Apologies for the delay in publishing the notes, some other news got in the way yesterday…
Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat played with more intensity in 1v1’s on Wednesday. He showed off a lot more power, driving the center right back into the QB and onto the turf on one snap. He had a nice arm-over move to release from a block on his first rep to explode into the backfield. I still think he’d be so much better shedding weight. He’s a fantastic athlete and could be even more dangerous if he lost some of the bulk.
McKinley Jackson had a win vs Charles Turner and then Braden Fiske had a good rep against him when he lined up at left guard. Turner struggled to match Fiske’s quickness bursting through the gap. After a strong day one, this was a step back for Turner who I like.
Darius Robinson was a beast on Wednesday. He looked so good connecting with blockers, using his length to disengage and then his quickness to beat the block. He can counter inside and rush the edge competently. His inside rushes were exceptional, showing power and a great arm-over move. In the run blocking drills he was driving people backwards and when he needed to win with agility he was surprisingly slippery for a 285lbs rusher. Even when he was stalled, he’d turn to a bull-rush and drive his man backwards. He demolished Tyler Guyton on one rep, it was such a remarkable beating you half wonder how early he could go. His quickness working inside vs the center was like lightning. Robinson looks like the real deal in Mobile, can line up across the line and he’s pretty much the complete package of power, speed and technique. The first round buzz in Mobile, based on this performance, isn’t unwarranted.
Another versatile defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe had a terrific day one and followed it up on day two. He’s just quicker off the snap, knows how to use his hands and he can swipe away attempted blocks to burst into the backfield. When he needs to use power he can do. He embarrassed Brandon Coleman on one inside rush. He had an underrated season for Alabama and he’s played well in Mobile so far.
Roman Wilson had the catch of the day, a sensational one hander at the sideline while falling away from a misplaced Michael Penix Jr throw. Showing this level of concentration and talent to go with his sensational speed could move him up a lot of boards. Speaking of the throw — I thought Penix Jr and Bo Nix were a bit sloppy at times on day two. I went back and reviewed there day one performances once more tape became available and they did better than I initially thought, so adjusted my notes. But this was a bit underwhelming on Wednesday. Spencer Rattler had a better day two than day one.
Quinyon Mitchell has looked sensational so far. There’s no doubt he’s a first round talent and he could easily be the first cornerback off the board. His mirroring, change of direction, recovery speed, ball-tracking and size are all incredibly enticing. He could be a top-20 pick on this showing. Just a wow performance on both days.
Taliese Fuaga is a joy to watch. Once he latches on to you it’s over. When he gets challenged by speed/agility he still manages to get his feet into the right place, he combats any counters and just constantly clamps on and wins. If he gets out of the top-12 it’ll be an upset. For me, he’s out-performed Tyler Guyton and is in contention to be the first tackle drafted. He’s just an absolute beast.
Jackson Powers-Johnson has such quick, active hands and he connects his hands to his feet so well at center. His agility and athleticism really shine, especially when he has to move off his spot as he did against Michael Hall. He’s the rare high upside center who could crack the first round. He left practise early as he’s been nursing a hamstring issue but it’s job done for JPJ. On this evidence, he’ll be the first center drafted.
Illinois lineman Isaiah Adams has been physical and competitive on both days and had some nice wins. He’s someone I want to study more after the Senior Bowl.
Gabe Hall’s inconsistency showed on day two. After dominating on day one, he was massively underwhelming on day two and couldn’t get off blocks.
Roger Rosengarten has had two really solid days of practise — a nice rebound after a difficult game against Michigan in the National Championship. They even tried him at left tackle on Wednesday, where he won a nice rep. On one 1v1 he absolutely butchered Austin Booker, getting right after him and sending him flying up into the air.
Michigan O-liner LaDarius Henderson continues to disappoint, even inside at guard. He was dumped on his backside by Dewayne Carter and has struggled on both days so far.
Patrick Paul has technical flaws which are hard to get over. He gets his hands out too wide and exposes his frame, making it easy to get into his pads. For some reason before he engages contact he spreads his arms out and it’s such awful technique. He isn’t setting properly and punching. It’s a killer in the 1v1’s.
Some final notes — Brandon Coleman looks way more comfortable at tackle than guard. Chris Braswell had an easy win vs Christian Jones (who continues to be a bit hit and miss). Christian Haynes had a much better day two, winning a number of 1v1 reps and frustrating Jordan Jefferson enough so that he ripped off Haynes’ helmet and lobbed it across the field. I think receiver Tez Walker has looked really poor at times with half-hearted routes, no physicality and lazy drops. Yet in some of the 1v1’s he’s separated like a first round pick and made it look easy.
