How might Hawks use newfound draft ammo?

NFL draftThe Frank Clark trade, as controversial as it was, has given the Seahawks tons of flexibility in the next two drafts.

They have two first-round selections this year and 17 choices over the next two (counting projected comp picks). So what is Seattle’s strategy?

Based on John Schneider’s comments Monday about the talent dropping off after the third round, you can bet they are going to try to amass four or five picks in the first two days — and use two of those on pass rushers.

They have three picks now — 21, 29 and 92 — but surely want to get a couple more on Day 2.

Sure, it’s possible Schneider goes split personality on us, moving up from 21 and down from 29. Corbin Smith put together a fun mock on how that might happen.

Maybe Schneider is thinking of making a move for Montez Sweat or perhaps Rashan Gary, but the injury factors for each could dissuade the GM from spending picks to move up.

And what if Josh Allen slides to Detroit at 8? Would Schneider be tempted to vault up the board, perhaps offering up next year’s No. 1? The Hawks have 12 projected picks in 2020, including four Day 2 picks, so giving up the first-rounder would not be a problem.

In the end, though, Schneider probably will consider only a minor move up (five or six spots) if Sweat or Gary or Clelin Ferrell slips into that range and he is interested (he might have ruled out Gary based on his labrum issue and/or Sweat based on his minor heart defect).

If he’s not thinking of moving up, Schneider surely will field calls to move down from both 21 and 29. The Eagles, Chargers, Rams, Raiders or Patriots all could be interested in jumping over Baltimore (22) and Houston (23). A drop to the bottom six picks would be worth a third-rounder and maybe a sixth for the Seahawks.

They could end up with back-to-back picks at 28 and 29, giving them 20 minutes on the clock to work another trade with a team at the top of the second round. That’s where the run on receivers is expected to start, and a team might want to get ahead of the curve. Or a quarterback might be a target of some team at that point as well.

In 2017, the Hawks went down from 26 to 31 to 34 to 35, adding a 3, 4, 6 and 7. So you can expect them to do something like that again.

If the Seahawks drafted at 28, they might end up with someone like Jerry Tillery, Jeffery Simmons or perhaps center Garrett Bradbury. Their next pick might be at 38, where they could take a pass rusher or one of the umpteen defensive backs they have researched. Then they could have these picks left: 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6.

It’s a big gap from 38 to the late third round, so they could always move up on Day 2, using some of their 2020 ammo, to get a targeted pass rusher, defensive back or receiver. That’s just more of the flexibility they have with 17 picks over the next two drafts.

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