Author: Rob Staton (Page 345 of 423)

Georgia's Alec Ogletree could be a first round option for Seattle

It’s hard to project these things in October, but most people assume the Seahawks will draft for the offense in 2013. It’s not exactly a stretch to think that way, given how well the defense has played and the need to build around Russell Wilson. Chris Steuber reported last week that the Seahawks had a scout at Rutgers, probably taking a look at receiver Brandon Coleman. He also reported yesterday that Seattle would also have representation at the Clemson vs Wake Forest game tonight:

I’m told scouts from CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, HOU, MIA, NO, NYG, NYJ, PHI, SD, SEA & TEN will attend #Clemson, #WakeForest game on Thursday. #NFL

— Chris Steuber (@ChrisSteuber) October 24, 2012

This is of course a game featuring DeAndre Hopkins, one of the leading receivers in college football this year. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if the front office was spending a lot of time checking the 2013 wide out class.

Yet the strength of the 2013 class appears to be leaning strongly towards the defense. I posted an updated top 50 watch list yesterday. Overall it was a pretty even list with 27 total defensive prospects and 23 for the offense – but 14 of the top 20 were defensive players.

If the Seahawks do go defense again a linebacker could be on their list of priorities. It seems unlikely they’d go early on the pass rush again considering the production of Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin, not to mention Clemons’ recent contract extension. The secondary is strong and deep, although you can never have too many good corners. Defensive tackle could be a need if Jason Jones and Alan Branch aren’t re-signed, but that’s to be determined. The other position that could be looked at is the WILL, currently occupied by Leroy Hill.

Is it a huge need? Not really, in fact you could probably classify it as a luxury. Hill has the misfortune of simply not being a.) young and b.) K.J. Wright or Bobby Wagner. The Seahawks have two of the best young linebackers in the league and naturally it’s easy to wonder if they’ll go for the hat trick. Last time Seattle had so much invested in the position they were paying Hill, Lofa Tatupu and Aaron Curry over $100m in salary and we all know how that worked out. This is different though – a young, hungry group who are yet to get anywhere close to the kind of money earned by the former trio.

Replacing Hill isn’t the difference between Seattle going to the Super Bowl again or settling for mediocrity. In fact, the Seahawks could settle on Hill for a year or two more or simply find a similar replacement in free agency. No team has an all-pro at every position, but as one of the less storied members of the defense it’s easy for fans to point the finger and look for improvement. Lets not forget that Hill was the teams second most productive pass rusher last year with four sacks.

Therein lies the issue though – the Seahawks would probably like more production in terms of pressure from the WILL position. Hill hasn’t ever matched his excellent rookie campaign in terms of sacks. Finding a player who can aid Clemons and Irvin while also offering enough athleticism in coverage would be cause for first round investment. As you’ll see below, those types of players are pretty rare.

Alec Ogletree at Georgia is the most likely to fit into that role – unless the team gets all quirky and thinks Oregon’s Dion Jordan is athletic enough to play 4-3 linebacker (he’s 6-7). Ogletree is a former safety with the kind of build and athleticism that would make for a justified first round investment. He’s taller than Hill (6-3 vs 6-1) and bigger (235lbs vs 225lbs) but he’s maintained most of the safety speed and gets around the field in coverage. In the video below (second from the top) you’ll see how he lines up in all kinds of different looks and does a pretty good job bringing pressure off the edge and through the middle, while keeping the speed to drop when required and help out at the second level.

As a prospect he has so much untapped potential as a pass rusher, it makes him an exciting prospect to look at and imagine in this already loaded defense. There are some concerns too – the multiple team suspensions and lack of off-field discipline completely contrast Ogletree’s on-field demeanour. He’ll have to prove to teams he’s maturing and won’t be a liability with a nice contract in his pocket. He’s also liable to have one or two bad plays per game and needs to remain focused at all times. Apart from that, he has tremendous potential.

