CHAWK LINES
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CHAWK LINES -- Week in review

Jon Ryan will be on “America Ninja Warrior” on Monday, proving he can do more than punt, pass and kick.

Tough-luck Jesse Williams got more bad health news with the diagnosis of kidney cancer.

Kris Richard talked about the defense, the new coaches, Tharold Simon and Cary Williams.

Bob Condotta looked at whether the Seahawks might consider going for two points rather than kicking a PAT from the 15-yard line.

Michael Bennett said Pete Carroll is like Willy Wonka. That was part of an interview in which Bennett complained some more about NFL economics. Prepare for a holdout.

Bobby Wagner said he would like to get a new contract soon, but he said, “I’ve heard nothing.”

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Contracts

Tannehill deal proves Hawks need to pay Wilson more up front

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Wilson HBO clipAfter Ryan Tannehill signed his contract earlier this week, his agent, Pat Dye, said what a lot of others were thinking: “Russell Wilson is going to have his argument that Ryan Tannehill is the starting point for him.”

And then John Schneider apparently called Dye and said, “Congrats. You just cost me a lot of money.”

The Seahawks already were offering more new money overall, according to reports, but the Tannehill deal probably made clear to them that they need to up the ante on guaranteed cash.

Continue reading Tannehill deal proves Hawks need to pay Wilson more up front →

Contracts, Free agency, Injury report, State of the team, Trades

Irvin wants out, Williams wants in, Bennett & Wilson want to get paid

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Kevin WilliamsLots of news around the Seahawks today, with Bruce Irvin already thinking of playing elsewhere in 2016, Kevin Williams wanting to return, Robert Turbin apparently recovering from hip surgery, Michael Bennett hinting at a holdout, and Russell Wilson seemingly sending the Seahawks messages via social media.

If Irvin wants to play in Atlanta, the Seahawks should oblige and try to trade him there now. Dan Quinn’s club drafted Vic Beasley, but Quinn surely could use another pass rusher, especially one who can play linebacker. The Falcons are thought to have called about Irvin before the draft, so why not revive those talks and see if Seattle can get a 2016 second-rounder? If not Atlanta, find another team (Jacksonville and Gus Bradley?).

The Hawks are a bit thin at linebacker, but they could replace Irvin with Kevin Pierre-Louis. On the pass rush, rookie Frank Clark figures to take some of Irvin’s snaps anyway.

Continue reading Irvin wants out, Williams wants in, Bennett & Wilson want to get paid →

NFL draft, The roster

Cable: College has ruined offensive players

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SokoliTom Cable says college football has ruined offensive players, and that’s why he chooses to take defensive linemen and make them offensive linemen in the NFL.

Five linemen were drafted after the Hawks took conversion project Kristjan Sokoli in the sixth round, and the Hawks passed on Kansas State center B.J. Finney and Florida State guard Josue Matias, who were thought to be mid-round options but ended up going undrafted. The Hawks also signed another conversion project after their rookie minicamp, Kona Schwenke.

“I’m not wanting to offend anybody, but college football offensively has gotten to be really, really bad fundamentally,” Cable told 710 ESPN, referencing the gimmicky spread option that so many teams now use.

Continue reading Cable: College has ruined offensive players →

CHAWK LINES, Minicamp
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Rookie minicamp review

The Seattle Times offered its impressions of the weekend rookie minicamp, including the new offensive linemen and positional flexibility.

Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times broke down highlights from Pete Carroll’s pre-camp comments to 710 ESPN, with good news on Brandon Mebane and Alvin Bailey.

Gregg Bell of the News Tribune recovered from his anti-Clark rant in time to put up a bunch of detailed notes from the first day of the rookie camp.

Field Gulls relayed all of the video and quotes from Pete Carroll, Frank Clark and Nate Boyer.

Condotta tossed out some notes from Day 2.

Dave Boling, who loves to focus on offensive line play, gave his first impressions of Seattle’s three OL picks.

Danny O’Neil offered a second impression of Tom Cable’s new linemen.

Among the observations by the Hawks’ website after Day 1 of the camp, Tom Cable was “like a little kid in the candy store” and former defensive back Eric Pinkins is working at linebacker.

On Day 2, the website focused mainly on Tyler Lockett’s comments.

Jimmy Graham apparently thought he was traded to the Raiders, which made him “very sad,” before learning it was actually the Seahawks.

Contracts

Looks like two big problems in Wilson talks

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Wilson and SchneiderIf recent reports about Russell Wilson negotiations are true, the Seahawks clearly are not changing the way they do business just because he is a quarterback.

And there apparently are two problems with negotiations: (1) The Hawks are lowballing Wilson on the signing bonus and (2) Wilson’s agent does not know how to view NFL contract extensions.

Based on three recent reports, this is the picture we have: The Seahawks have offered Wilson a four-year deal worth $20 million a year and guaranteeing no more than about $13 million upon signing, but potentially guaranteeing closer to $40 million overall.

Continue reading Looks like two big problems in Wilson talks →

Contracts, Trades

Bennett does not want out of Seattle

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That should put an end to it. Michael Bennett made it clear Thursday that he does not want to be traded.

In an interview with KING-5 TV’s “New Day Northwest,” Bennett admitted what we already knew: He wants a pay raise.

“I’m just like any other American. I think everybody wants to be paid a little bit more, so I don’t think I fall short of that,” he said.

And then — for the second time in a month — he shot down a trade report.

“When you ask for a little more money, they assume that you want to be traded or something like that,” he said. “But that’s not what I’m trying to go for.”

Asked directly if he wanted to be traded, he said, “No.”

So, as we suspected, the reports of him wanting out almost surely are coming from his agent, Drew Rosenhaus — who probably is doing whatever he can to shake the Seahawks into giving Bennett more money. And, as we said, they aren’t going to do it — at least not this year.

Contracts, The roster, Trades

Rosenhaus’ smoke and mirrors won’t work

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Michael Bennett and Drew RosenhausWhere there’s smoke, there must be fire — unless Drew Rosenhaus and some mirrors are involved.

Jason La Canfora, who has had some recent scoops regarding the Seahawks (Marshawn Lynch’s deal and the drafting of Frank Clark), dropped another one Wednesday when he wrote that Bennett “and his agent have made it clear he’d rather not be back in Seattle.”

This is the second report indicating Bennett wants out — although he and the Seahawks both denied last month that he asked for a trade. He does, however, want his contract beefed up — and that clearly is the crux of the “he wants out” reports, surely propagated by his notorious agent, Rosenhaus.

Don’t expect the Seahawks to fall for his cheap tricks.

Continue reading Rosenhaus’ smoke and mirrors won’t work →

CHAWK LINES, Contracts, It's bigger than football, NFL draft
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CHAWK LINES -- Draft

John Schneider talked more about Frank Clark, Tyler Lockett and the rest of the draft class on 710 ESPN.

As expected, the media is picking apart the Seahawks’ selection of Clark. Field Gulls compiled the reports questioning their investigative diligence.

The prosecutor in Clark’s case says there was more to the story than the police report indicated and she does not see Clark as a habitual “batterer,” per The Seattle Times.

Clark’s position coach at Michigan backs him 100 percent and thinks the Seahawks “made a tremendous pick.”

Rob Staton broke down the on-field merits of the Seahawks’ draft class: Clark’s first-round talent, Lockett’s game-breaking ability and the six other picks (plus the best UDFA they signed).

Former Green Beret Nate Boyer talked to 710 ESPN about his journey to the Seahawks. The Times’ Jayson Jenks also wrote about him.

Bob Condotta gave a detailed look at Seattle’s 12 undrafted rookies.

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