Happy Thanksgiving to all, here’s a podcast looking ahead to Monday’s game…
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Rob Staton
Hot topics
- Why Sam Howell’s performance on Sunday doesn’t mean anything for the Seahawks’ future at quarterback
- The reality of the current day Seattle Seahawks and why change feels inevitable on offense
- Instant reaction: Seahawks embarrass themselves, chuck ice water on season vs Green Bay
- Curtis Allen’s week fifteen watch notes (vs Green Bay)
- My first 2025 NFL mock draft
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Hot topics
- Why Sam Howell’s performance on Sunday doesn’t mean anything for the Seahawks’ future at quarterback
- The reality of the current day Seattle Seahawks and why change feels inevitable on offense
- Instant reaction: Seahawks embarrass themselves, chuck ice water on season vs Green Bay
- Curtis Allen’s week fifteen watch notes (vs Green Bay)
- My first 2025 NFL mock draft
Thankful today for Rob providing consistently excellent Seahawks content freely available to the public! Appreciate the work you put into your labor of love Rob.
Ditto from me. Well said Thomas
Thanks Thomas, really appreciate you saying that
Big agree. Thanks Rob!
Couldn’t agree more. Best Seahawk content and dialogue out there.
Belated giving of thanks from me too. This is one of the staple sites of my internet diet. I’m very grateful to have an outlet like this where politics and generally toxic behavior don’t rear their heads. I know it isn’t easy to keep the site up and continue with the content. Know that it is very much appreciated.
Thankful for all of the commenters who chip in with thoughtful and/or amusing comments as well. Great community here.
Thanks dcd2, much appreciated
The 2021 Offseason Presents Intriguing Opportunities for the Seahawks
I thought I’d take a look at what the Seahawks are looking at this offseason as it currently stands. While the outward appearance of the team’s 2021 roster, draft picks and cap space make for a picture that isn’t all that attractive, a deeper dive into the options that will be available to the Hawks, and the strong possibility of more options opening up offer the chance to make this a return to a “championship offseason” the Hawks used to talk about in seasons past.
Here’s the thesis statement: Despite the lack of obvious offseason options available, the Seahawks won’t be lacking in opportunity to drastically improve this team in a meaningful way. The question facing the team really is, Do Pete Carroll and John Schneider have the will, vision and humility to build this team in a way that takes them to the next level?
Let’s start by looking at the basics. What do the Seahawks have available to them in 2021?
Here is a whole-picture look at where things stand at the moment going into 2021’s offseason:
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/its-time-to-be-honest-about-the-state-of-the-seahawks#comment-539405
There’s a lot of information there, but in short, the Seahawks have 34 contracted players, only $19m of cap room, and 3 draft picks to work with in 2021. Admittedly, that’s not very encouraging. With the standard $5-6m earmarked for injuries and performance bonus money, the Seahawks have about 19-21 roster spots to fill and only about $13m to spend as it stands. If they keep everything as is, simply paying their draft picks, retaining some RFA’s and some practice squad players plus a couple veteran minimum contracts will eat up most of their available cap space.
They will have key short term needs at C, RB, CB, and long term factors to consider at both OT spots, and the DL. They also face big philosophical decisions about the defensive makeup and making sure RW has enough weapons to maximize his potential.
That’s the bad news. The good news is, there are several ways the Seahawks can excel this offseason, and while it will require some very tough decisions to be made, some changes in procedural big-picture thinking, and a degree of focus and precision we haven’t seen from them in recent off-seasons, it will not be for a lack of opportunity.
So where are the opportunities? 4 areas:
1.They have flexibility to create cap space.
The Seahawks have about $70million of “creatable cap space”, which is cap space they can gain through extensions, restructures, trades or cuts. At this moment, in the entire NFL, only Pittsburgh and Las Vegas have more “creatable space” than the Seahawks do. However, they are both over the cap, so a good chunk of their moves to create space will be just to get their heads above water. The Seahawks have their heads above water, so their space can be fully utilized on improvement.
So when you look at $19m of cap space and $70m of space you can gain, the Seahawks have about $89m of ‘available’ room.
Of course, that’s vastly overstating. They’re not going to cut or trade all those players tied to that cap money. That would gut some key spots and create more problems than solutions. So let’s cut that $70m in half, and call it $35m. So combined with the $19m of cap room, the Seahawks could potentially have $54m in cap room for 2021.
The Seahawks also will have some bonus room available to them. RW counts for $32m against the cap in 2021, and in the past he’s shown a willingness to work with the Seahawks to convert some salary to bonus in order to gain them some room. So there could be about $5-7m of ‘fun money’ room there as well.
In summary, there exists a very real possibility that the Seahawks can put themselves in a fantastic position in 2021:
2.Many teams will be struggling to get under the cap.
This one is pretty obvious. With a $175m cap projected for 2021, several teams are headed for total teardowns. New Orleans, Atlanta, Philly are teams that will have to make major moves on their existing roster and will also have a lot of trouble retaining any good quality UFA’s on their roster. Other teams will have to make business decisions with expensive players they want to keep but can’t due to other cap priorities. The pre-free agency market could offer much more than just veterans past their prime and players coming off bad seasons.