The other prospect who could potentially play the role is C.J. Mosley at Alabama. He’s similarly quick off the edge and finds ways to make an impact. He’s athletic, he can cover. He also comes without the off-field baggage. None of the other prospects get close to Ogletree or Mosley’s upside as a potential WILL. Manti Te’o should play inside linebacker and I’m tempted to say Arthur Brown should too. The Seahawks could theoretically move Bobby Wagner across – he’s athletic enough to do the job – but he’s playing at a Pro Bowl level inside so why would you move things around if you can avoid it? Brown – described by Pete Carroll as the best linebacker he’d seen in seven years during a recruiting visit – is closer to Hill physically. However, he always looks his best leading the defense from a central position and he hasn’t flashed a tremendous amount of pass rush quality.

Either way it’s a good group overall and it’ll provide Seattle with some options if they want to consider drafting a linebacker next April.

Just one of the elite quarterback's Seattle's beaten this year

Just a thought. What if the passing game simply needs time?

Russell Wilson spent most of training camp splitting reps and competing for the starting job. It’s not the ideal situation to create chemistry with your receivers or get a complete feel for the offense. I don’t have an issue with the competition and think the right man won the gig, but the lack of a complete off-season is probably having some impact in Wilson’s first season.

There’s no reason why he won’t gradually start to build that rapport, in fact I think we’ve already started to see evidence of it. Look how well he’s started to find Doug Baldwin on third down as a good example here. He’s working out the strengths and weaknesses of each receiver and he’s making more plays as a consequence. Who’s to say that with further game time and an off-season where he’s the unquestioned starter, that relationship couldn’t develop even further?

Most people gave the additions of Sidney Rice and Zach Miller a thumbs up. Golden Tate has shown flashes, aside from Thursday’s horror show. Baldwin is making a promising start to his career even if injuries have hampered his second year so far. It’s unlikely Rice and Miller will survive on their current contracts for 2013, but it’s not impossible for both to remain on the roster. It’s a group that could use at least one solid addition in free agency or the draft, probably two. But it’s not a hopeless group without potential.

The running game is working extremely well and Marshawn Lynch is undoubtedly one of the top five running backs in the league. The run blocking is also performing well so far, certainly it’s been superior to the pass protection (which in fairness, has improved a lot in the last three games). The Seahawks really only have one major flaw right now – and that’s the passing game.

It’s very easy to sit here and say the front office must go big to improve the skill positions. It’s much harder to be patient and trust the investment made in several key players. The Seahawks haven’t ignored the passing game – quite the opposite in fact. The entire offense has seen a big injection of cash and draft stock, it’s just a shame that the results haven’t matched the outlay so far. Maybe it’ll just take time?

The flashes of quality that we have seen (the Patriots game, for example) are cause for such optimism. The big test will be to see whether gradual improvement continues. It’s hard to be too critical when the team faces a defense like San Francisco’s on the road on a short week. Even then mere execution was the issue, not a lack of talent. There are several winnable home games in the second half of the schedule and that’s where we’ll learn how good this offense can be with the current personnel.

It may be that the offense does keep improving and that would put Seattle in an ideal drafting scenario. They don’t want to be handcuffed to need in a way they perhaps have been since 2010. If the top three players available in round one next April are defensive players, I’m sure they’d like to keep improving a unit which is earning elite status. I imagine the front office would welcome the opportunity to draft a ‘luxury’ pick like another linebacker, a defensive tackle or even another corner because the offense has stepped up in a big way this year. If we don’t see big improvements as the season continues, we’ll probably end up concentrating on receivers, offensive lineman and maybe even quarterbacks.

The point of this piece is really to remind us all that it’s October. A lot can change between now and April and while most assume – myself included – that drafting a receiver or tight end will be the priority. It’s hard to move away from that, but things can change quickly.

Three defensive prospects the Seahawks might show interest in:

Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia) – athletic linebacker and former safety. Incredible range to make plays and owns untapped potential as a pass rusher. Plays inside for the Bulldogs but could move to the WILL in Seattle.

Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State) – ‘heart of the defense’ type of player who loves the game of football. During recruiting at USC, Pete Carroll once referred to this guy as the best linebacker he’d scouted in seven years.

Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State) – Tall, physical corner very much in the mould of Seattle’s current tandem. He’s also a playmaker who forces turnovers.

