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Rob Staton
Hot topics
- Why John Schneider aced the 2025 off-season to energise the Seattle Seahawks
- Video: The Seahawks deserve an A+ for their 2025 draft class
- Day three of the 2025 NFL Draft: Open thread
- Reacting to day two of the draft for the Seahawks
- Day two of the 2025 NFL Draft: Open thread, updated board, possible targets
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Hot topics
- Why John Schneider aced the 2025 off-season to energise the Seattle Seahawks
- Video: The Seahawks deserve an A+ for their 2025 draft class
- Day three of the 2025 NFL Draft: Open thread
- Reacting to day two of the draft for the Seahawks
- Day two of the 2025 NFL Draft: Open thread, updated board, possible targets
Free agent visits today:
Panthers: DE Rasheem Green
Seahawks: DE Mario Addison, DB Damontae Kazee
https://twitter.com/DougKyed/status/1516876051544219648
Great Interview Rob. Always enjoy listening to Tony.
I wonder if more teams will stop sending their people to the combine as it becomes more and more like a circus act. And if that happens, the league should pay attention because the momentum will move back to pro-day workouts, especially if athletes stop participating as well.
Getting quality combine numbers and highlights seems just as helpful as having a live event for keeping the NFL relevant. I also can’t say I’ve watched the combine in years and I love the draft. Putting in on prime time doesn’t really help to be honest. Then I miss the draft weekend, and kicking back and watching all day, playing football in the yard between picks.
I’m the same, don’t watch the combine now at all but I seem glued to the draft. It’s all hype and endless blathering by DJ and company at the combine now and not really that enjoyable.
I find Thursday and Friday evenings to be great times for rounds 1-3 of the draft.
But Saturday, if it is nice out, man, I can’t bring myself to stay in just in order to catch rounds 4-7 live. Ugh. I’ll read the picks later that day.
Bill Burr’s bit on the draft says it all when it comes to the Saturday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e-AHAoz3Rs
Right!
On Saturday I’m usually watching golf (love golf and have all my life) and will have either the CBS or NFL website up to follow along with the draft. Always know when the Seahawks are picking.
Loved the Bill Burr video!
He’s a national treasure, he’s the rob Staton of comedy.
I just refresh this page then Google the player when drafted
I used to love the combine and even when i coukdn’t watch it was great getting all the numbers at once.
This year was very frustrating to refresh links only to realize players weren’t doing the testing.
Before they put the combine on television they couldn’t get anyone to run the 40. After they did it everyone wanted to show how fast they are.
The league did this to themselves.
The frustrating part to me is I think there are ways to have both a media/marketing spectacle and make the combine useful to teams and fans of the nerdy stuff. Pay players to participate (Lord knows the NFL can afford it) and stretch the combine over more days. Like the draft has more than one TV feed. One feed you pay Mayock whatever he wants to talk while the actual drills are going on and being shown. The other feed is more fluff and lots of little spotlight videos telling the personal stories of the players. If the NFL could just get out of its own way a little bit I think there are options for them to have it all.
Rob, Did Tony make you re-think any player evaluations? Dameon Pearce? Zion Johnson? Tyler Smith?
Love it! Great info, the topic of last question is clearly bugging Tony too!! Getting his thoughts and old combine history was sweet.
Trade down seems to be the name of the game. Hope teams come calling and we don’t have to beg…
Worried that Seattle might be stick at nine.
In that case sauce or stingley.
Rob has had me come around on Linderbaum but enjoyed tony’s thoughts on jurgens for value.
I’d be very happy to trade back from the 40s to try and snag one of the last centers; or the third if that’s were Strange, Tom, or Jurgens ends up being valued. Or take them at 41 if that’s were they’ll go, just wait til 2 or 3 go. Maybe it’s a dangerous game, but I just see no reason to overdraft when we have so many holes to fill. If we miss a center, there will still be a good player to pick.
Vinny Curry signing with the Jets. Interesting in light of Tony’s points about o-line being in play for them at 4.
Very enjoyable Rob. Thanks to you and Tony. My sympathies to guys like you and him for whom the combine is business, not a TV show.
Didn’t know he was a Zeppelin fan. Good man.
How can someone NOT be a Zep fan!
You got me my friend.
TomPDX said, “How can someone NOT be a Zep fan!”
The girl who was the victim of the “shark Incident” in Seattle might not be a Led Zeppelin fan anymore.
😂
Either this is sarcasm or you don’t do Twitter cause he likes and posts about them ALL the time!
Don’t do Twatter or any other social media.
Turns out you’re not missing anything
Why did I know that! Actually, the only twitter I see is what people post here. Makes it easier to navigate there.
Same for me on twitter as well.
Same. Twitter is a wasteland overall.
I made sure to go over to YouTube to watch the video and hit the like button. Thanks Rob.
Deebo Samuel news is worth watching…
I’m only watching for his contract numbers. Feels like seattle is extending DK.
I hope we do extend DK. The Deebo news is interesting because he’s a talented weapon on a division rival and it’ll be interesting to see how things play out. Apparently they’re asking for a king’s ransom for a talented, yet part-time player due to injuries.
Apropos of nothing really…
Re: Deebo Samuel. Today NFL dot com had a list of I think ten landing spots for Samuel if he does in fact get traded.
Denver wasn’t on the list. Samuel excels at passes over the middle. Russell Wilson doesn’t favour those passes. Lock might be limited; he may only last a season here, maybe more maybe less. But I’m looking forward to a different passing game with Lock (or whomever) at QB.
What could denver even trade for him?
Duuuude….where you think Russ got his aversion to throwing over the middle?! It’s from Carl Tater Smith and Pete Carroll. Only change in our QB play is going to be for the worse….
