Tag Archives: John Schneider

Franchise history, Free agency

As expected, Schneider is letting Sheldon go

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franchise-tagNo surprise: John Schneider didn’t want to gamble with the franchise tag.

Five teams use the keeper tool (and Chicago used the transition tag), but Seattle declined for the eighth straight year — choosing not to lock in Sheldon Richardson.

Schneider will try to re-sign the defensive tackle before free agency, but he obviously was leery of tendering Richardson for $13.9 million — and thus setting the negotiating floor there. And Schneider obviously wasn’t interested in the other potential benefits of tagging, which we outlined.

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Free agency, Trades

Schneider should tag Sheldon today

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Logo -- Free agencyJohn Schneider has been a gambling man plenty of times in the past, and here’s a gamble he really needs to make today: Use the franchise tag on Sheldon Richardson.

Schneider has a base 75 percent chance of winning a tag gamble. The only negative would come if Richardson insisted on signing and playing on the $13.9 million tender. That seems very unlikely, which leaves three winning scenarios for Schneider: (1) Strike a long-term deal, (2) trade him for a Day 2 pick (and something else), (3) rescind the tag, let Richardson leave in free agency and end up with a high comp pick in 2019.

At the Combine last Friday, Schneider said he needed to “figure out how to compensate” for Seattle’s gaping hole on Day 2 of the draft. Trading 32-year-old Michael Bennett won’t do it. But tagging Richardson likely would — whether he stays or goes.

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NFL Combine, NFL draft

Schneider wants more picks, younger roster

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Combine logoJohn Schneider is focused on moving younger players into the Seahawks’ lineup, which is why he is willing to move aging stars.

Two of his big points Friday at the Combine were about (1) trying to find a way to bridge the big draft gap created by the “go for it” injury-replacement deals for Sheldon Richardson and Duane Brown and (2) getting recent draft picks to pull their weight.

Schneider also said he wants to keep Richardson (he met with his agents Thursday night) but was not planning “at this point” to use the franchise tag on him by Tuesday’s deadline. “We have time,” he said, “but we have more people that we have to talk to this weekend. We’re not done with all our meetings.”

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NFL Combine, The roster, Trades

Schneider: ‘We are just open to anything’

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Schneider at combine“We’re going to be in every deal. … You don’t want to miss any opportunity.” — John Schneider

John Schneider is using every element of the Combine to try to improve his Seahawks this weekend. That includes soliciting offers from teams on some of his veteran stars.

“Part of our challenge right now … is sustaining our level of success that we’ve had,” Schneider said. “And we are just open to anything.”

The Seahawks are shopping Michael Bennett, and some expect Earl Thomas to be traded as well (Schneider met with his reps Thursday night).

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NFL Combine, Trades

Possible destinations for Bennett in a trade

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Bennett thanks the football godsAt this point, it seems pretty clear that the Seahawks are going to part ways with Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Bennett — a stalwart of the best era in team history.

John Schneider reportedly is shopping Bennett at the Combine, apparently set on trying to get something for the 32-year-old while he still has some value — and before the Seahawks have to pay a $3 million roster bonus March 18.

Why would any team trade for him? Because he can still play — as his 8.5 sacks in 2017 amid a serious foot injury can attest. He also would be a cheap pickup this year, costing a team just $5.65 million. His salaries are just $6 million in 2019 and $7.5 million in 2020 — and any acquiring team can get out with no cap ramifications.

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Free agency, NFL Combine

Carroll talks Thomas, trades, tag and more

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Combine logo“Everybody’s talking to everybody” — Pete Carroll

That about sums up the state of affairs at the Combine, although Carroll was talking specifically about Earl Thomas there.

Carroll revealed very little about Seattle’s direction with contracts, trades and free agents, but he offered a few little nuggets.

Among the tidbits: He has talked to Thomas; John Schneider is talking to other teams about possible deals; the franchise tag is still an option for Sheldon Richardson; the team has talked to DeShawn Shead about playing safety again; Carroll has not talked to Michael Bennett; and Carroll would love to keep Jimmy Graham (and every free agent).

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NFL Combine, Trades

Schneider should talk to Browns’ Dorsey

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Pic -- Schneider at CombineIt’s no surprise to hear: John Schneider reportedly will feel out the trade market for Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas at the Combine — gauging whether any team might be interested in offering anything that would make Schneider consider a deal.

Asked about a possible trade, Sherman told FOX Business, “You’ve got to ask the general manager. I’ve heard nothing of the sort of being moved or anything like that, but that’s totally up to the GM and front office.”

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Free agency

Correction: Transition tag not as great as we thought

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Logo -- Free agencyIt turns out that idea about using the transition tag on Sheldon Richardson is not quite as good as we thought it was.

We recently posited the idea that John Schneider might prefer the transition tender to the franchise marker because (1) it is cheaper, (2) Richardson could shop himself, (3) Schneider still could match and (4) Seattle still could get a third-round comp pick in 2019 if Richardson left.

That all still applies, except No. 4. It turns out the NFL recently changed the rule and transition players no longer qualify for comp picks. This was discovered by Nick Korte of Over The Cap in 2016, as related to Miami rescinding the transition tag for Olivier Vernon. (We usually do the right research to get facts straight before posting anything, but we missed this change.)

It takes away some of the leverage we thought Schneider might have if he chose the cheaper tag.

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Free agency, NFL Combine

To tag or not to tag? We’ll soon find out

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Pic -- Schneider at CombineIn the next week or two, we’re going to find out a whole lot (OK, at least a little) about the Seahawks’ offseason plans.

Today is the first day of the two-week “tag” window, which may or may not be pertinent to the Seahawks.

A lot of people expect John Schneider to franchise Sheldon Richardson. We think the transition tag would be better (unless Schneider plans to trade Sheldon). And it’s still most likely that Schneider won’t use a tag at all.

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Free agency

After purge, Schneider will bargain shop

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Logo -- Free agencyAny day now, NFL teams will begin the Purge — the annual pre-league-year dump of overpaid and/or underperforming players.

The Seahawks haven’t been a part of the Purge since 2014, when they cut Red Bryant, Sidney Rice and Chris Clemons. But they will be part of this one, expected to at least release Jeremy Lane and Cliff Avril.

And then John Schneider will play the comp game, bargain shopping among other street free agents.

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