The front office were right to end the Russell Wilson saga one way or another. I think some of their free agent moves have been understandable and some questionable. I’m taking a ‘wait and see’ approach overall on what they’ve done in this market.
However, I don’t think you can assess what has happened with Trent Brown as anything other than a negative. We’ve been here before, too many times.
Source: #Patriots OT Trent Brown has agreed to terms with… the #Patriots. A plot twist, as Brown ends up back where he began.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 21, 2022
How often have the Seahawks had visits with players, tried to give them the hard-sell as recruiters, only to miss out?
Look at the Bengals. They didn’t allow La’el Collins to leave Cincinnati without a deal. The Seahawks took a long visit with Brown, only to allow themselves to seemingly be used as leverage as he eventually stayed with his old team.
The Seahawks currently have two gaping holes at offensive tackle. The draft options are not great, despite what a lot of other people will tell you.
If they force themselves to take a tackle at #9 — they will be reaching for a need. They will not be positioning themselves to take the best player.
This has become a regular occurrence with Pete Carroll and John Schneider.
Too often over the years they’ve backed themselves into a corner by going into the draft with significant needs. Then, instead of letting the draft come to them, they’ve had to force things.
Sometimes they’ve even gone into training camp with massive issues at center and cornerback (2021) or pass rush (2019 & 2020).
All of the best options in round one are on defense. You have a chance to select a special talent with your top pick, even if you move down first.
Charles Cross and Trevor Penning do not possess ‘special’ qualities.
It will be demoralising to see them force an offensive tackle pick at #9 — or feel like they’ve got to somehow find a solution at #40 or #41 for a gaping hole.
They had one of the best right tackles in the business in their facility over the weekend and they should’ve made sure he didn’t leave without putting pen to paper.
Now what?
Duane Brown is talking to Carolina. Teron Armstead is visiting Miami and appears destined to sign for the Dolphins. Collins has committed to the Bengals and Brown to the Pats.
Short of pulling out the stops with any of the above who aren’t committed, the remaining options are limited to Eric Fisher, Billy Turner, Daryl Williams and Brandon Shell. That’s it.
Meanwhile the Seahawks spent a fortune tying up Quandre Diggs, to secure a combined +$30m a year average salary at the safety position, extended Will Dissly way beyond expectations and then added players like Quinton Jefferson.
As we sit here today, they have not done anything at offensive tackle. They’ll need to further add to their pass rush after releasing Carlos Dunlap. They need a linebacker and cornerback too. And there’s the quarterback position.
A week into free agency and it feels like we’re seeing the same old issues arise. The same lack of commitment to the trenches. The same inability to upgrade and improve the team — especially on the offensive line. Investing in non-premium positions while neglecting areas like the two lines and cornerback. The same misplaced confidence in their recruiting ability that never pays off when free agents are there to be won over.
For all the talk Carroll had of competing this year, at the moment they’ve got the makings of a very bad football team. It’s actually hard to imagine who could be worse right now. They have to be among the favourites for a top-three pick next year.
This is a big few days for Carroll and co. They’ve got to get this tackle situation sorted. Not as a means to win this year per se. More as a sign that they appreciate and understand where the strength of this draft is at #9, #40 and #41. Because it isn’t offensive tackle.
They’ve also got to make some moves without sacrificing their prize draft picks. Which is hard to do when you see what paltry tackle options remain on the market.
If they don’t set themselves up for a defense-centric draft in the early rounds, it will be a big error.
Trading Wilson and launching a reset was fine but they had to prove they could drive this team forward. I’m not sure the first week of free agency is suggesting they’re capable of doing it.
I hope I’m writing a different article soon.
If you enjoy the content on Seahawks Draft Blog then please consider supporting us via Patreon (click the tab below)…
Terrible news. Russ must congratulate himself for leaving right now. You can’t pay Dissly so much money and miss on a tackle.
Wilson and Mark Rodgers will be having a little side-glance at this, for sure.
Well, that is certainly disappointing.
Especially so considering it seems like the team had all the incentive and ability to bring him in. It certainly feels like it is Armstead or bust (reaching for a tackle at 9).
I’d brace for a big old tackle reach. Max mitchell? He’s got that patented can play all the positions/none of them well vibe seattle likes.
“He’s got that patented can play all the positions/none of them well vibe seattle likes.” I always cringe when the Seahawks say one of their rookie offensive lineman is versatile and can play multiple positions on the o-line.
Same. It’s not the selling point they think it is.
Hawks with nearly $45MM in dead cap this year (so far). This will most certainly be cited by fans and FO alike as a drag on the season and inability to get outside free agents.
Pay no attention to the 2021 SB Champion Rams who carried nearly the same amount last year in a lower cap season.
Russ wasn’t enough to recruit, culture isn’t enough to recruit. No one is taking a discount to stay or come to Seattle. If this team is going to be successful, they need to nail the draft and build valuable cost effective production.
And you need to invest in the right areas.
Not spend money on ‘your guys’.
It’s quite astounding really- misallocation of resources is the defining legacy of this regime it seems
On one hand, they’ve made brilliant reclamation trades and found great value in later draft rounds. On the other hand, they’ve been short of disastrous with the use of early picks, and clogged the salary cap with rotation-level players.
The O-line still remains a head scratcher. Lewis out of position so you can have Gabe Jackson at $9MM on the books and the Pocic/Fuller combo protecting your most valuable asset against Aaron Donald.
I think that’s really what makes this “rebuild” different from the early 2010s, despite Pete and John’s platitudes. They were fine when they had no loyalty to our own free agents, but once ‘their guys’ have started coming due for contracts, it’s slowly unraveled. I just don’t think they are objective in their talent evaluation and pay too much for familiarity, leadership and other opined intangibles.
Much like the Mariners, they’re afraid to spend big on outside blue chip talent and content to trade draft picks for it instead. Some wins, some losses but highly inefficient and here we are with a C grade roster, little cap space and a dwindling free agent class. I hate the mediocre approach by both franchises but it’s like a return to the late 90s. 8-9/9-8 forever.
When you’re spending a great deal of time making excuses, there is no excuse for your continued employment.
Yeah.. a real bummer to start the day.
But this time there is no Russell Wilson anymore to save a pretty mediocre to bad roster.
So I think there’s a very real chance that we will have a REAL rebuild next year, without John Schneider or Pete Carroll.
I don’t think that even Jody let’s them stay if they go let’s say 3-14.
You have to like the symmetry of a potential new regime starting with an extra first rounderer from Denver.
“If they don’t set themselves up for a defense-centric draft in the early rounds, it will be a big error.”
But Rob, errors are what they’ve done in the draft for the last 5+ years. Outside of DK and the punter it’s been one fail after another. Why would this year be any different?
DK was a gift from the draft gods.
They passed on him twice and got lucky.
I’m not sure I”m fully on board with them being total failures.
Last year’s draft the jury is still out, but there’s enough promise with Dee, Tre Brown, and Curhan (I know he was UDFA)
2020 netted them Jordan Brooks, Darell Taylor, Damien Lewis, Alton Robinson and Freddie Swain.. still don’t know what you have in Colby Parkinson. Could this draft had been better? Heck yes but could have been much worse.
2021 netted them DK, Phil Haynes, Blair, and other role players. Again, overall some big mistakes but you come away with a potential franchise #1 WR.
I’m not saying they are draft masters but they have hit on some decent and even great players. Just need to learn from their mistakes and stop trading away draft picks, to Rob’s point.
We all know this to be true…. there are going to be some head-scratchers drafted this year and some will likely never pan out but they haven’t had this much high-level draft capital potentially since 2010.
Of all the guys you listed I see only Taylor as being a truly exceptional player. Lewis might have been had they not screwed him up by switching his position. Brooks’ PFF grades say he’ll never be more than a “starter”. The rest,, depth or worse. imo.
Last year’s slim pickings I’ll agree that it remains to be seen. I have the most hope for Brown
I don’t count contributing good players, like Brooks, as failures. There are a few good contributors.
However, I’m more apt to take a long view of their incompetence at drafting the right players at the right time.
Pete and John still think they are relevant movers and shakers in the draft, while most other GMs are left shaking their heads at the bone-headed decision making on so many reaches, positions groups not immediately needed and just plain bad picks.
Could they be thinking Ickey Ekwonu or Neal are gonna drop to them at 9?
I highly doubt they had a plan. If you don’t have one at QB and end up starting Lock or trading for Ryan or Mayfield, you don’t have one at LT either.
Unless they wanted to start Phil Haynes at LT, or move D. Lewis there and Haynes at LG. I trust them to do anything.
Do they have no plan or are they utterly incapable of pivoting off their initial plan (e.g. Clowney)?
The plan of late is to screw things up in free agency until their options are grim and then either a) pay way too much for a mediocre to piss poor player or b) trade way too high of draft capitol for a still not great player.
That can’t be a plan. It. Can be a hope but not any kind of plan.