Interesting that Tony feels so sure that Cross goes top 10.
Well a lot of people are connecting him to the Giants
At the 6:14 mark, Pauline says he thinks the Panthers take Cross.
No mention of them trading down, as seems plausible.
But if both the Giants and Panthers like Cross, that only helps the Seahawks.
I also noticed that Pauline didn’t talk up (or even mention) Stingley at all.
Perhaps it would be possible to get him in the teens?
Rob didn’t mention his name at all either. Very interesting, Mr. Staton!
I wouldn’t read too much into it. Was on my list of questions but had to be selective.
I didn’t, but still found it interesting that you guys didn’t even mention him.
That film of Sam Williams abusing Cross throughout a game last season should give the Giants pause.
Williams is greased lightning out there. Not a complete rusher at this stage, but as the dude says on the clip, he’s got quicks that can’t be taught.
Apparently a report not a rumor that Lewis Cine is meeting with the hawks I know a lot of might not want to see it but I wonder if tge tradition of letting new coaches get their guy continues and we might be looking at yet another second round safety?
I think this team has a lot if holes but maybe something like:
1. Penning
2. Cine
2. Tindall
3. Jurgens ? Pierce?
4. Clemons -or- Pierce
Hard to see what the safety talks mean plus the free afent safety coming in for a visit.
Jurgens won’t be there for them in R3
Tbf i don’t love a lot of that order.
If you’re right and penning moves to guard then people win’t want to hear this but I’d rather take the great guard prospect in Zion at nine and watch people ment down tgan the tackke who we are hoping is a good guard if tackle doesn’t work.
I guess penning at RT woukd be fine if he can successfully flip sides.
Jurgens probably gone. So are a lot of good safeties by then. Maybe Cine then Jurgens?
Knowing Seattle recently they can’t get any center if tgey can’t trade out of tge first spot. Linderbaum will be gone by round two and I fear they think 41 is too early for Jurgens.
Cine posted it himself on his Instagram. I’ve added him and Danny Gray to the tracker. Thanks to those who passed on the info at the end of last thread. Keep ’em coming!
Seahawks visits/meeting/interest Tracker
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J3d023YdKp9MFv7OQTy0YTssJ65qLd_aB0UJFGVHxPY/edit?usp=sharing
Great work Sea Mode
Cheers mate!
And again I fantasize that Adams gets traded……………
We can dream.
the interest in safety is, odd, to say the least.
I mean, we still have both Neal and Blair behind our two starters, right?
I realize that 3 of those guys are injured, but it still seems like a poor use of resources to spend *another* high pick on a guy who you hope wont be starting for you… at a position you’ve already overly invested in.
It actually sucks that they’ve spent so much, drafted so much, and still could use an upgrade/hedge against injury.
Wait…are you talking about safety?
Or Linebacker?
Or Running Back?
Seems like they’ve pinpointed the 3 positions that everyone else values the least, and spent a questionable amount of resources into them.
Sadly just the safety position.
But yeah all three could count as upgrades.
If there’s a grown up in the room he doesn’t get traded cause he can’t but sadly/hopefully someone acknowledges there’s a good chance you can’t count on him except blitzes. Or playing.
Will celebrate if Adams is traded
I think we all will. We may actually prance around and bellow!!! 😉
Agree with all of the above
Thank you for pulling this doc together all these years.
No Channing Tindall/Leo Chenal/Quay Walker.
I see this as further evidence as a Desai influence into the Cover 4 look with two deep safeties and a box safety.
I think the amount of money we have invested in the Safety room right now is absurd and far too much, however…
If they truly want to be able to run the Cover 4 that was so successful against the Rams they definitely need more depth.
It was interesting that he kept bringing up gardener, i wonder if he has some inside info on stingley.
I found that interesting as well. I still don’t know what to think of Gardner tbh. I see him riding the hype train, while Stingley is playing the role of overcomer.
I did listen to Lance Zierline on the Athletic podcast say the Texans have been doing a lot of work on Stingley.
They might trade up for him
Pelissero on Eisen talking about Deebo.
He does not want to be the RB/WR weapon.
https://twitter.com/RichEisenShow/status/1516847757851435009
Thanks for posting. I’m a Deebo fan as I’m sure many of us are, just as a player. Will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Rob, with the Mario Addison visit, I wonder if he is a hedge just in case the Seahawks do not get their man in the draft. Here’s a physical size comparison for Addison with a guy that I found was close to him:
Mario Addison: 6’3″ 251 pounds with 33.5 inch arms
Cameron Thomas: 6’4″ 264 pounds with 33 and 1/8 arms.
Addison ran a 4.7 40 yard dash and Thomas had been injured during the pre-draft process with a hamstring injury. But Thomas he had 20.5 tackles for losses, 11.5 sacks, and one forced fumble, and was named 2nd Team All-American, 1st-Team All-Mountain West, and MWC Defensive Player of the Year. Maybe someone on the radar?
Thomas actually has 32.5 inch arms
He had a nice 4.25 short shuttle but didn’t do any testing and got hurt at the Senior Bowl so hard to really work him out as a prospect
Where do you see that he has 32.5 inch arms? I was using PFN’s profile of him that they posted yesterday
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/cameron-thomas-san-diego-state-de-nfl-draft-scouting-report-2022/
Combine measurement, Senior Bowl measurement and per Dane Brugler’s draft guide his pro day measurement were all sub-32 inches
Apart from his wingspan of just 79in, I actually like what I see with Cameron Thomas. Not far behind Williams, he tested with a hamstring injury. As you will play play lot of games banged up in the NFL, I value competitive toughness. He is also still filling out his body. He reminds me a lot about Maxx Crosby, Anthony Nelson and Sam Hubbard. I think, late R2 he might be a better prospect mid term than say George Karlaftis.
