Seattle getting creative in the passing game?

I’m fascinated by the interest in Jermichael Finley. He was straight on a plane to Seattle and reports are suggesting a deal is close.

If he does indeed agree terms with the Seahawks, I have two thoughts:

1) Moving on from Miller

If the Seahawks choose to cut Zach Miller and sign Finley, we’ll see a different offense in 2014.

Miller has been used predominantly as a blocker. His role as a receiver has been fiercely limited in Seattle, mostly due to injuries on the offensive line (2011 & 2013) or the fact they’re breaking in a rookie quarterback (2012).

We never saw the kind of production he flashed in Oakland.

But at the same time, he’s also a marginal athlete by modern NFL standards.

He can’t run.

We saw that in week 13 against the Saints, when a wide open Miller bumbled his way into the red zone on a broken coverage.

That should’ve been a touchdown.

If they’re swapping blocking ability for a bigger playmaker, that’s a fairly significant move for a team that wants to run the ball first and foremost. Especially considering they’ll be breaking in a new right tackle following Breno Giacomini’s departure to New York.

Finley’s a downfield runner, a seam-buster who finds mismatches and makes plays.

He aint no blocker.

Anthony McCoy and Luke Willson are also more receiver than blocker.

Using three tight ends like Finley, McCoy and Willson would suggest the Seahawks are planning to make the position more of a focal point in the passing game.

But it also takes away some of the protection benefit you get from a guy like Miller.

You’d have to compensate for that somehow, especially when you’re breaking in a new tackle.

2) Turning Finley into a receiver

Could they sign him to act as a big receiver?

By that I don’t mean lining up outside, running down the sideline and trying to win the red line.

I mean lining up in the slot, ala Jimmy Graham.

New Orleans don’t ask Graham to block much — because he can’t.

He’s a terrible blocker.

Instead he runs routes from the inside and finds mismatches with his unique size and speed.

There’s nothing really stopping the Seahawks bringing in Finely on a deal worth around $2.5m and essentially using him as a slot receiver.

You can limit his snaps. You use McCoy and Willson as your tight ends (or even Miller if he’s kept).

It’s not a crazy idea. It’d take away some of the burden of losing Golden Tate and it’d give the Seahawks the big target over the middle they currently lack.

***UPDATE***

Jermichael Finley leaves Seattle without a contract http://t.co/Ho4a35wXzb

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 14, 2014

Earl Thomas extension forthcoming?

Why did the Seahawks cut Chris Clemons this week?

Why not part ways when they cut Red Bryant and Sidney Rice?

Was it just insurance in case they lost Michael Bennett to Chicago?

Or is there something else behind the timing of the move?

They didn’t bring in another defensive lineman after re-signing Tony McDaniel. They haven’t made any move yet that would require an extra $7.5m in space.

Maybe it’s time to focus on Earl Thomas’ inevitable new contract?

Along with keeping Bennett, that had to be the top priority this off-season.

It’s a foregone conclusion Thomas gets an extension at some point this year.

Perhaps we’re getting closer to the day where that’s announced?

Seahawks free agency status check

Jason Hatcher, who visited Seattle at the start of free agency, is signing with the Redskins according to Ian Rapoport.

There’s no way the Seahawks could match the $27.5m Washington are offering. That’s Michael Bennett money.

Rapoport is also hinting at a possible return to Seattle for Sidney Rice:

This is an interesting twist. I’m told the #Seahawks are now interested in re-signing WR Sidney Rice, a salary cap casualty.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2014

Even if Rice re-signs, I’d expect receiver to be an early draft target. He’s coming off an ACL injury and has been dogged by injuries throughout his career. It’d surely only be a short term, value move.

This receiver class is too good not to tap into in round one or two. Adding Rice would take some pressure off a rookie to have an instant impact, given how notoriously difficult the position is for a year-one player.

Walter Thurmond is visiting the 49ers after making a trip to Jacksonville.

The Seahawks have re-signed quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, while Chris Clemons has now completed his deal with the Jaguars.

Of the remaining free agents available, here are three to keep an eye on:

Charles Brown (T) — former New Orleans blocker, played for Pete Carroll at USC. Could’ve been a Seahawks pick in 2010 had Eric Berry lasted until #6. He’s a possible depth pick at tackle.

O’Brien Schofield (DE) — after his deal with the Giants was vetoed, could he return to Seattle at a discount price?

Jared Allen (DE) — a truly bizarre free agency for Allen so far. But if he’s willing to play for a ring, Seattle still makes so much sense.

Bronco blunders

The biggest rivalry in football right now is Seattle vs San Francisco.

Yeah, there’s a lot of angst between the teams. There’s some great storylines at play.

But you know what makes it really fascinating?

These are the two best teams in the NFL.

They are built almost identically. Strength, speed, depth. Run the ball. Big plays. Great defense. Investing in young talent. Solid, inspired coaching.

And most of all they have zero dependence on one single aspect of the game. They’ll beat you with offense, defense or even special teams.

It didn’t matter who Seattle played from the AFC in the Super Bowl. The result would’ve been the same.

And I imagine the 49ers would’ve served up a similar beating too.

The AFC is a finesse league, driven by ageing pocket passers like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

The NFC is fast becoming a brutal kill or be killed endurance test. All thanks to Seattle and San Francisco.

But on top of that they have supreme balance.

The Broncos’ answer to getting destroyed in the Super Bowl is to sign more big names in free agency.

Some people will argue the additions of Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward and Demarcus Ware look pretty good.

And yet here’s the likely reality — had all three been playing for Denver in the Super Bowl, the score would’ve still been 43-8.

If these teams want to compete with the NFC’s best, they need to look into what they do well.

Denver should be investing in youth, searching for greater balance and getting tougher up front.

Not throwing money at a 28-year-old cornerback who’s constantly banged up, a safety Cleveland were happy to replace with Donte Whitner and a soon-to-be 32-year-old pass rusher who just looks way past his best (and also picks up little nagging injuries).

Heck, they’d have been better off saving money and going after some of Seattle’s free agents — Clinton McDonald, Walter Thurmond, Red Bryant.

Get some toughness in there.

The Seahawks and 49ers have nothing to fear in the AFC because the ‘power’ teams like Denver are not adapting.

They’re simply throwing good money at big names, when really they should be looking at the real reasons they were embarrassed in the Super Bowl.

They’re too reliant on a passing offense and they aren’t tough enough.

It certainly wasn’t because of a lack of expensive, ageing stars.

One to monitor

If the Seahawks go searching for defensive line depth in the draft, Oregon’s Taylor Hart is one to keep an eye on.

Taylor Hart/DL/Oregon shines at pro-day. As fast as 4.78s in forty at 284lbs. Wrap up later on.

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) March 13, 2014

He’s 6-6 and +280lbs. His arms are a shade under 33 inches long.

Physically he’s pretty Seahawky. And he has the potential to get back up to 290lbs and retain most of that 4.7 speed.