I think they’re both guards
But I get the sense there’s almost no chance either lasts anyway
“Trading Wilson and launching a reset was fine but they had to prove they could drive this team forward. I’m not sure the first week of free agency is suggesting they’re capable of doing it.”
They aren’t and it’s going to set this franchise back years imo. The good news is Jody won’t have to pay Carroll and Schneider for not “working”. It would appear she doesn’t give shit one about anything else.
I am slowly, painfully realizing the draft might not be what I hoped it would this year.
The hubris, ineptitude and downright mismanagement of the cap has become the norm.
If that first pick isn’t for a game changer and they don’t hit on multiple other picks, then we will most definitely be in a position to pick one of the top QB’s in 2023.
Unfortunately, he won’t be protected properly.
O-line protection won’t matter cuz they’ll use it on a Safety to replace the always injured peacock or a LB.
Any chance they could be looking to trade for a Tackle? Who could be available/on potential radar if so?
Jets apparently have soured on Behkton but that would cost a bit you’d think
Apparently, some guy by the name of George Fant will be given the opportunity to compete against Becton for the Jets starting LT position.
We gave 2 #1s for Adams, so a starting LT must be worth 3 #1s right? That would be PC trying to talk JS into it. The Jets would be thrilled to do another deal with us, after we outbid ourselves 5 times for JA. And again last week for Dissly. Could have used the fifth for a blocking TE.
What would this season have to look like for Jody Allen to move on from Pete and John?
I think she’s already committed to them no matter the outcome. At least 0-17 provides a top QB next year. I doubt she’ll bring in an entirely new cast alongside a new franchise QB. If she does, we might as well buy some Jets and Jags gear.
I agree with this assessment. I think when they pitched the idea to move on from Russ, surely they would have asked her for a minimum of 2 years to find the next guy and rebuild around him into contention.
Every year their free agency strategy is so muddled and unclear. What is the plan? It’s never evident from their actions. Even this year — if you want to stink in 2022, I’m fine with that. But then why sign guys like Blythe, Penny, and Al Woods to one year deals? Why spend so much to retain Will Dissly? Why are you reported to be seeking a steady veteran hand at QB?
In the early days of PCJS it felt like they had a clear vision and you could see how they went about executing it, in the draft and free agency. But over last half decade it feels like not even the Seahawks themselves always know what they want to be. I hoped Russ leaving would bring some clarity to that. Apparently it will not.
Riley Reif is a free agent. Maybe they’ll pursue him
I think it’s time to call a spade a spade. The hawks are about as desirable a free agent destination as Jacksonville.
At least the jags know they aren’t desirable. So they throw in a few extra bucks to get the guys they want…
Hurts but that’s pretty accurate. I think not knowing who they are is ultimately the problem here.
Exactly. Jags are a great franchise and get the guys they want each year in free agency and win!
There are still tackles available a lot of them look to be guys you aren’t buildin with. 33 year old journey men.
It’s absolutely the best decision *for this FO* to let Wilson go. Thst said it feels like they are making life harder than necessary because they aren’t good at spending and now you have to convince players to come here for no real viable reason.
Still would like them to sign a journeyman who is looking to get a pay check. I’m sick and tired of them going into the draft with big needs.
I feel like I can just copy and paste my free agency reactions from the previous several years. Nothing ever changes, and I keep getting my hopes up thinking that since Rob can develop a logical, well-laid plan that the people getting paid to run the organization can do the same.
I don’t expect the draft to go any better. Just as in FA, expect no game wreckers or franchise setters. Watch as elite talents screaming to be a Seahawk are bypassed as the team trades back for quantity over quality once again. Skip over first rounders and start focusing on mid-round projections the team will desperately reach for after a lopsided trade favoring the other team. My confidence in this franchise is at 2008-2009 levels.
“My confidence in this franchise is at 2008-2009 levels.”
Let this sink in. We were closer to a championship win in 2008 than we are now, and we’ve got the same braintrust at the wheel.
Meanwhile on Good Morning Football, the crew is debating whether “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is the quintessential 1980s movie. Kyle Brandt just tried to mouth-bop the theme song.
Truly the strangest timeline we’re living in.
I can’t watch GMF more than a few minutes without being annoyed by their antics. That show should be on Nickelodeon.
Desperate trade for say, Matt Ryan, incoming
Brown for one year and a RT (Lucas) in the draft and lets just move on. Looked so promising a few days ago with the thought of the Browns bookending the line. I really wanted Breece in R2 but that becomes challenging now.
If that mfer Duane signs with Carolina we will be screwed!! Frankly, I wouldn’t blame him.
There situation isnt any better then ours. I would expect we sign Brown in the next couple days.
is it shame on pc/js for the insanity of doing anything different with a free agent that can actually make this team better, or shame on us fans to expect anything different than to wait out free agency to sign a bust of a scrub to reacclimate his career?
If they were to resign Brown and draft Lucas at 40 how would you feel? It could change as we get closer to the draft but it feels like Lucas could be available at there picks.
I like Lucas but I’m not convinced he will be there
It’s looking like a trade back. Then Trevor Penning, Daniel Faalele and Tindall.
Kind of could see it. Checks a lot of boxes. Notably nearly every olinemen seattle has drafted has been bad. And now they are so bad it i’d love to see “get back to,” james carpenter, Ifedi level of evaluation again.
Pete likes size. I’ll probably start saying “let’s ride,” or whatever horse s— Wilson is selling if they draft Fallale.
I’d be surprised if the Seahawks trade back from 9, if they do I would imagine they’d stay in the top 15. JS hasn’t had a pick this high in a long time and I don’t suspect they will give that up to go back into the 20s again.. the drop off from 9 to 20 something is huge. I think they will pick, I’m just worried who that will be.
If they are wheelin and dealin down so be it. Penning is fine but I think jurgens or strange are better uses of picks.
I’m way down on Fallale. Like undraftable. The list of mountainous oline to succeed is so small and he got worked over by tiny compared to him DE’s in drills.
Really? Why would you be surprised?
They’ve traded down (or traded away) their first draft pick in every draft over the last decade since 2012 (with the exception of 2020, when they took Jordyn Brooks with their native first pick).
I’ll be surprised if they don’t.
Earlier this year Pete & John lamented on not having a top 10 draft pick for so long due to the success of the team. Now that they HAVE a top 10 pick (should be two top 10 picks but due to a stupid trade, it’s only one), they better not trade down.
Glowinski isn’t bad. He just was in Seattle.
“Nearly,” my friend. Glowinski, apparently Fant, Lewis before they started the oline shuffle with him…..I mean how frickin dumb do you have to be to trade for a RG who is going to be cut (jackson) when you have a RG rolling as a rookie?
Could be Forsythe and Curhan week 1 ! lol
I am legit ok with this, am I worried about protecting Drew Lock or Geno Smith? Not really lol. Just don’t use this as an excuse to overdraft an OT at 9… that’s all I’m asking.
True! Sink or swim young fellas
Good point.
Like you were saying Rob, still need to sign a tackle to avoid being desperate in the draft.
I’m still hoping for Cornelius Lucas. Swing tackle who’s graded well the last 3 years in PFF:
2019: 72.2 (507 snaps)
2020: 78.2 (536 snaps)
2021: 75.2 (587 snaps)
He’ll be 31 going into this season, so you could still sign him for a couple years and be fine. His last contract was 2/3.8M, so hopefully it wouldn’t take too much of a pay bump to go get him.
I’m not saying we’ll have our solution at tackle. But I am saying we’d have a guy who could handle a meaningful number of snaps without being a revolving door.
At this point I would take a cheap flier on Lucas. Lucas does have experience playing LT and RT. He is 6ft 8in tall 320 lbs and arm length of 36 inches.
Like Rob and most of you, I had no problems moving on from Russ but if I were king for a day Russ would have stayed and PC/JS would have been shown the door. I have ZERO faith in them with this rebuild, reset, whatever one wants to call it. Were they just lucky in those first few early years? It appears so and now we are about to reap the rewards of what they have sown. This will be the 1990’s again, or as we refer to it, the lost decade. Sad times are upon us.
Forget trade back. They’ll either draft a #20-30 talent at #9 or they’ll trade #9+#40 to acquire a vet. This team is horrible. Now my biggest hope is for them to neglect the OT totally, use Curhan and Forsythe draft D#, go bust with Lock and a bad OL and pick in top3 next year
People really wanted to overpay this dude that badly? You’d be rather fortunate if he gave you 10 full games next season. He’s not even elite or anything either.
As usual- in a vacuum I feel we dodged a bullet with Trent Brown. Wasn’t that interested. But plenty of right tackles were available and we shouldn’t end up in this situation again and again, where we wait to pay the last guy remaining to a bargain bin deal, and then they find a deal elsewhere.
I continue to have a nagging suspicion that ownership is limiting the amount of guaranteed money in escrow in preparation for a sale. I dont get why Pete or John would stay in such a situation, and it’s not the simplest explanation, but man they are completely unwilling to be creative with cap or be aggressive with contracts.
This what I’ve been thinking for a while now about ownership. It’s like PC/JS are handcuffed in a way.