This helps the Seahawks in two ways: 1-there will likely be a buyer’s market for veteran talent, 2-their current roster of players with chunky cap hits will likely be more amenable to a restructure, extension or even reduction in salary.
3.They have massive cap space available to them in 2022.
OTC is projecting about a $227m total cap in 2022, Spotrac about $224m. How are the Seahawks set up?
OTC has a whopping $141m of room available to Seattle, Spotrac has $136m. That is a big windfall for the Hawks. How does that help them build their 2021 roster? The potential exists for some healthy contract signings, such as retaining Carson at RB, and/or being active in the ‘medium to big ticket’ free agent market. They can accomplish this by structuring the contracts in such a way that the 2021 cap hit is very modest, yet is competitive on an AAV basis. How can this be done, and not eat up their entire future cap space with badly bloated deals? Rob discusses it in detail here:
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/how-seattles-future-cap-space-shouldve-provided-flexibility
The availability to acquire top talent is there. Admittedly, the Seahawks typically don’t structure their big contracts as aggressively as other teams do. But all we are saying is, the opportunity is there. It can be done. And if the FO needs anything to convince them to put a little more on the company credit card then they’re used to doing (other than RW in his prime), there’s some very, very good news about the future:
4.The future salary cap is going to rebound very robustly.
TV contracts are expiring. The MNF contract with ESPN expires after 2021. The Sunday/Thursday game contracts with the networks expire after 2022. The monster ratings, fantasy football and the fact that COVID has locked out some other entertainment choices are all huge incentives for those deals to increase by a magnitude. Forbes thinks a doubling of broadcast fees could be in the offing:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2020/11/11/expect-tv-rights-fees-for-sports-to-soar/?sh=66c54eae48c2
On top of that, legalized gambling is coming. Like it or not, it’s happening. Once the legal hurdles and the infrastructure is in place, many analysts are hypothesizing this could rake in another $600m in revenue annually.
There’s going to be future cap space available, and lots of it. Teams that know this and are bold in 2021 can really improve themselves very quickly.
—
So – what do the Seahawks need to do?
1.Figure out what to do with the defense.
Does Ken Norton Jr deserve to continue as DC? What do you do with Jamal Adams? Trade him? Reshape your defense around him? Or keep him and your 4-3 defense and pay him a ton of money for a role that isn’t a crucial one? What about Bobby Wagner’s future? Does KJ come back? Are there any 2021 CB’s currently on the roster? So, so many questions that need to be addressed.
2.Enter the offseason with their objectives firmly in mind.
In the recent past, the FO has appeared reactionary, uncoordinated and prone to desperate measures. Overspending before free agency, overspending early in free agency, but not getting needs seriously addressed or acquiring foundational players. Letting the trade market be the tail that wags the dog rather than striking with purpose and consistency.
Move away from that model of thinking. Place your biggest needs at the top of your priority list (did I seriously just type that???). Address them first, and then take advantage of the draft, the secondary FA market and pre-training camp market to build extra depth or find the piece to really add a scary dimension to your offense or defense.
3.Be aggressive at the right time.
Some say the Seahawks are not aggressive in FA. In actuality they are aggressive, but just not as you think. It’s just that the aggression hasn’t been targeted well. They brought in a banged up Ziggy Ansah in the 2019 secondary FA market for $9m. They brought in street FA Greg Olsen for $7m this season. They aggressively tendered several RFA’s this year, typing up nearly $10m in cap money. They gave players like Bruce Irvin, Cedric Ogbuehi and Benson Mayowa handsome raises. They made a huge investment in trading for Jamal Adams, which will impact both their cap spending and draft capital going forward.
Learn from these moves. Don’t get hypnotized into spending more money than you have for players that either don’t fit your scheme or might not have a significant impact. It is actually possible to be both patient and aggressive this offseason. But it will take an honest assessment of 2020’s offseason, careful thought, good planning and the occasional tough decision that will keep you up at night. But the opportunity to hoist the Lombardi trophy awaits, and those tough nights will be worth it.
So, what should the Seahawks do? Who should stay and go? Who should they target in trade, the FA market and the draft?
We can talk about it, but the truth is, it’s too early to say. There’s still a lot of season left. Many, many factors have yet to play out in order to get a clear picture.
But the point is, the Seahawks have the potential for a really fantastic offseason this year. If you take one thing away from this post, it is that the Seahawks are not badly handcuffed by the salary cap and their lack of draft picks. That’s not the issue at hand. It really is, Does this FO have the desire and will to act, to take this team from a perennial playoff team to a bona fide Super Bowl contender? It is truly within their grasp.
Wow Cha that was good read. Great stuff!
Thanks for this write-up, Cha.
Impressive analysis, cha.
