The circumstances under which a Jamal Adams extension can work
This is a guest post written by Curtis Allen
With the initial rush of free agency passing and the Seahawks making a commendable effort to fill some needs while still maintaining some salary cap sanity — and a brief pause while the Seahawks consider their options with Russell Wilson — some focus has shifted to the other big off-season question.
Whether to extend Jamal Adams.
The value of Adams’ role on the Seahawks’ defense and a possible extension has been discussed extensively and in great detail this offseason on the blog:
Rob has also been invited onto the local airwaves to articulate the talking points of the discussion – one that many are brushing aside far too easily:
The Seahawks themselves have not yet signalled much in the way of their intentions towards Adams this off-season.
There has been no trade talk surfacing, nor has there been any reports that the team has explored the framework of a potential extension with Adams’ agent.
Still, it does feel like there is an air of inevitability to an extension. Adams is a very talented player and the Seahawks made an extraordinary investment in trade capital to acquire him.
Those points, along with a lack of impact defensive talent on the roster combined with Pete Carroll’s season-long praise for Adams (and for John Schneider for acquiring him) present a persuasive argument that he will be a long-term fixture in Seattle for the next few seasons.
With that in mind, I thought I would try a different tack. Rather than discussing why the Seahawks should trade Adams, let’s take a brief walk through how the team could make a potential extension work out beneficially.
Keep in mind this is not an endorsement of an extension. But rather an exploration of a future where Adams is on the roster and taking that route has proven successful.
Several things need to happen in order for those two things to become a reality:
1. Health must no longer be a factor in Adams’ play.
That may seem harsh.
Frankly, there is simply no way to ‘guarantee’ that a player will be healthy.
Overall health is only one piece of the puzzle though, and that is not the area that needs dramatic improvement.
Adams admirably fought through groin, shoulder and finger injuries in 2020. There is no doubting they were painful, but injuries had a noticeable effect on his play last year. Too big an effect if we are really being honest.
Goal line tackles that should have been made on critical touchdown runs in both the Week 10 loss and the playoff loss against the Rams.
Easy interceptions that were dropped.
It could be argued that the Seahawks would have been better off with Adams on the bench and healthier players on the field.
Put in the most simplistic terms, a strong safety’s job is to make tackles and defend passes. If Adams could not handle those basic responsibilities when nursing an injury with even a reasonable degree of effectiveness – let alone with star level play – he should not be on the field.
The pressure to play him when injured will only grow under the weight of a big extension. He must be able to demonstrate that he can play well when not 100%. That is the price of a huge contract.
Every player is going to be banged up from time to time. What makes a player a true warrior is not simply telling the press ‘there is no way I am missing this game’, lobbying his coach to play him, and then taking the field.
It is not allowing injuries to overly affect his play.
A vast improvement in this area is needed in order to justify the Seahawks making a second large investment in him.
Without improvement, the Seahawks put themselves in a difficult spot with Adams. They cannot bench him every single time he gets banged up. Nor can they afford to play him and watch him miss key opportunities to affect the outcome of the game because he is not completely functional.
2. Adams must raise the level of his overall game.
He proved that he has speed and quickness around the edges. Adams made decent use of the blitz packages the Seahawks set for him with 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
But there is so much more that needs improvement in order to provide a value to the team that would match a pricey commitment.
There were far too many fundamental areas Adams did not excel in during the 2020 season:
-His coverage ability (he had a 105 passer rating allowed)
-Creating turnovers (he had one turnover created)
-Being a sure tackler (he had 9 missed tackles – almost 10% of his tackle opportunities)
The poor raw counting numbers he logged in 2020 cannot be merely shrugged off with proclamations that Adams ‘brings energy to the defense’ or is ‘the ultimate competitor.’
It is not asking too much for these areas to dramatically improve. Immediately.
They may not have to improve to superstar levels in order to justify a large contract, but there is no excuse for them to be league average.
Particularly in coverage.
George Kittle and Tyler Higbee are not going anywhere. Neither are Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel. Kyler Murray had over 400 yards of offense when Adams was hurt in Week 7.
The Seahawks desperately need an answer to keep these players from wrecking games.
Kittle in particular was name-checked by Carroll when talking to the press after acquiring Adams. He must be better in this area. Improvement is not optional.
A marked improvement in the non-blitzing parts of Adams’ game will relieve much of the pressure to perform as a defense and make the times he is screaming off the edge all that more effective.
Even his tackles for loss, QB hits and pressure stats could stand to improve given how much the Seahawks packaged blitzes for him.
A clear possibility exists that with the strange offseason and the disaster of an early regular season on defense, when combined with his injuries, demonstrate that the Seahawks did not have a proper opportunity to really integrate all of Adams’ skills and abilities into their offense in 2020.
A second year in the system and familiarity with his teammates will likely provide an improvement in his overall impact.
A healthy increase in pay must be accompanied by a healthy improvement on the field.
Related to his overall play, we come to our next point…
3. Ken Norton and Pete Carroll must employ more creativity in his use.
Frequently the use of Adams devolved into a simple, predictable use: Adams on the edge pre snap, with a linebacker also blitzing to draw coverage. That worked in some fashion in 2020 but teams now have a whole season of tape to prepare and counteract that setup.
More varied looks to keep the offense guessing in 2021 is vital.
The Seahawks have made commendable progress in bolstering the defensive line. But they still have needs there. More of an interior pass rush presence is on the wish list with Jarran Reed departing.
If they can consistently rush with four down linemen, this opens up all kinds of possibilities for the Seahawks to use Adams all over the box. His blitzing will not be the sole way the defense gets pressure on the quarterback. It would instead become the final straw that pushes the opposing offense into bad decisions and could really elevate the unit to complement an explosive offense and dynamite special teams.
Creativity has never been Ken Norton’s strong suit. But imagine the possibilities of a return to getting rush with the standard package.
The linebackers are freed up to roam the field and seek out tackles cleanly. Adams can be used to rush from one side and direct runners right into the lanes where Wagner and Brooks are just waiting to take them down.
How about a return to the standard defensive strategy? Use Adams and the linebackers as heat-seeking missile tacklers on first and second down. Keep things in front of you and force the team into third and longs.
Then deploy Adams as a blitzer from all kinds of different areas.
How about taking advantage of Ugo Amadi’s blitzing potential? He has shown some flashes in the past. Line up Adams opposite Amadi at the nickel and keep the quarterback guessing which side the blitz is coming from.
If you refuse to be pigeonholed into a position and insist on being called a “weapon” as your preferred position term, you need to be used more creatively than what we have seen from him.
In truth, there are all kinds of ways to use Adams effectively. The only thing limiting the Seahawks is imagination.
4. The contract must be reasonable and not cripple the Seahawks’ salary cap.
This one seems obvious and doesn’t need too much explanation.
However, there are some wrinkles where the Seahawks could make a Jamal Adams extension far less painful than it would appear at the initial reporting.
Guaranteed money will be a key factor.
A couple of recent contract extensions for defensive backs are an interesting guide for comparison.
-Budda Baker got $33million guaranteed
-Jalen Ramsey got $43million guaranteed
The way they are structured is very intriguing.
Both got a nice signing bonus, but they only have two seasons of guaranteed salary. The salary changes to non-guaranteed right about the time their cap hits start to get really serious.