The news of another player visiting, getting made an offer, go back to his starting point and getting matched/beat just annoys me. Two guys that could be potential trade OT targets to me would be Andre Dillard (Eagles) and Mekhi Becton (Jets). I have no idea what their costs would be, but they are both former high picks that have underwhelmed and are just sitting.
The BEST Free Agents options (not counting Armstead because of price):
LT: Duane Brown, Eric Fisher
RT: Billy Turner, Riley Reiff
Regarding needing to address pass rush, what are your thoughts on Derek Barnett? I don’t know if he’d be much of an upgrade over recent releases Dunlap, Mayowa or Hyder
Maybe play Becton/Dillard into a Metcalf trade?
Remember in 2016 the went into the season with Bradley Sowell and undrafted basketball player George Fant at LT? And Garry Gilliam at RT?
And how Russell Wilson tore up his knee in the third game of the season scrambling away from a blitz, and for a week we all had nightmares about Trevone Boykin as our QB for the rest of the year?
And how Christine Michael was their leading rusher with 469 yards?
I do.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider apparently do not.
Funny thing to me is Fant is still playing pretty good ball after we developed him for several years. Same thing with Rasheem Green.. we developed him for 4 years after drafting him at 20 years old and will likely see him be a decent player for someone else. Ugh. Draft a polished player or develop a tools player but keep him around for goodness sakes.
Don’t forget Mark Glowinski. He just got his 2nd contract with the Colts.
He’s signed with the Giants.
I’m going to choose to look at it this way if the roster is this bad and most likely they won’t have a good draft the sooner PC and JS will be fired and a new GM and HC can use the resources we have next year to start a positive rebuild
I don’t think she’ll do it. I don’t believe she’ll be willing to pay them for not “working”. I want to be wrong. We’re gonna find out after this upcoming season tho imo cuz we ain’t going any better than 8-9 with Mayfield and more like 4-13 with Lock.
How much longer is Jody Allen stuck with the Seahawks before she can sell the team?
I could see her just leaving Pete and John in place until she sells. Then let the new ownership group hire their chosen GM and head coach.
too long
I firmly believe that’s what’s going to happen. The sooner it does, the better.
Please let it be that she can’t move on until 2024.
I’m still encouraged by Hurtt mentioning they badly need a game-wrecker. They are in a position to take one. IMHO, you simply list out your best 9 players in the draft and, barring a trade offer that makes too much sense, take the highest rated player on your board at 9.
I don’t think all four pass-rushers (5 if you include Wyatt) will be gone at 9. Teams are too unpredictable and emotional to go with the logical pick every time (I throw the Seahawks in here too). I believe one or more of those “game wreckers” will fall to 9 and I’m just hoping we can take the best one available, regardless of their status at OT or otherwise.
JS, please please please just don’t get cute and overdraft thinking you’re outsmarting everyone al a Bruce Irvin, James Carpenter, Jordan Brooks, or Rashaad Penny and take them much higher than necessary… sure they turned out to be decent players but you missed on great players in the process of doing so.
Bruce Irvin could have been > Chandler Jones
James Carpenter could have been > Muhammad Wilkerson
Jordan Brooks could have been > Jonathan Taylor, Jeremy Chinn, D’andre Swift, Cam Akers
Rashaad Penny could have been > Nick Chubb, Darius Leanard, Harold Landry
Great example of hindsight bias
Wow, a lot of disappointment and unhappiness this morning! Especially after all the excitement, enthusiasm and hope entering FA and looking forward to the draft.
I for one, think we’ve done really well in FA so far. We signed Quandre Diggs for a lot less than Jamal Adams, win! We out bid the entire league for our blocking tight end, win! We brought back Kyle Fuller to compete at center, win! So what if we missed out on a LT, RT and pass rush in FA. And still need a RB, CB and LB. No worries, we have lots of draft picks!
I can easily see a great LT at #9, a LB at #40 and a RB at #41, and a great start to the draft! Have faith, it will all come together and you all will be much happier after the draft! You will see.
It’s obvious to me that Pete and John have a good plan for this team and we all should get behind them and embrace it! Good things are in store! I can’t wait to see Drew Lock reach his full potential under the astute guidance of Pete Carroll! We will be back if the playoffs and the superbowl in no time!
So lets quit the all the complaing and whining. Enough with the arm chair GM’s. It’s high time all of you get behind Pete and John and start giving them the support they so richly deserve!
Go Hawks!
I can’t tell if this whole comment is tongue-in-cheek sarcasm or not. Either way I can appreciate the positivity 🙂
Yeah we badly need a sarcasm font so we know.
I feel much better now, win! 🥳
Very well done!
Are they tanking or is this front office just that inept? After defending many of their moves the last 5 years, this offseason and the last are a joke. Horrible management of the cap, where teams like the Rams with less cap space can continue to add players and extend their QB.
Dumb 1 year contracts create instability and constant holes to fill year after year. DJ Reed didn’t break the bank as a #1 CB and yet this team balked at a 25 yr old who performed at shutdown levels on the right side.
Trusting a 71 yr old coach to rebuild rather than moving on from him and empowering your HOF QB was egregious enough but what’s happened after is even more concerning. Collins is of prime age to sign and they made no attempt.
So I’m unsure if they’re tanking for a QB in next years draft and FA’s know that and won’t sign or are they just that bad at roster construction?
“Dumb 1 year contracts create instability and constant holes to fill year after year…”
This is something I wish more writers would bring up. John LOVES to offer one year contracts to free agents, probably because he’s not confident in his evaluations. In the short term this makes sense to fill a hole, but the problem is that you’re just filling the same holes over and over (and over) again.;
The idea of spending $30 mil /yr on the Safety position, which the league values as the least valuable position on the defensive side of the ball, while not having a starting Left or Right tackle is a fireable offense IMO.
bingo
They’re not spending anywhere near $30m in cap dollars this year, unless Diggs is getting the biggest front load of a contract in NFL history.
I know it’s a fun line, but it’s not true.
Not having a starting Left or Right Tackle under contract is the clearest sign yet that the Hawks have no intention of drafting a QB early. A young QB would get killed with this OL. I wonder if PC / JS will ever figure out that the key to a functioning offense, particularly on 3rd down is a solid OL?
Watch them pass on signing an OT and then then pay DK $25 mil + /yr without a QB or OL.
Really? As cha mentioned above, they went into a season with Bradley effing Sowell as their LT and Gary Gilliam as their RT with an all-pro at QB. Their history suggests they’d go ahead and draft a young QB in a heartbeat despite having no tackles because that’s basically what they had in 2016..
https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1505914535047319559
Seahawks only sent their QB coach to Pickett’s pro day. Take that as you will.
In fairness, there’s not much reason to think that SEA would get a full season out of Brown: Throwing out the COVID/IV weirdness of 2020, he played in 20 of 33 games in 2019 and 2021.
That being said, SEA struggles with properly valuing offensive lineman. Their strategy of setting a market value and not going beyond that is correct. This isn’t as inflexible as it seems: Assuming that the salary guys apply basic principles of finance, their interest in a given player diminishes as market value approaches. So, when a player receives an offer that exceeds market value, continuing to bid for him in theory hurts the team. The issue is that their methodology for determining market value appears to underestimate the market for offensive lineman (and for whatever odd reason, overestimate the market for tight ends).
As a result, they either don’t get in the game for top FA starting linemen or miss on guys when they do. Then it’s on to bottom fishing in the free agent market and–until they show otherwise–poor talent evaluation in drafts. That’s how you wind up with a disaffected franchise QB and a frustrated fan base.
FWIW, I’m reasonably certain that SEA applies an inverted version of a hurdle rate when evaluating the value of players. While this is admittedly speculation on my part, I’ve been a Schneider-watcher for a while now, and it’s impossible to miss how firmly they stick to their definition of market value in contract negotiations. More on hurdle rate here: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042415/what-relationship-between-hurdle-rate-marr-and-internal-rate-return-irr.asp
Outstanding post. Didn’t fill me with hope for signing Reiff or Fisher, etc. but maybe as time goes on their market value will drop to the level the Hawks have determined to be their max, That wouldn’t be bottom feeding imo, especially Fisher. I have little hope for this however as I’ve seen their approach to “building” an o-line for a long time now and it ain’t been good. Another year of Ethan Pocic and Kyle Fuller speaks to this as well.
Excellent commentary right here. Thanks for sharing!
You may very well be correct with them sticking to their market evaluations with o-linemen. Which is fine except for the fact that their market evaluations for other less important positions seem to be way of and then end up paying well above for them. Add in the fact that if(and when) their staunch stance on not paying certain positions much money(o-liners, cb’s, many d-liners etc) causes them to miss out on free agents then they often end up with really bad players or overpay in desperate trades.
It’s not rocket science- stay where you are in the draft and pick solid proven players, pay for the occasional top tier talent in free agency to add(not fill a hole) to your roster to win and otherwise keep the good players you’ve drafted as best you can with most of your money.
