Category Archives: State of the team

Are OL moves desperation or just due diligence?

August 21, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks played half of their games in 2013 with rookie tackles and used four centers in 2014, and they still overcame those “offensive” lines to get to the Super Bowl.

So, they can’t possibly be panicking about their left guard position after just one bad preseason game, can they?

Even though Pete Carroll says he is not concerned because he expected the young linemen to take time to develop, the team’s moves this week sure make it sound like alarm bells are going off at VMAC.

First, the Hawks moved Justin Britt from right tackle to left guard and inserted Garry Gilliam at right tackle, and now they reportedly are going to bring in former Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis for a visit Saturday.

Is it desperation or just prudence?

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Injury report, State of the team, Training camp

In secondary, even replacements are hurt

August 18, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Just over two weeks into camp, the Seahawks have even fewer cornerbacks than they started with — as impossible as that might seem.

They were so thin at the position in the first 10 days that they traded for Mohammed Seisay and converted Doug McNeil from wide receiver. And now those guys are hurt — Seisay with a groin and McNeil with an ankle, joining Richard Sherman (hip), Will Blackmon (groin), Jeremy Lane (ACL, arm) and Tharold Simon (shoulder).

With only Cary Williams, Marcus Burley, Tye Smith and Triston Wade healthy, the Hawks needed some bodies at the position, so they added two guys just to get through practice.

“We need legs at corner right now, so we’ll give these guys a chance,” Pete Carroll said of Jeremy Crayton and Keelan Johnson. “We’re a little bit behind with Sherm not being able to make it back and Will not making it back right away and Seisay gone, too, so we just need them for legs right now. But they’ll get a chance. They got tested today pretty good.”

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State of the team, Training camp

No problem: Hawks just want five best linemen

August 17, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks apparently were as alarmed by the poor O-line play as many fans were Friday, so they decided to make another big move Monday: Right tackle Justin Britt is switching to left guard and Garry Gilliam is working at right tackle.

Tom Cable said it comes down to getting the best five on the field, and the Hawks — after trying four other players at left guard — apparently think they might be better with Britt at LG and Gilliam at RT. Alvin Bailey looked bad Friday against Denver, and it’s easy to see why Cable has been searching for another player to play left guard. Apparently, Keavon Milton and Mark Glowinski have not impressed enough.

“We’re just trying to get the best guys out there. We’re still mixing and matching,” said Cable, who added he would like to have it figured out by next week.

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Preseason, State of the team, Training camp

Don’t worry about OL’s poor performance

August 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

While we chose to focus on the supernova bright spots in Seattle’s loss to Denver on Friday, plenty of people were dismayed by the poor performance of the offensive line.

As we said the other day, don’t worry about it.

You have to remember these facts: (1) Seattle has an inexperienced group, destined to struggle early; (2) it’s largely the same group that the Seahawks had last season, when they reached the Super Bowl; and (3) the running game is mostly a product of Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch anyway.

Rob Staton put together a nice analysis on the NFL’s problem in finding good linemen these days. It piggybacks comments Tom Cable made this offseason about college ruining offensive players.

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State of the team, Training camp

Training camp status report: Defense

August 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks open the preseason against the Denver Broncos tonight in Seattle. Here is our breakdown of the defense, what we will be watching in the first game and our updated roster projections:

DEFENSIVE LINE
Veterans: Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Brandon Mebane, Ahtyba Rubin, Jordan Hill, Cassius Marsh, Greg Scruggs, Demarcus Dobbs, D’Anthony Smith, Jesse Williams, David King, Jimmy Staten, Julius Warmsley
Rookies: Frank Clark, Obum Gwacham, T.Y. McGill

Pete Carroll says this defensive front is the fastest he has had in Seattle — clearly a nod to the addition of Clark. The coach was stoked about the unit after the scrimmage last weekend, and he is clearly excited about a pass rush that features Bennett, Avril, Clark, Hill and Bruce Irvin.

The one bummer was the release of Tony McDaniel, who turned out to be the cap casualty over Mebane after the big contracts given to Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

Bennett still is unhappy with his contract, and he even told McDaniel he would love to be back in Tampa Bay (he probably saw the Bucs’ salary cap space: $13.7 million).

But Bennett has been mentoring Clark, who is going to be Bennett Jr. this season — an inside-out player.

“I lean on him a lot; he looks out for me a lot,” Clark said of Bennett. “He’s a guy that’s been in the league for a numerous amount of years. He has experience. He’s a great player, as well as Cliff Avril, Big Mebane; they teach me a lot of things, just the proper techniques of how to play NFL football.”

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State of the team, Training camp

Training camp status report: Offense

August 13, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks open the preseason against the Denver Broncos on Friday in Seattle. Here is our breakdown of the
offense, what we will be watching in the first game and our updated roster projections:

QUARTERBACK
Veterans: Russell Wilson, Tarvaris Jackson, R.J. Archer

Wilson’s No. 1 goal in camp has been to develop and refine his rapport with Jimmy Graham.

