Seattle’s Head Coach was asked about Jadeveon Clowney twice in yesterday’s press conference but his answer contradicted itself.
He started by saying, “We were involved throughout” and then later added, “We were in it the whole time… We were with him the whole time in the discussion… John (Schneider) was in on all of it.”
Yet he also said, “We moved on, you know, for the most part well early in the offseason.”
Unfortunately the message from Carroll was as muddled as Seattle’s approach to fixing the pass rush.
Frankly they needed to pick one of the options. Be with Clowney ‘the whole time’ and get a deal done or move on and sign someone else — such as Everson Griffen, who was available for a very modest $6m.
2. Carroll is well aware of the situation
It was a flat press conference with very little energy. It was reminiscent of the conference immediately following the first round of the 2019 draft. It’s easy to tell when Carroll isn’t happy. It was written all over his face here.
He bristled at the modest handful of questions about the pass rush. When asked directly if they’d improved the unit from a year ago, he simply spoke about the hope that Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa’s 2019 sack production would translate and that Jarran Reed could return to 2018 form.
Carroll also used the word ‘anxious’ several times when discussing how he needs to see both lines at the weekend. This doesn’t have to be construed as a negative. You can be anxious to see something in a positive sense too. Yet to me, it all contributed to reveal how Carroll actually feels. His body language, his words, the way he chose to answer questions.
He knows this defensive line is a problem and I think he is concerned. I think he was flat because the goalposts have moved. For weeks and months the likes of Jadeveon Clowney and Everson Griffen remained available. Carroll publicly revealed his expectation that there would be some surprise cuts that could lead to an opportunity before the season started.
Now Clowney and Griffen are gone and those surprise cuts didn’t materialise.
He knows they’ll be walking into Atlanta with more hope than expectation that this is going to work out OK. It’s not just the D-line either. He said he was anxious about the O-line too and rightly so with three new starters — including a draft bust, a rookie and a player benched by the Jets last year.
The Seahawks will start the season with a potential glaring problem in the trenches that isn’t going to be easy to solve. It’ll probably be giving Carroll sleepless nights.
3. It was a disappointing press conference
This was the ideal opportunity for Seattle’s media to quiz Carroll on the defensive line. After all, both he and Schneider said fixing the pass rush was the priority this off-season.
Kudos to Art Thiel for asking whether the D-line had improved from last year. There should’ve been more questions though. Had they faced unexpected issues in addressing this need? Is the lack of depth at defensive tackle, with only three on the roster, a concern? Have they addressed this issue as much as they would’ve liked? How does Carroll feel about PFF ranking the D-line as the worst in the league?
None of these questions are unfair or particularly mischievous. They were relevant though. Even if you’re willing to give the Seahawks the benefit of the doubt on their pass rush ‘repair’, you’d surely at least acknowledge this is a topic that warrants some examination and some digging?
It would’ve been nice to see a bit more done in this area. In 20 minutes there were two blasts at the Clowney topic and Thiel’s question on the D-line. More time was spent on the impact of Covid testing, how Carroll felt about the impacted pre-season and protests — all of which has been covered in great detail already. Carroll even dedicated a whole conference to an impassioned speech on social justice.
It would’ve been nice to flesh out a bit more on how the pass rush priority ended up equating to losing Clowney, Quinton Jefferson and Al Woods and only signing modest replacements. This could be the defining factor of the season after all. Even if you anticipate Carroll batting away the questions — you still have to ask them.
4. Carroll’s praise for Ethan Pocic felt forced
Pocic was named the starter for next Sunday with Carroll stating:
“He had a great camp. Ethan had offseason surgery on something that’s been bothering him for a number of years, an athletic hernia thing that he’s been dealing with. All I can tell you is he did a great job in camp and looked terrific. He was our most experienced guy with handling the whole system and all, and it showed. So we’re fired up to see him go.”
The thing is, we already know the Seahawks worked out Justin Britt last week and tried (but failed) to re-sign him. He’s since travelled to Green Bay for a try-out.
If Pocic had enjoyed a ‘terrific’ and ‘great’ camp — you wouldn’t be needing to try and re-sign Britt the week before the season.
The truth is if Britt and the Seahawks had agreed terms, he could’ve been starting on Sunday having been rushed back for kick off.
5. The Seahawks need to assess how they operate in 2021
How many times did you hear the words, ‘they’re not finished yet’ or something along those lines?
From free agency to the draft to even this week. Everyone assumed they would do more because quite simply, they had to do more.
This has to change in the future.
The Seahawks need to get out of this recent habit of needing to address crucial needs when the main roster building events (free agency & draft) are complete.
Last year they had to rush Ziggy Ansah in after the draft to fill a glaring hole at pass rush. With hindsight, the Seahawks badly misjudged that addition given he played through semi-retirement in 2019. He wasn’t healthy and he didn’t look particularly motivated.
Thus they ran the risk of going into the off-season relying on Barkevious Mingo, Jacob Martin and Cassius Marsh for a pass rush until Houston bailed them out with the Clowney trade. This year, no such bailing out occurred.
So despite all the calls throughout the summer and during camp that they wouldn’t be finished — actually they were. They didn’t sign other players and instead of Mingo, Martin and Marsh they’re now relying on Mayowa, Green and Irvin.
Next year, if there’s a problem to be solved — get it done in March. Don’t assume things will be OK down the line.
The Seahawks shouldn’t be banking on last minute antidotes.
6. I’m not sure it’s going to happen for Quinton Dunbar
Who knows whether this will lead to any future legal trouble but it could certainly have an impact on the NFL’s decision over a possible suspension.
Regardless of his work with Marquand Manuel — he’s still learning a new scheme that other players have struggled to pickup. Maybe it’s just a hunch but I’m anticipating Tre Flowers as a starting cornerback in 2020 — not just for week one.
7. Clay Matthews on the way?
Don’t be surprised if he goes through Covid testing by the end of the week to enter Seattle’s bubble. Michael Silver linked Matthews to Seattle weeks ago — as did Tony Pauline last week.
D’Andre Walker is simply on an extended trial. He had a good career at Georgia and flashed talent. Yet injuries led to a fall to round five and he didn’t play a down for the Titans before being cut.