I a waiting to see how much NE gave Brown before passing judgement. I for one, am fine with this assuming he was asking Seattle to overpay as leverage to drive up NE’s offer. I am tired of overpaying for oft-injured, best days behind them players. Same for Duane Brown. Why are we pushing for older vets here instead of letting Curhan and Forsythe play for a year. Let them struggle. Let them grow. See what you have. Who cares if Lock is running for his life all year? They are going to be running the ball 60% of the time anyway.
Then let’s use our high 2023 pick to go get our franchise QB and use all of that extra cap space to bring in vets if these two don’t pan out. I still think Seahawks are going to pick DE/LB with their early picks. They really have no choice given then rest of their moves. Agree that over drafting a LT with #9 would be bad but I honestly don’t see that happening.
Rob, love this website, excited for your new one, and really enjoy this forum. Many great takes.
Trent Brown has problems staying on the field. I am not sure that this is a “huge miss”. I do think that PC&JS having interest in Brown is the more troublesome story here.
Despite their excuses and Russell’s comprehensive analysis, make no mistake, the Seahawks chose to trade Wilson. They had 3-4 years of team control without so much as a discussion with Mark Rodgers via Wilson’s existing contract and franchise tags. Russ would not have “held-in” as it would have been completely counter intuitive to his “brand”. So, the hawks chose to jettison Wilson and his entire show.
While I agree with trading Wilson, I think all of their moves subsequently show that they did so for the wrong reason: the validation of Pete Carroll. Pete walked away from this franchise altering event validated in his belief on how to run this team. For those hoping for a change in philosophy on and off the field or in the draft, you are in for a rude awakening. PC is going to double down because he feels that he was right all along.
Sorry folks, they are not rebuilding! They should, but PC/JS are not. It’s going to be more of the same. Overpaying their homegrown favorites, under valuing OL and CB, over valuing S and TE, and making a complete mockery of the draft. Why, because the meglo-maniac that is Pete Carroll feels validated.
Yes, the draft will be a disappointing mess where they will inexplicably trade back or over-draft players that they magically grade higher than anyone else. It will be difficult to make sense of it, much like their approach to free agency.
They should be blowing this thing up and accumulating as much draft capital as possible over the next couple of seasons. Instead, they bring in a youngish RT with injury and fitness issues? Sign a re-tread DE? Re-sign (and overpay) a 35yo+ DT and a blocking TE that also cannot stay on the field? No, no, and no! Why re-sign Diggs? He was your best shot at a decent compensatory pick. He is not going to make a material difference in the outcome over the next 2 years while you rebuild?
The only “why” to all of this has be that PC&JS came no where near losing their jobs (as they should have been made to feel). Instead, Ms. Allen bolstered their hubris and sentenced this team to an even deeper hole.
So do not fret about being the South Alaska Seahawks that are used annually by FA looking to score a better contract anywhere else, our problems run much deeper. Jodi Allen needed to clean house and find a GM and HC that could take the franchise treasure and build for the future.
She chose more of the same and we all need to resign ourselves to rooting for it. I have been doing that since 1976, and I am incapable of stopping now. Ugh!
Now they really need to extend Duane Brown.
LT –> sign Brown, see what you have this year in Stone, plan to draft a LT in 2023
RT –> Start Cuhan, draft Lucas @ 40
This approach allows the team to see what they have in the young guys on the roster now and add through the draft. Not all is lost, we just really need to re-sign Brown to play LT.
The OT situation is annoying but I’m not really down on the situation. Maybe they turn to Fisher. Probably they retry Shell and give Curhan and Stone big snaps. My ideal first 3 picks doesn’t change though. Jermaine Johnson, Abe Lucas and Channing Tindall. I know that many would like to go into the draft with no needs but I think they can still build young and cover their weaknesses in the draft
Trent Brown using the visit to Seattle as leverage to get a deal from Pats. He even said that before he visited the Seahawks. We would’ve really overpaid for him to come here.
We will have 5 guards in our oline new approach. Our QB will be no one just wild cat.
How can I take seriously a HC who claims he wants to make his team bullies again, but then prioritizes a backup TE over a starting OT?
How can I trust a HC who claims he wants to reinvest resources in the trenches, only to tie up a THIRD of the total defensive cap in the S position?
So far, this offseason is a microcosm of all of their offseasons over the last 6-7 years…some good moves, some bad moves, some record scratch moves, but mostly meh overall. Like treading water, but slowly sinking.
😥
What is the hold up on the Diggs deal? I hope we are backing out. I know he is the leader of the defense now, but we could really use that money in the trenches.
I’m fine with this turn of events if it ends up with Abraham Lucas being taken at 40 or 41. I’d rather go young on both lines and really build this for the long haul.
I realize that I am a tad confused on the direction of the seahawks.is Germain Ifedi still available? Pete talk about second chances correct. By the way Rob Deshaun Watson got the largest guarantee contact in the history of the NFL. mind boggling does he have like 20 possible lawsuits pending. Giving up all the draft choices D Watson hmm
OT from the o-line talk, but has been in my mind a lot.
Rob- you feel Chenal would be an ILB right? Do you think his pass coverage is good enough? Read an interview from him, (and don’t recall if you asked him) that he felt most comfortable as an off the ball linebacker when asked if he could play on the edge. He obviously is a great thumper, would keep Brooks clean, and give pass rush, but is that what we actually need in 2022?
Seems like a more balanced LB who can provide some pass rush, more pass coverage and athleticism would be a better fit. At the least it makes me wonder if some of these guys that you have to project their coverage abilities will fall a bit further than expected. The Donta Hightower sized ILB’s of the world seem less important these days.
Following up on this, came across a really good article regarding the Steelers linebacker situation. We won’t run the same system, ours should be expected to use more balanced inside linebackers. But the Steelers have one inside linebacker in the buck role as a thumper, and they can be taken advantage of in today’s NFL. Their job is important, to smack guards and blow up the POA and let a guy like Bobby Wagner or Patrick Willis clean up the play with speed and instincts. Obviously they tend to give up coverage ability to take on 320 pound offensive linemen play after play, and offensive coaches can target them. And we sadly have three coaches in the division that emphasize finding the weakest player and exploiting them.
From steelers depot article:
“Today’s offenses force that Nickel CB into as many snaps as either the NT or the Buck, and maybe a little more. Three different players for the number of snaps that used to assigned to two.
And it’s even worse than just the inefficiency of needing 12 “starting” defenders when only 11 can take the field at once. Offenses actively design their game plans to force the weakest of those three defenders onto the field, while forcing the strongest one to sit on the bench. See a defense with a low caliber NT and a good slot Corner? Expect to see a heavy formations that will win by dominating the trenches, pushing the CB off the field, and exposing that meddlesome Mack ILB to free blockers. Field a defense that’s weak at the Buck ILB position? All those snazzy OL blocking schemes will operate unencumbered, forcing the Mack ILB to punch out of his weight class, and the Nickel CB to take on RB’s headed downhill. Do we even need to mention what happens when the CB-3 is your weakness?”
This resonates. I see our nickel corner, our 2nd inside LB, and our nose tackle are going to be sharing a lot of snaps. Poona will probably kick inside to play nose on passing situations, subbing a better pass rushing DE, the second inside linebacker will come out, and the nickel will come in. And we play a lot of nickel!
More from Steelers Depot
“…there are only so many draft picks to go around, and you simply cannot spend the really premium ones on part time defenders an offense can remove when they start to play too well. Which brings us full circle to the Buck ILB position. Old fashioned ILB thumpers still get picked because you can’t do without them, but they go a few rounds later than they used to. Genius being the exception, of course. The dream of a true, 3-down Buck ILB who can bang and cover with equal facility keeps draftniks like me up at night.”
Unless the linebacker we draft in the 2nd round can eat up blocks with regularity and hold up in coverage, I’d way rather find a 2 down guy later to develop.
The caveat perhaps is that if the inside linebacker could kick out to play the Sam role on passing downs. Instead of the ILB coming off the field, they kick outside to replace our second OLB sacrificing size for coverage, assuming the ILB still has some pass-rush juice. Nik Bonitto comes to mind or Chenal of course.
I think given his speed and agility testing, Chenal can pretty much play anywhere
Me (in head): Well Leo Chenal is more explosive than agile…. reality: OH holy pro-day.
Missed that completely, good god those numbers are insane. While, I think my point regarding two down linebackers stands, clearly THAT does not include Chenal.
6’3″ 250
4.53 40 (87th percentile among LBs historically)
1.55 10 (92nd)
34 bench (99th)
41 vertical (97th)
10’8″ broad (95th)
3.94 short shuttle (99th)
6.84 3-cone (91st)
Upside of not paying for good FA tackles:
Maybe they squeeze that Day 2 pick out of Cleveland for Mayfield now and have him and Lock play rock, paper, scissors to see who dies that day.
Does anyone know the deal TB got from the patriots? If it’s too much money then it’s too much money. I guess I feel like we are going to draft a tackle in the second round (or maybe third) anyhow. Lucas? Raiman? Mitchell? There seem to be some good prospects in the second wave of tackles. Pick 40 or 41 seem like good trade down positions as well.