So both can be cut, traded or have their contract renegotiated after two years to get cap relief with only the prorated bonus portion as dead cap money. Or if they have maintained their top-level play and the market and cap have outgrown their deals, the teams have a not-unreasonable contract on their hands.
Furthermore, both will still be fairly young when those options materialize, which means they will likely still have decent trade value.
If the Seahawks do not overspend on an Adams extension and it has similar terms to these two deals, it will not hinder the team to such an extent as to render them unable to operate effectively.
Be careful not to overreact if you hear the Seahawks have signed Adams to a 5-year $100million contract. Wait until you hear the structure of the deal to really see how this contract works out. At the end of the deal, it could actually be a 3-year, $40 million deal which is much more palatable.
The Seahawks could even tack a void year or two onto the deal and lessen the 2021-2023 cap hits enough to make further moves.
5. There must be internal roster improvement.
A strong argument for trading Adams is the desperate need to recoup draft picks and infuse the roster with cheap effective talent. This cannot be argued – the Seahawks need more in order to take the next step.
Between trading a lot of capital for Adams and tying a healthy portion of their salary cap to him with a possible extension, the Seahawks will be actively deciding that they need to find value and production in other places.
One such place is right in front of them.
Making more hay with what the team already has on the roster could blunt some of that need.
Marquise Blair needs to make an impact, whether at nickel, free safety or taking an occasional series for Adams.
Jordyn Brooks needs to convert first round talent and a reasonable rookie year into solid second year production.
The corners have to be far better in single coverage than they were in 2020. Another corner added to the roster could go a long way.
Kicking the can down the road on the offensive tackle situation cannot backfire. Duane Brown and Brandon Shell need to be on the team beyond 2021.
****
All five of these things must experience at least a solid degree of success if a Jamal Adams extension is to have a puncher’s chance at being a sound investment.
The possibilities are there, but both parties must understand a contract extension is just the beginning of a journey together. It will require a strong commitment from both sides to improve if it is to be successful.
If you missed Rob’s three round mock draft video yesterday, check it out here:
You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.
Good post. I’m pro-Adams and have always felt that he won’t be traded, and in year 2 they will be able to draw down on his unique skill set in multiple ways. We have a good piece we can move around – if, as Cha correctly posted – things get a bit more creative.
Well they better get to work then.
Because blitzing him twice as much as the next highest blitzing safety, blitzing Bobby Wagner 60 more times than he did in 2018 to accommodate Adams, using Wagner as an A-gap decoy, and having Adams rank 53rd at the position as a consequence was a mess last season.
I’m expecting a situation similar to Wagner a couple years ago, where Adams is extended for more than people are expecting. I think Pete loves Adams, and Pete tends to overpay rather than risk hurt feelings in negotiations when it comes to those closest to his heart.
Regarding Russ/Marshall, I think it’s great news. After the Darnold trade, it became pretty clear that there is going to be a historic run at QB in the 2021 draft, and any draft day scenario about a favored QB (Lance) falling far enough for Seattle to make a 2 or 3 team trade is looking like a pipe-dream. If Seattle is stuck with Russ for at least a year, then they have to make it right. It sounds like they did.
This doesn’t mean that Russ is here for the rest of his career. But it was definitely the right thing to do for 2021.
This feels like a slightly rosy summary of events Kip.
I sense it might be more of a case that this simply isn’t possible this year, so let’s check back in 9 months. Which isn’t great news really. It’s just delaying the inevitable. Tony Pauline reported a few weeks ago that while a trade was more likely next year than this, both parties were ready to move on.
So to me it could easily end up being a couple stuck in a loveless marriage, waiting for the inevitable divorce. And we should brace for Mark Rodgers getting involved with his media pals if things don’t go according to plan.
I’ll again pull up the point on the Darnold trade too. Consistently this off-season the talk has been David Tepper doesn’t want a rookie QB. He wants a proven veteran. He wanted Deshaun.
Now that isn’t possible, they’re rolling the dice on another veteran for a year or two, knowing it doesn’t prevent them going in a totally different direction as soon as next year.
Maybe we will see QB’s fly off the board. But I don’t think the Darnold trade was indicative of much. And if the Falcons take Pitts, which is very plausible, then we could easily see Lance & Fields lasting.
The issue with creativity and Adams is a cart before the horse thing. For the price, he needs to be totally reliable and make creative, splash plays. We didn’t get the reliable part and that’s the part I’d argue you can find the best bargains on.
Rob, still have not convinced me that they should extend Adams. I follow a Seahawks group on FB and the moderator posted a question on if the Hawks should trade Jamal Adams and all 15 or so responses all the just answered no, no explanation as to why they would just no. Right up there with some of their responses to how great the Seahawks off-season as been and they don’t still see center, or WR3 as position that still need an upgrade. Apparently, Pocic will be fine now that he is playing center for the second year and he had no experience their prior to last season. Apparently his time there at LSU will go over-looked and his terrible PFF rating isn’t something to be worried about. Plus many there say WR3 isn’t an issue, John Ursua can fill that role no problem or Freddie Swain and Russ had a connection and Swain is the answer to filling David Moore’s shoes.
Rob, this is my happy place for Seahawks talk, and it gets so tiring hearing that other segment of Hawk fans regarding trading Jamal Adams and the number one response is, they won’t do it, anyone bringing it up is starting rumors since things have slowed down, gets so old.
I was against the Adams trade when they made it, gave up too much from a great athlete, which I think Pete drooled over and thought he could make him fit into the scheme when needed and then turn him into a defensive end at other times. It kind of reminds me of when Pete Carroll was at USC and had Taylor Mays, kid was insane athlete but his short comings were hidden at USC because they were so talented and so much more athletic than most teams, his inability to cover could be hidden. Pete probably had similar thoughts with Jamal Adams and that doesn’t work in the NFL. Taylor Mays never lived up to his first round draft pick status and didn’t last long in the NFL.
Trade Adams, recoup some draft capital, even if it is a 2 and a three this year and a two or 3 next year. Get some young hungry guys on the roster, let Marquis Blair play the position you drafted him to and save a lot of money from not paying a safety whose best stat was his number of sacks, which we all know didn’t tell the true story of his pass rush win %.
It’s not my piece in fairness DK.
And I don’t think they should extend Adams’ contract
DK, the piece wasn’t intended to convince you to extend Adams. As Bigsteviej wrote, I’m not recommending an extension with the piece.
I actually just wanted to illuminate the key areas to that need addressing in order for an extension to be a workable option for the Seahawks.
Sorry Rob, that what i get for reading it early in the morning before my coffee.
What I did poor job of saying is, even with what would need to be addressed before an extension for Adam makes sense, I still do not see the value in keeping him.
Points all well-made, but did you miss this line in the article?
“Keep in mind this is not an endorsement of an extension. But rather an exploration of a future where Adams is on the roster and taking that route has proven successful.”
and this line…?
“This is a guest post written by Curtis Allen”
My bad. The comment was intended to be a ‘reply’, but I posted it as a random-ish comment.
The conundrum here is that using Adams as a blitzer is playing to his strengths but at the same time you expose him to a much higher injury risk AND expose your overall defense to a much greater risk of big play as we saw last year. Since he’s obviously not good in coverage, why would you even consider keeping him to play in a more traditional role in a defense not designed to his strengths.