He’s worth having a look at and it seems pretty obvious that’s what Seattle is doing. Nobody should expect him to be active this weekend though. He hasn’t played for nearly two years.
If he doesn’t flash, doesn’t seem 100% healthy or if the Seahawks struggle in Atlanta, Matthews will probably be brought in to take his place.
8. A thought on the Falcons game
You won’t be surprised to read that I think the Seahawks’ D-line is going to struggle on Sunday. I think this is a difficult first game for the unit. Matt Ryan has had plenty of success against Seattle’s defense as has Julio Jones. The chances are they will both put up huge numbers and if I had either in a fantasy team — they would be gold star starters.
However, that doesn’t mean Atlanta will win.
The key for Seattle, in my view, is going to be keeping up. That’ll be on Russell Wilson — something we’ll say a few times this year. He can also have success against Atlanta’s defense. If he can keep scoring and keep Seattle in the game, they’ll have a shot to win and it could come down to which team holds their nerve at the end.
If Wilson can’t keep up, however, it could be a long day. The Seahawks have a terrible opening day record under Carroll on the road (1-5) and even when they’ve won at home against bad teams like Miami and Cincinnati they’ve made hard work of it. They do not start seasons well — often playing squalid, frustrating, sloppy football.
Fortunately the Falcons have a similar recent history. They are 2-3 in season openers over the last five years. This includes poor losses to Minnesota (28-12), Philadelphia (18-12) and Tampa Bay (31-24). Their two wins were narrow and close against the Bears (23-17) and Eagles (26-24).
The chances are it will be a close game at least in terms of the scoreline — possibly because neither team has a reputation for starting well. Again though — in order for the Seahawks to stay in it and have a chance they’re going to need Wilson to be on top form and they’re going to have to bend not break on defense.
Ryan is going to get yards galore against this pass rush. Matt Schaub managed 460 last season and don’t forget even Andy Dalton had 418 in week one a year ago. Red zone defense will be crucial for Seattle to limit the damage in terms of points to give their own star quarterback a chance to steal a victory.
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Pete Carroll faces a huge season in Seattle after a disappointing few months
It was the last domino to fall. The one thing that could’ve potentially saved the day.
Signing Jadeveon Clowney wouldn’t have cured all of Seattle’s ills on the defensive line. Yet it would’ve at least provided a player with some X-factor.
A player capable of winning you a game, just as he did in San Francisco or against the Eagles in the playoffs.
The Seahawks could’ve boasted a star at every level of their defense — Clowney, Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams.
His addition would’ve at least meant keeping the one player worth a darn on your D-line from a year ago. While people like to focus on his lack of sacks in 2019 — it’s often forgotten he had 18.5 in his previous two years in Houston and had a pressure percentage rate last year similar to Joey Bosa and Aaron Donald.
Now they will move on and no doubt add a Clay Matthews and maybe whoever’s left at defensive tackle. They will hope that a rag-tag cast of older players, career backups and unproven prospects can prevent a wasted season.
This was never about Clowney. He was simply the only player left to hope for. If they weren’t going to sign him, they should’ve added other players to dramatically improve their D-line. They emphatically failed to do this.
The reality is this is a defense that relies on rushing with four. That means, for all the investment at linebacker and safety, they’re going to be relying on Benson Mayowa and Rasheem Green.
It gives me no pleasure to say the Seahawks’ off-season has been a mess. People will talk themselves into believing it isn’t. That’s fine. It’s not my intention to ruin any week-before-the-season excitement. If you want to operate in that airspace, that’s fine. You might want to skip the rest of this article.
If you’re still with me and are willing to be open minded as to why I’ve come to the conclusion I have, I’m going to run through the gamut of errors that have delivered a missed opportunity to take a big step forward.
1. They spent nearly $60m and didn’t improve
When the new league year began there was optimism and excitement among Seahawks fans. For the first time in years they had cap space to spend and a bevvy of draft picks waiting to be used.
Instead they splurged nearly $60m and somehow barely improved their roster.
Their biggest outlay for 2020 was re-signing Jarran Reed — an understandable move. Bringing in Greg Olsen can also be justified, even if it came at a high price ($6.9m).
After that things got weird.
It was implausible to give Bruce Irvin a 32% pay rise from his salary in Carolina, especially given his age, desire to return to Seattle and seemingly lukewarm market. Equally, what did Cedric Ogbuehi show in his 155 total snaps for the Jaguars last season to warrant a pay increase from $895,000 to $2.237m?
Why did they pay Jacob Hollister $3.259m as a restricted free agent having already committed $6.9m to Olsen prior to drafting two tight ends?
Why did they identify B.J. Finney as a hot target to play center, only to witness a player who was a career backup in Pittsburgh settle into the exact same role in Seattle at a cost of $8m for two seasons?
Why did they invest $11.796m in David Moore, Branden Jackson, Joey Hunt, Cedric Ogbuehi and Jacob Hollister while also turning their nose up at the D-line options available on the market? Then, having blown $4.2m on Jackson and Hunt during the significant portion of free agency, they cut both players much later in the year because they were ‘too expensive’.
Today they reworked David Moore’s contract to reduce his $2.1m cap hit. Again, would it have been the worst decision in the world to risk losing Moore by letting him test free agency with a view to getting him back at a cheaper price? Between Moore, Jackson and Hunt they used $6.3 in cap space in March — about as much as Dante Fowler and Robert Quinn’s 2020 cap hits.
Why is Jack Conklin’s reasonable cap hit of $8m in 2020 less attractive than using $7m on B.J. Finney and Brandon Shell? If you include Mike Iupati’s $2.5m and Chance Warmack’s $887,500 — can you honestly say the ‘depth’ of Finney, Shell, Iupati and Warmack was preferable than investing in a player who many consider to be a top right tackle?
After all the spending the only position that you could argue had seen a reasonable upgrade was tight end. Everywhere else — the team was either worse (swapping Clowney for Mayowa) or the status quo had remained.