One small quibble: I don’t think the projected cut in next year’s cap will come close to compensating the owners for this year’s loss in ticket revenue. A loss of $3 billion in ticket and ancillary revenue like parking and concessions would imply a cap reduction of closer to $50 million, which would mean the owners would be giving the players roughly $800 million unless there are further adjustments to the cap. One possibility would be to amortize the shortfall over three years, making the cap somewhat higher than the currently agreed minimum of $175 million next year and somewhat lower than the numbers OTC projects for 2022 and 2023.
None of this affects your conclusions, which I think are very well reasoned.
And, sadly, I can’t see any way the Seahawks are going to pay Bobby Wagner $17 million next year.
Thanks hobro.
Yes, the formalizing of the cap numbers is one of the factors that is still yet to play out.
I just used the generally agreed-upon values as a starting point.
Excellent! Thank you. I need to save this, many points stand out. One was humility, lack of can be a stumbling block for sure. The guidance of Paul Allen is missed. To me another one is loyalty. Loyalty is a very good thing but you have to know when it’s time to make tough decisions.
Thanks again!
great stuff. any chance we’ll get to see cha on the pod this offseason, rob and robbie?
He’s welcome on any time he wants.
That would be cool!
Was thinking the same thing
I was thinking, and could be wrong about this, that patience rather then being aggressive might be the key to FAcy this off-season, perhaps more than any other. It seems to me that it’s going to possibly be a helluva buyer’s market out there. I would guess that slow-playing from the outset could lead to some real bargain basement acquisitions.
Very curious off-season coming, and nice write up.
Probably going to be a lot of 1-yr contracts doled out this coming off-season.
Thanks for all the positive feedback everyone.
Been another nice distraction since we pretty much can’t see friends and family during this time off.
Tell me about it. LOL Had to have a fire pit in the yard today outside in cooler weather just to see all the loved ones. You make do in your little socially responsible way. Still gotta have that love thing.
You’re a helluva football pundit. 🙂
Go Hawks.
Cha, I’ve enjoyed you posts and the press conferences you’ve put up. Thanks.
Tim Settle.
How the HELL did he go undrafted?
Former blog favourite. Now has five sacks for the season at well over 300lbs.
The WFT front 4 is the real deal.
If Schottenheimer isn’t building a game plan on 3 step drops and quick throws to DK and Lockett and taking advantage of the soft 6 yards the CBs are routinely allowing, letting them make some YAC and avoiding the rush, he’ll need to have his head examined.
And yet again we are seeing the benefit of being able to rush with four.
And by that I assume you mean your DL can sky and snag the ball out of the air and pick 6 it and score points for you.
The way he moved around at his weight was unreal. But then he seemed to do little in his first two years. I guess some guys just take a while to develop the level of technique required to fully use their athletic potential at the next level.
Iirc he entered the draft after his RS Soph season.
Tim Settle was drafted in the 5th round, pick #163.
Similar to Grady Jarrett in that you ‘knew’, you just knew this guy was going to turn out a baller on the DL & everyone keeps passing. When he got picked I was pissed off that it wasn’t us.
Ok fifth round. Point still stands.
That’s the dumbest play call I’ve seen in a while.
Deep in your own territory. Down by 4. You’ll get a couple more possessions.
And you call a fake punt.
Mike McCarthy. You got some splaining to do.
Dreadful design on the fake too.
What was the plan? A slow developing fake that puts the ball carrier 25 yards behind the mark to gain?
One of several VERY questionable calls made by the Cowboys in the game.
Washington was opportunistic and cashed in with TDs (turn overs, dumb play calls, etc)
I’m just glad McCarthy isn’t our coach.
This is a reaaly good discussion of the future. I have an off-topic question about this season. It’s relevant to the Seahawks because of the schedule over the next 4 weeks. Who the $&/! wins the NFC east? We can’t overlook the contenders. The Caboys are looking like toast.
DC. I think the Giants are gonna be really good next year if they can nail 2-3 picks this draft and add a FA on defense.
Washington is on the rise. Team to watch next few years. Good HC and GM.
Culture change is palpable and the effort given by the team is outstanding.
Just with they would improve the stadium and playing surface.
I keep thinking this is like the Panthers, right before they drafted Newton and arrived / achieved a SB appearance within a few years.
Jury is out on the Giants. They have a ton of work needed on the roster.
The Cowboys…. man they are a hot mess. 8-8 seems like a pipedream in 2021.
The Eagles are also in a tough spot, not sure if they will get back to 8-8 next season.
At the moment it looks like Washington or NYG.
Speaking of SDB favorites we should have just drafted…
https://twitter.com/TheTerry_25/status/1332135967352872966
Basically 50-yd DK
https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/1332111877304967172
Reminded me of the DK play, but the 90 yard effort was way more impressive, chasing down a very fast guy from behind. Still, showed a ton of heart by McLaurin chasing him down. Felt like the defense got some juice from that play and elevated the rest of the game.
Imagine having DK and McLaurin.
The last two drafts have been AWESOME for early round receivers. We should’ve taken more than one.
Couldn’t risk losing out on Collier or Blair.
It was also imperative that they trade up to draft Darrell Taylor with the pick right before the Steelers took Chase Claypool.