Salk had Lance Zuerlein on and talked about the QBs. Here’s the money quote on Willis, despite mocking him to the Seahawks in his last draft, he’s pretty sober about him and the current Seahawk roster:
https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1593413/nfl-draft-analyst-lance-zierlein-seahawks-qb/
Adendum.
I’m tired of the unless you believe in them crap.
Who cares if JS believes in him. Teams believe in qb’s all the time.
Let’s say Willis is mahomes and Allen…..okay great. You take him at nine. He sits behind no one because we don’t have a decent to get vet like alex smith to roll with and then proceeds to get absolutely wrecked like Derrick Carr before him because we don’t have the following:
An oline
A running game you can trust
A defense that can stop anyone so Willis will play hero ball with brutal time of possession disparities.
I rather like Rasheed Walker at #109. Throw him in camp competition at RT with Curhan and may the better player win. I’d be ok with that.
Not sure Walker lasts to #109 though. Too many OT-needy teams with comp picks at the end of the 3rd. Might have to jump back into the late 3rd, or trade down from #72.
I’ve seen several comparisons to the Mariners approach to free agency. I thought this little write-up demonstrates the parallel quite well:
https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2022/3/21/22988027/seattle-mariners-jerry-dipoto-and-the-winners-curse-free-agency-robbie-ray-trevor-story
Summary: avoiding the FA overpay is perfectly okay so long as the team hits on drafts, player development, and can get value in trades.
Dipoto has been good at drafting, had good international signings, and made great trades. Yet, 7 full seasons as the Mariners GM his team has never been in the playoffs. That said I trust Dipoto as the Mariners GM more than I trust Pete and John for the Seahawks.
I think it’s just a philosophical comparison and that’s where it ends. MLB doesn’t play with the same fixed league salary cap. Players have much longer careers, there are D-leagues, different wage scales, etc.
This team is a mess. Honestly, I’d be okay with 1-15. For the last few years, I’ve been totally underwhelmed by Pete as a coach and talent evaluator. I’d love to know if JS is to blame for a lot or only a modicum of this. I’d like to see a disaster this year because it will spell the end of Pete. I’d like to give JS a chance at another year, but we shall see. Is there another team that I should start to root for? Guess I’ll root for Buffalo again because last year was so gut-wrenching for them. 13 seconds. Never forget that.
No way the Seahawks go 1-15! 2-15.
I’m worried about LT but I’m really not worried about RT. Jake Curhan blocked like a man’s man in the running game last season as a rookie. I don’t think his PFF grade is appropriate to the eye test he passed for me. He was an UFA and blocked like a man in the run game. Pass pro improvement needed, but that’ll happen with a year in the league. But when you’re a team who wants to run and have a road grader at RT – that’s a good thing.
I too would prefer they get younger at O line moving forward. Curhan was ok last year, hopefully he improves. Stone Forysthe was projected to go in round 3/4 last year. Maybe a year of watching and learning Brown will help him! Still need to draft another guy this year and let them compete.
Ooops posted this in the last article
For a 2022 3rd round pick
Falcons absorbing an eye-watering $40.5m dead cap in this deal.
I’m sorry? Say again
That $40.5m is actually a reduction of $8m or so from what it would have cost to keep him on his current deal.
Eye-watering $40.5m dead cap hit is an understatement. Makes you wonder what the thought process is here?
Dump it and start over.
They have $62m total dead money this year. Almost a third of their cap, thanks to Ryan and Julio.
Actually Cha, this is on the Falcons FO, not the players. They were the ones to offer the contracts, the players just accepted them.
Indeed
Excellent write up and summary of situation Rob.
Unless they somehow come away with Fisher at LT & Williams at RT it’s looking ugly. Sadly that feels incredibly unlikely. Typical Seahawks Free-agency.
I remember Zuerlein having Stone Forsythe as a 3rd-4th round draft pick.
Rating 6.27 a rating of 6.30 or better suggests eventually plus starter.
Comparison was Nate Soldier.
Forsythe seems to fit the mold of a Rams LT. Mayybe Seahawks feel more comfortable with Forsythe than we do.
Zuerlein was bearish on Curhan, but was correct having him as UDFA.
Rated as bottom of roster or practice squad; Yet he became our starter for the end of the year.
Pete raved about him & they liked to run behind him & Jackson.
In regards to the draft.
If its the difference between picking Jermaine Johnson & Forsythe starting at LT or drafting an OT to high; I’ll go with the former.
Regardless it will be interesting, I’ll hope we go defense with our 1st 3 picks unless Lucas somehow falls to 40.
On a positive note maybe Atlanta goes QB at #8 now.
It does throw a curveball into what Atlanta does. I don’t think they’ll pick a QB. Might be more likely they pick someone that they think is a defensive cornerstone.
There is literally one Offensive Tackle less than 30 years old with starting experience and available in free agency according to PFF — Germain Ifedi at just under 28 years old.
Maybe he’d give us an old home town discount? 😉 Nah.
Have to say I agree with Robbie. Eric Fisher is likely our last best hope at competence. Maybe Riley Reiff, but at that point I’d be just as content to give Curhan and Stone a shot to get there lumps for cheap.
IF the Hawks do elect to gamble on their untested youth, Quessenberry looks like he could be a strong swing tackle/6th O-lineman role player. Still, D. Brown and Shell feel most likely – especially Shell.
One more gripe. We are paying Gabe Jackson more than Connor Williams who just signed with Miami. Williams is younger, cheaper, and better.
I’d prefer going with Haynes at LG and Lewis back at RG. Then move on from Gabe Jackson.
I would love to see a youth movement like this. It’ll be terrible for the QB, but great for Penny.
I wonder if we could get a 6 or 7th rounder for Jackson? Would trading him help the cap at all, or would it need to be a post-6/1 move?
Ryan signed off on a trade to Indianapolis because he felt like the Colts have a roster that’s built to win now.
he felt like the Colts have a roster that’s built to win now
built to win now
So what you’re saying, in a nutshell, is that Ryan believes the Colts are built to win now.
Real question is, is Matty Ice going to be able to take them to the promise land?
Actually that was the echo of nobody saying that at VMAC
Ryan to the Colts huh? The Baker Mayfield era in Seattle draws nearer. God I’m so excited.
🙁
I wouldn’t be surprised if Atlanta make a move for Mayfield.
Lord knows they just cleared up enough cap space moving Ryan’s contract.
Maybe not, cha?
OTC has them at $71,282 of room (that’s thousands, not millions).
They’ll pick up about $9m in savings from the Ryan trade.
So, conceivably, if they want to work the cap some more and Cleveland can eat some in the trade.
But they’re in the same spot as Seattle. What does Baker get you this year that you don’t get with another cheaper retread?
There’s also this fwiw:
Looks like Colts get him at roughly $23MM cap hit in 2022 and $28MM in 2023.
…and the Browns think one year of Mayfield at $18MM is worth the same or better value.
Reported that Atlanta area good chunk of his contract and that they’re looking at Mariota with an eye toward next year’s QB class.
ate a big chunk
Stupid big thumbs
You’re too fast for me SeaMode
Certainly seems like a pretty sure thing at this point, doesn’t it?
Finally one of those situations which PC/JS should be good at: waiting it out and letting the good deal come to them once they are the only suitors left…
Perhaps TB never intended on signing with the Hawks regardless of the amount offered. He may have needed a little leverage to get as much as he could from NE.
We really can’t fault JS & Co. because we don’t know what was offered. Besides, it’s going to be a hard sell to woe any offensive talent to a team that just traded away their franchise QB.
I can fault PCJS for never prioritising with salary the O-line. Maybe go all-in there instead of safety and tight end?
Given the front officers behavior and performance in free agency and the draft since 2013, how could anyone expect an outcome different than what is unfolding? Hope may spring eternal, but logic says a Leopard doesn’t change it’s spots.
This roster has been nearly completely ruined over the last decade by PC and JS, and it’s far more likely they utterly whiff on their draft picks gained by losing Wilson than it is they manage to rebuild.
Losing out on Brown is so Carrol/Schneider it’s not even funny anymore. I’m prepared to see them draft another Ifedi in the first round, and blow their second round picks on another Collier and a LB.
We’ll hear after the draft how GB was after our guy, and other teams called trying to trade for the guy we drafted…and what a Playmaker the guy is….
The next few years until the team is sold and PC/JS get fired will be the longest, hardest in Seattle since the Behring Dark Ages for longtime fans..
💯
I truly believe this about how it’s going to come down
Cowherd calling Seattle a “mess of a franchise” a couple of times today and literally laughing about what the QB room will be like with Mayfield and Lock. Call him a blowhard all you want, but this is the view of the franchise more and more form people that aren’t buying the Pete Carroll line of bullshit.
It’s always important to put Every Cowherd comment with an asterisk*. * this is the opinion of Mark Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Take every comment with a grain of salt.
