The 2020 draft will be defined by the quarterbacks and receivers. Multiple wide outs will be taken in round one.

I’m starting to wonder whether Jalen Reagor is the best of the lot.

College football is littered with receivers who dominate overmatched cornerbacks. Spread systems also extend the field to make stat-building a lot easier. So many players get overhyped on production and perceived ability that won’t translate.

The thing to look for is easy separation. A lot of college receivers box-out defenders or the quarterback takes a five-step drop in the gun to open up everything underneath. If a player is creating separation with quickness and savvy routes you’re onto a winner. The 2014 class is a great example of this. Odell Beckham Jr and Mike Evans made it look so easy with the way they separated from defenders. It’s easy to say now but you could just tell they were destined to be top pro’s. Receiver can be one of the easier positions to analyse if you’re looking for the right traits.

A lot of the top receivers in this class create that easy separation. Henry Ruggs reportedly runs in the 4.2’s and flashes for Alabama. So do team mates Jerry Jeudy and DeVonta Smith. K.J. Hamler can separate with his quickness. Ceedee Lamb is slightly different and plays a lot like Cordarrelle Patterson with receiving skills. It’s harder to judge Laviska Shenault because he’s used as a bit of a receiver and a bit of a runner and isn’t having a good final year at Colorado.

Reagor has extreme speed and quickness and you see him getting open on shorter routes with ease but he can also take the top off a defense by running deep on go-routes and posts. He’s sturdy with a good looking frame at about 5-11 and 195lbs and isn’t pushed around when he has to compete.

The thing that impressed me most is the way he has an impact in the red zone. There are several examples of him winning jump-balls and high-pointing the football with great arm extension. Despite not being the biggest, you can throw it up to him in a 1v1 battle.

His catching technique is clean, he can win on the shorter routes and he’s not just a downfield threat. As I watched the games I just kept wondering why you wouldn’t put him in the top-20. Where are the weaknesses?

At SPARQ he ran a 4.41. After a few years in college and with specific sprint training before the combine he could easily get that into the early 4.3’s. He also jumped a 38.5 inch vertical at SPARQ. He’s going to test superbly at the combine — possibly even better than Ruggs.

They might be the two to keep an eye on. Ruggs does a terrific job extending his arms to catch away from his frame and he too is an incredibly rounded wide-out and not just a sprinter. Both players are major home-run threats but they can also be incorporated into a system as potential #1 targets. DeVonta Smith also has a lot of suddenness and is extremely underrated by the media.

To cap it all off, Reagor’s interviews are great. He’s focused, interesting, passionate and determined. You can imagine teams really going for him when they get a chance to sit down and talk.

I think there’s a good chance the Seahawks will target adding a receiver with their first pick. Although their biggest need is clearly pass rush, the options are weak in the 2020 class. They might have to turn to free agency for answers there. The receiving options, however, appear to be excellent.

I’d love to be able to project Reagor to the Seahawks. I sense, however, that by the time we get into March and April he’ll have improved his stock so much he’ll be out of range. He’s underrated. He’s a fantastic talent. He’s a top-20 player for me.

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Sunday’s win against Tampa Bay highlighted the great imbalance with this team. The offense is firing on all cylinders and the defense and special teams are sputtering.

I’ve spent some time studying the numbers to see what they tell us.

The cliffs notes version of this piece is thus — the defense overall is performing on par with the worst teams in the league. However, a lot of the data points the finger directly at the defensive line. There are positives in terms of turnovers, quarterback rating and passes defended. Bradley McDougald is excelling in coverage and Jadeveon Clowney is leading a one-man pass rush.

So when you consider those positives and place them alongside the significant negatives such as conceding 6.2 yards per play and giving up the fifth most points in the league so far — it’s quite easy to connect the dots to the D-line.

That’s not a major revelation admittedly. We can all see the issues. Ziggy Ansah, sadly, looks like the defensive version of Eddie Lacy. They’re not creating any interior pressure and they’re almost entirely dependent on Clowney. With the trade deadline passing there’s practically nothing they can do about the situation until the off-season.

Two things seem inevitable at this stage. Firstly, the poor play of the D-line could easily cost the Seahawks a chance to be a serious contender at a time when Russell Wilson is playing the best season of his career. Secondly, it’s incredibly likely that they will prioritize fixing the D-line in the off-season. Don’t be surprised if they act aggressively to address this issue because it’s the biggest thing holding this team back (although not the only thing).

The Seahawks defense in 2019

The first alarming stat is they’re conceding 6.2 yards per play. That’s the fourth most YPP in the league.

Here’s the bottom ten:

Cincinnati — 6.6
Miami — 6.3
Oakland — 6.3
Seattle — 6.2
Arizona — 6.1
Detroit — 6.1
Green Bay — 6.1
New York Giants — 6.0
Baltimore — 6.0
Atlanta — 6.0

It says everything about Seattle’s defense this year that they actually improved their standing yesterday by only conceding 5.8 yards per play against the Bucs.

Stats like this can be read a number of ways, of course. Green Bay and Baltimore are also on the list and they too are winning football games. I suspect, unfortunately, that they’ll simply endure the same issues as Seattle down the line (although Baltimore were impressive against the Patriots last night).

It’s also interesting that while New England (4.3) and San Francisco (4.5) easily lead the league in YPP allowed on defense, the Jets are doing surprisingly well (5.2) as are the struggling Chicago Bears (4.9) and Denver Broncos (5.0).

However, that can arguably be answered away. The Jets aren’t struggling because of Gregg Williams’ defense. The entire franchise is a mess. Williams, to be fair, is somewhat holding up his end of the deal as one of the more successful (albeit controversial) defensive coordinators in the league. It’s the same for Denver and Vic Fangio and the Bears with their supreme defensive talent spearheaded by Khalil Mack.

You would hope the Seahawks would thrive due to the expertise of their defensive minded Head Coach who has equally enjoyed a lot of success in the NFL. It isn’t happening this year. It’s pretty remarkable that the defense is giving up a full 6.2 yards on average every time the ball is snapped. It’s unsustainable. And without their offense propping up the unit, they’d likely be in the same boat as some of the teams listed above.

They’ve also given up the fifth most points (230) and only trail the Dolphins (256), the Buccaneers (252), the Cardinals (251) and the Falcons (250). The two teams below the Seahawks are the Redskins (219) and the Giants (218). The combined record of the other teams is 10-39-1. I’m not sure anything promotes the performance of Seattle’s offense better than the fact they’re somehow 7-2 despite conceding so many points.

The Seahawks have 15 sacks. One of those was a tap on Lamar Jackson when he was already on the turf. One was the Jameis Winston ’empty-hand throw’ yesterday that for some reason went down as a Mychal Kendricks sack. There are only six teams with fewer sacks so far — Baltimore (14), Detroit (14), the Jets (13), Miami (12), Cincinnati (9) and Atlanta (7). With the exception of Baltimore (who lost their best pass rushers in the off-season and, unlike the Seahawks, didn’t spend their first round pick on a pass rusher or sign Ziggy Ansah or trade for Jadeveon Clowney), the rest are a collection of teams destined to pick in the top-10 next year.