Five players who would make sense at #32

Just my take in reaction to the first three days of free agency.

This is based on who should be available. Although I’m bending the rules with #1 — I just wanted to get him on the list.

#1 Odell Beckham Jr (WR, LSU)
He has similar traits to Golden Tate. Plays above his size, very competitive in the air and high points the football superbly. He’s a solid return man and a very good athlete. He screams ‘Seahawks’, even if they might be looking for a bigger receiver ideally.

#2 Joel Bitonio (T/G, Nevada)
Comparable athlete to the top tackles in this class (Robinson, Matthews, Lewan). Looks like a Logan Mankins clone. Capable of playing guard or tackle at the next level. Insanely underrated.

#3 Martavis Bryant (WR, Clemson)
The Seahawks are prepared to roll the dice on unique athleticism. Bryant has the complete package of size, speed and the athletic qualities they love. He’s a big play waiting to happen. He’s a 4.4 runner at 6-4, 211lbs.

#4 Morgan Moses (T, Virginia)
Big, long tackle with 6-6 height and 35 3/8 inch arms. Just a really solid football player and someone they might be willing to invest in to replace Breno Giacomini.

#5 Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers)
Some people love it when I highlight Coleman, others hate it. At the end of the day, he’s running a 4.5 at 6-6 and 225lbs. At the combine he looked in fantastic shape. There just aren’t many people on Earth like Brandon Coleman.

By the way, don’t get our hopes up Charley…

Charley Casserly says he's not convinced Aaron Donald won't be available for #Seahawks with 32nd pick.

— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) March 13, 2014

As much as I’d love Casserly to be right, Aaron Donald should be a top-15 pick.

I’m not sure I remember a day like this.

At least not since I started writing about the Seahawks.

When’s the last time multiple players departed this franchise, and it just felt weird?

Think about it. Golden Tate is going to be catching passes from Matthew Stafford.

Not Russell Wilson.

Stafford.

He’s going to be playing in the NFC North. He’s going to be waving at Green Bay defensive backs. He’s going to be making improbable catches as a team mate of Calvin Johnson.

Breno Giacomini is going to be the right tackle of the New York Jets, playing for Rex Ryan.

Chris Clemons — Seattle’s best pass rusher during the Pete Carroll era — is probably going to be finishing his career in Jacksonville.

Like I said, weird.

And Red Bryant isn’t going to be wearing a Seahawks jersey any more…

It all kind of doesn’t feel right.

It feels dirty. Unclean.

These are our guys.

Clemons symbolised everything this front office achieved in the early days. They found a player with an edge, who fit their scheme and became a star when nobody else really wanted him.

Big Red was the leader in the dressing room. The father figure. The inspiration.

Tate was an early draft pick who epitomised this teams ability to get under an opponents skin. To really piss off the opposition and their fans.

Giacomini just loved to smack people around. And he did it well.

A significant chunk of Seattle’s soul just left the building.

I’ve skimmed through some of the reaction on Twitter. It’s a mix of extremes.

On the one hand, some people are upset key players are moving on. They want to know why they didn’t make more of a push to re-sign Tate. They wonder how this team will be able to replace two or three key starters.

Others have unwavering faith in the front office and their ability to make replacements. Piece of cake. No worries.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Losing important players isn’t the end of the world. It happens to all of the good teams.

But replacing them isn’t easy, either.

Unlike the 49ers, they don’t have a treasure trove of draft picks. They’ve only got two picks during the first two days of the draft.

They also have to make better use of their early picks.

In fact the Seahawks have to make this years first round pick at #32 their best since 2010.

James Carpenter (2011) hasn’t worked out as planned. His position on the roster is probably only secure because of the lack of depth on the offensive line right now. He’s played inconsistent football, he’s been injured and he’s struggled to nail down a starting spot.

Bruce Irvin (2012) was drafted to be the ‘ideal LEO’ and yet after one year he was moved to linebacker where he had an unspectacular first season. He’s 27 this year.

Last year the Harvin trade provided a minimal regular season impact while Christine Michael, a second round pick, barely saw the field. He might have the most breakout potential according to Carroll, but how realistic is that while Marshawn Lynch remains the bell cow?

If they keep hitting on late round picks, great. This is a deep draft. They might find a starter or two later on.

But how likely is it that they keep doing that consistently?

The Seahawks need to start hitting with these early picks. Whoever they take at #32 — in a deep, talented draft — needs to have an impact.

Here are the biggest needs right now, as we close out day two of free agency:

— Wide receiver

— Offensive line (tackle & guard)

— Defensive line

I suspect they’ll continue to hunt for defensive linemen in free agency. The re-signing of Tony McDaniel retains some consistency there. That’s a big bonus.

I’ve soured a little on Jared Allen following his near threat of ‘pay me or I’ll retire’. He’s a good player, but I don’t think you need to be held to ransom like that.

If Allen wants to play for a contender and win, do it and take what’s on offer. If you want to retire, do that. It’s pretty simple.

Jason Hatcher had his visit in Seattle but appears set to move on to other teams. He could be expensive for a rotational cog.

In the end the best thing might be to bring in some lesser known depth and roll with Benson Mayowa, Greg Scruggs, Mike Brooks and co.

It’s a stretch to think you can replace a veteran like Clemons on the cheap, but the options in free agency aren’t exactly of the Avril and Bennett variety this year.

It’s a poor draft for pass rushers. I’m willing to think the top two picks (#32 & #64) are being saved for a receiver and a tackle.

That’s the strength of this draft class anyway.

And the relative lack of urgency in trying to keep Tate and Giacomini could be a sign of Seattle knowing exactly who they want from a group of 3-4 players at each pick.

Losing Giacomini creates a debate we need to have going forward. What do you do at right tackle? Do you draft a player early to fill that role, knowing you’ve failed once to draft a right tackle in round one (Carpenter)?

Or do you trust an Alvin Bailey or Michael Bowie to earn that spot?

We’ve talked a lot about Joel Bitonio recently. He can play tackle. He excelled as a blind side blocker for Nevada.

Yet physically and on tape you can’t help but make the comparison to Logan Mankins. If he has the potential to be a ten year starter at guard and play at a similar level to Mankins, wouldn’t he be wasted at right tackle?

Who’s the last great right tackle the NFL has celebrated? I’m sure you can name at least 4-5 left guards.

If you did draft Bitonio (or someone else) to play tackle — what happens at guard? Do you simply continue the rotation from last year? Do you challenge a Bowie or Bailey to earn the left guard spot?

It’s a great draft for receivers, but what are the options going to be at #32 and #64?

We know Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans will be long gone. I’d expect Odell Beckham Junior, Brandin Cooks, Marqise Lee and Kelvin Benjamin to also be off the board.

Are you willing to gamble on a Martavis Bryant or Brandon Coleman in round one?

Perhaps not.

And yet at #64 there’s at least some chance those players will be gone. Others — such as Allen Robinson, Jordan Matthews, Paul Richardson, Davante Adams and Jarvis Landry — will either be off the board or don’t really fit Seattle’s penchant for big plays and winning the red line.