“Chemistry has been more than I could ever imagine,” Graham said after the scrimmage Aug. 8. “For example, today in the scrimmage we had one we didn’t connect on; so, after practice, we did it about four or five times. And that is how we’re going to do it each and every day. Anything we’re iffy about we’re going to get it after practice. The season is right here; and, when those big moments come, I want that connection to be right.”

Earlier this week, Pete Carroll said, “They’re not there yet. It’s just going to take time. The intricacies of the things that they’re trying to do together go way deep, so it’s going to take them a lot of time. … Both of them are really determined to get this thing figured out. They’re doing great, but there’s more room for them to make up.”

By all reports, Archer has been off target in most practices — putting to rest any thoughts that he might challenge Jackson, who still puts up a great deep ball.

The Hawks have their eyes open for other QBs — they reportedly worked out Jake Waters, who was Tyler Lockett’s QB at Kansas State.

What to watch: Wilson to Graham, of course.

Projected (2): Wilson, Jackson

Continue reading Training camp status report: Offense →

State of the team, The roster, Training camp

Don’t worry about the offensive line

August 12, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Okung and Cable — Tom Cable watches his linemen drill (Seahawks.com)

Good offensive lines typically are
defined by the four C’s: continuity, consistency, cohesion, camaraderie.

But, the Seahawks get by most of the time with just one C: Cable.

That’s why there’s no reason to be worried about Seattle’s offensive line — despite the uncertainty at center and left guard this year and left tackle and right guard next year. As always, Tom Cable will hook it up.

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Contracts, State of the team

A tale of two holdouts: Lynch vs. Chancellor

August 7, 2015 cc Leave a comment

For those wondering why the Seahawks don’t just accommodate Kam Chancellor, as they did Marshawn Lynch last year, it is worth pointing out that there are some big differences in their situations.

Lynch had two years left on his contract, and speculation was swirling that the Seahawks might part with him after the 2014 season. So, he just wanted to get some kind of financial commitment out of the Hawks.

The team offered to convert $1 million in game roster bonuses and incentives in 2014 to guaranteed money, along with $500,000 from his 2015 salary. Even as Lynch held out for the first week of training camp, they reportedly did not budge off the original offer from earlier in the offseason. And they also had threatened to follow through on their right to fine him if he did not report after the first week.

Lynch basically got a $500,000 bump last season — but it came from the 2015 salary. Of course, he ended up signing a new three-year deal this offseason anyway.

There is much less wiggle room for Chancellor.

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Contracts, State of the team

Wagner’s contract gives team some flexibility

August 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

In the wake of Bobby Wagner’s monster contract, Pete Carroll said the Seahawks face uncertainty next year in the way the team is going to be constructed.

“It is so challenging to do this,” Carroll said, “and particularly as it (the salary cap) changes and you don’t know and you have to predict. … This is a big year now (for Seattle free agents); we don’t know what’s going to happen with the cap. We’ll wait and see.”

As it turns out, Wagner’s contract reflects the uncertainty and also covers the Hawks in case he misses games, as he has the past two seasons.

Wagner’s four-year, $43 million deal reportedly includes an $8 million signing bonus and — rare for the Seahawks — a $4 million option bonus in 2016 that would activate 2019 while giving the team cap flexibility next year and beyond.

Either way, the Hawks will pay Wagner $7 million in 2016 — with a $3 millon salary if they pay the option or $7 million if they don’t. So the cap hit could be $6.1 million or $9.1 million in 2016. If they decline the option, it would make it just a three-year extension. But they surely just wanted to include a second signing bonus to offset cap hits in 2015 and beyond.

The Hawks also included $3.5 million in per-game roster bonuses — $500,000 in 2016 and $1 million in each of the next three seasons. Wagner missed five games last year and two the previous season, so the Hawks clearly want him to earn some of the deal through simple availability.

Contracts, State of the team

Wilson & Wagner are signed; who else can Hawks keep?

August 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

With Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner signed, the Seahawks can check off their two biggest 2016 free agents.

But what does it mean for the others?

The official numbers for Wagner’s deal are in, and the Hawks are looking at about $14 million in space under a projected $150 million salary cap next year.

With Wilson and Wagner signed and Tony McDaniel released, their key UFAs in 2016 — barring any other extensions — will be Russell Okung, J.R. Sweezy, Bruce Irvin, Brandon Mebane, Ahtyba Rubin, Jermaine Kearse and Jon Ryan. They can’t keep all of those guys for $14 million.

“It is so challenging to do this,” Pete Carroll said, “and particularly as it (the salary cap) changes and you don’t know and you have to predict. … This is a big year now (for Seattle free agents); we don’t know what’s going to happen with the cap. We’ll wait and see.”

Continue reading Wilson & Wagner are signed; who else can Hawks keep? →