Today I joined Kenneth Arthur and Danny Kelly on the ‘Real in the Field (Gulls)’ Podcast. We talk draft and free agency — including thoughts on the combine, who the Seahawks might target and how to solve various holes on the roster (including cornerback and kick returner). We also touch on a topic I’m going to write about tomorrow — a 2011 trade that would’ve been very appealing to John Schneider.
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We have a great community in the comments, we just ask you keep things on topic.
Rob Staton
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Rob, back-up QB situation. If Jackson decides the league minimum isn’t enough for him and PCJS decide BJ Daniels isn’t a solid enough option, who do you see late on / UDFA who would be worth looking at?
There really isn’t anyone I’d want to recommend. I like Garrett Grayson on day three but not really for Seattle. I guess Blake Sims as an UDFA? But then as a backup possible starter I’d be concerned with that situation. I’d probably call Tyrod Taylor who is a FA. Or even Blaine Gabbert (gasps).
Jackson or Daniels it is. Cheers Rob π
I’d be fine with Alabama QB Blake Sims in the 7th round. They did give up a 7th for Terrelle Pryor last year, which we could of used on DT Beau Allen, but anyways. I know Pryor is an amazing athlete and you had to see if maybe you could unlock some of that potential, but this strikes me as PC/JS getting ‘fooled by athleticism.’ Blake Sims IMO is a superior QB to Pryor, with better football IQ and just as much scrambling/read option ability.
Rob’s right. It would be a little concerning to have him as a possible back-up starter, so maybe stash him on IR and let figure out Seattle’s system, offense, and locker room culture.
Is there a way to get a transcript of these podcasts or at least a summary of talking points? Maybe have a transcription app running during your next podcast?
Thanks
Possibly — but if you get a chance give the whole thing a listen π
I didn’t know you were British π
Jolly well am squire…
Have you faced any of the following:
Black Knight
Bridgekeeper
White Rabbit
Have you attended a London game?
I’ve attended a London game as a fan and as a journalist. Joined a media scream to speak to Gronk, and watched a miserable looking Bill Belichick walk right past me.
No worries, you were not the first to get passed by a miserable looking BB
Do you say ‘geezer’ and ‘innit’ a lot?
I do not. But I do say, “gi’oer” instead of “give over”.
As much as I want the ‘Hawks to go for a high profile target, especially at TE, Julius Thomas (IMO) just doesn’t cut it. He’s not a great blocker (like Miller), which we need for our TE’s to be at somewhat good at (which Thomas is not) and I feel we already have a (albeit, a very poor man’s version) a guy on our roster in Thomas’s mold: Luke Willson. I honestly believe spending money on Thomas is not well spent, rather go for a guy like Jordan Cameron who’s a great blocker and receiver. He can create that manipulation of play-action better than Thomas can as the defense can figure out that Thomas is a for-sure hot route/outlet than say Cameron. If there’s a FA TE to grab, it should be Cameron.
I think the blocking aspect is overstated Kevin. Essentially you’re not signing a tight end in Julius Thomas. You’re signing a mismatch nightmare, the type Seattle just doesn’t have. The offense coped just fine without a pure blocking TE when Miller went on IR and they incorporated a few more 6-OL looks. In Thomas you get a player who will concern the opponent on every down and draw coverage. That has to be Seattle’s #1 need on offense. They’re unlikely to get that type of player at #31 in the draft. Cameron also fills that kind of role. Either really can provide the spark. But I suspect the first call goes to Thomas.
I understand that but in the years of Bevell’s offenses, the TE was never had a featured role. If we look back to his days in Minnesota, only when the TE had any special role was when Brett Favre made Visanthe Shiancoe a house hold name. For a year.
I believe we need to create mismatches in between the hash marks, like NE did with us with Gronk/Edelman, and getting a TE with some hands and separation would help us get to next year’s superbowl.
The TE may not have been featured in the past, but there was also never an automatic mismatch at the TE position on the field (or roster – Minn or Seattle). Too fast for LBs, too big for DBs. Sign me up. We need someone to convert the 3rd & 6s, 3rd & 7s. Extend a few drives a game and this O could be potent
TE has never been a featured because the Seahawks have never had anyone like Thomas before. I’m a little tired of reading “the Seahawks need good blocking TEs” it’s just not true. The Hawks have had good blocking TEs because they are easy to find. They haven’t featured the TE because there are so few elite pass catching TEs, now they have a chance to get one.