A good, logical piece cha but playing him to his strengths will likely mean more injuries’ which will mean more “business decisions” on tackling, missed tackles and dropped ints as well as more exposure of your defense to big plays. Playing him in a more traditional Seattle SS role means not playing to his strengths which considering the financial outlay seems illogical. Plus, if the passer rating against him was 103, which means in a more traditional (less blitzing type of role) he’s exposed more often to probably the biggest weakness in his game.
Yes, if the Seahawks invest in him he must be better in all facets. Is that a gamble I believe they should undertake? I guess the answer depends on if they think there will be improvement in the areas discussed. If there isn’t and you drop 18 per on the guy, you’re wasting resources. If you trade him and don’t hit on any of the draft picks you make with what you get for him, at least you’re not losing that 18 per and the money left from what you paid the failed draft picks could be used on a near sure thing FA. Not a gamble I’d be willing to take at 18-20 per,
Trade him before this draft please.
I thought his coverage grade was in the 80s in ’18 and ’19. Seems he can cover. But maybe not cover all three levels at once? I dunno. Guess we will see what turbHawks have learned from last years tape.
One would argue when you’re only blitzing 4.3 times a game like Adams did in 2018, it might be easier to cover than when you’re blitzing 8.2 times a game
Completely agree. That’s what I hope the Hawks get out of last years tape. They asked him to do too much last year. Backfield, box and coverage. Dude is good, but c’mon. Dial down where his focus should be. Or don’t, and watch him put up similar subpar numbers next year.
Nicely done Cha!!!
Thank you!
Nice Writeup Cha!
All I could think the whole time I was reading it though was what the hell were they thing making that trade last year? Hated it then and more by the day.
Yeah. Looking at what has to go RIGHT is…rather daunting.
On the Seahawks:
https://theathletic.com/2494539/2021/04/06/nfl-offseason-head-scratchers-great-moves-and-leaps-things-weve-learned-for-all-32-nfl-teams/
No picks
No cap space
A roster with a LOT of holes at key positions next season
But let’s ignore all of that and have a conversation about which games they might wear action green in next season.
That about sums it up and if you dare discuss trading a Box Safety who is not a scheme fit or likely HOF linebacker who is now incredibly overpaid then you are a hater. WHy have logic and make hard decisions when you can discuss Lime Green or Wolf Grey?
Why does it need to be an OR question? Why can’t it be Lime Green AND Wolf Grey???
WOLME GREYN
Wuuuuht?! +1!
No cap space? According to Over the Cap they currently have $6.87M in effective cap space in 2021 — more than 14 other NFL teams’ effective cap space for the current season.
They also rank 10th most in effective cap space for 2022, with 30 players under contract. For context there are six clubs (including the Chiefs and 49ers) with less effective cap space in 2022 AND with fewer players under contract. Now look, I’m no cap expert, but it certainly seems that there are many clubs in worse cap position.
If they extend Jamal Adams, they could have more cap space still.
I have explained these things so many times mister bunny
1. The guy from Over the Cap literally says they have no cap space in the article I linked.
2. 10th most cap space next year is a HUGE red herring. They don’t have a LT, RT, C, TE, TE2, WR3, CB1, CB2, FS or SS signed for next year. Not to mention all of the depth players (they have 30 contracted players for next year). If you pay Jamal Adams you have even less. And you have no picks this year so good luck filling some of these holes there. So the cap situation is nowhere near as rosy as that table suggests.
3. Cha has already detailed that if they extend Jamal Adams there will be virtually no cap saving this year
The sins of the 2020 offseason are being visited upon the 2021 offseason.
Trading Adams and being very shrewd in the 2021 draft would go a long way towards making sure the cycle is broken.
Years and years of suck draft do this to you, and not sure they can put draft capitals into good use if Adams is flipped for picks.
My question is why no one is responsible for those crappy products they turned out? If Carroll is responsible for those picks then fire him.
Well, also $10m spent on TEs you didn’t use and $10m spent on backup-level pass rushers didn’t help either.
Rob (and others),
Am curious on your thoughts regarding Greg Cosell’s’ take on Kellen Mond (from an article discussing the 49ers’ QB pick at #3 — hence the Shanahan reference):
“Mond has a couple things that clearly need to be worked on and can be fixed. No. 1, he holds the ball way too high. He holds the ball right under his chin, and you can’t do anything athletically with your hands that high.
If you recall, that’s the whole Jeff Tedford thing. When Aaron Rodgers came out of Cal, that’s where he held his hands and that got changed the second he got to the NFL. Because what that does is that results in upper-body stiffness and a tight throwing motion. And Mond has a very robotic and mechanical feel to the way in which plays. Because it all starts in his ball carriage, and it’s way too high for him. It’s right under his chin.
I did think Kellen Mond improved. I looked at his 2019 tape and his 2020 tape. And I thought that in 2020, he had much better command of his throws and that his ball placement was consistently more precise than it was in 2019. We’ll see about what he can do when that ball carriage is lower, because I think he was a strong short-to-intermediate thrower who did turn it loose, but I thought that because of the ball carriage that his deeper throws lost energy. Because he wasn’t a loose thrower. He was so stiff and mechanical. So maybe he’ll be able to drive the ball a little more and be less mechanical.
To me, he’s got the look and feel of a schemed quarterback who needs the pass game structure to work for him in defining things. But that’s what Kyle Shanahan is. He defines it for you.
I came away watching Mond’s tape saying to myself, “Can there be a legitimate comparison made to Dak Prescott given the traits profile?” Now, keep in mind Prescott was a fourth-round pick and Prescott’s a little bit bigger and a has a stronger deep arm, but I think there could be some similarities.”
Yeah it’s fair. I think it’s a little bit overstated. That high placement also, for me, enables him to whip the ball out quickly when needed. The release is quick with no elongation.
He is robotic and can free himself a bit to be more creative, especially with his athleticism. But I also think he’s so damn good throwing from the pocket even with pressure in his face, that it almost comes to a point of complaining he’s not perfect.
Do you think there’s a little bit of the classic ‘he’s had multiple seasons of tape, so we’ve been able to overly pick on his flaws’ – like scouts did with Deshaun Watson?
Somewhat
Just checking in to say thanks to Curtis for writing this piece and to Rob for providing the platform for discussion. Excellent stuff.
Thanks Malc
You’re welcome Mac. And yes, thank you very much Rob for the support.
*Malc
The other thing to consider……..even if he does improve in his areas of identified weaknesses and if he is utilized at least part of the time in the more traditional SS role in the Hawks’ D, is that worth 18-20 per? And, would that improvement and the level of play be worth 18-20 in comparison the what Marquis Blair would bring you for whatever a 2nd round draft choice is paid (I’m guessing less than 2 million per)?
Logically I just don’t see how the answers could be ‘yes’.
Absolutely right Mike.
Marshall with a definitive declaration on the Russ saga.
https://twitter.com/FOXSports/status/1379804029551702020?s=20
I look forward to the Seahawks re-doing his deal then to create cap space, or them saying something publicly, or Wilson saying something publicly, or them giving him a new deal…
I appreciate Marshall’s update and it’s worth noting and paying attention to. But for me it just lends further credence to this being a ‘kicking the can down the road’ situation. Which, as we’ve said all along, is not ideal.
I know another way they could really make a statement of intent.
Get back in this draft to give Russell a proper center and a proper WR3.
