All posts by cc

Season success will be determined in prime time

April 17, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Seattle’s 2019 season will be defined in prime time in November and December.

The Seahawks got a very balanced schedule, highlighted by alternating home and road games through the first 14 weeks and four straight night games in the second half of the season.

The Hawks will play five prime-time games overall, including two against the division rival Rams.

Seattle also has four 10 a.m. games, but Pete Carroll doesn’t care (ask him). His teams are 13-11 in 10 a.m. starts (playoffs included) since Russell Wilson arrived, and they have won seven of the last nine (all three in 2018).

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Contracts

Wilson gets record deal, team gets its way

April 16, 2019 cc 1 Comment

Russell Wilson apparently really did want to stay in Seattle — so much so that he gave the Seahawks a pretty good deal.

If reports on the money are correct, the Seahawks basically tore up Wilson’s contract and gave him a new five-year pact worth $157 million.

Wilson apparently gave up fully guaranteed money for a record signing bonus ($65 million), overall guarantees ($107 million) and annual average ($35 million on the new four years).

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Contracts

What a salary cap-based contract could look like for Wilson

April 15, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Russell Wilson apparently does indeed want his new contract to be tied to a percentage of the salary cap.

We had thought he just wanted $35 million a year and at least 63 percent guaranteed at signing, based on what insider Jake Heaps said. But he wants all of the above — which is quite a demand.

The Seahawks apparently are willing to hit the APY, but would they guarantee a percentage of the cap — either entirely or for part of the deal?

Continue reading What a salary cap-based contract could look like for Wilson →

Contracts, Trades

Trade Wilson? Schneider never deals his stars

April 10, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Wilson and Schneider The Seahawks don’t want to trade Russell Wilson, and Wilson doesn’t want to be traded. Yet the ridiculous rumors continue that Seattle might move its franchise quarterback.

ESPN’s football reporters keep talking about the possibility, and recent Raiders coach Jack Del Rio chimed in about it. Jason La Canfora, whose reports about Wilson’s contract have all been negative, posited some trade ideas from “a smart football guy.” And Pro Football Talk, similarly pessimistic about a deal, offered teams that should call Seattle.

All of those people are forgetting one thing: John Schneider NEVER trades a premier player when he has any value. He keeps him to the bitter end. So it would be a stunner if he even considered dealing Wilson.

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Contracts

Explaining (and debunking) a cap-percentage deal

April 9, 2019 cc 1 Comment

Everyone has a take on Russell Wilson and his contract. And some of them are pretty chuckleheaded.

Like the ESPN guys (and many fans) talking about Seattle trading Wilson.

Or the local radio guy who compared Wilson to redneck NBA thief Clay Bennett — basically calling the quarterback a liar who is trying to make the team look bad and really wants to play on the tag until the new CBA kicks in.

Or the lawyer turned sensationalist NFL blogger whose latest conspiracy theory has Wilson wanting to play on the tag for two years and then leave Seattle. Or (just in case that one is wrong) the blogger also has the QB trying to push a new contract tactic.

We all know Wilson wants to play his whole career in Seattle — he has said it many times — so we’ll ignore those first three lame takes. But let’s explain that contract scheme before we dismiss it.

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Contracts

Are Hawks ‘guaranteed’ to miss April 15 deadline?

April 6, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Guaranteed money is the key to any contract, and it’s the most important thing to Russell Wilson in his new deal. It also figures to be the thing that could delay an agreement.

When he signed his first extension in 2015, Wilson became the No. 2 NFL player in average salary ($21.9 million), right behind Aaron Rodgers ($22 million). But he still trailed a handful of quarterbacks in guaranteed money.

With a dozen QBs having gotten new deals since Wilson was paid, he now ranks 15th in guaranteed part of the total deal (36.2 percent) and 17th in guaranteed money per year ($7.9 million) — according to figures compiled by OverTheCap.com.

Those are the two best ways to measure contract values, and Wilson is aiming for the top marks in those categories now. Kirk Cousins has his entire $28 million per year guaranteed, and Matt Ryan has 63 percent of his deal guaranteed, at $18.9 million per year.

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Contracts, On the air

Another deadline: Will Hawks pay Wilson top dollar this time?

April 4, 2019 cc 2 Comments

If the Seahawks were to offer Russell Wilson $105 million guaranteed over three years, it sounds like he might take it.

Just like 2015, Wilson has set a deadline for a new deal — it’s just earlier this time. Unlike 2015, though, he wants to be the highest-paid player in the NFL — no second fiddle to Aaron Rodgers — and have the entire thing fully guaranteed, according to Jake Heaps on 710 ESPN.

But there seems to be a concern that Pete Carroll and John Schneider won’t put their money where their complimentary mouths are.

Continue reading Another deadline: Will Hawks pay Wilson top dollar this time? →

NFL draft, Trades

Schneider should target four Day 2 picks

April 2, 2019 cc Leave a comment

“Not cool.” — John Schneider on having just four picks as draft month begins.

John Schneider is lamenting his lack of draft picks this year and wondering whether he will be able to trade down in a deep draft, but there is no reason to worry on either count.

Schneider needs to look at his draft stock over two years, knowing he will have 13-15 picks. As we chronicle in our comp tracker, the Hawks will have at least two bonus picks next year — a 3 and 4 — and might end up with all four (3, 4, 6, 7).

Knowing he will get at least an extra third and fourth, Schneider has the luxury of potentially using his real 3 and 4 in 2020 to trade up in this draft. Added to his likelihood of moving out of the first round, that should create enough flexibility for Seattle to net three or four Day 2 picks. And that is what Schneider should be targeting.

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NFL draft, The roster

Carroll thinks roster is deep, but Hawks’ needs are obvious

March 30, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Just one year after Pete Carroll and John Schneider dismantled their legendary defense and surprised many by making the playoffs with young players replacing the departed stars, Carroll thinks his team is good enough as constituted to take the next step.

At the owners meetings in Phoenix, Carroll told John Clayton: “It’s going to be very difficult to make this team this year for the incoming guys. That’s because the depth is growing.”

He mentioned the offensive line, tight end, running back and cornerback as positions where the depth looks good. He also likes his safeties and is looking forward to having his best linebacking crew (assuming Mychal Kendricks avoids prison).

But we all know the Hawks can get better — they didn’t get home field or reach the Super Bowl last season, after all. And we already know which positions the Seahawks are going to prioritize in the draft: defensive line and receiver.

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Free agency, The roster

Questions for Carroll & Schneider at owners meetings

March 24, 2019 cc Leave a comment

(UPDATED with Pete Carroll’s comments March 26)

The NFL owners meetings run through Wednesday, and we should hear from Pete Carroll and John Schneider on Tuesday.

They won’t give many revealing answers, obviously, but here are some questions we have about the Seahawks as we finish Week 2 of the league year:

Thoughts on Russell Wilson aiming to be the top-paid player in the league? Think they will get something done with Wilson before the season starts? Have they talked much yet?

Carroll: “We’ve been in communication, sure. It’s very topical. We’re on it.”

Continue reading Questions for Carroll & Schneider at owners meetings →