Sacks aren’t everything of course. Pressures can be more indicative of performance. The Seahawks have 58 pressures this season, the sixth fewest in the league. Only Oakland (40), Miami (42), Cincinnati (47), Atlanta (51) and Indianapolis (54) have fewer. It gets worse though. In terms of pressure percentage per drop-back, the Seahawks are at 15.5%. That’s the second worst record in the league behind only Oakland (12.9%). In comparison, San Franciso’s pressure percentage is 31.8% and leads the league.

Considering we see Baltimore and Green Bay showing up on the same under-performing lists as Seattle, it’s worth noting that both teams are league average for pressure percentage. The Ravens are at 21% and the Packers at 21.5%. If Seattle was simply league average at creating pressure, it’d cure a lot of ills. Sadly, this isn’t the case.

Seattle has 28 QB hurries which again is in the bottom third of the league. Their percentage of hurries per drop-back is 7.5% — the seventh worst record in the league.

You might ask — why don’t they blitz more to try and create some pressure? They’ve actually blitzed 93 times — 12th most in the league. In comparison San Francisco have only blitzed 41 times, the second fewest. That’s the benefit of being able to rush with four consistently. The Seahawks aren’t sitting on their hands though. They have clearly tried to blitz. They’re not the Detroit Lions — who’ve blitzed fewer times than any other team (38) and yet have only 14 sacks and are creating no pressure.

Let’s look at individual numbers. Jadeveon Clowney has 17 pressures — the 27th most in the league. Quinton Jefferson has 12 and ranks at #50. There isn’t a single other Seahawks defensive lineman in the top-100. Rasheem Green is at #101 with seven pressures. Ziggy Ansah is at #134 with six — the same number as Carolina safety Eric Reid.

Clowney ranks at #16 for hurries with nine. Jefferson and Green have five and rank around the #50 mark. After that? The next highest is Ansah’s two hurries — good enough for #141 in the league and level with Danny Shelton.

The Seahawks are a one-man band as a pass-rushing unit. You almost feel sorry for Clowney. He’s statistically among the league leaders in pressures and hurries and has almost nothing to show for it because he’s so poorly supported.

Here’s something that might surprise you. The Seahawks have missed 54 tackles. That’s actually only middle of the road. It might not feel like it but Seattle is merely average at missing tackles when the eye test would suggest they’d be a lot worse. Mychal Kendricks has missed 15 tackles — the most in the NFL. That’s a quarter of his overall tackle attempts and the eighth highest missed tackle percentage. No other Seahawk ranks in the top-100 for missed tackle percentage. Clowney and Al Woods have missed 13% of their tackles and rank in the 130’s. Tre Flowers is fourth with 12.2% of missed tackles and McDougald has missed 11.4%.

The Seahawks have the third best turnover differential (+7) behind only New England (+17) and Pittsburgh (+11). Russell Wilson only throwing one interception has contributed a lot here. The Seahawks do rank joint 10th for interceptions though (7) and they’ve recovered nine fumbles (the second best number in the league). This is actually a positive because thanks largely to Chris Carson they’ve fumbled eight times — the third most in the NFL. It actually paints a picture that the Seahawks aren’t that bad at turning the ball over on defense. Presumably if the pass rush was better and they had more sacks and pressures, they might have even more takeaways.

Neither are the Seahawks statistically bad at defending passes. They have 39 PDEF’s so far — the ninth best record. Combine that with the turnovers and it’s quite revealing.

Bradley McDougald ranks eighth in the league for receiving yards per time targeted at only 3.8 yards. Shaquille Griffin is ranked at #41 and is giving up 5.2 yards per target. Mychal Kendricks, for all the hand-wringing over his role, is the 58th best defender in the entire league in terms of yards per target (5.8). That’s better than Landon Collins, Byron Jones, Tre’Davious White and Jaire Alexander.

Jamar Taylor is also ranked higher than Alexander at #90 with 6.4 yards per target. Tre Flowers is at #107 with 6.8 yards per target and K.J. Wright at #110 with 6.9 yards per target.

Overall, that’s a pretty good picture and it’s probably why Pete Carroll is sticking with his current plan. None of these players are being hammered in terms of yards per target. They have a top-10 defender in McDougald in this category and a top-50 player in Griffin. These stats say they’re not being exploited in coverage. They’re just not creating anywhere near enough pressure.

Also, McDougald has the third best completion percentage statistic at 36.8%. That’s better than any other safety. In comparison, Earl Thomas’ completion percentage is 50% — good enough for 25th in the league. Thomas has been targeted 14 times compared to McDougald’s 19 targets.

Again, the problem appears to be pressure and the pass rush. They’re giving up 7.5 yards per pass play — which is the fifth worst record in the league. And yet the defense has only conceded 11 passing touchdowns vs seven interceptions.

Seattle has also only conceded four +40 yard passing plays. That’s as many as San Francisco and only nine teams have fewer. They’ve given up 32 +20 yard passing plays though which is the eleventh highest. Quarterbacks have an 89.6 passer rating against the Seahawks which is only the 19th highest. You see the picture emerging here. Give the second-level defenders a bit more help and we might be surprised how they end up performing.

If the aim was to fix the run defense in 2019, it isn’t working. That is indicative again that the D-line is Seattle’s biggest problem. They’re giving up 4.7 YPC — the sixth most in the league. Strangely that’s the same mark as the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers and will offer some comfort for Seattle’s running game next week. The Seahawks have also given up 12 rushing touchdowns — the second most in the league behind only Carolina (14).

I hope this has helped shed some light on where the real issues lie. If you were wondering why they signed Josh Gordon and have reportedly looked at the possibility of adding Antonio Brown, this is why. The offense is propping up the defense. There aren’t any realistic options out there to improve the pass rush, especially with the trade deadline passing. They’re stuck with this unit and they know it. They also know how fully reliant they are on Russell Wilson. Adding weapons for him is all they can do at this stage.

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In 2018 the Seahawks regained their identity.

A year later, they’ve lost it again.

Pete Carroll’s spent a decade in Seattle talking about closing the circle. The objective is to connect your offence, defense and special teams. He believes running the football with authority works hand-in-hand with explosive offensive plays and a tough, physical defense.

Going into 2018 they had to repair a completely broken running game and they pulled it off.

At the end of the current season they’re going to have to completely repair the defense and special teams.

The Seahawks are 7-2 and it’s 100% down to their MVP candidate playing quarterback. Russell Wilson is a genius. At the exact moment his team has needed him to take yet another step forward — he’s pulled it off.

He’s been consistently brilliant since 2012. This year, somehow, he’s found another level. His five touchdown performance today dragged this team kicking and screaming to a seventh win. He now has 25 total touchdowns for the season.

The weird pick-six against Baltimore is the only blot on the copybook.

And where would this team be without their QB working alongside the equally excellent Tyler Lockett and emerging receiver D.K. Metcalf? It’s terrifying to consider when you look at the state of the defense.

The tackling is awful. They can’t rush the passer. They lack impact players in the secondary. The linebackers are playing well below expectations. They aren’t creating any pressure or forcing turnovers. They’re too often bullied at the line of scrimmage.

