Schneider needs Wilson’s agent to be a team player

April 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider sent a pretty strong message Wednesday about Russell Wilson’s contract, making it clear the Seahawks are not going to mortgage the rest of the roster for the sake of the quarterback.

Talking to KIRO Radio, he twice referred to football as the “ultimate team sport,” talked about keeping as many players as possible and said the Hawks need to “protect” themselves and “make smart decisions.”

The Seahawks are negotiating with Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, but reportedly have not made much progress. Speculation is that Rodgers — a baseball agent — is working in baseball terms rather than football terms, not in sync with NFL economics. That was the fear when Wilson moved off veteran NFL agent Bus Cook and let Rodgers handle it.

“Every negotiation is unique … and this is no different,” Schneider told KIRO’s Dori Monson. “It’s the ultimate team sport. He’s our quarterback. We’d love him to be our quarterback. But the thing is we need to keep as many of these guys together as we possibly can.”

Continue reading Schneider needs Wilson’s agent to be a team player →

Fun & games, It's bigger than football, State of the team

Wilson, Chancellor & the gang enjoy Aloha spirit

April 15, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are having a good time bonding on Maui (my favorite vacation spot).

Russell Wilson has been joined by 20 teammates, including new additions Jimmy Graham and Cary Williams and all of the team’s starting linebackers.

The other players in attendance, according to Seahawks.com (and photos): tight ends Luke Willson, Cooper Helfet and RaShaun Allen; wide receivers Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Kevin Norwood and Chris Matthews; running backs Demitrius Bronson and Derrick Coleman; cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Eric Pinkins and Will Blackmon; linebackers Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Mike Morgan; safeties Kam Chancellor and Dion Bailey.

Not surprisingly, Marshawn Lynch is not there. The guy’s a maverick loner, as we all know. Not sure why Robert Turbin and Christine Michael are not there. Earl Thomas, Paul Richardson, Jeremy Lane and Tharold Simon are recovering from surgeries.

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Contracts, It's bigger than football

Baseball talk is about dreams, not contracts

April 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Everyone’s going gaga over Russell Wilson’s comments to HBO about wanting to play two sports, with some conspiracy theorists going so far as to claim the quarterback is trying to threaten the Seahawks amid contract negotiations.

Apparently no one paused to consider (1) Wilson was merely answering a question, (2) Wilson is not as arrogant as John Elway and (3) Wilson is not stupid.

In the preview clip for the April 21 edition of HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryan Gumbel,” Wilson said, “You never want to kill the dream of playing two sports.”

Key word: Dream.

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Schedule

Schedule coming April 23: Prime-time opener?

April 13, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Marshawn Lynch runs against the Packers in the NFC title game (Seahawks.com) — Will Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks open at Green Bay on Sunday night?

The NFL schedule will be released next week, with April 23 the expected date — which leads to the question: Will the Seahawks open in prime time?

Because they blew the Super Bowl and lost the right to open at home on Thursday for the second straight year, Sunday night seems like a distinct possibility.

It’s not automatic that the Super Bowl loser gets the Sunday night slot to start the season (e.g., Denver did last year, but the 49ers did not in 2013). But Seattle at Green Bay — a rematch of the stunning NFC title game — would be a heckuva way to cap the first Sunday slate on Sept. 13. It would be the second straight year the Hawks and Packers opened the season against each other — but this time it would be in Green Bay.

Continue reading Schedule coming April 23: Prime-time opener? →

NFL draft

What if preferred OL & WR are gone by No. 63?

April 13, 2015 cc Leave a comment

DRAFT COUNTDOWN: Under three weeks. A weekly look at draft-related topics involving the Seahawks.

A year ago, word was the Seahawks were hoping to draft a couple of offensive tackles because they needed to replace right tackle Breno Giacomini and weren’t sure they would keep left tackle Russell Okung when his contract is up after the 2015 season.

At the time, Okung was recuperating from foot surgery after missing half the 2013 season, and the Hawks did indeed draft two linemen: Justin Britt, who started at right tackle all season, and Garrett Scott, whose NFL career ended before it started due to a heart condition.

A year later, the Seahawks are looking at linemen more than ever — needing to replace Max Unger and James Carpenter and perhaps prepare to replace Okung.

