Tag Archives: John Schneider

NFL draft

Docs and ‘Uncs’: NFL execs weigh in on aging rookie classes

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Treydan Stukes, the hot “Rams beater” prospect a lot of fans would like to see the Seahawks draft this week, was born on Sept. 11, 2001 (yes, 9/11). That means he will turn 25 two days after the Seahawks open the 2026 NFL season.

Stukes, who was called “Unc” by younger Arizona teammates, is one of the poster children for the trend of aging NFL draft classes.

As John Schneider cracked, “We have some guys who have been in school for six years. They’re called doctors.”

An apropos joke considering this overall aging of rookies is partly a product of Covid.

Schneider seems to think the trend will reverse. “It’s my understanding this should be the last year of it,” he said this week.

But other NFL execs think the aging of rookie classes will continue as long as NIL rules college football.

Continue reading Docs and ‘Uncs’: NFL execs weigh in on aging rookie classes →
NFL draft, Trades

‘No secret’: Hawks want to trade down

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“It’s no secret with us, guys. We have four picks, so we’ll be looking to move back.” – John Schneider

It’s draft week – finally!

Free agency slowed to a trickle five weeks ago, so it has been a long, slow wait for the NFL’s Christmas Day. But it is upon us.

This is considered one of the lesser-talented drafts in several years, which John Schneider anticipated when he traded his fourth- and fifth-round picks for Rashid Shaheed last season. The Hawks have four picks (32, 64, 96, 188) as the week begins, and their top positional needs are running back, edge rusher, defensive back and interior offensive line.

The Hawks also need to focus on finding defenders who can help them stop their biggest nemesis, the Rams. That could mean an edge rusher who gets “quick wins,” as Mike Macdonald has said, or maybe another Swiss Army knife coverage guy in the mold of Nick Emmanwori.

Schneider announced Monday that he plans to try to trade down from 32 – obviously to add a pick and get better value for his first selection. Beyond that, though, there is much debate about whether the Seahawks should use their top pick on Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price or a top defensive player.

Rather than putting our breakdown in one giant post, we have broken it out into the following sections:

Quibbling over Price

Simpson the bait at 32?

Veteran trades: A running back?

Who are the Rams beaters?

NFL draft, Trades

Simpson the bait at 32?

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of our draft preview, broken out into several posts for easier digestion.

John Schneider has made it clear he wants to move down from 32.

The last time the Seahawks drafted 32nd, back in 2014, they dangled a quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater) as bait to trade down. They could do the same thing this time.

Alabama’s Ty Simpson, the No. 2 QB in the draft, is considered a borderline first-round pick.

An NFL personnel guy told Jonathan Jones of CBS: “In a typical year I think you could get (Simpson) in the second, but this year I think if you want him you’d better be willing to take him in the late first or he could be gone.”

Continue reading Simpson the bait at 32? →
NFL draft

Will Hawks draft for the future of the front four?

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This is the least important draft for the Seahawks since 2021. Other than running back, they have no roster holes for 2026 — and they are set to make a very strong run at a Super Bowl repeat.

But what about 2027 and beyond? That is where this draft comes in.

The Hawks have many questions after 2026 about their defensive front: Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall will be free agents, DeMarcus Lawrence is expected to retire and Jarran Reed likely will be released ahead of his age 34 season.

They need to figure out who will be playing around Byron Murphy II after 2026.

Continue reading Will Hawks draft for the future of the front four? →
NFL draft

Time for Schneider to prove he can pick well from the bottom

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A lot of fans think John Schneider has suddenly gotten a lot better at drafting over the past four years. But that’s easy to say when he has been picking in the top 20. 

In two weeks, we will find out whether he has gotten any better when his first pick comes outside the top 20.

Over his 16 drafts as Seattle general manager, Schneider has drafted eight guys in the top 20 and made seven initial picks outside the top 20. (He has thrice traded his first-round picks for veterans.)

