Hawks checking out flawed free agents

Logo -- Free agencyThe Seahawks were way too young on the offensive line in 2016, and they went through far too many running backs. Those were both major contributing factors to their failure to go beyond the divisional round for the second straight year.

Their solution: Bring in a bunch of flawed veteran linemen and backs.

They reportedly are going to sign Luke Joeckel, a former No. 2 overall draft pick who is coming off a bad knee injury. They also apparently are planning to host T.J. Lang, a 29-year-old guard coming off hip surgery; Jamaal Charles, an explosive back who can’t stay on the field; Eddie Lacy, a punishing runner who can’t control his weight; and Latavius Murray, a part-time player for Oakland.

These are the kind of guys the Hawks have to check out, because they don’t want to overspend on so-called first-tier free agents. But will any of them be worth even a discounted price?

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Post-Combine/pre-free agency status report

Logo -- Free agencyThe Combine is over and the league year (i.e., free agency and trading) is about to start, so it’s a perfect time to do a status check on the Seahawks, including free agency rumors and mock drafts:

QUARTERBACK
Status: Russell Wilson is healthy, working out in California and taking weird pictures with his family. The Hawks might look at bringing in someone to challenge Trevone Boykin for the No. 2 spot.
Free agents: None.
FA and draft rumors: More than one person has speculated that Colin Kaepernick, impending former 49er, could join his former nemeses as Wilson’s backup.

RUNNING BACK
Status: Pete Carroll is hoping for a healthy Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise this year. Alex Collins also came on late last season and could be a bigger factor in 2017. The fullback position could be stacked if both Brandon Cottom and Marcel Reece are back.
Free agents: FB Marcel Reece, FB Will Tukuafu.
FA and draft rumors: Adrian Peterson reportedly wants to play for Oakland, Seattle or New England. The Hawks are unlikely to offer him much, so the Raiders seem his best option. … Oklahama State’s Chris Carson (6-0, 218) was projected to Seattle in the seventh round of Rob Staton’s most recent mock.

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Hawks a distant No. 2 in Peterson scenario

Logo -- Free agency

In 2014, Jared Allen chose money over a Super Bowl chance with the Seahawks as he left the Minnesota Vikings.

Three years later, Adrian Peterson appears interested in making the opposite choice as he prepares to depart Minnesota.

Peterson reportedly favors Oakland, Seattle and New England — places where he could contend for an NFL title. But consider the Seahawks a distant second in that possible free-agent pursuit.

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Hawks make right decision on Shead

Salary cap logoThe Seahawks’ decisions on restricted free agents DeShawn Shead and Garry Gilliam were really the biggest questions among Seattle’s own free agents, and the Hawks have made savvy business decisions based on extenuating circumstances.

Because Shead is dealing with a torn ACL that could sideline him for half of the 2017 season, the Seahawks made the smart decision to forgo a tender and try to bring back the homegrown starting cornerback on a cheaper contract. Gilliam, meanwhile, reportedly has received the low tender of $1.8 million, which gives the Hawks the right to match any offer for their incumbent starting right tackle.

Before he was injured, Shead seemed likely to get at least a second-round tender ($2.75 million) or even a first ($3.9 million) — and possibly an extension later in the offseason (a la Doug Baldwin in 2014). But, due to his very unfortunate injury suffered in the playoff loss to Atlanta, Shead is not expected to be available until midseason. It would have been a waste of money to pay him even the low tender.

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Schneider admits O-line error, expected to contact Okung

Pic -- Schneider at CombineThe Seahawks have made a lot of errors regarding their offensive line in the last two years, and John Schneider admitted another one Wednesday at the Combine.

“We probably got a little bit too young,” he said of the 2016 starting crew that included neophyte George Fant, fellow first-year starters Mark Glowinski and Germain Ifedi, first-year center Justin Britt and undrafted right tackle Garry Gilliam.

Schneider told reporters he regretted not keeping veteran guard Jahri Evans — that probably would have been smarter than keeping J’Marcus Webb, who ended up starting three games at right guard (when Ifedi was hurt) and was later released.

The youth mistake of 2016 follows on the heels of trying to use untested Drew Nowak at center for too long in 2015 — an error Pete Carroll later lamented.

