Walter Thurmond, Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Byron Maxwell, Jeremy Lane.
The Seahawks drafted all five between 2010 and 2012. All five were day three picks.
Since then, the well has run dry.
Cornerbacks Tharold Simon and Tye Smith never made it. Since Smith was taken in 2015, the Seahawks have only drafted one pure cornerback in the subsequent five drafts (Shaquill Griffin). Tre Flowers was a safety convert with the ideal build for what the Seahawks look for — but he was no corner in college.
They’ve drafted a number of safeties — Ryan Murphy, Tedric Thompson, Delano Hill, Mike Tyson, Marquise Blair and Ugo Amadi.
Murphy never looked like making the grade. Thompson struggled before eventually being cut. Hill will fight to make the roster this year. Tyson is long gone. Neither Blair or Amadi made an impression as a rookie (despite some overly positive reviews).
For a team with such a rich early history in developing defensive backs, it’s strange how things have come to a shuddering hault.
There are plenty of theories as to why. Are teams drafting Seattle-style cornerbacks earlier, in an attempt to mimic their success? Is it down to coaching — with the Seahawks no longer having Kris Richard as a position coach? It could even be a lack of options, especially in terms of the cornerbacks. In the 2020 draft, there were hardly any corners that matching Seattle’s preferred profile.
They’ve tried to solve the problem with astute veteran acquisitions. The Quandre Diggs trade looks like a steal, provided he can stay healthy. Bradley McDougald has never been given the credit he deserves for a really solid spell as a starter and leader. The Quinton Dunbar trade has promise, although it’s still unclear what his status will be for the 2020 season following his arrest on suspicion of armed robbery.
Even so, the unit as a whole — like so many areas on Seattle’s roster — faces a crossroads.
You can make a case that the only three positions with any degree of long term security are quarterback, linebacker and receiver. Everything else — running back, defensive line, cornerback, safety, offensive line and even tight end — has a question mark.
This further speaks to where the roster is. A lot of names on a sheet built up as competition — but not enough solutions or talent at key positions.
I want to focus on the future of the secondary today.
Shaquill Griffin certainly improved in 2019, highlighted by this review from PFF:
Griffin earned a coverage grade of 77.0 that ranked 14th among qualifying cornerbacks, and it stemmed from his ability to make plays on the football. He forced incompletions on 14 of his 66 targets this season for a forced incompletion rate of 21.2% that ranked second among all cornerbacks with 50 or more targets.
He also made the pro-bowl for the first time as a replacement.
Griffin’s out of contract after the 2020 season. Given Seattle’s recent record on drafting and developing cornerbacks, they’ll be wary of letting him walk and needing to find a replacement. Especially given their preference not to use high picks at the position or spend big money in free agency.
At the same time, what exactly is his market?
Presumably his camp would point to recent contracts dished out to Darius Slay and Byron Jones. Slay is now earning $16.7m a year in Philadelphia, with Jones on $16.5m. Those are the two top contracts in the league — with Xavien Howard ($15m), James Bradbury ($14.5m), Patrick Peterson ($14m) and Marcus Peters ($14m) following.
Griffin could, not unfairly, point to those deals and expect to be paid in that range. Yet it would be a considerable sum to commit to a player who, while improved, has not shown to be much of a playmaker or difference maker.
He’s not a field-tilter. He’s a solid starter. Ideally, he’d be a really useful #2 cornerback. So far, however, he’s not proven to be a bona fide #1. In three seasons he has only three interceptions in 45 games. That’s incredible. Two of those picks came in one game against a struggling Mitchell Trubisky. The other came on a truly horrendous pass from Drew Stanton — where he somehow managed to throw it so close to both Griffin and Earl Thomas, they almost ran into each other.
Hopefully his 2019 improvement is the prelude to an even bigger jump in 2020. Yet he’s also three years into his career. This might be what he is. It’s possible that he improved to a peak level last season. We’ll find out in a few months.
Unless they’re willing to make him one of the top 2-3 paid cornerbacks in the league now — a new deal before the season seems unlikely. They need to see more. There’s also no motivation for Griffin to accept a team-friendly deal when he could cash in next year.
It means they run the risk of losing him and creating another hole. They have the protection of the franchise and transition tags of course. The franchise tender was $16.3m this year with the transition tender was $14.1m. That provides some security, especially with Chris Carson the only other realistic candidate for either.