But when will they take them?

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Contracts

Bennett is ‘trying to be a good Seahawk’

April 9, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Michael Bennett confirmed Thursday that he did not ask for a trade to Atlanta (or anywhere else, we presume), and he also confirmed he is not happy with his contract but is “trying to be a good Seahawk.”

Pete Carroll and John Schneider both previously have said Bennett has not asked for a trade, but Schneider avoided answering a question about the defensive end’s contract and there remained lingering whispers that Bennett was not happy with the $28.5 million deal he signed last year.

On Thursday, Bennett debunked the trade rumor, started by a Dallas report related to Greg Hardy late last month.

“They made rumors about Jesus; they’ll make rumors about anybody,” Bennett cracked to 710 ESPN’s Justin and Gee. “I never asked for it. I didn’t come to (the Seahawks) asking for a trade.”

Justin and Gee (never to be mistaken for news reporters) didn’t ask Bennett about his contract, but the Tom & Curley Show did.

Asked if he was happy with his deal, Bennett told the KIRO Radio hosts, “I can’t really say that. I don’t know anybody that is happy with the amount of money they’re making. At this point, I’m just trying to be a good Seahawk.”

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Contracts, The roster

Irvin or Okung? That is probably the question

April 8, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Do the Seahawks prefer Russell Okung or Bruce Irvin? Because — barring Marshawn Lynch retiring in 2016 — that is probably the choice they are going to have to make. By May 3.

The San Diego Chargers reportedly picked up the fifth-year option on linebacker Melvin Ingram on Tuesday, which raised the question of whether the Seahawks will do the same with Irvin by the May 3 deadline.

The smart money says no — unless the Hawks have decided they don’t want to re-sign Okung.

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CHAWK LINES

April 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

At Texas Rangers camp, Russell Wilson didn’t have anything to say about his contract. But he talked about a lot of other things, including what he said to Max Unger after the center was traded to New Orleans: “Max, at least you are going from one short quarterback to another (Drew Brees).”

Brees also talked about losing Jimmy Graham and gaining Unger.

John Schneider talked to John Clayton at UW’s Pro Day. Not much new stuff, but the GM did explain the signing of Ahtyba Rubin and talk a little bit about the big picture with Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

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Franchise history, NFL draft, NFL history, State of the team

Is Schneider becoming the new Bobby Beathard?

April 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

DRAFT COUNTDOWN: Four weeks. A weekly look at draft-related topics involving the Seahawks.

The Seahawks will be in rare historical company in this year’s draft, becoming the first team in nearly 20 years to go three straight years without a first-round draft pick.

John Schneider’s deal for Jimmy Graham, which cost Seattle its first-rounder and Max Unger, means the Seahawks will become the seventh team in the modern era to go without a first-rounder in at least three straight drafts.

To recap how the Hawks have joined the select club:

–In 2013, they traded a first-rounder, seventh-rounder and 2014 third to Minnesota for Percy Harvin.

–In 2014, they traded down from No. 32 and picked Paul Richardson with the 40th overall selection, also adding a fourth-rounder in the deal with the Vikings.

–Last month, they sent Unger and their first-rounder (No. 31) to New Orleans for Graham and a fourth-rounder.

So is this just a one-time oddity, like the Houston Oilers from 1979 to 1981? Or is Schneider becoming the Bobby Beathard of this era?

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Contracts

Which QB’s deal will Wilson’s most resemble?

April 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

At UW’s Pro Day on Thursday, Pete Carroll was asked how contract talks with Russell Wilson were going.

“Ongoing. Just ongoing,” he said, per Bob Condotta. “Really that’s all you can really say about it. But it’s under way.”

Wilson’s contract has been a big topic ever since the Super Bowl ended, with plenty of speculation about how and when it will be done. Carroll and John Schneider both have made it clear it will get done (probably this month), although they obviously have not shared any specifics.

At the owners meetings, Carroll said the contract would have “extraordinary ramifications” and “there is so much magnitude in this deal and it affects so much.”

All you have to do is look around the league to see how QB deals affect teams.

Continue reading Which QB’s deal will Wilson’s most resemble? →