Yup. Imagine.
https://twitter.com/NickiJhabvala/status/1332159571146792966
I’ve been wondering about something like this happening to us for a while now.
Saw Lamar tested positive. Baltimore is down to two healthy quarterbacks: backup Robert Griffin III and practice squad player Tyler Huntley. No. 3 quarterback Trace McSorley is currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Only difference is depth.
So what the heck are the Seahawks planning to do if Wilson tests Positive. Only Geno Smith available. Going into a game with 1 Qb available shouldn’t be a position any team leaves itself open too.
Seems like it would be logical to have as passable QB on practice squad as well as a kicker to be prepared ahead for something like this.
I also thought the passrush would be addressed; but was still bad before the season started. So who knows what they might be thinking. Hopefully they don’t keep waiting on this one. 0 positive tests so far does not mean we won’t get any. Just like Irvin and Mayowas sack totals from last year didn’t mean anything.
Go get a 3rd QB and an extra kicker please.
They have Danny Etling on the PS.
As for a kicker I’m certain they have a few numbers on speed dial, and in a pinch feel like Dickson could pull off some awesome rugby style stuff to tide them over for a game.
Thanks cha,
I didn’t see Etling added. Still think I’d rather have a real kicker too. Hopefully we won’t end needing either.
Trust the process.
So far CVOID hasn’t been a major issue in Seattle, unlike a few other teams. They appear to have it dialed in and players on the team are buying into not putting themselves into harms way needlessly. Speaks to the culture and the drive of the team as a whole.
We aren’t just talking about then HC or GM or players…. but everyone in the front office. They are all helping keep the guys healthy. That is a team commitment. I respect what PC built in that regards to the “team” in Seattle.
No jinx!
Matt hasslebeck and a pair of white cleats?
I don’t think it matters. They will lose until Wilson were to come back. This is a team who would “earn” a top 5-10 pick if they didn’t have their franchise QB.
Regarding the conversation point on R Penny and what he could contribute upon a return, I offer this. Hyde and Carson would continue their play, which has been good to great. Penny is there (hopefully) for the inevitable injury/injuries to the other two. CC will not remain on the field for 6 games plus playoffs, he can’t stay on the field, never has, never will, and unfortunately he always seems gone at the end of the year. Hyde is 30 now, and already missed some games. What Penny offers is the potential to not have the wheels completely fall off, because we saw what Dallas/Homer offer: teams lining up and coming after Russ knowing they can’t run.
Of course all this requires Penny to come back and play at the level he was at when he got hurt, and that track record was all of a few games, but he did have home run threat speed.
https://twitter.com/CameronWolfe/status/1332405408825298944
I would be interested in Kenny Stills
Better than just waiting for Gordon. Stills would fit nicely
Subject to waivers, or free to sign?
It’ll be waivers
https://twitter.com/Joe_Fann/status/1332433382030995456
No Jamal. Statistically you are among the worst in the league in yards per target.
Jamal Adams was just asked by Michael Dugar what his thought process is when considering a game-day outfit.
FFS.
And in response, Adams reveals he has a ‘style coach’. Named Alan.
I’m pretty much done fellas.
Ok, that is hilarious.
Hilarious is not the adjective I’d use but hey, I get your point.
What’s Alan’s last name? How did they meet?
We’ll never know.
But what a waste of bloody money.
It’s funny how many athletes grew up from humble beginnings and then strike it rich only to blow so much on utterly stupid stuff like that (at least it wasn’t on strippers). Then they’ll start a foundation where a lot of the money is funneled to salary to their inner circle and actually not much given to charity but advertise what they do ‘give back.’ Not saying that’s Adams – just an example of how money could be spent on better things that would enrich his home community or whatever. A personal ‘style coach?’ WTF? That’s why something ridiculous like 50% of former NBA players (who make a lot more than NFL players, on average) go bankrupt by 5 years after their playing career is over. Not as many guys like Dale Murphy, JJ Watt, Roberto Clemente… to go around.
And Marshawn. Dude has been amazingly smart and generous with his dough.
This one’s my all time favorite. Right after Nate Burleson signed his massive Vikings revenge contract, he treated himself to custom made suits for each game. Only….
https://seahawkaddicts.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/nasty-nate-in-studio-on-total-access/
How far inside your own head do you have to be to rep the opponent’s colors on gameday? Imagine how that would’ve played out with the LOB and Lynch. Walking into the locker room on gameday against the Harbaugh Niners, wearing a red and gold trimmed suit. Golden Tate’s bloody nose would’ve been child’s play.
They actually played the Vikings that year in Week 7 and Nate walked in with a custom purple suit. Talk about sending a mixed message.
Tailor made suits are not “that expensive”. They (NFL players) are professionals and are representing an organization. There are way worse ways of blowing money.
I’m afraid I think you’ve missed cha’s point on the suites Charlie.
Imagine the Seahawks’ 2013 season NFC Championship game.
In walks a player wearing a red and gold suit.