I expect a team like the Chargers or Bills to pick him, where he can develop for a year. Perfect places.
I still think, that a premium pass rusher is the way to go, because we have to fix the defense, first. Numerous teams rebuilt their OL with mid and late round flyers. I would trade with the Giants to get one, but have the feeling, This and/or Johnson could be available at #9.
If Ojabo is there in R2, and we haven’t picked a DE in R1, I cannot see how we possibly could pass.
You definitely pass
You can’t launch a fresh start with a player who won’t take the practise field until 2023
You need your new core out there establishing this thing as soon as possible
Ojabo may never work out after this. That’s a luxury good teams can roll the dice on
The Seahawks can’t
To file away for 2023 or 2024
Sean Payton was courted by outside teams this offseason
https://youtu.be/yFeeqTY9Gys
Always good to know the truth…no matter how obfuscated it is. This youtube link let me to this…for something completely different. If you’ve never watch the SEC Shorts videos, you’re missing some good content. This for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjEynp0ji6Y
Payton gonna go to the Cowpukes I’m afraid. One of the things I most don’t want to see in the NFL is Dallas getting actually competitive for Super Bowls and that could well happen with Payton there.
Rob, are you planning on doing a live stream during the draft?
Positional-value be damned: If you can’t get an edge rusher, take Jordan Davis at #9. He’s the freakiest nose tackle prospect I’ve ever seen- more athletic than Vita Vea or Dontari Poe.
Love this time of year, thanks Rob!
QB: Drew Lock, Jack Coan (5)
LT: Duane Brown (FA), Stone Forsythe
LG: Phil Haynes, Jake Curhan
C: Austin Blythe, Cole Strange (3)
RG: Damien Lewis, Jake Curhan
RT: Abraham Lucas (2), Stone Forsythe
RB1: Rashaad Penny, Dameon Pierce (3)
RB2: DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer
HB: Nick Bellore, Will Dissly
TE: Noah Fant, Colby Parkinson
WR1: Tyler Lockett, Dee Eskridge
WR2: DK Metcalf, Freddie Swain
LEO: Darrell Taylor, Alton Robinson
DT: Shelby Harris, Poona Ford
NT: Al Woods, Bryan Mone
DE: Carlos Dunlap (FA), Michael Clemons (4)
SAM: Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe (1)
MIKE: Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton
WILL: Channing Tindall (2), Joel Iyiegbuniwe
NKL: Marquise Blair, Justin Coleman
RCB: Artie Burns, Cam Taylor-Britt (4)
LCB: Sidney Jones, Tre Brown
FS: Quandre Diggs, Ugo Amadi
SS: Jamal Adams, Ryan Neal
I heartily agree Zane. But most on here do not….
I don’t think that’s true. It seems like a lot of including rob really like Davis.
Seattle has never really spent on dlinemen though. I just seems like something they wouldn’t do. I’d much prefer jordan davis over a lot of bad choices they could make.
I don’t know why you’ve written that
Everyone likes Jordan Davis
It’s valid to question the likelihood of Seattle drafting him
Jurgens has fantastic game speed. Ferocious and easily hits the 2nd level. I think Ebiketie could be a solid 1st round option on trade down. Cameron Thomas has limited tape but looks like a great player out of San Diego State. Troy Anderson w 2nd round pick please. Fantastic interview Rob!
Was it Ebiketie who’s 10 yard split was poor-ish?
He ran a 1.69 according to Brugler’s draft file
First off, excellent interview Rob. Love seeing
these.
Is there a player or two, who you think you might value higher than the rest of the league?
Not Rob, but from his comments I think one of them has gotta be Abraham Lucas from Wazzu…although others finally seem to be catching on to this guy.
No idea. I’d have to speak to multiple people in the league
Always love to hear from Tony Pauline.
Another great interview, Was a great listen.
Perfect timing with the draft only a week away.
Was interesting listening about the possible difficulty in trading down.
Especially if we did trade DK.
With the depth of the draft; I think I’d prefer #35, 38, 69, & a 2023 2nd, Vrs Pick #10 & 38.
The overall value would be slightly less, but not by alot.
I believe those 4 picks would be difficult for JS to say no to, but just don’t think the Jets would go that high. So I definitely think Metcalf stays. Either way it will be an interesting 7 days.
Thanks for all the constant content. It’s been invaluable in this offseason of change.
Maybe what the league should do is let the players wear whatever they want at the underwear Olympics and let the agents sell ad space like NASCAR.
…And this stare down with JS was brought to you by Smart Water.
Decided to try a PFN simulator and did a trade down to #16 with the Saints and picked up a 2nd rounder. If only the real draft was a giving as the simulator.
16.Devin LloydLB Utah
41.Abraham Lucas OT Washington State
49.Sam Williams EDGE Mississippi
64.Cameron Jurgens OC Nebraska
72.Cam Taylor-Britt CB Nebraska
85.Dameon Pierce RB Florida
96.Micheal Clemons EDGE Texas A&M
109.Calvin Austin III WR Memphis
127.Rasheed Walker OT Penn State
151. Percy Butler S Louisiana
153.Jack Coan QB Notre Dame
Looks better than pfn’s own latest mock draft……
In keeping with move from other posters and not including the link because it was a burning pile of garbage in the last PFN mock that came out yesterday…….
9. Kenny Pickett….because the writer couldn’t see just geno and lock so they think we should draft a guy at nine who would most likely not be top ten in any year even the year ej manuel was a first round pick (2013 ?)