Here are the stats from hell for Seattle’s defense in 2019:
— The Seahawks finished with 28 sacks, second fewest in the league behind only Miami (23)
— Their sack percentage was 4.5% — third worst overall
— The Seahawks produced a sack or quarterback hit on just 14.4% of opponents’ pass plays — worst in the NFL
— They had only 126 pressures, sixth fewest in the league behind Detroit (125), Oakland (117), Houston (117), Atlanta (115) and Miami (96)
— Seattle’s pressure percentage was the fourth worst in the league (19.3%) behind Detroit (18.9%), Houston (18.1%) and Miami (16.7%)
— Seattle hit the quarterback 68 times — fourth fewest
— They had 52 TFL’s — fourth fewest
— They gave up 55 explosive running plays on defense, seventh most in the NFL
— Their explosive run play percentage (14%) was the third worst overall behind only Carolina (16%) and Cleveland (15%)
— They gave up 4.9 YPC — fourth most overall
— They had 131 missed tackles during the regular season — fourth most.
Yet after spending between $50-60m the only significant change to Seattle’s defense was the trade for Quinton Dunbar (and within weeks his future was going to be plunged into doubt).
Meanwhile the Ravens traded a fifth round pick for Calais Campbell — the player John Schneider and Pete Carroll have often referenced they’ve been searching for. The Falcons signed Dante Fowler for $6.6m this year, $19m next year and there’s an out after 2021. The Bears signed Robert Quinn for $6.1m this year, $14.7m next year and they have an out after 2021. Everson Griffen penned a $6m deal with the Cowboys recently and Yannick Ngakoue was willing to take a $5m pay cut to join Minnesota.
I’ve noted many times that I think Seattle’s entire off-season was adversely effected by Jadeveon Clowney’s impromptu hold-out. I explained why here. You could somewhat justify the above if there was a happy ending with Clowney. Now that it isn’t possible — their free agent spending looks even worse.
2. They’re getting minimal impact from their top-two picks
The Seahawks put themselves under pressure by failing to properly address the defense in free agency. The 2020 draft was rich in talent at receiver and the offensive line — yet Seattle instead were left to focus on different areas to fill needs.
Despite their less than secure long term future at offensive tackle and center and the clear need to keep adding weapons around their best player and quarterback, the Seahawks drafted a linebacker and a pass rusher with their top two picks.
The Jordyn Brooks addition was baffling from minute one. The Seahawks were already paying Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright around $25m to play in 2020. They were also a year removed from trading up in round three to select Cody Barton. With Wagner receiving a long, hefty contract extension — the only question mark was the long term replacement for Wright.
Was it really worth spending a first round pick on a WILL of the future though?
Brooks deserves time to show what he can do. If he’s capable of mimicking Wright’s storied career, it’ll be far from a wasted selection. He’s tough, physical and athletic.
It’s just really hard to justify a team with so many clear needs using a first round pick on a player they knew wouldn’t contribute much in year one, especially at a non-premium position.
I don’t like to play the ‘look what you could’ve won’ game in the draft. You can tie yourself in knots doing that. However, given they were willing to use a third round pick to trade up in round two, would the Seahawks have been better off moving up four spots in round one to secure Cesar Ruiz? Wouldn’t that have been a secure investment for the long term, preventing the current weird situation at center with Ethan Pocic the default starter until Justin Britt is healthy enough to return?
I’ve interviewed Ruiz. I’ve studied his tape in depth. He could’ve solidified the position for years to come and, in my opinion, potentially started as a rookie (which they’re clearly comfortable with given Damien Lewis is slated to start at right guard).
Instead they chose to add a WILL of the future and then trade up in round two for an edge rusher because they’d failed to address that position properly in free agency.
The only problem is, this was a terrible draft for speedy rushers. They latched onto Darrell Taylor because he’s their type of player. He’s an exciting, quick, balanced rusher with ideal size for the LEO. Yet he carried major injury red flags. It wasn’t a minor issue. It was a huge concern with him going into the draft.
The Seahawks traded a third round pick in order to move up and get him. Low and behold — the injury that hampered him throughout the 2019 season and kept him out of the Senior Bowl and combine is still a problem.
Who knows when he’ll be available?
The end result is a team not getting any immediate impact from their top two picks. You might argue it’ll be difficult for any rookie to perform at a decent level given the way Coronavirus has impacted the league. It’s a fair point. Yet even without a global pandemic, the Seahawks would’ve been faced with the same situation. Taylor’s injury and Brooks’ backup status would’ve remained regardless.
It meant that after their spending splurge in free agency and their draft class — they’d still not made any significant improvements to the team aside from the tight end position.
3. They didn’t fix the pass rush
We all knew they had to do something. So did the Seahawks:
People have tried to talk themselves into what eventually unfolded. I refer back to cha’s brilliant post in the comments section summing up 12’s during the off-season:
Hawks Fans 5 Stages of Grief For the Pass Rush
DENIAL
“PC knows there won’t be a season in 2020 because of COVID.”
“PC and JS know what they’re doing. They’ve won a Super Bowl. Have YOU ever been a coach or GM?”
“Hawks are saving cap space because future years could be bad.”
ANGER
“Stop talking about the pass rush! That’s all you talk about!”
BARGAINING
“A better back 7 will improve the pass rush.”
“We got Jamal Adams and he’s a pass rusher.”
“Our reformed OL is a bigger problem.”
“Maybe Benson Mayowa can do a Chris Clemons.”
DEPRESSION
“What’s the point of playing the season? We know how it’s going to go – It’s going to be 9-7 or 10-6 and a milquetoast playoff loss.”
ACCEPTANCE
“Let’s enjoy RW while we can and marvel at special talents like DK Metcalf and Jamal Adams.”
Let’s just break down exactly what the Seahawks did to address their self-confessed #1 off-season priority:
— Lost Jadeveon Clowney, Al Woods and Quinton Jefferson
— Signed Benson Mayowa
— Drafted a player in round two (injured) and a player in round five
— Failed to make any serious additions at defensive tackle
— Added Bruce Irvin to play SAM linebacker and rush on passing downs
— Quickly rushed in Damontre Moore the week before the season starts
The top pass rushing defensive end on the team is Mayowa — a player who only had 302 snaps for Oakland last season and was gradually phased out of the defense. Despite having what some have called ‘his best season’ — he was practically surplus to requirements by the end of the year and the Raiders made no attempt to retain him. He has been a career backup and replacement level player throughout and had one sack in 2017 and four sacks in 2018.