Getting to grips with Dion Jordan

There aren’t many 6-7 pass rushers with the athletic talent of Dion Jordan. I’ve never seen a guy like this before. Usually at that height the movement skills aren’t there, they stick to the defensive line and they carry a lot more weight than 240lbs. Jordan’s size is more traditional for a pass-catching tight end – the position he was expected to play coming out of high school. Yet here he is, seven games into his senior season and with five sacks already.

It still amazes me how much he’s in coverage for a guy that big. I doubt it’s something he’ll do that much in the NFL, but it will reassure scouts that want to use him as a 3-4 OLB. The big issue I had coming into the year was really that the most interesting thing about Jordan was the height and athleticism. It’s great being that big and being able to run fast, but you’ve got to show you can rush the passer against some of the weaker opponents on Oregon’s powder puff early schedule. The sack at 0:22 in the video below is what we need to see and Jordan has really polished up his technique as a senior. He’s starting to use his athleticism in a positive way – he’s less of a gimmick these days and looks like he belongs out there.

His all-round pressure against Arizona State last week was impressive and in an era where Chandler Jones gets talked into the first round (with a decent start to his NFL career), there’s no doubt in my mind that Jordan will end up being a top-15 pick. He has limitless potential and in the right scheme (imagine him across from DeMarcus Ware in Dallas) he could be a star for the future. Jordan and Texas A&M’s Damontre Moore are developing into the two premier pass rushers in the 2013 eligible draft class.

A.J. McCarron had another big day for Alabama

Two weeks ago West Virginia were National Championship contenders and Geno Smith favourite for the Heisman. Nobody predicted what happened next.

Kansas State pounded the Mountaineers 55-14 on Saturday, following up last week’s similar beat down at Texas Tech. Smith threw his first two interceptions of the year against the Wildcats in a difficult display. He went 21/32 for 143 yards and just one touchdown. He received very little in terms of pass protection or help from a miserable defense, but this was a second consecutive struggle for the quarterback.

Here’s the thing – people got carried away during the good times for Smith. He came flying out of the blocks and the temptation is always to crown a guy too early. He’s not a gimmick quarterback, his mechanics are solid if not perfect and he’s athletic. It’s very easy to look at the package and project ‘high NFL draft pick’. Smith’s always been a likely top-two round projection, but suddenly he was pencilled in as the #1 overall talent. Not so fast.

For what it’s worth I think Smith will be a first round pick, depending on how many teams are actually motivated to draft a quarterback in round one. The need is shortening and players such as Matt Barkley and Tyler Wilson could leave the board first, impacting on Smith’s stock. He’s still a good quarterback with a lot of the tools to make it at the next level. Even so, he’s not the #1 overall pick and we’ve seen the fragile nature of the WVU team the last two weeks. They can’t play defense, and this puts so much pressure on the offense to make quick scores. They use an extreme spread just like the one we discussed with Brandon Weeden/Oklahoma State last year. If you can bring pressure with four and flood underneath, then it makes life very difficult for a quarterback who will take a lot of 5-7 step drops from the shotgun and he’ll likely start to force things with the fast ball. Just like Weeden, Smith is going to need time to adjust to a more basic pro-style offense. He has a lot of the physical tools needed to manage that transition, but as Weeden is finding out it’s an extremely difficult obstacle to overcome.

On a positive note, Tavon Austin enhanced his blossoming reputation as a potential first round pick with a sensational 100 yard kick off return for a score. He also added WVU’s other touchdown on a 5 yard pass. He’s explosive with elite speed and will interest teams as a big-time playmaker. He should be a top-40 choice in April.

While the Mountaineers were struggling, USC were coasting to victory over Colorado. Matt Barkley set more records as he posted 19/20 passing for 298 yards and six touchdowns. Robert Woods also had a big day with eight catches for 132 yards and four touchdowns. The Trojans had a superb second half to last season culminating in Barkley proving a lot of his doubters wrong to enter the Heisman race. It appears USC are well set for another similar run with some big games coming up over the next few weeks. Even so, there’s no getting away from how poorly Colorado performed in the 50-6 defeat. Woods’ first score – a 39 yarder – included some of the worst tackling you’ll ever see. A strong gust of wind probably would’ve nudged Woods out of bounds, yet two defensive players couldn’t manage it.