Schneider surely will try to do better with veteran linemen this offseason. He is expected to contact Russell Okung next week about a possible return. Okung reportedly is going to remain his own agent — that netted him a one-year deal worth $5 million with Denver last year. Schneider probably won’t be interested in paying anything more than $7 million a year on a short, incentivized contract.

Schneider officially can talk to Okung on March 7. Free agency begins March 9.

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Don’t expect Hawks to pursue Peterson or Charles

Logo -- Free agencySome fans still can’t get past the idea that fantasy football is not real football. So you get goofballs thinking the Seahawks need to spend a lot of money to hire a big-name running back — forgetting that the rusher has to have a line that can block for him and he has to stay healthy.

So, no, the Seahawks should not — and almost certainly will not — pursue one-time stars Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles. Just like they didn’t pursue DeMarco Murray last year.

The topic is relevant today because the Vikings declined to pick up Peterson’s 2017 option, and the Chiefs are cutting Charles — meaning two of the more productive backs of the last decade will now be available.

But Seattle would be stupid to pursue either.

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Okung deal turned out great for the Hawks

NFL draftRussell Okung was ripped by everyone in NFL circles last year for the deal he did with the Denver Broncos — a contract that ended up being for one year and $5 million and will put him back on the free-agent market in a couple of weeks.

But the Seahawks had to love the deal, which netted them a third-round comp pick Friday. The Seahawks ended up with two third-round picks — the other for losing Bruce Irvin. That doubled the number of thirds they had received in the two decades of the compensatory program.

The Hawks had been projected to receive a third and fifth, with J.R. Sweezy’s deal ($6.5 million a year with Tampa Bay) netting the fifth. But it turned out that the NFL counted Okung’s full contract, including the option the Broncos just declined, for an average of $10.6 million that made Okung’s deal No. 6 among value in the 2016-17 comp equation.

The Hawks have seven picks for now, with five of the top 106. Their overall picks are 26, 58 (second round), 90 (third), 102 (third), 106 (third), 210 (sixth) and 226 (seventh, via Carolina).

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Will Hawks be interested in Okung or Giacomini?

Salary cap logoThe Seahawks really could use a couple of new tackles, but how about a couple of old ones?

In a neat little coincidence Thursday, former Seahawks tackles Russell Okung and Breno Giacomini both learned they will not return to their teams — the Broncos told Okung they will not pick up his option and the Jets released Giacomini.

The natural question: Will the Seahawks be interested in a reunion with either?

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Offseason primer: Combine, free agency, draft info

The NFL offseason is about to ramp up big time, with the Combine next week and the league year (and free agency) beginning the following week.

We’ve already broken down Seattle’s ideal priorities. Here’s a primer for the rest of the offseason:

The Combine schedule. John Schneider and Pete Carroll are likely to speak Thursday and/or Friday.

The complete NFL calendar. Free agency begins March 9 and the draft is April 27-29.

The Seahawks’ offseason tracker. Keep up with the Seahawks’ moves (signings, departures, visits) throughout free agency.

Contract status of Seattle’s key players. All of the starters and key backups through 2020.

Seahawks’ offseason stories. Need to catch up? We have all of the top stories on this page.

Seahawks Draft Blog. Rob Staton is the best Seahawks-focused draft analyst. Check him out all the way through April.

 

 

Not hungry? Not healthy? Not listening?

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson plan to be clapping about their offense a lot this season (Getty Images)The Seahawks obviously had a lot of problems in 2016 — a JV offensive line, a revolving M*A*S*H lineup and too many B.A. Baracus impersonators.

On top of that, they apparently did not want it enough.

“The team was not as hungry as we were four years ago,” Sherman Smith, recently ousted as running backs coach, told 710 ESPN on Friday. “When you have the type of success that we’ve had — you win a Super Bowl, you have a heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl, you’ve been to the playoffs, what, five years in a row, you have this reputation — guys aren’t as hungry.

“We’ve got to get that hunger that we had when we weren’t winning,” Smith said. “How do you get that back when you’ve won and you’ve got the big contracts and endorsements and everybody loves you? How do you get that back? I think there’s only so much Pete (Carroll) can do, but the players … (have) got to do some things themselves.”

Obviously, it would help if they stayed healthy. But the make-or-break questions for this franchise this offseason: Were the injuries the reason for the lack of so-called hunger? Or has Carroll’s message simply grown stale? And, if it’s the latter, what can Carroll do to regain the interest and control of his team?

Continue reading Not hungry? Not healthy? Not listening?