Let’s call this a first draft because we’ll receive so much information at the combine. We need to know 10-yard split times for the LEO candidates, short shuttle times for the linebackers, length and size for the cornerbacks and a lot more.
That said, here’s a review of some of the possible options if the Seahawks do gut the defense and decide to get a lot younger in 2018…
D-line & Pass rush
Possible departures: Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Sheldon Richardson
The Seahawks could do with adding a LEO. They need quickness off the edge. Rutgers’ Kemoko Turay could be the ideal player for the role — with excellent get-off, at least some evidence of good hand technique and a great athletic profile. He looked explosive at the Senior Bowl and has a ton of potential. If the Seahawks are able to acquire extra picks in the third or fourth round range, Turay could be a key acquisition.
It’s going to need to be someone with good length, a really quick 10-yard split and overall high athleticism. The 1.50-1.59 splits are the ones to look out for at the combine. There won’t be many but if Turay manages it at 6-5 and 252lbs he could quite easily be a Seahawks target.
Alternatives at LEO? Boston College’s Harold Landry could be targeted albeit with a much earlier pick. We know Florida State’s Josh Sweat is a fantastic athlete. If you’re comfortable with his injury history, he’s another option. Sweat ran a 4.46 at 240lbs at the SPARQ combine.
What else might they need? It’s hard to say. If Malik McDowell returns there’s every chance he could fill the void left by either Sheldon Richardson or Michael Bennett. Dion Jordan equally has some inside/out ability now he’s added size and Frank Clark isn’t small either. If you knew all three would be healthy and available going into camp you might feel quite comfortable about the situation. There’s very little news on McDowell however and Jordan missed most of the 2017 season.
NC State’s Kentavius Street could be a possible three-technique option. He’s about 280lbs these days but what an athlete. At the SPARQ combine he ran a 4.70, managed a 36-inch vertical and a 4.44 short shuttle. His SPARQ score was 115.41. He’s said to be an even better athlete these days too, plus he’s a former four-star recruit. He’s being projected as a late rounder and could be someone the Seahawks want to work with.
Ohio State’s Tyquan Lewis is no slouch and he had a good showing at the Senior Bowl. He scored 108.57 at the SPARQ combine including a 37 inch vertical. He’s a possible inside/out rusher who could last as he had to operate in a heavy rotation with the Buckeyes. He’s also someone who could develop into a leader. Auburn’s Jeff Holland lacks an attractive physical profile but plays with intensity and skill.
Virginia’s Andrew Brown is another prospect with upside who could be available on day three. A former five-star recruit he also performed well at the Senior Bowl. He managed a 103.11 SPARQ rating in High School and ran a 4.47 short shuttle at 295lbs.
The Seahawks have also shown they’re adept at finding veteran talent on the defensive line over the years. So on top of the options in the draft, there’s every chance they’ll bring in some options in free agency too.
Cornerback
Possible departures: Richard Sherman
We’ll need to see how the players measure at the combine. The Seahawks have stuck to a strict body type since 2010 and that isn’t likely to change. Whatever happens with Sherman, the Seahawks could do with adding another cornerback in the round 4-7 range this year to train up.
Despite many of the national mock drafts touting a cornerback to Seattle in round one, the chances are remote at best. They haven’t taken a CB earlier than the late third round under Pete Carroll. There’s very little reason to believe that’ll change this year. It won’t even be a position of significant need if they retain Sherman and re-sign Maxwell (hardly improbable scenarios). The Seahawks believe in their (proven) ability to develop young cornerbacks without spending high picks. That simply won’t change unless they’re picking in the top ten and happen to see a Jalen Ramsey or Patrick Peterson waiting for them.
LSU’s Kevin Toliver is said to be 6-3 and 203lbs with good length. He’s a former five-star recruit who never really lived up to expectations in college. According to his NFL.com bio, Toliver has “an entitled attitude” and a big ego. It could put a lot of teams off, including the Seahawks, but they did draft Tharold Simon who similarly faced criticism for his time at LSU. It’s unusual for a player with Toliver’s potential to last into the round four range but if he does, they might see him as a project worth taking on. He’d be a nice challenge for a team with Seattle’s development chops.
Texas’ Holton Hill also possesses size, length and undelivered potential. He could be another attractive project. Virginia Tech’s Brandon Facyson also looks the part. He had a very strong start to his college career but a broken leg stalled his progress. He could be one of those players that falls a bit further than he should and provides some value.
Linebacker
Possible departures: No significant ones
This isn’t about replacing anyone, rather than bolstering the ranks. Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright need some help. And we saw what happened when Wagner wasn’t full-go and Wright was absent against the Rams. They could also do with adding a SAM/LEO type if possible.
Georgia’s Lorenzo Carter could be an option. At the Nike SPARQ combine he managed a 40-inch vertical at 6-5 and 234lbs. He’s highly explosive and athletic, posting a 129.75 SPARQ score. He’s not necessarily the quickest though (4.63 at the Nike combine) so his short-area quickness testing and 10-yard split could be crucial.
Another option could be South Carolina State’s Darius Leonard. Few bolstered their stock like Leonard at the Senior Bowl. He excelled in coverage drills against smaller, quicker running backs and had a couple of ferocious hits too. He has +34 inch arms and we know they really liked K.J. Wright for his length. Leonard looks and sounds like he’s ready for battle and could be a fantastic project for Ken Norton Jr.
Other options include Texas’ Malik Jefferson (who could be the combine’s big winner after his sensational Nike test) and Ohio State’s Jerome Baker. It’s a really good looking group of linebackers though. The combine will be fascinating and crucial. This is a position that seems to be thick throughout the draft and there will be attractive day three options to go with some of the early round studs.
Safety
Possible departures: Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor
It’s hard to get excited about this safety class and you can forget about replacing either of Seattle’s two legends. There probably won’t be another Earl or Kam. They’re unique people and players. If the Seahawks have to replace both, they’ll likely adjust their scheme to compensate.
The safety class is littered with players you kind of like but don’t love. Derwin James is a great athlete but his tape is boring and it’s a hard sell to draft a box safety in round one who doesn’t make a lot of big plays. He’s the popular pick for Seattle in mock drafts and there’s no doubting his athleticism and size. Is he worth their first round pick?
They’d have to believe he was a true ’tilt the field’ player to justify it. There’s a reason why they’ve only taken one defensive back in the first two rounds of the draft since 2010 (Earl Thomas).
Minkah Fitzpatrick is a bit overrated. Ronnie Harrison is perfectly fine as a prospect but might go earlier than warranted.
Wake Forest’s Jessie Bates III is probably the most intriguing player. He’s quick, clearly does his homework, understands the opponent and had a number of big plays as a redshirt freshman. He isn’t Earl but he could end up being a reliable starting safety. He’s consistent and disciplined which is important in Seattle’s scheme.
Virginia Tech’s Terrell Edmunds could be one to watch. He’s Tremaine’s brother and has good size (6-2, 220lbs). It’s also worth remembering the Seahawks could keep Bradley McDougald and only last year drafted Tedric Thompson and Delano Hill. San Francisco’s Eric Reid could be an option as a free agent too.
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Is Jeremy Lane a departure, with a decent cap savings if cut?
Sure but I think we’ve all assumed he’s gone and the replacement is Coleman.
USC’s Rasheem Green is another name I could see them liking. Raw as hell, but his flashes are impressive. Tons of athletic potential.
+1
He’s definitely one of those guys who played too many snaps in college, so that’s a factor in assessing his film. USC was ridiculous in the their lack of DL rotation
Since this is a new post, I’ll put this here.
This is a guy that needs to be getting more love. Ole Miss HB Jordan Wilkins (6’0-6’1, 215-217 lbs.). My mans is silky smooth with power and a good pass catcher outta the backfield. Prototypical day 3 RB that’ll end up being better than most of the guys that go in front of him.
Just a highlight video here:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=adRwkE-MB4E
I wish there were cutups online of his complete games so we could watch him snap to snap. From his highlights he has nice balance, lateral agility, and runs with a lot of determination. I’m not seeing a lot of burst and expect him to be an average tester. A bit of an upright runner too, though he shows the ability to get his pads low. I’d rather spend a 4th on Kelly or a late pick on Wadley, both of whom show more explosiveness (on limited viewing), IMO.
Interesting Running Back rankings & analysis on the top RB’s in the coming draft. I specifically like the analysis portion regarding ball security. *** Very interesting that Chubb & Michael may NOT be real considerations for the Seahawks, because we all know PC hates turnovers with a mad passion.
–References: — https://www.footballcouchscout.com/copy-of-qb -and-
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/pl … &order=ASC
(Rank #1-RB) RB-Saquon Barkley, VERY GOOD+ ball security, 193:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #2-RB) RB-Ronald Jones, EXCEPTIONAL ball security, 207:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #7-RB) RB-Kerryon Johnson, VERY GOOD+ ball security, 191:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #8-RB) RB-Josh Adams, VERY GOOD ball security, 174:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #11-RB) RB-John Kelly, ABOVE AVERAGE ball security, 123:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #10-RB) RB-Royce Freeman, ABOVE AVERAGE ball security, 114:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #6-RB) RB-Rashaad Penny, ABOVE AVERAGE ball security, 106:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #3-RB) RB-Darius Guice, AVERAGE ball security, 100:1 carry/fumble ratio.
————————————————————————————————–
(Rank #15-RB) RB-Bo Scarbrough, BELOW AVERAGE ball security, 96:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #9-RB) RB-Mark Walton, BELOW AVERAGE ball security, 90:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #13-RB) RB-Nyheim Hines, BELOW AVERAGE ball security, 87:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #14-RB) RB-Akrum Wadley, VERY POOR ball security, 67:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #12-RB) RB-Kalen Ballage, VERY POOR ball security, 66:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #5-RB) RB-Nick Chubb, VERY BAD ball security, 54:1 carry/fumble ratio.
(Rank #4-RB) RB-Sony Michel, VERY BAD ball security, 54:1 carry/fumble ratio.