Much like my favorite all-time Seattle high school football game wrecker, Nate Burleson, Cowherd is a diehard Seahawks fan. Neither can gush as much as a regular fan, being that national audiences wouldn’t be so accepting.
That is the reason he still talks about the Seahawks, on a consistent basis. Not many other outlets give much air time to Seattle after the Russ drama was concluded. Cowherd still likes to put in his two cents, even though the rest of the NFL media has moved on and considered them a non-story.
The guy echos what a lot of disgruntled fans have been grumbling about, for years.
Well, Wilson and Rodgers would be spot on again regarding this OLine. Just not good enough.
Not sure the problem with having a top three draft pick next year, seems ideal, given all the dead cap space this year etc.
See what you got with Forsythe and Curhan, add a later OL pick or two this draft, also could resign Duayne brown Agree stack up on Dline during early rounds of this years draft. Get a top three draft pick next year maybe you can get your franchise qb without having to trade up. Then work on attracting free agents the following year.
Maybe there was no way Trent Brown was ever going to sign here for any amount of $, just setting a price for NE.
Maybe this is the plan they had in place for trading Russ.
Superbowl run 2024!
Probably safe to slot a pass-rusher to Atlanta at #8 now.
I just can’t see them going anywhere else. If they’re smart then pass on QB. Why would they take a WR? They don’t need an OT. They need an Edge. Jermaine Johnson or Travon Walker seems primed for them.
It does seem like Wyatt is there for us. If we want to pull the trigger on him.
The Jets are one of the teams Wyatt is supposedly scheduled to see for a team visit. So, if we don’t take him at #9 maybe the Jets take him at #10.
Every offseason I feel like the Seahawks Front Office needs to review the Jar of Life theory.
The big rocks are OL, DL/pass rush, QB.
The pebbles are RB, WR, CB.
The sand is non-pass rush LB, TE, S.
They refuse to stop investing in sand, and thus have no room for the big rocks.
https://youtu.be/Bvvw2yy-dn4
Frosty Westering came to my High School when I was a senior and gave that Jar of Life speech.
The nicest football legend I have ever met.
Penny wearing a classic Seahawks nylon jacket with a Union Jack patch on it for his interview. Clearly a nod to Rob.
Austin Blythe has cauliflower ear. That’s the life of a wrestler & an interior OL.
Not gonna lie, I like this. Donald credits his dominance to wrestling, maybe this could give some help to blocking him.
Justin Britt was a former wrestler. Britt got under the skin of Aaron Donalds one game, so after the game Donald went out of his way to flex on Britt…but before doing so he put on his helmet. lol
Good man
He also confirmed he turned down a better offer from a different team. I think we should take a moment to celebrate someone who actually gave the Hawks a home town discount — even if marginal.
[Connor R] And just like that, it feels like BOTH Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett could go in the top 10 of this draft.
https://mobile.twitter.com/ConnorJRogers/status/1505970249618837507
Yes please!
Teams should panick and draft QBs and we hopefully pass and get the gamewrecker Desai and Hurtt want.
I don’t know if I buy that. I wouldn’t be shocked if that happened though.
Yeah I’m not really buying it either, but sometimes teams do stupid decisions on draft day😄
And if they could choose between say Jermaine Johnson and Wyatt, perfect
Not if one of them comes to us.
I’m not buying QB’s in the top-10 this year.
Jameis back to NO. 2/$28, 21 guaranteed
Mayfield landing spots getting smaller. I would trade for him for nothing with the Browns eating say $16m of his salary. Might be the best they can do.
It really has come down to Seattle. All the other teams with a need at QB – NO, Indy, ATL – now look set. Who else is there? Philadelphia? Not likely. Any other spots?
I think what was discussed in the Live Stream yesterday is much more true now than it was yesterday: the Browns have absolutely no leverage.
I still hope the Hawks avoid Mayfield. But they could make a pretty crazy demand and the Browns don’t really have much recourse.
Oops. Forgot that the Panthers also don’t have a plan at QB.
Hopefully they sweep in and pick up Mayfield. It would be great to have idiocy of the great state of Florida save us from spending resources on a horizontal move.
While OT and QB are premium positions, neither necessarily needs to be addressed this offseason at all; or forced at #9.
You just want to make sure it aligns with the arrival of the QB. Be it in 2022, or more likely, 2023.
I’d lean QB + OT as the primary goals with the considerable assets in the ’23 draft.
Though, looking at mocks and rankings, Lucas/Smith/Raimann could last until the 40s.
I disagree about OT. There are only 2 OTs on the roster – Curhan and Forsythe. Even if they manage to retain Duane Brown, he’s a one-year bridge to someone else, who may not be Forsythe.
They need to add an OT in this draft, unless they resign Shell and Brown. That’s why I share Rob’s fear they may jump on a Penning or Cross at #9.
And while we’re at it, they can’t sleep at C either. Blythe is also a stop gap, not an answer. Two big holes with uncertain solutions on OL.
I suppose it depends on what your goals are for 2022. If you have a terrible season in 2022 and your stop gap QB gets beat up in part due to a crappy OT situation it’ll certainly suck to watch. But I’m not sure it necessarily hurts your long-term outlook for 2023 and beyond.
That said, the effort put towards Trent Brown seems to indicate that they are looking to address it this offseason; or at minimum, one of the spots.
But, if for 2022, they have to plug in short term pieces like Fisher and Shell to function as opposed to getting some long-term answers, so be it. 4 picks in the top 60 in 2023 should allow you to get a longer term answer at at least one of the OT spots.
You might be able to get a long-term RT at 40-41 this year, and then a LT with the later of the 2023 first rounders.
Just a guess, but I think Cleveland is not going to trade Baker Mayfield until after Deshaun Watson expected suspension is over. I think Cleveland is expecting a 4 to 6 game suspension for Watson.
Of course having said that, Baker Mayfield will probably be trade to the Seattle Seahawks next hour.
They can’t have Mayfield in the building.
That is impossible now
Browns acquired Brissett in anticipation of a Watson suspension.
Unless Seattle is prepared to do some Cam Newton/Andy Dalton-level dumpster diving, Mayfield may be the only option left. The Niners certainly won’t trade Garoppolo to a division rival, and Mariota is likely headed to Atlanta.
I’m happy they didn’t sign Trent Brown. His injury history coupled with the cost wasn’t worth it. The Seahawks obviously aren’t going to be a playoff team for at least 2-3 more years, and if we signed Brown for 2 years that’s not going to help us by the time we might have the QB situation worked out. If Shell is healthy we should bring him back, and for a lot less than what we’d have to pay Brown.
Fine — well let’s not visit with him then and get Shell signed
If they intended to sign him for only 2 years, then I’d rather not sign him. I thought they may have brought him as a long term solution for RT.
The negativity around here just never ends, on and on and on it goes…. You all aren’t seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! This is all part of Pete’s and John’s plan.
Don’t sign any talented players in FA, cut all your DE’s and just add role players. Go with Eason and Lock at QB and then nail the draft with a lot of young talented players. Then let the chips fall where they may during the regualr season.
Lets be honest here, the current team with a bunch of rookies on it are going to be lucky to win a game or two. This is clearly the worst roster in the NFL, hands down, no one else is even close. This almost assures the Seahawks will have the #1 pick in next years draft giving them their pick of QB’s!
I mean think about it, what sense would it make for Pete and John to build up the O line, sign a stop gap QB and a pass rusher in FA. So they can win 5, 6 or 7 games this year and most likely miss out on the top QB prospects next year?
Start stocking the shelves this year in the draft, get your QB next year, make a big splash in FA along with another strong draft and they are right back in the mix!
You all need to get onboard here. Whats more important, win 5-7 games or the first pick in next years draft? We should be celebrating our additions in FA!
Go Hawks!
I think some of us are down on the team simply because this looks a great deal like more of the same. No change in organizational philosophy, just a worse QB. However, I take an issue with your idea that winning 5-7 games is pointless. I see it as the opposite. Firstly, tanking is not a realistic strategy for Pete. It’s antithetical to his whole philosophy. Secondly, I think you underrate the value of winning even a few games. It’s not about record, making the playoffs, or draft choices, it’s about culture. It’s the reason Brian Flores refused to tank. You play to win so that your players understand what the expectations are, so they know how to win, so they think like “winners.” It’s the same reason we didn’t tank in 2010, or 2011 under Carroll. Sure we were bad both years, but you saw the bully being built. Winning mattered still because the players wanted to win, wanted to compete. When we finally added a QB, we hit the ground running. If you build a bad team and lose games, it hurts the confidence and development of the guys.
One gigantic problem with your post. “Go with Eason and Lock at QB and then nail the draft with a lot of young talented players”. They haven’t ‘nailed’ the draft in eons and their poor moves in free agency set them up to have to both reach in the draft for needs and give away picks in trades to try to fill holes they had from poor drafting and free agency practices.
The problem is that the Seahawks will do what they’ve always done. Pete will panic and we’ll trade the future for temporary relief to win a couple games and be the ‘best of the worst’ teams.