If you’d said in February that he would be leading Seattle’s pass rush in 2020, nobody would’ve believed you.
He will be backed up by one of Alton Robinson — a fifth round rookie — or Damontre Moore, who was signed off his couch this week.
On the other side of the line will be perennial underachiever Rasheem Green. His four sack season in 2019 has taken on almost a mythical status because he accidentally led the Seahawks in sacks. The reality is he’s a player with all the physical tools and a distinct lack of fire and nouse. Now, he’s your starting five-technique.
Backing him up is L.J. Collier who deserves an opportunity to take a step forward in 2020 after a horrible rookie season that was impacted by an ankle injury. That said, he has everything to prove. He’s not only fighting to contribute more than one or two snaps a game this year — he needs to justify the fact the team used a first round pick on him a year ago.
Then we come onto defensive tackle where Jarran Reed and Poona Ford are the presumptive starters. Astonishingly, the only other DT on the roster is Bryan Mone. Demarcus Christmas, P.J. Johnson and undrafted rookie Cedrick Lattimore were all cut today. They will surely add another — but who? There’s hardly a long list of attractive options out there.
Rather than fix the pass rush, the Seahawks have cobbled together a unit that could be the worst positional group in the league.
You don’t need JJ Watt and Von Miller flanking Aaron Donald to play defense but you do need players who can consistently create pressure and impact quarterbacks. Forget sacks. If Mayowa plays 600-700 snaps in 2020 he will get some sacks purely through circumstance and opportunity. It’s no different than a bad striker in soccer playing 40 games and finishing with 7-8 goals.
The key is being able to consistently trouble the passer from the edge and the interior. The Seahawks didn’t have a great pass rush in 2018 but they got by thanks to the talent of Frank Clark because he was adept at winning 1v1 and combined elite explosive traits with supreme agility.
Seattle has none of that now. It’s no good being handled at the line for three quarters then picking up a coverage sack in garbage time with the game lost. By now nobody should need to be told about the impact of pressure on a QB. Just watch Russell Wilson against Arizona in week 16 last year.
When you can’t create pressure, even Matt Schaub is capable of passing for 460 yards — as he did against Seattle in 2019.
It’s not just the pass rush either. For some time now the Seahawks have done a terrible job handling the perimeter run game. They will hope the addition of Adams and Irvin plus the development of Marquise Blair will have a positive impact here. Yet you also need to be able to keep your second level defenders clean. If the D-line is being cut through with ease, they will simply end up being blocked out of plays and you’ll see the same kind of problems against misdirection, sweeps and stretch runs.
4. Desperation sets in
Jamal Adams is a fantastic player. One of the best in the NFL. I recall watching the Jets vs Giants game last year and being wowed by his constant impact.
Fans were desperate for something to get excited about and the Adams trade provided the shot in the arm they needed.
I also believe, firmly, that any analysis of the trade deserves proper scrutiny. However good Adams may be, serious questions need to be asked.
I propose the Seahawks were desperate. The only significant move they made to improve a struggling defense was to bring in Quinton Dunbar. At the time of the trade it was unclear whether he was facing a jail sentence for armed robbery. Now that he’s been cleared, there’s still no clarity on whether he faces a suspension.
Take away Dunbar and the 2020 defense was basically the same as a year ago minus Jadeveon Clowney.
Read that statement and acknowledge it. Because it’s a cast iron fact. You can’t seriously analyse this trade without acknowledging that one month before the season began, the only significant difference from 12 months ago was the removal of Clowney.
My hunch is the Seahawks knew they had to do something. Adams was available on the trade market and was a really good defensive player. They saw an opportunity.
Yet because they were desperate and because they had to do something — they were also shopping in a sellers market. This was their only shot to make a big splash. They couldn’t miss out because there were no alternatives other than possibly Yannick Ngakoue — and he would’ve cost $12m in cap space. It was practically Adams or else.
Thus, they ended up giving up a kings ransom to make sure this happened. They traded the Jets a bounty that nobody could predict. Two firsts, a third and a player for Adams and a fourth.
About a month before the trade was finalised, Tony Pauline reported that the Jets were interested in a player-for-player swap with the Cowboys that included La’el Collins. With Dallas losing pieces on their O-line recently, they were reluctant to make the deal.
Aside from that, several reports touted a first rounder and another pick. The Seahawks blew everyone else out of the water. That for me was a signal that they knew they had to get this. They couldn’t leave it to chance. They couldn’t be outbid.
Because they were desperate.
They’ve since claimed this was in the pipeline for weeks. Come on. If they wanted Jamal Adams badly and he was a priority off-season target, this deal would’ve been done in March. The Jets would’ve taken this trade any day, any time. The Seahawks only spent a second round pick on Marquise Blair a year ago.
For me, this wasn’t part of any vision. It was a reactionary move because they’d failed to do much of anything to improve the defense despite spending nearly $60m and a host of draft picks.
And look — that doesn’t mean it’s a bad trade. If Adams justifies the massive price tag, nobody will complain. Let’s be real though. They’ve mortgaged the future of the franchise on a safety to cover for a poor off-season — and they’re going to hope that the worst D-line in the league according to PFF isn’t going to expose the massive investment in not just Adams but also the linebacker position.
5. What now for Russell Wilson?
This has been a different off-season for Wilson. He’s been more outspoken for sure. He called on the team to sign superstars at the Pro-Bowl. He liked tweets about big name skill players in the draft. He had a very public workout with Antonio Brown.
People he’s very close with in the media have been very critical of the Seahawks. Colin Cowherd, a confidant of Wilson’s, casually compared his situation to Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs QB has the offense tailored to him, he has input in their draft picks and they’ve supported him with weapons galore, pass protection and a complementary defense.
Wilson wants to win so badly he named his newborn son after the word. Yet in the last five years the Seahawks have only won their division once. Forget Super Bowls. They can’t even win the NFC West.
He’s seen the ‘Let Russ Cook’ stuff because he’s a social media addict. He’ll know as well as anyone the strong and weak areas of the roster.
