Author: Rob Staton (Page 2 of 419)

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This wasn’t an easy off-season. The Seahawks faced a number of challenges that could easily have capsized their boat into Lake Washington. To say GM John Schneider has made it look easy is an understatement. The effectiveness with which he dealt with a testing few months is evident by the way nobody really seems to be acknowledging how difficult it was.

Let’s just remember where the Seahawks were in early January. They’d missed the playoffs again and faced the prospect of firing their offensive coordinator after a shambolic offensive performance in 2024. Everyone knew a situation was looming with Geno Smith and DK Metcalf’s contracts. The fan base and media were demanding improvements to the offensive line.

Big questions were emerging as to how Schneider would handle the decisions that needed to be made and whether he could set the Seahawks on a better path to future success.

What he has achieved has been emphatic both in execution and in the way it has come with a minimum of fuss. I’m sure internally there have been some enormous challenges, sleepless nights and fraught moments. Yet to those on the outside, they’ve got a lot done without it ever feeling like the franchise was at a crossroads.

You only have to look at other teams to see how difficult that is. The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone weeks without any clarity on their quarterback situation. They’re at the beck and call of Aaron Rodgers. If he decided at any point he didn’t want to play this year, they’d need to do a deal with the Falcons for soon-to-be 37-year-old Kirk Cousins or rely on Mason Rudolph.

Despite this, they traded away a key pick and a massive contract for a want-away receiver who is yet to deliver on his enormous physical potential. The Steelers have taken a poor end to the regular season and carried it into the off-season. They look like a franchise that is stuck in the mud.

Meanwhile, the Giants knew for weeks towards the end of the last regular season that they needed to address their quarterback problem. Yet when the market opened, what exactly was their plan? They were linked to Rodgers but that never came to anything. They eventually signed Jameis Winston because they needed a body in the building. Then they signed Russell Wilson. They knew they weren’t going to find a solution with the third overall pick so more or less talked themselves into trading up to select Jaxson Dart in round one.

Let’s compare these two situations to the Seahawks. Clearly they had a contingency plan if they were to move on from Geno Smith. As soon as the decision was made to trade him to the Raiders, everyone connected them to Sam Darnold. His signing was confirmed within minutes of free agency starting. Having moved on from a somewhat accomplished and experienced starter, they’d added the best free agent quarterback available on a contract that provides excellent flexibility and minimal commitment.

They understood they weren’t going to get a new contract done with Metcalf, who requested a trade. They got the best deal and moved on, without the situation dragging on for weeks.

A line was drawn. They were decisive and made a call.

The next issue was the offensive line. Fans — and certain sections of an over-excited local media — demanded additions to the offensive line at all costs. When they failed to sign Will Fries, purely because the Minnesota Vikings were prepared to take a massive risk on his signature without him passing a medical, the knives were out. ‘You must sign some players now!’

The Seahawks didn’t take the bait. They were patient. They understood they weren’t going to fix the line signing bad, unwanted players for the sake of appeasing a few noise-makers on social media. It would’ve been so easy to just take a punt on Tevin Jenkins but he was never going to be the answer.

Their patience paid off when they showed everyone they had a plan for the draft. That plan included addressing the interior offensive line with their top pick — landing a top-20 physical talent in the form of Grey Zabel. This is a player with an explosive testing profile to match the likes of Frank Ragnow, Zach Tom and Creed Humphrey. Unlike Jenkins, he can actually provide a solution.

There are other positives to note:

— The Seahawks needed to move on from the Ryan Grubb experiment and they promptly did, replacing him with a vastly experienced staff. This is one of the more underrated moves in the NFL off-season. Klint Kubiak, together with John Benton, Rick Dennison, Andrew Janocko and Justin Outten, bring serious NFL chops to Seattle. This isn’t to say success is guaranteed. It never is. But the Seahawks can put together the kind of offensive system that can be clear and effective, much in the way Mike Macdonald provided clarity to the defense in 2024.

— The team needed more leadership. They might be getting older but the signings of Cooper Kupp and DeMarcus Lawrence, plus Sam Darnold, were as important off the field as they were on it. Kupp is already said to be having a huge impact with team-mates while Lawrence is the kind of defensive alpha any team benefits from. Seeing Darnold out there working on the field already feels like a far cry from the stories about Geno Smith taking a few days off from training camp to make a point about how much better he is than Sam Howell for his own contractual benefit.

— They weren’t afraid to have a disruptive off-season. We talked about why this was important last year. The Seahawks could muddle along as a nine or ten win team, make the playoffs every now and again and rightly argue ‘they’re in the mix’ compared to several other franchises who never are. Clearly that isn’t good enough. You don’t make the kind of change they’ve made this year without striving for more. Again, there’s no guarantee the moves they made will succeed. However, I think it’s admirable that they are not settling for ‘good’ and want to try and least achieve ‘great’.