Stop thinking traditional TE (or tradional anything) this is the Seahawks we are talking about. Like Rob said, he’s a mismatch nightmare and he’s something the Hawks have lacked and have desperately tried to find in their 5 years here. Thomas would be an amazing get, Hawks fans should stop undervaluing the difference maker he could be. The offense IMO is still not the offense Pete envisions. I believe a stud pass catching TE and a big, physical WR are the 2 missing pieces. We have a chance to fill both. That’s exciting.
Good point but if we continue to employ pass blocking bums at RT we need help somehow.
He was a rookie…calling him a bum is moronic
Rob, you are doing a great job keeping everyone talking about our favorite franchise and sport here in Seattle.
Please, tell us the back story of how a British guy in London gets this involved in the American game of football … and with a west coast team no less. I don’t mean to seem ungrateful for all you do but wouldn’t the Premier League be more or your ‘cup of tea’ ?
Thanks HLC,
I lived in Vancouver for a while and used to travel to Seattle. Went to a game, became hooked and obsessed ever since despite moving back to the UK. I work back home as a soccer commentator for the BBC so I do dabble in that sport too.
If you want to feel less alone in your love for an ‘other side of the pond’ sport, I will confess to being addicted to Football Manager for the past 10 years or so.
Footy manager! I remember the old Champ manager days too.
Nice, now I have something to listen to when I walk the dogs later. I been hoping you would do some of these again, always a good listen. I sure the time zone makes it hard but I hope you can do some more podcast this year.
Definitely looking into doing a regular podcast going into the draft. Stay tuned.
Rob,
Arsenal or Tottenham?
Ha! I’m very much a Yorkshire lad.
If you’re a Rotherham fan, please accept my apologies on behalf of Watford fans for Tuesday just gone. Sorry but it’s getting tight at the top of the Championship!
π Rotherham born and bred as it happens
Well hopefully we can beat Leeds tomorrow to make it up to you! I’m not sure they’re one of your big rivals but we need the three points anyway so I may as well appear to be gracious…
I am Spurs… But i’ve only seen at West Ham vs. ManU. Best of luck towards promotion.
Nobodys perfect π
π
Rob, I finally got off my behind to watch Beasley v. Crisp and got to say, whoa. Where do you project Crisp Guard or LT/RT? I really enjoyed watching his tape and don’t really get why people are so down on him.
Do you think his height precludes him from a guard spot? I wonder with Cable and his fondness for Gallery if there is a thing called too much height for him to work with at guard.
Crisp is a stud isn’t he?
He’s long for a guard and that bothers me a bit — but I think you could bring him in as a project tackle who can maybe slip inside. Just really like his upside.
Rob, I’ve looked at a ton of mocks and I’d say at least half of them have Eli Harold falling to us. The general consensus is that he’s a bit raw. I’ve always trusted your assessments, which is why I looked into him, but unlike you I’m starting to hope he’ll be there. While conventional wisdom says we have higher-priority needs, that same wisdom says you can never have enough pass rush. Is he a snap-grap at #31?
I think he’d be very hard to pass on. Real gritty and determined. Long and lean, with speed. Excellent ten yard split. Intense guy and he’d be an asset. I just think they will look to move down first. Although if it were down to me, he’s one of the players I’d run to the podium for.
I think that by the time the draft rolls around, Harold will be a highly coveted man, if he isn’t already. Crisp is a guy I like a lot. Erving as well, because I think thr writing is on the wall for Unger’s projected availability moving forward, along with his high salary. I think if you get his replacement this year, they may let him go by next season. He’s not the same player anymore, and he is now missing more games than ever. I would honestly love to get a guy like Gurley or Gordon with that pick if they were to fall, but we really do need to find cheaper alternatives to some of our guys who have high-upside potential for when we have to pay Russell, Bobby, etc.
Rob,
I love that you mentioned the 2011 trade of NE’s 1st rd pick to NO for Mark Ingram. Here is an excerpt about the Pats/Saints trade in ’11:
“In 2011, the Patriots gave away their first-round pick (#28) to the Saints for a second-round pick (#56) and a first-rounder in 2012. The Saints took tailback Mark Ingram with that pick, and he has been better than the tailback the Patriots selected in Round 2 that year – Shane Vereen. But the Patriots used their 2012 pick to move up and get defensive end Chandler Jones, who could wind up being the best player in the deal.”