Would anyone blame him for feeling like he’s taken for granted? He doesn’t have Mahomes’ weapons, offensive freedom and too often he needs to drag the team back from a massive deficit because they’ve started slowly or they’re ill-equipped to deal with an opponent from the first whistle.
I’m not for a second implying that Wilson is on the brink of demanding a trade or doesn’t see his future in Seattle. I do think, however, that this time will come unless the Seahawks match the ambitions of their star player.
He’s a supremely driven and competitive individual. If he doesn’t think he can win multiple titles in Seattle, he’ll find a place where he can. It’s no different to Lebron James leaving Cleveland (twice). Lebron’s legacy as an all-time great is cemented because of his three titles. He’s in Los Angeles now to try and win more.
Wilson can’t expect to be considered one of the all-time greats with one Super Bowl ring — as many as Joe Flacco, Nick Foles and Trent Dilfer. As things stand, he’ll be remembered as much for that pass against New England as he will for anything else in his career.
At the moment the Seahawks are treading water. They’ve been in a reset for three years and without the hugely expensive Jamal Adams trade, wouldn’t have added any stars. They consistently finish second in the NFC West and make a hasty exit in the playoffs. And none of it’s because of the quarterback.
A lot of people aren’t going to enjoy reading these words and I’m already anticipating the backlash. However, I’m telling you, the Seahawks are facing a problem in the future if they cannot match the ambitions of their quarterback and provide him with an environment to achieve his career goals.
We’re already seeing this float into the media:
You don’t see the same things being said of other quarterbacks. Do you ever wonder why?
The Seahawks can’t afford another off-season like this one. The only problem is — they’ve plundered their resources in terms of draft picks until 2023 and the NFL economy is coming to terms with Covid-19.
Regulars to this blog will know I take no pleasure in writing any of this. Floating visitors will assume I’m being negative for the sake of it or attempting a hot take for ‘clicks’ (without realising I make no money from ad revenue).
I’m just being honest. I’d prefer to be proven wrong. I don’t think I am. This, for me, is simply the harsh reality of the poorest off-season in the Carroll era.
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The #Titans have also maintained interest in Jadeveon Clowney, with the #Seahawks monitoring. But the #Saints are pushing hard. Clowney would play right DE in an even front, on national TV more than he ever has been, with a chance to cash in for 2021 after a 1-year deal. https://t.co/RUbsdBKyey
According to Spotrac, the Saints have approximately $4m in available cap space. Yet reports are suggesting they’re making a huge push for Jadeveon Clowney.
What does this tell us? Firstly, you can make anything happen financially if you have the will to do it. Secondly, the Seahawks are facing a decisive 24 hours.
Based on the tweets above, they are ‘monitoring’ the situation. That has to turn into something more significant. Although apparently the price is still ‘too high’ for Seattle:
While the price for Clowney is still too high for Seattle, I’m told the Jacksonville Jaguars are also monitoring the situation per sources.
Only today Pete Carroll was referencing the need to try and get recently re-signed Damontre Moore up to speed so he can play in week one. This is a player who has featured in just 11 games in the last three seasons for three separate teams.
He’s barely been talked about in terms of returning to the NFL. Yet here is — being praised for his effort and seemingly being thrust into the spotlight as someone who will need to be relied on.
How has it come to this? How has fixing the pass rush as a priority turned into this?
You could argue they’ve been unfortunate. Darrell Taylor, who they drafted in round two, is still recovering from a injury he picked up last year. They were clearly hoping he could contribute as a rookie.
Yet everyone knew about his injury pre-draft. It was a well known red flag that every team was aware of. Hopefully he will make a full recovery in the future but in terms of 2020, the prospect of him contributing is bleak and there was always a chance of that happening. It shouldn’t be a big surprise.
Even then — relying on a rookie would’ve been a stretch.
So up steps Moore to join the rag-tag bunch of assembled parts.
Some Seahawks fans have tried to convince themselves that an improved secondary and a batch of contributors on the defensive line will be enough to deliver a contending Seahawks team. Let’s just get real. Allow reality to wash over you and consider the prospect of a defensive scheme that relies on rushing four being led by Rasheem Green and Benson Mayowa.
All the investment at linebacker and safety. The franchise quaterback. The hopes and dreams of a team in year three of a reset — trying to win a division they’ve only claimed once in the last five years.
It all rests on the ability of players like Green and Mayowa, supported by Moore, Alton Robinson and L.J. Collier, to not be a total and utter liability on the defensive line.
And that’s before we even get into the atrocious ‘depth’ at defensive tackle.
The Saints are moving in for the kill. They are trying to add an impact player who will certainly make their team better. They are a genuine contender already and this will only take them a step further.
If the Seahawks really are truly about competing and about reaching the status of a New Orleans or a San Francisco this year and being a serious contender and not a mere playoff number-maker-upper they have to go and get the player they called a top priority at the start of the off-season.
You can’t watch him join a NFC rival.
Especially after watching Calais Campbell, Robert Quinn, Dante Fowler, Yannick Nagkoue, Everson Griffen and others also move on to other teams.
Failure to act and what happens next will be frustratingly predictable. The Seahawks will win games because of their quarterback but they won’t reach their potential. The defensive line will hold them back. Whether that’s week one against Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, a key NFC West game or a playoff season-ender.
It will cost them eventually.
So what’s the call?
Inaction and hope for the best? Or proving that this team is still serious about winning Championships?
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With covid testing stretching over three days, the weekend is pretty much the deadline for getting business done ahead of the opener in Atlanta.
The Seahawks had another meeting with Justin Britt yesterday as it seems increasingly likely he’ll return as the starting center. They’ve also now made a move to re-sign Josh Gordon.
His status still seems somewhat unclear. The Seahawks were clearly waiting for him to be reinstated but there’s no official word yet (this could be forthcoming).
Either way, it was a no-brainer to bring him in. Russell Wilson needs all the weapons he can get. Gordon’s long list of suspensions and issues don’t change the fact that he’s incredibly talented and now creates a legit three-pronged attack with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
We saw glimpses of his quality last season — including the remarkable downfield grab against Carolina and numerous vital third down conversions.
There’s no risk here because the price will be minimal. If he doesn’t last the season again, there won’t be any major financial ramifications. It’s a common sense signing with plenty of upside.
