Tag Archives: John Schneider

Schneider’s options on Lynch: There might be only one

Lynch hanging them upJohn Schneider surely knew this was a possibility: Marshawn Lynch wanting to come back.

And he had to know he might have to make a tough decision on how to handle Beast Mode if he did want to return, considering the Seahawks had already made their plans to move on.

So here come the Raiders, reportedly wanting to lure Lynch out of retirement and hope the Seahawks basically give him to them — a “friends and family” discount from Schneider to former Green Bay cohort Reggie McKenzie, who runs the Raiders. Unlike last year, when the Raiders reportedly tried to trade for Lynch, it sounds like Lynch is amenable to playing. And it sounds like he wants the Seahawks to release him so he can play in his hometown for another year or two.

If all true, Schneider has a decision to make on Lynch: Keep him, trade him or cut him. Keeping him is not really an option — both sides seemingly have moved on. Trading him might be tough, if the Raiders refuse to cooperate. So that could leave Schneider with only one option: Just let him go for nothing. Well, almost nothing.

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Hawks a distant No. 2 in Peterson scenario

Logo -- Free agency

In 2014, Jared Allen chose money over a Super Bowl chance with the Seahawks as he left the Minnesota Vikings.

Three years later, Adrian Peterson appears interested in making the opposite choice as he prepares to depart Minnesota.

Peterson reportedly favors Oakland, Seattle and New England — places where he could contend for an NFL title. But consider the Seahawks a distant second in that possible free-agent pursuit.

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Schneider admits O-line error, expected to contact Okung

Pic -- Schneider at CombineThe Seahawks have made a lot of errors regarding their offensive line in the last two years, and John Schneider admitted another one Wednesday at the Combine.

“We probably got a little bit too young,” he said of the 2016 starting crew that included neophyte George Fant, fellow first-year starters Mark Glowinski and Germain Ifedi, first-year center Justin Britt and undrafted right tackle Garry Gilliam.

Schneider told reporters he regretted not keeping veteran guard Jahri Evans — that probably would have been smarter than keeping J’Marcus Webb, who ended up starting three games at right guard (when Ifedi was hurt) and was later released.

The youth mistake of 2016 follows on the heels of trying to use untested Drew Nowak at center for too long in 2015 — an error Pete Carroll later lamented.

Schneider surely will try to do better with veteran linemen this offseason. He is expected to contact Russell Okung next week about a possible return. Okung reportedly is going to remain his own agent — that netted him a one-year deal worth $5 million with Denver last year. Schneider probably won’t be interested in paying anything more than $7 million a year on a short, incentivized contract.

Schneider officially can talk to Okung on March 7. Free agency begins March 9.

Continue reading Schneider admits O-line error, expected to contact Okung

Are Hawks prepping to court Campbell?

campbell-wilsonThere’s a lot of chatter from fans wanting the Seahawks to pursue Calais Campbell in free agency to improve their interior pass rush.

On first blush, it seems like a lot of wishful thinking — John Schneider usually goes younger and cheaper on veteran defensive linemen — but there are increasing signs the Hawks could indeed make a play for the 30-year-old Arizona tackle.

Seattle’s hiring of his former college position coach, Clint Hurtt, adds to the intrigue created by Russell Wilson, who appeared to be recruiting Campbell after their December game.

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Offseason priorities

Draft -- Schneider and CarrollIt 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:

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Are the Seahawks still ‘in the middle of it’?

logo-playoffsAre the Seahawks “in the middle of it” or coming to the end of it? That is the big question after three straight disappointing playoff seasons.

Pete Carroll, of course, says the Super Bowl window is still open. Just as he said after the XLIX debacle in 2015 and after the near blowout in Carolina last year, he reiterated Saturday night that the Hawks “are right in the middle of it.” But are they?

All of this team’s best players are signed for another year, but Carroll’s club has been on a steady slide ever since the ridiculous decision to throw the ball from the 1 vs. the Patriots. In 2015, Kam Chancellor’s holdout fractured the defense and the offensive line had trouble against good fronts — a big reason they were nearly blown out by Carolina in the divisional playoffs. In 2016, injuries and attitude problems messed up the defense and the offensive line was even worse than it had been in 2015– the main reason they were blown out by Atlanta.

This team is not the aging crew Mike Holmgren had left after his Seahawks’ five-year playoff run in the mid-2000s; but, as constituted, Carroll’s club is not a strong contender anymore.

Continue reading Are the Seahawks still ‘in the middle of it’?

Lions face the Legion they helped build

logo-playoffsA year ago at this time, the Seahawks were getting ready for a wild-card playoff game against an NFC North team they had helped build. They ended up escaping frigid Minnesota with a lucky win over the Vikings and Teddy Bridgewater, the quarterback Seattle enabled Minnesota to draft in 2014.

Now, here the Hawks are in the wild-card round again, about to face another NFC North team, and personnel ties loom large yet again.

As the Hawks prepare to host the Detroit Lions in the first playoff game between the teams, two of the big storylines involve Golden Tate and Cliff Avril going against their former teams. But the personnel links are deeper than that.

Since coming to Seattle in 2010, John Schneider has done more business with Detroit than with any other team. Of his 42 trades, seven have been with the Lions. And two of them helped create the Legion of Boom.

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2017 moves will be based on 2018 salary cap

Salary cap logoMichael 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

With Bennett deal, Schneider gets a jump on 2017 extensions

Salary cap logoJohn Schneider has several big extensions to consider in 2017, so it makes sense that he started early — removing any doubt about Michael Bennett remaining with the team beyond 2017.

Schneider and Doug Hendrickson, Bennett’s new agent, had been talking about a new deal since the summer, so it is not a big surprise they finished it off before this season ends.

The extension, reportedly for three years and $31.5 million, is almost the terms of the deal they worked out for Marshawn Lynch after the 2014 season.

Continue reading With Bennett deal, Schneider gets a jump on 2017 extensions

CHAWK LINES -- Rams at Seahawks

The Seahawks are confident they will not repeat the disaster in Green Bay. Said Doug Baldwin: “It’s easier for us to get past, because we know that’s not normal.”

John Fassel and the Rams are trying to regroup after Jeff Fisher was fired.

Pete Carroll repeats the obvious: No, he is not interested in coaching the Rams.

Richard Sherman calls Thursday games a “poopfest” — and his graphic point is valid.

The Hawks are mostly healthy (not counting Earl Thomas, of course).

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