Tag Archives: Garry Gilliam

Free agency, The roster

Hawks had an easy decision with Gilliam

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GilliamWhy did the Seahawks let Garry Gilliam go to the 49ers?

It’s a question some fans are asking, but the answer is simple: They didn’t want to guarantee $1.4 million to a guy they probably were going to ask to take a pay cut this summer anyway.

It was a 50-50 proposition that the Seahawks were even going to tender Gilliam back in March, but they gave him the low tender, $1.8 million, because they were short on bodies.

When they were able to add Luke Joeckel and Oday Aboushi in free agency, it gave them the flexibility to bump Germain Ifedi to right tackle. With the 2016 first-round pick expected to win that job, Gilliam, the former undrafted player who struggled in 2016, looked destined for a backup role.

As they have done with many previous restricted free agents, the Hawks then would have asked Gilliam to take a pay reduction from the $1.8 million tender. So, when the 49ers came over the top with a $2.2 million deal that guaranteed almost the entire amount of the RFA tender, it was a pretty simple decision for the Hawks.

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Franchise history, State of the team, X's & O's

Are Hawks capable of building a talented, consistent O-line?

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Pete Carroll has said he wants to create continuity on Seattle’s offensive line.

He said he thinks Seattle’s young guys are going to improve and he hopes Luke Joeckel becomes part of the core. As he said after Joeckel signed, “Now that we have a good young bunch of guys, we’re going to try to keep this thing together.”

It’s debatable whether they have enough good guys yet, but the bigger question as pertains to Carroll’s stated goal: Will they ever be able to keep a quintet together in Tom Cable’s zone blocking system using their scattershot approach?

Whether it’s bad drafting, a bad scheme or just bad luck, Carroll’s Seahawks have had terrible fortune on the offensive line — typically fielding one of the weaker units in the NFL and annually needing to overcome its deficiencies just to get to the playoffs.

Why has it been so terrible? John Schneider and the coaches have consistently pointed to the disconnect between college and NFL offenses and the CBA-mandated lack of practice time.

But every team faces those issues. For Seattle, it has been more than that. It has been a complete inability to field a healthy, consistent line — and a total failure to set up a line of succession.

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Free agency

Hawks make right decision on Shead

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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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State of the team, The roster

Don’t expect any big additions on O-line

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A year ago, the Seahawks’ obvious priority was to build an almost entirely new offensive line. They ended up with three first-time starters, a fourth in a new position and a fifth who was only in his second year at his spot.

Everyone hoped against hope that bunch of neophytes would not be this Super Bowl contender’s undoing. But, along with a few key injuries, it was.

Despite the apparent lack of progress, Pete Carroll thinks they have set a foundation and the continuity will help the group improve even if the club does nothing to add to the unit. He also made it clear they do not plan to spend much money on the line.

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CHAWK LINES, Playoffs: At Atlanta
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The Richard Sherman-Julio Jones matchup is the one everyone will be keeping an eye on. (We hope Kris Richard learned a lesson from last time.)

Gene Steratore, who tries not to get in the way, will ref the game. He was the ref for the excellent Seahawks-Patriots game earlier this season.

Jones will be curious to find out how Steratore’s crew plans to call the game.

C.J. Prosise is unlikely to return or this game.

Will the Seahawks use Jimmy Graham in the red zone more in this game?

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CHAWK LINES, Week 16: Arizona
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CHAWK LINES -- Cardinals at Seahawks

Cliff Avril made the Pro Bowl for the first time, alongside Bobby Wagner, Michael Bennett and Richard Sherman.

Sherman’s sideline rant from the last game is still a big topic, which Sherman doesn’t like.

Darrell Bevell said he and Sherman have talked and are in “a good place.”

Earl Thomas reiterates he has not ruled out retirement.

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Contracts

Topic of the day: Futures of Chancellor, Bennett

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Salary cap logoThe futures of three Seahawks came into question again Wednesday amid a flurry of reports, making us wonder what the team is going to do with Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett and Garry Gilliam after this season.

In an ESPN The Magazine piece, Chancellor talked about how his holdout affected the Legion of Boom (something we surmised throughout last season) and how he apologized to Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman for letting them down.

We always figured his holdout was motivated by his constant battle with injuries and desire to have as much financial security as possible, and he shed more light on that thought with this tidbit: He spent three days in the hospital with internal bleeding after the Seahawks’ 43-8 domination of Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII.

While that interview revealed more about Chancellor’s situation, Bennett’s agent sent a cryptic tweet Wednesday that might have referenced contract talks with the Seahawks. The “deal” also could have been some other business, but most think it meant he was talking with John Schneider again — as they reportedly did in July.

Both of Wednesday’s revelations raise the question again: What will the Hawks do with their two defensive leaders?

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State of the team, Week 12: At Tampa Bay

Carroll not concerned about OL’s poor game

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logo-tampa-bayPete Carroll was as befuddled by his offensive line’s horrible performance against Tampa Bay as anyone, but he is viewing it as a one-off.

“I ain’t worried about it a bit,” he told 710 ESPN.”If it happens next week and the next week, then we’re in trouble.”

Carroll said Joey Hunt played well in place of Justin Britt (ankle) but Britt’s absence might have messed up Germain Ifedi, who also had a new right tackle next to him as Bradley Sowell replaced Garry Gilliam for performance reasons.

Aside from George Fant’s struggles against Noah Spence and Robert Ayers, the biggest issue was Ifedi missing stunts by the defensive line.

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State of the team, Week 8: At New Orleans

Worried? This is just how the Hawks do it

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at-new-orleans-logoAs it turns out, Seattle’s offensive problems are not limited merely to their matchups with good defenses. Even the lowly Saints managed to keep the Seahawks to one measly touchdown in a game Seattle really should have won.

Once again, the Hawks put themselves in too many second-and-longs, killing drives. They completed one drive for a touchdown, needing a cool trick play to pull it off, but otherwise had issues with penalties, some bad decisions by Russell Wilson and poor run blocking.

If that all sounds familiar, it’s very similar to what the Seahawks have done the last three years. As usual, their offense is playing poorly at midseason. As usual, they are committing lots of penalties and their opponents are not being called for many. As usual, they are underachieving as we approach the second half.

It’s simply Pete Carroll’s oddball formula for success.

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State of the team, Week 7: At Arizona

Breaking down the offense’s breakdowns

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at-arizona-logoThe Seahawks’ defense has played stellar football almost all season — and it put together its greatest performance yet Sunday night in Arizona.

It was the third straight year in Glendale that the Seahawks gave up just six points. But, thanks to an almost totally inept offense, they were not able to put together the same 35-6 and 36-6 thrashings of the past two years — instead ending up with the first tie in team history and the lowest-scoring tie since 1972.

The offense has been directly responsible for all one and a half losses this season — with two of the worst performances since Russell Wilson arrived in 2012.

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