It was a bit of an anti-climax for Brandon Coleman after the big send up on the blog this week. Seattle had scouts at the Rutgers vs Temple game (won by the Knights 35-10) yet Coleman managed just two catches for 17 yards. Really, it was one catch for 17 yards as the other reception failed to register any gain. This isn’t necessarily bad news if you’re the type of person, like me, that would like to see the 6-6 receiver in Seattle should he declare for the NFL. Nothing helps your stock like mass production (see: Geno Smith). Demaryius Thomas had all the physical tools you’d wish to see from a receiver, but lasted into the second half of round one seemingly due to modest production in the triple-option offense at Georgia Tech. He had one or two catch games to go along with the six catch-133 yard games. For Coleman to stick around into the kind of range the Seahawks will select next April, a few games like Saturday’s are welcome.

A month ago I wrote a piece arguing that Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron deserved greater attention. He’s a better player than ‘Bama’s more recent quarterbacks and has a future at the next level. He’s not a great, physical passer who will make explosive plays – but he’s intelligent, reads the field well and can execute. He doesn’t turn the ball over – he’s yet to throw an interception this year. The worst case scenario is he’ll become a solid backup quarterback for many years in the NFL, but I suspect he will get opportunities to start. Against Tennessee he threw 17/22 for 306 yards and four touchdowns. In seven games he has 16 touchdowns, no picks, 1476 yards and leads the NCAA for QB rating (183.6). Underrated player.

C.J. Mosley also had another fine game and looks like a top-25 draft pick. He made an easy interception in the first half and on the very next drive blew up a screen to force a punt. He’s an extreme playmaker at the linebacker position with three sacks and two interceptions already this year. He can cover, he can rush. Another word on Alabama – they’re reloading even in a year where they appear destined to win another national title. Freshmen T.J. Yeldon (RB) and Amari Cooper (WR) look NFL ready even now and are likely to become future stars not just in college, but at the next level too.

As for Tennessee, it was another let-down game for Justin Hunter. He had a big drop at the end of the first half which would’ve given the Vols a chance to get back into the game. He didn’t catch a ball until there was 2:36 left in the third quarter, at which point Alabama had settled into a commanding position. He ended up with four catches for 70 yards in garbage time, but he showed no evidence that he’s a top draft prospect. Clearly the serious knee injury last year has impacted his college performance, along with the rampant inconsistency of the Tennessee offense. He could still make a success of things in the NFL, but it’s likely to be as a second day pick rather than the top-15 selection some anticipated.

Cordarrelle Patterson had only one catch for 25 yards and continues to show both rawness as a receiver (poor routes, doesn’t fight for the ball) and extreme playmaking potential (huge kick off returns). I’ll say it again – he’s a home run hitter. The best of the 2013 eligible players in that regard. But you’ll be pulling your hair out watching him play receiver. The team that drafts this guy will do so hoping he can make one or two big plays most weeks and I’m not sure he’ll ever be more than that. Yet the fact he has so much playmaking quality is enticing, I’m just not sure I trust him to be consistent.

Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State) is a cornerback who fits in Seattle’s scheme. He had another interception against Mid-Tennessee State (plus a 46 yard return) and two further pass break-ups. Corner isn’t a huge need for Seattle, but Banks is a clear first round pick.

Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M) continued his fine season with another sack and big performance against LSU. He leads the NCAA with 9.5 sacks – one of the main reasons I had him down as a top-ten pick in my latest mock draft.

Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State) had his first two sacks since week three of the season. The Seminoles handled Miami 33-20 and Werner is up to eight sacks for the year.

Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State) is one of the best linebackers in college football and it might be worth keeping a close eye on this guy. As noted by a few people on Twitter over the weekend, there’s an interesting exert on Brown’s wikipedia page: “Pete Carroll said that Brown was the best linebacker that he has seen in seven years.” There’s no confirming or denying this and it is just wikipedia, but we know how Carroll remembers guys he recruited. The likes of Bruce Irvin and Richard Sherman were both players Carroll failed to bring to USC but have since been drafted by the Seahawks. Brown is a solid round two projection at this point and could make it a hat-trick for Carroll if he’s on the board when the team picks.