I wouldn’t put it past the Seahawks to draft a QB or OL at #9 instead of taking a great defensive line prospect and then next year, use a top 5 pick on a late first/early second edge rusher while also still having a need at QB and/or tackle.
Personally, I want them to bring in another qb through free agency, draft a rookie qb late, roll with Lock and see what happens. If we’re gonna suck, we can at least embarrass the 49ers.
You know I agree with most of whats been said here. Building a culture, their drafts not being good, poor moves in free agency and the bad trades. Its all true.
Its just hard to imagine that they went into this off season with really no plan at all. I mean it sure appears that way across the board so far. So I thought I’d have a little fun with it, because otherwise its facing the reality that Pete and John really don’t have a clue and things may get much worse.
But in all honesty, the most important player on the team is the QB and they have a huge hole at that position now. So I’m fine with them only winning 1 or 2 games this season because if they can’t get a franchise QB, than no matter how well they do everything else, it most likely will not matter.
It’s both exciting and terrifying lol
I’m just hoping that they treat this like they should be, a down year with fresh hungry players as bright spots. Then we can use the draft ammo to get that new qb, I worry about Pete staying somewhere in the middle ground.
So maybe Pete doesn’t want to tank, but as he doesn’t have final say on personnel anymore maybe this is Schneider’s way of implementing a tank season? If I recall during that interview only Pete was saying this wasn’t a rebuild. Schneider remained quiet on that front.
If I recall correctly, and I think I do, if I recall recalling correctly, this was exactly the concern with keeping the PC/JS tandem – their way of doing whatever it is they do. Allowing them to trade away the cornerstone of the franchise and then to spend the proceeds as they saw fit had disaster written all over it in capitalized bright red letters. It arrived like sunrise – on time and without fail.
But, I’m not blaming Pete and JS – we know who they are at this point. If you want to be “in it to the end,” these are your guys. They’re in the process of re-re-re-running their past near-decade of team building – inexcusable FA whiffs, wtf was that? draft picks, until eventually reaching training camp with glaring holes at multiple positions, followed by endless sunshine pumping about getting out there and really getting after it. It’s what they do.
Jody Allen did not buy an NFL franchise. She didn’t ask for this and didn’t seek it out, but here she is. She has apparently surrounded herself with advisors of some sort who assist in the decision making process regarding the Seahawks and Trailblazers. Both franchises are either in or heading for the toilet. She’s in an untenable situation where her interests do not align with the hand fate has dealt her. Win or lose, the value of both franchises will continue to accelerate, so obviously things are going swimmingly…right? She can’t be forced to sell and we have no idea whether she actually plans to do so in the near or long term.
Pete will continue running the Seahawks as sort of his retirement project – the little something in the basement to keep him busy and out of the wife’s hair – for the foreseeable future.
The one positive that comes from this is the idea that Pete will be on the sideline for the beatdowns to come this fall. He’s going to get a real good look at what giving a backup TE $24m and pumping $30m/yr and two first round draft picks into the safety position and running an elite QB out of town because he wanted to be *checks notes* better, and trying to nickel and dime his way through free agency has brought. I look forward to the perplexed looks and rambling post-game answers about how no one saw this coming.
Except we saw it coming.
Please, Jody Allen, sell the team.
Also, my offer from last night for Mayfield stands, except there is now no pick 229 going to Cleveland and the Browns eat the entire $18m.
Seattle gets: #44, #78, Mayfield, Cleveland eats $18m
Cleveland gets: Jamal Adams
Mayfield gets flipped.
The Browns are welcome to hold onto him, if they wish.
Hell, I’d take the deal without #78 and dedicate one of the three 2nd round picks – #40, #41 or #44 – to the best S on the board, like Nick Cross, Kerby Joseph, Bryan Cook or Dax Hill (in order of preference, unless somehow Lewis Cine was magically available).
No discounts, but yes, DT, DE, LB, S would be a great first four. I’m getting a RB with #78.
Which one?
Pierce/White/Walker in order of preference.
I like this thinking, but if Bakers contract was 1 million there’d be a lot more interest! If they want to eat the money they can just release him. If Adams is worth a second and third go get em now regardless of random QBs! Hell I’d take on Bakers money and give them for #44, let alone 78!
“Pete will continue running the Seahawks as sort of his retirement project”
(as folks have called it here already) The Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll’s personal vanity project
This is our life as fans now until the teams sold in a few years. We must learn to accept things for what they are and not dwell on the negatives. Focus on the positives!
well AL i dont think there are any positives here with the fo as it is now and i bet you money they screw up the draft too.Hell ill just start watching the BRONCOS and RUSS.This team is not going anywhere with JA in charge along with PC an JS just not happing
Well, I think watching the Broncos and Russ is a positive! I plan to watch them if for no other reason than to offset the pain, suffering and disappointment that will be the seahawks this year…
Sadly a very true post. And a stark reminder of the probable reality of things from the top to bottom of this franchise. So frustrating.
Thumbs up bigly. You’re right on.
Could the Falcons pick a QB at 8? As it stands they have a worse roster than us and will be serious competition for a QB in the 2023 draft unless they take one this year.
I guess it depends on what they think of Mariota as a long-term answer
Or what they think of this year’s QB class as potential long term answers
I don’t see their situation much different frankly.
Zippity zoppity
Hey SF! No picks for you! I hope Garapollo is stuck there.
Good for Atlanta, bad for us. We’re gonna be competing with ATL for the top QBs.
Garoppolo! I forgot he existed. I can’t believe the 49ers held on to him. Going into the season with two QBs isn’t the worst plan, I guess.
Panthers will get Jimmy G.
That was fast! Hope he knocks it out of the park!
Does anyone know if our d-lineman will be asked to one gap or two gap for our 3-4 defense?
I don’t think we’ve heard anything definitive, but it seems likely it will be pretty varied. Fangio’s system runs both, and actually ends up as a 4-3 under a lot of the time. Staley’s modified system which we may run, further improves the pass coverage and uses “a gap and half”, you can read more in the link.
https://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com/2021/10/one-one-and-half-and-two-gapsa.html?m=1
I have a gut feeling we trade for Baker Mayfield, Wouldnt put it past this front office to complete F up this rebuild…. or are we retooling lmfao
Hey! they get a second chance to F this up!
“We’re close”
Mayfield has a lot of leverage to get his release or traded for next to nothing. One less potential landing spot with Indy out of the market.
If he ends up on Seattle it won’t be because they gave up anything significant to get him.
He probably wants to lay low, but he’s also really good at acting by athlete standards.
What do the Panthers do now? Rhule has to win this season to save his job, and they have no Day 2 picks to offer the Niners for Garoppolo. Mayfield? Willis or Pickett at #6?
Good point, he doesn’t have time to build a defense and wait. At least if he gets a young QB, he could sell that to management to give him 2 years maybe.
Since pessimism seems to be prevailing the last few days, I’ll volunteer to be the devil’s (PCJS) advocate:
We’re not an attractive FA destination right now; there are hardly any options for us to improve the lines, as most players are old or retained by their former teams. PCJS are accepting that this is a rebuilding year, and they’re ready to roll with a shoddy line and Drew Lock for a year. They’ll draft best players available and amass as much young talent as possible for now. Pete knows it’s time to churn and be patient.
They tried to sign T. Brown- he said no. Who else do you want? Is it not better to roll with Forsythe and a rookie for a year than blow 10m+ on an aging vet?
I am perfectly happy to roll with Forsyth provided they don’t force a high draft pick at tackle as a consequence
Amen! If they think Forsyth and Curlan can do it, that’d be the best option. And it hurts a lot less to try the experiment and competition when you don’t have a 30 million man in the backfield…
Maybe that is their plan, thought bringing in Trent Brown at a discount who could be a good option to give them more time to develop those two, but he’d unlikely make it through the whole season. So you would still get to see them anyway.
Now you just gotta have faith, add a Walker or Eze later on and see what you’ve got.
If I knew that was the plan I’d be fine.
Instead we get a month of thinking please don’t F this up
100% agree if Jermaine Johnson or Thibodaux are there & they take Penning or Cross, I’ll feel like throwing my remote at through the TV.
Much prefer rolling with Forsythe & Curhan, then go best available with all our picks.
100% agree with this. I don’t want to see us passing on a top edge rusher if they’re on the board.
/q/ PCJS are accepting that this is a rebuilding year /q/
Except that they have categorically denied this.
That is where the pessimism/angst/worry comes from. Maybe they have to say it in order to have ANY chance with outside free agents, but what’s the point? Players aren’t dumb and know how the league works. We aren’t going anywhere without a QB.
They should be embracing the rebuild and attracting young role-players with a promise of competition and a chance to start like in 2010/2011, but they think they’re close. They think they can make the playoffs with this roster. THAT is why we view each move with such skepticism.
Re-post on my part but I’m surprised no one is talking about Penny being re-signed. Rappaport says one year deal for 5.75 million, up to 6.5 with incentives. I personally don’t like the price tag, you’re not even paying for upside/projection – your paying for hope with his injury history and you have to expect real missed time coming up.