The way I read this, Marshall doesn’t emphasize that this is a “report”, rather than opinion, to the extent he does, unless this comes directly from at least one of the parties involved, likely Russ. This feels like a public statement from Russ, without the press conference itself (which, who knows, could still come at some point).
What was particularly interesting was his direct reference of Pete sitting down with Russ and hashing out, “here’s how we’re going to partner going forward”, eliminating any philosophical gaps.
I just think; how does Marshall make a report like that without the backing of Russ, considering it otherwise hurts his leverage and takes pressure off the organization. Things could certainly change/revert in time, but I get the sense that, for now at least, Russ has become comfortable with the direction things are taking.
I agree it’s from Russ
But there’s absolutely no reason for RW or the Seahawks not to make an announcement without needing to rely on old team mates
And then everyone can move on. Fans, media, everyone
That said, the one way I could see this being in line with “kicking the can” would be as part of Russ knowing he’ll be here in 2021 and unwilling to have this be an open issue and distraction, and so taking action to shut down this conversation for now.
Exactly
We’ll know they aren’t kicking the can down the road when the actions back it up
“It is over…he will be there for a very long time. It’s dead, it’s done”
Nothing Marshall said lends any credence to a ‘kicking the can down the road’ situation. Marshall was quite adamant that the issues have been resolved, not that they’ve been swept aside.
There are overall team issues that still need to be addressed, and perhaps by not fully addressing those, you’re saying that is ‘kicking the can down the road’, but not sure how you could listen to Marshall and apply that to the Russ relationship.
Personally, I had questions about Marshall when he said things were all bad, and I have those same questions now when he said things are all good.
Of course you can
I have no doubt this is what Wilson is saying right now
And that’s exactly the message that would need to be portrayed through the media to avoid a year of drama if both parties know/accept nothing is happening this year, to try and avoid it being a weekly topic.
But guess what — until Wilson and/or the Seahawks make it clear themselves, publicly, then the questions remain.
If they hold a press conference tomorrow and Wilson says ‘All of my concerns are answered’ or better yet they restructure his deal to create cap space, or even sign an extension, then we will know they aren’t kicking this down the road.
But as I said, if both parties know a trade aint happening this year and they want to try and avoid being asked about it every week, without committing to anything long term themselves, then this is how they’d go about it.
Frankly this whole episode has been embarrassingly handled by all concerned. It’s a poor reflection on team and quarterback.
Everything that is said in the media until
a). They trade Russell, or
b). They restructure or extend his contract
is just negotiating in the media. I’ll believe it when their actions match up.
That being said, I don’t think there’s any way Russ is re-signing here when his current contract is up. That’s how Brady got to Tampa Bay, he got to 100% pick his destination, got to land on a team with a roster setup for Super Bowl success, with a great OL and pass rush and offensive weapons. Russ sat in that booth and watched Brady do that. He soaked that in. He’ll want to do the same. Full control of your situation.
We are not setup to be Super Bowl contenders over the next 3 years. Our roster is just not good. I think it’s exceedingly likely he will leave to go somewhere he can win instantly, and we’ll be left with nothing but a comp pick if we don’t trade him.
Pete, start taking shots at QB now. Grab Mond. Or someone else. Have a guy ready to go. Better yet, get something for Russ while you still can.
One thing I’m relieved no one has brought up (to my knowledge) during this whole RW saga and Marshall making some pretty strong statements – nobody has sought to discredit Marshall using his mental illness as a way to minimize his statements.
He has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, and has worked very hard to remove the stigma and be a success as a player, as well as making efforts to help others. BPD is crippling for the person and extremely hard on friends and family.
I’m glad nobody has stooped to that level in order to discredit his thoughts on Russ.
Yes!
If you all haven’t, check out his interview with Pat McAfee. He describes his journey and where he is now. It is quite the crazy story. We should applaud him!
The last time the Seahawks re-did Russ’s deal was to create cap space for Duane Brown when they traded for him. I think Seattle’s philosophy for restructuring deals will remain consistent – it’s a last ditch effort to create space, not something to do preemptively. Whether they want to move on from Russ or keep him around, increasing his cap hits in future years (when his cap hit is already almost twice that of the next player, Wagner) doesn’t seem wise unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Seahawks brass saying something publicly would be nice. We’ve also seen Kingsbury say “Josh is our guy” and go on to draft his replacement and trade him. Lynch recently said “Jimmy is our guy” then traded up to #3 for what will presumably be a QB. PCJS never really get too involved with these matters anyways and while you can argue an exception should be made for your franchise QB, would it really matter with what we’ve seen happen elsewhere? It’s obviously going to come up when they have their pressers during the draft, so that’s when we should expect to hear anything from them on it.
Russ should probably say something publicly, though he’s obviously been the one communicating through back channels anyways. I sort of get the feeling going to the Super Bowl frustrated him to his wits end and he uncharacteristically lashed out and went on a media tour. After settling down and having more time to think things through, I think he wishes he could walk it back as he’s been tweeting and liking tweets about the signings/re-signings (which he’s never done before) and having Marshall say it’s all squashed. Again, I think we’ll have to be patient and wait for training camp to come around to get an answer from him during a presser.
Giving him a new deal is sort of ridiculous. He’s one year into a four year contract and the Seahawks are notorious for waiting until there’s one year left to renegotiate.
1. None of anything you said is a counter to the assertion that there is zero benefit to letting this linger if everything is sorted.
2. Giving your franchise quarterback a new deal, to permanently eliminate any further off-season’s like this, confirming his future remains in Seattle, is the opposite of ‘sort of ridiculous’
Since SEA doesn’t have a SAM on the roster currently, I wonder if PC and Norton are thinking of maybe have a 4-2-5 base defense this upcoming season? Are they going to try and steal a few pages from the Belichick playbook?
Interesting idea to get Diggs, Blair and Adams all on the field and allow Adams to play in a more LB/Nickel type role to mitigate the coverage risks of blitzing him and keeping him up at the line.
Two firsts and a third plus $18m a year for a nickel LB
That made me think, who is worth with that kind of investment? QB or DL (Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack). Don’t understand how JS/PC made that deal what they were thinking. May be SAM is not bad position similar to B Irvin for Adams. I want to see Blair Adams on the field
The Adams trade always seemed like a Pete move. Like, hey we’re getting close to the season and we have no pass rush. John — get me Jamal Adams.
I’ve definitely heard the idea before that when coaches have control of the roster process, they have a tendency to go all out for a guy they want without worrying about how much it’ll cost (think Bill O’Brien in Houston, later years Bill Parcells, or Ditka with Ricky Williams). That never turns out well. No surprise it didn’t this time either.
100% Pete move IMO
And Pete at his emotional worst.
This is the trade version of him throwing a challenge flag that he had no chance of winning
Inspired analogy, Rob … perfect.
That would be quite interesting to see, if true. Please don’t let them use this as a basis to draft a SAM this year!
Rob – I listened to that Talkin’ Seahawks podcast and really appreciated hearing about the origin of the blog. Great story.
Thanks Sean
I enjoyed that one as well, I was also at the Monday night snow game vs Green Bay, that was a fun night.
