‘A dream opportunity’: Roster review and offseason to-dos

January 29, 2023 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll and John Schneider clearly were happy they defied most expectations and put together a playoff team in 2022. But they know they have work to do, both citing the 49ers as their paragon as they enter the second half of a two-year franchise build using high draft picks.

As Schneider told Seattle Sports Radio, the 49ers are “the biggest, fastest, most physical football team in the National Football League. And we gotta get back to that. No questions asked. … We know what we need to do to attack this thing and take the next step.”

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Contracts, Free agency

Cap situation makes franchise tag for Geno Smith unlikely

January 21, 2023 cc Leave a comment

While the franchise tag seems like an easy fallback option for the Seahawks to retain Geno Smith, a close look at their salary cap situation reveals that they probably are not going to use it – or, if they do, it won’t be for long.

If they do not use it by the March 7 deadline, they would have until March 13, when free agency discussions with other teams can begin, to get a deal with Smith.

Here’s why.

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State of the team

Lots of optimism, but Hawks have to ‘do something with it’

January 18, 2023 cc 7 Comments

In the wake of a surprising (to most) playoff appearance, there is a lot of optimism about the immediate future of the Seahawks. Many seem to think it’s automatic that the team will take the next step and contend next season.

But John Schneider and Pete Carroll have a lot of work to do to convert those positive vibes into a team that can yield positive results in the playoffs. As Carroll said, “It’s nothing unless we do something with it.”

There are two main things to do: Secure the quarterback position and remake the defensive front seven.

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Free agency, Playoffs: At San Francisco

Report: Hawks willing to pay (or tag) Geno

January 14, 2023 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks reportedly are willing to pay Geno Smith $32 million a year – the projected value of the franchise tag.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Smith will be back – whether it’s on a new contract or the tag.

After the Seahawks beat the Rams 19-16 in overtime in Week 18 to set up a playoff spot (with a later win by Detroit over Green Bay), Smith and Pete Carroll both were asked about the quarterback’s future.

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Free agency, Week 17: NY Jets

Time to look at Geno’s season and value

January 3, 2023 cc 1 Comment

Before the season, we expected the Seahawks would end up 8-9 — leaning on a strong running game and a defense that would force some takeaways to make up for inconsistent play at quarterback.

Well, here they are, right where we projected them – 8-8 with a shot at 9-8 and the playoffs (if Green Bay loses in Week 18, too). They have gotten here largely the way we thought they would – the huge difference being that they got a Pro Bowl season out of QB Geno Smith rather than having to use a combo of Smith and Drew Lock throughout the season.

Smith just beat his old team, the Jets, to get to 8-8. He did it with the help of that running game, which has been streaky rather than strong this season, and the turnovers, which have gone both ways all year (the win over the Jets was the first game in which the Hawks did not lose a turnover).

Once this season ends – whether it is with a playoff game or not – there will be plenty of debate about whether the Hawks should pay Smith top money to return. Some have wanted to extend him since September. We said, “Let’s wait and see.”

With the season almost finished, we now have seen. So let’s look at how he fared and how he and the Seahawks might fit into what could be a very interesting quarterback market.

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