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Contracts, Free agency

Report: Schneider declined to match 49ers’ offer to Sherman

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Logo -- Free agencyRichard Sherman apparently gave the Seahawks a second chance, but John Schneider declined to match the 49ers’ offer.

When Schneider cut Sherman on Friday, he asked him to let Seattle try to match any offer, according to SI.com’s Peter King. When Sherman called Saturday with his incentive-laden offer from the 49ers, Schneider told him, “Incentives (are) a little rich for me.”

Seattle wasn’t the only team to decline. Sherman called Oakland and Detroit, and both turned down the deal.

Continue reading Report: Schneider declined to match 49ers’ offer to Sherman →

Contracts, NFL draft, The roster

Why is Sherman gone? ‘Mismanagement’

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Schneider at combineRichard Sherman is gone because John Schneider has drafted poorly and paid too many guys, not because Sherman can’t play anymore.

That’s what the All-Pro cornerback told Gee Scott of KIRO FM — and not many people are going to disagree.

Continue reading Why is Sherman gone? ‘Mismanagement’ →

Free agency

‘Door’s open,’ but Sherman said nothing about returning

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Salary cap logoA lot of fans seem to be misconstruing Richard Sherman’s quotes to various reporters about possibly returning to the Seahawks.

The essence of every quote was this: The Seahawks let him go so they could gain his $11 million in cap space but are open to him returning at a reduced rate. In his initial comments to those reporters, Sherman said nothing about wanting to come back.

His most extensive comments were to Gee Scott of KIRO Radio: “We’ve had conversations and they’ve told me that they’re going to allow me to go into free agency. But they want me to understand that the door’s open for me to return. They’re just trying to do what they need to do to clear up space and give me and them the best chance at free agency, and I’ve got to appreciate and respect that.”

He said variations of that to several national reporters:

Continue reading ‘Door’s open,’ but Sherman said nothing about returning →

Franchise history, Free agency

Hawks cut Sherman for ‘financial flexibility’

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Richard Sherman tips a pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the NFC Championship Game last season (Getty)It’s official: The Seahawks have decided to cut the best cornerback in team history — getting nothing for him even though he still has plenty to offer an NFL team.

The ill-advised move, which we never thought Seattle would make, clearly means John Schneider has plans for the $11 million the team is netting in cap space. He had better spend it wisely.

Sherman told reporters the Seahawks informed him they wanted “financial flexibility” heading into free agency next week but want to bring him back. He did not indicate whether he considered that an option.

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Free agency

Report: Thomas is committed, so Hawks want to keep him

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Logo -- Free agencyEarl Thomas’ visit to the Dallas locker room late last season concerned John Schneider and Pete Carroll enough that they wondered whether Thomas wanted to be in Seattle anymore. Thomas told them he did, and that’s why they are recommitted to keeping him, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

As with Richard Sherman last year, Schneider and Carroll reportedly would trade Thomas if they got a great offer — said to be a first-rounder and a fourth. But, short of that, they apparently are willing to pay Thomas the $14 million APY it will take — probably on a short deal (maybe three years).

On NFL Network on Thursday, Seahawks play-by-play announcer Steve Raible said he thinks Thomas will be back because “Pete Carroll loves him.”

Continue reading Report: Thomas is committed, so Hawks want to keep him →

Contracts, Free agency, The roster, Trades

Is Schneider planning big offensive additions?

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Logo -- Free agencyJohn Schneider is getting ready to make a couple of big moves next week.

That’s the only explanation for him wanting to cut Richard Sherman’s $11 million salary.

The question: Whom is he targeting?

One NFC personnel exec thinks he plans to spend on offense. By lopping high-priced defensive players, “they could allocate money to the offense, get Russell (Wilson) some help and some protection,” the pro personnel director told SI.com.

Continue reading Is Schneider planning big offensive additions? →

The roster, Trades

Bye-bye, Bennett

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Bennett thumbs-upFifteen months after giving Michael Bennett a new contract, the Seahawks are going to trade him.

Why? Not because his play has dropped off, obviously. More likely because they want to get younger and “quieter” in the locker room.

Seattle didn’t get much for the Pro Bowl end — a fifth and fast, young receiver Marcus Johnson (while flipping a seventh to Philadelphia as well). One report indicated the Patriots tried to offer a third for Bennett and a fifth, but it sounds like the Seahawks had a deal with the Eagles before the Patriots came along and the Seahawks didn’t want to renege on the Eagles.

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Franchise history, Free agency

As expected, Schneider is letting Sheldon go

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franchise-tagNo surprise: John Schneider didn’t want to gamble with the franchise tag.

Five teams use the keeper tool (and Chicago used the transition tag), but Seattle declined for the eighth straight year — choosing not to lock in Sheldon Richardson.

Schneider will try to re-sign the defensive tackle before free agency, but he obviously was leery of tendering Richardson for $13.9 million — and thus setting the negotiating floor there. And Schneider obviously wasn’t interested in the other potential benefits of tagging, which we outlined.

Continue reading As expected, Schneider is letting Sheldon go →

Free agency, Trades

Schneider should tag Sheldon today

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Logo -- Free agencyJohn Schneider has been a gambling man plenty of times in the past, and here’s a gamble he really needs to make today: Use the franchise tag on Sheldon Richardson.

Schneider has a base 75 percent chance of winning a tag gamble. The only negative would come if Richardson insisted on signing and playing on the $13.9 million tender. That seems very unlikely, which leaves three winning scenarios for Schneider: (1) Strike a long-term deal, (2) trade him for a Day 2 pick (and something else), (3) rescind the tag, let Richardson leave in free agency and end up with a high comp pick in 2019.

At the Combine last Friday, Schneider said he needed to “figure out how to compensate” for Seattle’s gaping hole on Day 2 of the draft. Trading 32-year-old Michael Bennett won’t do it. But tagging Richardson likely would — whether he stays or goes.

Continue reading Schneider should tag Sheldon today →

NFL Combine, NFL draft

Schneider wants more picks, younger roster

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Combine logoJohn Schneider is focused on moving younger players into the Seahawks’ lineup, which is why he is willing to move aging stars.

Two of his big points Friday at the Combine were about (1) trying to find a way to bridge the big draft gap created by the “go for it” injury-replacement deals for Sheldon Richardson and Duane Brown and (2) getting recent draft picks to pull their weight.

Schneider also said he wants to keep Richardson (he met with his agents Thursday night) but was not planning “at this point” to use the franchise tag on him by Tuesday’s deadline. “We have time,” he said, “but we have more people that we have to talk to this weekend. We’re not done with all our meetings.”

Continue reading Schneider wants more picks, younger roster →