A lot of people are talking about Ezekiel Ansah (DE, BYU) – a 6-6, 270lbs pass rusher with extreme athleticism. He only has three sacks for the year, two coming against Utah State (see tape below) but the potential is clear to see. He could be moving into first round contention and may even crack the top-15 if he tests well at the combine.

Watching a game or a particular prospect today? Let us know about it. You may be pleased to know Chris Steuber is reporting that Seattle has representation at the Rutgers/Temple game today. It seems pretty safe to say they’ll be keeping tabs on brilliant wide receiver Brandon Coleman.

I’m told scouts from #Bills, #Jets, #Rams, #Seahawks & #Steelers will attend #Rutgers, #Temple game today. #CFB #NFL

— Chris Steuber (@ChrisSteuber) October 20, 2012

The first drop of the night

It was a pretty disappointing defeat in San Francisco, but Seahawks fans shouldn’t be too concerned about the direction this team is going. When you can hang with this version of the 49ers on the road, then something is working. Execute better in the passing game and maybe you win the game? Either way, there’s no reason to feel too depressed about this one.

The big thing people are talking about today is the passing game. Again. When people aren’t second guessing the quarterback position, it’s the receivers. I actually think Russell Wilson did pretty well for the most part yesterday. He had an extremely good first half and the team came out running in the second. He wasn’t really asked to move the ball until San Francisco scored a touchdown to take the lead – and that’s a thankless task against such a strong defense. His pick was ugly, but he’ll learn from that. Statistically he looks worse than the reality.

No such excuse for the receivers though, unfortunately. After a good performance against New England where everyone contributed, this was a let down. Golden Tate had maybe his worst game as a pro – dropping passes, missing chances, whiffing on a key block and looking disinterested afterwords. Braylon Edwards was OK but didn’t really back up a provocative tweet stating the game was ‘personal’ after his recent release from the 49ers. Sidney Rice was both good and bad, while Evan Moore also had an ugly drop. Was Zach Miller on the field? Only Doug Baldwin earned any credit and he didn’t make the second half due to an ankle injury. We can only imagine what could’ve been had he remained on the field.

One of the big issues for me is the definition of roles within the receivers. They’re kind of just a group. Nobody’s a true #1, nobody’s a consistent short target. There’s no productive tight end. It’s just a group of guys who play for the Seahawks. New England has to be the role model for this team unless they’re able to draft that generational talent like Calvin Johnson. The Patriots make life easy for Tom Brady with precise role players. Two big, athletic tight ends who create nightmares for linebackers in coverage. An athletic downfield player who can stretch the field in Brandon Lloyd. The best slot receiver in the NFL who just makes consistent plays and finds ways to get open. There’s a method to the madness here and while it helps having a Hall of Fame quarterback, the Pats’ offense operates like clockwork.

The Seahawks have good players. Sidney Rice can make big plays and stretch the field. Golden Tate is a capable playmaker. Doug Baldwin could end up being a great third down guy and safety valve. But what are their roles in the offense? Baldwin’s seems to be working out, but for the rest it’s not obvious to the humble observer. Rice and Tate are all over the field, one of the most expensive tight ends in the league doesn’t appear to have much responsibility in the passing game as a receiver. Suddenly the teams other ultra-athletic tight end – Anthony McCoy – isn’t getting many looks despite a ton of chemistry with Russell Wilson in pre-season. Braylon Edwards drifts in and out of the line-up. It’s such a mixed bag and as a consequence I’m not sure we’re seeing the best from any of these guys.

You can watch a game and see Wilson seemingly throw the same (or similar) pass to a different guy each time. Is there not a way of simplifying the roles of each? Perhaps turning to more shorter passes rather than relying on big plays downfield to extend drives or score points? Is a greater pass/run balance needed? Is it just a case of getting better and upgrading positions? Or is there a concern that even if you replace a guy like Miller, the tight end position just isn’t being used as an effective pass-catching threat? If you draft a 6-8, 260lbs monster like Levine Toilolo, is he going to spend every game blocking down?

