Has Clark joined Thomas in holdout? If so, why?

Logo -- OTAsIt looks like the Seahawks could have two contract holdouts when they convene for their mandatory minicamp in mid-June — and, worst case, even for training camp in July.

Everyone knows Earl Thomas is sitting out OTAs because John Schneider seemingly is not interested in paying him top dollar, but Frank Clark apparently is staging his own financial protest.

“I think he’s showing he wants to get paid, as he should be,” former teammate Cliff Avril said on KJR. “But I’m not even sure that works anymore.”

Continue reading Has Clark joined Thomas in holdout? If so, why?

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Don’t expect Thomas for minicamp

Logo -- OTAsDespite Pete Carroll’s wishful thinking, it looks like Earl Thomas probably won’t show up for minicamp in June.

Thomas has told Bradley McDougald he’ll be back — but only “when they get things worked out.”

“He’s let me know that he’ll be back when the time is right and when they get things worked out,” McDougald told John Clayton on 710 ESPN. “That’s his personal business when it comes to his contract and things, but he’s reassured me a couple times that he’ll be back.”

Yeah, but when? It doesn’t look like anything is getting worked out.

Continue reading Don’t expect Thomas for minicamp

After losing his team in 2015, Carroll has taken it back this year

Logo -- OTAsPete Carroll lost his team in 2015 and finally decided to take it back this year. Will that be enough to get the Hawks back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the debacle that cost Carroll control of his club?

Yeah, yeah, the Seahawks made the playoffs in 2015 and 2016, at one point each season looking capable of winning it all. But they admittedly weren’t really motivated to do it.

Cliff Avril was the latest to corroborate that, saying Carroll’s decision to throw at the goal line in Super Bowl XLIX resulted in a lot of players tuning him out over the ensuing seasons. Michael Bennett, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Warren Moon and former RBs coach Sherman Smith all have said the XLIX loss affected the team in 2015 and 2016, and malcontents Bennett and Sherman admitted they had stopped listening to the coach long before they were both let go this year.

Continue reading After losing his team in 2015, Carroll has taken it back this year

How much longer will Carroll/Wilson era last?

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson plan to be clapping about their offense a lot this season (Getty Images)Are we entering the final four years of the Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson era? Or just the next four?

The recent death of Seahawks legend Chuck Knox brings to mind the future of Carroll, coming shortly after Wilson’s destiny was a hot topic in the wake of another record-setting QB deal.

Seattle’s coach and QB are signed for two more years, and the pessimist’s view says Carroll’s age and Wilson’s price could mean both are gone by 2022. But the Positive Petes out there would point out that Carroll is spry enough to coach 10 more years and Wilson has said he wants to play in Seattle for 20.

Either way, four looks like the magic number right now.

Continue reading How much longer will Carroll/Wilson era last?

Remembering Chuck Knox

KnoxA few days ago, when talking about his goal to revive Seattle’s running game this year, Pete Carroll made a reference to another legendary Seahawk coach when he said, “It isn’t like three yards and a cloud of dust. It ain’t Ground Chuck.”

As it turned out, it was a timely reference to Chuck Knox, who died today at age 86. Knox was an old-school football man who used the running game to become the first coach to lead the Seahawks to the playoffs.

Knox immediately turned the Hawks into contenders when he arrived in 1983, took them to the playoffs four times in nine seasons and ranks second in wins (80) behind Mike Holmgren (86) and just ahead of Carroll (79). Knox, who also coached the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams, ranks 10th in wins (186) among coaches in NFL history.

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Special changes could net big returns

NFL draftIn the last two weeks, the Seahawks’ special teams have undergone a major upgrade — and they might get better yet.

Sure, the field goal game is again a question — the team apparently relying on a 40-year-old who missed last season with a back injury and can’t kick from 50 anymore. But the rest could be really strong, thanks to a new punter, another dynamic returner and potentially big rule changes.

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Carroll, Schneider talk humility, ‘freshness,’ Ground Chuck & more

Schneider and Carroll draft Day 1Pete Carroll and John Schneider made the radio rounds last week, with both talking to 710 ESPN and Schneider doing a stint with KJR.

Carroll broke down in a little more detail why and how the offense is changing, and he explained the trait of humility that he and Schneider have stressed this offseason.

Schneider revealed a little more about why the Seahawks shrank their draft board, his continuing dismay over offensive line prospects and a few other interesting tidbits about this draft.

Continue reading Carroll, Schneider talk humility, ‘freshness,’ Ground Chuck & more

Hawks will pay Wilson $30M APY in 2020, but in what form?

Wilson signing contractMatt Ryan just became the NFL’s first $30 million player, and the handwringing is already beginning about Russell Wilson’s next contract.

Ryan reportedly signed a five-year deal worth $150 million, with $100 million guaranteed. So there’s the new bar for quarterbacks; Aaron Rodgers and Wilson (and maybe another QB or two) will surpass it in the next year.

Wilson is signed through 2019, so the Seahawks will need to extend him next offseason. However, it sounds like Wilson’s camp is expecting to get the franchise tag in 2020, which would mean Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, does not think the Seahawks will meet his asking price next year.

Continue reading Hawks will pay Wilson $30M APY in 2020, but in what form?

Cliff Avril: A great leader and ‘statesman’

Avril on NFLNThis day was destined to come, but it doesn’t make it any less sad to see a stellar player’s career end (at least in Seattle) due to injury.

If you measure the best by (1) how they played and (2) how they comported themselves on and off the field, Cliff Avril goes down as one of the best Seahawks ever. He was pure class as a player and remains so as a person. (Just check out his Players’ Tribune tribute to Seattle.)

As Pete Carroll said after rookie minicamp Friday: “He has been a great leader and a bit of a statesman for us. He always says the right thing and stands for the right stuff and he has been a really high-character guy who you can just always count on. He has been a great competitor in the program, and I love him, and we’d like to keep him connected with our club as long as we can, because he’s just exactly what you’d hope to represent you.”

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How the Hawks moved down to add Green

John Schneider draftingThe Seahawks got Rasheem Green because four teams fell in love with other defenders in the first round, but should Seattle have gotten more out of moving down?

Everyone knew Seattle was going to trade down from 18 — the question was which team would be the trade partner. It was somewhat apropos that it turned out to be Green Bay, especially after John Schneider and Mike Holmgren, both former Packers, had chatted on draft day about the difficulty in trading down.

“I was talking to Coach Holmgren about … how everyone thinks you’re going to move back and it’s so easy,” Schneider said after the first day. “The board has to start falling a certain way, and you have to have certain people that want to give up and that want to come with us. Where Green Bay came from is a long way, from 27 to 18. We weren’t confident.”

Continue reading How the Hawks moved down to add Green