The Frank Clark trade, as controversial as it was, has given the Seahawks tons of flexibility in the next two drafts.
They have two first-round selections this year and 17 choices over the next two (counting projected comp picks). So what is Seattle’s strategy?
Based on John Schneider’s comments Monday about the talent dropping off after the third round, you can bet they are going to try to amass four or five picks in the first two days — and use two of those on pass rushers.
For the first time in his tenure with the Seahawks, John Schneider reeled in marquee value for one of his stars. But now the pressure is on to replace him.
Schneider traded Frank Clark to Kansas City for a first-round pick and a 2020 second-rounder (with a swap of 2019 thirds), and Seattle now has two first-round picks — 21 and 29 overall — plus overall picks 92, 124, 159.
Their 2020 draft is now projected to include 12 picks, thanks to this deal and comps: 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7.
Continue reading Schneider finally gets value for a star, but will he make it count?
All signs point to the Seahawks trading Frank Clark by Thursday. If they do, what are they going to do about their pass rush?
Kansas City is the team everyone thinks might trade for him, giving up the 29th overall pick and the 63rd to satisfy Seattle’s demand for a first and second. The Colts, who could give up 26 and 59, are another option. (Both the Chiefs and Colts have two second-round picks.)
If the Hawks made a deal with either of those clubs, it would give them the flexibility to use one first-rounder for a player and the other for their usual snowball trade that nets several picks and lands them in the second round.
But trading Clark just to avoid paying him would be a major gamble for a team that fancies itself a contender again. And Seattle would need a plan for replacing him.
The Seahawks seem locked in on finding a hybrid safety/nickel corner high in this draft.
It’s basically a starting position in the NFL these days, which explains why Justin Coleman got $9 million a year from Detroit. Coleman played in 63.5 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps the past two years, and the Seahawks seem to be looking for his replacement in the second round.
Mark Rodgers wanted to play hardball with the Seahawks, and Russell Wilson did not.
From Peter King’s podcast: Rodgers, a baseball agent who is used to fully guaranteed contracts, was pushing the cap percentage idea for Wilson’s deal and wanted the quarterback to embrace the “play on the tag” strategy to try to force Seattle to go along with the cap concept.
But the Seahawks were not going for it. And, by the end, neither was Wilson.
Seattle’s 2019 season will be defined in prime time in November and December.
The Seahawks got a very balanced schedule, highlighted by alternating home and road games through the first 14 weeks and four straight night games in the second half of the season.
The Hawks will play five prime-time games overall, including two against the division rival Rams.
Seattle also has four 10 a.m. games, but Pete Carroll doesn’t care (ask him). His teams are 13-11 in 10 a.m. starts (playoffs included) since Russell Wilson arrived, and they have won seven of the last nine (all three in 2018).
Continue reading Season success will be determined in prime time
Russell Wilson apparently really did want to stay in Seattle — so much so that he gave the Seahawks a pretty good deal.
If reports on the money are correct, the Seahawks basically tore up Wilson’s contract and gave him a new five-year pact worth $157 million.
Wilson apparently gave up fully guaranteed money for a record signing bonus ($65 million), overall guarantees ($107 million) and annual average ($35 million on the new four years).
Russell Wilson apparently does indeed want his new contract to be tied to a percentage of the salary cap.
We had thought he just wanted $35 million a year and at least 63 percent guaranteed at signing, based on what insider Jake Heaps said. But he wants all of the above — which is quite a demand.
The Seahawks apparently are willing to hit the APY, but would they guarantee a percentage of the cap — either entirely or for part of the deal?
Continue reading What a salary cap-based contract could look like for Wilson
The Seahawks don’t want to trade Russell Wilson, and Wilson doesn’t want to be traded. Yet the ridiculous rumors continue that Seattle might move its franchise quarterback.
ESPN’s football reporters keep talking about the possibility, and recent Raiders coach Jack Del Rio chimed in about it. Jason La Canfora, whose reports about Wilson’s contract have all been negative, posited some trade ideas from “a smart football guy.” And Pro Football Talk, similarly pessimistic about a deal, offered teams that should call Seattle.
All of those people are forgetting one thing: John Schneider NEVER trades a premier player when he has any value. He keeps him to the bitter end. So it would be a stunner if he even considered dealing Wilson.
Continue reading Trade Wilson? Schneider never deals his stars
Everyone has a take on Russell Wilson and his contract. And some of them are pretty chuckleheaded.
Like the ESPN guys (and many fans) talking about Seattle trading Wilson.
Or the local radio guy who compared Wilson to redneck NBA thief Clay Bennett — basically calling the quarterback a liar who is trying to make the team look bad and really wants to play on the tag until the new CBA kicks in.
Or the lawyer turned sensationalist NFL blogger whose latest conspiracy theory has Wilson wanting to play on the tag for two years and then leave Seattle. Or (just in case that one is wrong) the blogger also has the QB trying to push a new contract tactic.
We all know Wilson wants to play his whole career in Seattle — he has said it many times — so we’ll ignore those first three lame takes. But let’s explain that contract scheme before we dismiss it.
Continue reading Explaining (and debunking) a cap-percentage deal
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 