Author: Rob Staton (Page 4 of 423)

ESPN put a piece together last week looking at the most surprising player on each team during the off-season.

Brady Henderson named Anthony Bradford for the Seahawks:

“When the Seahawks hired offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, a popular reaction was that Bradford may have a hard time winning back the starting job at right guard. After all, he’s a big, powerful blocker who doesn’t seem like an ideal fit for an outside zone scheme that suits more athletic linemen.

“It’s time to press pause on that notion after a trimmer-looking Bradford shared first-team reps with Christian Haynes during OTAs and minicamp. “A.B.’s done a great job this spring,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “His body comp has really improved, which speaks to his work ethic. I think he’s made strides … It’s time to go prove it consistently. He knows that, but he’s right in the thick of it with the battle at right guard.”

I’ve tried to caution people against writing Bradford off. He was a player who did impress for LSU and had a physical profile that suggested a degree of upside. He’s not really been helped that in his two years in the NFL so far he’s had two different offensive line coaches, two different offensive coordinators and the system in both instances flipped between mediocre and awful.

I’ve always thought there was a player in there. Not necessarily a top guard destined to become an elite performer — but certainly someone who can start and do a job at right guard.

The key thing to consider is despite his size, he is an athlete. People have suggested that he’s too big for the zone blocking scheme but look at his combine testing. At 332lbs he ran an outstanding 5.08 forty yard dash. On top of that, his 10-yard split (1.74) was better than Charles Cross’ (1.75). He’s only 0.01 seconds slower than Jason Peters as a rookie and 0.02 seconds slower than Trent Williams. He can move for his size.

He’s also an explosive tester. His TEF score of 3.17. Here’s a list of names to compare that score to:

Grey Zabel — 3.23
Donovan Jackson — 3.19
Chris Lindstrom — 3.18
Anthony Bradford — 3.17
Alijah Vera-Tucker — 3.16
Trent Williams — 3.11
Tate Ratledge — 3.10
Will Fries — 3.10
Quenton Nelson — 3.07
Tyler Linderbaum — 3.05
Erik McCoy — 3.05
Penei Sewell — 3.04
Joe Thuney — 3.04
Joe Alt — 3.02
Elgton Jenkins — 3.01
Cody Mauch — 3.01
Garrett Bolles — 3.00

Considering their selections this year included Grey Zabel and Bryce Cabeldue — both quick, explosive testers — it’s seems this is the profile type the Seahawks are looking for. If Bradford has slimmed down as suggested by Brady, he could become even quicker and more athletic.

Mike Macdonald mentioned consistency and that’s the key. He has to find a level of performance and take his opportunity in training camp. With a far more experienced offensive coaching staff and a proven system, he’s likely getting the best coaching he’s received at the NFL level.

Bradford has a chance to make the right guard spot his own. The physical talent has always been there. Now he’s got to take to the new scheme, win the job and be consistent.

Suggesting a team try to emulate the Carolina Panthers isn’t a common occurrence yet here we are.

I’m talking specifically about the 2022 Panthers, late in the season. Sam Darnold was the quarterback after replacing Baker Mayfield. Steve Wilks replaced fired Head Coach Matt Rhule in October.

A struggling 3-8 team finished the season on a 4-2 run with Darnold under center. They were arguably the most physical team in the league during that period. Their running game was king, ably supported by a strong defense. Darnold just had to manage the game and he did it well.

It’s this spell of Darnold’s career that I think is significant and not talked about enough from a Seahawks perspective. His year in Minnesota has been dissected. The positives — his touchdown numbers and team record. People have discussed his favourable environment — playing for Kevin O’Connell and with Justin Jefferson. Then there are the negatives — the way his season capitulated in the final two games.

By looking at his short spell at Carolina you can judge a period of six games where he didn’t play for a top offensive Head Coach, didn’t throw to a talent like Jefferson, didn’t play on a good team and had a job to do to bring everything together.

In the first five games of this spell, he threw seven touchdowns and only one interception. Darnold had just three turnover worthy plays compared to 10 big time throws.

Consider that he did all this in a non-ideal situation — coming in as a late-season starter for an offense that wasn’t necessarily quarterback friendly. These are good results and show that he’s very capable of being a facilitator.