It’s a toothless unit.

Even with the advantage of the Century Link crowd — they just look bad. Today the defense gave up another 319 passing yards (it felt like 500). Jameis Winston had the freedom of Seattle to seek out Mike Evans and exploit his best weapon to the tune of 180 receiving yards.

Where was the pressure? The only true sack came on a Bobby Wagner blitz. The only turnover was a Winston special — somehow dropping the football as he set to throw.

Coming into the game they were ranked 30th in yards per play. They’ve legitimately performed as poorly as any unit in the league.

And sure — Tampa Bay’s offense is erratic but has the potential for great games. Just ask the Rams. Winston tore them apart not so long ago in a road win for the Buccaneers.

Yet we’re nine games into the season now. This isn’t a one off. The criticism isn’t based solely on today. Last week it was Matt Schaub.

They’re not showing any sign of improvement and it’d take a serious optimist to believe things are going to change now.

It’s frustrating too because it’s holding the team back. Just look at Wilson’s sheer brilliance today. Imagine if he was being supported by even a modest defense? A league average unit? Heck maybe even the 20th best defense?

The circle is incomplete. Thus they’re not building on the 2018 season — they’ve actually created new problems.

No wonder Wilson is reportedly pushing them to sign Antonio Brown. He knows he needs to pull off a miracle to make this team competitive.

Thankfully they have the cap and draft picks to perform major surgery in the off-season. It’s needed. This will be a significant repair job in the new year and unfortunately the issue could waste the best season of Wilson’s great career.

The defense isn’t the only problem of course. Special teams wants in on the act too.

Jason Myers is officially a problem. He missed two more field goals including one to win the game and he’s now 3/8 on +40 yard attempts. Last year he was 17/19 with the Jets. He also missed an extra point.

The Seahawks have been trying to find a replacement for Stephen Hauschka for years. He picked the worst possible time to have a down season and put them off extending his contract. They’re now onto their third kicker in as many years and based on what we’ve seen so far — they’ll be looking again in the off-season if not sooner.

Even if he’s guaranteed $5.5m on his four-year contract — you can’t carry a kicker who misses this number of kicks. We’re drifting into Blair Walsh territory now. Cutting him would cost you $3m but it might be necessary. At the very least he either improves or he’ll be off at the end of the season. They might have to draft someone cheap as they salary, such as Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship.

They thought they’d solved this problem but sadly they haven’t.

There was one final issue today — Chris Carson had two more fumbles. One fortunately rolled out of bounds — the other fell right into the hands of a defender. It’s still a problem and if he’s ever going to truly realise his potential he needs to get this right. He can negotiate a new contract in the off-season. This is going to start costing him money.

The Seahawks are somehow 7-2. The next game is against San Francisco. Against the top team in the NFC, it’d be nice if Russell Wilson could get a little more help.

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Today’s Georgia vs Florida game was box-office for one significant reason — the battle between Florida’s returning pass rushers and Georgia’s terrific offensive tackle’s.

Andrew Thomas is a sure-fire top-10 pick and could easily land in the top five as the best left tackle eligible for the 2020 draft. Right tackle Isaiah Wilson isn’t far behind and could also go in the top-20. Both are expected to declare at the end of the season.

For the Gators, Jabari Zuniga and Jonathan Greenard were back in the line-up after injury layoffs. Both have flashed pass rushing ability, although Zuniga has missed most of the season after hurting an ankle against Kentucky.

So who won? If this was a boxing match, it would’ve been a second-round stoppage. Georgia’s two offensive tackle’s absolutely dominated and showed why they belong in the top half of round one.

Zuniga had a big TFL right at the start of the game, knifing between Wilson and the Georgia right guard to hammer D’Andre Swift for a big loss. That was the only significant play by either defensive end.

Florida had 29 sacks going into this game. They had zero today.

They threw everything at Georgia too. They tried a variety of stunts and attempted a lot of different rushing angles. Nothing worked. Thomas and Wilson were simply too good.

On one 2nd and 8 conversion, Jake Fromm had nearly five seconds to stand in the pocket and complete a comeback throw for a first down. He regularly had 3-4 seconds to stand in the pocket and pick apart the Florida secondary.

Thomas looked like a complete left tackle. Nothing fazes him. He’s perfectly balanced and even when he has to react quickly, his drop and set is textbook. His feet move so quickly and effortlessly to create a sound base and enable him to gain position, lock-on and finish. It’s hard to find flaws with the way he’s played this year.

Thomas is a hulking, massive right tackle but his movement and athleticism are underrated. He’s incredibly powerful and when he drops the anchor and has that safe base he just locks out with his arm length and controls defenders. He’s had games this year (eg the second half against Notre Dame) where he’s really flashed as a run blocker. In this game he excelled as a pass protector — showing his own quick feet and balance. Like Thomas, he was never flustered. Nothing challenged him. Any straight-up blocking was handled with ease and he wasn’t put-off and confused by the endless stunts.

Both players deserve to be graded in the top-20.

It was difficult for Zuniga and Greenard, especially returning from injury. On this evidence, however, it was pretty clear to see who were the high draft picks and potential impact players at the next level.

Overall Florida did a reasonable job defending the run and limited D’Andre Swift to 86 yards on 25 carries. Swift did have a huge touchdown run on a toss-play called back thanks to a holding call that could’ve been ignored.

Swift was his usual self even despite the mediocre YPC. He’s shifty, patient and accelerates quickly. His most impressive play, however, was a stunt pick-up working with Isaiah Thomas. It flashed an understanding and desire for pass-pro which pro-teams will appreciate.

Fromm had a good stat-line (20/30 passing, 279 yards, two touchdowns) but the real stars were the two offensive tackles. He had an age to sit in the pocket and make throws. Overall he was efficient on third down and that was a big factor in the win. He also misses too many easy throws you’d expect a next-level quarterback to make.

On 1st and 10 with just over a minute left in the first half, Swift gained a first down with a big run. Florida snapped the ball quickly because they had a linebacker matched-up against a receiver, with a route designed to the outside. Inevitably the receiver created an acre of separation and Fromm missed on the throw. He needs to make that every time. On the same drive on 3rd and 6, Fromm extended the play by moving out of the pocket. He had a chance to throw to the back of the end zone to an open receiver and overthrew him. Another miss that, for the next level, he needs to make.

Even on a 52 yard touchdown to Lawrence Cager — he had all the time in the world to throw, Cager was wide open on a busted coverage and Fromm hesitated. It’s almost like it was too easy — he was thinking in his head, ‘what am I not seeing, why is he so open?’. In the NFL you’ve got to make that throw quickly.

When he hasn’t got this amount of time in the pocket and when everything is faster — has he got the accuracy, arm strength and improvisation to handle off-script plays, drive into tight windows and manage situations? Even with a good stat line today he didn’t look like more than a third-round quarterback. Although to his credit he made a really good throw to ice the game on 3rd and 7 late on — staying calm facing a blitz to throw flat-footed with accuracy to the right sideline. That was his best play and it was an important one.

Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson also impressed in the game. He had a pass interference penalty down the sideline but in fairness his ability to stick on a stop-and-go was noticeable. His quickness and recovery speed is exceptional. He could be a great nickel corner.

Georgia won the game 24-17.

Elsewhere…

— Washington threw away an opportunity to beat Utah, losing 33-28. Jacob Eason has the arm strength and when things work ‘on-script’ he looks the part. The problem is when he has to react and adjust. He struggles to improvise and his decision making and accuracy suffers when things aren’t on track. He had a pick-six, another interception and a fumble in this game — all very costly in a five-point loss. The pick-six was similar to Russell Wilson’s against Baltimore. The other interception was a bad throw into coverage. Good arm strength isn’t enough for the next level. I’m not even sure why that’s a discussion at this stage after only one year at Washington and barely any time as the starter in Georgia. He needs reps, games, development. He’s not remotely ready for the NFL.

— Hunter Bryant had a big game, again making explosive plays and flashing major pro-potential. For me he’s the top tight end eligible for 2020 and it’s not close. He can block but he’s also a dynamic receiver at the second level. He did have a drop in the game but he finished with 105 yards on six receptions and two touchdowns. He also had a run for four yards.

— TCU were beaten 34-27 by Oklahoma State but receiver Jalen Reagor had another big performance with 128 yards on seven receptions. At one stage Reagor left the game and headed to the locker room due to a big injury picked-up on a 37 yard reception. He shortly returned however and seemed fine.

— Michigan coasted by Maryland 38-7 but running back Anthony McFarland continues to be a player to monitor. He is a big-play threat whose best football will come at the next level. In a losing effort he had 14 carries for 60 yards and a reception for nine yards. McFarland is quick and dynamic but he also has some explosive qualities.

— Unsurprisingly Clemson hammered Wofford 59-14. Travis Etienne had 212 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns. Tee Higgins had five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Simmons had an interception and return for 17 yards. Simmons also shared half a TFL and had a QB hurry.

— Notre Dame scraped by Virginia Tech 21-20 to avoid a third loss of the season. Julian Okwara had a TFL and a QB hurry. Khalid Kareem had a sack, a TFL and a QB hurry.

— Justin Herbert briefly left the Oregon vs USC game with an injury but returned to complete 21/26 for 225 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. It was only Herbert’s second pick of the season. The receiver was mainly to blame, sitting down on the route unexpectedly. Herbert has some iffy moments and he’s often limited by the scheme. He also has the physical tools pro-teams will like and, unlike Jacob Eason, he can play off-script. Oregon won 56-24 and will kick themselves they didn’t finish the Auburn game in week one.

— Colorado’s latest implosion continued with a 31-14 loss to UCLA. Steven Montez had a touchdown and a pick plus 195 yards and it was another quiet week for Laviska Shenault. There’s only one way for him to rebuild his stock and that’s with a great combine. He came into the year viewed as a possible top-15 pick but he’s been pretty much a non-factor. Against UCLA he had one run for 15 yards and three catches for 16 yards. Teams will have to weigh up his lack of 2019 production along with the niggling injuries he’s had versus the obvious talent he possesses. Another question mark will be his fit at the next level. He’s not likely to be a bit of a runner and a bit of a receiver like he is in college. Can he be a #1 receiver? The fact that you even have to ask that is a bit of a flag.

— How do you judge Jordan Love’s stock? It’s been a disappointing season for Utah State and their quarterback. In a 42-14 loss at home to BYU he threw three interceptions. His 2019 stat-line is now nine touchdowns against 12 picks. He’s had three games with three interceptions. Even with a poor supporting cast, you expect better. He’s not elevating his team. He’s turning the ball over. And while he’s flashed an abundance of talent — is he a first round prospect with these numbers? You might point to Josh Allen who similarly had a bad final year at Wyoming. It’s also worth remembering how Allen played at the Senior Bowl and the fact that physically he was the ideal quarterback. He had size, speed, enormous hands, supreme arm strength. The whole package. That’s why he went in the top-10. Has Love got the physical qualities to overlook the 2019 numbers? That’s a big question mark.

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Seahawks claimed former Patriots’ WR Josh Gordon off waivers today, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2019

Prior to the trade deadline, we discussed the possibility of the Seahawks adding another weapon.

They’re only going to go as far as Russell Wilson will take them this year. The defense has been hopeless with a couple of individual exceptions. Wilson has lost Will Dissly for the season — his second best target.

Seattle didn’t make a trade before the deadline with the market seemingly grinding to a halt. Very few deals were struck. Nobody can really complain about the inactivity — there were a couple of interesting Jamal Adams rumours and not a lot else on Tuesday.

Now, a few days later, they strike.

Josh Gordon was tactically placed on injured reserve by the Patriots to try and manipulate where he might end up when the waiver system kicked in. They probably envisioned he’d go to one of the weaker teams with a higher waiver priority. In the end 27 teams passed on the chance to sign him. He’s coming to Seattle.

The move is generating a great buzz on Twitter but there’s something to remember here. This could be a very short tenure in Seattle. The Seahawks aren’t making any commitment. It’s likely they didn’t really expect him to last to #28 on the waiver wire. Now they have an opportunity to bring him in, assess his health and fit within the organisation.

Pete Carroll loves a challenge. He can now see whether Gordon can be his latest reclamation project.

It’s just as likely, however, that a few weeks down the line he’s moving on again. It’s exciting today because he’s a big name, a big talent and it’s unexpected. There’s no commitment though. It’s a shot to nothing.

Hopefully he can contribute and be a factor. In terms of pure talent, Gordon’s on a par with any receiver in the league. We all know why he hasn’t been able to max out his potential. We don’t need to revisit that.

The Seahawks love to get the ball downfield and Gordon is similar to D.K. Metcalf in his ability to stretch the field with a big frame. He can create mismatch opportunities and he can be a chain-mover and an explosive play threat.

There’s absolutely no gamble here. It’ll either work out or it won’t. There’s nothing negative about this.

Hopefully Gordon can provide another weapon to the offense to help Wilson lead this team. Does anyone know if he can rush the passer too?

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Following yesterday’s piece about Seattle’s needs, I sat down to write this mock and it really emphasised how unappealing the pass rush options are. That can change, of course. The Senior Bowl is very good for highlighting prospects. The combine will reveal who has the kind of speed and upside the defense currently lacks.

At the moment, however, the numbers appear thin. The Seahawks need more in the pass rush. They can’t have another season like this on defense in 2020.

Jadeveon Clowney is creating pressure and causing problems for opponents. The issue is he’s doing it practically on his own. Re-signing Clowney feels like a must at this stage as long as the price isn’t too unrealistic. Needing to replace him (possibly with a lesser talent) could be even more expensive than re-signing him.

At this stage, Clowney feels like priority #1 in terms of in-house free agents.

He needs some support.

Jarran Reed has an opportunity to prove he warrants keeping and they desperately need him to provide more of a pass rush in the second half of the season.

They might be able to bring in another player. It’s too early to say who might be available. They might need to sign more than one player. Whatever happens, they need more speed in the pass rush to compliment the size already on the roster.