The more I think about it, the more I think Bryant could be a legitimate option for Seattle. Tall, fast with all the physical tools. He’s a better fit for the Seahawks than the Clemson offense. But the character concerns and attitude are a worry.

Would he make it to #64? Doubtful. Unless the red flags are a major turn off — which begs the question — would you even want him in that situation?

He at least shows some evidence of making the most of his athletic talent. The more Donte Moncrief I watch, the more frustrated I get.

They need to replace depth in multiple areas so it wouldn’t be a big shock to see them move down once or even twice from #64.

If that happens, they’ll have to make it work better than their last move from round two back into round three.

In 2011 they essentially passed up the chance to draft Randall Cobb and Justin Houston to move down and grab the now retired John Moffitt.

The biggest concern for me is the offense. The defense still has the L.O.B. — it has Bennett and Avril, the linebackers and the opportunity for further additions in free agency.

On offense there’s increased pressure on Percy Harvin to stay healthy (that would exist anyway with a team-high $13.4m cap hit in 2014), the offensive line is going to get younger and will be tested, while there’s also the possibility of swapping out Zach Miller for Jermichael Finley.

Lynch is a year older.

It’s nothing a good draft can’t solve. But they probably need to hit on those early picks in a way they haven’t done since 2010.

I’m going to be away with work for most of the day. I’ll put some thoughts down later if anything Seahawks-related occurs. For the time being use this as an open thread.

Here’s some reaction to what we know at the start of the day…

The Seahawks are going after veteran pass rushers

According to Adam Schefter, the Seahawks actually do have some interest in Jared Allen.

Reports earlier in the day suggested Denver were Allen’s only suitors.

Demarcus Ware’s sudden availability, and his visit with the Broncos, has potentially changed the landscape.

If Ware signs with Denver (it seems likely) they aren’t going to pursue Allen.

Not after making a big splash for T.J. Ward and Aqib Talib.

Perhaps he suddenly finds himself without a suitor? This is where Seattle excels. They can offer a contending franchise and a locker room atmosphere players rave about.

What they can’t offer is millions of dollars. If Allen is prepared to accept he isn’t going to get mega-money, the Seahawks could benefit — just as they did with Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett a year ago.

But it’ll likely see the end of Chris Clemons and his $9m cap hit if it happens.

The Seahawks are also looking at Jason Hatcher — an ideal fit for this defense at 6-6 and 299lbs.

He had his best year as a pro in 2013, recording 11 sacks.

This little conversation between Hatcher and Michael Bennett on Twitter yesterday is pretty amusing…

Hatcher is visiting with the ‘Hawks. At the right price, that would be a terrific addition.

But you wonder if it could come at the expense of Tony McDaniel. Both players are a similar size. Can you really afford to pay both? Possibly, as long as you’re willing to cut Clemons and maybe get Allen on a cap-friendly deal similar to Bennett’s last year (around $4.5-5.5m).

A defensive line rotation of Bennett, Avril, Allen, McDaniel, Hatcher, Mebane, Hill — and possibly Mayowa and Williams — would be pretty intense.

A cautionary note however — Hatcher has five other scheduled visits and Allen is being linked with the Bears too.

Jermichael Finley visiting with Seattle

This was possibly the most interesting story involving the Seahawks yesterday.

First things first, Finley is a beast.

Yes — he’s had some drop issues.

But there’s a reason he threatened to break out as the next big-time tight end a couple of years ago.

Whether he’d recapture that form in the PNW remains to be seen. First and foremost he has to be cleared to play after undergoing serious neck surgery. Seattle’s team doctor Stan Herring chairs the NFL’s head, neck and spine committee.

To me this move suggests the Seahawks are intent on reducing the cost of the tight end position.

At a time when they’re struggling to keep players like Golden Tate and Breno Giacomini, they’re taking $11m and $7m cap hits on Zach Miller over the last two seasons.

Veteran tight ends like John Carlson are signing deals for $2.3m. The market for a tight end approaching 30 is around $2-3m.

Not $7m.

Their interest in Finley could be a powerplay to reduce Miller’s salary. Or they might just want more athleticism at the position. Yes — the Seahawks are a run first team. But they also have an offense that relies on big plays.

Finley for $2.5m in 2014 and an extra $2.5m in free cap space might be more appealing than retaining Miller. Such is the harsh nature of the business.

And this is the type of difficult move Seattle has to consider.

Golden Tate visiting the Lions, Breno Giacomini the Jets

In an ideal world the Seahawks retain both players.

There’s nothing ideal about free agency.

If Detroit offers Tate a deal worth $6-7M — the Seahawks probably can’t match that. They made their bed by paying Percy Harvin a year ago. Now they have to sleep in it.

Giacomini likewise was unlikely to get a deal comparable to his $4m salary in 2013. If the Jets are willing to pay that — Seattle almost certainly won’t be able to match it.

But there’s a clear plan in place here. Load up on veteran, quality pass rushers and defensive linemen in free agency. Use the draft to replace guys like Tate and Giacomini.

This is a strong draft at receiver and offensive tackle. It’s much weaker on the defensive line.

As things stand it’d be a surprise if Seattle’s first two picks in the draft weren’t for an offensive lineman and a receiver.

Did I mention these two guys named Joel Bitonio and Brandon Coleman?

Earl Thomas is ready to get paid

Copy cat league ..#NFL

— Earl Thomas (@Earl_Thomas) March 12, 2014

The tweet says it all.

Thomas was responding to the deal Jairus Byrd received by New Orleans, which averages $9m a year.

The Seahawks are going to extend Thomas’ contract this off-season. It’s inevitable.

And now they have a minimum starting point, albeit an expensive one.

They’ll end up paying $10m a year at least.

Other news

— Jason La Canfora is reporting Randy Starks is returning to Miami for $6m a year. He’ll be joined by Earl Mitchell on $4m a year.

— Chris Maragos is joining the Eagles.

— Eric Decker is visiting with the Jets.

Updates and instant reaction as it happens until 5pm PST

The new league year is under way. Here are the first moves to be made:

— Clinton McDonald is leaving the Seahawks to sign a four-year with Tampa Bay. Shame.

— Walter Thurmond is visiting with the Jaguars.

— Dallas released Demarcus Ware. He’ll turn 32 in July and had only six sacks in 2013.

— Cleveland signed 49ers safety Donte Whitner. San Francisco will sign Antoine Bethea in replacement.

— Indianapolis are signing Ravens defensive lineman Arthur Jones.

— Miami are looking to sign Texans defensive tackle Earl Mitchell. He’ll visit the Dolphins facility with the intention of getting a deal done.

— Jacksonville signed Denver guard Zane Beadles.

— Lamarr Houston will sign for Chicago after they missed out on Michael Bennett.

— Eugene Monroe is set to stay in Baltimore.

— Brandon Albert agreed a contract with the Dolphins. No shocks there.