Because his thing is to wear the opponents colours in a specially designed suit every week.
Let’s imagine what the reaction would be to that.
Partridge.
How is the “target” determined for this stat? If the defense is in zone, is it the reviewer’s judgment as to which player was responsible for that zone? Or is it a “target” simply if a given defender was the closest to the ball at the catch?
In man, it’s pretty obvious, but in zone it might not always be….
You’ll have to ask pro football reference
Rob, any thoughts of running back Jemar Jefferson from Oregon State ? He carries his entire offense
Haven’t seen him — I don’t have access to many PAC-12 games.
I’ll check him out.
He sure tore up UW.
He tears up everyone he plays.
His first play from scrimmage was a thing of beauty! 82-yd TD run!
https://twitter.com/BeaverFBNews/status/1332488349907439618
He is ballin tonight. Just like every game.
I insist the Seahawks draft Stanford LB Thunder Keck.
No idea if he’s a real NFL prospect, just for the alone.
If you need any more convincing, his middle name is Justice.
I can be convinced that AC/DC is singing “Thunder Keck” with only minor effort
The Seahawks listed RB Chris Carson as limited and RT Brandon Shell as a non-participant Friday for the second straight day (Thursday was an estimation as Seattle didn’t practice). Carson still appears to be on track to return for Monday night’s game at Philadelphia as do CB Shaquill Griffin and C Ethan Pocic. Shell is looking doubtful. Cedric Ogbuehi is listed as Seattle’s backup at RT and LT. ~ Brady Henderson / ESPN
Looking up injury wise. 🙂
I bet Shell is going to be awhile, based on the clips I saw of his injury. And the code in which PC was speaking about him seemed familiar…
Way to go BEAVERS!!!
Carlos Dunlap – 3 Games Played with Seattle / 3.5 Sacks
Jamal Adams – 6 Games Played with Seattle / 5.5 Sacks (3.5 in last 3 weeks)
Jarron Reed – 1 of 3 Games played next to Dunlap / 2 Sacks
I don’t have the QB pressures or hits handy (for these last 3 games with Dunlap on the team)….. but the DL is functioning better and the overall team defense has been making improvements the last 3 weeks. Just need to keep improving, keep tackling better and playing sound defensive football.
Let’s be real. The defense was merely better against Arizona.
Within these three weeks were the Buffalo horror show —- possibly the worst defensive performance by a team any of us have ever seen —- and the Rams game where they gave up 17 points and 240 yards in the first three drives of the game. By the second half LA were playing in second gear.
The defense has a golden opportunity in the next four weeks to show it genuinely is improving. But let’s not make out this is more than one improved performance that still had a few WTF moments.
More Alton too, I would hope.
Considerably more productive and effective than Mayowa on a per snap basis by most metrics.
As mentioned here previously, the weather is supposed to pretty rough in Philly Monday night, windy and rainy though not cold. I believe I also saw someone say the Eagles are not good against the run. As Seahawks fans we know Russ isn’t good in wet weather. The team is getting Carson back and Hyde is also healthy. Soooo, pretty Capt. Obvious stuff here, please run the football a lot Schotty.
I will be intrigued to watch Jordan Mailata at left tackle, by all accounts he is an insane athlete and a true mountain of a man.
Adams saying he basically played with one arm last couple of games and he’s getting healthy so the Seahawks will be getting the All Pro player they traded for.
I sincerely hope this is true.
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/28/jamal-adams-says-he-was-playing-with-one-arm/
Look, it may very well be true. But since he’s arrived in Seattle, every time I’ve heard him speak out I’ve become less a fan of his.
Excuses or not, at least this time he’s admitted his play hasn’t been up to par.
He definitely seems to bring up his injuries everytime he’s interviewed. Most athletes are usually playing through something especially at this point in the NFL season. I don’t want to make light of his injuries either. Most media has already talked about his hamstring and arm; So hearing him on every interview bringing it up does eventually start to feel like he wants it as an excuse for those who are not happy with his play.
I don’t remember Clowney bringing up his core injury this much.
Oh well, hopefully he’ll turn it up as he gets healthy then, because at the moment I dont see a player worth two 1st round picks.
He also said he doesn’t pay attention to stuff like PFF grades.
Which basically means he checks his grade every week.
🙂
I don’t doubt that for one second.
I think your point about Clowney never saying anything about his injury is a really good one Scott.
I’m still not impressed with him for the reasons you stated.
I seem to recall him grabbing his arm after his sack of Matt Ryan in week one, so I’m not particularly surprised to get that confirmation.
Between that and the groin, the man has been fighting it this season to be sure. Here’s hoping for a clean run of health for the stretch drive of the season. Everything that he and the defense can hope to accomplish this season is ahead of them.
No.
We don’t have roster space anyway, with the guys coming off various lists soon. If he clears waivers, they could put him on PS, though. If we get another big injury at safety, you might wish we had him.
That’s an interesting thought. Thompson playing in the backfield = maybe Adams can play up on the line. They need to figure out a way to get difference makers on the field. So far that is Dunbar and Adams.