One thing I wanted to suggest before getting into the mock — don’t be surprised if they end up using their 2020 first round pick in an off-season trade. If they feel pass rush is the top need and they don’t like the options in the draft — they could trade for a veteran. They used their first round pick in 2013 and 2015 to fill needs via trade. With two second round picks, using their top choice to get a veteran could be a tactic here.

There’s not much point speculating on possible targets because who knows who’ll be available? But a year after trading Frank Clark for a first and second round pick, could the Seahawks make a similar move themselves? It’s something worth considering because this isn’t going to be a draft class rich in impact pass rushers.

Mock draft #3

Note — in this mock draft I have Tampa Bay trading up to #2 to draft a quarterback. The Bengals move down. They’re giving Ryan Finley a chance to win the job. Let’s assume he plays well enough for Cincinnati to feel comfortable moving down (whether that’s the right thing to do or not — it is the Bengals after all).

#1 Miami — Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Alabama)
Very consistent and accurate but a little robotic.

#2 Tampa Bay (via Cincinatti) — Joe Burrow (QB, LSU)
The more I see of Burrow the more I think he’s the best QB in the class.

#3 Washington— Chase Young (EDGE, Ohio State)
He has 13.5 sacks already this season.

#4 Atlanta — Grant Delpit (S, LSU)
Delpit has the range and tenacity to play safety and the ball-skills, recovery speed and athleticism to play corner.

#5 New York Jets — Andrew Thomas (T, Georgia)
Supremely balanced and consistent, his footwork is superb and he anchors brilliantly.

#6 New York Giants — Jeff Okudah (CB, Ohio State)
He will destroy the combine and was a 142.56 athlete at SPARQ.

#7 Denver — Justin Herbert (QB, Oregon)
John Elways loves big, tall quarterbacks.

#8 Cleveland — Derrick Brown (DT, Auburn)
A tone-setting defensive lineman with the size, stoutness, quickness and ability to penetrate with speed or power.

#9 Cincinnati (via Tampa Bay) — Prince Tega Wanogho (T, Auburn)
He’s 6-7 and 310lbs but reportedly runs a 4.95 and can jump 32-inches in the vertical.

#10 Miami (via PIT) — Jerry Jeudy (WR, Alabama)
Lean and sudden with YAC ability and downfield talent. He jumped a near 38-inch vertical at SPARQ.

#11 LA Chargers — Jordan Love (QB, Utah State)
Eventually the Chargers have to start thinking about the future.

#12 Oakland — Isaiah Simmons (S, Clemson)
Will be valued for his leadership. Reportedly he can jump a 40-inch vertical, an 11-0 broad and run in the 4.4’s.

#13 Oakland (via Chicago) — Dylan Moses (LB, Alabama)
Moses would be a top-five pick if he hadn’t torn his ACL in pre-season.

#14 Arizona — Ceedee Lamb (WR, Oklahoma)
Kyler Murray is reunited with his favourite target.

#15 Philadelphia — Trevon Diggs (CB, Alabama)
Competitive cornerback who does an excellent job tracking the ball and breaking up passes. Stefon Diggs’ brother.

#16 Jacksonville — Javon Kinlaw (DT, South Carolina)
He’s +300lbs but carries minimal body fat. He dominated Alabama’s O-line a few weeks ago.

#17 Tennessee — Isaiah Wilson (T, Georgia)
Wilson is outstanding and highly underrated.

#18 Detroit — Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama)
He could be the next Calais Campbell.

#19 Carolina — Kristian Fulton (CB, LSU)
A physical cornerback who tracks the ball almost as well as Trevon Diggs.

#20 Jacksonville (via Rams) — Henry Ruggs (WR, Alabama)
He’s being tipped to run a 4.2 at the combine. Great catching technique — he extends his arms to catch the football away from his body.

#21 Dallas — Laviska Shenault (WR, Colorado)
We’ve not seen him anywhere near his best so far but he’s a swiss-army knife who can score points as a runner, receiver or returner.

#22 Miami (via Houston) — Nick Harris (C, Washington)
Tenacious, physical, athletic and underrated.

#23 Kansas City — Shaun Wade (CB, Ohio State)
A former 5-star recruit who is excelling in the slot but could easily play outside.

#24 Minnesota — Walker Little (T, Stanford)
Ran a 4.40 short shuttle at SPARQ and scored an overall 107.25 (the top score by an offensive lineman in 2016).

#25 Buffalo — Jalen Raegor (WR, TCU)
Raegor ran a 4.41 at SPARQ but reportedly is capable of a 4.29 now. He also jumped a 38.5 inch vertical and can squat 620lbs.

#26 Indianapolis — DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)
Unstoppable on slants, wins at the red line and is incredibly sudden to create easy separation.

#27 Seattle — K.J. Hamler (WR, Penn State)
Ultra-dynamic receiver with speed to burn and creates easy separation.

#28 Green Bay — Tee Higgins (WR, Clemson)
He’s had a quiet few weeks but like most Clemson receivers, he knows his craft.

#29 Baltimore — Julian Okwara (EDGE, Notre Dame)
Productive but he was shut down by Georgia and Michigan. He’ll need to test well.

#30 New Orleans — Jonathan Taylor (RB, Wisconsin)
The Saints have enjoyed using a one-two punch at running back.

#31 San Francisco — J.K. Dobbins (RB, Ohio State)
The 2016 SPARQ king with an overall score of 146.76.

#32 New England — Terrell Lewis (EDGE, Alabama)
Injury history could keep him on the board.

Further thoughts on Seattle’s pick

If the Seahawks do end up picking in the late first round, it’s shaping up to be the ideal range to target a receiver. There are so many sudden, dynamic pass-catchers eligible for the 2020 draft. It might not be the biggest need but it’s certainly looking like a strength in round one.

K.J. Hamler is small and diminutive. It doesn’t matter — he creates easy separation and that’s what counts. There are so many bigger receivers in college who provide big catching radiuses and dominate overmatched cornerbacks. Then at the next level they can’t get open. Hamler has the suddenness Seattle loves on the short range, he can get downfield to make the big play, he does an excellent job disappearing in coverage to get open, he works well when the quarterback scrambles, he has YAC ability and he finishes.

He’s a step below Henry Ruggs, Jalen Raegor and DeVonta Smith for me but not that far behind. Ruggs might run a 4.2 and his ability to extend his arms to catch the ball away from his frame is highly impressive. I was stunned how well Raegor high-pointed in the end zone to win 1v1 matchups and Smith looks like DeSean Jackson sometimes the way he runs away from DB’s on simple routes and turns good plays into great plays.

Hamler might not quite be at their level but he’s incredibly effective and a big reason why Penn State remain unbeaten.

Every year the Seahawks become more and more about Russell Wilson. If there isn’t a way to revolutionise the pass rush in the draft (hopefully there will be a solution one way or another in the off-season) they have to keep making Wilson’s life easier by providing him with the tools to succeed.

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There’s been a lot of talk about Seattle’s propensity to use base defense this year. In 2018 Justin Coleman played 67.81% of the defensive snaps. Lano Hill played 32.29% — not all as a starter. He was occasionally used as a ‘third safety’ or big nickel.

