Shead signed through 2018, according to CBA

November 12, 2017 cc Leave a comment

“Counting down the days ’til I’m back with my brothers” — DeShawn Shead

With Richard Sherman out for the season, DeShawn Shead’s potential return comes at just the right time. And it raises an interesting scenario, too.

Even though Shead suffered a torn ACL in his contract year last season, the Seahawks re-signed him — giving him $1.2 million (with $850,000 guaranteed) to basically rehab this season, with the hope he might return in time to help them during their playoff run.

While Shead’s comment seems to indicate he expects to play this season, Pete Carroll told 710 ESPN on Monday that Shead has “hit a bit of a plateau” in his recovery and is not quite ready to practice. He has to begin practice by Nov. 21 and be activated by Week 15 or else go on injured reserve.

Assuming he returns, he seems likely to figure into the mix by the time the playoffs start — possibly even starting at Sherman’s left corner spot, opposite standout rookie Shaquill Griffin.

Seattle’s patience with Shead’s recovery could pay off in 2018 as well.

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The roster

Sherman not going anywhere in 2018

November 10, 2017 cc Leave a comment

Contrary to some thoughts, Richard Sherman is not going anywhere.

The Seahawks are not going to cut him, because they never do that to injured stars. And they’re now not going to consider trading him, because his Achilles injury has stunted his value.

The Seahawks are going to do what they always do with valued players who get hurt: Help him rehab and come back stronger than ever in 2018.

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Injury report, Week 10: At Arizona

Win in Arizona was costly; how much do Hawks have left?

November 10, 2017 cc Leave a comment

“It’s hard to be fired up about this because a lot of guys got banged up today and I feel terrible about it.” — Pete Carroll

Richard Sherman’s season is over, but that doesn’t mean Seattle’s is — unless some of the seven other injuries they suffered Thursday are serious as well.

If the Seahawks didn’t already have enough problems — no running game, no first-half offense, too many penalties — they now can add another: Injuries.

They already were a band of walking wounded as they headed into the dreaded short-week clash with Arizona. Missing seven starters and coming in with at least 11 more players banged up, they took a bloodbath in the 22-16 win.

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Contracts, Free agency, The roster

“Riches” will determine 2018 moves

November 8, 2017 cc 1 Comment

As the Seahawks quickly get ready to embark on the second half of their season, their roster — like many around the NFL — looks quite a bit different than it did when the season started.

Seattle will head to Arizona without starters Cliff Avril, Chris Carson and Luke Joeckel. But John Schneider also has added Duane Brown and Dwight Freeney, who already have made their presences felt and will be big parts of the second-half playoff push.

As he tries to help the Hawks become a contender this season, Schneider also is evaluating and plotting his 2018 moves.

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Schedule, State of the team, Week 10: At Arizona

Hawks still look like a 10-win team; more will be hard to get though

November 7, 2017 cc 1 Comment

It’s midseason and the Hawks are in their usual discovery mode, trying to figure out how to improve their offense enough to make a Super Bowl run.

They have failed the last two years, coming up way short in the divisional round on the road each time, and they look like they are headed down the same path this year.

In their pursuit of home field for the playoffs, the Hawks really needed to beat Washington — one of the easiest games they had left. They would have then been 6-2, just a game and a half behind NFC-leading Philadelphia (8-1), which has a bye this week. A win Thursday then would have put the Hawks at 7-2, one game behind, with the Eagles coming to Seattle in Week 13.

Now, the best Seattle can do is trail by two after Thursday and hope the Eagles stumble. Even then, it looks really hard for the Hawks to make up ground. They will be lucky to win the NFC West.

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Week 9: Washington

That was the worst home loss in Wilson era; now it gets tougher

November 6, 2017 cc 1 Comment

Seattle’s 17-14 debacle against Washington was easily the worst home loss of the Russell Wilson era — a ridiculous defeat to an undermanned team that the Seahawks couldn’t afford to take, not with the toughest part of their schedule about to begin.

This was just the seventh home loss in the Wilson era. But it came against a broken-down Washington offense and a defense giving up 25.7 points per game. In other words, it was completely unacceptable. Seattle could have — should have — won at least 22-17.

But, thanks to a record penalty day, three missed field goals and two interceptions, the Seahawks are just 5-3 midway through another disjointed season. They have struggled to stay above .500, with five wins against teams that are a combined 13-29. And it is about to get really hard. The winless 49ers are the only losing team in the final eight games, with the seven others a combined 32-17.

That’s not a good sign for a Seattle team that halfway through the season still has no running game and is now beating itself with record penalty counts and many other errors.

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Franchise history, State of the team, Week 9: Washington

Seahawks are always scrambling on offense

November 3, 2017 cc 2 Comments

The Seahawks say they aim to be the best scrambling offense in the NFL — so it figures that’s what they’re doing this week: Scrambling once again to fix their offense.

The trade for Duane Brown, an excellent if belated move to shore up left tackle, and the decision to ride one running back are steps that should have been taken long ago. These moves at this late date are emblematic of Pete Carroll’s offense: They never seem to have a good plan.

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