Just no to TT. Now if it’s McDougald, that’s a different deal.
Second this comment. Spot on.
McDougald is in IR right now…. so not likely.
I thought he should get the game ball, tbh. Exceeded my expectations in almost every way.
The Lions finally did it…
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/28/lions-fire-matt-patricia-bob-quinn/
You know you’re a shit franchise when you make even the Dallas Cowboys look competent.
Ok I’m stretching that a bit but man the Lions are brutal.
Just saw that Bevell is going to be the interim HC. Good luck, Darrell!!
Cowboys have made the playoffs several times since the Lions sniffed the playoffs.
Rob what do you think of Patricia as a DC option? It would follow with your idea that we need someone from the outside, like a BB tree member, to challenge Pete. I agree with that but do you think he is a good fit after his terrible HC tenure?
I think he is massively overrated as a coach and said as much when he was in New England getting linked with HC opportunities.
Although I would embrace any decision by PC to appoint from outside of his clique.
Beyond the scheme stuff, I cant imagine him being a personality fit with Pete.
I’d hardly know where to begin when it comes to a new defensive coordinator. Who’s out there that’s any good? The two that come to mind for me are in the college ranks, Justin Wilcox and Brent Venables of Cal and Clemson. But why would they come here, and do college DC’s transfer to pro success? Probably not, but I don’t know. Are there any good former DC’s adrift now? Are there any up and coming positional coaches in the NFL that could fill the spot for us?
Sometimes it can be a lot easier hating on what you’ve got than coming up with someone better.
The Rams found a good one. The Seahawks should identify a candidate and spend to get them.
Looking like it will be the off-season if it happens now. But I’ve pretty much moved into that camp. I know there have been a lot of injuries, but this D just hasn’t established any kind of identity the last few years, and it just seems that players don’t improve that much.
Anyway…
Dean Pees?
Hey, do you guys think Vic Fangio is going to be fired after the season by the Broncos? If so, what kind of DC outside of Pete’s circle do you think he would be for us?
Can’t see it
Doesn’t he run a 3-4 scheme?
If you make a run at Von Miller in te offseason…. then maybe…
He is old school. Hard to get a read if players respect him. A bit of friction between him and Von. He’s had some good defenses over the years. Most folks in Denver like Fangio the coordinator, not Fangio the head coach. He does run a similar scheme.
I’d much rather give a shot to a younger guy as DC or even consultant than have someone who failed as HC and already screwed up a defense.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/gregg-bell-blitzing-fiery-jamal-adams-has-an-answer-for-those-downgrading-his-seahawks-pass-coverage
I can’t take Gregg Bell serious anymore, he wrote the wrong guys name down as the guy he was talking about…… come on man, you get PAID to do this reporter stuff.
I gave up on Gregg several years ago.
Bell and Dugar are two peas in a pod. Neither are really reporters as much as they simply regurgitate the information the team feeds them. It is though they talk to each other about the game in the press box and come up with identical opinions and confirm with the Hawks. Then they produce similar Dribbble. They are honestly not worth paying attention to. I want to support them I just can’t.
To top it off, half of their social media posts have to deal with their opinions regarding social issues and politics- often intolerant of others.
Bell, I find particularly infuriating because whenever anyone takes him to task on anything he has either is quick to remind that he is not paid by Twitter (but forgets that fans follow him on Twitter are probably also consuming his reporting content) or he is quick to remind them that he went to West Point so he is the most educated person on all perspectives so his opinion is the one that matters.
I find Dugar’s long form pieces in the Athletic to be quite good though. Especially his article on McDowell was probably the closest anyone got to the full story and the truth.
But yeah, traditional media isn’t particularly strong these days; especially with former athletes now producing so much content (Pat McAfee, Geoff Schwartz, Dominique Foxworth, Matt Barnes, Ryan Whitney etc). I’d much rather hear from people with a background in the sport than a journalist (though journalists are still very valuable when it comes to, for example, FIFA, stories like Vick, Armstrong, Pestorius, stadium funding etc) But give me athletes for coverage of what’s happening on the field.
My favorite current Hawks coverage is from guys who played or coached at some level and that really understand the sport -Heaps, Bumpus, Millen, Wyman, Brock and even breakdowns from guys who really understand the sport like Corbin and Matty.
I agree about the McDowell article. It was very good, but it was years ago. I have not seen anything worthwhile since.
I wish I ‘really understood the sport’ like Corbin and Matty. Then I could hope to join such an illustrious list of capable Seahawks reporters.
I thought Gregg let himself down a bit during the whole ‘Chaz’ episode. Going down there and taking videos, insisting it was a thoroughly positive experience, then just ignoring all the subsequent horror stories that were coming out.
This is why, as a sports reporter, I would never dream of getting involved in such stuff. All you do is set yourself up for a fall.
University of Buffalo running back J Patterson rushed for 409 yards and 8 TD’s today. He is 5’9″ 195lb. It prompts me to ask how does the RB class stack up v the Hawks preferences. OSU kid went off last night as well.