Looks like Locketts cap hit this year will be $9.25m. I figured it wouldnt be as low as some people thought it would be due to the way they structure contracts.
https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/richard-sherman-expects-free-agency-last-until-after-2021-nfl-draft
Can’t see him in Seattle any more
Seattle or Oakland
Dane Bruglar’s Draft guide out for The Athletic. 636 prospects ranked. Some interesting notes:
Kellen Mond ranked 8th QB behind the big 5 names, Davis Mills and Kyle Trask. Too much like Kaep was the knock. Interesting.
😂
Has he called his own draft guide ‘the beast’ again this year?
I can think of another word beginning with B
Haha. You know it! Just weird how he sees the promise in Mills and dismisses it for Mond. Also the similar comp to Kaep but all the negatives and none of the positives.
A prudent move for the Seahawks would be to let Adams play out his current contract to see both whether he’s a true fit & whether or not he can stay healthy. Since it’s most likely happening anyway, let’s see what we’ve really got & if the Hawks can figure out how to make it work on the field.
Adams is a franchise tag candidate in 2022. That’ll keep him from walking away for nothing & give Seattle time to either sign him to another contract or find a trade partner.
Good luck getting Adams to quietly play this year without a new deal
He can just get in line for the ‘unhappy with Pete’ train. If he wants to raise a stink so be it. Get loud & show the world what you’ve got. The ‘good luck’ he needs is to stay healthy & earn that $9.86M.
I think this seems most likely, given where things stand. I think from Pete’s perspective he still needs to implement the original plan with Adams and see how it goes. If he can’t step up and cover some TE’s, they will move him at the deadline, if he shows he can be the disruptive chess piece they have in mind and stay healthy they will pay a big deal.
Please No. That could turn into Earl Thomas 2.0
They need to extend or trade him period.
Care to elaborate on the Earl Thomas comp?
I’m not seeing it.
I think he’s talking about with the contract situation. Hopefully Jamal has a better attitude if it comes down to it.
@Bric. Yep
But even more after I think about it; if I’m Adams I look at what happened to Earl, & no way I play without a new contract .
People play out their contracts every year. That’s a regular thing. Otherwise there would be no free agents… ever.
Earl had at that point gone into the Dallas locker room & said ‘come get me’ iirc. There had been a trade offer for him of a 2nd rd pick. Seattle sat on their hands & then watched him get hurt. It was an odd, odd situation where it seemed obvious that Earl was done here, wanted out, an offer was on the table & the FO straight up botched it.
The Adams situation is nowhere near that weird. The questions I have before he’d get an extension are, can he stay healthy? And can he be a real asset/fit with our defense? If the answer to either of those is no then it would make no sense to pay him bigger bucks than the $9.86M he’s slated to make this season. If Adams thinks that is chump change and would rather sit out that’s up to him.
I think it’s a really smart/fair article. I’m more on the Adams train than most on here – feels a bit to me like he’s become a bit of a punching bag for people to take out their frustrations over how much the Hawks gave up to get him. Which of course, he had zero to do with.
As much as anything in the post – I really agreed w the need for better creativity in how he is used – when he would line up to blitz time and time again in the most predictable ways – it became so easy to defend. Moving him around, disguising things, shaking up who is doing the blitzing, all feel like a better way to see what we have.
While I agree that the sack numbers are a bit meaningless, I’ve see enough to believe he can be a dynamic player, I’m hoping for the cap-strategic kind of contract that Cha noted in his piece – two more years will be enough to see if he’s a cornerstone or not.
I remember when there were rumors about Adams value at a possible 1st & 3rd, when he became available.
Then when I heard the Seahawks linked, I was like why would we waste a 1st and 3rd on a Safety; we have so many needs elsewhere. Plus the fact we had plenty of depth there, it was probably our least position of need.
I essentially figured it was typical rumors and there was no way we would give up a 1st and 3rd for a position we really didn’t need.
Then it happened and ended up being two 1sts a 3rd and a player. (Without extension)
To me it made 0 sense for a 1st & 3rd.
Was pretty much in shock when actual details came out.
So in my case I thought a 1st and 3rd was too much based on other needs.
I can only imagine what we could have received if the Seahawks said to all the other 31 teams, ” what will you give us for two 1sts a 3rd, and a player.
yeah – totally get it.
my point is there are two separate issues — 1) did we give up too much for him? 2) what should we do w him going forward? And, even though it’s hard not to do so, we should probably try to minimize the impact of #1 on the decision we need to make in #2.
I think that’s a little disrespectful to the people, myself included, who have gone into great detail to explain their position on Adams.
Nothing I’ve argued has been purely about what they gave up for him. It’s also about not paying twice by giving a new deal to a player who does warrant it.
To justify $18-20m a year though? That’s the crux of the debate
You have used that $18-20m number with Adams like it’s a sure thing. Is there a source for that number is that your own estimate?
Sorry, OR is that your own estimate?
Jalen Ramsey has an average of $20 mil a year. Adams has stated that he cannot be defined as merely a DB and that he is a weapon. Most take that to mean he sees himself in elite EDGE territory, money-wise. From that perspective it can be inferred that he will want near, if not more, than Ramsey for his “unique” skillset. Best case is he will want highest paid safety money, which would put him near $17 mil.
I wouldn’t even go 16M. If we could get atleast a 2021 2nd &3rd I’d do it.
There’s just too many reasons to justify trading him vrs the few to keep him.
That’s my expectation on what he will ask for and it’s what other people in the media have suggested he will ask for.
If you think he’s not after that, I may have a few of those magic beans still knocking around…
So here’s another way to look at the Jamal Adams situation, the financial aspect.
Adams will make 10 million this year, Marquis Blair 1 million. If Adams is re-signed at say 18 million for next year, Blair will still be making 1 million. If you trade Adams and Blair has a really, really good year this year and next when it’s time to re-sign him after his rookie contract runs out, what will you have to pay him? 7 or 8 per year at the absolute most. If he’s even 75% of the player Jamal Adams is, wouldn’t that be the better use of of salary cap resources particularly considering you have opportunity to draft for other positions of need and depth?
This is ultimately where I stand on the issue, I like him much more than a lot on here (certainly more than you) but I just can’t get behind how much he’s gonna cost. Even at like 15m, I’d still want another year of tape on him in our system to see if he can improve before I commit that too him.
That’s a lot of “if’s” there Big Mike. What if PC has a plan for Adams and what if the impact of that play elevates the D as a whole, in a way Blair can’t?
When’s the last time PC had a plan for someone in that way? And their play elevated?
There are 63 wide receivers with a PFF grade of 70 or higher. Of those there are 13 that are under 6′ and 190 lbs. and 50 over 6′ and 190 lbs. Looking at bigger receivers that had a plus 80 grade in their last college season on the lower half of the board there was one that stood out, Jonathan Adams of Arkansas St.
Pro Day measurables
6″3″
218 lbs.
4.48 40
41.5 vertical
10’6″ broad
6.9 3C
4.13 SS
His highlight reel was fun to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHgXL3npJUY
I love the idea of a guy like this opposite DK, getting single coverage from their smallest outside corner . Plenty of nice contested balls on the highlights, but also many plays where he is open and just comes back and takes a play from a DB, those would be TD’s with Russ.
Here is what I see on him
– Not good at getting separation against lower level competition
– Sloppy route running
– He wins and makes catches by being bigger than CB, may not translate to NFL
– Excellent hands
– Good at putting himself where he needs to be to make a catch, probably from basketball skills boxing people out
If he wants to be an NFL player he needs to put a lot of work in. He does seem to have potential, but for right now he needs to play faster and have cleaner, more precise routes. He may take a couple years to develop, but could turn into a contributor if he has the work ethic.