40. Chad Muma. Early name from rob but second round? Come on man. I don’t want this to feel like aby dig in muma but there are a good deal of very explosive LB’s to draft before muma who i don’t see any early second round style buzz about.
41. Bernard Raiman, OT. This I actually worry about. Not the person who did this mock. But that Seattle has 0-1 (curhan maybe) tackles on the team seattle is going to get weird and run not walk to the podium for “their guy,” the problem will be their guy is going to be a Raiman or Max Mitchell.
I would throw up if those were the first three picks.
I think we’d all have to pick a new team to follow at least for next year if it went like that.
If they “get cute” again, then that mock is an accurate representation of what could happen.
My first thought as well. Wouldn’t put anything stupid past these people anymore.
I tried a ‘4D chess’ draft and I could only get 4 picks in before I shut it off
13. Sam Williams EDGE Mississippi
41. Lewis Cine S Georgia
47. Greg Dulcich TE UCLA
72. Daniel Faalele OT Minnesota
Switch Dulcich for a reciever and there’s a scary chance you could “win,” sdb mock draft competition.
True. I guess they don’t need 5 TEs since there won’t be many victory formations this year.
https://i.redd.it/15u67mmyz2x51.jpg
Ha!
I do think Muma is a bit under the radar nationally. I don’t think he makes it past Denver in the back of R2.
For seattle though? At 40? I’d honestly hope not.
It’d be a bit reachy for starters, but there also could be a big run on LBs in early R2.
I did something similar. Dump the first round, tap into the rich second round and build even more stock for 2023.
Chicago offered 39, 48 and their first round pick in 2023 for #9. Couldn’t say no. They take Ekwonu.
Minnesota offered their 2023 third round to move up from #46 to #41. They take Travis Jones.
Seahawks have 3 first round picks with two of them likely to be in the top 15 (CHI, SEA, DEN), 2 second round picks, 2 third round picks, a fourth, 2 fifths, a sixth and a seventh next year. Twelve total picks. A war chest of $61million of cap room. They’re loaded for bear.
39. Boye Mafe EDGE Minnesota
40. Abraham Lucas OT Washington State
46. Cameron Jurgens OC Nebraska
48. Devonte Wyatt DT Georgia
72. Channing Tindall LB Georgia
109. Zamir White RB Georgia
145. Wan’Dale Robinson WR Kentucky
153. Tariq Castro-Fields CB Penn State
229. Percy Butler S Louisiana
2023 CHI 1st
2023 MIN 3rd
Seems so easy to get quality players on the simulators doesn’t it.
I like this general approach. Overlooking specific players available on a simulator, it seems like the best attribute of this draft is Day 2 depth. Moving out of the first entirely wouldn’t be a bad idea, especially if they can acquire more picks for the 2023 draft.
I don’t think the team should focus on the 2022 season at all. Losing a lot of games next year is probably the best outcome. If they can add some developmental guys in this draft, work on rebuilding the lines and creating a foundation, it would set them up for the next few years.
This is particularly true if the top of the draft works out like Rob and others predict, with the top 4 passrushers off the board by pick #9.
Finally got to listen to it this morning on my drive. Great interview! Love Tony and it was nice to hear his thoughts on Cam Jurgens. He is still one of my favorite guys in this years draft. Would not be mad about getting him in Rd. 2.
Of the centers, he’s my favorite. I don’t know why, but he just looks the part of a top NFL center. Great frame, great footwork, great testing. I’m not sure what more you’d want.
Agree. Rob has a historically great eye for olinemen and he’s got ne convinced Linderbaum would be a great fit for Seattle. But if they could get Jurgens I think I’d be pretty happy about that.
I would take Jurgens over Linderbaum. Go watch Wisconsin game, and you will see Linderbaum got beat by Cleo Chenal over and over again. Hawks should resist the temptation for all the shinny toys and just draft Lucas & Jurgens with their day 2 picks.
I wonder if Cole Strange stock is falling.
I had the same thought. In my mind I keep relating them to last year’s centers for better or worse. Linderbaum is Dickerson, an imperfect late 1st rounder. Jurgens is Humphrey, the best athlete and maybe best in the class at C. Strange is Meinerz, small school and built hype early and is now fading. Not impossible they go in similar ranges
And also draft Leo Chenal 🙂
Of the nonGA LB’s: Chenal, Andersen, Muma who’s preferred?
Personally, I’d go Chenal, Mumma, Andersen. I’d take Chenal over the UGa LBs as well. Just me, maybe.
Andersen, Chenel, then Muma for me. Chenel not the best in coverage. Andersen is the real deal which means he will go to the Niners or Rams
The names we brought in for visits are interesting..
Addison seems better than Green. He had 1 less sack than Green but on roughly half the snaps, and a PFF rating of 61 compared to Greens 50. Could be a good guy to grab if he’s cheap and we prioritize OL/LB early.
Kazee used to be a Nickel Corner before he was moved to safety.
Some competition for Diggs and Coleman.
Competion for Blair, sorry..
I think we should prepare ourselves for 1-2 unfavorable trends this draft season:
1. Other teams either unwilling to trade up into the top 10, or doing so but paying a below-average premium; and
2. A lot of teams wanting to trade into the bottom of the first round, which could raise the premium needed to get into one of those spots.
If you don’t have any QBs that truly warrant a top 10 pick, then who is any team targeting as a must-have? Seattle may find low interest in the #9 pick unless someone like Thibodeaux or Sauce Gardner (or Stingley maybe) drop that far.
Meanwhile, if a QB-needy team wants to trade up into the 25-32 range to grab a QB and thus secure a 5th season option, and if Pickett, Willis, Corral etc. are still out there at that point, the teams who currently own those slots – but don’t need a QB, or prefer to wait until 2023 – might be able to trade them at above-average compensation.