— They are building the kind of team they say they want to be. All of the moves, both in free agency and the draft, feel connected. You can see the vision and identity coming through. We’re starting to get a feel for what a Mike Macdonald defender looks like. We know what kind of offensive linemen they want. They are building a team, not just adding talented players. They are keeping an eye on identity and fit. You can see the blueprint, the plan. The direction of travel is clear and it’s one that should inspire belief.

That brings us on to the draft. Regulars to this blog know I don’t just praise the Seahawks for the sake of it. Whether it was criticism of the Jamal Adams trade when it occurred, complaints over the direction of the team from 2020 to the end of the Pete Carroll era and the belief that a new Head Coach was needed, I’ve been critical. I only point this out to try and make my next sentence actually mean something. I think this is the best draft the Seahawks have had since 2012.

They achieved exceptional value throughout the three days, including with their seventh round picks and UDFA signings. They addressed key needs, drafted players with massive upside potential and expertly manipulated the board to get the players they wanted.

This was a textbook example of an active draft plan executed at a high level.

Grey Zabel set the ball rolling — a plug-and-play guard with as much upside as any offensive lineman in the draft. The deliberate targeting of a player they had to have in round two was a dynamic move. Going up to get Nick Emmanwori and it only costing the #82 pick was a great trade. To move up 17 spots, the Seahawks gave up a third round pick. Compare that to the Falcons who gave up their 2026 first rounder to move up 19 spots to select James Pearce Jr.

Elijah Arroyo was excellent value at #50. One of my favourite players in the draft, he can offer the kind of ‘it’s going to him and there’s nothing you can do about it’ excitement as a pass-catcher in Kubiak’s offense.

In Zabel, Emmanwori and Arroyo they landed the #13, #32 and #17 players on my board with the #18, #35 and #50 picks.

For years people have called on Schneider to take more shots on the quarterback position. At #92 they take Jalen Milroe — a player with the physical tools to be a star in terms of his running ability and arm strength. Admittedly his current level of accuracy on a short to intermediate level isn’t good enough. You couldn’t trust him to convert a key 3rd and 7 with his arm if he had to play a game for Alabama tomorrow. However, there’s no pressure for him to start. If they can work to develop this area of his game, they could end up with a diamond. If not, it was worth a dice roll at that stage in the draft. The upside potential is enormous.

On day three they found so much value. I can only judge based on my horizontal board — which is published long before any of these players were selected by the Seahawks. I had Rylie Mills as a third round pick due to injury (he was a second rounder before that). They got him in round five. I had Tory Horton as a fringe second rounder or third rounder. They got him in round five. I had Bryce Cabeldue in round three based on the fact he was the fourth most explosive offensive lineman in the draft. They got him in round six. I had Damien Martinez in round four. He was a seventh round pick. I had Ricky White III in round five purely based on his testing profile (he was excellent on tape). They got him in round seven also.

This is a home-run class by John Schneider. It’s a group littered with leadership, high-upside athleticism, talent and starter potential.

We’ve often talked about the need for a transformational draft to elevate the Seahawks to the next level. This could be it.

Even after the draft, they were able to sign Zy Alexander — the best remaining cornerback on my board with a fourth round grade — and Jackson Woodard — the best remaining linebacker on my board with another fourth round grade. Had they taken either of these players on day three, I would’ve celebrated the pick. On Sunday they signed Jared Ivey, a player I gave a round 4/5 grade to based on disappointing testing numbers but had previously shown enough flashes on tape to think he could’ve worked into the day two conversation.

This off-season has energised the franchise. They can be competitive in a wide-open NFC West and start to build towards something significant. Of course there are still big challenges ahead. Can Sam Darnold play like he did at his best in Minnesota for the Seahawks? How long will it take the offense to settle down and function at a good level? Can a young offensive line create the kind of consistency that is going to be required to elevate the unit’s performance in a big way? Can they return to winning home games?

For now though, I think we should just acknowledge what has been achieved over the last four months. This had the potential to be a really difficult off-season. Schneider has navigated through it expertly and for that he deserves a lot of credit. This has been one of his best off-seasons as Seahawks GM.

This will be the open thread for day three so discuss everything in the comments section and remember, no tipping picks.