Tough news for the UW huskies, Laiatu Latu, high ceiling pass rusher is retiring from football.
https://twitter.com/foxsports/status/1379804029551702020?s=21
Fair to say that Marshall kind of ends Russ future debates for now?
It helps, but Russ nor PCJS have come out and said anything publicly. The media will keep reporting and speculating on a trade until they make a statement.
I don’t think media gonna report it if nobody gonna feed that to them.
As Rob pointed out earlier, media did not need this RW story, because there were plenty of topics.
To me that seems, that they made peace, and gonna pretend nothing had ever happened.
I think that Pete or Russ are not publicly denying it, because they exactly want to pretend that it never happened, and they are avoiding the potential discomfort which might arose, if they admit that Russ future was very well in the balance, which indeed is quite obvious.
No, we discussed this earlier
There are two parties who can end this.
It cant be both ways though. If Brandon can fuel the the fire he can put it out as well.
Of course it can be both.
There was no chance Wilson was going to come out in public and slam Pete in the way Marshall did, clearly from Wilson’s perspective. That was never going to happen. Ditto when Cowherd hammered Pete.
This is different. There’s absolutely no reason for Wilson, the Seahawks or both to not come out and say — everything’s great. We are working together for years. Watch us go.
They could end all of this silliness right now if they wanted to. Very, very easily.
Virtually every other team has done a press conference of some form since the season ended apart from Seattle.
Call one tomorrow. Wilson, Carroll, Schneider.
Or extend his contract.
Or restructure his contract.
Any of those things will end this. All viable.
And unlike the complaints, all can be done in public.
So let’s see if that happens.
I see why you say a press conference would help but i think having one would just add to the circus element of it all, especially if nothing is going to change with his contract. If they do not, it allows them to stick their heads in the sand and claim plausible deniability. That Russell’s discontent is something media driven (which I am not saying it is).
It would be fairly unprecedented to have a “there’s nothing to see here, we’re all on the same page” press conference. Who would it really benefit? Clearly, RW is talking to other players, potential FAs, so it won’t be needed to recruit FAs. It would keep the story in the media when, for now, it looks like it is dissipating.
The Seahawks rarely hold end of year conferences, JS and PC will no doubt be asked about in their draft media requirements so they will have the chance to address it then.
Who will it benefit??
How about the entire franchise, fan base and media — who never have to deal with the topic.
Compared to having another 12 months of this.
I don’t want to have another 12 months of this either.
As I said, though, the main element of running the franchise at the moment, FA recruitment, seems to be being done with Russell on board, making it superfluous to have a press conference to say he is on board.
The fan base? As a broadcaster, can you ever think of any sports teams that give press conferences to calm/appease a fan base? There may be some, it is a genuine question.
The media will get their chance to ask when they have their pre-draft media commitments. As you have pointed out, they are mostly unchallenging anyway.
Like I said, i can see why you would call for this and how it would help. I can also see why the organisation wouldn’t do it and why they think it would be unnecessary.
All the time.
When a serious, important topic such as the future of a key player is discussed endlessly by the national media, my personal experience is when it’s all bollocks or not happening, the clubs will make it abundantly clear to the press immediately.
It doesn’t even have to be a press conference. They could ring Schefter right now, tell him they’ve worked everything out, and he could report it.
There is absolutely zero benefit to letting this linger. Not a single positive.
There are huge positives for nipping this in the bud.
All signs point to a franchise and QB understanding that a trade is improbable at this stage so now it’s about putting out the right kind of noise in order to try and move on, without ever wanting to actually say it or commit to it in the way of a contract restructure or extension because in 12 months we’ll be right back here again.
I find the idea that a franchise would leave this festering simply because they didn’t care enough about its fans to pick up the phone to be troubling.
Agreed
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1379859935505301507
…for now.
Like I said…
Kicking the can down the road.
The one thing they couldn’t afford to do IMO.
So get ready for 12 months of this. It’ll take a bit more than a Brandon Marshall speech to prevent that.
They should’ve sorted this out properly for the long haul or moved on. And I bet anything if John Schneider was given truth serum, he’d probably agree with that.
Not even 12 months. Imagine us starting 1-3, then RW will throw it on the new OC, on the signings of Simmons and Ogbuehi, on not having a 3rd WR named AB and on Pete’s interfering with how the plays are called and he will want out.
Russ throws like 5 INTs first 3 games and we lose but he throws for over 400 yards… Change to rushing it more and then RW saying the team wont let him cook lol
I’d bet John would’ve already sorted it out, one way or the other.
100%
I mean, there’s always a chance that RW and Waldron hit it off well and the offense flourishes… 🤷♂️
So we have this..
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/russell-wilson-rumors-warren-moon-predicts-divorce-between-seahawks-and-all-pro-qb/
And the sound of silence come from the Seahawks and Russell Wilson. Nothing in 24 hours since Carlos Dunlap’s Statement.
Rob, you were right. This isn’t over. Could it be that Russell Wilson is staying, but only for a Farewell Tour 2021, to quote Charlie Brown “AAUGH!”
I think it’s probably over until next year
Then we get to do all this again
At least then we might have a 1st round pick to talk about.
Not our native pick. But we got the 53rd ranked Safety so there’s that.
( 53rd ranked reference cuz it’s been a while 🙂 )
Looks like there’s no guaranteed salary on Tyler Lockett’s contract starting in 2023.
Or put another way, the first year of DK Metcalf’s mega-extension, they’ll have plenty of options with how to move forward on Lockett’s cap number.
Smart planning on that one.
Im surprised they actually guranteed the second year as they have never done that before. I guess when the salary cap is what it is you have to adapt. Its actually good to see.
Very smart
On Adams:
I feel like an extension over trade is the way it will go. I know the common number has been 18-20M, which would put him 3-5M past the current highest paid safety in Justin Simmons. So my hope would be our assumption of 18-20M is overs hooting, and it will be 17-18M. Slight difference, but a difference nonetheless.
After that extension, I agree with Cha, that changes need to be made to surround him with the best defense to take advantage of his abilities, and he then needs to take the step to maximize those abilities. I don’t think teams get into trouble by paying elite talent elite money (QB salary explosion notwithstanding), and Jamal Adams has the ability to be that elite player. But he then needs to play that Polamalu-esque role of field tilting defender, the PC/KN need to mold the defense around him having that freedom.
My best guess is that he will sign 5 yr- 100M contract as Cha laid out, and unfortunately we will end up regretting that decision. But hopefully it is Percy Harvin level regret (we got a Super Bowl!), and not a Jimmy Graham level regret.
He isn’t looking to be the highest paid safety
He sees himself as a ‘weapon’
Our OL problems are solved. Let’s look elsewhere in the draft OK?
I mean, we can just keep resigning former players, no matter how good they are, and let’s trade these last 3 picks for some 32+ years olds.
Re-sign Floyd Womack to play G
PORK CHOP!
Rob: Nice article on Jamar Adams. You pretty much nailed it as usual.
BTW: I really loved your mock draft. Tons of useful/interesting information. Loved it.
Please give the credit to Cha for this one
My apologies to Cha. Great article Cha.
