Seahawks’ needs haven’t changed in a year

February 19, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks have played — and won — more games than any team in the NFL the past three seasons.

By the time they reached Super Bowl XLIX, their defense was a shadow of itself — six key defenders on injured reserve or out of the game by the end and the Legion of Boom fighting through major injuries. Those issues played no small part in their 28-24 loss to the Patriots.

The Seahawks put 17 players on IR — fourth most in the NFL. John Schneider did a great job making moves to keep the Hawks in the hunt, but the injuries on both lines, in the secondary and at tight end affected Seattle throughout the season.

So, as Seattle coaches and personnel people arrive in Indianapolis for the Combine this week, their major goal clearly is to find players who could improve the team’s depth across the board, with an eye to replacing future free agents as well.

Continue reading Seahawks’ needs haven’t changed in a year →

NFL draft, State of the team, The roster

Lynch is a study in sentimentality: Hawks don’t really need him

February 17, 2015 cc 2 Comments

A major myth has been propagated across the Pacific Northwest and the NFL in recent months. You know, the one that says the Seahawks need Marshawn Lynch in order to win a Super Bowl.

(This is completely separate from the idea that the Seahawks would have won Super Bowl XLIX if they had run Lynch one last time.)

The Hawks have been partly guilty themselves of spreading the nasty rumor, with Pete Carroll and John Schneider talking him up as a core player. They consider him such a key piece that they have offered the soon-to-be 29-year-old a pay raise and extension.

There is nothing wrong with that — they can fit it under the cap nicely and not lose much even if he does walk away after 2015 — but the fact is the Hawks don’t really need Lynch.

Continue reading Lynch is a study in sentimentality: Hawks don’t really need him →

It's bigger than football, Super Bowl XLIX

Dookie Baldwin apologizes — finally

February 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Two weeks later, Doug “Dookie” Baldwin saw the error of his ways and showed contrition for the “turddown” celebration in Super Bowl XLIX.

It cost his team 15 yards in a tight game, although Seattle’s defense made sure it did not come back to haunt Baldwin, who nonetheless shrugged it off after the game.

On Monday night, he told 710 ESPN’s “Barbershop”: “I apologize to anyone I offended in any way. If I could go back, I would take it back.”

Obviously, Pete Carroll has talked to him about it, and Baldwin now knows — two weeks later — that he messed up.

It still doesn’t change the fact that he and other Seahawks need to grow up and the Hawks need to surround Baldwin with better talent at receiver.

Contracts, Free agency, History

As usual, Hawks won’t use franchise tag

February 16, 2015 cc 1 Comment

John Schneider (via Fresh Files) The Seahawks have not used the franchise tag since 2010 — the first year of the Carroll/Schneider regime — and they almost positively won’t use it this year either.

The window opened today and goes through March 2.

John Schneider has been great about re-signing key free agents before their contracts expire, and the guys they have lost in free agency have been role players or lesser starters they were prepared to lose.

This year they have only two starters scheduled to hit free agency, and they are not going to pay cornerback Byron Maxwell or guard James Carpenter $13 million in 2015.

Schneider has said the team will try to retain Maxwell, but he also admits it will be hard. Maxwell is expected to get an offer worth at least $7 million a year — the Hawks probably would go only as high as $6 million.

Free agency

Would Hawks revisit Bears’ castoffs?

February 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Five years ago, the Seahawks were looking for a big No. 1 receiver, and they spent more than a month considering a trade for the mercurial Brandon Marshall.

Five years later, the Seahawks still need a big No. 1 receiver, and Marshall could be available again.

In fact, Marshall is one of several players with ties to the Chicago Bears who have drawn previous interest from John Schneider and Pete Carroll and/or already have been linked to the Seahawks this offseason.

Continue reading Would Hawks revisit Bears’ castoffs? →

Schedule

How many games can Hawks win with No. 4 toughest schedule?

February 15, 2015 cc 1 Comment

The Seahawks have the fourth-toughest schedule in the NFL in 2015, based on 2014 results. But it’s not as if a tough schedule is anything new for them. They had the No. 10 slate in 2013 and the No. 6 schedule last year — and we all know they should be 2-0 in the Super Bowl.

But they aren’t, so we are left to look forward to the 2015 season and wonder whether the Hawks can become the first team in the salary-cap era to play in the Super Bowl in three straight seasons.

Here’s an early look at that No. 4 schedule:

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CHAWK LINES

February 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls offers some nice analysis of John Schneider’s comments to 710 ESPN.

Schneider also talked to KJR, where the only real new topic was Paul Richardson, who is 50-50 to end up on PUP to start next season.

Byron Maxwell was a hot topic, with Schneider bracing everyone for the fact that the Hawks are likely to lose him.

Michael Robinson thinks Marshawn Lynch will play another season, but who really knows?

The Seahawks have the fourth-toughest schedule in 2015. What else is new? They were No. 6 in 2014.

Clare Farnsworth looks at the unending work of the Seahawks’ equipment crew.

We set up a draft page, with all of the key information on the Seahawks, the Combine and draft prospects — along with mock drafts and blogs.

NFL history

Hawks can still build a dynasty this decade

February 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll loves to do things differently, and if he still wants to build a dynasty — even if he won’t say it in those terms — he certainly will get his chance to do it in a way it has never been done.

The Seahawks are the second team to ever follow up a Super Bowl win with a Super Bowl loss the next year, and if they are going to become a historically dominant team, they will have to get back a lot sooner than Washington did.

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Contracts, Free agency, NFL draft, The roster

Not as many decisions to make on defense

February 11, 2015 cc Leave a comment

We’ve already looked at what the Seahawks need to do on offense — from their shaky situation at wide receiver to an “out of the box” option for Russell Wilson’s contract to the need to determine the future of the unit this offseason.

The defense does not need nearly as many major renovations, but they certainly have some work to do on that side of the ball. Here’s a look:

Continue reading Not as many decisions to make on defense →

Contracts

Hawks will go ‘outside the box’ in creating Wilson’s extension

February 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

In a look ahead to the offseason with 710 ESPN on Tuesday, general manager John Schneider gave some hints about the Seahawks’ possible approach to an extension for quarterback Russell Wilson.

Schneider basically indicated that Wilson is on board with helping the team structure the deal in a way that it does not inhibit the Seahawks’ ability to remain a contender. The GM also hinted the deal will be put together in creative fashion and might not resemble many of the quarterback deals done over the last two years.

Continue reading Hawks will go ‘outside the box’ in creating Wilson’s extension →