It’s not all positive. His completion percentage in those five games was only 61.5% and the sixth and final game of the season — a lacklustre 10-7 win in New Orleans — included a 5/15 passing performance with only 43 yards and two awful interceptions. It is worth noting he was sacked twice and faced a season-high 14 pressures in the game.

Even then there’s some context. Curtis Allen pointed out to me that in his first five starts Darnold threw the ball away 15 times (three per game). The league average in 2022 was 1.24 throwaways per game. His mediocre completion percentage was, arguably, a sign of a quarterback protecting the football.

The Panthers ran for 166 yards per game during the six Darnold starts and that undoubtedly helped. He ended with nine total touchdowns and three picks. That feels like the route to success for Seattle in 2025.

It’s not going to be about Darnold throwing it around the yard for massive yardage and loads of touchdowns. It’s going to be about putting him in a position to succeed. The running game will be critical, complementing Mike Macdonald’s defense. Then, Darnold’s just got to read his keys and execute. He’s got to get the job done in the red zone. I think he’s going to be more like a Shanahan quarterback this year, with a Seattle team far less dependant on their quarterback in a way they haven’t been since the 2014 season.

He’ll probably benefit from having a full, proper pre-season as the expected starter — not to mention genuine familiarity with the offensive play-caller. Therefore, he might not have to be quite as restrained as he was in Carolina.

If the Seahawks do play like the late-season 2022 Panthers, they’ll win a lot of games. I’d argue they have far better personnel on both sides of the ball — so if they just manage to emulate their physical style of play — and if they can run the ball — they’ll have a great chance to be a serious player in the NFC this year. Darnold will also have a good opportunity to play a solid brand of football — which might be all the Seahawks need.

I’ve occasionally joked that any draft prospect who doesn’t have a Twitter account should get an immediate grading boost.

This week, however, has reminded me why I kind of, sort of, actually mean it.

I was never fan of Geno Smith’s online presence. I think he cared too much what people thought of him. He’d get into pointless spats. He’d post things that were often just vague enough to have the fan base wondering if there was some deeper meaning.

Players can, of course, do whatever they want to on social media. I’m not telling them what to do. Yet it’s equally my right to think ‘oh will you just pack it in’ when the likes of Smith go off on one.

The latest episode seemed to start with a video of the Raiders’ quarterback shouting at someone off-camera. Apparently he was coaching the ‘South Florida Express’ in a 7v7 game. He was filmed yelling at an unknown individual, if it even was aimed at an individual, “That’s why they pay me the big bucks, that’s why I get paid the big bucks. That’s why they bring the big bucks to me, that’s why they pay me the big bucks!”

When I saw the video I thought it was cringey. Maybe it’s an American thing but over here, you wouldn’t get very far boasting about your pay packet before someone told you to take a running jump.

Some people reacted a bit more negatively towards it, leading to Smith leaping to his own defense — accusing people of hiving clicks and negativity. He followed it up with a reasonable remark that he’d heard worse at a family spades table. That’s true enough. Like I said, it just felt a bit cringe.

Of course, by rising to it rather than ignoring it, people continued to comment. Before long he was quote-tweeting a Seahawks fan who suggested he needed to check his ego. That fan may or may not have felt the wrath of ‘team Geno’ as a consequence. He has 148,000 followers and more than a few appear quite committed to the cause. I think celebrities need to be a little bit careful sometimes who they single out. I don’t think anyone is ‘fair game’. It feels a little bit like you’re punching down. Given the massive size of the bank account he talks about, perhaps he could’ve let this one lie?

He had a few more tweets after. Who knows if he’ll return to the subject.

I just came away thinking, haven’t you got anything better to do?

It reminded me of the occasional private DM I’d share with Seahawk-minded friends after the latest Smith-influenced collective eye-roll. I don’t think Smith’s tweets do him any favours. I’m probably not alone in feeling that way.

We’re a few weeks removed from Brady Henderson revealing on Seattle Sports that leadership factors played a part in the Seahawks making a switch at quarterback this year. I don’t think this kind of thing is totally unrelated.