Thanks. And no worries.
Damn! That wasn’t a double pancake, that was setting up a row of domino’s and knocking them over!
I truly enjoyed the piece. I tend to see it Rob’s way, here. I actually feel, on the basis of admittedly scant research, if you gave me the choice between Adam’s and QM, right now, today-I’d have to think long and hard.
After you have the cap differential factored in, and the deal sweetened with at least one other day 2 draft selection (which could then be parlayed into who knows what in terms of lower picks) I reckon the dilemma is not really all that troubling. You bite the bullet and you pull the trigger.
I honestly love THE IDEA of Jamal Adam’s on our D. But it’s like a person who has always coveted a convertible sports car blowing his money on a Jaguar when he knows what he really needs are 3 pick up trucks to grow his landscaping business.
No vitriol or hyperbole: I appreciate both stances in this discussion. But 3 picks (if you even want to call that final one a pick?) – No. I for one, hope JS/PC make the hard call, and give the fan base a reason to look forward to the last weekend in April.
Go Hawks
Sounds like Damarious Randall is resigning again with the hawks. Adds good depth and I would think would fill in nicely for Adams when traded.
Looks like Giovanni Bernard just got released from Bengals. I always thought he was decent, and could still have some juice left at 29 years old.
It’s interesting to see the emotional investment that so much of the local media in Seattle have invested in the high profile players of the Seahawks. It seems to be, that if they question the contribution some players make to the team, they are letting themselves down as unequivocally supportive fans rather than performing their duty as inquisitive journalists?
This high player profile bias also shows in their reluctance to ask the difficult questions during post game press briefings, with the odd notable exception like Joe Fann. I think the national geography of Seattle being so remote from any other team in the NFL, means many media pundits cover the Seahawks for most of their journalistic careers and plays a big part in developing this fandom sentiment.
It is a trait that more isolated communities get more defensive and protective regarding their identity, though paradoxically are often super welcoming to outsiders visiting. This defensiveness would show in the fans willingness to ignore any uncomfortable view made beyond the PNW, as an aggressive act designed to damage the chances of their team. Therefore the most comfortable position to take is to dismiss any such stories vigorously.
That’s my perception of the reaction shown by many 12s of both the Russell Wilson and Jamal Adams stories, but as someone whose never actually been to Seattle, I live in France, of course my view might well be wrong.
Of course, it seems the consensus on this blog, that a Jamal Adams trade would actually help to improve the team, which is what most of us fans (wherever we are) actually want.
I don’t really have anything to add to this without opening up a Pandora’s Box that is probably best left closed (is a Pandora’s Box best left closed by definition?).
However, I did want to say that I believe you are walking down a good road exploring the relationship between Seattle’s cultural identity and its football team.
I like your analysis here. We spin our wheels fretting about what Pete and John are thinking about things (this is natural, of course) when we could glean just as much real insight into the organization, the local press and the fan base via thought experiments that could bring to bear what Durkheim or Weber might say about it all.
But that’s just me being weird, as I do sometimes. And being impatient for the Hawks to ‘just do something’. Call it ‘NFL Notes From The Underground’. 😉
When the Jamal Adams trade went down last summer, it seems the other team in competition for his signature was Dallas? If this was the case and it was a close contest, I imagine Dallas also included their 2021 1st round pick and another pick or two in their bid?
As they seem to be converting Keanu Neal into a linebacker, they haven’t upgraded in the Strong Safety position since then, so where would Dallas stand now in offering their 2021 1st round pick in a trade for Jamal Adams?
They will use Neal in the role for Adams I would imagine
Perhaps we can take Neal in trade with their 1st round pick for Adams?! 😉
My personal wish is that we can build a time machine and right before Carroll made the trade, someone runs over and takes the keys off him and says, ‘not tonight Pete, you’ve had enough’
Well if you’re going to all that trouble and time traveling then go further back & change “the play” & hand Pete the pro bowl rosters from the last decade.
Then find me & tell me to go all in on Bitcoin.
Absolutely! 👍
I’ve just recorded an hour with Paul Gallant for his podcast.
Check it out when published… was a really great discussion
Awesome. I was kind of blah when I saw Gallant but if you say it was a great discussion I’ll be interested to hear it. Quite the contrast of opinions
My initial thought as well…last I heard he is a wanker! I’ll show myself out now…
I can’t say for sure about Hawks but this is turning out to be great year for you Rob. So happy for you!!! you deserve it.
Thanks Ashish
Only very recently have I come to realize that I enjoy Gallant’s eccentric, daft sense of humor … and I find his views on the Seahawks more realistic and balanced than those expressed by his cohorts at 710. I look forward to this interview. Well done, Rob.
Great! Please post a link when available.
.
Will do
Jeff Darlington: “Wilson has been giving Seattle mixed messages”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gacqQgBrb8I
Just imagine for a second a scenario where Russ has been demanding with the top brass behind closed doors, and sniping publicly in the press with his agent.
Now you extend Dunlap and he says ‘yeah I talked to Russ and he says he’s staying’.
That would be really frustrating.
Seahawks fans…
Wilson’s agent tells Schefter the teams he’s willing to be traded to:
‘Fake news, clickbait, nothing to see here’
Carlos Dunlap mentions Wilson’s told him he’s staying
‘Definitive, that’s sorted then, clearly the media are a bunch of absolute tossers’
I think Sherm would be huge for Jamal. He is a guy with in depth knowledge of the system and take some of the guess work out of situations that was clearly happening last year. Sherm is also collaborative with the other DB’s and isn’t afraid to put the extra work in during the offseason. Most importantly Sherm has the clout to keep Jamal on the tracks. Every time he is free lancing Sherm is the guy who can go back to huddle and give him the “Naw bitch” talk and Jamal will have to listen.
We could only wish that would happen.
IMO, I’d rather extend Adams rather than trade him. I understand as a fan base we are used to having lots of picks but having 10 picks does not necessarily equal productivity from those players. We have made an investment in Adams, I would rather see how it plays out. We have made our bed going into this draft with 3 picks, lets try and make the best of them and continue to develop draft picks of prior years.
With that said I would hate a scenario in which we trade back from pick 56 to acquire more picks. I say stay firm with the picks we have and take the BPA at those 3 spots and work the UDFA this draft. As long as we get a day 1 starter of need at 56th we will be fine. Depending how the draft plays out grab the BPA focusing on the main areas of need OL, WR, CB at pick 56th.
A day-1 starter at the 56th pick is asking a lot.
That’s not the point
You’re willing to see how it plays out at the cost of $18-20m a year???
You can get more quite easily
Jamarco Jones and Rasheem Green just need one more year…
Prepare to hate then
You can’t pick three times in a draft
If I’m Seattle, I’m still trying to find a way to get back up for Mond. There’s still a divorce coming, and they’d better be prepared for it.
Can we call two pancakes on one play a “short stack” ?
https://twitter.com/BigCanada79/status/1379883226651488257
It’s one of the all-time great FFS moments that here’s a guy who ticks EVERY box for Seattle with the length, explosive traits, attitude and brilliance to finally taking on that BAMF in LA… and they don’t have the pick to get him.
They might, if they trade Adams.
Cha- another excellent well thought out piece. I agree with all of your points but when I hear ‘creative Ken Norton’ or ‘pressure with this front four’, I’m reminded of ‘and monkeys might fly out my butt’.
