed on Yes sir gross ma toast.
I enjoy listening to the Clayton segment on 710 but take his comments with a grain of salt. For someone who often talks about how team neutral he is he sure comes across as a ‘homer’ sometimes or backtracks depending on how the wind is blowing. He’s old school for sure but has a pretty good handle on salary cap issues, or so it seems.
I still would prefer an aggressive approach that doesn’t work; Atleast you can’t fault them for tryng to fix the pass rush. Doing pretty much nothing and having things get worse is sad.
Meant as reply to Josh
Injury report is absolutely brutal. Carson, Hyde, Mayowa, Amadi, Griffin and Iupati all out.
What else is new?
Carson the only one that bothers me all that much.
Just saw Green is back.
Dunlap, Green, Bullard and Collier… not a great pass rushing group but let’s see how they do.
Mayowa was such a terrible signing that it has probably made the unit better that he’s out. At least Robinson will get more PT. He’s not as disciplined as Mayowa but he has more raw skills to get to the QB.
I know someone brought it up on here recently, but I’m wondering if it’s time to start asking some hard questions about the Hawks’ strength and conditioning program?
Kick them tires…
I’m so glad we are back here at the RB position…
🤦♂️
I actually like Bo. Hope he kicks butt
Bo knows football….. in all seriousness, he is/was always a blog favorite.
It would not surprise me if he landed on the PS.
we also got nipped in the ankles (and salary cap) by the injury bug… i still think that had a massive impact on their roster.
imagine how the niners are going to be affected by their injuries (and they’re not even career ending). people are already calling for a new QB.
should the niners start tanking now? probably best for the franchise.
i’m thankful i haven’t seen the hawks tank… hope they never do.
Watch the 49rs end up with another high pick; and then add Matt Ryan to replace Garopollo
Considering we are very thin at RB I’m surprised that no one asked Pete for a more definitive time frame for Penny coming back
.
.
.
.
oh wait, more important to ask him about his spiral throws with gloves. NM
Getting worried about the Carson injury. We need that dude.
Clayton made a point about how the guys making sacks in the NFL in 2020 were either 3-4 OLBs or DTs … the DEs have been taken out of the game in general. The quick passing attacks and schemes of offenses are causing them to not get the same number of chances to impact QBs. The new era of “highly” mobile QBs are dwindling the “see guy in pocket and sack them” chances. Too much scrambling and too many 3 step drops.
John also mentioned (in a radio hit) that the return on big dollar investment on DEs during FA has not been a good return on investment. Overall, most guys are not performing up to the contracts they got paid in the offseason. Beasley being one above mentioned example.
Really? Nothing about holding calls being down by 40-45% ?
Myles Garrett leads the league in sacks playing in a 4-3.
Brandon Graham is third in the league playing in a 4-3.
Joey Bosa, Emmaunel Ogbah, Romeo Okwara, Montez Sweat, Yannick Ngakoue, Maxx Crosby, Ryan Kerrigan, Brian Burns, Derek Barnett… all among the league leaders for sacks.
As for the investment in DE’s not being good — a lot of the top 20-30 players in the league for sacks were available this off-season.
I have no idea what Clayton is harping on about.
Seems to be very little enthusiasm / anticipating in regards to this game
With Pac12 starting up, time to rep the alma mater. Oregon State Beavers. Still reeling from the Gary Anderson Experience, there’s not a surplus but there is quality.
Draft eligible guys:
Hamilcar Rashed Jr – OLB
Most people have heard of him. 14.5 sacks, 20tfls. Good speed and burst. Slippery to block. Pretty good power and the word is he added some weight while keeping the speed. Sometimes seems too much like an effort guy but continues to get around and go through people. I don’t know that he will tick all the boxes for Seattle athletically but he seems like a guy that the Vikings always draft.
Andrzej Hughes Murray – OLB
Team captain even while out for the year last year. A rock for a bad defense in 2018. Stout. Former state wrestling champ. Tough at the point of attack with enough speed and power to hold an edge. Some expected him to take the leap Rashed did last year. Not the pass rusher Rashed is but has the chance to show something rotating in at OLB.
Jermar Jefferson – RB
Probably not coming out for the draft but if he does…Built like Seattle likes them. 5’10” 217. Powerful runner. Hard to tackle in the hole. Falls forward. Capable of hitting the home run. Got a little Michael Turner in him. Pretty good pass catcher. Former freshman all American. Hurt half the season last year. Performed well while back. I love this kid.
Trevon Bradford – WR
Tough gadget type guy. Hurt for all but 4 games last year and took the redshirt. Can turn short passes into big gains. Was good slot option on 3rd down in 2018. Pretty good quickness and speed. Has trouble separating outside. NFL future may be at punt returner ala Former Beav Victor Bolden.