I just checked and Sam Darnold doesn’t have a Twitter account.

It made my evening.

1. The attendance at OTA’s followed by mini-camp

In the Pete Carroll era it always felt like somebody was sitting out or not attending for one reason or another. This year, having near enough full attendance at OTA’s and even the unsigned rookies taking part in mini-camp, is great to see.

I’ve always seen it as a missed opportunity not to capitalise on this time of year by sitting out. Even for unsigned rookies — the team isn’t going to use a high pick on you and then not give you the contract you are due if you get hurt in mini-camp. Use the time available to get some work in. Seeing everyone working during the voluntary sessions hinted at a team aligned with an all-in mentality.

I can’t help but feel like players such as Cooper Kupp are having a big impact here. Everything we’ve come to learn about him since signing in Seattle speaks to a consummate professional. Likewise with DeMarcus Lawrence. When you’re seasoned vets are rocking up to camp and taking part, really nobody else has an excuse not to be there.

There’s no contract drama, despite the fact several players are in contract years. The whole vibe around the Seahawks is business-like, determined and goal-minded for the season. I like that a lot and think it’ll pay dividends down the line.

This isn’t to say anything against Carroll’s approach previously. Obviously it worked, especially for the LOB era team. I do think in the latter stages though it was harder to keep everything on track and that a shift was needed. You can’t stick with the same approach forever. This is a very different staff with their own way of doing things and that’s a good thing for the current-day Seahawks.

This is a drama-free team at the moment — and it feels good to write that.

2.The way Abe Lucas spoke about the team during a press conference recently

He talked about being really good at a handful of things on offense, making that the identity of the team and exerting your will — rather than trying to be a hodge-podge of different things (his words) and not excel at anything. That was definitely one of the many issues with Ryan Grubb.

I like the idea of a simplified offense in year one of this system with a focus on being really good in certain areas — namely the run. The Seahawks have no base identity to the offense and need a starting point. They have to establish who and what they are and build off that. I think we saw that approach on defense last year and by the end of the season the unit was really thriving. I suspect we’ll see something similar on offense.

3. The no-nonsense approach to things

My favourite types of players are people like Lucas and Grey Zabel. I got into football for the combination of brutal violence, physical brilliance and tactical challenge. I don’t want to watch a finesse team. I don’t think we’re going to get that in 2025.

This also speaks to the Head Coach too. I have to say I really liked the way he shot down the question last week asking whether Sam Darnold is definitely the starter. Contrary to what some might say, it isn’t a question you ‘have’ to ask. Darnold is clearly the starter, we can all see that. If he struggles then that will change but there are no Russell Wilson/Matt Flynn notes coming out of the Seahawks. If Jalen Milroe was pushing to start and wowing everyone as a rookie phenom, we’d have heard about it by now.

Mike Macdonald had no time for this and made it quite clear to everyone he wasn’t tolerating a manufactured discussion around the starter at the position. There is no guarantee that Darnold will thrive in Seattle but he’s going to get the opportunity to show he can. Macdonald’s answer ended any doubt about that being the case.

If you recall, shortly before Geno Smith was traded to the Raiders, we discussed on this blog the not-so-amazing relationship between the quarterback and DK Metcalf. As it turns out, both moved on. It has since emerged that Metcalf himself might’ve been angling for a move for a decent amount of time.

However, the Smith trade created shock-waves across social media. Some prominent Seahawks voices virtually carried a tone of grief. Why have they done this? Was it just about money? Age? A lack of appreciation for Smith, who was beloved by certain sections of the internet?

Well, the peerless Brady Henderson has shed a bit more light on the decision over the last few days. Speaking on Seattle Sports, this is what he had to say:

“When you talk about Sam Darnold versus Geno Smith, I think if you were to say to that coaching staff, that scouting staff… and get them in an honest conversation, I think they would tell you that Sam Darnold’s a really good quarterback, though he’s not quite as talented as Geno Smith.

“I think they would tell you that Geno Smith is a more talented thrower of the ball and that the reasons they thought he (Darnold) was the better option for them went beyond that. It was about, he is younger, he was going to be a little bit cheaper and I think they would tell you that they think he’s going to be a better leader than Geno Smith was. I wouldn’t discount the degree to which that was a factor in their decision to pivot away from Geno Smith and go to Sam Darnold — the leadership stuff.

