Tag Archives: Bobby Wagner

Franchise history, Free agency, Trades

It was time

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Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner joined the Seahawks on the same draft day in 2012. They won a Super Bowl together in their second season, and they were the last remnants of that championship team, so it was fitting that both were let go by the franchise on the same day – 10 years after they arrived.

Wilson and Wagner will go down as the greatest quarterback and linebacker in franchise history, both likely bound for the Hall of Fame for their record-setting play over the past decade. As everyone also knows, they were equally exemplary human beings during their tenure in Seattle. They were everything you want in players, on and off the field.

But life requires change, and all things eventually end. This always seemed the month we would say goodbye to both Wilson and Wagner.

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Contracts, Free agency

‘So many decisions’: Diggs and other offseason priorities

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“We have so many decisions to make and so many things we have to handle.” – Pete Carroll.

As the franchise tag window opened this week, a report emerged that the Seahawks have begun negotiating a long-term deal with Quandre Diggs. Consider that the first step as Seattle’s offseason gets under way.

As the 2021 season ended, Pete Carroll said he wanted most of the roster from the 7-10 season back. Diggs is obviously the No. 1 free agent.

As the offseason revs up and the league year approaches, let’s look at Diggs and Seattle’s other priorities (we’ll avoid Russell Wilson trade talk here).

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CHAWK LINES, Coaches
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The Seahawks answered the prayers of many fans by firing Ken Norton Jr.

Mike Dugar of The Athletic broke down all of the defense’s key stats during Norton’s tenure (decent vs. the run, terrible vs. the pass) and surmised that Norton and Pete Carroll may not have been aligned on how Seattle should play defense.

Here’s another reason Norton was let go: The Seahawks set a franchise low with 18 takeaways in 2021 (with an extra game, to boot).

So who will replace him? Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times says it looks like Carroll wants to be more aggressive. The known candidates are Denver DC Ed Donatell and Chicago DC Sean Desai (who both have ties to just fired Denver coach Vic Fangio), plus Seattle DL coach Clint Hurtt and Dallas pass defense coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., who worked under former Seattle DC Dan Quinn in Atlanta and Dallas.

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Contracts, The roster, Week 18: At Arizona

Futures of Diggs, Penny are the focus after notable season finale

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Seattle’s 38-30 win in Arizona was meaningless to the franchise as far as this season is concerned, but it certainly meant a lot to the futures of Quandre Diggs and Rashaad Penny – for opposite reasons.

Poor Diggs suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle in the fourth quarter and left on a cart in tears as he surely considered the impact of the injury on his impending free agency.

Meanwhile, Penny had another big game, leading even more people to foolishly suggest the Seahawks pay him a bunch of money this year.

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The roster, Trades

What other roster moves need to be made?

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“Not for one reason at all am I thinking that we have to restart this whole thing and create a new philosophy and a new approach. I don’t think that. I think we’ve got the essence of the things that we need.” — Pete Carroll  

The Seahawks’ confounding season continues to spiral to a terrible end, and with every bad loss it becomes more and more clear that a HUGE change must come in 2022.

We already have gone into detail about why we think Pete Carroll and John Schneider will be back and why Russell Wilson needs to go. We still think that is the way it will happen. But, with the Hawks wallowing at an unbelievable 5-10 after a horrendous last-minute home loss to Chicago, it’s a good time to see what else needs to occur.

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Week 7: New Orleans, X's & O's

Time for pass rush to catch up

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The Seahawks’ pass rush has been largely neutered over the first six games by quick-draw quarterbacks, but Seattle’s rushers might finally have a chance to make more impact the next two games – and hopefully beyond.

It’s not like the Seahawks have been terrible in the pass rush. Yes, they are tied for 22nd with just 11 sacks and are 19th in pressure percentage (23.9). But they are 10th in pass rush win rate, beating blocks within 2.5 seconds 45% of the time, per ESPN’s tracking.

So, the Hawks have been around the QB around half the time; they just have not been able to get sacks or as much pressure as they need to because the ball has been getting out even faster than they can get there.

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Franchise history, The roster

K.J. Wright: An unsung hero who was all class

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Along with Cliff Avril, K.J. Wright was the classiest player of the Pete Carroll era — and also one of the most underrated players in the Seahawks’ 45-year history.

Only 13 players have played more games for Seattle (Russell Wilson is tied with Wright’s 144 games, so he will make it 14 players Sunday). Some of those guys were highly decorated, and then there were players such as Joe Nash, Mack Strong, Chris Gray, Keith Butler and Wright — longtime stalwarts who were the unsung heroes of their playoff teams.

With Wright’s official departure, Bobby Wagner is the only remaining member of the historic Legion of Boom defense. Wright and Avril were the ultimate team players, the best combination of player and teammate that crew produced. Kam Chancellor’s ill-conceived 2015 holdout put a black mark on his career, and the emotional Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett and Earl Thomas all created too much controversy and simply did not have the class of Wright and Avril.

After signing with the Raiders, Wright talked about how he was “pissed off” all offseason that no team wanted him. He had every right to be, especially coming off one of the best seasons of his 10-year career.

But he was typically classy in talking about the Seahawks, and the franchise gave him a proper sendoff Monday …

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NFL draft

Which drafts mattered more?

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The draft is always an important roster tool, simply because it ideally brings cheap talent and helps create a core. But some drafts are more important than others. Here we rank John Schneider’s drafts, from most to least significant (based on draft capital and needs, not results):

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Contracts, Free agency, The roster

Good news on the cap, but Hawks still have to make more room

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Based on recent reports, the NFL salary cap is expected to be between $180 million and $185 million in 2021. The actual number is not expected to be set until just before the league year begins March 17, but the ceiling apparently will be at least $5 million more than the floor the NFL and NFLPA had set last year.

The Seahawks and the rest of the NFL would happily take an extra $5 million, if Tom Pelissero’s report is more accurate than Adam Schefter’s tweet. (Here’s an easy explanation of how the league arrives at the salary cap.)

Assuming the number is Schefter’s reported $180 million, the Seahawks still would need to create room just to tender Poona Ford (about $3.4 million on the second-round offer) and a few ERFAs, let alone sign needed starters at center, running back, linebacker and cornerback.

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Contracts

Adams’ extension should be easy, unless he Clowneys around

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Jamal Adams is a tough guy.

He reminded everyone of that Thursday with his Instagram post detailing all of the injuries he endured in 2020 – broken fingers, a torn labrum, a groin strain, a hyperextended elbow – and reminded people that he did not complain as he played at far less than 100% all season. He also said he is ready to bring the same type of all-out “energy” again in 2021.

In one missive, Adams managed to outline what a football warrior he is while pointing out the risk the Seahawks will be taking when they re-sign him and making everyone wonder what that will cost.

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