Nathan Eldridge – C
Former First Team Pac 12 OL at UA. Been hurt a lot but good, smart player. Technician. Good hands. May not drop the anchor too well. Has to show he can return to form after injuries. UDFA guy.
Guys to keep an eye on:
Addison Gumbs, Avery Roberts, Omar Speights – LBs
Beavs may have the best LB group in the conference. Maybe top 10 in nation. Gumbs was the starter over Rashed to start last season. Had 1 sack in 2 games before tearing an ACL. Oklahoma transfer and 4 star dude. Powerful hands and punch. Great athlete with some speed and bend. Great hard working attitude. Keep an eye on how he comes back from injury
Roberts led the team in tackles. Sideline to sideline speed. Not as violent as the others mentioned but a sure tackler. Leader in the middle. A transfer from Nebraska and former 4 star guy. Took him a while to get settled early in the season but took off. Has a chance to improve even more this year.
Speights was a Freshman all American last year. This kid has sky high potential. 73 tackles, 7.5 tfl, 3.5 sacks. Power to keep himself clean from blocks. Power in hands. Good speed and sifting through junk. One to watch.
Brandon Kipper – OT
This kid has a lot of potential. Big. 6’6″, 305. High school wrestling All American which gives him decent bend, but also makes him a little grabby. Good athlete. Good feet. Only gave up one sack all year at RT. Good run blocker too. Can have concentration penalties.
Beavs play WSU tomorrow at 7:30. The only game on since UW-Cal got cancelled.
Zach Wilson FANTASTIC again.
BYU absolutely destroyed Boise State.
Meanwhile the refs in the Miami vs NC State game were a disgrace in the first half.
Hindsight and all… and no, it doesn’t justify ending up with Mayowa as our primary rusher, but still, perhaps PC/JS knew the writing was on the wall regarding Clowney’s health:
I’m sorry Sea Mode, but no.
The Seahawks made Clowney a very expensive offer. Reports suggested about $17m a year. It simply wasn’t as much as he hoped. They then waited him out all the way through the off-season. They called him a priority. They wanted him.
I can accept the ‘knew the writing was on the wall’ argument if they’d simply moved on right away, not made him an offer and signed someone else. That didn’t happen.
Let’s not re-write history.
I personally thought an injury would happen. I’m glad the hawks didn’t sign him because the Tennessee pass rush is worse then the hawks
It’s bad for Clowney..he won’t even get the deal he got from Hawks after this.
It is interesting that teams that did exactly what we all wanted the Hawks to do or critiqued them for what they should have done have struggled. Dallas resigned their stud pass rusher in the same year we traded Frank Clark, traded for Quinn last year and then signed Griffen and Smith this year and were atrocious. Concerns about overpaying guys who are often hurt, old, don’t sack the QB, and/or were coming off down years were valid.
Wrong.
I’m going to start moderating stuff like this. Nobody said, ‘the Seahawks should copy Dallas’.
A lot of people said they should try and fix the pass rush and maybe should’ve traded for Calais and Ngakoue. Nine sacks.
Now hold on just a minute Rob.
If the Seahawks hadn’t done what they did, we’d all be deprived of the heart warming Rudy story of a late round rookie TE being converted to a DE in-season and getting a chance to see his dream come true and play in the NFL. It melted my heart to see him out there.
Who needs a competitive pass rush when you’ve got treacle like this to enjoy?
Da SeAhoRks dad the rite Fing NoT pAyInG for a rush paSS.
This too will pass.
Remember the “yeah but the Seahawks have an awesome run defense?” Bull plop of weeks 1-3?
412 rush yards conceded in the last 3 games.
You are not a true fan Cha.
True fans find an excuse for things like this.
You clearly want the Seahawks to lose just so you can say you are right.
I do.
Fake internet points nourish me like baby formula.
At least you admit it.
That guy who writes Seahawks Draft Blog wrote 7456 articles in July saying the Seahawks would go 3-13 and they should replace Carroll with a ham sandwich.
Is there cheese on the sandwich? What kind?
Let’s not go crazy
Rob but a true Hawks fan would never spend countless hours each and very week creating incredible content and discussing the team in a civil fashion. He would go on Twitter and rant. Come on Rob you have nothing invested in being a Hawks fan. The hundreds if not thousands of hours you spend annually mean nothing if you don’t agree with all Hawks front Office moves blindly.
7456 articles? I know you don’t sleep much, but still that would be 10 articles an hour. Quite impressive!
More seriously, I’m looking forward to seeing Dunlap and Adams and their impact on the defense. Hopefully we can build on the performance of the D in the last game (Q1-Q3).
Damn cha, my eyes are all misty now…….having a hard time seeing the keyboard.
*mina crush intensifies*
Watched this live yesterday and made me LOL.
https://mobile.twitter.com/minakimes/status/1324839641468448768
https://mobile.twitter.com/RaRaRandomGuy/status/1324896731805442049
Those were fun.