Continue reading Time for Schneider to prove he can pick well from the bottom →
NFL draft

‘You can find’ running backs: Cheap Band-Aids or pay a bigger ‘Price’?

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“That’s a position that you can find guys.” — John Schneider on running backs   

Along with everyone else, we probably have been a little too caught up in how the Seahawks are going to replace both Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in 2026.

A lot of mock drafts have them reaching for Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price at No. 32. Some fans have been wishing for a trade for Miami’s De’Von Achane or for Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr. in the draft. We have suggested Chuba Hubbard as a cheaper trade option.

John Schneider said on his radio show last week that “you can find” running backs and they are still looking. This week has been proof of that with the Seahawks reportedly attending the Notre Dame Pro Day to see Price, hosting former Steelers first-rounder Najee Harris (recovering from a torn Achilles) and also bringing in a couple of rookie UDFA options on top-30 visits.

They are exploring all options.

Continue reading ‘You can find’ running backs: Cheap Band-Aids or pay a bigger ‘Price’? →
Contracts, Free agency, On the air

Schneider talks Shaheed, running backs, taxes & more

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John Schneider is pretty tight-lipped about Seahawks business, so it was hard to expect much out of him Thursday on his weekly appearance on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

But he offered a few nuggets on various topics: (1) how Seattle managed to keep Rashid Shaheed, (2) expectations for new additions Emanuel Wilson and Rodney Thomas, (3) the state of the running back position, (4) the Maxx Crosby saga and (5) the impact of the new millionaire tax in Washington.

Let’s break down the takeaways.

Continue reading Schneider talks Shaheed, running backs, taxes & more →
Trades

Crosby back on the block: Do Hawks have a shot this time?

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In a chaotic twist that turned the NFL on its head the day before the league year begins, Maxx Crosby is back with the Raiders – and thus (probably) back on the trading block.

With Baltimore backing out of the blockbuster trade for the star pass rusher before it became official Wednesday, the question once again becomes: Where will Crosby end up? And most important here: Will the Seahawks be in the hunt?

John Schneider surely will contact (or already has contacted) Ravens GM Eric DeCosta to find out why he nixed the trade. Then Seattle will decide whether to rejoin the bidding.

Let’s take a look at what the cost might be now and which teams might still be in the mix.

Continue reading Crosby back on the block: Do Hawks have a shot this time? →
Contracts, Free agency

Good first day as Hawks keep Shaheed, Jobe

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The first day of free agency went better than expected for the Seahawks, who managed to keep both Josh Jobe AND Rashid Shaheed.

The latter was a nice surprise, as the Seahawks stunningly paid market value to keep their superstar return man. On the other side, they kept Jobe at their price – a little lower than his projected market value.

Shaheed was, in our estimation, Seattle’s top priority among its six big free agents. The fact that John Schneider and company chose to give him a three-year, $51 million deal ($17 million per year) is proof that they valued him very highly.

Jobe is back on a three-year deal as well, at $8 million a year.

As expected, the Hawks lost Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant and Boye Mafe. They all got paid very well. Mafe got a shocking $20 million a year from Cincinnati, Walker got over $14 million from Kansas City, and Bryant got over $13 million from Chicago.

Let’s take a look at how these moves impact the Seahawks’ roster and coming moves.

Continue reading Good first day as Hawks keep Shaheed, Jobe →
Free agency, NFL draft

Hawks won’t get four 3s; here’s how comp game likely plays out

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With the Seahawks expected to lose as many as five top free agents, we said earlier this week that it looked like John Schneider seemed prepared to play the comp game.

Fans have started dreaming about having a basket of third-round picks in 2027, while others (us included) point out that Schneider has never done well with comp picks.

Let’s take a look at what the comp options might be and then how Schneider has used them in the past and how he might be able to use them this year (despite not getting them until next year).

Continue reading Hawks won’t get four 3s; here’s how comp game likely plays out →