I’ve got a habit of posting questions in the dying throes of article threads, so I’ll carry this one over:
Rob, any plan to briefly cover the college options for our OC opening? You threw out a few names in one of your videos yesterday but didn’t really elaborate.
Not that I’m looking to burn you out, at your current stride. 😜
Cheers. 🍻
I had a very brief look yesterday but need to watch Senior Bowl day three today
Plus I’m working late for the day job on transfer deadline day
👍🏽 Totally understand.. In the time since I posted this, Ryan Grubb has entered the chat as a possibility, which will have the Penix truthers on cloud nine….
Fuaga out side of the top 12 it will be an upset?
Not for me when we draft him at #16 and bring him back home😀
Fuaga at 16 would be like Christmas. We can get a DL in the 3rd round, QB is a ? anyways, why not go for value position?
Or trade down into the 20s for an extra R3 and take Powers-Johnson.
I’m into that quite a bit.
Very intrigued by a defensive coach and having demolished us how he feels about what needs to change on the oline.
I’m still very interested in Van Pran.
The thing that really really gets me stoked is it seems that macdonald can truly coach up players. With that said I’m open to lots of options but….not necessarily sold that defensive coach equals top defensive pick for success.
Assuming Wagner isn’t a Seahawk next year, and I don’t think that’s a big assumption, and with Brooks pending free agency, we just don’t have any LBs. Having three R3 picks would give us some flexibility to draft Macdonald’s (and Schneider’s preference) even if it requires them to package a couple of the picks to move into R2 for their guy. Then turn to FA and either let Brooks find his market value here or move on and add someone else.
Damn a stud center on the seahawks? I wouldn’t know how to act other than extremely happy
So far everything Schneider’s done, every decision he’s made, reinforces my perception that most of the dysfunction of Carroll’s last several seasons was Carroll. Still apprehensive about the deal making with respect to trades and salaries. But I’m excited to see how he negotiates free agency this year.
The superbowl guarantees and free agency in a little over a month and we’ll know pretty quick the answers about John.
Was some good vibes for Olu Olu and Macdonald will know him from Michigan. Not sure if that familiarity will be a benefit or detriment for his prospects as our starting center
Is Sedrick Van Pran participating?
He isn’t
https://x.com/ravens/status/1753116266917662911?s=46&t=jJY5PzfRfqxlTnRLJklz5g
Damn, Orr is Baltimore’s new DC. Guess we go all out for Weaver?
Let’s do it….
Agreed. Hope we grab Weaver then. I like what he’s done with their DLine.
Bummer, but I was kind of expecting that.
Not sure he will be interested
I think the Ravens have done this to keep both
Sitting with Will Reichard’s parents.
Mike Salk said on 710 this morning that he heard from two sources that Ben Johnson was a bad interview. Thoughts Rob?
🤷♂️
Not sure what you want me to say
And not exactly a cast iron source of info is it
Salk is kind of just a propagandist for the Seahawks and Mariners at this point. I get it…but he’s become pretty terrible in recent years and it’s clear what his agenda has become.
He was much better when he wasn’t also running things.
If you mean PM, Salk isn’t “running things” anymore.
He’s just a talking head again.
Paytpn Wilson at the top of the speed leaders board again today. Jaylix Hunt on it too. Michael Pratt threw 76 mph yesterday.
What’s Payton look like in person? He checks so many boxes.
Tall. Vocal. Fast
Watching film on Pratt, elite arm strength does not really show up on game tape.
Ricky Pearsal showing more speed than expected. Hit 20.45 mph yesterday
Random, but I looked up LJ Collier stats for 2023 since he talked smack about hawks after signing with cardinals. He played in 1 game and was on IR rest of year.
Bummer we let him go then, he’s the perfect 2023 Seahawk player
Nix and McCarthy projected as 1st rd picks according to Daniel Jeremiah 🤦🏼♂️
Rattler not even in his top 50. What’s funny is teams have him higher than the draft media as they should.
Hope he learns from that bad int from day 1. But he looks like the best QB so far. I really hope he balls out in the game.
Quick reminder:
#bringbackMayock
YES
By the way Cha — can you remind me again of the financial ramifications of trading Geno?
Nothing can be finalized until March 13 when new league year starts.
