After the 2019 season ended, Pete Carroll said he wanted to keep his offensive line together.
“It is important,’’ Carroll said. “I hope we can keep our guys connected. I don’t want to see a big change there.’’
Well, that plan obviously changed: The Seahawks will have three, perhaps four, new starters in 2020. Only three other teams in the NFL apparently will undergo that much change up front. It’s a tough year to do that, too — with a pandemic impacting preparation time.
“We’re trying to win the Super Bowl over here. We don’t play (around). We’re trying to make it happen this year.”– Russell Wilson to rookie OG Damien Lewis
Russell Wilson wanted “superstars” this offseason. He wanted Jadeveon Clowney to return. And he obviously wants to get back to the Super Bowl.
What he has gotten is one aging star (Greg Olsen) and no Clowney (to this point), but the Hawks have revamped both lines in an effort to help Wilson lead them back to the NFL title game.
Continue reading Redrawn lines: The state of Seattle’s roster
(UPDATE: Justin Britt and D.J. Fluker were cut after this was posted.)
In the wake of the draft, and with most of us thinking Seattle still should sign a star pass rusher, there’s a lot of fan chatter about vets who might/should be cut.
Justin Britt makes sense, as we have said, because B.J. Finney looks like the new center. But some fans want Seattle to ditch K.J. Wright, Bradley McDougald, D.J. Fluker and Jacob Hollister.
Yeah, by all means, let’s cut some of the most dependable veterans and try to contend for a Super Bowl with rookies instead. Brilliant strategy!
Continue reading Rookies are not ousting Wright, other key vets
The Seahawks have long claimed they look for rookies with “grit” who have overcome early life challenges. They think it gives those guys an edge and makes them better competitors.
“All come in with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove,” Pete Carroll said, repeating what he and John Schneider say every year.
They got “grit” guys again on Day 2 of this draft, moving up to take pass rusher Darrell Taylor and then moving down and picking guard Damien Lewis. Both overcame rough childhoods that included their dads being imprisoned (and Taylor’s mom died of breast cancer when he was a high school sophomore).
Carroll and Schneider think those hurdles — plus years of big-college experience — prepared these guys to play in the NFL as rookies, especially in a year when there will be no rookie minicamp and prep time likely will be minimal.
Continue reading Will grit and chips help rookies play big roles?
John Schneider had around $35 million in 2020 salary cap space to spend on free agents when the league year began, and everyone expected a chunk of that to go toward a pass rusher on a long-term deal.
That has not happened, and it would be a surprise now if it did — because Schneider has spent about $34 million on 13 veterans (including four RFAs). And he has followed his SOP of not giving out long-term deals to outside players — just three of his signings (Jarran Reed, B.J. Finney, Brandon Shell) have been for two years. Even his reported offers to Jadeveon Clowney have been for just one or two years.
Other than guys on rookie deals, the Seahawks have just three players signed for the next three seasons: Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and shaky kicker Jason Myers.
Basically, this team is built — you might say patched together — through only 2021. And that includes Schneider and Pete Carroll, whose contracts expire after that season as well.
Why are they being so shortsighted? Because they generally give long-term deals only to players who have proven themselves in Carroll’s system — and few of their recent draft picks have earned the right to be considered part of the core.
Continue reading Waiting for new core to emerge, Schneider won’t invest beyond two years
(UPDATED) The Seahawks are trying to resolve their biggest roster question, but they are still making other free-agent moves.
In addition to the premier pass rusher (or two), they also need a run-stuffing defensive tackle, a cornerback, a running back and a backup quarterback. (UPDATE: They acquired CB Quinton Dunbar from Washington on Monday.)
Let’s take stock of each position:
Continue reading Roster report: After pass rusher, what’s next?
Is B.J. Finney the precursor to the Seahawks signing two stud pass rushers?
They reportedly will sign the versatile lineman, who can play center, to a two-year deal worth $8 million (and up to $9.5 million). And that could be the way they bump expensive Justin Britt, which would save them a net $5 million in cap space on the exchange so they could sign Jadeveon Clowney and another pass rusher (Everson Griffen or Devon Kennard?).
John 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.”
Continue reading Seahawks bosses agree: Pass rush is priority
“Yo @gregolsen88 welcome to the PNW!! TE room is going to be dangerous this year!!” — Will Dissly, welcoming Greg Olsen to the Seahawks
If Will Dissly and Greg Olsen are both healthy, the Seahawks will indeed be dangerous at tight end in 2020.
Imagine the matchup nightmares Dissly, Greg Olsen and Jacob Hollister could create for Russell Wilson. Forget a third receiver — these guys could help Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf take the top off defenses even more easily.
Of course, that is the best-case scenario.
Continue reading Olsen is insurance, but if he and Dissly are both healthy …
Pete Carroll has never been afraid to reunite with former players — usually after their big-money days are done and they have reached the points in their careers where they are role players.
Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin were the most recent examples, returning to help Carroll’s battered backfield late last season. This week, everyone has been talking about the possibility of Michael Bennett coming back.
While anything is possible, that seems unlikely. But what about some other former Seahawks?
Continue reading Bennett is not the only reunion to consider
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 