“I know people will cringe hearing that but I really think that was a factor here, that some of the challenges with Geno were his temperament and the way that he carried himself and the way that he interacted with team mates and I think that they will tell you that, nobody knows how it’s going to go on the field but I think the people who are in the building who know Sam Darnold have vouched for the idea that this guy’s a good leader, he’s going to relate to his team-mates, he’s going to handle adversity well.”

I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to change anyone’s view on the whole Smith/Darnold debate. Everyone’s position is more or less entrenched at this point and, I’m afraid to say, it’s a topic that will likely return to the online discourse any time either player does something of note on the field in 2025, good or bad.

However, I do think it’s something worth noting. The quarterback position is unlike any other role in professional sport. You’re more or less a Head Coach on the field and a CEO off it. You need to be both relatable to team-mates, respected, yet be able to hold people to account and manage the difficult moments.

Every player does this differently. Joe Burrow is different to Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen is different to Jalen Hurts. Some players have so much talent that you are able to overcome any perceived leadership weaknesses. You could argue that Russell Wilson, who clearly wasn’t the most beloved team-mate in Seattle, fits that category. For a period he was one of the very best players in the league so it was a moot point.

Smith was not one of the best players in the league. He was a player approaching his 35th birthday this year, with one statistically brilliant season in his career (2022). His final two years in Seattle were a mixed bag. He virtually won games on his own at times and he also helped lose games with some mind-boggling decisions. Smith wasn’t helped by poor offensive play-callers and a shoddy offensive line but there wasn’t enough evidence to think — you reward this player with a long-term, handsome extension and hope that everything works out if you improve those aspects of the offense.

You’re less likely to take that chance if the feeling within the staff and the front office is that he lacked the leadership qualities you want for the position.

I don’t think a Darnold vs Smith comparison throughout 2025 is worth anyone’s time. I don’t see it as preferring Darnold over Smith. I look at it this way. The Seahawks didn’t want to commit to Geno unless it was on their terms, with an ‘out’ for the team. The minute it became clear that wasn’t viable, they were right to move on. They had to pivot to someone and it just so happens to be Darnold. The truth is the Seahawks are now in search mode. They’re still looking for ‘the guy’. But they were anyway, even with Smith under contract.

They’ve taken a very low-risk, calculated gamble on Darnold with no long-term commitment. He had a productive 2024 season in Minnesota and they’ll see if he can replicate that, or even produce 75% of that season to justify the cost. They appreciate his personality and leadership qualities. If it doesn’t work it’ll be a ‘who’s next?’ type of situation. It’s not ideal but when you don’t have a legit long-term franchise quarterback, those are the cards you have to play.

Smith wasn’t a legit long-term franchise quarterback, irrespective of what some people on the internet thought. He was a skilled passer capable of producing moments of magic. At times, he did carry the team in games. He has excellent physical tools and is among the most impressive athletes at his position in the NFL.

He’s also 35 this year, he can be erratic and by all accounts Henderson is relaying a reality that he wasn’t the best leader. Moving on from that and trying to find a better fit for the culture of your team feels like a reasonable move. Especially when you factor in the cost saving and the return of a third round pick which was used on Jalen Milroe, who they’ll try to develop into a potential long-term solution.

Darnold isn’t likely to produce as many ‘wow’ throws this year. Nor is he likely to have a game where he’s the pre-eminent factor in the win. He’s probably going to be more of a facilitator with more focus than ever on the running game, passing off the running game and clear scheming. Yet for the last two seasons Smith has produced 20 and 21 touchdowns respectively, with 24 total interceptions and a passer rating in the 92/93 range. It’s not going to be the greatest challenge ever for Darnold to at least match that output to help the Seahawks stay on course.

In fact, he could easily better those numbers in a more structured, efficient and functioning offense. Smith would’ve probably bettered his numbers too. But perhaps Darnold’s greatest X-factor could be in the locker-room and how he leads the group? That might’ve been as a big a factor as any in Seattle’s decision to make a change at quarterback this year.