Seahawks picks

R4 — #137 — traded to New England for #144 (R5) and #238 (R7)
R5 — #142 — Rylie Mills (DT, Notre Dame)
R5 — #144 — traded to Cleveland for #166 (R5) and #192 (R6)
R5 — #166 — Tory Horton (WR, Colorado State)
R5 — #172 — traded with Sam Howell to Minnesota for #142
R5 — #175 — Robbie Ouzts (TE, Alabama)
R6 — #192 — Bryce Cabeldue (G, Kansas)
R7 — #223 — Damien Martinez (RB, Miami)
R7 — #234 — Mason Richman (G, Iowa)
R7 — #238 — Ricky White III (WR, UNLV)

Horizontal board for players available at the start of round four

Thoughts on each day two pick

#35 (Trade via Tennessee) — Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
The Seahawks gave the Titans #52 and #82 for the 35th pick. I’m surprised, given all of the character reports, that Emmanwori was selected and it perhaps speaks to a slight departure in their approach. However, Albert Breer mentioned they liked him prior to the draft and he fits into the defense. His combination of speed and size is rare and Mike Macdonald will have a lot of fun with him. Strangely he’s better in space than up at the line with his size but there’s room for development. I had a fringe first round grade on him so the value matches the deal. He was the 32nd best player in the draft on my board. Without the reported character concerns he would’ve been top-25 for sure. I think Macdonald has earned the trust of people that when he sees a player he likes enough to agree with the GM that they should trade, that it could be an exciting move. Compare this trade, costing a third rounder, to Atlanta’s baffling deal with the Rams to go and get James Pearce Jr which cost them their 2026 first round pick. I’m looking forward to seeing how Macdonald will utilise Emmanwori’s incredible physical talent.

#50 — Elijah Arroyo (TE, Miami)
Regulars will know I’m a huge Arroyo fan. He’s such a mismatch weapon and will give the Seahawks a legit opportunity to have a dynamic pass-catching tight end who puts up big numbers. He can be used in lieu of a top receiver pick. There’s untapped potential as a blocker and there’s still evidence on tape of him giving more effort there than the other tight ends drafted early in this class. Arroyo is so fluid running the seam or into second level pockets. His body control and ability to box-out in the red zone is tremendous. He has soft hands and he dominated at the Senior Bowl. I had a fringe first round grade on him and thought he was the 17th best player in the draft. We felt for a long time they would want one of these top-four tight ends and they’ve delivered. It’s a fantastic pick and while the medical history can’t be ignored, Arroyo can be a X-factor weapon for the offense.

#50 — Jalen Milroe (QB, Alabama)
There’s no doubt Milroe needs major technical work as a passer. His short and intermediate accuracy is all over the place at times and based on his Alabama tape, you’ll not trust him to throw for a key third down conversion based on his current playing level. However, his upside is tantalising and if you can improve these aspects of his game you could end up with a genuine diamond. His running ability is akin to watching a Formula 1 racing car snaking around a circuit. His ability to turn corners and accelerate is rare. He will constantly give opponents headaches with his running ability. Aside from that, he does have a genuine cannon for an arm. He made some excellent deep throws and he’ll keep opponents honest downfield, which also brings his legs more into play. They can use him as a weapon immediately as he learns how to be a better signal caller. For the sake of a late third round pick, this was well worth a roll of the dice.

If you want an idea of the value the Seahawks got in the first two days of the draft, they picked at #18, #35, #50 and #92. The players they selected were taken at #19, #22, #34 and #42 in Mel Kiper’s final mock draft.

Updated horizontal board after day two (click to enlarge) showing the remaining players available:

Seahawks picks

#35 (Trade via Tennessee) — Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
The Seahawks gave the Titans #52 and #82 for the 35th pick. I’m surprised, given all of the character reports, that Emmanwori was selected and it perhaps speaks to a slight departure in their approach. However, Albert Breer mentioned they liked him prior to the draft and he fits into the defense. His combination of speed and size is rare and Mike Macdonald will have a lot of fun with him. I have a fringe first round grade on him so have no problem with them taking him here. The deal was not overly expensive.

#50 — Elijah Arroyo (TE, Miami)
Regulars to the blog will know I’m a huge Arroyo fan. He’s such a mismatch weapon and will give the Seahawks a legit opportunity to have a dynamic pass-catching tight end who puts up big numbers. He can be used in lieu of a top receiver pick. There’s untapped potential as a blocker here. Arroyo is so fluid running the seam or into second level pockets. His body control and ability to box-out in the red zone is tremendous. He has soft hands. He dominated at the Senior Bowl. I had a fringe first round grade on him and thought he was the 17th best player in the draft. We felt for a long time they would want one of these top-four tight ends and they’ve delivered. Fantastic pick.

#50 — Jalen Milroe (QB, Alabama)

This is a big day for the Seahawks. They start with four picks and there are a number of areas still to address. This will be the open thread for day two so discuss everything in the comments section and remember, no tipping picks.

We’ll be doing a live stream as soon as the Seahawks have used all of their picks today so be sure to join us for that.

I’ve updated the horizontal board below, removing the players who have already been drafted (click to enlarge):

Here are some key talking points:

— Will the Seahawks be aggressive? In the past they’ve traded up on day two for Jarran Reed, Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and Darrell Taylor. Is there a player they have to have today, rather than simply waiting this out? It would probably have to be someone they would’ve been prepared to take in round one.