Draft crush confirmed.
We should get a comp pick for being the only team to have it’s shit together.
Unlike the Broncos, who have a positive test at qb (Driskel) and the other three qbs all considered high-risk contracts because they weren’t wearing masks
I really admire what Mcvay has done with the Rams. He moved on from Wade Philips after a top 10 defense season; he moved on from Fossil after years of dominating special team units. He brought in new defensive and special team coordinators from college ranks who are bringing in fresh ideas on how to evolve and are getting results from no name players on the defense. They may ultimately succeed or fail but they are bringing innovation to the team. And that seems to be where the industry is moving in general.
I work in tech and to me, the Rams and the Seahawks organization reminds me of old tech vs new tech. How Google and other nimble Silicon valley companies killed arrogant and intransigent Microsoft’s dominance over the past 10-15 years. McVay vs Carroll reminds me of Steve Jobs vs Steve Ballmer. The Hawks have an economic moat (Wilson) but they are on the downhill as an innovative organization. Does that mean the Hawks will crash and burn and go out of business? No. Does that mean they will be mediocre and no longer relevant? That’s where they are headed.
How does that impact the Seahawks future? Sure, if we get super-lucky to get several stars on the d-line like 2013-14, or like how the 49ers got last year, we can dominate in our defensive scheme. However, more likely than not, our dline is going to be middle of the pack at best even after a revamp. So, it would be foolish to use the same scheme and build their plans around generating pressure with four when they haven’t been able to do that for 3-4 years. So, unless Carroll suddenly gives up control (which I highly doubt – people in power just don’t voluntarily give up control.. see Jones Jerry, et al) over the defense, I expect the same rinse and repeat.
This is a pretty cool comparison. I guess all I would say is, do you need to be on the edge of innovation? If Seattle was ranked 15th on defense everyone would be ecstatic. I do think they need new ideas though. Hard to judge Mcvay. Offensive excellence is hard to keep up with Belichick, Reid and Walsh being exceptions. Martz, Billick, Gruden, Gibbs, Harbaugh, Gase and many others have had a string of success only to get figured out. You could make the argument Mcvay is already getting figured out by New England coaching tree. Others are in the process of copying their example.
do you need to be on the edge of innovation?
The NFL was an old boys club until recently. What we have seen in the past 3 yrs with the hiring of younger coaches (Shanahan, Mcvay, Flores, Judge, Taylor, Kinsbury, Rhule) is unprecedented. This has never happened before in the league. I don’t think the league is suddenly going with younger coaches because its a trend; I think the league is hungry for fresh ideas; both tactical and organizational.
Mcvay is at the forefront of this revolution. Will he succeed? Who knows. In general, the trend in the league is that a team innovates, catches on fire, wins a trophy. Then the league catches up. Rinse. Repeat. And if this is true, I think a team which keeps innovating will have a greater chance of success than a team that doesn’t.
As for Mcvay’s offenses, here is a perspective. He took Goff from the worst QB in the league to a competent one. Guys like Harbaugh, Gase, etc built their offenses around their QBs. Mcvay built his offense around Gurley.. then he moved on from Gurley and rebuilt his offense with a stable of backs and his offense is still top 10. Compare that to our offense which for years tried to find another Marshawn after he left.
Also, look at what Matt Rhule is doing with the Panthers with Teddy Bridgewater and Mike Davis.. quite impressive.
https://twitter.com/seahawks/status/1332850667816321024?s=21
Give me the Damian Lewis look any day over Jamal Adams and his bloody fashion coach called Alan.
Still shaking my head about that.
Maybe I’m in the wrong but I can’t link a tough-nosed, intimidating safety and the quote “I have a fashion coach called Alan”.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
It’s really not that serious dude
I didn’t say it was serious.
Do I think it’s one of the stupidest things I’ve heard in a while? Yes.
Rob is just a fashionista
Come on. It’s not that serious, but it’s funny. It’s like a lot of the Russell Wilson stuff, the weird videos of him in bed with Ciara, selling nano bubbles, selling football shaped loaves of bread, selling perfume that smells like his love for ciara. or whatever. It’s weird shit. Doesn’t mean Wilson isn’t still “our guy”, and wilson does a lot of good in the community. but if you can’t see the humor in these sorts of thing I can’t help you.
We didn’t need the late night with Ciara video back in our heads Jack… thanks alot friend
Parsing what another grown man wears. Good lord.
ok dude
Maybe he meant Alun, as in legendary hardnosed Welsh international second row Alun Wyn Jones?
I’d love to know what Alun Wyn Jones thinks about having a fashion coach 😂
Saturday Press conf w PC
“Good opp for us to take adv of schedule. Thursday game to Monday. sort out the week to give guys time to get legs back. See in practice they’re feeling good. Getting guys back too. Not everyone but good showing. Taking off for East Coast, MNF blast.”
[tim] Brandon Shell time frame? “Cedric O stepping on. Depends on how Shell responds when working. Getting around fine, but won’t know until end of next week.”