Quinton Dunbar is also a free agent at the end of the 2020 season but it’s pretty hard to talk about tags given his current situation. He’s also missed 14 games in the last two seasons and needs to prove he can stay healthy if he even makes the field before we talk about possible extensions. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility though that the Seahawks lose both their provisional starting cornerbacks after 2020 or need to invest major money to keep them.
Tre Flowers is now battling for playing time. We’ll see how creative the Seahawks want to be to fill their nickel role which has been left totally ignored so far this off-season. Carroll says they have a plan. It could mean Dunbar or Griffin shifting inside when they want to play nickel — with Flowers coming on to play outside. They could work game-to-game depending on matchups too. Yet despite complaints from many fans they appear destined to remain mostly in base defense given they’re spending $25m on Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright this year and just used a first round pick on Jordyn Brooks.
Certainly they should have a more serious plan than simply hoping Ugo Amadi improves at nickel. The Green Bay playoff game was an alarming wake-up call that this is a safety converting to one of the most difficult positions in the game. There’s nothing wrong with trying to develop him into a nickel — but we also have to accept there’s serious work to be done here.
At safety, they have an above average starting duo in Diggs and McDougald if they can stay healthy. Many fans are desperate to see Blair overtake McDougald. Certainly for the investment (round two pick) you would hope that was possible. Yet all Blair really showed as a rookie was the ability to hit — which wasn’t a surprise to anyone who saw his Utah tape. He seeks out contact and delivers sledgehammer tackles.
That’s a huge boost and something Pete Carroll clearly cherishes. For all the talk among some fans about Carroll’s conservatism, he has a child-like exuberance for the fundamental ‘exciting’ things a game of football can produce. He loves, like many, a beautifully executed deep throw, a scrambling quarterback extending plays, a running back breaking tackles and fighting for yards after contact and the raw, legal violence of a bone-crunching hit.
We’ve also seen, through Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and Kam Chancellor, how those three elements can provide the foundation of a Championship team and truly energise a whole roster.
Yet Blair’s ability to provide the hits can’t come at the expense of poor execution of the scheme. Seattle’s defense isn’t complex. It doesn’t use a ton of exotic blitzes and formations. It demands discipline and everyone has to be in the right place at the right time. Mastering the scheme is crucial and for anyone wondering why Blair didn’t play more despite his exciting hits — there’s your reason.
It’s not overly concerning. Earl Thomas’ year one struggles are well publicised. Thomas was simply too good, playing in what amounted to an expansion roster in 2010, not to start. Chancellor was redshirted as a rookie. The fact Blair struggled with the scheme isn’t a big worry at the moment. Now he has to take a big step forward in 2020 and get on the field. If he fails, the second-guessing over Seattle’s trade-down fest in the 2019 draft — taking them out of range for Johnathan Abram — will be rife.
This is a key year for Blair who must take a step forward — just as much as L.J. Collier. They were Seattle’s two highest picks last year — before even D.K. Metcalf. They should feel pressure to contribute.
Quandre Diggs provides the best combination of talent and value on Seattle’s entire defense. His cap hits this year and next are no higher than $5.5m. If he plays most of the regular season games and continues to perform well — he might be the first to receive an extension among the group. He has quickly established a leadership role and has flashed competence, toughness and playmaking.
Bradley McDougald is a free agent at the end of the season. He turns 30 this year but it’ll be very difficult for the Seahawks to let him walk if he continues to perform to the level of the past two seasons and Blair fails to make an impression.
The one thing every member of this group has is a motivation to play well. For Griffin and Dunbar it’s about a new contract. For Blair it’s about proving he was worth a second rounder. For Flowers it’s about showing he belongs having been essentially usurped as a starter. For Diggs it’s about developing into one of Seattle’s core players and potentially earning a large new contract in the off-season. For McDougald it’s staving off the younger competition and earning a third contract in Seattle. Amadi needs to show he can be make the nickel position his home.
This can be a good thing. It certainly feels like the Seahawks are banking on that added motivation making up for some talent deficiencies elsewhere.
It would’ve been nice to see a highly motivated secondary also given the protection of improved D-line play. To their credit, the 2019 secondary forced 10 interceptions despite their top corner recording zero. Seeing how they’d perform with a much improved pass rush on the field would’ve been interesting.
Alas that might not be the case. Yet some of these players have to emerge as long term solutions for the Seahawks. They have to increase the number of trusted core players beyond the commitments to just Wilson and Wagner. They can’t be spending $60m a year on hopeful punts and journeymen. They need to start finding players who warrant being part of the foundation of this roster.