My guess is there weren’t any mid to longer term deals for him with any real money attached so he took the best money with us.
I agree… but apparently he took a pay-cut to stay here though, which seems odd.
Yeah but don’t we have to question if that’s just more Seattle media cover for paying as much as we did for him? Supposedly ‘turned down more money from elsewhere’ could just mean he didn’t take a three year 6 million deal with almost no garunteed money…
It’s more than I wanted them to pay, but at least it’s only a one year deal.
I want a solid RB drafted who can rotate in this year and get his bearings, maybe surprise us by taking over the RB1 spot, then coming back next year as the starter.
I’ll take him at his word that he was offered more elsewhere, but I would’ve liked to see lower guaranteed money with higher incentives. We know who he is and how wrong this could go, but so does he – ergo the contract they ended up with.
I’m sunk in pessimism right now. Rob’s stalwart vision of hope is a welcome tonic. How about a Kickstarter campaign to finance a banner to be flown near the stadium on gamedays:
“JODY: HIRE ROB STATON! “
Or T-shirts, with proceeds going to SDB?
Silly, I know, just trying to think positively. Cheers.
How about a banner that reads:
“SAVE US, CHRIS HANSON!”
So….. Russ liked SOME of his OL, apparently. Get ready for Stone on the right side….
Or the left
Don’t worry we didn’t care about OLine even when we had franchise qb.
💯
I know, that confuses me. Force your way out from the team that refused to put together a quality OL to protect you, then immediately turn around and recruit your former OL to your new team…
It’s definitely funny, but to me it’s been clear the issue was not a bad o-line, it was a lack of power and trust. Dan Patrick baited the “getting hit too much” conversation out of Russell. All he said was sometimes I hold the ball too much and we could also get better up front. Shell is a decent player, I don’t think Russ would be calling up Sowell or the like.
It wasn’t as much about the offensive personel as it was Pete’s Philosophy.
Pretty much confirmed at PCs presser. You could also listen or read Greg Olsen’s comments on PC & the offense. Sounds like Russ felt personel was fine, just needed to be used to it’s potential & not held back.
No big surprise, Shell visiting Broncos. One tackle less.
Shell was the very definition of average and injury prone. Whatever.
Curhan was an UDFA and looks like a potential starter at right tackle now. At this point, as long as they can add promising young defenders, I’m ok with going as cheap as possible at Oline
Curhan has shown to be a good run blocker but a poor pass blocker.
As is tradition.
Any chance Panthers take a gamble on Willis at 6 and Atlanta takes a stab at Pickett at 8? Perhaps Corrall at 8? Sounds insane but I’ve seen corrall mocked to us at 9… great scenario for Johnson to fall to 9, especially if Houston goes with Hamilton instead of Thibs.
Yeah, not sure I really care about protecting Drew Lock.
I understand your sentiment, but come on now…. He’s likely to be our starting QB, and I don’t think he’s done anything to warrant ill will from the fanbase.
I don’t think he’s the long term answer, but he at least deserves a shot. At the most basic level, it would be nice to keep developing a functional offensive line. And the team can’t really evaluate him (or anyone else) if the line is a sieve. But even if he continues to show he isn’t anything more than a backup, I hope he gets a fair shot to grab the job and run with it. The team needs to put players into a position to succeed, and I’d hope fans would embrace that as well.
“He’s likely to be our starting QB”………..a cold shiver just we t down my spine.
God how depressing.
So, you’re saying that your spine is about to Fiesz?
We’re heading back to the 90s Mike! Ahhhh, the memories…
Great athlete, physical CB. Seems like someone the Seahawks might like.
https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1506018521276428293
Attitude. Color me impressed. He checks a lot of boxes.
– Speed
– Attitude/Chippy
– Physical
– Explosive
Good shout out!
I just watched some of his highlights. Geez he is full of tude. I’m in. He likes to talk and has a lot of traits. After the LOB era left, a lot of the dog, swagger, and attitude left with those players. Bring on JJ. Bring on Mathis. Bring another LB that is mean.
Bring the attitude era back! No more of this PG era. No offense to nice guys like Shaq Griffin and Cody Barton.
F.Y.I Rob, you got a shout out on 710 today from Jake. apparently, you changed his mind on pass rusher from Thibodeaux to Jermaine Johnson
Sweet! What time did that happen?
(PS — I like both players)
between 12-1 pm local time
1230 or around then
If anyone can locate it on the podcast, I can’t find it anywhere.
Kind of hard to give a care anymore until this team changes owner, Front office and coach. They appear to not know what the hell they are doing. Another year of drafting “what the hell”?
I’m trying my darnedest to withhold my vitriol until after the draft. I’ll feel better about a lack of urgency in free agency if they can stick the landing drafting a new core. That would show there is truly a plan to commit to a real rebuild.
For now, I’ll just stew, and give them a reluctant benefit of the doubt. “They have done this before” is enough for me to hold out some hope.
if you cared during the God awful 90s, enjoyed the solid years of Holmgren/Hass, lived through the Mora year while hoping for better, and enjoyed the PCJS Super Bowl, then you should.
Conditionally caring based upon whether times are good or bad is a bad look. Players, coaches, and management come and go over the decades; it’s bigger than that.
My family is generations of Lakers fans; it’s bigger than who’s in the uniforms or coaching, it’s about that purple and gold. For better or worse.
Let’s wait and see how the land lies after after draft before we are ready to assume 3-14 shall we.
Interesting the lack of any buzz whatsoever on Rasheem Green. He wont be coming back here due to scheme fit but I havent heard a peep on him.
It just confirms what most of us know about him. He’s just not good. No matter how young he is.
There is a lot of frustration and anger among the fanbase that the front office doesn’t really have a plan. I’ve had the same reaction. I’m wondering if the problem is that we are listening to Pete Carroll.
In Pete and Schneider’s press conference it was annoying to hear them continue to talk about ‘Running It Back (TM)’ and always competing and whatnot, despite the fact that the team was clearly not a contender. When they said this stuff toward the end of last season, I was worried that we were looking at the worst case scenario for a front office: inability to accurately gauge the true talent of your own team.
My perspective was that it was pointless to try to win again next year, and that its better to start a rebuild one year early than one year too late.
However, the Seahawks behavior is completely inconsistent with any reasonable definition of “we’re going to be competitive.” Coming off a bad year, they’ve gotten worse in almost all areas. They traded a franchise QB without a good replacement. They’ve cut Bobby Wagner and Carlos Dunlap. And they’ve not brought back DJ Reed, Gerald Everett, Rasheem Green, or Brandon Shell. Additions to the team – Artie Burns, Uchenna Nwosu – seem more consistent with a rebuild.
The Seahawks are much worse now than the team that went 7-10 last season. The notion that they are trying to compete this year is pretty ridiculous. None of us would suggest this was the case if Pete and John hadn’t repeatedly indicated otherwise.
The point of all this: I don’t think we should put much weight into what Pete Carroll says right now about the rebuild. He’s a coach, and his job it to get the most out of his players. I think he’s pathologically incapable of stating outright that this team won’t be good next year. That probably serves him well in his job as coach, but isn’t a realistic reflection of the broader organizational plan. The team’s actions suggest they are embracing the rebuild. The only moves that seem inconsistent with Diggs and Dissly. In this case, I think the Seahawks just might like those guys more than people outside the organization.
We’ll see how the rest of the offseason unfolds. I’d like to see more evidence for an underlying plan, because I’m curious about what this might look like. But I don’t think the front office harbors any delusions that this is a playoff team. If that was their perspective, this offseason would look much different.
Well said, Jerry!
I would’ve like an embrace of the rebuild and a focus on bringing in young, cheap rotational players with a chance to grind and compete a la 2010/2011, but we seem to be spending our way to nowhere. While the roster seems to have stalled out, I actually still have confidence in Pete’s ability to motivate a box of spare parts into mediocrity. I’m not so sure our record falls much from 7-10 in the end. I hope we bottom out and spring ahead next off-season, but I just don’t think it’s going to happen. I just hope PCJS don’t completely blow the next two drafts and leave us on a cardboard foundation.
I found it interesting that they haven’t told Blythe whether he’ll be playing Center or Guard. Ugh…..
Browns trade gets even worse for them.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1506032811253420037?t=bIiWU1FCpamDGekDXXy1EA&s=19
Any thoughts on CB-Zyon McCollum? His testing numbers look pretty damn good, but from an FCS school, is he a potential CB developmental project worth a day 3 pick? I’ve seen online that he had 13-INT. & 46-PD’s – In his college career, (although in FCS). + He has 30-3/4″ arms, but then he is very fast and was #1 at the combine with his shuttle & 3Cone testing. To me, he’s a very hard one to figure out.
2022 Combine: 6’2″/199, 4.33/40, 39.5/Vert, 3.94-shuttle, 6.48-3Cone, 132.0-Broad.
Thoughts?