— The Raiders signed Roger Saffold to play guard apparently. Despite allowing tackle Jared Veldheer to sign with the Cardinals for less money.

— Dexter McCluster is swapping Kansas City for Tennessee and a three year deal.

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Saffold is now the second highest paid OG in the NFL trailing Carl Nicks in Tampa

— Tony Softli (@SoftliSTL) March 11, 2014

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#Panthers WR Steve Smith is not being released today, per source.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2014

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It’s a pretty stunning set of events involving the Raiders.

A team with more cap space than anyone else in the NFL is going to watch Jared Veldheer and Lamarr Houston walk away and sign with other teams, and yet they’ve added an injury-prone guard to their roster for $42.5m.

Madness.

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It’s no big surprise Clinton McDonald was snapped up quickly for $12m over four years.

The Seahawks were unlikely to pay $3m a year — and he did enough in 2013 (5.5 sacks) to warrant attention.

It’s easy to forget he was cut by Seattle and re-signed before hitting his best form.

Walter Thurmond will visit with the Jags. He might be a player they just can’t afford to keep with so much business to be done elsewhere.

There’s still no word on any of Seattle’s other free agents.

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A sign of a lack of interest by Seattle?

Possible impediment to Jared Allen to Broncos? Allen may want too much money, per league source. And he currently has no other suitors.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 11, 2014

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Another Seahawks departure…

LB O'Brien Schofield agrees to terms with the Giants. Two years, $8 million. Per league source.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 11, 2014

O’Brien Schofield provided nice depth for Seattle last year. But again, at $8m over two years the Seahawks were never going to match that.

It’s time for players like Benson Mayowa to step up and fill out the depth on this team.

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More on Walter Thurmond visiting with the Jags…

Thurmond enjoyed something of a break out campaign last year before his suspension.

Yet his role in Seattle remained limited once Byron Maxwell took ownership of the starting spot across from Richard Sherman.

If there’s one position this team can keep churning out players its cornerback. No reason to worry here.

Still no news on Golden Tate, Breno Giacomini et al.

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Atlanta have signed defensive tackle Paul Soliai, end Tyson Jackson and guard Jon Asamoah.

Soliai gets five years, $33M, $14M guaranteed and $11M in year one. Jackson is earning $25m over five years.

Compare that to Michael Bennett’s deal. The Seahawks got an absolute bargain in comparison. The Falcons are in full-on panic mode.

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Another comparison to compound the Raiders madness.

Left tackle Eugene Monroe has now re-signed with Baltimore for $37.5m. That’s $5m less than Oakland is paying often-injured Roger Saffold to play guard.

Saffold has four starts at guard.

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Wow… didn’t expect this…

Jermichael Finley’s first visit is set to be the Seattle #Seahawks, per source.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2014

Finley is still awaiting medical clearance so he can play football again after neck surgery.

He’ll need to be checked out before any signing. It’s interesting though, that the Seahawks are even bringing him in for a visit.

It doesn’t mean he’s going to sign. But what if he checks out medically? Where does this leave Zach Miller? Are they looking for a replacement?

Remember, Seattle re-signed Anthony McCoy yesterday.

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Some more high profile signings…

— Vontae Davis re-signed with the Colts. It’s not that long ago they traded a second round pick for him. He’ll get a similar deal to Sam Shields in Green Bay — four years, $39m.

— Malcolm Jenkins leaves New Orleans to sign for Philadelphia for $16.25m. He was a corner at Ohio State but always projected to safety in the NFL.

— The Broncos will sign Cleveland safety T.J. Ward.

— Giants defensive tackle Linval Joseph is signing with the Vikings.

— Darren McFadden will re-sign with the Raiders for $4m.

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More on the possibility of Jermichael Finley to Seattle…

Reported a while back Jermichael Finley on Seattle's radar, endgame likely a reunion w/John Schneider on shortterm deal. He'll visit SEA 1st

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 11, 2014

Am told @JermichaelF88 is on his way to Seattle this evening. The Seahawks doctors will examine him in the morning.

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) March 11, 2014

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Interesting…

Jacksonville traded QB Blaine Gabbert to SF for a 6th round pick, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2014

As much as people want to hammer Gabbert, a year working with Harbaugh could save his career.

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News of another visit to Seattle.

Former #Patriots WR Taylor Price is visiting the #Seahawks, per source. Always had talent. We’ll see if he can put it together.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2014

Price is a former third round pick from 2010. He’s 6-1 and 195lbs. He’s been with the Jaguars since leaving New England.

And he only has five career receptions.

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People talk to much. I haven't signed anything yet. I'm just taking a visit. The fact of the matter though, anything could happen.

— walter thurmond III (@WaltThurm3) March 11, 2014

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Our first Golden Tate sighting…

Seahawks WR Golden Tate is visiting Detroit tonight.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2014

If he’s taking visits, prepare for the worst.

Yet nobody can complain if he ends up getting a deal worth $7m a year. The Seahawks can’t overpay for the sake of it.

Trying to replace Michael Bennett with a rookie would’ve been impossible. Replacing Tate? This is a terrific class of receivers in the draft.

Whether they want to go after a bigger receiver (Pete Carroll’s apparent preference) or a Tate clone — both are available this year.

It will be a sad day if/when he moves on, however. He’s come on leaps and bounds the last two years. He gets under the skin of NFC West rivals (particularly St. Louis) and has a knack for making big plays.

He’s not an every-week contributor, but when he has an impact it’s usually game-winning. That’s tough to replace.

If Tate leaves, they better hope Percy Harvin can stay healthy. Not only is he capable of making similar plays — but they also made quite a statement paying Harvin a year ago, while possibly letting one of their own walk away.

And while one player potentially departs Seattle…

With Jermichael Finley visiting Seahawks, note that Seattle team doc Stan Herring chairs NFL's head, neck and spine committee

— Mike Sando, ESPN.com (@SandoESPN) March 11, 2014

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Here’s something to monitor… Jairus Byrd’s market.

Despite a lot of talk in the week about wanting $9m a year, he’s currently en route for a visit to cap-limited New Orleans.

Even if he doesn’t sign for the Saints, it seems like he isn’t going to get anywhere near $9m a year.

That’s crucial for Earl Thomas’ earning potential. Clearly the Seahawks will re-sign Thomas this off-season, it’s simply a case of when and for how much.

If Byrd was getting a major contract, Thomas’ deal would’ve been even higher.

If he takes a more modest contract, the Seahawks can breathe a sigh of relief.

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One player who might not be leaving Seattle is…

#Seahawks are negotiating with DT Tony McDaniel for him to return to Seattle, per source.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2014

He had a big impact last year. An underrated impact.

Providing they can get the deal done at a decent price, this would key a key signing.

Again, I’ll stress what a good draft this is for receivers. It’s not quite as good a draft for defensive linemen. So keeping Bennett and McDaniel would theoretically allow the Seahawks to go OL and WR with their first two picks.