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There’s hope with Blair under the mentorship of Bam Bam this off-season. It can’t be stated enough how much of a sponge Chancellor and the other young DB’s were when they had Lawyer Milloy in the secondary.
It can’t do any harm but it’s up to Blair to learn and get this down.
“They need to start finding players who warrant being part of the foundation of this roster”
There it is. In a nutshell. The honest truth. Well done! Without that they’re whistling in the wind. They can have a winning record because they have RW but they won’t reach the top.
Wilson, Lockett, DK… they’re good. Studs.
Brown is another stud on offense but he’s old. Still, he counts.
Dissly could be good/great. We don’t know. Depends on health.
That’s it offensively (unless you argue for a RB who has been hurt for 7 years in a row at some point in his season for the team he plays for).
Defensively, Reed is like Mebane. He’s good (though the style they play are different). A complimentary piece (like Mebane was when he played with Avril, Bennett, Clem). That being said, Reed is terrible as a #1 DL option like I see him now (but a great 3 option – except these Seahawks don’t have good options).
Wagz is a stud.
And nobody has the potential to be a “core” player on the backend of the secondary besides Blair. Diggs is good. McDougald is good enough. Griffin as a stud CB? Huh? He’s Byron Maxwell in his prime (a guy not good enough to be considered a “core” player) who you let leave in FA because he’s not a stud. Only studs should be paid. Griffin isn’t that.
What else? Sure, we have a good punter. Good for us.
Rob nailed another post – as usual.
Depressing off-season.
Funny part is this team could actually win the Super Bowl because they made a good pick in the 3rd round in 2012. If Wilson had been drafted before the Seahawks picked in ’12, I wonder who our coach and GM would be these days? Because there’s no way………………………….
Yes but that’s like saying that if they weren’t good they’d be bad. It’s a sterile line of argument.
Rob, in the secondary you missed out on mentioning Justin Coleman. I think that letting him walk was perhaps the worst decision that the ‘hakws have made in the last couple of years.
He got paid big money when they didn’t have big money to spend.
Identifying members of the new core…that is the priority. Well stated Rob.
To me, the current core of the Seahawks is Wilson, Wagner, Lockett, DK (a bit premature maybe but I have a good feeling), and Duane. Wagner and Duane are getting old for their positions, which really only leaves us with 3 core players going forward, all on offense!
If healthy I think Diggs becomes a core player for us going forward, and I’m hopeful Blair can take the next step to be a core player but this is just hoping on my part. Griffins biggest problem seems to be INTs, if he can start getting some more INTs to go along with his improved coverage he can also be a core guy, but if he can’t do it after 3 years maybe he just never will.
Hopefully we got a new core Oliner in Lewis but of course way too early to know.
Excellent observation Rob, about every player in secondary having motivation to perform in 2020.
The Justin Coleman and Bradley McDougal acquisitions have been impressive. The Q Diggs and Dunbar acquisitions may also look brilliant by end of 2020 with health and legal freedom respectively.
Whereas the Tedric Tedric and Lano Hill picks didn’t work out, at least Hawks seem to be able to eventually see lack and make acquisitions from other teams to replace disappointing drafted players. Hopefully they won’t have to go this route with Blair and Amadi
thanks rob!
the secondary is what excites me most the about next year – hopefully just a lot of fun to watch.
we are missing one piece on defense, clowney/griffen. and two pieces on offense, gordon at WR3 and a backup LT (but who doesn’t need this). we these additions i would feel very (very) good about this season.
i think we can still add 2/3 before the season (goodbye wright), then draft an LT in 2021.
not so worried about 2021 contract situations (yet).
They won’t cut Wright. That’s not happening now. It would’ve been done by now.
he’s had the surgery… stranger things have happened. clowney > wright.
It doesn’t matter.
There is no way they’re going to screw KJ Wright.
We’ve been over this already.
What are people rooting for in here when it comes to the secondary?
Safety:
A) Blair wins the strong safety spot over McDougald
B) McDougald wins the spot and Blair shows promise and looks to be the starter in 2021
Corner:
A) Griffin and Dunbar start outside and one of the two slide inside in nickel and Flowers takes over outside
B) Griffin and Dunbar stay outside and Flowers is the backup and someone else plays nickel
1B (Growth and depth, it’s a long season)
2A (Flowers continues to grow)
This one’s for you Rob
A totally nothing ‘report’.
She didn’t even mention her phone.
That was perfect! Funniest line I’ve read in a while.
No news until late July is my prediction. Until he can get a physical, no deal will be forged with any team.