Love me some Mina. Might be tough to date her though considering she could possibly know more about football than you do.
👀 NC RB Javonte Williams is something else man.
Every time I get a draft RB crush, the Seahawks dash my hopes of picking that guy 🙁
I’ll have to look at him more closely, but Pete gave us some of the main things he looks for in RBs. Elbows out, knees up. Always outliers of course.
Wish they would get a small 5’8″ type of back. Fast as “hell”. Jitterbug.
I know their preferred type….. but let’s change it up one draft.
I’m all for that as well. Or a gadget guy at WR.
Not sure you’re gonna get your wish. They passed on CEH and Anthony McFarland this year.
🤷♂️
“Fake internet points nourish me like baby formula.” ~ cha
My man…. this is some gold right here.
Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takk McKinley, who was fined by the team earlier this week for comments he made on social media, will miss his second consecutive game because of a groin injury and illness. This is a report on ESPN yesterday (11/06/20)
Hummmmmmm…. he might just get cut after all. Keep an eye on him and Seattle if he does 🙂
It seems that this year in particular that the vaunted NFL parity is, well, a bit of a joke. Quite a few quality NFL players from terrible teams, with equally terrible owners and management, are out of the running already for the playoffs and just want out. Maybe the SH’s will still find someone serviceable yet.
I wouldn’t label this as encouraging news but it definitely beats a poke in the eye with a hot stick. At this point even 0.1% chance and possibility of adding Takk McKinley to our current roster would be significant upgrade over our other options. THANKS charlietheunicorn
Herm shoulda challenged that. Ball was out
Mike Davis is doing great with Panthers. We had a chance to bring him back when he was waived.
Drake London looks good for USC
IDK if he’s gonna be the type of athlete he is, wouldn’t surprise me, Florida WR Kadarius Toney reminds me so damn much of Tyreek Hill.
I think if the Pat’s get their QB situation figured out beforehand, TE Kyle Pitts would be a perfect fit there.
Don’t think Bill could leave for the chargers and Herbert?
Seahawks elevate Alex Collins and Jayson Stanley from the PS.
Stanley is the 2nd week in a row, which means he has to be added to the roster.
Did the Seahawks have an open roster spot? I forget.
https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-activate-de-rasheem-green-elevate-two-from-practice-squad
Hmm. They had an open spot and used it on Green, but did elevate Stanley for the 2nd week in a row (and Alex Collins)
So maybe the “2 weeks in a row elevate from the PS” rule has been quietly changed.
I think the rule is he can no longer be called up off the PS after this week.
So after this game when he reverts back to the PS he either he gets called on to the 53 permanently or he stays on the PS. Can’t be called up a third time.
That was my understanding, that the limit was twice.
I read every “practice squad primer” piece that came out in Sept and all of them said no bringing up a PS player 2 weeks in a row – unless the 2nd week you elevated him to the active roster.
I would download the CBA and comb through it, but it’s Jayson Stanley we’re talking about.
I think when Shaquem did it they just said he couldn’t do it a third time.
No they PS-upped him for the Dallas game and then promoted him to the 53 for the Miami game the next week.
Hat tip to Corbin for doing the research.
Yes can be called up two weeks in a row according to CBA without making the 2nd week a roster addition.
https://twitter.com/CorbinSmithNFL/status/1311062049309388800
Really disappointed there’s no husky game today.
<blockquote
Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet
#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce was fined $12,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct for dunking the ball over the crossbar after scoring a touchdown last week against the #Jets
11:28 AM · Nov 7, 2020
1-I thought celebrations were OK now?
2-The NFL just fined Kelce $12,500 for celebrating, and fined Bostic $12,000 for trying to behead Andy Dalton. I don’t get it.
Makes zero sense
It’s not for no reason. Jimmy Graham almost brought one down 6 years ago. The NFL put a stop to it before one collapsed onto a group of fans, players, or staff.
https://youtu.be/1QL_qec-nR8 (first highlight)
You’re not thinking about the crossbar.
This is classic crossbarphobia.
It’s true. I hate them. And not just the crossbars, but the left upright and the right upright too!
https://twitter.com/James_Dart/status/1320274354446401536
I suspect the fine amount has to do with Kelce being a repeat offender in the unsportsmanlike conduct dept. Not the first time he’s been fined. This is what 4 or 5?
There was the jerkoff signal about the refs, the tossing the flag thing, and at least one more if I remember right.
I imagine the fines go up each time.
That seems logical
Big shout out to the bookies for giving Maryland +26 this week.
Easy money.