—————————————————————————————————-
RB’s- Jackson, Smith, Edmonds, Pettway, Franklin, Nall, Webb, Thomas & UW’s Lavar Coleman – all are very likely UDFA’s, and this article doesn’t detail their ball security ratios.
IMO-The Seahawks RB Targets in the coming draft boil down to the following players:
———-Middle Rd-1 to Middle of Rd-2: (IMO-Best pick = Jones if available after a trade down)
=RB-Ronald Jones, currently ranked #39-overall, Projected Rd-1/2 @nfldraftscout.com
=RB-Darius Guice, currently ranked #35-overall, Projected Rd-1/2 @nfldraftscout.com
———-Middle Rd-2 to Late Rd-3: (IMO-Best pick = Penny or Johnson or Kelly, in that order,)
=RB-Kerryon Johnson, currently ranked #43-overall, Projected Rd-2 @nfldraftscout.com
=RB-Rashaad Penny, currently ranked #63-overall, Projected Rd-2 @nfldraftscout.com
=RB-John Kelly, currently ranked #103-overall, Projected Rd-3 @nfldraftscout.com
———-Early Rd-4 to Late Rd-5: (IMO-Best pick = Freeman if available.)
=RB-Josh Adams, currently ranked #125-overall, Projected Rd-3/4 @nfldraftscout.com
=RB-Royce Freeman, currently ranked #143-overall, Projected Rd-4 @nfldraftscout.com
———-UDFA’s: (Sign a few for camp competition and possibly find a gem like Carson =?)
=Franklin(#300-overall, @nfldraftscout.com),
=Pettway(#238-overall, @nfldraftscout.com),
=Coleman(#428-overall, @nfldraftscout.com).
More reason to like Jones. And Kelly, my favorite mid round back. One of the 5 or 6 best backs in this class, IMO. I’d already written of Walton and Ballage – this doesn’t do them any favors.
Of course this is one piece of data, and I think that the sample size is low enough that you use this as a starting point and don’t draw too many firm conclusions. You’d really want to watch each of their fumbles and see if they have bad ball security, or if a couple of ‘unlucky’ fumbles sway the data.
Nice info. Thanks for sharing.
Nice timing. I was reading the same info about ball security. As much as Pete harps on this aspect I don’t see anyone with a history of poor ball security being our pick. I have to admit to liking RoJo more and more. My concern is that everytime Rob hits on a guy early he ends up gone before the Hawks have a shot.
Jones is a fantastic runner and there is every chance that he goes before 18. However, he has a few things working against him. RB is trending towards being valued again, but still not universally considered a position you should draft early. He also hasn’t demonstrated much in the passing game (not necessarily his fault), which may cause the more pass-centric teams to devalue him somewhat. Add in that he’s somewhat undersized and that the early narrative was that he was a mid round prospect, andnI actually think there’s a good chance he lasts into the mid 20s and possibly even into the top of the second. Hoping that happens and we can trade down and still acquire him.
Yeah, I really like Kemoko Turay. Uses his hands extremely well. Not much of a run defender, but that wouldn’t be what you’d be drafting him for anyways. He can straight up flatten the edge. Bends better than a lot of these guys.
I don’t remember. Did he play with his hand in the dirt at the SR bowl?
I kinda think he’d one of the few guys who could excel in that Bruce Irvin role. When you combine his length and the fact he’s used to dropping back, he’d give offenses a lot of trouble in zone coverages.
Thing is, if he tests like he looks like he’s going to, it’ll be a god damn robbery if he ends up outside the top 50. Guys that have his elite bend and are as twitchy him don’t last long.
I agree Vol his flexibility and ability to bend around the edge was very very impressive. I see him mocked on Day # 3 but much like Tim Settle will end up being a 2nd rounder likely if he blows up the combine.
I think Turay and Sweat will both test as ideal LEO for the Hawks but neither gets out of Rd #3.
Sweat is a day 3 pick. Turay early RD. 3 or mid to late RD. 2. Turay is a good tackler. Watch Huskies vs Rutgers. Turay had Knee issues during his SR. season that affected his play, although nothing serious. He is an alpha dog and team leader.
Ive put this on here before about Kentavious Streets athleticism. Dudes a freak. He could be used like Will Tukuafu and play DT and FB, he would be a beast as a fullback.
http://www.stack.com/a/n-c-state-dl-kentavius-street-squats-700-pounds-and-runs-a-4-58-laser-timed-40-yard-dash
Not to waste too much time, but it’s too bad that first-pick site isn’t real life. Apparently you can rebuild your whole team in one draft. I just started trading picks like a maniac, and:
Round 2 Pick 20 (BALT): Daniels, James, C/OG, Iowa (A)
Round 2 Pick 27 (S.F.): Guice, Derrius, RB, LSU (A)
Round 2 Pick 28 (PITT): Settle, Tim, DT, Virginia Tech (A-)
Round 3 Pick 19 (BALT): Oliver, Isaiah, CB, Colorado (A+)
Round 3 Pick 32 (BUF): Elliott, DeShon, SS, Texas (A)
Round 4 Pick 20: Tate, Auden, WR, Florida State (B)
Round 4 Pick 21 (BUF): Bates III, Jessie, FS, Wake Forest (A-)
Round 4 Pick 26 (ATL): Miller, Kolton, OT, UCLA (A)
Round 4 Pick 28 (S.F.): Lauletta, Kyle, QB, Richmond (B+)
Round 5 Pick 4: Armstrong Jr, Dorance, DE/OLB, Kansas (B)
Round 5 Pick 9: Smythe, Durham, TE, Notre Dame (A)
Round 5 Pick 31: Carlson, Daniel, K, Auburn (A+)
Round 7 Pick 8: Ballage, Kalen, RB, Arizona State (A+)
Round 7 Pick 30: Lotulelei, Lowell, DT, Utah (A+)
Round 7 Pick 32: Coutee, Keke, WR, Texas Tech (A+)
Fun to dream, but totally unrealistic.
It is fun to do!
It is fun but very unrealistic. You can get first rounders in the fourth.
They usually adjust a lot after the combine. Same with fanspeak. Still fun though.
No matter how they adjust the trades are crazy. Just did it as the Browns, ended up with 7 picks in the 2nd round! Had Darnold, RoJoII, Guice, Edmunds, Mike Hughes and Donte Jackson, etc.
Yea, Settle Bates and Kolton Miller will not be there in those rounds. I think Miller will go in the 1st. IMO. Guice won’t be there in RD2@27 either. He is a first rounder all day long. Him and MoJo are neck and neck to me. I think that Guice is more of a prototypical Hawk back. MoJo to much like we already have in Procise and they aren’t giving up on a 3rd pick just yet. I like Procise if only he can remain healthy. And I am hoping this is his year year to show what he’s got. We have seen glimpses. I think he will come in this year ready to go. Stronger, faster!!! Further thoughts on Guice: He reminds me of Lynch, AKA Beastmode. GO HAWKS!!!
I like the thick lower bodies of Guice and Chubb; makes me think they’ll be able to power through contact in the NFL. If our OL of the recent past is any indication, they’d see a lot of early contact here in Seattle.
Truth be told, though, I’m putting almost all my eggs (hope) in the Solari basket. Most important offseason pickup, IMO. Agree w/ those who say it’s also on the RB, but he alone might essentially “fix” our running game enough to get to average.
Absolutely a RB will not solve all ills.
I think the point is more — the RB isn’t irrelevant to this.
Agree. Hopefully that came across; maybe I wasn’t clear enough. I’m hopeful that Solari alone can get us to average, but in my mind’s eye, even with average (or even above average) line play, I can’t see our RB group as anything special. Fine, decent, okay, all those apply, but not special. Not great. Do you think the draft will be too soon for Solari to give PC/JS any good intel/summary on the line? Is tape alone good enough?
I guess I’m imagining a scenario where he reviews the OL play for the past two years and can make a call before the draft whether he thinks we need to use a high-ish pick on the line or if he feels 100% comfortable with coaching up the guys we have.
Hopefully he’s already deep in study but presumably it will be hard to make a hard and fast judgement without working with them in camp. That said, I suspect ‘ruthless’ is going to be a word to sum up the off season.
🙂
In the draft I would try to help my O line guys by (1) drafting a tight end who can REALLY BLOCK, (2) drafting a fullback who can REALLY BLOCK, and (3) build quality depth on the O line because injuries happen there and they can be devastating. Not necessarily in that order.
I really like Jordan Chunn. Mentioned him before, he is a 3 down back. He has 1 flaw, and it is a biggy. Has had ball security issues. My 2 favorite parts of his game, are nose for the end zone, and lights Blitzer up like a bug zapper. Young man has a high football IQ, is an avid film studied, a fluid receiver, may not have the best long speed, but is explosive, has very good vision, is a bruiser, and plays extremely hard. Gonna go later in the draft, but is going to be a solid value pick. Troy is a very well run program, I must say. Things you learn watching game tape. At least 3 debatable players on that team. I get the pleasure of a q and a with Jordan in the near future. Should be fun.
Draftable, yikes. Proof read man, proof read.
Holy sh*! The FA WRs in 2019 is crazy. Granted, some of these guys won’t hit the open market, but man is this list loaded.
Jordy Nelson
Stefon Diggs
Golden Tate
Jarvis Landry
OBJ
Mike Evans
Randall Cobb
Amari Cooper
Brandin Cooks
Martavis Bryant
Larry Fitzgerald
Brandon Marshall
Tyler Lockett
Nelson Agholor
I’m betting Jordy and Cobb do. Green Bay is going to have major WR turnover soon. Jordy declined hard this past year and Cobb really hasn’t been all that for a few seasons now.
So with a deep ’19 FA class & a pretty solid group of rookies in the ’18 draft, I wonder if guys who are FA’s this year (Pryor, A. Robinson, P-Rich, Watkins) might have to settle for one-year deals or real reasonable longer-term ones?
I personally wouldn’t mind seeing Pryor on a one-year prove it deal. A 6’4″ target at the WR position to go along with a 6’2″ Darboh, Lockett on the outside & ADB in the slot could be pretty tough to defend.
