Tag Archives: Ahtyba Rubin

The roster

Reed’s odd suspension means Hawks need to add two D-linemen now

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Training camp logo2The Seahawks have done nothing but go backward on their defensive line the past two years — and Jarran Reed’s bizarre six-game suspension has basically completed the retreat to mediocrity.

Over the past two years, the Hawks have lost Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and Frank Clark from a once very strong D-line. Ziggy Ansah, signed to fill the hole left by Clark, is no sure thing to be ready for the season opener, and now Reed — the top defensive tackle — will miss nearly half of what probably will be his final season in Seattle.

The Seahawks already needed another defensive lineman. Now they need two. And they need to sign them before camp begins this week.

Continue reading Reed’s odd suspension means Hawks need to add two D-linemen now →

CHAWK LINES, Week 7: At NY Giants
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CHAWK LINES -- Hawks at Giants

Cliff Avril was placed on injured reserve. He said he is not retiring and might be back this season.

Jeremy Lane probably won’t play in New York, but Michael Bennett “looks like he’s ready to go.”

Quinton Jefferson is expected to play with a cast. Projected inactives: Jordan Roos, Isaiah Battle, Luke Joeckel, Jeremy Lane, Tedric Thompson, C.J. Prosise, Garrison Smith.

Here are five areas where the Seahawks need to improve ASAP.

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Contracts, The roster, Trades

DT notes: McDowell back, Richardson’s future

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Seahawks bandagesWhile rumors continue to circulate that Malik McDowell might never play again, Pete Carroll said the Seahawks’ top pick (35th overall) will return to the team “with really no demands on him” so “he has a sense of coming to work.”

Carroll also confirmed what was pretty clear: The Sheldon Richardson trade was driven largely by the loss of McDowell, as the team sought an interior rusher for this season (and beyond).

“That was an area we really were excited about him coming in and adding in,” Carroll said of McDowell, “and then when we realized we weren’t going to have him, it just made us look in earnest to see if we could find some way to help that spot.”

Continue reading DT notes: McDowell back, Richardson’s future →

Contracts, Free agency, Trades

Big trade will help Hawks keep window open

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Salary cap logoSome observers think Seattle’s big move to add Sheldon Richardson is a sign that team brass thinks the Super Bowl window is closing.

Quite the contrary: The Richardson deal will help the Seahawks in the future as much as it helps them in the present.

We previously talked about Young Sheldon’s expected impact as a one-year Big Bang rental, but the deal also gives Seattle a lot of flexibility as John Schneider and Pete Carroll decide how to configure their roster for 2019 and beyond.

Continue reading Big trade will help Hawks keep window open →

State of the team, The roster

Analysis of Seattle’s initial 53-man roster

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The bottom of the roster is going to change over the next week and beyond, but once the Seahawks finally announced their initial 53 (and the corrections that followed), a few things were immediately clear:

**They powered up their defensive line with former first-round picks Sheldon Richardson and Marcus Smith, who replaced Ahtyba Rubin and Cassius Marsh. But they have only eight linemen for now.

**They switched up at backup quarterback, going with the safer Austin Davis over the mercurial Trevone Boykin.

**They kept 10 offensive linemen for now, with undrafted guard Jordan Roos making it and the Hawks acquiring Isaiah Battle from Kansas City. That seems likely to change.

**Seattle upset a few people by not keeping local favorite Kasen Williams. He and Pierre Desir were initially listed as waived/injured, but the team apparently screwed up. Both were just waived — no injuries.

Continue reading Analysis of Seattle’s initial 53-man roster →

State of the team, Week 7: At Arizona

McDaniel has been ‘the quiet MVP of our defense’

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at-arizona-logoCoincidence or not? Tony McDaniel comes to Seattle in 2013 and the Hawks win the Super Bowl in his first year and put themselves in position to win in his second year.

Then he gets cut — and the Hawks fail to make their third straight Super Bowl.

OK, so it probably is mostly coincidence. But, then again, maybe he is the Super Bowl lucky charm.

Either way, there is no denying the unsung impact he has had on the Seahawks’ top-ranked defense this season — despite being a last-minute re-addition.

Continue reading McDaniel has been ‘the quiet MVP of our defense’ →

CHAWK LINES, Training camp
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CHAWK LINES -- Training camp new

With training camp starting in one week, let’s look at some pre-camp player reports:

Michael Bennett is griping about his contract yet again. But don’t believe him when he says, “Just get rid of me.”

Russell Wilson, who now looks almost as hulked up as Robert Turbin, told Q13 Fox: “We’ll try to bring back Super Bowl 51 if we can. We’ll do everything we can, every day. That’s a promise.”

Justin Britt’s switch to center is one of the major camp stories to watch.

Pete Carroll reminds us why the Seahawks think J’Marcus Webb will succeed with them.

Can Thomas Rawls take over for Marshawn Lynch — even if he doesn’t play in the preseason?

John Clayton projects Rawls to get 16-17 carries a game, with the other backs getting six or seven.

Christine Michael — among those trying to replace Lynch — admits, “I was just being a young guy, just being a knucklehead.”

Like last year, all eyes will be on Jimmy Graham — from camp through the season.

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Contracts, Free agency

Big-spending Raiders, Jags make it tougher on Hawks, Bennett

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Bennett vs 49ersA month ago, the NFLPA called out the Raiders and Jaguars for falling behind the CBA’s minimum-spend requirement; so, with a combined $140 million in cap space, it was obvious those teams were going to come out spending this week.

While that is good news for Bruce Irvin, who reportedly will sign a big deal with the Raiders, it might not be a great development for the relationship between Michael Bennett and the Seahawks.

Bennett obviously will take notice of Malik Jackson’s $90 million deal with Jacksonville and feel even more underpaid than he already does. At $15 million a year, Jackson is blowing away the market for defensive ends. And you have to wonder if that will scuttle any chance of Seattle working something out with Bennett.

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Contracts, Free agency

No surprises: Rubin’s back; Irvin, Sweezy in high demand

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As the free agency negotiating period began Monday, two days ahead of the new league year, the Seahawks were at the center of a lot of expected news.

As expected, they managed to re-sign Ahtyba Rubin, one of their excellent veteran defensive tackles. As expected, Bruce Irvin and J.R. Sweezy received a lot of interest. And, as expected, former Seahawk Byron Maxwell did not last long in Philadelphia.

Rubin agreed on a three-year deal. The value was unknown Monday, but expect it to be around $4 million a year. Also expect the Seahawks to keep Brandon Mebane on a cheaper deal.

Continue reading No surprises: Rubin’s back; Irvin, Sweezy in high demand →

Contracts, Free agency

As league year nears, UFA picture clears

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UFA projectionsAs the start of the league year fast approaches, we are starting to get an idea of how it is going to play out for Seattle’s top free agents.

Reports over the past two days indicate that Bruce Irvin and Jermaine Kearse aren’t going to be back. Irvin is expected to get around $10 million a year, with Jacksonville and Atlanta among the expected top suitors.

On Wednesday, Irvin told 710 ESPN, “If the money was close, I would definitely consider” signing with the Seahawks. But it won’t be close — Seattle can’t afford more than perhaps $6 million a year.

Meanwhile, Kearse reportedly is planning to sign elsewhere — a sign that the Seahawks have told him their limit (likely $3 million a year) and he knows he can get more elsewhere (maybe $6 million). Speculation has him replacing Roddy White in Atlanta, where former Seattle DC Dan Quinn is entering his second year as coach.

Continue reading As league year nears, UFA picture clears →