This year it’s all change. Bobby Wagner has played 100% of the defensive snaps. K.J. Wright has played 93.56%. Mychal Kendricks has played 74.62%. Jamar Taylor, the starting nickel, has played just 26.70% of the snaps since re-signing in week two.

I would highly recommend listening to Mark Schlereth on the Brock & Salk Podcast this week (fast forward to 41:38). Schlereth does a fantastic job breaking down why the switch to base is impacting Seattle’s pass rush. I can’t recommend the interview enough — it’s a must listen.

A lot of fans have been asking why they’ve made this switch. I think it’s pretty understandable, even if the benefits are not obvious at the moment:

1. The personnel

Seattle lost Justin Coleman in free agency because the Detroit Lions offered him an excellent contract. At the time it seemed expensive but Coleman has had a terrific start in Detroit. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though and not many people were saying the Seahawks should’ve matched the deal at the time.

It was always expected that Kendricks would return. Most expected that he would replace Wright, who appeared destined to leave for big money. That didn’t materialise for K.J. and an opportunity emerged to bring him back to Seattle.

Putting a roster together isn’t an exact science. Sometimes you have to take the chances that are presented to you. Seattle lost Coleman but had an opportunity to keep Wright and Kendricks. That’s the way it was. Few questioned it at the time.

With Wagner, Wright and Kendricks all signed — it’s not a surprise the Seahawks have tried to find a way to get all three on the field. If the key is to put your best 11 players out there, that would include the trio of linebackers. The plan made sense even if the execution so far is questionable.

2. Improve the run defense

The Seahawks actually did a pretty good job rushing the passer in 2018. Frank Clark and Jarran Reed both had excellent production. Other players chipped in. They needed more in 2019 but overall, it wasn’t a negative.

The run defense, however, got gradually worse as the season went on. They went from limiting the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, Todd Gurley and Marshawn Lynch to giving up big gains too frequently. It was surely an off-season priority.

Playing base could’ve been an idea to try and solve this problem. You keep a bigger body on the field (Kendricks) instead of a nickel corner. Pete Carroll has talked-up Kendricks in coverage and we saw some of that with his interception in Atlanta. Again the plan makes sense even if the execution is suspect. You have a dynamic, athletic linebacker on the field instead of a nickel. You give up some coverage ability to be bigger in the front seven and hope you see a positive balance. It seems they were hoping Kendricks could replace Coleman.

Schlereth points out why this is impacting the pass rush based on the technique’s they’re using up front, how opponents can double team the end on one side and why they aren’t creating pressure. The Seahawks will already know all of this, of course. I suspect they thought that with Jadeveon Clowney on one side and Ziggy Ansah on the other, they’d be able to rush with four consistently. That hasn’t been the case because Ansah has looked like a busted flush and Clowney has been completely isolated — essentially operating as a one-man-band as a pass rusher.

In the glory days of the LOB Seattle could rush with four thanks to Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. They also had the speed and talent elsewhere to give teams almost no time to pick apart the defense. Everything had to be quick because Seattle’s defense was even quicker. The pass rush, the coverage, the hitting. You had no time.

It’s the total opposite now. They’re not creating pressure, teams have time to develop routes to expose flaws at the second level. Only since Marquise Blair has been starting have they had any big hits.

Is this a problem due to being in base or is it a personnel problem? It’s probably a bit of both. With their existing personnel Schlereth identifies some of the problems they’re having because they can’t pressure with four rushers. At the same time — they’re unlikely to fair any better with this group if you simply play Kendricks at WILL instead of Wright and put Jamar Taylor on the field for 75% of the snaps.

Unfortunately the Seahawks are more or less stuck with this until the end of the year.

We might see Kendricks and Wright move on in the off-season. Ansah and Clowney are both free agents (and we can safely assume Ansah, at least, won’t return). There could be a completely new plan.

Whatever happens they need more speed up front. They’re utilising big bodies at defensive tackle, big bodies at defensive end and based on what we’ve seen so far — Wagner and Wright aren’t as quick as they once were.

An absolute priority in the off-season has to be speed on defense.

The Seahawks will improve immensely once they’re able to rush with speed, create more pressure and can fly around at the second level.

Everything will be boosted by more speed. If they’re starting Quandre Diggs and Blair at safety and Tre Flowers and Shaquille Griffin in the secondary, they’ll have speed (and hitting). At linebacker they might be able to get their speed and quickness from Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven. The pass rush needs more though. They need to go out and find that dynamic EDGE who can play some LEO, play some SAM and really threaten with speed.

They’ve always had quickness off the edge. Avril complimented Bennett. Bruce Irvin complimented Chris Clemons. Frank Clark had speed and incredible explosive physicality.

Now the pass rush is just big — Clowney, Ansah, L.J. Collier and Rasheem Green. None of them are known for speed. They need more.

It’s hard to see where it’ll come from though. The early signs are this won’t be a good draft for speed rushers. Chase Young is likely going to go in the top-five. Yetur Gross-Matos is more about hand-use and quickness than pure speed. Curtis Weaver used to weigh 300lbs. It’ll be interesting to see how Julian Okwara tests but he was a non-factor in Notre Dame’s two biggest games — both losses — to Georgia and Michigan. Jabari Zuniga is more of a base-end. Terrell Lewis is intriguing but look at his injury record. The Seahawks pay a lot of attention to durability with high picks and Lewis would be a serious gamble.

Other names could emerge. We need to see the Senior Bowl and the combine to get a full picture of what is available. With a fair amount of cap space available, they could also look to free agency.

It shouldn’t just stop at the pass rush either. They need to be faster and more intense across the defense as a whole. They need to be able to impact games as a unit. Russell Wilson and the offense need and deserve a compliment. The 2019 season was essentially stage two of a reset but we might look back on it as a great year from Wilson somewhat wasted because the defense was so poor.

We’re half-way through the regular season already so it’s fair game to assess overall needs for the off-season.

Improving the pass rush and speed on defense is going to be pretty hard to top between now and January. There are some other positions to consider too.

The Seahawks will only have Will Dissly contracted at tight end for next season. There’s no way they’re going to pay Ed Dickson $4,266,668 in 2020. He’s basically played half a season in 2018 and 2019. He’ll be 33 in July.

Dissly has suffered two serious injuries in the space of little over a year. They need some insurance. It’s also a position they’ve taken very seriously over the years when you consider the Jimmy Graham trade and the mega-contract (for the time) that they gave Zach Miller.

Whether they sign a veteran free agent, make a trade or use a draft pick — they have to add at least one prominent tight end. It’s a sure-thing.

There could be some holes on the offensive line. Germain Ifedi, Mike Iupati and George Fant are all free agents. Considering Fant’s ability to play numerous roles, it’d be a bit of a surprise if they don’t work hard to keep him. Iupati is likely a one-year rental and the drafting of Phil Haynes felt like an ‘heir-apparent’ project. Jamarco Jones equally could replace Ifedi at right tackle or even D.J. Fluker at right guard.