Obviously that’s a lot of ifs, I’m just saying I don’t like the way this draft seems to be shaking out.
You’re not wrong. But your third point:
“If you don’t have any QBs that truly warrant a top 10 pick, then who is any team targeting as a must-have? Seattle may find low interest in the #9 pick unless someone like Thibodeaux or Sauce Gardner (or Stingley maybe) drop that far.”
Sure, they might not be offering nearly as much as the trade value chart might suggest, but when you trade THAT pick down you may be doing a deal with a team for a quarterback. I did a PFN the other day where I was able to trade down from #9 to #11, took Penning, traded up and got Tyler Linderbaum, and still got Channing Tindall.
I mean two spots.
I read the other day somebody stumping for trading up into the low first round for David Ojabo. I can’t find it but it’s around here somewhere.
The thought was that the Seahawks are playing for 2023 anyway, so why not take a shot on a top-15 talent and get the 5th year option so you still get 4 years of team control?
Besides the enormous risk in taking a player with an Achilles injury that high vs the Seahawks crying need for talent all over the roster, there’s another problem with it that just occurred to me.
The 5th year option is worthless unless Ojabo plays in 6 games in 2022, which has about a 0-2% chance of happening.
Why? If Ojabo is PUP all season this year – like Darryl Taylor was in 2020 – it changes his free agency status in 2026 from unrestricted to restricted. The Seahawks could then tender him at the first round level which would be roughly half the cost of the 5th year option.
So trading up into the low first has no value.
If fans really want to put Ojabo and the Seahawks together, him sliding down the board and the Seahawks having surplus picks from trading down is probably the only way it happens.
I have never taken him in a mock.
I know it’s shortsighted, but I just can’t get excited about the thought of drafting Ojabo.
We’re not likely to be very good this year, but we need to start building something new. That means getting guys that can play this year, and that fans can get excited about.
I’m drained by everything PC / JS have done over the last five years, but I’m still optimistic they can build something up again. They just need to nail this draft and start building some positive momentum.
I really, really hope they don’t screw it up.
Press Conference with John Schneider and Pete Carroll in 3 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgrT9weE68E
Pre-Draft Press Conf with Pete Carroll & John Schneider
No cardboard cutouts. That’s a good start.
JS: Thanks for coming. Before we get going, thank yous in draft process. People extremely important in org. Trent Kirschner, Matt Barry, Kirk Parrish, Aaron Nineline, etc. (forgive my spelling) Huge process to get everything set up. Draft entertainment, these guys’ livelihood. Typing reports, passion for team’s future really awesome to see. Different sets of meetings finishing up today, coach joining us Fri/Sat to tweak some things. Thanks medical staff, physicals, questions, last medical meeting last night, lost a couple players, gained a couple players. Video guys, cutups, building libraries for us. Thank coaching staff, collaboration off the charts, get together this weekend. All the way through FA, awesome. Gonna have a great weekend here. Certain energy in the building, refreshness and juice. Juice and energy of coaching staff, which you could feel it being in a team meeting. Really cool juice going on.
When you make tough decision to move on from players, understand. Great place here. Ownership, fans, facilities, have everything we need. Corporate sponsorships, marketing, outreach people. Great to have everyone back in here. Feel that from players. Core and culture.
Currently have 8 picks, 4 in top 72, real excitement and enthusiasm about that. Watching TV about NFC West’s problems. Brings me back to the 2012, overdrafted, problems with everything. Giving us F’s, etc but we were super excited, knew where we were headed. Loaded with competition.
Penny, Dissly, Diggs, Woods, signed, Uchenna, Artie, Q Jeff, Coleman, Blythe, Joel from Bears…guys added in trade, Lock, Fant, Harris, excited for those guys, guys you haven’t seen yet, Barton, Tre Brown, Blair, Eskridge, Parkinson, Forsythe, guys you haven’t seen yet. Excited for competition.
A ton of love & respect for the guy next to me. Never been around anyone that’s instilled confidence like PC.
PC: Players coming back really has energized the building. Really fun to get going. Pumped up. Draft, new players added to that.
[q] 2012 first time since top half draft?
JS: Will be different, haven’t exp since 2010, lot of planning, thoughts, scenarios, may pick at 9 may not, don’t know yet. Help FB team as much as we can. EXciting but not necessarily place you want to draft in.
[q] 2 seconds flexiblity?
JS: Big part of trade, esp this year’s draft, the way things look to us. Be able to move around if we deem necessary.
[q] Trade back into first round, easier to find partner someone looking for QB?
JS: Usually experience it in back of round, people pretty urgent, can tell when speaking to people. Yeah, level of urgency teams can have. Picking in top 10, we’re not used to that, get through meetings, Mon-Tue-Wed on horn with everyone figuring things out, where to go.
[q] Top-10 pick again?
PC: Different level of excitement. Be interested ot see how other people see it. Will others come chasing the spot. Looking forward to it.
[q] Geno Smith back?
PC: Real important, great background with us. Helps young QBs transition. Feels good, real excited about op.
[q] Geno change QB plans?
JS: No
[q] Draft class overall?
JS: Quietness about it, make people feel anxious or calm. Not a lot of buzz right now. Happened in past, year Locker and Ponder went, they all went high.
[q] Phone ring more at 9?
JS: No. Stays the same. People know we’re very open to moving around.
[q] COVID year change this draft depth?
JS: Great Q. Knew last year, wouldn’t have test answers, limited access. Primary reasons besides Jamal being great FB player, to make trade. This year, less impactfulness, but more quality.
[q] Since combine, changed much?
