Category Archives: The roster

Report: Seahawks tried to acquire Fitzpatrick

September 16, 2019 cc Leave a comment

UPDATE: The Steelers reportedly are sending a first-round pick to Miami for Minkah Fitzpatrick. So read the below for background on the Seahawks’ interest.

The Seahawks reportedly are one of half a dozen teams involved in talks with Miami for former No. 11 overall draft pick Minkah Fitzpatrick, and a deal involving “first-round value” apparently could be finished Tuesday.

Among the other teams reportedly in the mix for the premier young defensive back are Washington, Dallas, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Some think Pete Carroll might see Fitzpatrick as his next Earl Thomas. If so, would John Schneider want to give up his 2020 first-round pick? Or more?

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State of the team, The roster, Week 2: At Pittsburgh

How (in)complete are the Hawks right now?

September 14, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Just how far from their best are the Seahawks?

Judging by the Week 2 league injury report, the Seahawks appear to be one of the more banged-up teams. They have six guys on the official game report (only the Chargers and Redskins have more), and they had 16 guys listed with injuries on the practice report Friday.

Almost every offensive lineman has some kind of ailment, and the Hawks are going to swap out two injured defensive starters this week, too.

Their most stable positions have been quarterback, running back (if you can believe it) and linebacker. Otherwise, they are in a state of flux everywhere else.

We previously said they are better almost everywhere, but right now we estimate they are only about two-thirds of what they eventually will be. And it might take a couple of months to find that final third — barring any major injuries.

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The roster, X's & O's

‘How do we work these guys together?’

September 3, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Now that John Schneider has repeated his 2013 defensive line coup, the question becomes: How long will it take Pete Carroll, Ken Norton and company to get this collection of linemen playing to its best capabilities?

Schneider told 710 ESPN that Seattle’s front seven, including a trio of “phenomenal blitzers” at linebacker, is “a really cool group. (Coaches are) putting it together right now: How do we work these guys together?”

For a sampling, we merely need go back to 2013, the last time Schneider brought in two impact pass rushers at the same time.

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Contracts, The roster

Hawks have replicated 2013 moves on D-line

September 1, 2019 cc 2 Comments

In May, we said the Seahawks needed to replicate their 2013 moves and find a way to add a couple of impact veteran pass rushers.

Four months later, they have achieved that goal — in spades (Jadeveon Clowney trumps Nick Perry).

John Schneider getting Clowney and Ziggy Ansah for a grand total of no more than $21.25 million is akin to his 2013 coup of signing Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril for $18 million (Avril signed for two years). And, if Clowney and Ansah play like Bennett and Avril did that year, the Hawks could be looking at their second Lombardi Trophy.

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Contracts, The roster

Why Brown was cut and could return

September 1, 2019 cc Leave a comment

(UPDATED with new details Sunday morning)

When word first came down that Seattle had acquired Jadeveon Clowney from Houston for a couple of backup defenders and a third-round pick, it was almost exactly the cheap price we had predicted Seattle would have to pay if the teams made a deal.

But then came the added cost: Cutting starting receiver Jaron Brown and Cassius Marsh. The latter wasn’t a big surprise because Marsh was suddenly a superfluous player, with Clowney and Ziggy Ansah both capable of playing the LEO spot.

But Brown’s release certainly was a stunner — as it left Seattle with injured David Moore, inexperienced Malik Turner and three rookies behind Tyler Lockett.

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The roster, Trades

How cheaply could Hawks get Clowney?

August 29, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Would Houston take Barkevious Mingo and C.J. Prosise for Jadeveon Clowney? Or maybe some combination of those two players and a third- or fourth-rounder?

Because that’s all Seattle should want to offer for a one-year rental who would eat up $16 million in cap space.

Houston reportedly has called Seattle (among others), and the Seahawks apparently are on Clowney’s preferred short list (with the Eagles). There’s no word yet on what the Seahawks think of all of this.

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NFL draft, The roster

More third-round thuds

August 28, 2019 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider has had plenty of chances to find the next Russell Wilson or Tyler Lockett with third-round home runs since 2016, but so far he has struck out.

Amara Darboh (cut this week) is officially a bust — again. And Nazair Jones is headed that way, too, perhaps saved only by a move to IR (barring an injury settlement).

Is C.J. Prosise (the anatomy of injury for the past three years) finally finished, too? Can Lano Hill avoid the ax? And can Rasheem Green step up and avoid the avalanche of third-round busts coming out of Seattle?

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Preseason, The roster

Injuries have kept the bubble inflated

August 20, 2019 cc Leave a comment

We’re halfway through the preseason, and injuries along the Seahawks’ roster have prevented coaches (and us) from seeing all of the contenders for roster spots.

The depth issues figure to affect their roster decisions on Aug. 31.

Everyone knows pass rush is the weakest part of the team, which explains why Pete Carroll and Ken Norton Jr. are working on so many different blitz patterns. But they also have injury issues at running back, wide receiver, offensive line and defensive back that probably will affect their decisions at those spots.

Will it also affect their game strategy Saturday in Los Angeles? Will Carroll choose to keep his starters in for only a half so he can keep them healthy and give the bubble players more of a shot?

We project 41 locks and 25 bubble players for 12 open spots — No. 2 QB, No. 4 RB, No. 5 & 6 WRs, No. 3 TE, No. 9 OL, No. 9/10 DL, No. 6/7 LBs, Nos. 8-10 DBs. And, of course, John Schneider will make a trade or two or three to fill some of these spots.

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The roster, Trades

Forget Clowney, but what about Griffen?

August 18, 2019 cc Leave a comment

It’s no secret the Seahawks need pass rushers. And that was before we learned that Ziggy Ansah, apparently recovered from a long-lingering shoulder injury, now is being held out due to a groin issue.

It’s also well known that John Schneider has a penchant for making preseason trades, and that has led to a fan frenzy over the possibility of Schneider making a deal for Houston holdout Jadeveon Clowney.

But don’t expect Seattle to do a repeat of the Duane Brown trade from a couple of years ago, even if Brown might offer a glowing recommendation of his former teammate. Instead, maybe look to tonight’s opponent, the Vikings, for a possible deal.

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Preseason, The roster

We need to see more from these guys this week

August 14, 2019 cc Leave a comment

This week is really the last chance for bubble players to make their cases to coaches.

Week 3 is for the starters and the fourth game generally doesn’t mean much beyond perhaps finalizing the last spot or two on the roster.

Here are the locks, by our count: (QB) Russell Wilson; (RB) Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, Nick Bellore; (WR) Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, David Moore, D.K. Metcalf; (TE) Will Dissly, Nick Vannett; (OL) Duane Brown, Mike Iupati, Justin Britt, D.J. Fluker, Germain Ifedi, George Fant, Jamarco Jones; (DL) Ziggy Ansah, L.J. Collier, Poona Ford, Earl Mitchell, Al Woods, Quinton Jefferson, Cassius Marsh, Jacob Martin; (LB) Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Mychal Kendricks, Austin Calitro, Cody Barton; (DB) Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers, Akeem King, Neiko Thorpe, Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, Marquise Blair; (ST) Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott.

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