There will also be a question about Justin Britt now. His cap hit is $11,666,668 for 2020 and he’ll be coming off a serious knee injury. With a dead cap hit of only $2,916,668, they might prefer to move on and see if they can make a saving there. Britt has been an excellent starter for Seattle but the injury is a game-changer in a cap-tight league. The rest of the year will be an audition for Joey Hunt to make the role his own. If not, they might look elsewhere.

They seem to have adopted a new philosophy on the O-line since Mike Solari replaced Tom Cable. They’ve consistently signed veteran starters and then drafted players in the mid-to-late rounds as development prospects. They’ve sought to acquire quality depth and competition.

There’s little reason to change that approach now. The O-line isn’t perfect but it has improved. College offensive linemen frequently struggle to make the transition to the pro’s. There are a lot more early-round busts than people perhaps realise.

If they lose Ifedi and don’t see Jones as a ready-made replacement, they might prefer to sign a veteran starter. If Hunt doesn’t win the center job and if they cut Britt, they might make a move for Alex Mack (who might also be a cap casualty in Atlanta).

That doesn’t stop them from drafting an O-liner in the early rounds, of course. They just might be more inclined to wait as they did with Jones and Haynes. The 2020 draft does have some intriguing offensive line options though.

At center, personally I think Washington’s Nick Harris is the best prospect. He’s a little undersized but incredibly tenacious and physical. He can get to the second level or execute a screen downfield. He’s a terrific looking prospect with first round potential. Wisconsin’s Tyler Biadasz is the bigger name but I think he’s more of a top-50 type than a sure-fire first rounder. He leans too much and defenders often jump back so he loses balance. When he locks on he can control linemen and he succeeds.

In terms of offensive tackles — there are question marks across the board. Stanford’s Walker Little is out for the season with a knee injury. TCU’s Lucas Niang is out for the rest of the year with a torn labrum. Tristan Wirfs is said to be seriously considering returning to Iowa for next season. Washington’s Trey Adams has battled a number of injury issues.

There are positives too. Georgia’s Andrew Thomas looks like a top-10 lock at left tackle. His team mate Isaiah Wilson is enormously underrated and has been superb this year. He’s a massive right tackle but could easily find a home in the top-20 himself. Auburn’s Prince Tega Wanogho is equally well-sized and has some good tape. It’s debatable that any of the trio would last into range for Seattle — thus meaning they might have to take a chance on an injury.

This seems unlikely with a high pick, even if the plan is to draft-and-develop. They’ve never spent a first round pick on a player they knew wouldn’t feature in year one. It has happened for various reasons. L.J. Collier for example hurt his ankle in camp, limiting his development. They’ve not deliberately red-shirted a first round pick however within seconds of calling the pick.

Pass rush and speed on defense, tight end and offensive line (if players depart) feel like the biggest needs at the moment. However, one more position warrants a mention.

The 2020 draft seems set to be loaded at receiver. It’s strong at cornerback too — but that’s a position the Seahawks are yet to draft earlier than the late third round. When there’s been a clear strength in a draft class, Seattle has often tapped into it.

This year it was a great draft for defensive linemen and they drafted L.J. Collier. In 2018 it was the year of the running back — they selected Rashaad Penny. In 2017 it was a deep draft for cornerbacks and they took one (Shaquille Griffin) earlier than they had done previously in the Pete Carroll era. In 2016 it was a good class of offensive linemen and they took Germain Ifedi. They traded their top pick in 2015 for Jimmy Graham but in 2014 it was a top-drawer class of receivers and they selected Paul Richardson.

Every year, consistently, they’ve looked for the strong areas positionally within the class. The 2020 draft is gearing up to be excellent at receiver.

Here are some of the names eligible to declare:

Jerry Jeudy (Alabama)
Ceedee Lamb (Oklahoma)
Henry Ruggs (Alabama)
DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
Laviska Shenault Jr. (Colorado)
Jalen Raegor (TCU)
K.J. Hamler (Penn State)
Tee Higgins (Clemson)

This is just a handful of names with first round potential. There’s depth too — with Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson, LSU’s Justin Jefferson, USC’s Michael Pittman Jr, UCF’s Gabriel Davis, Ohio State’s K.J. Hill and Binjimen Victor and Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk warranting a mention. Tony Pauline has also recently been talking up Liberty’s Antonio Gandy-Golden.

Yet it’s the names on the initial list that really stand out. Suddenness and quickness wins in the modern NFL. Jeudy and Lamb will probably be gone by Seattle’s pick (maybe Shenault too). The idea of upgrading Jaron Brown for Ruggs, Smith, Raegor or Hamler, however, could be extremely appealing.

Taking a receiver with the first pick wouldn’t be most people’s first choice. You can’t fight a draft though. This is a clear strength in 2020 and while the Seahawks do need to improve the defense dramatically — they also need to do everything they can to support Russell Wilson.

A trio of Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and the speed of a Ruggs, Raegor, Smith or Hamler is a mouth-watering proposition — especially if they can secure the long term future of the O-line and improve the tight end situation.

It’s also worth noting that when they traded up to draft Lockett in 2015, that was only a year removed from drafting Paul Richardson and came shortly after they’d traded for Jimmy Graham. Clearly this is a team never afraid to add another weapon.

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I’ve managed to catch up with Saturday’s college football (thanks YouTube) so here are the week nine notes…

— TCU receiver Jalen Raegor had another dynamic touchdown, this time in an impressive 37-27 win over Texas. Raegor is lightning quick and ate up the large cushion provided by the cornerback and just burned him off. The DB kept his eyes in the backfield too long and never felt the threat of Raegor’s speed. It’s testament to Raegor’s quickness that he had to play-off so much in the first place. He finished with two catches for 55 yards and the score, plus three runs for 15 yards. He’s not just a sprinter either — he’s shown plenty of evidence of sound catching technique, the ability to high-point and he’s had some impressive red zone catches.

— K.J. Hamler had a similar performance in an easy win for Penn State against Michigan State. He found a soft spot working from the slot to exploit the zone coverage, creating an easy pitch-and-catch. He still had to finish with some YAC and beat a DB to the goal line. Hamler had five catches for 57 yards and a score plus a run for five yards. He also had a third down drop. He’s diminutive but electric. Pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos shared a TFL and had two QB hurries in the game.

— Alabama has three receivers with first round potential and they all excelled against Arkansas. Henry Ruggs caught a TD pass that seemed to be thrown to DeVonta Smith but was too high and still, somehow, found its way perfectly to Ruggs (who showed good concentration to make the completion in bounds). Smith is the master at slants, driving off the the break to create separation. On one play on Saturday he created so much separation he turned a simple slant into a 44 yard gain. That’s what he does. Jerry Jeudy had two touchdowns including getting in behind the defense for a 40 yard score. He can do it all — YAC, downfield, tough grabs. On defense Trevon Diggs had a pick six where he read the play perfectly and flashed his athleticism to finish. Diggs has massive potential.

— LSU’s Joe Burrow continues to impress, this time against Auburn. He completed 32/42 for 321 yards, a score and an interception. He also had a 31 yard touchdown run on a QB draw. With every passing week he looks like the top quarterback in college football. Bring on ‘Bama. In the same game (won 23-20 by LSU), Auburn’s Derrick Brown had a sack and two TFL’s. LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. also had one of the best interceptions you’ll see this year to take points off the board right before half-time.