[curtis crab] Swain and Moore injury? “Swain fine. Family issue. Moore felt something, wasn’t sure. Should be ready to play. Fingers crossed.”
[bob condotta] Carson ready? “Explosive, great shape, fresh legs. Raring to go. Full go.”
[bob] Griffin? “No setbacks, ready to play. good week.”
[maz veta] Ugo playing? “Talked to him today, understands all nuances, fits and coverage guy. Their top target guy plays in the slot, will be a good matchup.”
[brady] Ethan Pocic OK? “Yes. Great for continuity. Miss a guy who calls the shots. Fired up about it.”
[brady] Alex Collins has to go through protocol ? “Yes.”
[art] New NFL restrictions next week? Consequences after MNF game? “Virtual team functions. Well prepared for it.”
[gregg] Uptick in out of town visitors with players? “not much.”
[gregg] Are other teams calling about how awesome with COVID you are? “no.”
[bob condotta] Mayowa play last week, rotation? “Always liked him as a rotational guy for pass rush situations. LIke to keep it going like that. 3rd downs and nickel situations, 2 min situations. Him on one side and Dunlop on the other. Ready to play any time. Him and Alton keep a rotation at Leo spot.”
[curtis crab] Penny and Taylor testing? “Taylor next week, Mon or Tues meet with docs final time. Hoping it would be this week couldn’t. Talked with Penny about practicing next week. See how the next couple days go and hope to have him practicing with us next week.”
[curtis] Dorsett and Dunbar? “Dorsett still in boot, next week. Dunbar ready, really close. Week to week now from this point forward. Fingers crossed.”
[brady] Rules on PUP and NFI, deadline for guys have to come back? “I don’t know about that. They’ve got 3 weeks to prove to be ready to go, but I don’t know.”
Hi….I would just like to say that my birthday is Monday. The last time (that I can remember) the Hawks playing on my bday on Monday night was vs the Raiders in I believe 83.
Yup….THAT game. When Bo went off 90 something and ran into the Kingdome tunnel and also trucked Brian Bosworth. The creamed us.
I can’t see that happnin this week but hey, it’s the NFL…….So I’ll be sippin some adult beverages and hoping for the best on my 68th trip around the friggin sun.
lol so is mine. Happy Bday btw if I dont see u here before then.
Happy birthdays blokes!!!
Do you know how to ‘have your cake & eat it too’???
Make two cakes!
Hey Volume…Happy Birthday fellow Sag. !!!!!
UW huskies looking like scared pups tonight.
cant seem to run the ball, get predictable on passing. cant stop the run on d
Broncos – who don’t have a QB for Sunday (lol) – signed Garret Bolles to a 4 year deal worth 68 million. Rob – I remember you liked bolles a lot coming out of Utah. I am by no means a player evaluator but media reports and penalty stats seem to indicate he has been underwhelming in his time in Denver, so I was surprised by the news of Elway committing $17 million a year to him. Rob, have you watched Bolles much since he came into the league? Would be interested to hear your thoughts on this contract.
He’s been terrible first 3 years (was a bit raw coming out)- but he’s athletic and finally got it together this year, one of the best LT now. I think he has benefited from the deemphasis on holding penalties though.
this
Thank you both!
“All Denver Broncos QBs ineligible vs. New Orleans Saints because of coronavirus”
All I can say is yikes.
What I’d like to understand is why the Baltimore game gets delayed twice and the Broncos are told they have to play on Sunday.
My understanding… both teams had CVOID 19 positives, while the Broncos game only 1 team did.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui had three sacks and a fumble recover tonight for Washington. Was a big part of the comeback victory, has seven sacks over three games. Really impressed by him this year.
That’s a solid night’s work & good news.
Tip o the hat to Jimmy Lake to adjust & overcome 21 points down at the half. Shows some coaching chops.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui is one of the biggest out-of-nowhere-WTF-Huskies of all time. This dude wasn’t even on the top of the depth chart anywhere going into this season and now has NFL scouts wondering if he’s one of the best edge rushers in the country. LOL His stats are mind-boggling in three games as a starter since injuries thrust him into a starter role. More importantly, the guy just LOVES playing football, always smiling and having fun as he’s killing the competition.
I’m wowed.
First time since 1988…. overcoming 21 point deficit at 1/2 time. Let that sink in a little bit…. over 30 years. Oh yeah, Don James was the coach.
Tip if the hat to Morris too. Made mistakes but picked himself up and kept working and was able to lead a wonderful game winning drive.
Would love to see Molden on the Seahawks. Natural play maker and great in coverage. Won’t have the typical Seahawks measureables, but maybe spicing up the scheme this offseason could lead us to see some new types of DBs. If he’s there at R2 I would fire away but I highly doubt he lasts that long.
He certainly looked the part yesterday. That was the first proper live look I’ve had at him after watching a couple of games a few days ago.
His interviews are superb. Very mature, oozes class.
Great testing numbers at SPARQ — 3.93 short shuttle, 37 inch vertical. Was listed at 5-11 too.
Article coming later today.