There are some good receivers eligible for the 2013 draft and increasingly it’s looking like the most likely option with the teams latest first round pick. But even then, merely adding another body to the equation won’t solve all the problems. The entire passing game needs to have more of a focus with more defined roles. The off-and-on nature of the passing game (we’ll come to you when needed, for example) almost encourages inconsistency. Throwing in another young rookie into the system next year won’t necessarily solve any problems. But it’s a start.

I used the Patriots as an example above, but the one other team I keep coming back to are the Atlanta Falcons. They too started a rookie quarterback – albeit the #3 overall pick in 2008 rather a third rounder. Matt Ryan inherited Roddy White, but the Falcons front office quickly went out and grabbed Tony Gonzalez as a safety net at tight end. They created a running game with Michael Turner and drafted a left tackle in Sam Baker. In 2011 they felt obliged to get another weapon and traded up to get Julio Jones. That is the very definition of building around a quarterback and it’s probably why Ryan has succeeded in the pro’s.

Russell Wilson has a left tackle and he has a running game. He’s inherited Sidney Rice, who could be as good as if not better than Roddy White. The Zach Miller project hasn’t worked – he’s no Tony Gonzalez and almost certainly won’t be playing for the $11m he’s currently due in 2013. The Seahawks have to find their version of the great Gonzalez or even their version of Julio Jones. Keep building, refine the passing offense and make sure Wilson feels comfortable with guys he can trust to make plays. He needs to know where certain players are going to be on the field, and the receivers need to know what their role is. Improving the passing game has to be the #1 priority in the off-season because right now it’s the only thing holding this team back from being a serious contender.

Games on the schedule this weekend: LSU @ Texas, South Carolina @ Florida, Alabama @ Tennessee, Utah @ Oregon State.

Seattle needs a red-zone threat. Dwayne Bowe is a red-zone threat.

There’s been a bit of talk this week about Dwayne Bowe wanting out in Kansas City. It’s not a total shock – he wants a big contract and received the franchise tag instead. The Chiefs have started poorly at 1-5 and there’s serious front office unrest with speculation about the future of GM Scott Pioli.

It’s not long since Kansas City’s last re-launch when they initially appointed Pioli, but they appear destined for another. Let’s go back to the early days of that regime. In 2010 Matt Cassel held together a pretty good ball-control offense – they ran with Jamaal Charles, dominated time of possession and Bowe was an unstoppable force in the red zone. He didn’t make a ton of big, downfield plays (1162 yards on a 16.2 average) but he had 15 touchdowns.

Things spiralled a bit last year and the Chiefs are unravelling again in 2012. Bowe’s maintaining his production, but he wants a big contract after receiving the franchise tag this year. Miami has a big need at receiver after trading Brandon Marshall and own a lot of draft capital after moving on Vontae Davis. The Dolphins should be working hard to add a player like Dwayne Bowe to make like easy for rookie Ryan Tannehill. The question is – should the Seahawks be making a similar push for the same reasons?

Russell Wilson is starting to get more from his receivers but he lacks a truly excellent red zone threat. Just think how much easier life would be if he had that particular weapon? Bowe is a machine from close range and would be an effective compliment to the likes of Sidney Rice and Golden Tate. The one thing Seattle’s offense lacks is that big target who creates problems in the red zone – they don’t have a dominating tight end or big bodied receiver who fills that role. Do the Seahawks beat Arizona in week one with Dwayne Bowe on the field for that final drive? We’ll never know.

While the Dolphins are very much in year one of a substantial rebuild, the Seahawks might be entering a period where they move from rebuilding to contender. This is the kind of time when you consider the right move to push your team to the next level. Sure, Bowe isn’t Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald or A.J. Green. But it would fill a significant need. Unless he hits free agency next year – there aren’t likely to be many alternatives.

