Category Archives: The roster

The roster, Trades

Is Wilson’s time up? trade still unlikely, but not impossible

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The end is nigh.

That became very clear after The Athletic detailed Russell Wilson’s losing power struggle with Pete Carroll and word emerged that Wilson has passive-aggressively asked for a trade.

And you know what? It’s OK.

All things come to an end, and the Carroll/Wilson era is nearly at its terminus. It has been a good run – the best in the NFC over the past decade – but not nearly as good as it could/should have been. And that’s why it’s about time to finish cleaning the slate from the Super Bowl team.

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The roster, X's & O's

A third of Wilson’s sacks were on him — most in his career

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Russell Wilson picked a strange year to call out the Seahawks for not protecting him, considering the 2020 line was one of the best he has had and he was responsible for a career-high 14 sacks – nearly a third of the 47 times he was dropped.

Counting playoffs, he was to blame for 16 of 51 sacks (31%), per Pro Football Focus, and we tallied the same via a cut-up video posted by Parker Lewis on Twitter. 

So it’s fairly disingenuous of him to put the blame on the line and John Schneider — this year anyway — when he bears a third of the responsibility. Yeah, he mentioned he needs to get better, too, but you know he is not going to change certain aspects of his game at this stage of his career. He is always going to be a double-edged sword, and 2020 was the ultimate example of that.

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Contracts, Free agency, The roster

Good news on the cap, but Hawks still have to make more room

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Based on recent reports, the NFL salary cap is expected to be between $180 million and $185 million in 2021. The actual number is not expected to be set until just before the league year begins March 17, but the ceiling apparently will be at least $5 million more than the floor the NFL and NFLPA had set last year.

The Seahawks and the rest of the NFL would happily take an extra $5 million, if Tom Pelissero’s report is more accurate than Adam Schefter’s tweet. (Here’s an easy explanation of how the league arrives at the salary cap.)

Assuming the number is Schefter’s reported $180 million, the Seahawks still would need to create room just to tender Poona Ford (about $3.4 million on the second-round offer) and a few ERFAs, let alone sign needed starters at center, running back, linebacker and cornerback.

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Contracts, The roster

Reality check for fanciful fans

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We certainly understand (and share) the frustration of fans over the Seahawks’ latest premature playoff ouster, and we are as eager as anyone to see the franchise fix its flaws and finally get back to the NFC title game and Super Bowl. But fans need to stop overreacting and get a grip on reality.

Pete Carroll is not going to be fired, and the Hawks are not going to trade Russell Wilson or Jamal Adams or Bobby Wagner. None of those guys are going anywhere.

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The roster, Week 15: At Washington

The Legion of Blitz & more hot topics

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Jamal Adams’ sack record is getting a lot of attention this week.

Some say it is over-inflated – like a blind squirrel finding a nut in a park full of them. Some say Pete Carroll’s use of a safety as his main sack guy has completely changed his defense. And some say Carroll is again revolutionizing secondary play for the entire NFL.

We say Carroll is doing what he always tries to do (and often succeeds at doing): Use the skills of his players to best effect. So yeah, LOB now means Legion of Blitz. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

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It's bigger than football, The roster

Gordon’s second chance with Hawks is here: ‘Hopefully it’s better than last time’

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John Schneider has never been shy about betting on veteran talent – whether they’re big trades or no-risk deals.

Josh Gordon might be the first guy Schneider has taken a cheap flyer on twice. The troubled but talented receiver is back, conditionally reinstated by the NFL and eligible to play for the Hawks in Week 16 against the Rams (if he’s ready that fast).

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Contracts, The roster, Trades

‘This is just the start’: Dunlap is a keeper, extensions expected

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It took almost two years, but it looks like John Schneider finally found Seattle’s next star pass rusher. And he had better plan to keep him beyond 2021.

In three short games, veteran star Carlos Dunlap has proven to be everything we expected — a grand steal of a deal from the Bengals – and he clearly should be in Seattle’s plans next year and beyond.

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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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The roster

Harrison, Dunlap and green all expected to play next week

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Impatient Seahawks fans and media made a big stink when Damon Harrison was not one of the two practice squad guys called up Saturday. And Harrison put the Snacks-down on all of them.

“All of these theories of why I’m not playing are funny as hell. Y’all reaching. (Bryan) Mone and Poona (Ford) are playing really well. What did y’all expect? You think I didn’t know the situation before I arrived? I’m here because I WANT to be, not because I HAVE to be.”

Keep in mind Harrison has been in Seattle just three weeks. Everyone else had five weeks to get ready for the season. So there is no reason to wonder why he has not been called up from the practice squad yet.

“I don’t owe anybody an explanation for anything,” Harrison said. “I’m working every day and that’s all that matters. No, I’m not out of shape. I’m just not ready to play in a game YET. I’ve been doing this nine years. I know my body. I’m good.”

So Harrison agrees with Pete Carroll that he isn’t quite ready. Expect him to be next week, when he, Jamal Adams, Carlos Dunlap and Rasheem Green all should provide reinforcements for Seattle’s sagging defense in Buffalo.

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The roster, Trades

More deals coming?

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The Seahawks apparently are still in the trade game, both as potential buyers and sellers. Could they marry the two to add another pass rusher?

After John Schneider’s typical shrewd move to add an impact veteran – getting Carlos Dunlap from Cincinnati for B.J. Finney and a seventh-rounder – word is the GM may indeed still be on the lookout for another pass rusher.  

The ideal options would be veteran stars Ryan Kerrigan and Melvin Ingram, with young Takk McKinley and Chase Winovich possible secondary choices. The Hawks reportedly inquired about Dallas pass rusher Aldon Smith, but were rebuffed.

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