JS: Nothing I want to share. LOL
[q] QBs in class, not pro style, how were they with mental stuff?
PC: Guys really invested, raised well. Regardless of style of offense, prepared. Held their own with John’s guys and coaches. Guys been really impressive. Style not a factor. Know what they need to know.
[q] Difference in guys pro style and spread?
PC: Transitions quickly for the most part, not a factor.
[q] Two point stance vs others?
PC: Depends on system. Three point stance different deal from two. Depends on program.
[q] Longer to develop OL than years ago?
PC: I don’t think so. Don’t feel like it’s that big a deal.
[q] Forsythe and Curhan influenced not FA’s or draft?
JS: Jake played last year. Stone LT in SEC vs Georgia. Played big boy football, knows what it’s all about. Study these OL, different systems, up tempo, run the ball, know what these guys are doing. Couple schools have lighter OL because tempo faster. Watch all those games, been in there for months.
Based on the QB Answer, I think JS thinks QB’s will be off the board quicker than most people expect.
These last two answers on OL, especially John’s rambling non-answer, really has me thinking LT with the first pick.
[q] Future of combine?
JS: no, not yet. Combine always have guys do their own thing. Majority extremely excited to be invited.
[q] Lean on guys worked with in college?
PC: Yeah, use connections we have. Info exchange as valuable as anything you can get. Using every asset you have.
[q] Transfer portal changes it?
PC: Getting ready for free agency early!
JS: Watching pass rushers, OL kept getting beat by the guy, had same jersey number because of transfer portal. Area scouts asking how handle it.
PC: Impact of guys getting paid at 17-18, won’t know until couple generations come through. Rattled cages of college world. No way to see impact yet. No doubt it will. Recruiting HS juniors, how much will they make in college, effect? Can’t predict.
[q] Drew Lock impression?
PC: Really excited new energy of club. Energy he can feel about his opp. Upbeat, very comfortable with things so far. Open to say that and express. New lease on life, take full adv. Excited to see how he fits.
[q] BPA or need changed over years?
JS: No, it’s the way our grading scale is, adjusted things. Our scale is like Al Davis, Ron Wolfe combined. Includes drafting for your team, not necessarily the league. We draft for our team, not how the league feels about people, that’s how you get in trouble.
[q] DK?
PC: Still rehabbing from surgery. Very focused on what’s going on. Good mentality about return. Convo’s about future, haven’t really been talking directly.
[q] Carson?
PC: Just have to wait. No real update at this time. Have to buy some time.
[q] DK So young?
PC: Engaged in the process, knows his teammates looking at him. Process to watch him emerge, bigger factor. Ready to assume that role more so.
[q] DK’s foot?
PC: Clean an old surgery up.
[q] Diggs and Adams?
PC: Great, excited, really positive. Both maintaining rehab. Maximize crucial weeks. Connecting and zooming, working out great.
[q] Coaching meetings w new D staff?
JS: Scouts came in get together with new staffs. Didn’t delay that process. Spend a ton of time with Clint and Sean and Karl. Haven’t done that before. Great idea by PC.
PC: Competitive mentality, see new things through their eyes, energy about that. John embraced that. Fascinating interesting guys, helping us, challenging us which is great.
[q] New faces influence draft process?
PC: I don’t know, cool to hear things about the way they describe things we’ve seen over hte years. Keep us on our toes, it’s great.
[q] 32″ length on corners no longer?
JS: Take what you can get! LOL
PC: Helps guys play but not everyone has it. I’ve become more flexible with the thought. Recognizing different talents. Tre good example. See it, still love it!
[q] More 3-4 change your draft?
JS: Sure
PC: Some subtleties to it. Clint, Sean, Karl background. Working to expand, get better, you’ll see us being effected by the new outlook.
[q] Trade of RW judged by picks, draft picks pan out, cross your mind pressure?
JS: Yeah, excitement of it. Coaches getting hands on new players, accentuating strengths. Excitement to it.
PC: Outsiders look at numbers in past, we look at where they can go under our guidance. Exciting part of this, project forward, base evaluations down the road. Put our own touch and draw out things in guys.
JS: Excitement knowing how Pete effects people, staff and players. Cool thing to see to see how they perform and project.
PC: We’re looking for what we think they can do for our own team. Includes way we look at particular player. Looking for something special. Not stick in a box or style. Enhance what they bring.
[q] Exciting making the draft call?
JS: Amazing, esp for myself have opp of lifetime then hand phone to PC.
[q] 2012 draft parallel, pivotal point, this year turning point?
JS: Yeah. Energy, the way we feel, where we are. Feel awesome about it. Excitement. Underdog feeling, refreshing and fun. Concentrated on people again.
PC: Not drafted real high in a long time. Takes us back.
[q] Reassure fanbase?
JS: (laughs)
PC: Sure!
JS: Growing up in GB, every day were Packers better. Everybody doing everything we can every single day to grow a championship caliber FB team. Fans need to be reassured. 24/7 process.
[q] Other draft phone calls remember the most?
PC: Bruce cool one for me personally. Lot of hard stuff. Big challenges. Missed him as a Trojan. We ‘won’ that one, finally got him.
JS: Russell’s call. Huge one. Russell Okung, sorry. LOL
[q] Maintain edge as scouts move to other teams?
JS: Learning from successes and mistakes, keep ship as tight as possibly can. Come into our draft room, info stays there. Trust level. Lot of people exposure to our board. Only way maintain edge.
[q] Duane Brown?
PC: Still talking, have not moved on.
JS: Still a lot of high quality guys out there right now haven’t found market.
[q] Why?
JS: Guys have confidence in ability, waiting for right team and right time. Guys really good with money can wait until training camp, what happens. Happened to KJ last year, Aug 1 I think.