— Is there anything in the hints Adam Schefter has been delivering about the quarterback position? Will the Seahawks draft one today? They had official visits with Jalen Milroe and Tyler Shough, while there’s been this long-lasting thought that John Schneider might have interest in Quinn Ewers. Don’t sleep on Will Howard either.

— These are still plenty of ‘prototype’ Seahawks in terms of toughness, character and reliability. The names that stand out in that regard for me are Elijah Arroyo, Mason Taylor, Tate Ratledge, Jared Wilson, Jack Bech, Tory Horton, JT Tuimoloau, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Bradyn Swinson, Darius Alexander, Ty Robinson, Josaiah Stewart, Carson Schwesinger, Shavon Revel, Billy Bowman Jr, Demetrius Knight and Danny Stutsman. There are others but these are the main ones.

— I’d be surprised if the Seahawks showed any interest in Nick Emmanwori or Mike Green. Character issues kept them on the board going into day two. I’d also be extremely surprised if Shedeur Sanders was in any way, shape or form a fit for this Head Coach and GM.

— It’s possible the Seahawks rest on the O-line after taking Grey Zabel, addressing other areas. However, adding Tate Ratledge would give you a big, physical, highly athletic pairing at guard reminiscent of teams like the Eagles. That’s a great thought. Jared Wilson is also an ideal physical fit for the zone blocking scheme at center.

— I think they have to add a cornerback today. Shavon Revel Jr is such a Mike Macdonald player for me. If he passed his medical check, he could be a serious target. What is the feeling on Will Johnson? Both players took an official visit to Seattle. Benjamin Morrison, Azareye’h Thomas and Trey Amos are all well liked while Jordan Hancock is flying under the radar.

— I’m a big fan of Bradyn Swinson and believe he could be a player who comes in and elevates your pass-rush to the next level. We’ll see how long he lasts.

— When I did the mock draft earlier I was surprised how challenging it became to find a receiver if you waited until round three. They might have to address that position at #50 or #52.

— If they target a safety, it’ll be interesting to note what medical info they have on Kevin Winston Jr. He has first round talent but missed most of last season. Billy Bowman Jr reminds me of a poor-man’s Earl Thomas but there are mixed opinions in the league on his size while Jonas Sanker and Andrew Mukuba both pack a punch.

The Seahawks got it right.

Having been so patient during free agency, now was the time to strike. They had to reinforce their offensive line after so much good work on the defensive side of the ball over the last couple of years.

Grey Zabel is the kind of player fans have complained about in the past when they haven’t been drafted by the Seahawks. This isn’t another Cam Jurgens, Creed Humphrey, Landon Dickerson, Joel Bitonio, Quinn Meinerz, Erik McCoy moment.

Zabel has everything you look for. He’s an elite athlete. Jumping a 36.5 inch vertical at 315lbs isn’t normal. His explosive testing mark was a 3.25 — the exact same as Kansas City’s Humphrey. Nearly all of the best offensive linemen in the league are explosive testers and Zabel ticks that box.

This shows he has the upside to be great. I’d also say he has a base level of performance expectation that means he’s unlikely to bust. He just does everything well for the zone-blocking scheme. He combo blocks superbly, he can pull with ease, he reaches up to the second level and finds targets. He’s a legit finisher who plays with violence.

This is the kind of player who excels in the NFL.

The selection of Zabel now opens everything else up in the draft. They can attack the next six rounds and target the best players on their board without any O-line sized doubts lingering in the background.

They could still add another offensive lineman. I said after the combine that the best way to create an Eagles-style interior would be to pair Zabel with Tate Ratledge. Jared Wilson also makes sense at center. Elijah Arroyo and Mason Taylor are still available. Pass rushers like Donovan Ezeiruaku, Bradyn Swinson and JT Tuimoloau stand out, while there’s talent at cornerback in Will Johnson, Shavon Revel Jr, Benjamin Morrison and Azareye’h Thomas. At receiver, Luther Burden, Jack Bech and Jayden Higgins remain available and there are good options stretching into day three.

I’m not sure Mike Green or Nick Emmanwori will be on their radar due to reported character concerns but I suppose there may come a time on day two where the value is worth rolling the dice.

There’s also the question of a quarterback. Was Adam Schefter steering us in the right direction by hinting a round two selection was possible?

This couldn’t have gone any better for Seattle. When I did this video in February discussing Zabel as the best option in round one for the Seahawks, it was with this day in mind. As you can see here in this tweet, he’s a player who’s been on our radar for a long time.

I’m also happy to report I finished joint 24th in Huddle Report scoring for my mock draft. Given how unpredictable the first round was, I’m delighted with that. To finish 24th in the world justifies a lot of the work we’ve done since the summer trying to find the right evaluation for these players.

Join us tomorrow for more coverage — we’ll have so much content both on the blog and on the YouTube channel.