These are my favorite type of articles, that address the underlying philosophy to create a cohesive picture. Most of the time that fans and media are frustrated, bye decisions that don’t bring in the guy they want, or even how money is allocated in free agency or resignings, it’s the philosophy that is miss understood and it’s great for fans to be able to piece together the why some things are done that are head scratchers for us not professionally employed bye the team. Developing an ideal of there prototype players at each position, and the idea of how to build a team that peaks at the correct time to win championships (player age, contract status, development) is often forgotten in the world of instant gratification we live in. I feel after being obsessed with such things, after my playing days where over (15 years ago at this point, although I didn’t stop gage fighting until I had kids 7 years ago, quite confident I have a very solid understanding of what they think the recipe for success is. No matter how much thought I’ve put into something, or how knowledgeable I feel about a subject there’s always room to grow, and a chance to morph your ideas. We aren’t after all stating how we think you’d build a championship team, as much as trying to under what they think. I’d personally load my biggest talent on the oline, adefensive line and DB, and the rest of the positions fill with none blue chip money savers. These types of articles are exactly what there is a dearth of, when it comes to trying to understand the why the Hawks do what they do. Probably the best sports article I’ve read in 4 or more years, and nicely done sir.
Desmond Ridder, QB from Cincinnati, looks really good today. He’d be a fantastic understudy to Russ. But it might cost our 2nd round pick to get him, and I think we need that for an OT or DE.
so how we feeling about tomorrow? I don’t have a great feeling for some reason, worried the team comes out flat.
Bills still 6-2, though the bloom seems a bit off of them. Another game without Carson. Will be fun to have Adams back, and you can sense that Dunlap is pretty happy to be on a contender team, so maybe he’ll want to really show up in his first game w the new guys.
Don’t feel like I have a great read on how it’s gonna play out.
I think it’s an interesting game to have before the Rams.
It’s the type of game I’d expect Kansas City, Baltimore and Pittsburgh to win. So if you want to be considered in that tier, you go and win.
I agree with Rob. This is a game that champions win. No real crowd noise to deal with and fantastic weather.
Looking further into teambuilding and comparing the young high draft picks on the DL this year. Excluding the #2 pick C Young ( 2.5 sacks) No rookie has more than 1 sack this year!
Yetur Gros-Matos, K’Lavon Chaisson, and AJ Epenesa are the only ones with a sack this year ( all 3 had 1 sack)
D Brown, J Kinlaw, Z Baun, R Blacklock, R Davis, M Davidson, J Uche, J Okwara, J Zuniga, and T Lewis have all yet to record even 1 sack this year.
Tough year to scout and draft for edge/dl help. Seahawks D Taylor is only 1 sack behind the rookie leaders!
My feeling is that Jamal will want to come out and make a statement, as will Bobby (again!). I think we get our “average” D tomorrow morning and Tyler and David, not DK, will win the day…thanks to DK getting double-teamed. DeeJay will also try to show his worth but it will be Homer that proves it. Gonna be a fun game!
Meant as a respond to pdway above…
not sure we talked about it (maybe I missed it) – but though he seemed tough enough, and good that he didn’t really screw up or anything, Deejay looked SLOW to me, does not look the change-of-pace answer I’d maybe hoped he would be.
I think it was more rookie mistakes on DeeJays’s part (me making excuses for him?) but he seemed to recognize his errors. He isn’t Chris and never will be but I think he is a player and will do ok.
Personally, I’d like to see Alex Collins get a few carries. He looked very good after he initially left a Seattle.
Yeah, well, we’ll see. I just hope he shows up and doesn’t fumble the ball
I’m probably making this up but…..DeeJay seemed like he was intentionally avoiding the hits, giving himself up early, against the 9ers, vs how I saw his limited carries before. My thought was that he had been coached to be careful as he is all we got right now. Which sucks. Damn CEH would look really smart in hawks uni
I don’t think the Seahawks would ever ‘coach’ their running backs to avoid hits.
Unfortunately I just don’t think he has that dog in him.
Golden Tate looking available😳.
I’m pretty sure that’s a no-go for Seattle.
Depending on what you believe one of two things happened:
1) GT had an affair with Wilson’s wife
Or
2) The affair rumor was completely bogus, but Wilson never came out and denied it (for reasons I can only speculate about).
Either way, Tate isn’t coming here if he gets released.
It’s too bad that you’re almost certainly right, that block on Sean Lee was absolutely legendary, probably my favorite Seahawks play of all time, apologies to beast Quake, and DK running down Buddy Baker. They really never have successfully replaced him, but how often does a Hines Ward, Anquan Bolden, Steve Smith type player really come along? Lockett and DK are awesome, but really hope they get Gordon back? The League that allowed Brown, Hill, Hardy, Rice to play can’t just let the stoner catch some passes? I really can’t come up with a reason for the hate boner the League has shown for Gordon or Ricky Williams, pardon the expression compared to much more malicious behavior.
Wydermeyer, TE, Texas A&M…just saying…
Spiller is also another Aggie RB to keep an eye on this year.
Big fan of Wydermeyer too!