The counter argument is two fold. Firstly, Bowe has just turned 28 and may only have 2-3 years of top-end production left in his body before he inherits the ‘possession receiver’ tag. You’d have to believe he can hit the ground running and have an immediate impact. Secondly, the cost would be pretty high. This isn’t a great time to sign a veteran receiver to a new deal – Calvin Johnson penned a $132m deal in March and Larry Fitzgerald signed a $120m deal last year. Bowe won’t expect to earn as much as that, but the top end of the market is set and it’ll filter down. That’s why a guy like Antonio Brown gets a $42.5m deal from Pittsburgh and why players like Bowe, Wes Welker and Mike Wallace are unhappy to get tagged. They’re missing out on their slice of the pie.

Seattle is already paying Sidney Rice $8.2m in 2012 and he’s due $9.7m in 2013 and 2014. Zach Miller is getting $7m this year and is due $11m in 2013. When you’re due to pay two guys over $20m for not a lot of production, it’s difficult to start plotting a move to bring in another expensive veteran. It seems unlikely Rice and Miller will survive with those contracts next year unless they explode over the next 10 games, but paying the big bucks in free agency hasn’t worked for this team so far. Compare it to the production found from guys like Chris Clemons (modest trade), Brandon Browner (CFL addition), Marshawn Lynch (added for a 4th rounder and change) and Richard Sherman (5th round pick) and the Seahawks could be forgiven for abandoning big splashes for the foreseeable future.

Yet there is still that argument where Bowe provides the team with the one thing they really miss on offense – red zone production. Touchdowns. So while it would be very easy to rule this out, I kind of feel like this is a deal that would be attractive. The last trade of a similar ilk saw Brandon Marshall traded from Denver to Miami for two second round picks in 2010. Marshall not only had superior production to Bowe, but he was two years younger. He agreed a four-year deal with the Dolphins worth $47.5m.

As we know, the Seahawks showed interest in Marshall too. They also had at least a passing glance at Vincent Jackson when he was in San Diego. If the Chiefs get into a position where they’re resigned to losing Bowe, they may be willing to trade him for a second round pick – perhaps with a conditional pick thrown in based on production in 2013. That’s the kind of deal that should appeal to a team like the Seahawks. It frees them up to look at other areas in the first round of the draft in 2013, they get an immediate dangerous red-zone threat and bolster the offense in the process.

Another big stumbling block could be Kansas City’s reluctance to deal. If Scott Pioli is fighting for his job, he’s surely not going to start trading away the teams best players so that his replacement can spend all the picks they acquired. Yet there’s been enough talk this week about Bowe’s desire to leave to suggest the issue could be forced.

People will have their own views on this. For a second round pick, I think Bowe would be a calculated gamble. I’m not sure the Chiefs should look at that as a bad deal for an unhappy receiver approaching 30 and playing on the franchise tag. Plus Kansas City’s front office did spend a first round pick on Jonathan Baldwin last year. They surely cannot expect to get much more than a second round pick under the circumstances?

**Note** – I’m guessing a few more people will be willing to consider this tonight. Maybe even in Seattle’s front office.

The more I look into this draft class, the more I feel like I underestimated it. There’s maybe a lesson to be learnt there. Prospects have emerged, as they always do. But the blossoming strength of this draft comes in its depth. It’s not top heavy, in fact I think it’s going to be one of those years where there’s not a great deal of difference between the #1 pick and the #25 pick.

From Seattle’s perspective, I tried to look for value. Draft order was determined by current win/loss records and opponents strength of schedule. To see the order in full, click here. This put the Seahawks at #20 overall. It’s not taken a huge dose of creativity to make the choice below, but I feel like this was a good match of prospective need and talent.

	#1 Matt Barkley (QB, USC) If the Chiefs pick first overall, they need to draft a quarterback. Barkley’s a good fit to manage that offense.

	#2 Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia) Holmgren is out and others may follow. If that’s the case, will they stick by 29-year-old Brandon Weeden?

	#3 Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama) The complete cornerback prospect. He can cover, he can play run support, he’s a ball hawk and has elite recovery speed.

	#4 Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah) Lotulelei has a ton of upside but needs to become more consistent.

	#5 Jarvis Jones (DE/LB, Georgia) Whether he plays end or linebacker, Jones is an explosive athlete who will get to the quarterback.