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Some early thoughts on how the day one moves impact the draft…

— The Raiders allowing Jared Veldheer to walk, while spending big on a guard, could be a hint that they intend to draft a left tackle at #5 — building a new offensive line. One of Jake Matthews or Greg Robinson will almost certainly be available.

— Tampa Bay going defensive line early fills their biggest need. If they sign Anthony Collins, it fills their other big need (left tackle). The Buccs are putting themselves in position to potentially go after one of the top receivers at #7.

— Pittsburgh almost certainly won’t draft a safety in round one after keeping Troy Polamalu on a new deal and today adding Mike Mitchell.

— Dallas’ critical condition on the defensive line continues to grow. Surely they won’t go in any other direction in round one after being forced to cut Demarcus Ware?

**************************

Another player visiting with Seattle…

Along with Jermichael Finley and Taylor Price, DT Jason Hatcher is also expected to visit Seahawks this week.

— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) March 11, 2014

Hatcher turns 32 in July. Ex-Dallas. 6-6 and a shade under 300lbs. He had 11 sacks in 2013 — his best year in the pro’s by some distance.

If he’s hungry to win, while working in a system with similar concepts to Monte Kiffin’s in Dallas, Seattle is the place to be.

He’d fit like a glove in the D-line rotation. But I wonder if it’s an either/or situation with McDaniel?

**************************

Here are some Jermichael Finley highlights, as he prepares to visit with the ‘Hawks:

**************************

I’m going to wrap up the live blog for tonight. As news breaks this evening, feel free to use this as an open thread.

Seahawks sign @mosesbread72 to multi-year extension. pic.twitter.com/DHv0yvfnBK

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 10, 2014

The Seahawks did what they had to.

It’s easy to forget just how crucial Michael Bennett was last year.

He’s not underrated, far from it. He’s interesting enough and high profile enough to never fly under the radar.

But he’s not Richard Sherman or Earl Thomas. Or Marshawn Lynch. Or Russell Wilson.

And if you’re not one of those four, there’s a perception Seattle can get by without.

It’s a terrible perception, because they couldn’t get by without Michael Bennett.

Not everyone on this roster is irreplaceable. In fact they’ll probably get the chance to prove that when Golden Tate, Clinton McDonald, Tony McDaniel, Steven Hauschka and Breno Giacomini hit the open market tomorrow.

Ideally you’d keep all five. But this isn’t an ideal world.

Bennett was a completely different kettle of fish.

They’ve been looking for this type of player for some time. Someone who can knit the pass rush together and make it truly effective.

Chris Clemons couldn’t do it on his own. For three years he tried.

Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett provided the help he needed. And with Clemons struggling to reach his very best aged 32 and coming off an ACL injury, the two new recruits helped take the defense to another level.

Bennett was pivotal to that.

With Clemons rushing the edge, the Seahawks were too one dimensional. It was only pressure from one side. Bruce Irvin provided some balance in 2012, but it wasn’t consistent. And there was nobody crashing the interior.

There aren’t many Michael Bennett’s in the NFL. Someone who can genuinely line up in the middle and not concede leverage against the run, yet can also play defensive end and round the edge with speed or power.

Suddenly they were attacking teams from all angles. It became very difficult to react to certain looks. Quarterbacks couldn’t just shift protection to the side Clemons was monitoring.

In the second half of the season and in particular the playoffs, Bennett and Avril combined repeatedly to attack one side with great success.

Seattle’s pass rush was legit for the first time in a long time.

How important was that? It meant the world. Finally the Seahawks could make the most of an uber-talented secondary. You can’t coverage-sack your way to domination. You need guys up front who flat out get after it.

Losing Bennett was comparable, in my opinion, to losing Richard Sherman at cornerback. Not necessarily devastating, but man what a gaping hole to fill.

There wasn’t anyone similar available in free agency. Guys like Jared Allen and Henry Melton just aren’t the same type of rusher.

The draft? No chance. This isn’t the year to try and replace your best pass rusher with a rookie. Not unless you own a top-five pick.

This was an absolutely vital signing.

Let’s put it this way. They might be able to replace Tate, Giacomini, McDonald, McDaniel and Hauschka and still make it back to the Super Bowl next year. There’d be a drop off, but c’est la vie.

I’m not sure they had any chance at replacing Bennett and the impact he’s had.

Yet again John Schneider pulls it off. He let a player take a check on his value and still got the deal done, despite heavy interest elsewhere (especially Chicago).

What’s more, it appears the Seahawks got a great deal. Mike Florio is reporting a $28.5m contract over four years.

Everson Griffen, with one career start, gets $8.5M/year with Vikings. Michael Bennett takes $7.125M/year to stay in Seattle.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 10, 2014

Two teams offered DE Michael Bennett more money but he opted to re-sign with SEA for 4 years, $28.5 million, including $10 million in 2014.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2014

That’s some outstanding negotiating on behalf of Schneider and the Seahawks front office.

It also goes to show how much Bennett enjoyed his year back in Seattle.

Clearly, he wanted to remain part of this team.

So what does it mean for the rest of free agency?

They might be able to structure the deal to limit the cap hit in year one (eg $4-5m cap hit).

Other big contracts will come off the books over the next couple of years, so it makes a degree of sense. With the overall cap also set to keep rising by about $10m a year until 2016, they might be able to maintain enough room to re-sign their other free agents.

I still expect Tate back with the team. He’ll get some interest elsewhere, but I suspect they’ll find a way to keep him — even if it does mean spending a little more than they originally intended.

We’ll have to wait and see what the market is for Clinton McDonald and Tony McDaniel. Both players, along with Breno Giacomini, are more likely to re-sign with the Seahawks the longer they remain unsigned.

I bet they’d love to retain Chris Clemons and keep their three-pronged pass rush together. Creating $7.5m in extra cap space will also be tempting.

At least with Bennett signed up they can feel better about cutting and attempting to re-sign Clemons to a cheaper deal. They could also look at a player like Jared Allen, depending on what interest he’s getting.

Would you be willing to swap Clemons for Allen on a $5-6m deal? It’d be a $1.5-2.5m total saving.

Alternatively they could use the $7.5m to re-sign the teams other free agents first, then re-assessing the situation afterwards with Clemons or anyone else.

They may even introduce Benson Mayowa into a more active role. There’s a reason why they red-shirted and protected him throughout last season, while other promising young players were cut and ultimately lost.

If the Seahawks can go into the draft having re-signed Bennett, Tate and Giacomini — they can feel very happy about their situation.

Essentially, the player they’re drafting at #32 won’t be replacing a key starter. It’ll give them an opportunity to add a Joel Bitonio to play left guard, or another receiver to add to their current group. Or, if the board is kind, yet another pass rusher.

Whatever happens, today is a good day for this team — and the first step towards making 2014 another Championship season.

**UPDATED**

It looks like Michael Bennett wasn’t the only player to re-sign with the Seahawks today…

TE Anthony McCoy has agreed to terms to stay in Seattle with the #Seahawks, per a league source.

— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) March 10, 2014

What a difference a year makes! Free agency will be a lot better this year

— Drew Rosenhaus (@RosenhausSports) March 8, 2014

The Tweet above appeared last night, just after the ‘legal tampering’ phase of free agency began.

24 hours later, Drew Rosenhaus appears to be right.

It is going to be a lot different this year.

(By the way, do you know who Michael Bennett’s agent is? His name rhymes with ‘Brew Chosen House’.)

Today Everson Griffen re-signed with the Minnesota Vikings on a $42.5m contract with $20m guaranteed.

That’s for the guy who recorded 5.5 sacks last year, by the way.

In four years he has just 17.5 sacks.

Now he’s getting paid $8m a year.

I think we can kiss goodbye to any hopes Michael Bennett is re-joining the Seahawks for $8m a year.

He’s a better pass rusher. He has better production. He’s just better.

The rising cap is having the desired impact. If the Griffen deal is any indication, teams are willing to spend a little more on ‘middle class’ talent. And while we’ll still see a few one year ‘prove it’ deals in the second stage of free agency, I suspect the big names will be snapped up very quickly.

Age plays a part of course. Griffen doesn’t turn 27 until December 22nd. The Vikings clearly believe he has development potential under their new coaching staff. They’re likely to go after Michael Johnson too, with Jared Allen moving on to pastures new.

If the Seahawks want Bennett, they’re probably going to have to fork out big money. And the money just isn’t there to make a long standing, expensive commitment.

He won’t be easy to replace if he does move on.

Especially not this off-season.

They might have to get creative. It might be a case of adjusting what they can do up front.

They have enough funds to look at Allen — but even he might generate a bigger market than first anticipated.

This is a crucial next few days for Seattle. It’s not just Bennett. Tony McDaniel and Clinton McDonald were crucial players on the defensive line. Golden Tate will get some interest, while even Steven Hauschka and O’Brien Schofield carry value.

Walter Thurmond was an underrated figure in Seattle’s secondary too. Breno Giacomini, for me, is as good as any right tackle in the league.

Losing Bennett might increase the chances of those players being kept — but don’t make any assumptions here. If the market is red hot on Tuesday, you can bet your life teams will go after a piece of Seattle’s pie.

The value of guys like McDaniel and McDonald could go beyond what is realistic for the Seahawks. At the end of the day, you’re not going to give either a big contract just because Bennett’s moving on.

If spending is increasing dramatically in the open market, Seattle’s stars could easily see their value sky rocket. Hey — they were part of a relentless, dominating defense.

If you lose those two players plus Bennett and Red Bryant — that’s a heck of a lot of change up front. Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons are only contracted through 2014 too, so there’s really no long term consistency on the defensive line outside of Brandon Mebane (who has a deal until 2015).

Seattle’s secondary gets a lot of publicity — and rightly so.

But you need a pass rush and you need to play the run well. It all starts there. The Seahawks defense took the next step last season because they had superior pass rush options compared to 2012.

Fortunately Seattle has a front office known for pulling a few strings and making things happen. Nobody expected the Percy Harvin/Bennett/Avril moves a year ago. They’re playing with less money and more holes this year, but you know they’ll have a plan of some kind.

They’ll need one. Because this is going to be a great challenge.

By the way, I wonder if this is any indication as to where Bennett ends up? Coincidence?

Tomorrow on @NFL_AM catch the debut of a new weekly segment with Martellus & Michael Bennett. Airs around 8:35 AM ET

— NFL Media PR (@InsideNFLMedia) March 9, 2014

What if no quarterbacks go early in the first round?

Jacksonville re-signed Chad Henne today for $8m over two years.

The Jaguars needed a veteran presence at quarterback irrespective of whatever happens in May’s draft.

But it’s somewhat intriguing that while the Jags made that move, Matt Cassel was linked with the Texans before re-signing with equally QB-needy Minnesota. Josh Freeman’s name comes up when people talk about the Raiders.

None of these players are likely to be long term solutions.

But how about this thought…

Last year the draft community spent a lot of time debating Geno Smith, Tyler Wilson, Matt Barkley, Ryan Nassib, Mike Glennon and Landry Jones.

Everyone had a favourite. Everyone assumed at least two or three would go in the first round because of the importance of the position.

In the end E.J. Manuel was the only day one selection.

Glennon — a third round pick — wasn’t too highly rated in comparison to some of the others. Yet he showed the most promise as a starter and has at least a decent chance of developing into a franchise quarterback for the Buccaneers.

You can’t compare one class to another, and clearly last year the NFL didn’t think much of the QB group.

But could it be happening again?

Could we be totally overestimating a quarterback class and the likelihood of a cluster of top picks being spent on the position?

The Houston Texans appear likely to take a quarterback at #1 — and John McClain made some very valid points on NFL AM this morning to back that up.

But what about the rest?

Could the Jaguars be preparing to add a Sammy Watkins or a Khalil Mack at #3, waiting until round two or three to go after a Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, A.J. McCarron or even a Logan Thomas?

Watkins just looks special — a rare talent. For a team that has little to offer a rookie signal caller, could a case be made for going Watkins-QB instead of one of the top quarterbacks and possibly the eighth or ninth best receiver in round two?

Oakland could go in many different directions. Re-signing Jared Veldheer is important. Whatever happens there, how enticing will a Jake Matthews or Greg Robinson be at #5? Or a Sammy Watkins or Khalil Mack for that matter?

The Jags and Raiders are going through major rebuilds. They’ve seen Seattle build around a quarterback and then insert Russell Wilson as a starter to win a Championship.

They won’t feel handcuffed into going QB. If they don’t grade Blake Bortles as much more than a late first rounder, if they can’t trust Johnny Manziel and if they just don’t think Teddy Bridgewater is special enough — they can pass.

The Browns are a bit of a wildcard all of a sudden. They’ve gone from almost certainly trading up to get ‘their’ quarterback, to people now believing they’ll avoid the position altogether at #4.

The Vikings sitting at #8 might wish to avoid drafting another first round quarterback after the disaster that was Christian Ponder.

I’m not saying any of these scenarios are likely, but it’s become the assumed position that the top three quarterbacks will go quickly.

Could we see something like this?

#1 Houston — Blake Bortles (QB)
#2 St. Louis — Greg Robinson (T)
#3 Jacksonville — Jadeveon Clowney (DE)
#4 Cleveland — Sammy Watkins (WR)
#5 Oakland — Khalil Mack (DE)
#6 Atlanta — Jake Matthews (T)

If Clowney, Robinson, Watkins, Mack and Matthews are the top five players in the draft — and you can make a strong case for that — why isn’t this at least somewhat possible?

And how would it impact the draft?

Would we see teams jostling for position, trying to get back into round one for a Bridgewater or Manziel?

Would they simply sit tight, content with the secondary options (Carr, Garoppolo, McCarron, Mettenberger) if none of that trio are available?

How low could two of the ‘big three’ drop?

Could it weaken the options for teams picking late in the first round?