The question now is what happens next?
Could an end to the Jadeveon Clowney saga be forthcoming?
Per @CharlesRobinson now on @1025TheGame : If Clowney will happen, next couple days. Titans frustrated by "lack of engagement," have wanted to get him in for a physical. He turned down $17-18M range from Browns. It's Titans or Seahawks. Seahawks around $12M. Titans likely similar
Again, if Clowney is going to play in week one something needs to be done by the weekend. We’ll see if deadlines spur results in this instance.
**Update**
The Seahawks did sign a returning defensive end but it’s Damontre Moore instead. They need someone to fill the hole left by Branden Jackson and there’s still no guarantee that Clowney will sign. It’s a plausible stop-gap for now.
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He’ll need some excellent conditioner for the rain in Seattle
Believe it or not but it’s nearly a full month since Michael Silver reported the Seahawks had ‘moved on’ from Jadeveon Clowney and that a deal ‘could happen soon’ with Everson Griffen or Clay Matthews.
A couple of days after the report it became clear, as explained in this article, that the report was more of a nudge to Clowney than a sign of anything serious happening with Griffen or Matthews. So it proved.
In a mailbag piece today for PFN — trusted insider and friend of the blog Tony Pauline reported that, according to his sources, the belief is still that Clowney will join the Ravens:
Most league insiders I’ve spoken with, including a great source who I called just before typing this out, still believe Clowney ends up with the Ravens, as I suggested last week. It checks off a lot of boxes for both sides.
That said, I have no direct knowledge of the two sides talking. It’s also a situation that seems to change daily. It’s already September and Clowney is still unsigned. If I had told you six months ago this was going to be the situation, you would’ve told me I was nuts.
“There’s been times where teams have asked if he’s going to fire (agent) Bus Cook. Is there a problem between Clowney and Cook? There have been times where teams have told me they’ve asked Cook to get Clowney on the phone. This is Jadeveon Clowney who’s driving this.”
Robinson also adds that Seattle offered Clowney $12m — presumably for one season. If true, we more or less know where the Seahawks are at.
The reporting of this stalemate, however, has lacked clarity throughout. The off-season started with Seattle’s local media implying the Seahawks wouldn’t be able to afford Clowney as he was destined to earn +$21m a year. That changed to people wondering if the Seahawks were offering about $17m. We then had the weird leaking of a seemingly legit offer sheet via a random twitter account that said the offer was $27m plus incentives over two years. Then we hear the $15m figure from Silver and now $12m from Robinson.
With Yannick Ngakoue agreeing to play for $12m in Minnesota, it doesn’t help Clowney’s situation. If that really is Seattle’s range right now, the market dictates that’s pretty much all Clowney can expect. A $12m salary, at this late stage, with an opportunity to re-enter the market next year, would be a good deal for a player who is currently unemployed and with wallets tightening in the NFL.
We’ll see if the imminent start of the season ends the stalemate. Clowney has drawn this out as much as he can. Once the season begins, he cannot expect his price tag to go up. Not if you’re paying for fewer than 16 games.
It’ll be time to take the best offer or be prepared to sit out the season — which he may well do.
It also seems just as clear today than it did a month ago that the Seahawks are protecting their cap space on the off-chance Clowney opts to return.
Something needs to happen in the next seven days though. Any player signing for a team has to go through Covid testing over a three day period. In order to be ready for week one, they’ll need at least a couple of days with the team. For me the absolute latest you can wait is this weekend if you want to get something done for the Atlanta game.
The Seahawks should want to get something done for Atlanta too. They play in the toughest division in football and every game is going to matter — for seeding and for the division. They can’t afford to flop into a couple of early losses like they did in 2015 or 2018 and forever be playing catchup. They need to give themselves the best chance of winning early and often — and that means not going to play Matt Ryan and Julio Jones with Benson Mayowa as your primary pass rusher.
Ryan can be surgical without pressure and here’s a reminder of Julio’s career stats against the Seahawks:
Saturday is also cut-down day when teams will discover who is available on waivers. It’s looking like a vital weekend. I think that’s tipping point. That’s the moment where the Seahawks either have to sign Clowney or move on.
Pauline in his mailbag was also asked about Clay Matthews. He says he’ll likely end up in Seattle.
If Clowney is a no-go it’s really the only option left. It’s a mediocre option too, albeit one they’ll still need to make. Seahawks fans have been talking themselves into a pass rush based around Mayowa, Rasheem Green, Bruce Irvin, Alton Robinson and L.J. Collier but it simply isn’t good enough. Matthews might be long past his best but, sadly, he’d likely be their top rusher if signed today.
Darrell Taylor feels like a write off this year and given his history of injuries, it’s not an encouraging start for his future prospects considering the Seahawks used a third round pick to trade up and get him. Matthews, if nothing else, will need to replace Taylor. Not to mention Branden Jackson is no longer on the roster, eating into Seattle’s ‘depth’.
This is really where we’re at now. Possibly on the brink of finally knowing what Clowney is going to do — but also reaching the point of no return and needing to finally move on. If that happens, they may well wish they could re-run the off-season and come up with a new plan — including not letting Everson Griffen slip through the net or watching other players like Calais Campbell, Robert Quinn, Dante Fowler and Yannick Ngakoue go to other teams.
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Robbie and I sat down and discussed everything from the Yannick Ngakoue trade, Leonard Fournette being cut, Paul Richardson returning and the situation at center.
Please like the video on YouTube, share it online if possible and let us know what you think in the comments section.
Jaguars agreed to trade franchise DE Yannick Ngakoue to Minnesota for a second- and conditional fifth-round pick that could go as high a third-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Ngakoue still has to sign his tender, but trade is in place and Ngakoue is expected to be a Viking.
Let’s get one thing straight — the Seahawks couldn’t make this deal. Having traded away their first and third round picks next year, plus their first rounder in 2022, they couldn’t afford to give up two more picks on what could be a one-year rental.
As much as the next draft is in flux due to the question marks surrounding college football, the Seahawks are still going to need to add young, cheap talent next year with so many players on one-year deals.