It’s not about the medical.
That’s always been a red herring.
He can have a medical tomorrow if needed. Everyone else who has signed has.
This is all about what he believes he deserves financially.
if it was ever an issue – it sure isn’t anymore. things are opening up. the nba is starting up. same w the european soccer leagues.
down here in LA – they just opened things up again for TV productions starting next week. they now have covid tests (not inexpensive) that you can give all parties, and know the results in 40 mins.
i’m really pretty stumped by this Clowney situation. and it’s frustrating. wish i knew exactly what he wanted, and where the impasse really lies.
If he can have a camera crew film him working out and do an interview to try and convince teams he’ll be ready to go in the middle of the pandemic, he can do a medical. This is about him deciding how much he wants and who he wants to play for on his terms.
Yep
Yes, just like in Houston. We should not have been caught off guard.
Thanks Rob, good piece. It feels like the current state of the roster is attributable to two things. First, there have been too many misses in the draft. Too many choices of players that either weren’t as good as Pete/John thought or didn’t respond to Seahawks coaching. These errors get even more magnified with the subsequent trades made in order to cover the holes caused by poor drafts. The team is left in recovery mode every year and we lose extra draft picks, salary cap hits or both. The second thing would be that the roster fillers the team invests in to help cover the depth issues also tends to be sub-standard. There are exceptions but overall, we’re left with a much weaker quality of roster, especially over the last five years. They really need to hit on their draft picks/free agent signings for several years in a row to get themselves back on top. The question is,!do they really have the right people throughout the organization to make this happen?
The secondary should be a STRENGTH this year. But there are many questions that NEED to be answered this season. With Dunbar and Griffin the Hawks are set at Cornerback. However there is a Cloud of darkness hanging over Dunbar. He could and probably will be suspended. I hope not. And no doubt he will appeal if he is suspended. So Trey Flowers will get playing time. I look for Ugo Amandi to improve at nickel/slot corner. The BIG question is how much will Blair improve. Blair as got to get on the field to see what he can do. Blair IS a PLAYMAKER. He is hard nosed, tough, physical and fast. The question is can he learn the defense? Can he read formations? How good are his cover skills. From what I have read Blair tends to bite on play action. To overcome that he must get his nose in the film room. Blair has the talent. Can he produce?
I’m a bit higher on Griffen – in that I think his improved play last year puts him at a level where you can call him a legit #1 corner on a good defense. I think they’re going to have to pay him if he plays at the level again in ’20.
You’re spot-on re Blair. Sure hope the rest of his game catches up to his hitting. To stay good, you really do need to find solid starters in the 1st and 2nd rounds – at least Blair flashed something last year, Collier really didn’t – – and upward development from the two of them would be such a big deal for the team.
Really good article, Rob. Thanks. Lot’s to think about and what our secondary has to offer for the coming year. I think Griffin is at his peak and don’t expect much more from him at this point.
Love this article! I’m glad you’re doing some stuff like this in addition to the previews of prospects for next year.
Rob, I’m not sure if you would like to cover this topic, but would you be willing to do a small piece on the premier league strategy for reopening/operations and compare/contrast that to the NFL specifically ( NBA/MLB if you have time).
examples:
MLB has a reduced (if we are lucky) schedule and truncated draft / post season
NBA is going to likely play all their games in Disneyworld and have a modified playoff format
NHL is doing some type of 2 location round robin tournament and forgoing continuing the regular season.
NFL seems to be trying to go full steam ahead, without much of a preseason.. and 16 game regular season… full playoff format.
I just find it curious how each league is tackling this unique challenge of returning to play.
MLBs commissioner just said, they will play and they have to be finished by November.
MLBPA proposed a 89-games season.
Off topic, but the Mariners just drafted Emerson Hancock from UGA, the best arm available, IMO.
MacGoo, you’ve done it again! That was a great, great read, Rob. Thanks for that one.
As long as they stay in base they’ll struggle.
There is not an LB on the roster who could effectively cover Kittle or a slot WR. And very few even in the whole NFL.
Better WRs are fast like 4.4 or even faster, they move fluid, they mastered the routes. For RB screens and against the running game it is OK. But if SEA stays in base, I’d just line up an RB or TE and 4 WRs…and good luck. If they play man with a base just put your most quick, fluid, best route runner WR to the LB’s spot and you should just win everytime. But even if they play zone, I doubt any of our LBs could cover a quick direction changing WR with a decent QB. It’d be like 5-6 yards free always.