To me one of the most fascinating aspects of 2018 and the 2018 Draft is the 2017 draft class…
– McDowell… Can he realize what he’s blowing and get it turned around; or is he destined to be one of those that just never could, leaving the rest of us to say, “Oh man, what it..?”
– Mike Tyson… Was he a flier? Do they see a potential slot corner, someone they can put across from Griffin, or is he going to grow into that ‘Big Nickle’ player we discussed but never saw addressed last year (or so we thought)?
– Amarah Darbo- The thought was he could become at least a Kearse… would be nice to see evidence of that next year.
– Thompson/Hall- They were taken even before the PCJS sweet spot for DBs… they must have seen something in these two, no?
– David Moore- Kind of intrigued by this guy… Can he become the redzone weapon to ‘replace’ Jimmy?
[Note: This is not to mention Pocic, Griffin, Jones and Carson, who I think we know are at least part of the future.]
For sure could end up being a great draft class. Sometimes you cant gage them until year 2 or 3.
Remember Moore was about to be signed to another teams roster before Seattle promoted him, so he was on the radar of at least one other NFL team too. I have high hopes for him.
Shaquem Griffin at SS could be a real possibility on Day 3. He was able to get interceptions and lay big hits at UCF. Dude has grit and motor for days. Teams will let him slide because of the hand, but imagine how motivated ‘Quem would be to play with his twin brother ‘Quill? Could be a cheap duo for a long time, and both seem like nice kids who won’t be too caught up in getting twitter followers, news stories, instagram mentions, or driving around in Rolls Royce convertibles for a while. Both seem like they live in the film room and the weight room, much like how Sherman used to be.
Could be a nice competition between Delano Hill and Quem for Kam’s vacated spot. I like getting more competition on the roster. Tedric Thompson is another guy who could compete to get on the field, I hope.
Could Darius Leonard play some moneybacker?
I think the D-line is either a position of strength if Malik can play or a position of weakness if he can’t. Malik, Clark, Naz Jones, Jarran Reed could be a good to great starting D-line. I think we need depth behind them, but that’s a problem that might be solved on the cheap with Dion Jordan and our late rounders/UDFAs.
Shaquem Griffin is by far my favorite player in the draft this year.
I was wondering if he could fill the Sam/Leo spot.
Griffin – All we see, is violence on linemen and sacks on QB’s
I recently saw a mock with him going in the 2nd, at this point he’s got a lot of attention given his story and obviously he’s got the tape and I believe the athleticism to get people excited. Hard for me to believe that he won’t get picked up in day 2.
If the Hawks trade Earl then re-signing Mcdougald and signing Eric Reid could likely be done with the cap savings $8.5 mil.
Would Pete be able to modify his scheme to fit Reid at SS and Mcdougald as FS? Backups Hill and Thompson would compete for the starting spots and play special teams.
If Pete can’t modify his scheme to be effective without an All Pro FS then resigning Earl is the only option but a huge risk given his age, style of play and injury history.
If Marcus Peters is really on the block you would think JS and Pete are at least making that call and doing the background work on him.
They could have LOB 2.0
Trade for Peters
Resign Earl
Sign Eric Reid
CB -Peters, Griffin
Slot-Coleman
FS- Earl
SS – Reid
That would be a really good unit IMO.
Would be good. Im wondering what KC would accept for Peters?
It would but that would likely cost you #18 for Peters.
So good luck repairing the run and aiding your D-line.
Wouldn’t even be a consideration to me.
Yeah I would not give up anything on Day #1 or 2 for Peters there is way too much risk. He is a dynamic player if he gets his head on straight however.
You really think the Chiefs will get a 1st rounder for a guy they want to cut loose?
I was thinking Sherm + a 5th but I don’t know if the Chiefs have the cap space.
Peters is the best CB in the NFL currently.
A first rounder would be the bare minimum.
The Chiefs aren’t giving him away like that. They’re likely deciding they don’t want to pay him to be the highest paid player on the team and thus will use him to replace their lost R1 pick.
Not so sure. Seems clear they want to move on from him and have had enough of his behavioral issues.
There’s a difference between being willing to move on for the right price and getting rid of one of the best players in the league on the cheap.
They could straight trade Earl for Peters. It’s a pretty even swap for each team talent/value-wise, and a decent change of scenery for each player.
That way SEA could deal Sherman for some extra picks without having to give up 18. Or they could move Sherm, who’s one of the best DB run defenders in the League, to SS alongside McDougald, and roll with Peters and Griffin at the corners.
I don’t think KC will want a player in exchange. I suspect this is about getting back in R1.
It would be good to have him but in regards to getting younger, cheaper and hungrier on defence I don’t think it would be worth it. He’s due to get paid in the next year or two anyway and he’s going to get it even if he has some relative down years. He’s not a young pup out fighting for a contract, which is what we need imo. Had some issues with attitude as well if I recall rightly.
If it did cost the 18 pick I think I’d rather run with Sherman/Griffin /Coleman/Earl/Reid and be able to address other issues in the draft.
No way for pick 18. I would maybe part with our 4th but thats it, maybe not even that. He is talented but a head case.
And coincidentally he was the number 18 overall pick 3 years ago. After thinking about it I would vote NO for Peters.
I would vote h*ll no!!!
+1 but there is zero chance the Chiefs are getting a 1st round pick for him.
Then they won’t deal him.
Peters is an elite player. It would take at least a R1 pick. And they will get plenty of interest if they decide to do it.
I agree I don’t think they trade him.
Yep, talented but it’s a no for me too. To much risk for that big of an investment.
Peters is Percy Harvin part two.
Without the injury stuff however.
Finding value late in the draft usually means taking a leap of faith.
One maybe worth taking a flier on could be Ade Aruna DE, Tulane.
I saw Aruna flash on a few plays in the NFLPA Bowl so I tried to find some info on him.
Looks the part of an NFL DE at 6′-6” 270lbs, probably fairly raw, moving from Nigeria to the US and only played football his senior year in high school.
His 2016 highlight film looks pretty good, above average speed rushing off the edge, a good wrap-up tackler, and does not over-pursue running plays staying fairly assignment sound on the backside. Plays head up, seems usually aware of the ball location.
Production was way down in 2017 but I read this as a reason:
‘There are plenty of mitigating circumstances. Tulane changed its defensive alignment in the offseason, using a base three-man front that often has Aruna playing inside of a rush end/linebacker rather than as an end in a four-man front. With Smart dominating the middle in the past, Aruna was free to rush off the edge and chase down quarterbacks with impunity. “It’s an adjustment,” Aruna said. “Like I said, it’s assignment football. That’s what we do.”’
I was a little disappointed seeing his name as a Combine invite, hoping he would not be noticed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oblTMqvWn8
I watched film on Aruda this morning. If I was Snyder I would trade back and trade back. Get as many 4th round picks as he can. The sweet spot in this draft is the 4th round and mid to late 3rd. Your taking a chance on some small school prospects but some of the best player’s in the NFL are from those types of programs. With a chip on their shoulder. Sound familiar?
Maybe some small school players are less riskier than others if there were reasons they were overlooked by bigger schools, such as Aruna who only played one year of high school.
WR-Justin Watson, Penn. (FCS) is a big time Ivy-League SLEEPER. This tall, long strider has good hands and high-points the ball well. His production, even if against lesser competition, seems to be pretty good, perhaps the Seahawks may look at him with a 7-th round pick?
WR-Justin Watson, Penn. (FCS), 6-025/213, 4.59/40 +/-
#451-overall @nfldraftscout.com, #302-overall @drafttek.com
2017: 81-receptions for 1082-yds, 13.35-ypc, 14-TD’s
2016: 89-receptions for 1115-yds, 12.52-ypc, 8-TD’s
2015: 74-receptions for 1082-yds, 14.62-ypc, 9-TD’s
In 2017 Watson led team in receptions (81), receiving yards (1,083) and receiving touchdowns (14) … Accounted for 47.6% of Penn’s total receptions – most of any FCS or FBS wide receiver … Accounted for 50.5% of Penn’s total receiving yards – most of any FCS wide receiver and No. 2 among all FCS/FBS wide receivers … Some Other Career stats: 19 games of 100+yd. receptions, 40 consecutive games with a reception, including 10 consecutive game with a TD reception.
PER: http://www.pennathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3732
Schneider’s track record with 4th rounders is very poor. KJ Wright is the only one out of 13 4th rounders that has panned out.
I’d rather him get 3rd rounders or 5th rounders.
I think that if Seattle decides to move on from Sheldon Richardson, it may say more about how they feel about Nazair Jones than Malik McDowell. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times pointed out a couple weeks ago, that in the 11 games he played in, he recorded something like, 2 sacks, 4 swatted passes, 8 pressures, and an INT. Pretty impressive disruptive stuff from a rookie who was originally thought of as an early down run stuffer when drafted, and in his time played, at least in the stat sheets, more productive than Reed and Richardson.
I know when I was at training camp staring at the 1 v 1s, his level of disruptive moves really jumped out. The dude has hustle and he was a handful. If he can stay healthy, I think Seattle has a player there.
I think the bigger question might be whether the team feels if they have someone behind Bennett right now that can move into that spot. Can McDowell legit come back from those facial injuries and make up for lost time? Can Dion Jordan be relied upon to stay healthy for 16 games for the first time in his NFL career? Big questions to answer.
Thats what makes me OK with him leaving is the presence of Naz Jones. He would have also had a pick 6 in week 1 if he didnt get robbed by the refs.
🙁
The Hawks’ D-line next year will be intriguing. Potential boom or bust.
I remember the Seahawks having strong interest in Ryan Kelly, who happened to go 18th overall in 2016. I like Billy Price more than I liked Kelly, although that was a long time ago. Any thoughts on who was the better prospect? I really like Price at 18 whether it’s guard or center going forward.
I think Price is fantastic
Price is my favorite player in this draft I have a feeling that he will be a solid pro in the NFL for Ten years.
Border line probowl/all pro type….
I did catch some flack for suggesting he might come in and play center and that they then trade Britt.
Would Price’s strongest projection be at OG or C in the NFL?
Or could he be viewed “long term” as a C, but 1-2 year time frame play OG for Seattle?