Ngakoue’s salary would also be a sticking point, given he’s unable to negotiate an extension until the 2021 league year begins per the terms of the franchise tag. The Vikings will have to cut someone (Riley Reiff is the only one who can provide relief) or trade a player such as Anthony Harris.
Either that or the Jaguars will split the difference on the salary.
It simply wasn’t realistic for the Seahawks to make this deal, however, having already made a move for Jamal Adams. And with their conservative approach to contract negotiations these days, the chances are they would’ve used that second rounder and conditional pick for one season of Ngakoue (just as they did with Sheldon Richardson and, possibly, Jadeveon Clowney).
That said, this is still a trade that warrants some discussion from a Seahawks perspective.
Having signalled their desire at the start of the off-season to ‘fix the pass rush’, they’ve so far — as we all know by now — only swapped Clowney for Benson Mayowa, added Bruce Irvin and then traded up in round two for a player who’s probably going to start the year on the PUP list. They’ve not done anything at defensive tackle short of retaining Jarran Reed.
Other teams, who perhaps didn’t state fixing the pass rush was their main aim, have been so much more aggressive and pro-active.
The Vikings can now partner Ngakoue with Danielle Hunter and Anthony Barr — creating a dynamic triple-threat rush attack. Look at the following tweet:
The Vikings now have an elite duo on all three levels of their defense: ▪️Pass rusher: Danielle Hunter and Yannick Ngakoue ▪️Linebacker: Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr ▪️Safety: Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris
Someone could write something similar for the Seahawks… only instead of Hunter and Ngakoue it’d be Mayowa and Rasheem Green. If that doesn’t put the situation into full focus, what will?
Ngakoue replaces Everson Griffen, who just signed with the Cowboys. The Ravens brought in Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe, retained Matt Judon on the franchise tag and are now being linked with Clowney. The Bears went out and signed Robert Quinn to go with Khalil Mack and the Falcons, badly needing a serious edge threat, signed Dante Fowler.
Yet the Seahawks just sit waiting and waiting, seemingly, for Clowney. Without any sign of a breakthrough. Drifting into the season so ill-prepared on the defensive line that it could jeopardise their entire campaign.
Cha, a regular contributor in the comments section, posted the following yesterday. It’s funny and brutally real at the same time:
Hawks Fans 5 Stages of Grief For the Pass Rush
DENIAL
“PC knows there won’t be a season in 2020 because of COVID.”
“PC and JS know what they’re doing. They’ve won a Super Bowl. Have YOU ever been a coach or GM?”
“Hawks are saving cap space because future years could be bad.”
ANGER
“Stop talking about the pass rush! That’s all you talk about!”
BARGAINING
“A better back 7 will improve the pass rush.”
“We got Jamal Adams and he’s a pass rusher.”
“Our reformed OL is a bigger problem.”
“Maybe Benson Mayowa can do a Chris Clemons.”
DEPRESSION
“What’s the point of playing the season? We know how it’s going to go – It’s going to be 9-7 or 10-6 and a milquetoast playoff loss.”
ACCEPTANCE
“Let’s enjoy RW while we can and marvel at special talents like DK Metcalf and Jamal Adams.”
Cha’s intentions were to provide a bit of humour, so don’t take it too seriously or personally. Yet he’s right, isn’t he? Fans and media alike have been very willing to talk themselves into believing this situation will be fine — or that there are reasons why the team has failed to address it’s most glaring and obvious need.
There’s nothing wrong with that either. If you want to bury your head in the sand and hope for the best, that’s fine. That doesn’t change the reality of the situation though. It doesn’t stop it being the defining talking point of the off-season. It doesn’t mean the subject should be parked or left alone.
It needs to be talked about daily. Questions need to be asked. Answers need to be provided.
If nobody is held to account, things will just drift. We’ll all be sat here in March wondering how the Seahawks are going to fix their pass rush for a third off-season in a row — with a decreasing salary cap, barely any picks and the need to re-sign multiple players to new contracts.
It might feel like it sometimes, but this blog isn’t the only place recognising the potential for a wasted season either. Deny it as much as you want but there’s a reason Russell Wilson has been more vocal this year and why his friends in the media have also been more critical of the franchise.
However they went about it — whether it was dealing for Ngakoue or Calais or signing one of the free agents or just getting Clowney done and dusted by now — they had to do more than hoping and praying that Benson Mayowa was going to elevate himself from career backup and replacement level player to DE1.
What comes next seems all too predictable and obvious. The Seahawks gave up 460 yards to Matt Schaub on their last visit to Atlanta to play a horrible 1-6 Falcons team riddled with injuries. How are they going to restrict Matt Ryan in week one with no pressure?
For all the talk of containing the perimeter run better (a major problem, admittedly) — the key to success against Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo is pressure and forcing mistakes. Otherwise they’ll both move the ball with ease, as we saw in weeks 14 & 17. What about the playoffs? Traditionally that’s where a good pass rush ends up being a huge factor.
As Jake Heaps noted this week:
“Your defense is designed — ‘four beat five’. Four rushers can beat five and we can play our coverage, our scheme behind it.”
The Seahawks aren’t a super-creative, blitzing, attacking defense. They rush with four, play coverage and everything is about doing your job. Discipline, gap control, staying on top, not giving up the post. If you don’t have good players on your D-line, you’re going to struggle. Badly. Receivers and tight ends will uncover without pressure. You won’t be able to contain the run. You will expose your unprotected (yet expensive) linebackers and safeties.
It’s a huge feather in Seattle’s cap that they can rely on an elite quarterback. Asking him to put +30 points on the board every week, however, to cover the fact you’ve botched fixing the defensive line is neither realistic or fair on Wilson. When you set out to play complementary football as your philosophy and spend all your picks and money on linebackers and safeties — how can you then turn to your QB with a straight face and ask for help? If you want him to lead a one-man show — invest in receivers and an O-line and design everything offensively around his ability. Otherwise, you need to actually build a team capable to play the way you prefer with a closed circle.
Time is running out now to get this sorted. Jadeveon Clowney, much to Seattle’s fortune, remains available. If they’re serious about competing and serious about winning Championship’s, they have to get something done. Pronto.
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It had been in the pipeline for a few days but the Seahawks have re-signed receiver Paul Richardson.
