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NFL draft, State of the team, The roster

Carroll: Rawls is the starting tailback

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Rawls and Wilson vs. RavensHow many running backs does it take to replace Marshawn Lynch while he rides off into the sunset on a camel? Apparently three.

As Lynch led their running game for most of the last six years, the Seahawks had drafted just four running backs (including one fullback). Now, with Lynch retiring — yes, he is, Pete Carroll and John Schneider confirmed — the Seahawks added three backs in this draft alone.

But none of them will displace Thomas Rawls as the starter. Carroll made that clear Saturday after the Seahawks added Alex Collins and Zac Brooks to a backfield that already included third-rounder C.J. Prosise, Rawls and former second-rounder Christine Michael.

“Thomas gives us a great element in his style of play. We love the way he is physical and aggressive and tough,” Carroll said of the second-year back who took over for an injured Lynch as a rookie and rushed for 830 yards before suffering a broken ankle against Baltimore in Week 14.

“I think the message of who we are and what we’re about has been Thomas,” Carroll said. “We’re really excited to continue to see that.”

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NFL draft, Trades

Schneider leans on 2017 comp picks to add DT

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John Schneider draftingJohn Schneider has built a reputation as a draft pick collector. He’s such a pick hoarder that he had surrendered picks to move up just twice in his first six drafts.

Well, in his seventh draft, he flipped the script, trading up twice. And he did something he had never done during the draft: trading a future pick to get back into a round.

The move up to draft Jarran Reed in the second round on Friday cost the Hawks their fourth-round pick and meant they were going to have to wait 72 picks before their first selection on Day 3. But they saw another defensive tackle they liked in the fifth round (before their pick at 171), so they decided to send New England a 2017 fourth-rounder so they could pick Quinton Jefferson.

It was the first time since 2009 — before Schneider and Pete Carroll arrived — that the Seahawks had dealt away a future pick during the draft. In 2009, Tim Ruskell traded gave up a 2010 third-rounder as part of a package to get back into the 2009 third for wide receiver Deon Butler.

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NFL draft

Just four picks today, plus the ever-fruitful ‘eighth round’

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NFL draftFor the first time since John Schneider became general manager, the Seahawks drafted more players on the first two days than on Day 3.

In fact, the four picks today will be the fewest under Schneider — assuming the Seahawks don’t make an unexpected move involving a player or 2017 pick that gives them another selection.

Barring those kinds of moves, the Seahawks will draft once each in the fifth and sixth rounds (both untradeable comp picks) and twice in the seventh (both tradeable but not likely to be dealt).

Schneider has been money in the fifth round, hitting on 4 of 9 picks — Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor standing as his masterpieces. He has hit on a few in the last two rounds, too — Byron Maxwell, Jeremy Lane, J.R. Sweezy, Malcolm Smith — but the Hawks have actually been at least as good in the “eighth” round.

Continue reading Just four picks today, plus the ever-fruitful ‘eighth round’ →

NFL draft

‘It’s going to be a hell of a class’

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“I think it’s going to be a hell of a class.” — John Schneider, after adding five players in the first two days of the draft.

Draft -- Schneider and CarrollFor the first time since 2010, the Seahawks did not do anything offbeat — and it looks like it could turn out to be their best draft in four years.

The Seahawks like to point out that their grading system is not the same as the rest of the league, but this time most of their picks matched projections — and they got some great value as they filled holes on both lines and added depth at running back and tight end.

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NFL draft

Seahawks poised to have huge Day 2

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NFL draftThe Seahawks are poised for a big day — one that should satisfy a couple of needs and possibly bring a couple of so-called luxury picks.

The Hawks are one of four teams with four picks today — set up to dominate the tail end of the day, with three picks in the final nine.

Pete Carroll called it “the meat part of this draft,” and John Schneider said, “It’s going to be a blast.”

“It’s huge — huge for us picking three times in the third round,” Schneider said. “We pick at 56 tomorrow, and then we have nine more picks, so that’s really exciting for us. … We feel like it’s a solid draft all the way through.”

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NFL draft, The roster

Guy named Lynch helped Seahawks win Day 1

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NFL draftIt figures that a guy named Lynch had a lot to do with the Seahawks winning big on the first day of the NFL draft.

Marshawn is retired (we think), but Paxton is just coming into the league, and the Seahawks took advantage of that and an unexpected first-round development to end up with a double win.

While they didn’t move out of the first round for the fourth straight year, as it seemed they would, they did better: They traded down just five spots and added another third-round pick while helping their offensive line with Texas A&M’s Germain Ifedi.

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NFL draft

Hawks looking for trade-down partners

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NFL draftAs the Seahawks look for ways to move down from their pick at 26, it looks like they could have a few options.

Denver (31st pick) and Cleveland (32nd) reportedly have been looking for ways to move up — likely for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch. Both teams apparently have talked with Green Bay, which picks right behind Seattle. So, it follows that they have talked or will speak with the Seahawks, too.

Of course, the New York Jets could well decide to grab Lynch at No. 20 (or higher), which would leave the Seahawks looking for another team with a reason to move up.

Another draw to moving from the top of the second round into the bottom of the first is the fifth-year player control the first round offers, which could prompt teams to come up for one of the other quarterbacks — or a player at a different position.

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NFL draft

Which gamble will the Hawks take this year?

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NFL draftThe Seahawks have made a ton of gambles in the first two rounds over the last four years, so it will be no surprise if one of their top two picks this week looks like a major wager as well.

Counting trades, the Seahawks have gambled with five of eight picks in the first two rounds since 2012.

In 2012, they picked Bruce Irvin, who had overcome a lot of trouble as a youth and sure didn’t seem like he was worth the 15th pick in the draft.

In 2013, they doubled up on character gambles — making an ill-advised trade for Percy Harvin and then using a luxury pick for Christine Michael in the second round.

In 2014, they reached for Justin Britt at the bottom of the second round.

In 2015, they took the most heat by drafting Frank Clark 63rd overall even though he had been involved in a domestic dispute months earlier.

In 2016, various mock drafts have projected troubled defenders Robert Nkemdiche and Noah Spence to the Seahawks. Even if they trade down, as we expect, would the Seahawks gamble on either of those guys?

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Franchise history, NFL draft, Trades

A look at all 38 of Schneider’s trades

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NFL draftDRAFT COUNTDOWN: 6 days. As the draft approaches, we look at draft-related topics involving the Seahawks.

“Who says we’re picking at 26?”

With that comment on KJR last week, John Schneider basically confirmed the Seahawks are going to be looking to trade out of the first round again.

Schneider said this draft is made for trading down because it is the deepest draft since he took over as Seattle’s GM in 2010.

The draft is especially deep in the two areas where the Seahawks need help: offensive line and defensive tackle. And that explains why Schneider will once again be looking to move down.

“You always have to find a partner, and that can be somewhat difficult throughout the day and throughout the weekend,” the GM said. “But this is one of those drafts (that make you want to move down).”

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Franchise history, NFL draft

A look at Schneider’s probable draft strategy

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DRAFT COUNTDOWN: 7 days. As the draft approaches, we look at draft-related topics involving the Seahawks.

John Schneider draftingThis is just the second time in four years John Schneider has gone into the draft with his first-round pick, and it appears he is planning the same strategy as last time.

In 2014, he dropped from No. 32 to 40 and then moved down again before selecting wide receiver Paul Richardson with the 45th pick.

Based on his comments last week, it is clear he wants to follow that strategy again. This draft is the deepest since 2010, he said, and he wants to take advantage of it.

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