Or would he conversely be more suited to start at C, then transition to OG after 1-2 years?
Price for me for sure. Better athlete and nastier attitude.
I we go interior OL I really want Wynn though I think he and Duane Brown on the left side could be special and really help the run game and pass pro.
I keep thinking he will be off the board at #18. Just a hunch. But it is fun to dream about him playing on the Seahawks OL.
We may have to settle for Settle???? 🙂
Or the Razorback…
Continuing the discussion above I think the the best comp for trading for Peters would be the deal Seattle did with the Bills for Beastmode. A first round pick that despite showing lots of talent on the field was just not fitting in with the organzation and the decided to move on.
We gave up a 4th round pick for beast mode and that is about what I think the Chiefs will get for Peters. Some team will give up a 3-4th round pick to take a flier on the talent and hope they can bring him onside off the field.
I would give up a 4th for him. Or better yet Sherm + a 5th.
This is massively wishful thinking I’m afraid Trevor.
The Chiefs situation with Peters is nothing like the situation with Buffalo and Marshawn.
How is it different Rob?
Peters is a good CB but far from the best in the league. He has the talent to be great and had an awesome rookie year but took a step back last year and was even suspended by the team for attitude issues. We are not talking Jalen Ramsey here.
Why would a team trade a mid 1st round pick for Peters when they could pick Josh Jackson for example. Similar size, ball skill and now of the character issues + 4-5 years of control. If the get a 1st rounder for him I would be shocked and give you a big apology for disagreeing on your take.
The only reason I think we could get a 1st for Earl and that is a big maybe is because he is a unique generational talent and there is no one remotely like him in this draft.
It’s very different Trevor. For starters, Marshawn was essentially frozen out in Buffalo. They’d just drafted C.J. Spiller in the top 10. He was buried on the depth chart, not contributing. Essentially he was drifting into irrelevance before Seattle saved his career.
Marcus Peters is the best corner in the NFL. He’s not buried on a depth chart, he’s been starting every week for KC and dominating.
Why would a team trade a first for Peters? Because he’s the best corner in the league.
KC are likely deciding here they aren’t going to pay him whatever he’s likely to get — $15m a year? More? And are seeing this as a chance to recoup a R1 pick they don’t have. It’s not a ‘get rid of Peters at all costs’ scenario.
+1
different situation. Marshawn was almost a bust in Buffalo,plus he had that hit and run, did not have the success on the field that Peters has had.
I doubt anyone gives up a #1 because of his well known issues, but he has 2 more years of control at a relatively low salary for his production. I don’t see him as the best CB in the league. Gets beat too often, but he can come up with the ball. I think Ramsey and PP are better, and if Sherm is healthy, and the rookies in NO and Buf I would take over him. He is Pro Bowl caliber and capable of a great game, but because of his reputation they wil have to trade him for less than his true value.
How exactly was Marshawn a bust in Buffalo he had over a 1000 yes each of his first two seasons and 15 TDs. The Bill just got tired with all the off field crap and attitude. Same as Cheifs are with Peters.
but under 500 the year before they traded him, under 200 the year they traded him, that is not high performance. They had Fred Jackson who was productive and they just drafted CJ Spiller I think in the first round.
He barely average 4 yds a carry with the Bills and I remember when they traded him they were glad to be rid of him.
Teams can get by with 2 good RB, the Bills had 2 others. Teams need 3 good CB’s.
I really don’t think the Chiefs trade Peters to be honest. The only reason I am even discussing it is because the Chiefs just traded for Fuller and signed Amerson. So by adding a quality CB in Fuller and a depth guy in Amerson they now have depth at CB.
Let another team give up a 1st for Peters. We have had enough of that mantra walk in and out of the Hawks door’s. There are done with that type of caricature.
Rob I’d be curious to get your thoughts on Justin Reid, S, Stanford.
Eric Reid’s brother. He’s not Earl. But I’d be curious where you put him in this safety class. Personally I think he’s better than some of the bigger names out there.
Not Rob but I really like him. Smart, tough player similar to his brother but did not look as athletic or make as many big hits. Really good player though who will have an NFL career IMO.
I also like him a TON!!!
Watched a bit of him. He was fine. Solid. Read he’s quite an explosive athlete. Great vertical expected. Perhaps not the best 40 though.
The reason I say trade back and trade back is because I want Leonard… Find the Magic depth JS. ( Too many years in the Berring Sea) LOL. I see a lot of depth @ interior OL and @ RB in this draft. Pettaway and Williams from LSU I like a lot. I also like Balladge. The Huskies Colman is going to be a better NFL player than he was in collage.
Really like Pettaway and Williams too. An option they may look at if they miss Jones or Michel could be to get Carlos Hyde in free agency then draft Pettaway and Willams in the 5th.
Bring Carson, Hyde, Davis, Prosise, Williams, Pettaway and a RFA or two and then let them battle it out in a true competiton.
FA happens before the draft,so if you miss the Rb you want, there will not be much left in the FA pile
I don’t get all the Hyde love on this site.
Nice RB, but hurt every year, never had 1000 yards (???) and now he wants to get paid. He has played well against the Hawks, but not against the rest of the league. JAG
I would rather have Blount for 1 year or Ivory, etc on a cheap, 1 year deal.
I like Blount as a short yardage RB. I feel the same about Ivory as you do about Hyde I just don’t see anything special.
oh, I don’t have a lot of love for Ivory.
But if he gets cut, cheaper and no comp pick, 1 year deal, so I prefer that to paying Hyde “Lacy money”
Not a Hyde fan myself. There are other FA RB’s who are just as interesting while probably Cheaper.
John Clayton summoned up the Marcus Peters being traded as one of the worst, if not the worst, decisions the Chiefs would have made in the last 10-15 years. When do you let a top shelf CB out fo the building. He might be a slight knucklehead, but he is a very rare guy. You can’t let young, cost controlled and talented CBs walk out of your program (that you drafted).
I’m coming around to trading for him, but I can’t see Seattle being able to match what other teams can offer for him. The chiefs can’t take on much salary, so a Sherman trade to them seems unlikely. Bennett and some draft capital might work, but they don’t have much draft capital to begin with…….
Please enlighten the collective…. can someone come up with a sound way to get a deal done.
If Peters is truly being shopped I could see NE trading pick 31 for him. They seem to manage the malcontents quite well.
He’s a top-five CB in the league. I hope the Seahawks are putting in some serious work. I doubt there’s a way they can get it done, but I’d love to see it.
The Browns should be all over it though.
You nailed it if he is being shopped Dorsey and the Browns front office would know him best and have more than enough draft capital to match anyone else’s offer. They should be all over that and the front runners to get him if he really is on the block. If they are not it would be a huge red flag for me because if Dorsey knows him and does not want him given the lack of talent in the Browns secondary then you know he has major off field issues.
He is not disciplined enough for Carroll’s scheme. 🙂
Discipline is a coaching and management issue. The idea that players/people can’t or won’t change in a different situation is ridiculous. We don’t know nearly enough about Peters, or what the Chiefs were asking him to do, to say he’s not disciplined enough for Carroll’s scheme.
“Discipline is a coaching and management issue. The idea that players/people can’t or won’t change in a different situation is ridiculous.”
Really? Percy Harvin comes to mind. So does Christine Michaels and Jimmy Graham. Those last two I threw in not because their behaviors were disruptive, but because they had issues in their games we tried to fix with intense coaching. For Michaels it was ball security, run discipline, and pass protection. For Jimmy, it was blocking. And years of coaching and new teams changed nothing. They resisted change and remained what they are. It’s hard for people to change. You are better off finding someone who has the qualities you are looking for rather than banking on whether you can change them.
Only way I think it happens for Seattle is if they trade Earl for a R1 and then use one of their high picks to make the deal.
In that situation, assuming that they did want to add a CB, I’d prefer they just draft Josh Jackson. That guy is exciting.
With the greatest respect to Josh Jackson, I’ll take the best corner in the NFL instead if it’s between the two.
Jalen Ramsey? Patrick Peterson?
Both fine players. Peterson a little overrated maybe. Peters is the best though. Incredible player. 19 picks in three years says it all.
Yeah I’m a big fan too. Rather have Ramsey personally, I guess it’s subjective unless there is some widely accepted cb metric that rates who is “best” somehow. Turnover battle is what determines most games and who doesn’t love a pick. Still, I’m not sure he can lock guys down the way some others do. You can definitely make the argument that the turnovers make up for the fact that he gives up more yards and TDs than some of the other guys (I don’t have stats on hand, just what I believe to be true). Either way he is one of the best if not the best and is worthy of tons of draft capital.
You really think Peters is better than Petterson, Ramsey, Rhodes, Chris Harris
Maybe in 2016 but definitely not last year.
Yes, Peters is better IMO.
And of those players, only Ramsey is a contender to the throne. Peters is clearly better than Peterson, Rhodes and Harris.
I’d probably take Peters over any of those guys tbh, although Ramsey would give me pause. Chris Harris is the best inside-out guy though, criminally underrated.
I think it is easy to overvalue the promise of what prospects might become vs veterans. I’m this case I’d be scared of Peters even though, as you rightly say, he is the best currently. I’ve been watching a lot of Jackson lately and am impressed. He is intense and has incredible ball skills. Ultimately I still think they should and will keep Sherman.
Anyone think SEA could explore a deal for Su’a Cravens? Huge medical red flags but we know PC likes his Trojans.
It sounds like the ‘Skins are ready to move on so I wonder what it would take…
I really liked him coming out but have not followed his pro career. You would have to think the cost to take a flier on him would be low.
He’s already retired once, I would avoid.
Stay away, concussion issue.
Even if he wants to play again, too dangerous and I think if he retired at such a young age, he will never fully get his head back in the game. Which for his health, he should not.
yeah if it is head injury stuff I agree.
Here’s repeat of last year. It look s like a must trade down, hoping Wynn is still there. If not, Hand:
1. (18) Trade dn for 1st (22) & 3rd (95) from BUF then 1st (22) for 2nd (33) & 3rd (65) from CLEV.