It’d create a fascinating dynamic, that’s for sure.

Doug Baldwin given second round tender

Seahawks tendered RFA WR Doug Baldwin at a 2nd round level ($2.187M)

— Brian McIntyre (@brian_mcintyre) March 7, 2014

This isn’t a surprise.

Baldwin would’ve been snapped up on the original round tender as an UDFA. Yet with such a strong draft for receivers, it’s unlikely anyone will bite on a second round pick.

It made sense for Seattle to make this move. It’ll be interesting to see if a long term deal is possible, especially if Golden Tate walks in free agency.

Further thoughts on Bennett and Tate

I fully expect Tate to re-sign in Seattle.

It’s a safe bet that the market for receivers in free agency is going to be atrocious. Eric Decker might get a nice deal, but that could be that.

With so many quality players available in the draft, it seems very unlikely anyone will offer Tate the kind of money Seattle would be unwilling to match.

In fact he might struggle to garner much more than $4-5m on the open market.

Often the best deal you’ll get is the one before you start making visits.

I sense Riley Cooper anticipated a flat market and knew he had the best offer from the Eagles already on the table.

It might actually be to Seattle’s advantage if Tate becomes a free agent. If he’s not being offered the kind of money he expects, it’ll suit the Seahawks.

I think it’ll be a very different situation with Michael Bennett.

It’s not a great draft for pass rushers and despite a few naysayers playing down his impact last year — he really had a terrific season.

He can feature in all schemes, he can play inside and out.

He has 21.5 sacks as a versatile starter the last three years.

And with Greg Hardy and Brian Orakpo being franchised, he’s competing with Michael Johnson (3.5 sacks in 2013) and Jared Allen (aged 32) to be the top pass rusher on the market.

I know who I’d rather have.

I’m not surprised stuff like this is emerging…

An NFC West bidding war could be coming between the 49ers and Seahawks for DE Michael Bennett. Story coming at PFT.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 7, 2014

The Niners are unlikely to be able to afford Bennett with only a projected $10m in cap room available.

A treasure trove of picks in a loaded draft class will likely be their total focus this off-season.

Yet they can help drive Bennett’s price skywards. And there should be plenty of interest elsewhere after such a fantastic 2013.

I mentioned this yesterday and I’m going to repeat it again, because I think it’s worth debating.

Franchising Bennett never appeared to be an option for the Seahawks. It was consistently ruled out, by either John Schneider himself or by the media quoting sources.

Let’s look at the possible scenario that would’ve guaranteed one more year of Bennett for Seattle…

Franchise tag = $13m
Cutting Clemons saves $7.5m

Pass rush includes: Avril, Bennett, Mayowa, Irvin — possibly a draft pick (eg Marcus Smith)

This would’ve cost a cumulative total of $5.5m in extra outlay, with the only loss being Clemons.

It would’ve meant keeping Avril and Bennett at the heart of your pass rush for one more year, while placing the responsibility on Mayowa to replace Clemons at right end.

The financial outlay on Bennett would be substantial, but really it’s only $2m more than the cap hit Zach Miller took up last season.

Here’s the extreme alternative…

If they lose Bennett in free agency, the chances are they’ll keep Clemons on his $9m salary. Seattle can’t force him to take a pay cut. And they surely wouldn’t be willing to lose yet another starter on the defensive line?

With Clemons secure, you maybe look into replacing Bennett with a player like Jared Allen or Lamarr Houston. You’re likely to be spending at least as much as Bennett cost on his one year deal ($5.5m).

This would effectively mean an added cost of $5.5m at best. Exactly the same amount you’d pay in the scenario that saw Bennett tagged.

This isn’t me criticising or challenging the front office. Why would I do that?

It’s merely a talking point nobody else is bringing up. I’m throwing it out there so we can debate this.

There’s still every chance the F.O. re-signs Bennett to a cool four-year deal on $7.5-8m a year after another bold free agency strategy pays off.

There’s even the chance they simply re-load on the defensive line on the cheap and don’t miss a beat.

But the discussion is fascinating to me, because it took a few years to get the D-line right. Blowing it up and starting again (very possible considering the status of Tony McDaniel and Clinton McDonald) will be a real challenge — even for Schneider and Pete Carroll.

Seahawks re-sign Jeanpierre & Johnson

OL Lemuel Jeanpierre & S Jeron Johnson have signed one-year contract extensions with the club. pic.twitter.com/NE9BL97X6o

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 7, 2014

Ryan Shazier could be a top-20 pick

I’m told Ryan Shazier/OLB/Ohio State ran a blistering forty at pro-day…unofficially low 4.4’s..

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) March 7, 2014

Put a 4.4 alongside these numbers from the combine:

— 6-1, 237lbs
— 25 reps on the bench press
— 42 inch vertical
— 10.10 broad jump
— 6.91 three cone
— 4.21 short shuttle

Shazier gets caught in traffic too easily, but there’s no doubting he’s a truly fantastic athlete. Certainly one of the best in the draft.

At a time when all the focus is on the size of Seattle’s cornerbacks, the speed of their linebackers is very underrated.

Teams looking to mimic the ‘Hawks have to look at this guy. He could be an option at #12 for the New York Giants, at #13 for the Rams or the New York Jets at #18.

It seems very unlikely he’ll make it past the Bengals at #24. That could be a worse-case-scenario for Shazier.

Shazier running 40 and Chip Kelly to the right. pic.twitter.com/ePiI3wPcdI

— Aimal Arsalla (@aimalarsalla) March 8, 2014

Seattle DE Michael Bennett will be testing the free agent market and will not be re-signing with the Seahawks before March 11th, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2014

A lot of people are saying they never expected Bennett to re-sign in Seattle before March 11th.

I’m not one of those people.

In fact, I fully expected the Seahawks to get this done before free agency.

Why?

Because Bennett is absolutely crucial to what this team managed to do last year.

It’s easy to sit here as Super Bowl Champions and bask in the glory of that success.

It’s also easy to forget just how integral Bennett was in getting it done.

Think back to 2012. The Seahawks were good enough to make the Super Bowl that year too.

So what really let them down?

The total reliance on Chris Clemons to provide a pass rush. That’s what.

He essentially was the teams pass rush.

Bruce Irvin had been drafted in to help — and he did to a certain degree. He had a few sacks, he had some impact in a specialist role.

But on early downs, Clemons was the man they relied on. And Clemons alone.

He had 11.5 regular season sacks out of a total 36. Throw in Irvin’s eight as a rookie and they combined for 54%.

No other player had more than three sacks.

This isn’t one of those situations where the numbers don’t paint the true picture. Clemons was the only guy creating consistent pressure and Irvin had an impact in obvious passing situations.

The Seahawks lost four games in 2012 where a lengthy fourth quarter drive proved costly.

Arizona (week 1), Detroit (week 8), Miami (week 12) and Atlanta (playoffs).

The final defeat to Atlanta ended their season.

When they needed a stop, when they needed to get to Matt Ryan with seconds remaining…

They couldn’t.