It’s felt for a while like Seattle was destined to add another receiver. First there were the links to Antonio Brown. Josh Gordon had been heavily touted to return.
With Brown’s suspension and still no word on Gordon’s status from the NFL — time has seemingly run out and they’ve added someone familiar with the team and the offense.
So what can we discern from this move?
It could be an indication that the younger players have not quite done enough in camp to warrant faith as contributors. The lack of pre-season games hasn’t helped. Yet the Seahawks have a superstar quarterback and only two proven receiver targets. An injury to Tyler Lockett or D.K. Metcalf and you’re banking on Philip Dorsett or David Moore. They needed another player and someone they can trust.
Dorsett has actually missed a bit of time with an injury so it could also be insurance against his health and status.
The commitment to Richardson is minimal so it’s possible he could be cut again before week one to avoid guaranteeing his contract — then re-signed shortly after.
Before he signed with Washington as a free agent, he enjoyed a productive end to his Seahawks career. Injuries plagued him initially after being taken with their top-pick in a loaded 2014 receiver class. Yet by the end of his spell he was reliable, made spectacular grabs and was a trusted target for Russell Wilson.
This deal also suggests that Justin Britt could also be close to a return. He went through Covid-19 testing this week and if his knee injury has fully healed, it’d be a no-brainer to bring him back.
For starters, whatever their plan at center was initially it has become increasingly muddled. They signed B.J. Finney to an $8m contract over two-years, declaring he was a top target at the start of free agency. Yet he couldn’t even beat out Ethan Pocic for the center job.
Finney was a career backup in Pittsburgh and only a part-time center. It was a curious move and it’s possible they spent a decent chunk of their off-season dollars on what amounts to a backup guard.
Pocic is a draft bust from 2017 clinging to a roster spot merely due to the current situation at center. It would’ve been a gamble to proceed with him as the starter — even if he played the position reasonably well at LSU.
If Britt returns it gives Seattle a degree of continuity up front with Duane Brown and Mike Iupati also slated to start. With Damien Lewis having an impressive camp too, the only question mark could be Brandon Shell.
If both players sign cheap deals it shouldn’t impact their cap too much either. They’ll simply replace other low-level earners protecting the Seahawks’ remaining money so that they can address the one big fat glaring need on the roster.
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Friend of the blog and leading NFL insider Tony Pauline is reporting for Pro Football Network that league sources believe Jadeveon Clowney will eventually sign with the Baltimore Ravens.
“A lot of people in the league believe that in end, he’s going to end up with the Baltimore Ravens… The Ravens need an upgrade with their pass rush. The belief from league insiders is don’t be surprised if he ends up with the Baltimore Ravens.”
According to Overthecap, the Ravens have approximately $16m to spend after parting with Earl Thomas. The Seahawks have about $15m available.
Simply put it will be unforgivable, having waited so long for Clowney, if the Seahawks allow him to join a team in a similar financial position.
Nobody can accuse the Seahawks of not being pro-active. Year after year they’ve been willing to make moves and be aggressive. The Jamal Adams trade is the biggest example of that but in the past they’ve completed various deals later in the year — from Clowney to Duane Brown and Sheldon Richardson.
However, it should be considered a stunning case of inactivity if Clowney ends up signing for another supposed contender for a financial package we know the Seahawks could afford.
The Ravens would be adding him to a line including Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe, Matt Judon, Brandon Williams and day-two draft pick Justin Madubuike. They further bolstered their front seven by spending a first round pick on Patrick Queen.
Those are the kind of names many thought the Seahawks might look at as they attempt to, in their own words, fix the pass rush and the defensive line.
Going into the season genuinely relying on Benson Mayowa as the primary early-down pass rusher shouldn’t be acceptable to anyone. You can hope for the best but you also need to face reality. He’s a career rotational pass rusher (or in other words, a backup). Even if he personally has a solid season — you’re also still relying on a supporting cast of players like Rasheem Green and paper thin depth at defensive tackle.
It’s quite incredible really that as August turns into September, this issue still hasn’t properly been addressed. They’re keeping a decent chunk of cap space available because they know as well as we do that this unit simply isn’t good enough. As noted on Wednesday, it’s really saying something when Jake Heaps feels obliged to be blunt and honest about just how dire this defensive line is.
Fast forward to January. Do you really want to be sat here again discussing another early-round playoff exit, then spending an entire off-season talking about the need to fix the pass rush? Déjà vu anyone?
Signing Clowney won’t be a cure-all to the problem. Many have settled on Mayowa and Bruce Irvin being enough as a compliment. I’m not sure it is. The Seahawks needed a major revamp of their D-line. Noting that Mayowa isn’t as bad as a semi-retired Ziggy Ansah isn’t really anything to write home about.
Even so — the situation will be critical without Clowney. At the very least he’d provide an X-factor that in key games (NFC West or playoff) could be the difference. We certainly saw evidence of that last year.
It’ll be a tough pill to swallow if he ends up in Baltimore. The Ravens didn’t actually perform that well with their pass rush last year. They had 37 sacks, a hurry percentage of 7.3% and 140 pressures. All are in the bottom half of the league. That’s despite being by far the most blitz-heavy defense. They blitzed 54.9% of the time, with Todd Bowles and Tampa Bay in second place with 43.4%. If you’re blitzing 10% more often than Bowles then that’s quite a statistic.
The response has been a concerted and intelligent reshaping of their line. They haven’t splurged. The trade for Campbell was a statement of intent and they retained their top rusher in Judon. They then added extra pieces and now, reportedly, could be set to add another.
That’s a stark contrast to the Seahawks who talked a good game early in the off-season and said all the right things but then delivered very little in terms of addressing their self-confessed top priority.
If the Ravens get Clowney and Seattle ends up having to settle for what isn’t even Plan B (that was presumably Everson Griffen) — that would warrant some criticism that so far the team has avoided under a Jamal Adams shaped cloud of positivity.
I’ll keep repeating this line because I think it’s a season-defining point at this stage. What is the bigger gamble? Committing money to Jadeveon Clowney that you’ve so far been reluctant to pay, or going into next season hoping that your current D-line won’t cost you a wasted year?
For me, the obvious answer is to sign Clowney and roll with the punches.
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