Category Archives: NFL Combine

Should Hawks play the lottery and use No. 5 pick on a QB if possible?

The Seahawks’ draft position improved Saturday.

No, they didn’t make a trade. But Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson’s record-setting performance at the Combine seemed to vault him into the top five of the draft.

That put the Hawks in an even better spot at No. 5, with the top five players now expected to be, in some order, Richardson, Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud, Alabama QB Bryce Young, Alabama OLB Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia DE Jalen Carter.

So the Hawks will have their choice of a top QB or an elite front-seven player – a winning proposition however you slice it.

Last year, after the Hawks traded Russell Wilson, a QB in this draft seemed a no-brainer. But then Geno Smith put together a Pro Bowl season, and there is a real debate now about whether they should take a QB at 5 — especially knowing it is a 50-50 bet or worse.

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Experts on draft’s top four defensive ends

At the Combine today, Pete Carroll said the Seahawks are “totally connected to the quarterbacks coming out” in the draft.

However, other teams are likely to scoop up the top two guys, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, in the top three picks. That’s OK, because the Seahawks really need to use their top pick on the best combination defensive lineman they can find – a guy who can set the edge against the run and rush the passer from both inside and out.

Continue reading Experts on draft’s top four defensive ends

‘Definitely’ no Wilson trade? That’s not what they said

Local media and some nationalistas are now certain that the Seahawks are not going to trade Russell Wilson.

On the surface, that sounds right. This week, Wilson repeated how much he likes Seattle, Pete Carroll said they have “no intention” of trading Wilson and John Schneider has been telling teams he is not shopping the QB.

But they all certainly have left the door open to a potential split, each carefully couching his words in case a big trade comes along that satisfies everyone. We won’t be surprised if Wilson is dealt – in fact, we put it at 60-40 that he is. If it happens, it will seemingly come out of the blue – that’s how Schneider does it.

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Will Schneider keep playing the comp game, despite little return?

NFL draftEveryone knows Pete Carroll loves competition. And John Schneider loves COMPetition — working free agency so he ends up with compensatory draft picks the next year.

He has done it in four of the past six years — and he got three extra selections today when 2020 picks were announced. But is it really a game worth playing? Has Schneider found any diamonds in the rough with these extra picks?

Continue reading Will Schneider keep playing the comp game, despite little return?

Seahawks bosses agree: Pass rush is priority

Carroll at combineJohn Schneider and Pete Carroll are smart enough to agree with the rest of us: Their biggest need this offseason is the pass rush.

“We’re looking to improve in some really critical areas. Pass rush is something that we’re really focusing on,” Carroll said at the Combine. “We really like the way we turned the ball over last year. We got the ball a lot, made some nice plays and stuff that gave us a chance, but we need to do some things more consistently — and that’s rush the passer.”

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Jody Allen aggressively pursuing another title

Jody AllenAt the Combine, John Schneider and Pete Carroll both talked up “amazing” new owner Jody Allen, who has seamlessly stepped in for her late brother Paul Allen.

Carroll noted, “She will surprise the heck out of you. She is on it. She is aggressive in her approach.”

That last part is worth repeating, apparently, as a source told Bob Condotta that “early indications are that Jody Allen might even be more willing to be as aggressive as possible to keep the team at a high competitive level each season than was Paul Allen, whose general inclination (was) to think more about the long-term big picture.”

Jody’s mentality seems to line up very well with the team’s situation, as Carroll aims to be “formidable” as he winds down his tenure and the Seahawks enter a salary-cap reset this year and next. This is the time to be aggressive.

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Schneider speaks at Combine

chawk lines -- CombineHere are the key statements from John Schneider at the Combine today:

The GM expects Frank Clark to be a Seahawk but does not yet know whether he will end up using the franchise tag on him by Tuesday. (Or, if he does, he is not saying.)

Schneider has talked to Russell Wilson‘s agent, Mark Rodgers, about an extension, but that is not a priority at this stage of the offseason. Schneider also said he gets the impression Wilson wants to remain with the Seahawks. “I have no reason to believe otherwise — other than Internet rumors.”

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Clark countdown is on

Combine logoAs the Combine begins, we’re just a few days from finding out where the Seahawks and Frank Clark stand.

Schneider surely will be meeting Clark’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, this week to continue talks that apparently started last summer/fall.

At the Combine on Wednesday morning, Schneider said, “Communication has been great. There’s a strong level of trust between the two of us.” Asked whether he would franchise him, the GM said, “Don’t know yet.”

Continue reading Clark countdown is on

Schneider’s big Combine mission: Set up trades

Schneider at combineThis week’s wild Russell Wilson rumor aside, it has been a quiet stretch in Seahawks Land — no action since the team signed Paxton Lynch in mid-January. Like most of the rest of the league, the Hawks have been heads-down planning offseason moves and prepping for next week’s Combine.

John Schneider will have three tasks in Indy. Beyond scouting players and gauging the free-agent market, the biggest mission will be laying the groundwork for possible draft trades.

Continue reading Schneider’s big Combine mission: Set up trades