In 2009, SEA made a future pick trade, trading it’s 2nd rd pick (#37) to DEN (they selected CB Alphonso Smith) and SEA received DEN’s 2010 1st rd pick (#14) to use on Earl Thomas. In this trade, SEA DID NOT receive a later rd pick in ’09, but upgraded a #2 to a ’10 #1. Having 2 1st rd picks in 2010 helped build the foundation we are based on.
Going off the same parameters of the NE/NO trade, IF the FO feels a guy can be grabbed later on (mid-50s), while grabbing a future 1st rd pick, it’d be smart with the CBA being SO cap friendly. SEA would still have 2 Top-63 picks and gain a huge advantage/trading chip with that future 1st…
The problem though, as others have mentioned, is there is likely to be no player in this draft at 31 that any team will covet enough to make that kind of a move up. There are fewer players with true first round grades in this draft than most years and a whole lot more players with true second round grades, creating little incentive for any team to trade up after the 20s and the handful of reach-for-need picks are made. It’s why you heard JS at the combine give his tongue-in-cheek comment about our pick at 31 being ‘worth a lot’. He knows it is a dead spot in this draft and about the only way to move out would be to pass on a player with a true first round grade that fell to them, which they wouldn’t do anyway.
If it’s a dead spot and no one falls to them, which I highly doubt they bank on anyways, then this pick is going to be like a Jimmie Ward selection, where everyone goes ‘really? He’s good, but 1st round good?’ And it will only bolster the fact that like Rob said, Seattle takes ‘their’ guys.
Yeah but….
Alfonso Smith wasn’t really a 1st round guy and it worked
Darnell Dockett just got released from Arizona — Rob do you think he is in play the Hawks? His entire mentality and style of play (gritty and physical) would be perfect for the defense. I think the only thing that would cause the JSPC to pause is Docketts heath.
I do. Just what they need inside.
Really hope we make a strong play here. Of course we would have to be comfortable with the medicals, but a ‘failed physical’ by AZ seems to me more of an excuse to cut him, as they’ve already stated they want him back, just at a lower cost. I’m hoping he feels jilted and hops the fence. He would just be perfect on our line
His (Dockett) tweet seems to indicate that he still thinks he’s an every down player with his comment about being the 2015 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. I think he’d need to accept a situational role for the Seahawks (not saying that he couldn’t win that award by getting 8 or so sacks for us).
The good thing with him coming off an ACL injury in comparison to Richardson or Lane is that he’s had 4-5 months of rehab prior to our guys even tearing theirs. He should most definitely be ready for the start of the season.
Dockett could have gotten more pressure on Brady a few weeks ago on his crutches than we got from our Mebane and Hill-less DTs.
I agree with Ehurd and Rob. I just think that Docket’s mentality and style of play meshes perfectly with Seattle. Definitely an upgrade over Dobbs, Cohen, etc.
Rob, very interesting listening to you guys talk about Miss St HB Josh Robinson.
Love his back-story and charisma, but what I found interesting about it was the reference to maybe using him like a Mike Tolbert FB/HB combo. IMO that role is perfect for him, and it does seem that Seattle has been trying to find that type of player after drafting Spencer Ware and Kiero Small.
Obviously he’d have to put on at least 10 pounds, but that shouldn’t be difficult. I think he’d be a fantastic weapon out of the back-field if he were used along the lines of Tolbert. Very exciting and it does sound as if Seattle has genuine interest/like in him,
I didn’t get the chance to discuss the FB option — for me I think it’s unlikely. Kiero Small is pretty much the same height as Robinson but is carrying an extra +20lbs. If he wants to play FB he needs to add weight and his frame already looks maxed out to me. I think he could be a good third down back though.
Fair point, He would make a solid 3rd down back and be a nice part of s RBBC. I just meant as a RB/FB combo type. Maybe Tolbert was a bad comp, but that was the gist of my point. Put him and Lynch or whoever on the field at the same time and he could be a lead blocker, or they could run the Spider Y-banana play to Robinson too.