All posts by cc

It's bigger than football, Super Bowl XLIX

Dookie Baldwin apologizes — finally

February 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Two weeks later, Doug “Dookie” Baldwin saw the error of his ways and showed contrition for the “turddown” celebration in Super Bowl XLIX.

It cost his team 15 yards in a tight game, although Seattle’s defense made sure it did not come back to haunt Baldwin, who nonetheless shrugged it off after the game.

On Monday night, he told 710 ESPN’s “Barbershop”: “I apologize to anyone I offended in any way. If I could go back, I would take it back.”

Obviously, Pete Carroll has talked to him about it, and Baldwin now knows — two weeks later — that he messed up.

It still doesn’t change the fact that he and other Seahawks need to grow up and the Hawks need to surround Baldwin with better talent at receiver.

Contracts, Free agency, History

As usual, Hawks won’t use franchise tag

February 16, 2015 cc 1 Comment

John Schneider (via Fresh Files) The Seahawks have not used the franchise tag since 2010 — the first year of the Carroll/Schneider regime — and they almost positively won’t use it this year either.

The window opened today and goes through March 2.

John Schneider has been great about re-signing key free agents before their contracts expire, and the guys they have lost in free agency have been role players or lesser starters they were prepared to lose.

This year they have only two starters scheduled to hit free agency, and they are not going to pay cornerback Byron Maxwell or guard James Carpenter $13 million in 2015.

Schneider has said the team will try to retain Maxwell, but he also admits it will be hard. Maxwell is expected to get an offer worth at least $7 million a year — the Hawks probably would go only as high as $6 million.

Free agency

Would Hawks revisit Bears’ castoffs?

February 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Five years ago, the Seahawks were looking for a big No. 1 receiver, and they spent more than a month considering a trade for the mercurial Brandon Marshall.

Five years later, the Seahawks still need a big No. 1 receiver, and Marshall could be available again.

In fact, Marshall is one of several players with ties to the Chicago Bears who have drawn previous interest from John Schneider and Pete Carroll and/or already have been linked to the Seahawks this offseason.

Continue reading Would Hawks revisit Bears’ castoffs? →

Schedule

How many games can Hawks win with No. 4 toughest schedule?

February 15, 2015 cc 1 Comment

The Seahawks have the fourth-toughest schedule in the NFL in 2015, based on 2014 results. But it’s not as if a tough schedule is anything new for them. They had the No. 10 slate in 2013 and the No. 6 schedule last year — and we all know they should be 2-0 in the Super Bowl.

But they aren’t, so we are left to look forward to the 2015 season and wonder whether the Hawks can become the first team in the salary-cap era to play in the Super Bowl in three straight seasons.

Here’s an early look at that No. 4 schedule:

Continue reading How many games can Hawks win with No. 4 toughest schedule? →

CHAWK LINES

February 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls offers some nice analysis of John Schneider’s comments to 710 ESPN.

Schneider also talked to KJR, where the only real new topic was Paul Richardson, who is 50-50 to end up on PUP to start next season.

Byron Maxwell was a hot topic, with Schneider bracing everyone for the fact that the Hawks are likely to lose him.

Michael Robinson thinks Marshawn Lynch will play another season, but who really knows?

The Seahawks have the fourth-toughest schedule in 2015. What else is new? They were No. 6 in 2014.

Clare Farnsworth looks at the unending work of the Seahawks’ equipment crew.

We set up a draft page, with all of the key information on the Seahawks, the Combine and draft prospects — along with mock drafts and blogs.

NFL history

Hawks can still build a dynasty this decade

February 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll loves to do things differently, and if he still wants to build a dynasty — even if he won’t say it in those terms — he certainly will get his chance to do it in a way it has never been done.

The Seahawks are the second team to ever follow up a Super Bowl win with a Super Bowl loss the next year, and if they are going to become a historically dominant team, they will have to get back a lot sooner than Washington did.

Continue reading Hawks can still build a dynasty this decade →

Contracts, Free agency, NFL draft, The roster

Not as many decisions to make on defense

February 11, 2015 cc Leave a comment

We’ve already looked at what the Seahawks need to do on offense — from their shaky situation at wide receiver to an “out of the box” option for Russell Wilson’s contract to the need to determine the future of the unit this offseason.

The defense does not need nearly as many major renovations, but they certainly have some work to do on that side of the ball. Here’s a look:

Continue reading Not as many decisions to make on defense →

Contracts

Hawks will go ‘outside the box’ in creating Wilson’s extension

February 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

In a look ahead to the offseason with 710 ESPN on Tuesday, general manager John Schneider gave some hints about the Seahawks’ possible approach to an extension for quarterback Russell Wilson.

Schneider basically indicated that Wilson is on board with helping the team structure the deal in a way that it does not inhibit the Seahawks’ ability to remain a contender. The GM also hinted the deal will be put together in creative fashion and might not resemble many of the quarterback deals done over the last two years.

Continue reading Hawks will go ‘outside the box’ in creating Wilson’s extension →

Contracts, State of the team, The roster

This is the perfect time to reset the offense

February 9, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks have spent the last five years building one of the best defenses in the history of the NFL — a unit that has allowed the fewest points in the league for three years running and has been the main reason Seattle has reached back-to-back Super Bowls.

But, as we saw in the Super Bowl, the offense is a two-dimensional cardboard cutout — forced to rely largely on the determination of Marshawn Lynch (aka Beast Mode) and the freelance ability of Russell Wilson (aka DangeRuss).

When Seattle’s best offensive personnel grouping includes undrafted receivers Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Ricardo Lockette and fifth-round tight end Luke Willson — and the coaches think throwing to Lockette on the goal line to win the Super Bowl is the best play — the Hawks have a serious problem.

This offseason, that must change. It’s the perfect time for Pete Carroll, John Schneider, Darrell Bevell and Tom Cable to determine the future of the offense — to improve their receiving corps, find some reliable offensive linemen and otherwise make a concerted effort to fix a unit that has been running on the shoestrings of Lynch and Wilson.

Continue reading This is the perfect time to reset the offense →

Coaches, The roster

Lofa’s return trumps other coaching news

February 9, 2015 cc Leave a comment

A big day for Kris Richard and the Carroll family was trumped by news that Lofa Tatupu is coming back.

For those who just became Seahawks fans in the last four years, Tatupu was the Bobby Wagner of Seattle’s first Super Bowl team. Tatupu played for Pete Carroll at USC and again in 2010, when Carroll came to Seattle.

Tatupu, a second-round draft pick in 2005, was part of a defensive overhaul that year that helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl (where they lost in controversial fashion).

Tatupu went to the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons as the middle linebacker on Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks, but the undersized player quickly wore down with a multitude of injuries.

Continue reading Lofa’s return trumps other coaching news →