Not with Clemons nursing an ACL injury by that point.

Seattle knew they had to improve the pass rush and that’s why they went out and added Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett a year ago.

They knew they’d only get them both on short term deals — and to some extent, it was inevitable we’d come to this position.

Yet Bennett had such a defining impact in 2013, I truly thought it’d be a case of ‘over my dead body’ he entered the market. In the same way Earl Thomas or Richard Sherman almost certainly won’t hit free agency next year.

He was a weekly feature in Greg Bedard’s ‘Pressure Point’ articles, ranking among the top-10 edge rushers in the NFL all year.

He only had 8.5 sacks for the season, but how many close calls stopped that being much more?

Remember the ‘low hit’ on Matt Ryan? That’s just one example of several ‘nearly’ sacks for Bennett.

He was relentless, impacting games on a weekly basis.

When the playoffs came around, he was nearly unstoppable. Teaming up with Cliff Avril to destroy one side of the line, they forced and collected fumbles against the Niners. It followed a victory over the Saints, where Bennett forced and recovered another fumble.

Who can forget the big touchdown against New Orleans in week 13, setting the tone for a one-sided destruction?

I said it a few times on here during the season, and I still believe it now. You can make an incredibly strong argument that Bennett was Seattle’s defensive MVP last season.

We all appreciate Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman. A few weeks after the season ended, their stock couldn’t be higher.

But during the season, it was Bennett who had the biggest say in turning Seattle’s defense from accomplished to elite.

They looked for this guy for so long. They wanted Jason Jones to fill that void — he couldn’t.

Having seen what this defense was capable of, risking losing such an integral piece just seemed so unlikely that the Seahawks would probably be willing to pay a little more to avoid that consequence.

Anyone who doesn’t believe that — let’s see what happens when the Thomas and Sherman talks heat up. Because I’m willing to wager neither will hit the market, even if it costs a few more dollars.

Schematically I also thought they’d be willing to make sure Bennett stayed in Seattle.

Having cut Red Bryant, you could see his snaps increasing next year as an every down end — finding a way to keep that double team with Avril on the field for a significant number of snaps.

It’d be difficult to imagine a defensive line next year minus Bryant and Bennett — and let’s not forget Tony McDaniel and Clinton McDonald are also free agents.

A sea-change up front is not what this team needs right now.

There’s every chance Bennett does still re-sign in Seattle. Several other players (Bryant, Brandon Mebane) were allowed to test the market only to re-sign eventually.

If he’s looking for a deal worth $9-10m, he might end up disappointed. I have a hard time thinking Seattle wouldn’t be willing to go for $8-9m.

But there are a lot of teams out there with plenty of cap room. Oakland have an absolute mountain to spend. So do Jacksonville.

His brother Martellus Bennett has been campaigning for him to join Chicago for weeks. The Bears need to bolster their defense.

So there’s at least some chance Seattle will be without Bennett going forward.

I also doubt it’ll be in any way ‘easy’ to replace him if he moves on to pastures new.

Lamarr Houston has played some end in Oakland, but for me he’s always looked more comfortable as a three technique rushing the interior. He’s 6-3 with short arms and a squat 300lbs body.

Bennett is taller and longer, with 25lbs less bulk to shift around the field.

Houston has 16 sacks in four years. Bennett has 21.5 in his last three since becoming a regular starter.

Anyone expecting Houston to go flying round the edge like Bennett — it aint happening.

Ditto Henry Melton. Again, Bennett is a defensive end who can play inside. He’s not a three technique convert. That’s what Melton would be. He’s also coming back from a serious knee injury.

They could go out and sign Jared Allen. In fact I fully expect the Seahawks to have some interest there.

He’s taller than Bennett and a similar weight (270 vs 274), but he’s an orthodox defensive end. The good thing about Bennett is his ability to play tackle and end, so you can line him up inside without fear while also starting Clemons and Avril on the edge.

It’s going to be tough for Seattle to find a replacement early in the draft. Kony Ealy ran a similar forty time (4.91 vs 5.00) but had an explosive three cone drill. He has similar size.

And yet his tape is pretty underwhelming and there’s no guarantee he makes it to #32 or has a similar impact. Bennett’s pretty unique at what he does.

You also have to weigh up the cost factor here. If you sign one of the three free agents named above for a deal worth $5-6m, Clemons might have to be retained on his current contract.

Ian Rapoport seems to think so…

That said, if Michael Bennett leaves would mean that Chris Clemons is safe in Seattle. Lots of dominoes on that one.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2014

Clemons doesn’t have to accept a pay cut after all. Unless you want to risk losing him too, you might have to stomach the cap hit.

If you’re spending $9m on Clemons and $5-6m on a new free agent, would you be better or worse off by franchising Bennett for $13m, cutting Clemons and putting your faith in Benson Mayowa, a future draft pick (Marcus Smith?) or even re-signing O’Brien Schofield?

Or perhaps even reverting Irvin back to the LEO?

This isn’t a criticism, I’m just throwing it out there. Again, all things could become very clear if his market is cold again in free agency and they get him back on a cap-friendly contract.

The Seahawks aren’t going to make life difficult for themselves by overpaying one player. They have a structure they believe in, and a price in mind.

Yet losing Bennett would have a major detrimental impact on the defense.

The last thing they want to do is go back to relying on a single individual (eg Avril) for a pass rush. Even an Avril, Allen and Clemons trio would be a downgrade for me.

Having reached the top, Seattle needs to keep the core elite together.

I’d put Bennett very much in that group, and that’s why I figured he’d be kept at all costs. Taking away the intrigue of the open market, by putting the intrigue on a piece paper with a Seahawks logo at the top and the words ‘SIGN HERE’ at the bottom.

In other news…

Seahawks interest in Taylor Martinez?

.@Seahawks staffer taking a look at Taylor Martinez during the @Huskers pro day. pic.twitter.com/tOHQfOLu1L

— Michael Grey (@TheMichaelGrey) March 6, 2014

The Nebraska quarterback is an intriguing prospect.

An incredible athlete, nobody really expects him to develop into a pro-passer at the next level.

Yet his size (6-1, 210lbs) and speed (electric) is worth some consideration at a different position.

I could definitely seem him being tried out at safety.

Kouandjio’s knee receives a thumbs up

Dr. Andrews sending his evaluation of Cyrus Kouandjio’s repaired knee to all NFL teams. Says knee is in good shape: http://t.co/CWtZedwx4D

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 6, 2014

I’m not sure if this news is enough to get him back into the first round mix, but it can only help Kouandjio’s dwindling stock.

Dr. Andrews’ backing doesn’t, however, provide any justification for his lousy display at the combine…

Go read this

What’s the NFL Draft scouting process really like? @FieldGulls takes us inside for a look http://t.co/fQ4EdVPeTU pic.twitter.com/dM9dq6eRKl

— SB Nation NFL (@SBNationNFL) March 6, 2014

Just a terrific piece by Danny Kelly at Field Gulls.