Why Brown was cut and could return

September 1, 2019 cc Leave a comment

(UPDATED with new details Sunday morning)

When word first came down that Seattle had acquired Jadeveon Clowney from Houston for a couple of backup defenders and a third-round pick, it was almost exactly the cheap price we had predicted Seattle would have to pay if the teams made a deal.

But then came the added cost: Cutting starting receiver Jaron Brown and Cassius Marsh. The latter wasn’t a big surprise because Marsh was suddenly a superfluous player, with Clowney and Ziggy Ansah both capable of playing the LEO spot.

But Brown’s release certainly was a stunner — as it left Seattle with injured David Moore, inexperienced Malik Turner and three rookies behind Tyler Lockett.

Continue reading Why Brown was cut and could return →

Preseason, State of the team

Hawks have improved almost everywhere

August 30, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson plan to be clapping about their offense a lot this season (Getty Images) A year ago, few people thought the Seahawks could play even .500 ball — due to a completely revamped defense and an offense that didn’t seem capable of winning many shootouts.

Well, as we predicted, the Hawks won 10 games and made the playoffs for the seventh time in Pete Carroll’s nine seasons (and, as we all know, should have beaten Dallas in the wild-card round).

This year, it seems plenty of people have not learned their lesson — still forecasting the Seahawks as an 8-8 or 9-7 team. The main concerns are pass rush and a youthful secondary, plus the permanent loss of Doug Baldwin in the receiving corps.

Carroll knows his pass rush is weaker than it was — “We gotta make something special out of it” — but he also knows his team is otherwise very stout. (UPDATE: The Hawks acquired pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney the day after this was first posted.)

After the Hawks beat the Raiders in the preseason finale, Carroll said, “We’re going to be a really good team. … We’re going to be hard to beat.”

He’s right. When the schedule came out, we predicted 11 or 12 wins. It’s still easy to see that because they look better at ~~six~~ seven of nine position groups.

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The roster, Trades

How cheaply could Hawks get Clowney?

August 29, 2019 cc Leave a comment

Would Houston take Barkevious Mingo and C.J. Prosise for Jadeveon Clowney? Or maybe some combination of those two players and a third- or fourth-rounder?

Because that’s all Seattle should want to offer for a one-year rental who would eat up $16 million in cap space.

Houston reportedly has called Seattle (among others), and the Seahawks apparently are on Clowney’s preferred short list (with the Eagles). There’s no word yet on what the Seahawks think of all of this.

Continue reading How cheaply could Hawks get Clowney? →

NFL draft, The roster

More third-round thuds

August 28, 2019 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider has had plenty of chances to find the next Russell Wilson or Tyler Lockett with third-round home runs since 2016, but so far he has struck out.

Amara Darboh (cut this week) is officially a bust — again. And Nazair Jones is headed that way, too, perhaps saved only by a move to IR (barring an injury settlement).

Is C.J. Prosise (the anatomy of injury for the past three years) finally finished, too? Can Lano Hill avoid the ax? And can Rasheem Green step up and avoid the avalanche of third-round busts coming out of Seattle?

Continue reading More third-round thuds →

Preseason

Key players in final two preseason games

August 24, 2019 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are going to play their third preseason game tonight without nine key players – injuries that have opened up chances for a few other guys while also complicating the roster makeup.

David Moore’s shoulder injury is the latest concern. That and D.K. Metcalf’s knee problem put the spotlight on the receiver position tonight in Los Angeles. But the defensive line, secondary and tight end also have tricky roster situations that make the last two games significant for several players.

Let’s look at key positions and players to watch:

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Preseason, The roster

Injuries have kept the bubble inflated

August 20, 2019 cc Leave a comment

We’re halfway through the preseason, and injuries along the Seahawks’ roster have prevented coaches (and us) from seeing all of the contenders for roster spots.

The depth issues figure to affect their roster decisions on Aug. 31.

Everyone knows pass rush is the weakest part of the team, which explains why Pete Carroll and Ken Norton Jr. are working on so many different blitz patterns. But they also have injury issues at running back, wide receiver, offensive line and defensive back that probably will affect their decisions at those spots.

Will it also affect their game strategy Saturday in Los Angeles? Will Carroll choose to keep his starters in for only a half so he can keep them healthy and give the bubble players more of a shot?

We project 41 locks and 25 bubble players for 12 open spots — No. 2 QB, No. 4 RB, No. 5 & 6 WRs, No. 3 TE, No. 9 OL, No. 9/10 DL, No. 6/7 LBs, Nos. 8-10 DBs. And, of course, John Schneider will make a trade or two or three to fill some of these spots.

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Preseason

Top three rookies hurt, but offense looks ready

August 18, 2019 cc Leave a comment

A pretty good night by Russell Wilson and Co. was overshadowed by more injuries that cut further into the Seahawks’ depth — with the top three rookies now sidelined.

Second-rounder Marquise Blair was carted off late in the 25-19 loss to Minnesota, back spasms landing him on the injured list alongside first-rounder L.J. Collier, who has been out nearly all summer, and second-rounder D.K. Metcalf, who did not play Sunday night due to a knee injury that will require surgery Tuesday.

Continue reading Top three rookies hurt, but offense looks ready →

The roster, Trades

Forget Clowney, but what about Griffen?

August 18, 2019 cc Leave a comment

It’s no secret the Seahawks need pass rushers. And that was before we learned that Ziggy Ansah, apparently recovered from a long-lingering shoulder injury, now is being held out due to a groin issue.

It’s also well known that John Schneider has a penchant for making preseason trades, and that has led to a fan frenzy over the possibility of Schneider making a deal for Houston holdout Jadeveon Clowney.

But don’t expect Seattle to do a repeat of the Duane Brown trade from a couple of years ago, even if Brown might offer a glowing recommendation of his former teammate. Instead, maybe look to tonight’s opponent, the Vikings, for a possible deal.

Continue reading Forget Clowney, but what about Griffen? →

Preseason, The roster

We need to see more from these guys this week

August 14, 2019 cc Leave a comment

This week is really the last chance for bubble players to make their cases to coaches.

Week 3 is for the starters and the fourth game generally doesn’t mean much beyond perhaps finalizing the last spot or two on the roster.

Here are the locks, by our count: (QB) Russell Wilson; (RB) Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, Nick Bellore; (WR) Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, David Moore, D.K. Metcalf; (TE) Will Dissly, Nick Vannett; (OL) Duane Brown, Mike Iupati, Justin Britt, D.J. Fluker, Germain Ifedi, George Fant, Jamarco Jones; (DL) Ziggy Ansah, L.J. Collier, Poona Ford, Earl Mitchell, Al Woods, Quinton Jefferson, Cassius Marsh, Jacob Martin; (LB) Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Mychal Kendricks, Austin Calitro, Cody Barton; (DB) Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers, Akeem King, Neiko Thorpe, Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, Marquise Blair; (ST) Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott.

Continue reading We need to see more from these guys this week →

Preseason

Lynch, Ferguson, Blair, Norton star in opener

August 9, 2019 cc 2 Comments

Paxton Lynch and Jazz Ferguson made redemptive first impressions, Marquise Blair looked like he could be Seattle’s next great safety, Ken Norton Jr. showed signs of how he is going to fabricate a pass rush and the special teams covered all of the bases.

Those were the top takeaways as Seattle beat Denver 22-14 in the preseason opener Thursday.

Continue reading Lynch, Ferguson, Blair, Norton star in opener →