2T.(33) Isaiah Wynn (OG/G/C) Sr. Georgia or Da’Shawn Hand (DE) Sr. Alabama
2. (49) *Traded to NYJ
3T.(65) Trade Dn to (72) Austin Corbett (OG/C) Sr. Nevada for (144) NYJ
3. (80) *Traded to HOU
3T.(95) Kalen Ballage (RB) Sr. Arizona St.
4.(122) D.J. Clark (WR) Sr. LSU
5.(142) HOU Trade Deadrin Senat (DT) So. Florida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1iN0zDUfBw
5T.(144) Jesse Bates III (S) Sr. Wake Forest
5.(147) OAK Trade Desmond Harrison (OT/TE) Sr. West Georgia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zZaO_TpMYo
5.(170) NE Trade Brandon Facyson (CB) Sr. Virginia Tech
6.(194) *Traded to Oakland
7.(225) NYJ Trade Kemoko Turay (OLB) Sr. Rutgers
7.(234) Kamryn Pettway (RB) Jr. Auburn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7p2PqlTKl4
7.(248) NE Trade Jesse Aniebonam (DE) Jr. Maryland
Has anyone looked at Justin Lawler as a possible LEO fit. Saw a article wher he played that position with SMU. Looks like a mid round pick.
V12, you must have been on vacation a couple weeks ago… 😉
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/tasteful-profanity-podcast-appearance#comment-360790
Either way, great minds…
Hopefully he is doing his deep dives and is finding a bunch of gems to unveil after combine. I love when he finds those guys.
Some safeties for the community’s perusal
Jordan Whitehead, Pitt
DeShon Elliott, Texas
Justin Reid, Stanford
Tray Matthews, Auburn
Armani Watts, Texas A&M
Quin Blanding, Virginia (like 550 tackles in 4 years)
Tyree Robinson, Oregon
Tre Flowers, Oklahoma (had a decent career pbu total)
I wonder about blanding. There are some highlights where he can stop dudes on the one yard line, has good recognition skills, but other times seems to kind of loaf into plays. Former 5 star I believe so I wonder how athletic he is?
I’m not a big fan of watts. He’s a flashy hitter to me and every year there’s guys like that that Seattle passed on.
I do like Elliot but think seattle may need other players where he gets picked at. (I think late 2nd early third). And Reid i am super intrigued by. Again think he’s an easy third rounder or maybe a bit better with a good combine.
You should add Godwin Igwebuike, northwestern to your list for perusal.
Good call
Nice list, Kenny. I still have even more to go through, by order of interest…
Tony Brown, Alabama (This guy who doesn’t get talked about much right now is probably the only S in the draft who can come close to matching ETIII athletically. Gonna blow up the combine. He also plays with the same kind of wiry intensity and is super buff. I could see PC wanting to stash and develop him. Will also be a ST demon gunner from day 1. Career highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-5uvZ50DnU)
Stephen Roberts, Auburn
Natrell Jamerson, Wisconsin
Rob Rolle, Villanova
Trey Marshall, Florida St.
Afolabi Laguda, Colorado
Delvon Randall, Temple
Cole Reyes, North Dakota
I like his highlights, but why didn’t he break 50 tackles? 8 total passes defensed, could be the scheme. Extremely impressive physically, trucked an all conference lineman against UW, i mean just wow he’s going to destroy the combine, apparently he is a big trash talker, brash enough personality but not too out of control because he’s still at Bama.
Definetly an interesting prospect, but must have some major flaws with that minimal an impact
I like Reid and Ellliott from that list a lot and think both guys have NFl starter potential.
I agree.
Those are my 3rd and 4th safeties i believe
This article is well written and fun.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22347565/kirk-cousins-2018-nfl-free-agency-sweepstakes-seven-offers-sign-quarterback-picking-best
If you were Cousins, which team would you pick? I agree with the author’s choice.
I agree. Comes down to Jacksonville or Denver for me.
Sando does such great work. Hard to disagree.
I hope someone doesnt offer him over $30 million. That is really screwing it up for the rest of the league. The 49ers already screwed it up enough. It feels like these QB salaries are about to get out of control.
This whole premise is messed up to me. I don’t know, maybe I’m a terrible people person or I’d be a terrible GM, but since when did everybody just start accepting this idea that “Since X got $, you’d have to pay Y at least $+”? So friggin’ stupid, and everybody just nods their head. As Holmgren once said, “Just because they were stupid doesn’t mean I have to be.”
Here’s my offer to Cousins: NOTHING. I’m supposed to fall all over myself to pay a slightly above average QB $30 million? Did I conk my head and miss a whole season where Blake Bortles just led the Jags to the AFC championship game and would have been in the Super Bowl if the refs hadn’t helped the Pats again by blowing dead a clear Jags fumble recovery that would have been a touchdown?!?
Cousins’s record the past 3 years: 9-7, 8-7-1, 7-9. Oh, Washington doesn’t have a great team around him? First, they’ve got a good team, if not great. Second, if you need a great team around you to go 10-6, YOU ARE NOT A GREAT QUARTERBACK! So don’t ask me to pay you like one.
And people act like unless you pay Cousins you are going to end up in “QB purgatory”. Oh no, not QB purgatory! So scary! Except it’s really not. Outside of four teams, the longest playoff drought in the NFL stands at just 4 years. And two of those four teams have “their QB” in place. Frankly it just doesn’t seem that hard to find a good enough QB to get to the playoffs. You probably aren’t going to win the Super Bowl, but I’m not convinced my chances are much better with Cousins than with any of 3 QBs in the draft.
I agree. Russ will be looking for $35 mil + Love him but it really limits what you can do with the rest of the roster. Then again if you don’t have a QB it makes winning real tough.
That is why if Browns called and offered 1,4,32,35 and a 1st next year I would think hard about making that that deal.
I think we have to question what it means to “have a QB”. Only 9 teams were not playoff teams in either of the past two years. Of those, only four don’t either have a young QB expected to be the answer or a vet QB who has led them to the playoffs in the recent past.
So basically four teams in the entire league don’t “have a QB” good enough to get to the playoffs: Jets, Browns, Broncos, Cardinals. To those I guess you could add the Bills and Vikings, because both will/could lose the QB that got them to the playoffs. Jets, Browns and Broncos are all in good position to draft a good QB, so they don’t need to pay big for a veteran. Do the Vikings move on from Bridgewater and Keenum? Keenum just had numbers similar to what Cousins did in Washington. Are the Cardinals and Bills close enough that paying a QB to go 9-7 now is better than trying to develop Allen or Jackson? I have doubts about that.
And I wouldn’t have to think hard about trading Russ in that scenario, that’d be an easy one. Would trade him for less than that.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 Aaliyah
🙂 Hi!
Mel Kiper again picks Derwin to the Hawks in mock 2.0 yesterday…. if only he read SDB
http://www.espn.com/blog/seattle-seahawks/post/_/id/29760/mel-kiper-sticking-with-derwin-james-to-seahawks-in-his-mock-draft-2-0
At least it wasnt a CB. James is a possibility albeit lower where a CB is really really low.
I like James a lot as a fit but I don’t think he is there at 18. if he is I am sure Cle will be calling to move up to get him.
Doesn’t Jabril Peppers play the same role essentially as James though?
for those dreaming about the Hawks putting a franchise tag and trading Sheldon, doubt it happens.
If they use the transition tag, and he signs somewhere else, they get no comp pick.
Franchise tag is about $14.5 Mil. Too high for both his production and for the Hawks with limited cap space.
My best guess at this point is he signs elsewhere. The Hawks wanted him to take a cut in salary from $8 mil before they traded him, so I think they will not want to go too far north of $10 mill/year on a long term contract, if they are even willing to go that high.
I agree, like you said the transition is really a waste of time because he is basically a free agent still except we can match it. Which if its to high then he is gone anyways. A cap hit of $14+ is too high as well. Even if you do tag him and try and trade him that $14 million is still on your books and limits what you can do in free agency. Unless he signs a deal before March 14th I think he is a goner.
I thought you could tender a draft pick with the transition tag, as in you tender a 2nd round pick with the transition tag. Then any team interested in signing him would give us a 2nd round pick if we don’t match their offer. Isn’t that still the case?
That is just for restricted free agents. Sheldon is unrestricted. They could give him the full franchise tag and if someone signed him they would have to give up two first rounders but that has never happened.
There is actually three different franchise tags:
Exclusive Franchise: which only his team can negotiate
Non Exclusive Franchise: which another team could negotiate and if team doesnt match they receive two future first round picks as compensation
Transition: If you dont match then you get no compensation.
Thanks Greg.
Seahawks traded Joey Gallaway under franchise tag for 2 first round picks. Not sure of any other tag and trade has come close to that.
Can’t think of anyone who signed with another team and that team gave up 2 first round picks
Never thought Seattle would slap the franchise tag on Sheldon. I think they are going to let him test the waters, and if he doesn’t come back, they’ll be happy to collect a R3 comp.
Hi, totally new here but life-long Hawks fan, (well, since I was 10). Know JS & PCs philosophy it seems plausible to me that they may find a way to work out an extension with Richardson. They are very creative and finding a DL interior of Richardson’s talent at his age is rare. JS is a genius with these written off, impossible to do contracts when they really want someone. A 3-year deal worth 36-38 million with 15 guaranteed?
Question of the day about what you want to do with Richard Sherman in 2018. Here are the options.
Option 1…let him play out the last year of his deal at his current salary of $11 million ($13.2 mill cap hit)
Option 2…release him (when you can since he is injured) saving $11 million in cap space
Option 3…trade him for most likely a 3rd or a 4th (aquire a pick and gain $11 mill in cap space)
Option 4…ask him to take a pay cut from $11 mill to say $7 mill lowering his cap hit by $4 million
Option 5…extend him to keep him around for a while and lower his cap hit at the same time.
Option 1 for me.
Option 5 for me. I think people underestimate what the Hawk’s philosophy truly is with some of these cornerstone players. They are building a rapport, future coaching, win now and forever attitude and already have. They will extend him, give him the best medical treatment in the league and when he retires, bring him in to help coach DBs. Sherman is savvy and super smart as is the PAPCJS brain trust. Trading Sherman after his injury devalues him so much it is ridiculous. He will recover fully, get extended and end his career with Seattle after another SB win.