March 18 is when his $9.6m roster bonus locks.
now–>March 17 they eat $17.4m dead and pick up $13.8m room (clear for 2025)
March 18–>June 1 they eat $27m dead and pick up $4.2m room (clear for 2025)
June 2–>Sept they eat $18.3m dead and pick up $12.9m room (then eat another $8.7m dead in 2025)
I wouldn’t expect a good pick. That 5-day window is a killer for a trade. Unless there are a ton of suitors willing to write him a $9.6m check, expect a trade to be more of a cap move than a compensation value move.
There is a $200k workout bonus that I have no info on the date it hits. Nor do I really care, because it doesn’t tip the scales.
Is it correct that the cap ramifications are the same (timing-wise) if they cut him outright, except that his $12.7 million salary becomes guaranteed on February 16?
Assuming they decide they don’t want to keep him, wouldn’t the right move be to try and find a trade partner who will give them anything at all before February 16 ? And if no one wants to trade, just cut him on the 16th?
You can’t finalize a trade on Feb 16. It only goes through on March 13.
That makes sense. And before finalizing on March 13, could they reach a handshake deal with a willing trade partner that justifies letting Geno’s salary guaranty on February 16?
For example, the Russell Wilson trade was revealed on March 8, 2022 but wasn’t officially final until the league year started on March 16, 2022. Same thing could happen here but getting the trade terms in place before February 16?
Right. The Jared Goff/Stafford trade was agreed to a couple weeks before the SB 3 years ago and processed as final in March of that year.
Please bring Mayock back
This practice is boring.. i am learning nothing.
Do we think Lucas kicking inside to RG if we had a shot at one of the top RT’s makes sense?
Might be easier on his knee than having to leverage outside and drop step as a tackle.
Could upgrade both positions via one pick.
ESPN is reporting that the Commies are hiring Dan Quinn. Wow, did they ever get left holding the bag. Hope he gets a good OC, because we’ve all seen what happens when he doesn’t.
First to fire last to hire?
Not sure the interest of Liberty this past college season but they had the #4 ranked offense nationally and scored over 40ppg. They have two OC, one for QB’s and one for RB’s. The guy I’m particularly interested in is the RB OC.
Dood has an impressive resume that I’d want to give him a call to see what he could do with this offense.
https://libertyflames.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/newland-isaac/1577
They got wrecked 45-6 vs Oregon in their bowl game. Big, big, big step from Conference USA to the NFL. Particularly from a Co-OC who didn’t call plays.
Delta State, Albany State, Coastal Carolina and Liberty pedigree is going to be a tough sell.
He might be an up-and-comer, but there is no way he’s on the short list for the Hawks.
Mike Macdonald press conference, stated he will call plays on defense until feels like someone else is capable of doing so.
I think DQ to WAS is a good fit. They have Adam Peters who comes from SF, so he will have insider knowledge and might be able to poach and work with a good up and comer OC. DQ’s job is to provide leadership (aka Dan Campbell) which is really needed in WAS; and he is quite capable of that.
more leadership than outgoing Ron Rivera?
on that note we should bring Ron Rivera as DC to help Mac?
No, Macdonald is calling defensive plays until the DC is ready. It screams to me a young DC is coming in.
Yeah. Want to be great? Build and grow a staff for the future. Someday soon we won’t be talking about the Ravens but I admire how when one of their staff goes another can step up and it seems like it’s a great move.
The Rivera who presided over the worst defense in the NFL? I don’t get why people have so little faith in Macdonald. He was hired for a reason. Offense, sure, but defense? Hell no. Let him do what he was hired to do.
Based on what I have seen so far, I predict the National team will kick the crap out of the American squad.
RN into the Indianapolis guy from Draftnerd.
Sure sounds like Geno isn’t a lock to be the QB next year based on Mac’s response to the question about Geno
Hardly even said his name
“we’re going to build around a quarterback”
“we’ll see how the whole situations shakes out over”
Not a ringing endorsement of Geno.
If you want to be middling sure stick to Geno.. we dont even need Mac for that.
Mac should clean the house as much as he can stick with elite players
I think that’s the impressive thing about Macdonald. He doesn’t necessarily NEED elite players on D to make it happen. As Rob said on the video yesterday, Patrick Queen was considered a bit of a bust and Van Noy is not elite either but he made them both better. His whole is more than the sum of the parts. Whether that carries over to his offense remains to be seen.
It’s not going to be a 34yo QB with zero guaranteed money left on his contract who just came off a regression-to-the-mean style season.
really starting to like this guy, great hire!
Exactly. He could’ve said we are going to build around Geno Smith. Instead he said we are going to build around a QB.
“build” was the operative word to me.