I’d rather play big nickel. Diggs deep, McDougald middle covering and let Blair roam near LoS sniffing out screens, short crossers and handing out crazy hits.
The criticism of the base defense is lazy and overstated.
Check the league stats on how teams perform vs the 3WR sets in base vs nickel. You’ll be shocked. The Seahawks have data on their side here.
https://twitter.com/fo_aschatz/status/1261072503004372995?s=21
And just because you play predominantly base doesn’t mean you have to put a LB on Kittle in two games. You can adjust however you want. But here’s the thing. There isn’t a defender at any position on the roster who can match up 1v1 with Kittle. It’s why a fantastic tight end is such a valuable weapon in the modern NFL.
Rob,
You may have already addressed this, but what are your thoughts on Cody Barton’s coverage skills against TEs? Getting stiff-armed by a QB probably doesn’t help the argument but that could be a rookie fluke?
Barton needs to play a lot better in year two.
The fact they used a R1 pick on a linebacker says it all.
Rob, are you planning to write in depth break downs like this for every position group? That would be wicked sweet!
The Clowney situation just keeps getting more head scratching to me. Recent reports are that Cleveland offered him everything he wanted in a contract, and Seattle offered a 1 year $15m deal, both of which her turned down. So basically he wants a mega contract from a top tier (top 4-5 in NFL). Im not sure he understand how teams like that work. Teams that are top tier like that (typically) dont have the mega money he wants, and teams with the mega money have it because they haven’t used it elsewhere and aren’t a top tier team.
A quick look at remaining cap space and there aren’t many realistic teams left. Indy (maybe pending how Rivers works out there), Seattle, SF (this thought made me sick), and Tenn…who have basically said they are out.
As much as we’ve been asking “whats the plan?” of Seattle…I have to wonder the same thing about Clowney right now. Whats the plan? Is it score the big pay day like Cleveland reportedly offered, or get on a contender like Seattle? There aren’t many options to do both.
I suspect Clowney will just pick from the remaining one year options right before camp and just play for next off season.
I think that’s probably right. And i’m also (pessimistically) thinking that his team will view Seattle as having kind of poisoned the well by not stepping up w the right multi-year offer, etc., and he will go somewhere else.
complete speculation of course.
Rob, of the handful of teams that would be in the running for Clowney come camp time, do you put the Hawks up there as your favorite still? If you had to make a guess.
I can’t call it
Last year Clowney waited until the last moment and he came out smelling like a rose. So when he didn’t get the offers he thought he would. He was not in a hurry to sign a deal. But now it looks like Clowney this time around is going to get burnt. As Kenny Rogers says.” You’ve got to know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em.”
Yes. I want Clowney back. But to be honest. I would like to see what some of these young gunns can do.Cliff Avril is mentoring some of these guys. You gotta love a guy like Avril.
To me the Hawks still need to add another run-stuffer at DT. Asking to Poona Ford and Jarran Reed to hold up over a brutal 16 game (plus the playoffs) schedule is asking way too much. The Hawks have depth everywhere except at the run stuffing DT position.
BTW:Rob. Nice article.
Still can’t believe the Hawks picked Blair when Taylor Rapp was available. Blair needs to really step up this season.
Taylor Rapp ran a 4.7…. otherwise I suspect he would’ve very much been on their radar.
Yeah I know that’s probably why they passed on him. Rapp was coming off an injury which no doubt affected his training leading up to the combine. Watched both Rapp and Blair quite a bit in college. Rapp was by far the better football player.
Don’t think you can blame any injuries. He just isn’t fast.
Yeah, but you can bet he runs 4.7 with pads on, while Blair won’t.
This whole testing is overstated, Rapp passed the eye test and fell, because he had a bad pro day. That he made no excuses tells you everything about the guy. The Rams took him for peanuts and he was a starter at a competitive position after game 7.
There will always be players we bite our arses for. This season, I bet on Ash Davis, hands down. Or Trevon Diggs. Possibly both.
Or maybe he’s just slow and you’re wrong?
And you’re acting like he’s already an established player. He isn’t. There are question marks.
you guys that have a better scheme/film eye than me: were they playing even softer than normal last year? Seemed they were playing not to get beat deep even more than previous years. the underneath stuff was wide open last year.
We ran more zone and less man than any team in the league, by a pretty wide margin. You can’t run base 4-3 and ask Kendricks or KJ to cover the slot.
We MIGHT have Dunbar to allow for he or Flowers to man the NCB, but we also spent a 1st on another LB. So I’m not sure if we will run as much zone as last year, but I’d expect to be at or near the top of the league again in that regard.