[q] Assure fans last statement about energy?
JS: Not new, since we walked through the doors.
PC: Not changed. Every opp, excited to show you again, prove it to you ready to go for it. Battling every step of the way. Re-emphasize important.
JS: Post-COVID energy natural, things feel back to normal.
PC: Effected by change, in a lot of ways. Maybe we will look at the combine differently, a few more guys this time around. Local workout, number of guys said they weren’t going to run, stopped the meeting for me. “You’re going to stop showing the Seahawks what you can do?” Guys ended running.
I can’t believe this happened:
JS: Russell’s call. Huge one. Russell Okung, sorry. LOL
Childish
I mean OK, you hold a grudge because he left like he left, but Wilson is still one of the best players you ever had if not the best. Very low class to start making this kind of jokes.
Jody chose us over you, neener, neener, neener.
[q] Draft class overall?
JS: Quietness about it, make people feel anxious or calm. Not a lot of buzz right now. Happened in past, year Locker and Ponder went, they all went high.
Yikes, cuz that worked out so well…
Cha, how many words per minute do you type?
Gotta be in the 120 range. Seriously.
I prefer reading cha notes on press conference because they better. Press conference many time can’t hear question. Especially how good is Bobby.
“Primary reasons besides Jamal being great FB player, to make trade”
Who’s this Jamal that’s a “great” football player that he’s talking about?
“We draft for our team, not how the league feels about people”
Yes, we know. That’s been a real problem for some time now John.
Nice!! I was thumbing mine out while you were posting yours.
I’m on a laptop. If I were on my phone I’d still be thumbing. LOL
Draft for your team not how the league feels about a player that’s how you get into trouble.
Okie dokie john. The team sucked last year. It’s OK to draft players that most think are good.
Good ole Hawks hubris. Two men’s treasure is everyone else’s trash.
Just sucks that it is football and not “storage wars,” where you’re hoping to strike gold on unknown treasure.
Nope, we gotta prove we’re smarter than everyone else.
A statement like that just reinforces what I strongly believe is coming, another draft where they reach a round early for too many guys and the team continues to be filled by average at best football players or worse, some more LJ Collier types.
Only Jamal is “pumped up” or “fired up” enough. Russ and Bobby weren’t fired up enough anymore, so they had to go.
If i was getting paid what he was getting paid to go to work 12 days a year and do cartwheels near my fellow employees while they were working i’d be so jacked and pumped i’d probably give myself an aneurysm.
Pete will cling to Jamal for at least one year too long to try to justify the trade which means 3 more seasons of peacocking, coffee cups, business decisions and injuries.
When Pete says Jamal is a great football player, it’s like he’s using a politician’s strategy where if you state something is the truth often enough, even when it isn’t, people will eventually believe it to be.
But he’s still a difference maker in the fashion world! Who else could bring back tie-dye sweaters?
Alan!!
John all but said they want to trade back from 9. Might as well start looking at players between 12-20.
Just remember, they were literally whining like 2 months ago about not having a top 10 pick for a number of years
With how John likes to wheel and deal, he most likely isn’t worried about missing out on the PLAYER in the top 10, but the draft capital.
Don’t worry guys. PCJS are going to accomplish a daring and heroic draft in their own particular…idiom.
Reading the tea leaves the way things hit me from this Press Conf
1-They said ‘juiced’ and ‘energy’ and ‘excited’ their requisite 25x each but I didn’t feel it. The combine Press Conf was big decisions and we were arrogant on defense. The post-RW trade and Bobby cut PC was new era of Seahawks football and second chances. They seemed flat this time out.
2-Why? I think the Russ trade adrenaline has worn off and now reality is setting in.
I think they know Lock isn’t much, Geno isn’t much and this draft doesn’t have answers. Pete was asked about Lock first impressions and he just relayed things Lock said to him, not his impressions or his real feeling on him. Same with Geno. We wanted experience. But Geno doesn’t change our QB plans at all. And then the draft. JS Invoking the Locker/Ponder draft shows they probably don’t view anyone as a first round prospect. Pete mentions the QBs in this draft can adapt but I don’t see them taking a QB with a pick in the top two rounds.
3-What do the new defensive guys bring to the team? Oh no. Shades of the Waldron answer last year. Pete says they bring a fresh way of saying things they already know. Have we dumped the ‘arrogance’ quote on its backside already?
4-If anyone can explain to me why JS and PC thought having the scouts come in and talk to the new coaching staff was a revolutionary idea, you’re smarter than I am. They said they’d never done that before? I’m sorry, what? No wonder you guys moved Lewis to LG, have tried to convert Blair to a new position a couple times, and think dropping your best pass rushers in coverage is a good idea.
5-They’re going to be extremely active trading around in this draft. They hung their sign out. Open for business.
6-Injuries. Ugh. Carson is cooked. It’s just a matter of if he’s a June 1 cut right after the draft or in training camp. Adams and Diggs seem to be offsite rehabbing and aren’t in touch with the team. Pete didn’t have much in the way of specifics on them. Tried to cover it with Pete speak but it doesn’t sound assuring.
7-Still no formal contact with DK’s agent. Hmm. Very interesting. I still think they want to see how the draft and the cap works out and are set on doing an extension this summer.
8-Duane Brown wants more money than the Seahawks feel comfortable giving at this time.
9-It’s possible they feel like they do not have to be too picky about an OL’s college system in the draft. They can work with players that were primarily two-point stance guys if the other parameters they like are in line.
Totally agree Cha, this is such great input and resource on the presser.
Pete seemed as normal as ever and John looked visibly nervous to me, even speaking about preparing the night before for the press conference with his wife. He’s feeling the pressure for some reason. I did like how Pete said he owes it to the fans to show they can still win the draft, I hope that’s real and not just talk.