Definitely not Option 5. I think he’d laugh at Option 4, he has a signed contract. For Option 3. I don’t know what (if any) value he currently has since this would have to be worked out with a team before the draft and no one is sure he’ll ever play again.
I think it’s a hybrid between Option 1 and 2. You keep him on his current contract and access his progress to see if he’ll be able to play again and at what level. Then you make the decision on whether you’re going to keep or cut him, and kick any discussion of an extension or new contract down the road.
Typically the Hawks prefer to extend their star players a year before his contract ends. Sherman has said he will be ready and the Stanford grad is no fool. The Hawks have one of the best medical facilities in the league ala Paul Allen and Sherman is not just boasting when he says he’ll be ready for next year. Now is the time to extend him before he has another stellar year as the best cornerback in the league and can command a huuuugeee contract after another pro bowl 2018 year to add to his resume.
Option 4. Take advantage of his injury to lower his number while guarantee him something beyond this year and put in some kind of clause for an injury out if he doesn’t make it back onto the field.
Option 5. His game will age very well, but it can’t be a market-resetting type deal. Salary wise, something in the top 10 of CB deals. And not more than 4 years. 3 if you can with some room to cut him after 2.
I agree with this, but it really depends on who they keep from Earl and Bennett and even Sheldon.
I think they can only keep 2 of them long term. And Sherm may take a discount because he is coming off an injury. Maybe. I think Sherm can play 3 more years of Pro Bowl CB, and he is motivated to do that as it probably gets him into the HOF. He needs 3 more years of top level play and playing on a contender to get there.
The Hawks D was 10th oldest last year by snap count, so not as old as we may have thought and there are some kids that will play more next year.
And you need some wise old vets, just not old, injured, overpaid wise old vets.
I disagree. He’s always had problems with small and fast WRs that run crisp routes and dominated the big WRs.
With a bum Achilles, his problems could become liabilities, particularly if his ability to explode when he has to react to the WRs break is diminished in any way.
he did pretty well against Antonio Brown last time they played Pitt and he followed him.
And you need a smaller, slot type corner to play against the small shifty guys anyways and you need a bigger corner to line up with the bigger WR’s.
With modern medicine and Sherm’s work ethic, I would be surprised if the injury was a major issue this year.
that said, Hawks are not talking contract unless they do a full medical first and believe the issue is not going to be a problem
Will age well? Wish my crystal ball was that rosy. For background, the percentage of athletes who come back from a ruptured Achilles is low. The percentage that return to their pre-injury form is even lower. It’s definitely a wait and see situation. And if your crystal ball is right, then we won the lotto. Who knows, maybe this will turn out to be a Cinderella Man scenario and he’ll actually be better after the injury, but I’m not holding my breath.
The percentage of athletes that come back from the injury may be low but isn’t that exactly the same kind of talk that was being said of Graham after his “possible career ending injury”? the guy came back when everyone said the big trade was a bust and had a top 5 2016 and led TE’s in touchdowns this year and is looking at a huge payday or he may take a lesser contract, not much, to stay with the Hawks. People forget that yeah these guys want their money but a lot of them want to win a championship and will take pay cuts to stay with a QB like Wilson and a team like the Hawks. The worst decision the Hawks have made under the PCJS regime, and they’ve made several (Harvin, Branch etc) was signing and sticking with Blair Walsh IMO. We were 12-4 or 11-5 in 2017, beat the SB champs with Wentz if we had been playing with a decent kicker and none of this talk would be as urgent.
Much bigger sample size for achilles injuries vs. patellar ruptures, can’t simply compare the two equally.
This is a good article on what Sherman is going to face during his return to play.
http://lermagazine.com/article/return-to-football-after-achilles-tendon-rupture
The study this article uses has been referenced on other threads. Some things to keep in mind:
The data analysis has some issues in the way they measured performance.
They didn’t differentiate between fringe players and established veterans.
They didn’t compare return rates to similar injuries.
The data is now more than a decade old.
Not that the research should be tossed aside, but it’s (somewhat scary) results shouldn’t be taken as gospel. You can certainly recover, though it is a serious injury.
Option 3.
I think Option 1 is the best scenario. Sherman probably isn’t going to be in playing form until sometime during the season though. I think the PUP list is a real possibility. No way would I extend him, more because of his age than anything.
I would love to see proof where slower, technically sound players age well at the corner spot versus the physical freaks. The way I see, the freaks of nature like Terrance Newman are the ones still playing at a high level into their 30’s. Newman ran a 4.41 at the combine. He’s probably just an average athlete at this point, but his years of experience and technique have X’d out whatever losses he’s sustained athletically.
Sherman is already a master of his craft. He’s only going to get worse athletically, and yes he doesn’t rely on speed but at some point his loss of speed is going to be too much.
The guy was an iron-man his whole career, has a major injury and is now losing speed at 29 and is washed up? Pure crap. Sherman is still the best corner in the league and was playing at the level before the injury, which is amazing because the achilles had been bothering him all year and he still played at that level. Men that are dedicated to being the greatest, not only at their position, but in their desire to win championships dont fade away like average people. This team is built on that championship mentality and Sherman, Thomas and the whole LOB and the entire team, offense with Wilson at the head. Earl was talking retirement, people were ruling him out as “can’t return as the player he was etc” and he should have been comeback player of the year. Sherman and Kam and a lot of these guys chosen by the brain trust all feel and live the same way. Oh and Chancellor will be back as well as Avril on a restructured minimal cap hit contract, my crystal ball says lol.
Admirable post, but you can’t cheat father time. I didn’t say Sherman was washed up either, but if you are extending him at $13 million a year then at some point he will be washed up, and it will hurt the team.
Option 3. if you can get a 3rd or better.
Love Sherm but that is a bad injury and I just don’t see him taking a pay cut or signing a team friendly deal.
Option 5
Option 1, with Option 2 being available if he can’t make it back by the third preseason game.
If he’s not going to be healthy by Week 1, you have to cut him I think. No way we can let his $14m vest and become fully guaranteed.
Que?
Thought I was replying to Greg’s point above.
just to confuse things more, saw this on twitter
(and if it is on the internet, it is TRUE!)
Gee says he backtracks from Moses comments a few weeks ago. Thinks he’ll be back. Says Prich market could be Kearse/Willson like. Says plainly, no, on Earl SR Kam and Avril returning in 2018.
Interesting that he says both Earl and SR are gone, Bennett stays.
Where is the tweet. I cant find it on Gee Scott?
Davis Hsu. Unfortunately, like most non-lawyers he doesn’t write clearly enough for my taste 🙂
Does that “no” (combined with the later “and”) mean that none of Earl, Sheldon, Kam and Cliff will return, or just that some of them won’t?
https://twitter.com/Cyoplasm/status/966706703063396352
Bennett staying makes perfect sense given how little cap savings you get by cutting him. Reduce his snaps and let him be an interior pass rusher on 3rd down and he would still have lots in tank IMO. Plus if there is a youth movement on D they need a leader and Bennett has always been great helping the young guys.
Thats my thoughts exactly. Maybe move on from him next year.
Reducing his snap counts, YES!!! You hit the nail on the end. I’ve been banging this drum for the past two years, and his snaps counts have just been going up.
head* not end.
Yeah 85% for a 32 year old (last year) is way to many. He shouldnt be any higher that 60%.
His insane usage is actually the thing that first got me pointing in the direction that they might move on from him. It’s like a team that runs a RB into the ground the year before he’s a FA.
I saw that as well. IMO, it makes sense to hang onto Bennett for one more season. They have players behind Sheldon Richardson in Jones and Reed. Behind Bennett they have a virtual unknown in McDowell, and a player that finally flashed in his career in Dion Jordan, but have never stayed healthy enough to play a full season.
Even with an foot injury that would probably sideline some, Bennett battled through it and managed 8.5 sacks. That shows a bunch of reliability on an affordable contract. That a lot to part ways with just to save $2 mill.
Everyone is also forgetting ex first rounder Marcus Smith. Also flashed potential and we keep him cheap to team with Jordan and Clark and BENNETT! Saving 2 million to cut a guy like MB who had 8.5 sacks last year is ludicrous and he was battling injuries. These guys will all come back for next year: Earl, with a long-term deal structured to be cap friendly and allow him to retire here or with the Cowboys for one or two years when he’s really declining, RS will be back and better than ever, just like Graham and Earl and will get an extension as well. Kam will be back to finish out his contract and maybe get another 2-3 year deal and Avril will also return at a reduced salary after being medically cleared and testing free agency. Won’t be signed due to injury concerns but will return to us to be functional on less snap and a grateful, inspirational leader in the locker room.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000917204/article/sheldon-richardson-likely-wont-get-seahawks-tag
Here is a report from Ian Rapaport that the Seahawks are unlikely to use the tag on Richardson. Maybe its true maybe its not.
how do we get a 6 figure salary to guess at this?
Makes sense, Seattle is more “player friendly” than a lot of other teams are. I’m sure tagging Richardson would just piss him off more than anything. We would be buying low as well IMO, sack numbers are volatile for interior defenders and I’m thinking Sheldon would be around the 5-8 sack mark next year.
I worry about his motivation level after getting paid.
I think it depends on if they believe Mcdowell will be back and if they plan on moving on from Thomas, Sherm, Bennett.
If I had to take a guess I think they get outbid for him. Seems like if the Hawks plan to keep a big ticket player they lock him up before the free agency. I can’t remember the last time they let a core guy get to free agency then won a bidding war for him. If he is not signed before free agency start then 99% chance gone.
I also remember when Michael Bennett signed his 4 year contract back in 2014. He signed it just before free agency started. Its possible that could happen for Sheldon. You have to think if he actually makes it to free agency that he is gonzo.
If he hits the open market, so be it. However, if he went to say SF … ugh.
That would suck to see him go there. I like seeing ex players go to the AFC where you dont play against them that often.