	#6 Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers) Redshirt sophomore with unlimited potential. If he declares, he could go this early.

	#7 Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri) Richardson’s had a big impact this year and will be a riser. Lives in the backfield.

	#8 Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M) He’s been explosive this year and is rising into top-10 contention.

	#9 Jonathan Jenkins (DT, Georgia) The Colts are transitioning to a 3-4 defense and need to find some building blocks.

	#10 Chance Warmack (G, Alabama) Brilliant interior lineman. A top-15 shoe-in. Could go earlier than this.

	#11 Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU) He’ll work best in the 3-4 and Dallas needs to bolster its defensive line. They can’t just rely on DeMarcus Ware.

	#12 Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon) He’s 6-7 and around 250lbs. If he tests well at the combine, who knows where he’ll go?

	#13 Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia) Incredible physical potential with off-field concerns. Cincy probably won’t be put off by those kind of red flags.

	#14 Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame) Not the same kind of athlete as Luke Kuechly, but he’s a better linebacker. The heart and soul of unbeaten Notre Dame.

	#15 Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State) He’d be better off adding the weight he lost during the summer. He could be a J.J. Watt clone.

	#16 Matt Elam (S, Florida) Flashy safety prospect making a big impression for the Gators this year.

	#17 Jonathan Cooper (G, North Carolina) Athletic guard who shows well in pass protection. He’s only a notch below Warmack. Excellent player.

	#18 Marcus Lattimore (RB, South Carolina) He’s bounced back from a serious knee injury and looks back to his best. Great character, too.

	#19 Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan) By rule one of the offensive tackles in this class will be a first round pick. Lewan might be the best of a mediocre group.

	#20 Robert Woods (WR, USC) Value pick adding another dynamic playmaker to the offense.

	#21 Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State) Big, physical corner and a leader on the Mississippi State defense.

	#22 Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State) He could go higher than this but he’s frustratingly inconsistent. Major potential, but can he deliver?

	#23 Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn) Outside pass rusher who fits well into Rex Ryan’s scheme.

	#24 Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas) Competitive safety prospect. New England needs to work on that secondary.

	#25 Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina) Underrated defensive tackle who will only last this long due to age. He’s approaching his mid-20’s.

	#26 C.J. Mosley (LB, Alabama) Just a fantastic playmaker at linebacker. He’ll have an immediate impact in the NFL.

	#27 John Simon (DE, Ohio State) Not the flashiest player but nobody shows more effort. He looks like an ideal fit for San Francisco’s defense.

	#28 Tyler Wilson (QB, Arkansas) Do they go offensive tackle here? Or quarterback? They need both.

	#29 Dallas Thomas (G, Tennessee) He could play tackle or guard. Moved inside this year but has the athleticism to play the edge.

	#30 Sam Montgomery (DE, LSU) Baltimore always make good choices and Montgomery would add another piece to their pass rush.

	#31 Levine Toilolo (TE, Stanford) He’s 6-8, 260lbs and averaging 20 yards per catch. It’s not hard to work out why he might be a first round pick.

	#32 Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia) He’d be a nice little addition to that offense, playing in the slot with Jones and White outside.

Notes:

– This isn’t a great draft for offensive tackles, which is why only Taylor Lewan goes in the first round. It’s a premium position and guys like Brennan Williams and Luke Joeckel could easily find themselves cracking the top-25 as a consequence. However, I wanted to represent the weakness at the position at this early stage in the process.

– Two highly vaunted receivers are absent – Justin Hunter and Keenan Allen. Hunter just doesn’t look dynamic this year and doubts persist about how he’s recovered from a serious knee injury. He’s not standing out in a pass-happy offense and team mate Cordarrelle Patterson is the player catching the eye. Allen just isn’t doing it for me – he’s big but lacks deep speed and doesn’t look like a particularly dominating receiver in the making. Both have second round grades at the moment and will need a big performance at the combine. Speaking of Patterson – he has the talent to be a clear first round pick. He’s a home run hitter. He’s also had some big mental errors this year and teams will be left wondering if he’s really worth the risk.

– Defensive tackles Kawann Short and Jesse Williams miss out this time, but could easily have gone in the back end of round one.