Another lukewarm non committal presser re Geno
This is going one way I sense
I’m a huge fan of the trench talent specifically on offense this year.
But I’m already hearing a TON of talking heads talk about how we don’t “neeeed,” to draft a qb now.
I have a hard time believing that macdonald having coached alongside one of the best in the game and been beaten by the best in the game is going to think a career average qb is what makes the world turn round.
Technically we don’t need to even have a quarterback on the roster. Can just run a wildcat. We still will have one.
Why wouldn’t the young hotshot defensive HC who has come up around this brand of football and saw first hand what having an elite qb can do for a team, want that?
They are all in. They are not going to go cheap on the most important position in sports.
What do you sense? Geno gets traded/cut, re-sign Lock, draft QB?
Possible
Listening to the press conference right now. One of the things I wanted to hear about.
He complimented him saying he’s at the Pro Bowl, but also slipped in “we’ll see how it all shakes out.” Definitely not a ringing endorsement.
After my skepticism about QB yesterday, was thrilled to hear this and am happy I look to have been VERY wrong here. Hope it plays our accordingly.
Better work on that center snap exchange Michael Pratt. Two fumbles.
Ray Davis looking sharp in what is loppy penalty ridden practice.
tried to link it but Florio is mentioning Ryan Grubb might be coming to be OC for the seahawks
Didn’t Grubb just get hired by Bama?
Well his hire hasnt been officially announced for bama apparently.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ryan-grubb-could-make-quick-exit-from-alabama-for-the-seahawks
If Grubb is hired Penix could be a bigger factor for the draft then or they could wait and get a different QB later maybe Rattler. His system is very QB friendly.
I personally feel this Oline isnt built for Penix. We need a pretty decent RT to help that.
Lucas is very good. His injury is a major concern, but he’s a better RT than Cross is a LT when healthy…
For sure but thats the issue he cant stay healthy. I think he had another knee thing this off season?
He cant be good if he doesnt see the field.
I thought the problems were more with the interior line missing blocks entirely.
Lucas is another issue – but I’m sorry he’s having medical issues.
I guess i was referring to Penix’ blind side.
but yes IOL is an issue too
I’ll take one “Daniels,” please.
i was very excited about trading for leonard last year… but as always, rob knew how painful that would be come february. hope we can at least lock him down for a few years.
get rid of our safeties, “trade” geno, rework dissly and pour money into the trenches…
dream come true for SDB !!
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ryan-grubb-could-make-quick-exit-from-alabama-for-the-seahawks
Queue the Penix to the Hawks talk in 3…2…1…
Lazy speculation just like how, in his first year, Carroll would ‘obviously’ draft whatshisname safety from USC and then grabbed Earl instead.
Perhaps — but there are things about Penix Jr that I think JS will like
And Taylor Mays sucked. Said it before the draft so not hindsight
Help me out husky faithful.
Explain the Grubb/penix talk.
I just looked briefly and I don’t recall any Stanford players Jim drafted for the niners. I see Mccoy from USC when Pete would have known him. And not anyone else.
It seems as likely to me that Grubb would know a ton of qbs in college and would love to work with them.
Maybe penix and Mccarthy if we’re being lazy and they can split reps?
I have a mixed feeling on Grubb as OC just because he doesn’t have NFL experience.
Rob, I was told that Macdonald spoke highly of Geno and that when he said “building around the QB” he was referring to Geno. Is that how it came off?
Not Rob, but I’d say no. He referenced Geno and how he was currently at the Pro Bowl, then started a new thought about how teams need to “build around the QB.” Very open. Not “build around OUR QB” or “build around Geno.” Open to interpretation but it seemed the full story with the team’s plans was between the lines.
and went on to say:
“we’ll see how the whole situations shakes out over time”
definitely not a strong endorsement of Geno
Definitely not. If anything it was the opposite.
If they were all-in on Geno, they would have framed it more that way.
“We’ve got our quarterback. We have our leader. Etc.”
I thought they moved on from it fast, which was telling. Vague and short.
No — it wasn’t framed that way Anthony
This quote from coach Macdonald during the first press meeting brought a tear to my eye:
” Well one thing we won’t do is run to twitter when we underperform. I want to see it on the field.”
There was a lot of buzz about Darius Robinson today. Justin Eboigbe, not so much. He’s an Alabama boy and that is what is expected. I shared power to a laptop on my strip with an Illini blogger who was ecstatic about how their players were doing and was overjoyed when I told him I was from Pensacola and my neighbor’s daughter had just graduated from the same High School as Devon Witherspoon.