Category Archives: State of the team

State of the team, The roster

State of the roster as season begins

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“It’s a critical time.” – Russell Wilson after another early playoff exit in January

A dramatic offseason and largely uneventful preseason are behind us, and we are finally about to see whether the Seahawks are any better than they were in 2020, when their offense and defense went in opposite directions over the course of the season and they once again failed to move past the first playoff game.

After a 3-5 record in the postseason over the past six years and two one-and-dones in the past three, the pressure is on to go deep into the playoffs and make a strong Super Bowl run in 2021.

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OTAs, State of the team, X's & O's

Wilson ‘here to win it all’; can Waldron help make it happen?

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“You know what heals all things? Winning.” – Russell Wilson

That’s all we need to know about the state of things between the Seahawks and their longtime Pro Bowl quarterback.

Even though he claims things are peachy now between him, Pete Carroll and the club, Wilson confirmed it was indeed a tumultuous offseason – and Wilson’s future in Seattle still seems to depend almost entirely on whether the Seahawks make it back to the Super Bowl. In every response Thursday about his drama-filled offseason, Wilson circled invariably back to the theme of winning.

“Coach Carroll and I spent a lot of time together one on one, and we’re on the same page,” Wilson said. “We’re here to do what we’re meant to do, and that’s to win it all. I’m excited. I’m excited about who we have, the guys we have. I’m excited where we are. Coach Carroll and my relationship couldn’t be any stronger. My focus is to win. Winning is everything to me.”

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NFL draft, State of the team

Hawks had a quietly successful offseason

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The Seahawks’ offseason might not seem impressive to some, especially with such a limited draft, but John Schneider and the Hawks quietly have done yeoman’s work to refill and improve their roster, and Pete Carroll is justified in expecting his team to be “very, very competitive.”

The Seahawks had few pressing needs in the draft last weekend because they had made sure to get starters at every spot beforehand. The needs they had were for a corner and center to push the incumbents, a reliable third receiver and a left tackle of the future. They hit on three of those (all but the center), closing the second chapter of a solid offseason.

“I thought this offseason was really successful at situating the roster where we felt good going into the draft,” Carroll said after the Hawks had made their third and final pick (the fewest in team history).

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State of the team

Carroll follows Rule No. 1 to keep the peace with his quarterback

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Pete Carroll’s No. 1 rule is “Protect the team.” While Russell Wilson “challenged” that rule earlier this offseason with his public complaints (which actually violated Carroll’s Rule No. 2), Carroll followed Rule No. 1 to the letter Wednesday as he spoke to reporters for the first time this offseason.

While Wilson and his camp clearly were the ones who drove the drama train, playing the victim card against Carroll himself, the coach stood up for his quarterback and blamed it all on media speculation that the coach declined to end.

Carroll made it clear he was not happy about the “uncomfortable” drama, especially the part Wilson’s agent played, but he has made peace with his quarterback and was not about to give it up in this press conference. So he shot the messengers while taking a credibility bullet himself.

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NFL draft, State of the team

Carroll & Schneider say all is fine with Wilson

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In their first comments all offseason, Pete Carroll and John Schneider waved off the Russell Wilson drama, saying they never “actively negotiated” with other teams about trading him, he never asked for more personnel control, he doesn’t have any more than he ever did, the coach and quarterback have been talking all offseason and their relationship is fine.

Carroll and Schneider chalked this one up to a long list of drama around their team over the years. “We’ve been through a lot of stuff,” Carroll said, and Schneider added, “from maple bars to Marshawn” – a reference to Golden Tate’s infamous donut caper in 2010 and of course the rebellious Marshawn Lynch. They also said they remained mum even amid all of the reports and rumors because “we knew the truth.”

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On the air, State of the team

Olsen: Seahawks are at a ‘crossroads’

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There seemingly are few people who have not picked a side in the Russell Wilson vs. Pete Carroll power play, but Greg Olsen apparently is one of them.

Olsen was with the Seahawks for just one year, but the longtime NFL vet saw the personalities of Wilson and Carroll up close in 2020. So his perspective – that of a guy who went to the postseason with three franchises and knows what it takes to win – is valuable.

In a podcast interview with Colin Cowherd, an anti-Carroll Wilson supporter, Olsen presented a very fair, unbiased look at the situation, pointing out there is more than one way to win and showing it is possible to respect both Wilson and Carroll, who we all know both have their strengths and weaknesses.

“Both guys know that they’re capable of being among the all-time best,” Olsen said. “They just have a little bit of a different philosophy on how it’s done.”

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Coaches, State of the team

Wilson’s future in Seattle may depend largely on Waldron

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“I’m frustrated with getting hit too much.” – Russell Wilson

Did Shane Waldron know what he was getting into when he hired on with the Seahawks?

We already knew he was key to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl hopes – the offense needing some good innovation to beat stellar defenses and advance beyond the first two rounds of the playoffs. But Russell Wilson’s callout of John Schneider and Pete Carroll this week really puts the heat on Waldron, a first-time playcaller who suddenly appears to hold Wilson’s future in his game plans (assuming the relationship between Wilson and Carroll is salvageable).

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Coaches, State of the team

Wilson: ‘It’s a critical time’

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Russell Wilson did not agree with Pete Carroll’s decision to fire Brian Schottenheimer and he wants input into the hiring of the next offensive coordinator because “it’s imperative to my career.”

In his season wrap from Mexico, Wilson told reporters, “Going into the 10th year in my career, it’s a critical time. The next 10 years are super critical for everybody involved, the whole organization, including myself as a player and the legacy that I want to leave. It’s vital, it’s critical, it’s super significant that I’m a part of that process. Coach and I have definitely been talking about it.”

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State of the team, The roster

Midseason roster report: Can the defense improve?

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Midway through the season, the Seahawks are a game better than we expected — despite a horrendous pass defense that might be the thing that keeps them out of the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks are off to one of their best starts under Pete Carroll, 6-2 (or better) for the third time. With the easiest finishing slate in the NFL, they look destined for at least 11 wins. The question, as it has been all season, is whether their defense will improve enough to help them get to the Super Bowl.

They have been 6-2 or better just two other times under Carroll. In 2013, they started 7-1 and finished 13-3 on the way to a Super Bowl title. Last season, they started 6-2 and finished 11-5 (knocked out of the playoffs by Green Bay).

They look good for 11-5 this season, too. The second-half schedule is the easiest in the league. The tough part will be the division games: They play the Rams twice, starting this week, and Arizona in Week 11. But they also face three NFC Least clubs, plus the Jets and the decimated 49ers. The very worst they should do in the final eight is 5-3, which would net 11 wins.

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