Michael Bennett and Richard Sherman both backed Russell Wilson in the wake of rift reports.
Bennett also shared more of his life philosophies (most of which make great sense).
Sherman came across as happy and ready to be a team player again.
Sherman’s attitude was one of several reasons Pete Carroll called it a “very successful offseason.”
Carroll said Jimmy Graham and Earl Thomas were the most impressive players this offseason.
It’s crazy how some people just can’t wait for the Seahawks to get rid of Jimmy Graham.
When news of Jared Cook’s visit broke, the immediate reaction by some fans was: “The Seahawks are planning to cut or trade Graham.”
Of course, that is all poppycock. Even if the Hawks had not just paid Graham a $2 million roster bonus, they were never going to cut him. And a trade is very unlikely, too. John Schneider was pretty clear at the Combine: Graham will be with the Seahawks in 2017.
The Cook visit was more about Luke Willson — either as a possibility to replace him or as leverage to get him to take Seattle’s offer.
As the Seahawks get busy trying to infuse some varsity talent into their JV offensive line and perhaps add a veteran running back, defensive tackle and safety — and then potentially address extensions for three stars — plenty of fans are wondering just how much of this they can afford.
The short answer: All of it.
It has been three years since the Seahawks reached the NFL’s summit and stood at the peak of franchise history. The next year, they were a mere yard from the top, looking like they were going to conquer the mountain for a second straight year and set up a climb toward a dynasty.
But a series of wrong steps has sent them tumbling from the top, the dynasty chance sliding down the other side. In 2016, Pete Carroll lost control of his team and failed to fix its most glaring problem, and now this stands as the most important offseason since he and John Schneider clumsily went quarterback hunting in 2012.
Seattle is in the same spot it has been for the last two offseasons — key players (Earl Thomas, Tyler Lockett, DeShawn Shead) dealing with major injury rehabs and an offensive line that is far from settled.
To avoid continuing the gradual slide back down the mountain, Carroll will have to get some of his difficult stars (Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett) back in line, some of his other stars healthy and the line functional. And Schneider is going to have to put together one of his best offseasons to help the Seahawks get going in the right direction again.
Here’s a look at the 2017 priorities:
What about Jimmy Graham?
That is the question many are asking as the Seahawks embark on the most important offseason of John Schneider’s tenure (or at least since they went quarterback hunting in 2012).
It’s preposterous to think the Seahawks would cut Graham, who just rallied from a severe knee injury to set team records for receptions and yards by a tight end. And it doesn’t sound like the Seahawks will be interested in trading him either.
Michael Bennett’s new deal is the first of several extensions John Schneider figures to consummate in the coming months as he presumably focuses on keeping the core of this Seattle team intact.
With no major free agents — Steven Hauschka and RFA DeShawn Shead will be the biggest — Schneider’s 2017 offseason will be more about setting up 2018 and beyond. And, if we’re lucky, he might do something about Seattle’s biggest weakness.
Some fans are giddy about the apparent salary cap boon of up to $38 million, thinking the Hawks can go hog wild on offensive linemen in free agency. But Schneider and contract specialist Matt Thomas know their 2017 offseason is really based on the 2018 salary cap — and they don’t have the flexibility fans think they do, assuming they plan to stick with their MO of keeping their own stars.
With Kam Chancellor, Jimmy Graham and Justin Britt also due for extensions in 2017 and a bevy of star defenders, plus Tyler Lockett, signed only through 2018, every move Schneider makes now has to be made with those players (or replacements) in mind.
Continue reading 2017 moves will be based on 2018 salary cap
It has been a long time since the Seahawks started a season at full strength. They won’t do it in 2017 either.
Tyler Lockett will require up to nine months to come back from a gruesome broken leg, which means he might end up on PUP to start the season. For the second time in three years, Earl Thomas also will be coming off a serious injury (also a broken leg) and trying to find his playing confidence as the 2017 season starts.
Pete Carroll told reporters he expects Lockett back for 2017 camp; but, even if he does make it, he will be brought along slowly – making it the third straight year the Hawks will start at less than full strength.
The Seahawks have gone through the same thing for most of the last four years. In 2013, it was Chris Clemons (ACL) and Percy Harvin (hip). In 2015, it was Thomas (shoulder), Jeremy Lane (arm and ACL) and Paul Richardson (ACL). This year, it was Jimmy Graham (patellar tendon) and Thomas Rawls (broken ankle).
On top of that, Rawls’ durability is a major question after a broken ankle, broken leg and now a shoulder problem. He’s a tough runner, but he batters his body too much and seems destined to never play a full season. With C.J. Prosise even more NFL-fragile, the Hawks will have to address running back in the offseason.
Alex Collins ran well in the second half vs. Arizona – his best look since the preseason. But the Hawks, who have given the ball to 10 running backs this season, almost surely will add more backs in 2017.
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.
Apparently Pete Carroll was right: That dud in Tampa in Week 12 was an exception to the Seahawks’ new rule.
Their explosion in a prime-time payback game vs. Carolina was their third season-best performance in the past four weeks.
In the 40-7 blowout, they set season highs for points and rushing (240) and total (534) yards as Thomas Rawls and Tyler Lockett showed what they can do when healthy.
On a night Marshawn Lynch showed up on the sideline, Rawls had his best game of the season: 106 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
It was hard to know what to expect in New England. Vegas called the Hawks a touchdown underdog, and most analysts went with that in picking the Patriots in the Super Bowl XLIX rematch.
But the Seahawks bounced back off a short week against the bye-rested Pats and put together their best — though far from perfect — game of the season in a 31-24 upset that Doug Baldwin said evoked a “phenomenal emotional feeling in our locker room.”
That is the feeling that this team has made its typical Second Half Turn and is headed for something special again.
This was not a must-win for Seattle, from a standings standpoint. But it certainly was a big game for Seattle’s psyche — to get even for the XLIX debacle and to measure themselves against the AFC’s best team.
Continue reading Seahawks’ season takes the usual super turn with marquee win
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 