Buckner and Sheldon inside, with Soloman Thomas on the edge is scary. Add a big free agent edge or draft Davenport and that could be a stellar D line.
NFC West draft outlook:
SF – I think they go LB early. They are paper thin there, and the Rueben Foster situation is really a big downer for a team that finally has some hype to it. Really, they could use picks at every position. They have a startlingly lack of talent on that roster. That winning streak at the end of the year might have been smoke and mirrors, with teams not really trying all that hard against the lowly 49ers.
ARZ – Has to be QB. I don’t think they will be picking high enough to get their guy. They either trade up or maybe trade down and gamble on Lamar Jackson. They also desperately need O line help. They have a lot of bloated cap on washed up linemen and their best tackle is constantly hurt.
LA – They have a really bad secondary, which is about to get worse with the loss of either Trumaine Johnson or LaMarcus Joyner. They probably reach for a cornerback early. They need a LT of the future as well, Withworth is already past the age where LT’s decline.
SF will be over rated to start the season. Let’s see what JG does when teams have spent the offseason studying him and looking for weaknesses. Lots of holes still on that team. They are improving, but still 3rd or 4th in the division probably.
AZ. Who knows, but aging roster and no QB, OLine is a mess. They get Johnson back
LA. I expect them to take a step back. Still not sold on Goff as a potential elite QB. They had almost no injuries last year and they have 3 FA from a mediocre secondary. And Donald is about to GET PAID!
Maybe Rob should re-name this site ‘Seahawks Free Agents and Trade Blog’
Free Agency, Trades, Draft all work together.
We are trying to predict the JS/PC moves to help refine our draft predictions….. some years it is like pissing into the wind…. other years…. the wind is at your back.
I can see the Jets signing a QB in free agency, maybe Case Keenum or someone like that. Then perhaps they draft Chubb/Edmunds or another defensive stalwart to pair with Leonard Williams. If they do this I can see them trading back into the first to select one of the QBs that are left. The name that springs to mind is Lamar Jackson. I can see him lasting until 18. Could be a good move for the Hawks to swap 18 for their 2 second round picks (one of which was previously ours) and maybe another one. Just speculating, I don’t know if that matches up value wise. Gives us a shot at maybe landing two very decent players. Maybe a lineman falls or a RB that we like and we take them early second and we can come back a few picks later and perhaps take what we didn’t with our first pick. Load up on defence with the later picks and snag a tight end. Hoping that we sign a veteran wide out and that Darboh or Moore really show something in year 2.
Matches up pretty well, our first for their two seconds. Maybe add a premium (for the QB) and get their 4th, #103? Ran a simulator, ended up with Billy Price, Nick Chubb and Darius Leonard with those picks. I could live with that.
I think I may know a way to get an all-pro running back and Marcus Peters for pick #18.
Trade 18 to Chiefs for Peters and Marshawn will naturally come back to us for the chance to play with his cousin. 2 birds 1 stone.
Peters is talented, but with all the headaches, I don’t think it would take that much to get him. Maybe swap spots with them in 1st and maybe a 5th, get Peters and with 1st get (Jones/Price). Hope you trade ET for two 2nds and get a WR or TE and then DL.
Chiefs don’t have a 1st
and if they did, they would not make the trade
Lots of players are a pain in the ass, comes with giving 20 years old kids millions of dollars and lots of free time. Can’t trade them all.
Rob did throw out an interesting option, somehow Seattle acquires a 1st round pick (and a later round pick), then turn around and trade this pick to the Chiefs (who lack a first round pick) for Peters…. straight up. Something about this seems much more doable or believable. The last few years, crazy trades have occurred more frequently and picks are being dealt more freely. So in the end, you keep Sherman and acquire Peters. The numbers would be the same for both teams… no cap juggling to be performed.
**the trade of ET would be the only way I could reasonably see Seattle acquire a 1st round pick via trade.
Anybody else see that picture of Malik that was floating around yesterday? Either he still can’t lift heavy after his injury (entirely possible) or he’s playing outside this year if/when he comes back. Dude looks super lean, like Frank.
Either way, a pass rushing DT may be a priority especially if Sheldon goes elsewhere. Not that it hasn’t been a priority for about 5 years now…
I think McDowell is a better fit at edge than he is inside, although he could be a monster at both.
He could just be a tweener like Bennett
If he could come back I would definitely be fine with Clark and McDowell on the edge with Dion splitting snaps outside and rushing inside on passing downs with Naz.
Anyone got a link?
Anyone got a link to the picture?
Try this:
https://twitter.com/Cyoplasm/status/966830390819274752
It’s from the same guy that was paraphrasing Gee’s “no” comments on guys being back yesterday.
he looks lean, probably was not able to lift and keep his weight up after the accident.
He does look pretty athletic compared to most O lineman, bet he is pretty quick, if he can play again
He was away from the team for virtually the entire year, and as such, I don’t think that he had access to any of their training regimens/nutrition programs. His injury also probably prevented him from exercising/working out whatsoever for a prolonged period of time, so I don’t think it’s a worrying sign that he’s significantly leaner than he was coming out of college. The only worry is if he can regain a good playing weight once he can (hopefully) train and practice with the team.
He’s always been really lean, not a very telling picture
Here’s a different take on the dilemma of having to pay your QB $30+ million a year – NFL owners prioritize other things than just winning, they want to make money as well. Your QB is your most marketable player. They sell the most jerseys, they have more airtime, etc. The Jets for example may not become a Superbowl contender by dishing out that kind of money to Cousins, but it will invigorate the fan base in the same way that Jimmy G is doing with San Francisco.
Chris Wesseling
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Also from @RapSheet:
– Steelers will listen on Martavis
– Seahawks more likely to work out new deal with Earl Thomas
– Sherman going nowhere anytime soon
– Broncos don’t want to trade Sanders
https://twitter.com/ChrisWesseling/status/966936534225047552
Rapoport went on to say that the Seahawks probably *would* trade Thomas for “a huge allotment of picks”.
Really, this is pretty obvious “news”.
Regardless of what ends up happening with Earl, it is in the best interest of the Seahawks that they express the desire to sign him long term.
We all know how deliberate the team is in letting information like this get out.
Hawks, don’t make another mistake by giving an aging veteran another contract. Learn from your mistakes. Buy low, sell high. Bryant might be a good buy low guy. Deep speed, tall. Both needed by the Hawks.
Mostly agree here. 29. Back to back seasons with injuries. He’s going to want a ton and rightfully so. Just hope it’s not Seattle that’s paying. Recency bias here but just look at the chancellor contract.
Earl isn’t just another aging veteran. He is the best in the world at his job (single high safety). Unless we get multiple first rounders for him (we won’t) I say pay the man the dollars that he has earned and is well worth. If he wants to be here we should do what it takes to keep him. The only hesitation is that he has already contemplated retirement once (I bet most football players do at some point though, earl just speaks his mind unlike most). It’s football, sometimes people get hurt. Is no one worth paying after their 27th birthday because the stats say on average guys get hurt more as they age? Look what happened to shazier, he is just 25 and his career might be done due to an injury playing football. Look at all the players across the league that have played at an elite level into their 30s. Paying Kam wasn’t a bad decision at the time either, it just so happened that he got hurt. Kam is worth the money and I hope he can come back because he can still help the team. Hindsight is 20/20, we can’t go on making decisions about players based on what has happened to other players. The future doesn’t have a memory haha. Earl has been pretty healthy over the years, as long as his hammy isn’t a long term concern then idk why people think he won’t keep balling out. Got to save our money so we can pay for our next Luke Joeckel or Cary Williams or re-up players like McDougald and Willson huh guys. I’d rather have earl and a couple undrafted free agents than pay millions of dollars to a couple jabronies like that.
Truth, Earls injuries have been blown out of proportion, he’s never been injury prone like Kam and has consistently finished all 16 games. Kam rarely did that, Bobby Wagner rarely did that too start his career as well.
Besides that, its not the time to move on from Earl, its time to start grooming his successor, we dont have a good enough option to move on at this very moment
That’s one factor getting overlooked. ‘We dsont have his replacement yet.’
I mean, Tedric Thomoson’s 2 fumble recoveries on kickoffs didn’t exactly instill much confidence did it?
And secondly. Say Seattle releases all these vets and still fails to win 7-9 games. Pete was using those guys as scapegoats IMHO.
* fails to win more than 7-9 games
Yes i think thats possible, they don’t want to lose their reputastion as player friendly by sending guys off with no regard. Especially if they just bring in a bunch of JAG type players.
I like Tedric, but it would be a surprise to see him make that big of a jump, if he continues to be a turnover machine then maybe thats why they’d be willing to trade Earl.
I think one interesting option at TE would be to sign Martellus Bennett if he passes a physical and gets let go by Pats as expected.
If the Hawks plan to keep MB one more year it would give the brothers extra motivation by finally getting to play together. The should be able to sign him on a reasonable 1-2 yr deal.
Then you draft a guy like Smythe, Shultz or Herndon with one of your 5th round picks.
That would give you Bennett, Vannett, Swoopes or a rookie. Whomever does not make it between Swoopes and the Rookie could be a PS player and be ready for the roster in 2019.
Tyler Eifert would be another Vet 1/yr prove it deal option.
I like Eifert. Bennett basically quit on Green Bay after Rodgers went down. I didn’t like that at all. He’s basically a mercenary looking for a payday and nothing more.
both Bennett brothers are good talkers and have talent
but Michael is a much harder worker. Can’t ever accuse Michael of dogging it on the field.
I like what Martellus could do if he tried hard for a full season, but that may never happen and he may be a negative and not a positive influence on his brother
How about Earl to the Steelers for 2nd round pick and Martavius Bryant? Steelers need a S and Bryant would be the big WR Pete has always wanted. With the deep ball Russ thoughs that could be a dynamic combo. This is with Bryant and the drug program stuff he is a big risk.
That’s a trade that makes decent sense. the late 2nd let’s you consider hernandez/rabbis or someone in that wheelhouse and keep the natural 18 or move just a few spots to pick up a late third and hopefully go after Ronald jones.