“You can’t pick three times in a draft.”
Rob, I most definitely see it your way, and I have to believe John Schneider sees it very much that way as well.
But what does your gut tell you about how Pete may be seeing it? Part of me hopes against hoping that Pete also feels it, but that it’s simply “a case of playing the cards close to the vest.”
Which could spell out a frustrating next several weeks for the fan base.
“You can’t pick three times in a draft.”
The most obvious statement ever…
I think Pete will agree too
They won’t pick three times in this class
What we’ve learned from this is 2 things: RW/Rodgers’ approach is passive aggressive. PC/JS’s approach is passive aggressive. Hiding behind the goody-2-shoes of RW and the positivity of PC is a degree of ‘aggression’ that is passive by nature and thus the current stalemate which will indeed kick the can down the road without thought or awareness of the selfishness and close-mindedness of the principles involved. If either party had staked their claim openly AND aggressively the situation would have been resolved by now for the benefit of both parties and the fan base. It’s tiring and infuriating simultaneously as we are left on the line to dry for another 12 months.
So trade back into round 3 for maybe a 4th and a 6th round pick??? All the descent OL and WR will be gone by then. Most likely developmental special team players. At least at 56 we have a shot at a potential starter at WR3 or OL. I’m also counting Jackson as our 5th round pick. Take the best possible Corner in Rd 4 and fill in the necessary depth and leadership with Veteran FA.
I believe Adams contract can be worked to benefit both sides, with bonus money and loopholes. I don’t understand moving away from him so quickly after 1 season. Especially considering his age, talent, and draft capital we gave up.
If we consider the proven players we accumulated like Adams and Jackson which equals a 1st, 3rd and 5th in this covid off season isn’t a bad draft class. Who knows maybe Spoon pans out, he certainly has tge tools. Plus we still have a 2nd and 4th to work with. I’d take 3 or 4 starters in an covid draft class than have 8 picks.
Have you listened to any of the points I and others have made on Jamal Adams?
aaaand yet another…!
This is a great plan, looking for journeymen to make up for the fact you might not be able to tap into a legendary explosive O-line class with your three picks…
shambolic!
My question, is this for depth or is it showing that they don’t intend to look for any more starters on the O-line? Is it just in case they don’t get one in the draft, or is it showing they have no intention to?
The intent is probably there
It’s probably an admission that with so few picks they might have to go in a different direction
And that would just be another notch for how abysmally they are building this team. Fancy putting yourself in a position not to tap into this awesome O-line class.
I just can’t fathom how poorly they’re putting this all together.
This is a great website for the pessimistic/ contrarian view of the Seahawks.
I think the Hawks FO has done well so far this offseason. It’s helpful to read different perspectives here though to get a more balanced view.
Why are you assuming that trying out back up lineman is preventing the Hawks from drafting O-line in rd 2? I think a C in rd 2 is ideal in rd 2. It also helps depth across the board too since Pocic can back up C and G.
How do you guys rank the draft needs by position? I think it’s C, CB, LB, WR.
I like the idea of Goodwin as a FA pick up or someone similar to stretch the D. I think Swain can develop into a solid WR 3/4 and hope Everett can be a 3rd option.
I’m not a fan of that description to be honest.
Raising proper topics with the team, having a serious conversation about real issues and pre-empting several looming problems (Wilson saga, pass rush, similar problems in the post-season) isn’t contrarian or pessimistic. To me, that’s just talking about the Seahawks.
Every view is explained and detailed and even if people disagree — nothing is said on a whim.
And frankly I think more sites/reporters should be talking about these things.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nflnetwork/status/1379886697241047046
I love Quinn Meinerz
I love everything about Quinn Meinerz
Really enjoy reading Seahawks Draft Blog this off-season.
I like Adams and hope the Seahawks make it work.
Quality players are always hard to find and hang on to (RW) – their character/influence are almost as important as their match day performance in giving roster player belief confidence and improvement on match day. And next season Seattle needs as many of these players staying with the team with the Wilson saga unresolved
terrific post, cha. this is by far the most thorough analysis i’ve seen of how an adams extension might (have a chance to) make sense. as you correctly point out, an awful lot of things have to go right for it to work. the odds of finding a path to contention seem far better if the seahawks find a way to get back in this draft.
Thanks swedenhawk. You’ve always been very complimentary.
Assumption: RW stays
1. Trade Adams to Jacksonville or Miami (high 2, maybe additional 4 if generous)
2. Ask Bobby to take massiv pay cut or trade him (LB market he and Mosley “set” has to reset)
3. Bring back KJ if reasonable
2 Round: C Meinerz
2 Round: OT of future (really strong OL class, Duane and Shell are not longterm solutions)
4 round: CB or WR
5 round: CB or WR
7 round: who cares
Thoughts?
I’d be open to a WR3 in round two instead of an OT of the future, depending on how the board plays out. Obviously if there’s a great option at LT, then it’s a different story.
This, I like!
Something I keep thinking about with regards to Adams. I can’t recall if anyone else talked about it. I believe when we picked Collier in 2019, it was desperation, for lack of a better term. I think they wanted Jonathan Abram, but he got picked 2 picks earlier by the Raiders. They were at a lost and had to pick someone. That led to this move with Jamal Adams. They were chasing the one who got away. Sometimes you got to take the L and move on. In this case they have let it compound and it just keeps getting worse. I really hope they don’t overpay, but this seems to go right in line with them letting this one mistake just keep costing us more and more.
Absolutely right. It’s something I’ve talked about regarding Abram. They’ve been chasing a player like that ever since — the Blair pick, then Jamal Adams.
You shouldn’t be chasing specific positions like this unless it’s quarterback, LT or DE.
And it speaks to why the Seahawks have made a total dogs dinner of roster building since 2017.
Don’t know if Abrams has performed much better than Collier this far. Injured all of 2019, right near the botto m in 2020 in terms of PFF coverage rankings and at the top of penalities. Hopefully Gus sorts him out.
I don’t think that really matters when you’re pining over the one who got away. I’m sure the DB whisperer would’ve thought he could do better with him anyway.
Realistically then, if no trades are made by the Hawks before or on draft weekend, what is the amount of picks we can project to collect just by trading down the 2nd and whatever follows from that?
Depends how far they’re willing to trade back
After listening to arguments about trading Adams because the Seahawks need draft picks, and that Adams will expect 18 million a year, I’ve reached the conclusion that unless Adams lowers his expectations he is untradeable. The reasons being:
1. The highest paid safety in the league, Jordan Simmons, is only getting an average salary of 15.25 million. Adams would have to accept 3 million less just to be equal to the leader in safety salaries.
2. His value as a safety is not that great. He’s a great athlete, he is a good tackler, but can he cover?? That’s an integral skill for a safety. Plus there are rumors of him being a prima donna.
3. What teams would be willing to pay the Seahawks a first rounder plus more and pay Adams a 15 million plus contract? There is a lot of speculation about teams like the Dolphins and Jets, but their names are mentioned for every free agent. It is pure speculation that they will pay a first rounder plus more. Especially without a cheap long term contract in place.
So given those thoughts, I see his value declining rapidly. It’s worth a try to trade him, but I suspect the reason Pete Carroll has been so quiet about trading Adams is that he knows he won’t get the draft picks he wants.