Category Archives: The roster

The roster, Week 6: Oakland at London

This O-line group looks worth keeping

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Hawks in London 2Tom Cable won’t recognize the offensive line on the other side of the field in London — because it is playing better than any unit he coached in Seattle since 2012.

Mike Solari replaced Cable (who ended up back in Oakland) this year and has tailored his hybrid scheme to fit the talents and aggressive nature of a line that now includes former first-round picks Duane Brown, D.J. Fluker and Germain Ifedi; second-rounder Justin Britt, and Cable’s one-time conversion project, J.R. Sweezy.

Since Fluker and Sweezy took over at the guard spots in Week 3, the Seahawks have led the NFL in rushing (474 yards on 105 runs) and are now in the top 10 overall — like they used to be when Marshawn Lynch was Beast Moding to bail out Cable’s poorly schemed and oft-injured lines.

If they keep going like this, the Hawks should try to keep this group together for a couple more years.

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NFL draft, The roster, Trades, Week 6: Oakland at London

As Hawks face Lynch, rushing game is back — without Penny

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Hawks in London 2The running back drama is operatic this week.

The Seahawks finally have rediscovered their long-lost running game just as they prepare to face the embodiment of their old one and, just as coincidentally, the coach they ditched so they could find it again. Meanwhile, Seattle’s first-round pick has had nothing to do with it, frustrating him and fans who are calling him a bust and wanting to trade him for a kicker.

Continue reading As Hawks face Lynch, rushing game is back — without Penny →

The roster, Week 5: L.A. Rams

Hawks expected short suspension for Kendricks

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Logo -- Los AngelesPete Carroll and the Seahawks were surprised to learn Mychal Kendricks was suspended for more than just two or three games, which is the punishment they expected when they signed him after Week 1.

Kendricks, who is facing up to three years in prison for insider trading, was suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Tuesday. As we wrote, that probably means he is finished for the year — and until he returns from prison.

Carroll was clearly annoyed by the NFL’s decision.

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Contracts, The roster

Clark working toward his payday; will it come from Hawks?

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Frank Clark is getting a lot of love amid a good start to the season, and he’s obviously enjoying it.

But the big question: Will the Seahawks show him some financial affection at some point?

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NFL draft, The roster

Not much help from recent third-rounders

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NFL draftOver the past three years, the Seahawks have drafted eight players in the third round — a league-best haul created by comp picks and draft trades that figured to help forge the next core of Pete Carroll’s team.

But it hasn’t so far — at least not as much as Carroll and John Schneider surely hoped it would.

With about 20 percent of this season complete, only one of those eight guys has become a starter and only two others are even contributing much.

That has to be disappointing after Schneider set up Seattle for some quality drafts in 2016 and 2017 — 11 picks in the first two days. Of seven third-rounders from those drafts, Shaquill Griffin is the only one to crack the first string (he has two interceptions this season).

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The roster, Week 2: At Chicago

No risk: Kendricks might be here for only a week

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Logo -- At ChicagoThe Seahawks have some temporary (we hope) problems at linebacker, and they came up with a controversial solution when they reportedly added Mychal Kendricks, who faces up to three years in prison when he is sentenced in January for insider trading.

Assuming his only fault is that he cheated to gain some extra investment cash, Kendricks is not any kind of risk for the Hawks — and there’s no reason to dislike the move. He committed a victim-less crime and will pay his penance after his Jan. 24 sentencing.

Most fans seem to agree with us, not overly concerned about his financial crime — knowing he did not hurt anyone and will pay for his investment shenanigans later. But some wonder whether the NFL might suspend him, making this signing moot.

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Preseason, The roster

Final preseason roster projection

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Logo -- PreseasonPete Carroll is ready for the season. But his roster isn’t quite.

After the Seahawks finished off their first winless preseason ever with a mistake-filled 30-19 loss to Oakland, Carroll said, “I’m excited about getting to our 53. We’ve got roles for guys to take over. We’ve got a real clear thought about what we’re doing with a lot of stuff.”

Carroll and John Schneider still have some tweaking to do to get to the 53, though. They already have upgraded at backup quarterback, adding Brett Hundley, and you can bet they will be looking for help at a few other places — perhaps safety, corner, tight end and edge rusher.

Ahead of Saturday’s 1 p.m. cutdown deadline, here’s our final roster projection:

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Preseason, The roster, Trades

Which trades will Schneider make this week?

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Logo -- PreseasonAs the preseason winds down, teams are already starting to use trades to address weaknesses in their rosters.

It won’t be long before John Schneider joins the fray.

Schneider always makes a trade at some point before the season — he made seven deals from the start of camp to just before the season last year, and he has made 15 other preseason deals since 2010. That’s an average of 2.75 per preseason.

Schneider has been 50-50 in acquiring and moving out players in these deals. Last year, for example, he traded Kevin Pierre-Louis, Cassius Marsh, Tramaine Brock and Jermaine Kearse while adding D.J. Alexander, Matt Tobin, Sheldon Richardson, Justin Coleman and Isaiah Battle (Duane Brown didn’t come until October).

He probably won’t be nearly as active this year, but it’s a good bet he will make some kind of deal — because he always does. So, which trades might he make?

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Preseason, The roster

Projecting the roster after three games

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Logo -- PreseasonAfter three preseason games, the Seahawks’ roster looks pretty set through about 45 positions.

With only Thursday’s game against Oakland left, the Hawks seemingly are set everywhere but their last few cornerbacks, including the starter on the right side, plus their sixth receiver, their last offensive and defensive linemen and maybe their final linebacker. (UPDATE: Backup QB was up in the air until the Seahawks acquired Brett Hundley on 8/29.)

Injuries will play into a couple of decisions. The Hawks probably won’t put fifth-round tackle Jamarco Jones (high ankle sprain) or J.D. McKissic (broken foot) on IR because they don’t want to lose either for the season. So expect the team to keep them both and then possibly use short-term IR on one or both after Week 1.

That will affect the keepers on the offensive line and at running back, where the Hawks might forgo a fullback (as they did in 2016).

Here’s our roster projection through three games (updated with comments from Pete Carroll):

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