PC loves to feel strike and right now no one one the team provides that. Prich is close but he’s still a sub 60% catcher. Lockett I want to be that but he hasn’t quite regained his explosion.
Rabbis. Awesome.. How about ragnow. Sheesh
Steelers would have to do some big time cap work to even get close. $6m under the cap currently so as is, trading for Earl would put them in jail unless they immediately extend him to reduce the cap hit. And they still have to pay Bell.
I’m a big Bryant fan ever since he destroyed the combine and would love to have him on the team. But it needs to be a 1st to even consider that trade for me. That is unless there is something wrong with earl or he actually doesn’t want to be here (I think he just wants to feel valued, what better way to show him than by paying dude the money he is worth).
They AREN’T trading earl without a 1st round pick. It’s that simple. Their asking price will be a 1st and additional pick. Could be a 1st and a 3rd, could be a first and a 5th, etc. etc.
Pitt is over the cap and have to sign Bell
they have no room for Earl
Bevell in and SI Article talking about comparisons between Russ and Baker Mayfeild. What he says is truly what makes Russ special and differentiates him from everyone except maybe Brady, Brees and Rodgers.
Intangibles. “You can see why they make the comparison to Russell right away. Undersized, run-around guy, and they think of Russell. But there’s just one Russell Wilson, and there’s so much more about him than just his play. He has this belief that he’s not going to let himself fail. He’s a tireless worker. I don’t have enough information on Baker to make that comparison.”
2015 NFCCG. That’s the modern NFL gold standard of never say die.
however, I suspect this belief in himself is in part what allows him to have slow starts. He thinks he can always come back. Sometimes you can’t.
I prefer fact to faith, which is heresy in America……..
Marcus Peters is coming out west …. to the Rams 😉
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/967097064676052993
Very interested to see what they gave up.
Same here. The deal could be done as early as this afternoon.
I am as well. Also Chris Ivory released today as well.
Not looking forward to playing against his ball-hawking skills.
I wish the rams luck. Going all in because next year they are going to paying some BIG contracts, goff, you can only tag Donald so many times, gurley, they may lose a good chunk of their secondary this year or next.
I obviously dont root for the Rams but you do have to love them going after it. There biggest weakness is there corners and they just addressed that. It will for sure be interesting to see what they gave up.
Yes. That’s the structure the NFL has set up to create parity. You pay your top guys. If not, why would anyone ever want to come play for you?
I am as well. Also Chris Ivory released today as well.
Not sure why that submitted twice but aight
I have always liked Ivory and would love for the Hawks to pick him up.
Full disclosure: I liked the Eddie Lacy deal too, so what do I know.
Ivory aging. Hawks want to get younger. Ivory is a mid level player. They will pass.
Ivory is past his expiration date, like Lacy.
Vet minimum with 100K guaranteed? Sure. Maybe he can give you 100 carries and push the pile.
$2-3 mil year? No thanks.
I agree, he would just be a waste of money. The RB position is a young young mans game.
Trey Burton along with ASk and possibly Brate could be options for the Seahawks at TE. Im doubting they would go after him as he could command a larger deal and we generally dont go after those.
http://nfltraderumors.co/eagles-made-te-trey-burton-contract-offer-hes-expected-sign-elsewhere/
Cleveland. Come get your QB.
Looks like a smart move for the rams even if they’ve given up a first round pick. I don’t think they want to pay Trumaine Johnson. Peters will be cheap for a year at least and imo is better than Johnson. They have need in the secondary and it’s possible they would have taken a corner in the first. Instead they get a proven talent.
I like the deal for them as well. Even if it is a first rounder they were probably going to select a corner at 23 anyways. They also have the fifth year option so they technically have him for 2 more years at decent money
1st rounders are overrated for a team like LA. They’re already there and the 2nd or 3rd best team in the NFC anyways. They weren’t getting a talent like Marcus Peters at the end of round 1 as you mention anyways.
Wow, hot take alert, in what world is the team that just got smoked in their first playoff game the 2nd best team in the NFC, hogwash, if you can stop the run the Rams have nothing, and they certainly don’t have the Jaguars defense to compensate. They’re like the 6th or 7th best team in the NFC and will probably never go beyond the divisional with Goff.
This was a solid trade, but also a high risk trade, Rams aren’t exactly disciplined after years of Jeff Fisher, and if Peters has attitude issues pretty good odds McVay will struggle with it this early in his career.
Lets not forget Chip Kelly went 10-6 twice to start, so far I’ve seen McVay be badly outcoached by teams with adequate personal. With a 36 year old left tackle they aren’t exactly that far from a step back. Its not as easy to sneak up on everyone when theyve got a seasons worth of tape on you.
And if you want a list of better teams
Green Bay with a healthy Rodgers
Atlanta
Seahawks with a healthy Bobby and Kj because you know they can’t stop the run with Bobby at 40%, which is also why they dont need McDougold back and to find a new linebacker. Stopping the run is going to win the division.
New Orleans
Minnesota
Philadelphia
Carolina
Dallas with Zeke
I get we try not to be too homerish but goodness we aren’t Rams fans, this teams just got a lot of Hype behind them because the NFL so desperately wants LA to succeed. I mean even if you take out the Hawks from that list i prefer every single one of those teams because they have good enough QB play that they don’t need to rely on the run.
Oof poor wording, i like their Qbs enough thast if the run isn’t working they can still have success, i don’t like the Rams QB enough to trust him in a comeback.
let’s see the Rams do it this year and next before we call them an elite team. Lots of teams can get one great year and then fall back. Is anyone convinced Goff is going to be elite?
And lets see their cap situation in 2 years when the young guns want to get paid.
Talk about hot takes. LA is right up there Atlanta/NO/Minn/Philly. The NFC is really tough. For the record I think this trade is too Seahawk-y, which is a bad thing. It sounds like the Rams are giving up their 1st + other picks, that seems too much for a headcase no matter how talented he is. The Rams are going all in this year – Peters is going to ball out next season but then he’ll slowly deteriorate that locker room.
Fair enough
Wow, half of this is about Marcus Peters and the other half is about pro football talk tooting there own horn. Might want to be a little more humble.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/02/23/chiefs-werent-prepared-to-commit-long-term-to-marcus-peters-obviously/
‘You can be ahead of the curve.’ Hahaha! Love that line.
What curve? The same one Gee Scott is out in front of?
PFT has become like TMZ, wild speculation, especially Florio
My problem with Florio (besides the gloating) is he mixes stupidly speculative ‘what if’ pieces not based in any fact with reporting of inside info he hears, so it muddies the waters and you get pieces like this (on the front page just a few posts down from the Marcus Peters self-congratulation):
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/02/22/could-an-unexpected-team-enter-the-chase-for-kirk-cousins/
Which makes you think he’s been smoking something. Yes, the Cowboys are going to choose Kirk Cousins at $30m/year over Dak Prescott at $800k/yr. Sure.
Garbage pieces like that with an occasional “I got it first” reporting is like going to a restaurant and the steak is top notch one time, but the next time your order steak it’s ground hamburger that you’re not sure is actually beef.
like his “what if” Wilson uses his trade to the Yankees as leverage to squeeze more money out of Seattle.
Russell was not a great BB prospect, and at 29, I doubt the Yankees are willing to pay the $30 mil/year the Hawks will give him on his next contract. I doubt the Yankees would pay him $3 million on a multi year contract. How is that leverage?
But that does not stop Florio from “just putting it out there”
It wouldn’t shock me at all to find out that Florio acquires real tidbits of info from agents in exchange for walking their dog around the building that there is more attention being given to their clients than just team A or B in order to drive up their negotiating positions.
the word is out that Rams refused to include Robert Quinn in the deal.
BS!
I don’t believe KC asked for him, they have a couple good edge rushers, are in cap trouble and Quinn makes $15 mill/year and is in decline.
I think the Rams want people to bid for him before they cut him.
Yeah I don’t buy that either. The picks are more valuable than Quinn.
I like the deal talent wise for the Rams but I would be seriously wondering why the guy who drafted him and is now the GM in Cleveland with tons of draft capital and need at CB did not try to get him. That would be a huge red flag for me. Maybe they dont think they have enough strong personalities in their locker room to handle him.
Nfc west has aggressive GMs trading for Brown, Richardson, Garapollo, and now Peters.
Ignore above I guess the Browns were interested have to think the Rams gave up #23 + a conditional 2019 pick.
With all that capitol you’ve got to wonder why they didn’t push harder though. Maybe the Rams gave up a lot
Bottom line if the Browns really wanted him the Rams could not match their offer they dont even have a second round pick this year.
Absolutely, there’s a reason Minnesota traded Harvin, theres a reason KC is trading him in his rookie deal.
Oh and Trevor, I know youre a big proponent of trading Earl (and had pseudo interest in trading for peters but i feel like your position on the matter was smart and exactly what the Hawks were thinking) so how do you feel about a guy like Tedric stepping in? Vol pointed it out on this same thread, do you think he might have the ball skills to compensate for Earl’s overall impact? Just curious if you maybe reviewed his preseason tape or have an especially positive feeling, all the trade talk makes me wonder how they feel about their 3rd and 4th rounders from ladt season
Anyone think Sherman can play strong safety for the hawks next year if Kam can’t play? The last couple years he has developed into a thumper. He might be able to come back and be as dominant as ever at cb but the injury might make a move to safety make sense (other corners have made the transition late in their careers due to athletic limitations). Kam was the emotional leader of the defense but he also got guys lined up (smarts) and he set the tone with his physicality. I can’t think of anyone better to fill that void than sherm. Earl, sherm, maxi, griffin and Coleman sound like a good starting DB group to me. Ideally he would take a paycut but who would ever want to make less money. I’d also be open to trading him to acquire some draft capital and clear some cap space to sign guys like earl and S. Richardson.
He is a great tackler but could he hold up at his size in the box all season. He woukd be awesome covering TE and in zone.
+1
Yeah I dunno. I like the chance it gives us to make some more turnovers. agreed tho, he might get regularly blown up trying to navigate through the fray. He’s 6 foot 3, maybe he can add some bulk during his rehab process this offseason. He’d be a pretty big SS compared to most. is