— Chase Young had an incredible performance in Ohio State’s 38-7 win over Wisconsin. He dominated throughout with four sacks and five TFL’s. He now has 13.5 sacks for the season already and will be a very high draft pick. J.K. Dobbins also excelled with 163 yards on 20 carries and three catches for 58 yards. He also had two touchdowns. Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor struggled to 52 yards on 20 carries and tight end Jake Ferguson was held to one catch for five yards.

— Minnesota hammered Maryland 52-10 and receiver Tyler Johnson had four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. Anthony McFarland only managed 38 rushing yards on 10 carries, with 20 receiving yards on three catches. His best football will come at the next level.

— Tee Higgins had another quiet game for Clemson as they brushed aside Boston College 59-7. As his stock loses momentum could he return next year for one more season with Trevor Lawrence? Higgins had two catches for 36 yards. Travis Etienne had 109 rushing yards on 16 carries plus three touchdowns — while also adding three catches for 33 yards. Isaiah Simmons had 1.5 TFL’s and two QB hurries.

— Oklahoma receiver Ceedee Lamb had another incredible touchdown play in a shock 48-41 loss at Kansas State. Lamb took a bubble screen 70 yards as be bobbed and weaved through traffic like he was returning a kick. He finished with five catches for 135 yards. He looks like Cordarelle Patterson but with actual receiving skills. Jalen Hurts had a 395 yard passing day (19/26) with a passing touchdown, no interceptions, 96 rushing yards on 19 carries and three rushing scores. Oklahoma still can’t defend though and once again it has cost them.

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I’ve often said a win is a win. That was a particularly unsatisfying win and will likely provide more concern than enjoyment for Seahawks fans.

Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett and Chris Carson are all playing at an exceptionally high level. Shaquille Griffin has taken a big step forward and Jadeveon Clowney is doing his best to provide something — anything — on the defensive line.

The rest?

Today they faced an Atlanta team on its knees. They were 1-6 coming into today and without key players, including quarterback Matt Ryan.

Seattle rolled to a 24-0 lead by half-time and the rout was on. Finish the game. Go back home. No stress, for once.

Assert your will. Dominate. Show some teeth. Set the tone.

The Seahawks lost the second half 20-3. They were less tiger and more kitten. Matt Schaub ended up throwing for 460 yards. Atlanta had thirty first downs.

Where was the resistance? The defense had absolutely no answers. The game just drifted and drifted away. If it wasn’t for an extremely fortunate and bizarre call on a Devonta Freeman fumble forced by Marquise Blair, they might’ve even lost.

The defense is a mess. Sure, Blair threw himself around and had some hits (and also some whiffs). Clowney and Griffin are doing their best. But what do they do well on defense? What’s working? Where’s the pass rush and how do they create pressure? Why is the tackling so bad? What exactly is the plan here? Has the defense had a commanding performance this season? Where’s the speed?

How on earth did they allow Atlanta to claw their way back into this?

We’re half-way through the season now. It’d take a supreme optimist to imagine major improvements at this stage. Seattle’s defense simply isn’t good enough.

Ziggy Ansah looks like a spent force. Players like Rasheem Green just aren’t cutting it. The linebackers aren’t close to living up to expectations. Jarran Reed needs to get back to his best pronto. Now Tre Flowers has a neck injury.

Good luck to Quandre Diggs trying to help turn this unit around.

It feels like they need an off-season this week to completely revolutionise things.

The Seahawks lurch from explosive and exciting on offense to timid and passive as an entire team for long stretches. The great is exhilarating. The bad is bewildering.

The current record of 6-2 looks good. It’s half-way to 12-4. Yet the 2017 Seahawks started 6-3 and ended 9-7. Seattle’s next run of games includes arch-nemesis Bruce Arians (Tampa Bay), unbeaten San Francisco and Philadelphia on the road, Minnesota at home, the Rams and Panthers on the road, then Arizona and the Niners at home to finish.

They can’t expect to play this badly on defense and keep winning through that gauntlet of games.

Wilson magic always gives them a shot. Wouldn’t it be nice to offer him even a little bit of help on the other side of the ball? Imagine what they could be with even an average defense? And with another weapon (they badly miss Will Dissly)?

What do they do? Hope desperately there’s a turn? Keep on the longer term vision? Accept their fate for this season?

Do they need to be aggressive in the next 48 hours and make some moves to avoid wasting this 6-2 start? (I wrote more on the trade deadline earlier today here)

What are the answers?

Because you want to sit here and enjoy 6-2 but it feels like a mirage. And yet they’re 6-2. That’s the frustrating thing. If they were 5-3 or 4-4 it’d be easier to accept. They’re rebuilding. The defense has regressed this year and it needs a change of plan for 2020.

But they’re 6-2. With every win it’s harder to accept the situation. It’s like driving closer and closer to the cliff-edge — knowing you’ll fall off but hoping you won’t. We can all see this problems. We can all anticipate how costly they’ll be down the line.

And we kind of have to just accept it.

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The comments section has been pretty active during games this season so I’m starting an open thread this week.

Before kick off you might want to comment on reports via Mike Garofolo (through Ian Rapoport) that Rashaad Penny could be traded before the deadline on Tuesday.

I touched on this subject on Friday. So far, it just hasn’t worked for Penny. He’s had injuries and doesn’t seem to be adjusting to Seattle’s scheme. Chris Carson has separated as the clear starter. If an attractive offer became available, it makes sense to see what’s out there.

Detroit reportedly tried to trade for Penny during the 2018 draft immediately after the Seahawks made the pick. They just lost Kerryon Johnson to IR. Could they be a prime candidate to make a move? The Seahawks already made a deal with the Lions this week for Quandre Diggs.

If the Seahawks did trade Penny, they’d need to add a running back. They can’t rely on C.J. Prosise as the primary backup. With Mike Davis on the periphery in Chicago, it’d make complete sense to try and bring him back to Seattle. He’s a great scheme fit, he was productive and he’d be cheap. The Bears aren’t using him. It might take as little as a 2021 seventh rounder or some kind of conditional pick.

What could they get for Penny? Realistically they shouldn’t expect more than a third rounder. That would be fair for a player only 18 months removed from being a first rounder with no tread on the tires. He also has good club control for 2-3 more seasons.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on Tre Flowers. He’s not playing today with a neck stinger. Seahawks fans know how damaging they can be (Kam, Cliff).

With Darius Slay not playing for Detroit today, could they swap Slay for Penny? It’d be a more realistic proposition if the Lions had depth at corner. Sadly, they don’t. So unless they trade for Aqib Talib (who is reportedly available), it’s possibly unlikely. Adam Schefter is reporting that Slay could be available but it’d be a costly trade. They’d have to really like Penny to make that deal.

In other news, Adam Schefter is reporting that Austin Hooper will not be traded by Atlanta. Scratch his name off the list of targets. The Bengals reportedly want a third rounder for Tyler Eifert which is a total nonsense and they won’t get anything like that. O.J. Howard isn’t playing today and remains a realistic target (but the price is likely to be high).

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