You’re the best, thanks again!
Point #9:
Have they ever had a oline turn out better than expected? Not being facetitiou.
Germaine Ifedi doesn’t like your question.
Point #6 – The injury situation with Diggs and the peacock is concerning to be sure, Petey speak or not. Now I get why we are yet again seeing them ,looking at the Safety position in the draft.
Thank you for your assessment of the presser cha. Those first few points are very depressing and I have little doubt you’re right about this stuff.
Gonna be a long half decade minimum I’m afraid.
Fantastic, cha.
“Run It Back” seems to have run its course, yet they don’t seem ready to admit that this is almost a complete rebuild, maybe because of all the juice allegedly present around the building. Lots of juice. Ron Popeil levels of juice.
I just want to say, it’s still not too late to fire these guys, hire a new regime over the weekend and then get out there and with new juice next week and really hammer the draft. It won’t happen, but what a mistake to bring these two back.
Also, because of the “using the connections” they have quote, predicting that Sam Williams will be their first pick in the draft – somewhere after 20 and before 40.
Very juicy post Gross
The juice is loose.
Point #7
From Feb. 22
“DK Metcalf has elected for new representation following the completion of his sophomore NFL season. Previously represented by Todd France and Ben Renzin, Metcalf is now in agreement with Tory Dandy, the Co-Head of CAA Sport’s football division….
…One could speculate DK and his representation will contend for a number around $20 million per year, a competitive rate compared to the NFL’s other dominant receivers. Metcalf comes as an addition to an already impressive client list claimed by CAA, including Marshon Lattimore, Chris Godwin, and former Rebels teammate A.J. Brown.”
http://sportsagentblog.com/2021/02/22/dk-metcalf-transitions-to-new-representation/
161 total comments. 22 by Big Mike alone, 12 of them relentlessly negative. BM and BobbyK have ruined the joy of reading Seahawks Draft Blog for many of us, turning the comments section into ESPN.com/BleacherReport level negativity and trolling.
Love your writing, Rob but find myself looking for alternate options so I don’t have to read the verbal diarrhea from those two.
Well, looking at the records, this is your second comment on the blog.
So if you’re unhappy with Big Mike posting 13.6% of the comments and 7.4% of them are negative in one singular posts’ comments section — why not post more? Express your views?
I also find it a little bit strange, with respect, that you are ‘looking for alternatives’ if you enjoy the content but 22 of 161 comments are not to your satisfaction. I mean, what do you want me to say? I’ll stop Mike posting because you don’t agree with him?
The franchise is at a crossroads here. There are going to be optimists and pessimists.
You’re just going to have to accept that I’m afraid.
I could definitely post more and counter the negativity. I’ll totally accept that as a failing on my part but this isn’t a single post. You can go back for at least 12 months and BM found some way to repeat the same whiny comments about Jamal Adams. The post could be about punters or long snappers and we’d see the same 20 personal attacks and criticisms of Adams. Or his hatred of Pete Carrol because PC didn’t want to contribute to BM’s book. It gets really old. This place didn’t used to be about name-calling, personal attacks like we saw from BobbyK and occasionally from BM. Maybe it’s just the state of the world and I have to accept it. And I don’t mean this as a personal attack – I’m sure BM is a nice dude in the real world.
Personally, I’ve been enjoying Rob’s writing much more when the Wilson trade created some optimism and a more hopeful tone. I’ll focus on the posts and not the comments going forward.
I’ve spoken to Bob about that and he has taken it on board. Big Mike has not come close, in my opinion, to overstepping the mark. He is allowed to be negative, just as you’re allowed to be optimistic. For me it’s a bit rich, to be honest, to complain that someone posts too much of an opinion you disagree with when you’ve only posted twice — ever – in the comments section yourself.
As for preferring my optimistic tone. I don’t really know what you expect there either. Is there a lack of optimism in this article?? Hardly. It’s not my job to keep your spirits up throughout the off-season. I write about what I feel — positive or negative – on a free blog, in my spare time.
All this ‘too positive’ or ‘too negative’ or ‘not positive enough for my liking’ stuff I just don’t have any time for. I am going to write about what I think. In this instance it’s that they might draft Trevor Penning with their top pick and I wouldn’t be a big fan of that. I have some concerns about them falling into the trap of trying to fill out a roster instead of just going BPA. I’m also going to reserve judgement on PCJS until next week when I see what they actually do.
That’s the right position to have.
Please come back after game 17
Yeah, Big Mike, we don’t even have a quarterback yet and it’s like you’ve already given up – at least, for 45% of the time. Come on, man! Be more positive and win forever!
I for one appreciate those that contribute regularly like Big Mike. That’s what makes this a community and when I post I look forward to others jumping on and sharing their thoughts like we’re all hanging out at the local pub.
What we don’t normally see is a regular poster get called out by name. If you have counter arguments to posts or ideas that’s a great time to challenge opinions but I’d personally rather see 100 posts with constructive opinions about the Hawks than 1 negative post about another person on this blog.
Great recap, Cha. Much appreciated.
Like you I was surprised when they said that they haven’t had the coaches and scouts together before. That is a stunner to me. How do you justify that?
Really hoping that is just something that was meant differently than it came across.
“We stick our thumbs up our butts for our team, not how the league feels about people.”
I am a no for Penning, there is no way I can handle the amount of holding penalties that we had with Ifedi, drove me nuts!
I hope we trade back and pick up Zion Johnson, I wouldn’t be disappointed with Cine at 40, doubt he falls that far, we would have to move up for him, super athletic downhill hammer! One of my fav players.