I know this is a tough time for everyone, but if anyone is able to or wants to, there’s a GoFundMe account for my little brother. Can donate anonymously as well. If not, I completely understand. Just thought I’d share that. I’ll post the link. Love ya SDB.
https://gf.me/u/x7yf3n
May he Rest in Peace. God bless you
🙏🙏🙏
So sorry for your loss. Love and support to you ❤️❤️🙏
I’m so sorry man. Strength and peace for you and your family.
I am so sorry for your lost. 😢
May he Rest in Peace.
Just thought I’d share an analysis of the value of a pass rush from the website FiveThirtyEight. Interesting data to backup what we know intuitively of the value of a sack. But interesting (to me) that pressures don’t contribute as much to interceptions as I would have guessed though are still of value.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/exactly-how-much-does-a-great-pass-rush-hurt-an-offense/
Such a strange position for the team. They are fringey contenders so i can see them sticking with the vets like McDougald, KJ etc, but for any long term success these young guys need to play. Not just that but play without fear of getting pulled. Experience challenges, make a mistake, correct it. I don’t think it would fly well with vet leadership for a straight replacement, but 50/50 split or specific packages for Flowers, Blair and Amadi. As you said, they are the only guys guaranteed to be here next season. All have shown flashes. Tre played pretty well culminating in a great Vikings game before he hit a wall. Still not too bad for his second year at the position. Rotating with Dunbar and staying outside when Dunbar plays an inside match up should not be a stretch. Blair clearly free lanced some but you cant deny his knack for play making, which has been sorely lacking in the secondary. Big hits, 3rd down pass defensed v Ravens, should have been pick v TB in end zone, forced fumble against SF that just bounced back into receivers hands. No one brings these types of plays in the secondary besides Diggs. McD has been good but not irreplaceable and will be over 30 after the year. If you were worried about Earl being over 30 you should be worried about him too. Blair should split with McD. Amadi has shown a bit of that play making ability too albeit on special teams. Did have a scoop and score called back v Carolina too. I just keep thinking of his Oregon tape. He has a knack for being in the right place. If the biggest criticism of his play is that he got beat by a top 5 receiver as a rookie, then he is fine. Should play nickel unless they reduce Dunbar down for matchup purposes. There has been a lot of questions on where the team is headed. This is one area they at least have some in house solutions. Got to give them a shot.
If Kam is mentoring Blair I hope he spends a good amount of time teaching him how to eat and lift weights. I like Blair’s energy and big-hit ability but lets be honest, he doesn’t have the body type to dish out deathbacker hits without ending up on the injury report.
Dude needs to add size, without losing speed. If he had Kam’s height/mass out of college I’d understand the round 2 pick but I just don’t see his value being that high in this league where durability is everything. It’s not the pac12 anymore.
Rob i have a quick question for you today Bruce Arians said that he may keep 3 quarters on the roster due to corona 19 virus. I found kinda of interesting do you Seahawks would do the same. My first thought was probably not but it not be a terrible idea to do so
I don’t think they will to be honest.
I know that I’ve probably beat the dead horse on this one before, but the difference between starting a team with basically a expansion rooster, and trying to upgrade a fringe playoff team is substantially harder. In essence, it’s easier to take a really bad team and make them good than to take an okay team and make them great. The Hawks haven’t enjoyed the flexibility that allowed them to build a championship team for a few years now, and as long as they continue to lean on veterans heavily rather than allowing youngsters to improve (possibility into superstars) they are talent capped and bringing home another championship isn’t even remotely likely.
To be very clear, I’m not trolling when I say this Wagner and Wright are liability’s at this point of their career in this system. Both of them probably have a few good years left if they go to a 3-4 team, but the problem isn’t running a base defense, the problem are having parts that aren’t complimentary to that goal. Kendricks missed tackles removed any advantage of playing base, Wagner has never been instinctual in coverage but had the athleticism to make up for it until hitting a wall last year, Wright has always been highly instinctual but where he was a little slow for most of his career, now has lost a step and is a liability athletically. No, I don’t hate Wagner, or KJ and think they still have good years left, but not in this system, so change the system, or the players. Judging by their draft picks in the last couple years it’s looking like change the players.
I expect Dunbar and Griffin are essentially fighting for the contract to be a number 1 corner, while the other one hits the road next year. I can at least see a line of reasoning behind the Hawks draft picks, but free agency decisions are Looking pretty boneheaded to put it gently this year.