Tag Archives: John Schneider

NFL draft

Draft IQ shows how it could play out

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We’re just days away from the NFL draft, and the Seahawks and the rest of the teams are finalizing their draft boards.

NFL.com has a new tool called Draft IQ that projects the top eight on the big board for each team, using a combination of pre-draft interest, team needs and draft philosophies.

If they stay at 18, who are the Hawks most likely to pick? Which guys in that top eight might still be there? We used the Draft IQ boards to walk through the first round and see how it might play out.

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NFL draft, Trades

Trade talk: Howell, Woolen — who else?

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When the Seahawks brought back Drew Lock last Friday, the first thought that came to mind was: Whither Sam Howell?

With Lock reportedly signed to a two-year deal, it sure seems to put Howell on the trade block.

The Hawks acquired Howell in a pick swap last year, getting a fourth and sixth while giving up a third and fifth. It was not a bad price to pay (equivalent of a fourth-rounder) for a look at a guy who had started a full season in the NFL and might be a possible long-term QB.

But Howell was no competition for Geno Smith and showed very poorly in clearly trying circumstances against the Packers late in the season.

John Schneider had said he looked forward to seeing Howell in Klint Kubiak’s offense because Ryan Grubb’s offense “wasn’t a good setup for him.” But now here comes Lock back, and he seems like as good a fit or better as the backup in Kubiak’s offense, which includes plenty of rollouts and bootlegs.

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NFL draft

Draft notes: WR at 18? No O-line until Round 3?

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For a month now, mock drafters have loved matching the Seahawks with a wide receiver at No. 18 — assuming the team naturally would use its top pick to replace the traded DK Metcalf.

And there is scuttlebutt that the Hawks might indeed be leaning that way. The guy who keeps coming up now is Emeka Egbuka, former Ohio State teammate of Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

But do the Hawks really need to force a receiver pick high in this draft?

Continue reading Draft notes: WR at 18? No O-line until Round 3? →
Coaches, Contracts, Trades

Carroll’s return was Geno’s out as he felt ‘disconnect’ in Seattle

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Without saying it out loud, Geno Smith basically confirmed what we always thought: Pete Carroll’s return to the NFL precipitated Smith’s departure from Seattle.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again (along with ESPN’s Brady Henderson): We think Smith very likely would still be in Seattle (under a new deal) if Carroll had not been hired by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Continue reading Carroll’s return was Geno’s out as he felt ‘disconnect’ in Seattle →
NFL draft

Draft talk: Moving up in Round 2, adding corners and more

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At the NFL meetings this week, John Schneider and Mike Macdonald offered a few draft nuggets – some of which confirm conventional wisdom and others which create questions.

Macdonald said they would take the best player available – offense or defense – with their top pick (18). He also said they would be looking at drafting some cornerbacks, and he gave a lukewarm endorsement of Riq Woolen – a guy we think might be traded at some point this year.

Schneider, meanwhile, said (1) he was laying groundwork for trades with other NFL execs in Florida, (2) he might consider moving up in the draft and (3) the Hawks likely won’t be able to upgrade at center.

Here’s a look at the key draft-related comments from Seattle’s two chiefs and our take on them.

Continue reading Draft talk: Moving up in Round 2, adding corners and more →
NFL draft

NFL draft: Top needs, best strategy and what Schneider might do

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While the Seahawks continue to add role players to the bottom of their roster and still might sign a veteran guard later, they are pretty much done in free agency. So all eyes have turned to the draft, which is now a mere three weeks away.

We are not scouts, nor do we pretend to be draft experts. And we certainly have no idea what John Schneider is going to do in three weeks – who does?

But, after checking out consensus boards, seeing what top analysts think of this draft and running through a bunch of scenarios, we have thoughts on the strategy Schneider should/could use.

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Franchise history, NFL draft, The roster

Will Schneider deliver the dream: O-line consistency?

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Whether it has been draft misses, bad (or no) free-agent signings, poor coaching or injuries, Seattle just has not fielded a good offensive line during the majority of John Schneider’s tenure – that’s 15 seasons of mostly bottom-10 rankings.

Despite another whiff in free agency in 2025, Schneider has a chance to turn that around. But he needs to do something he has tried only a couple of times: Create continuity with top talent.

We’d call that living the dream.

Continue reading Will Schneider deliver the dream: O-line consistency? →
Free agency, NFL draft

OL: After free agency whiff, it is all on the draft now

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It is no big surprise that the Seahawks once again missed out on adding a
notable veteran lineman.

It has been apparent since Teven Jenkins — an injury risk — left the VMAC without a deal that the Hawks likely were going to end up settling on a middling one-year vet again – a la Laken Tomlinson in 2024.

But John Schneider needs to get serious about the offensive line in this draft.

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Free agency, The roster

After a week of free agency, a look at the roster

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John Schneider’s Seahawks had a stunning first week of free agency, unexpectedly trading both Geno Smith and DK Metcalf and then quickly replacing Smith with Sam Darnold.

They also re-signed two big pieces of their defense, Ernest Jones IV and Jarran Reed. And they brought in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Cooper Kupp to help replace Metcalf and the released Tyler Lockett. DeMarcus Lawrence was added to beef up their front seven (especially in the run game).

They bid big ($17 million a year) but missed out on the top free-agent guard, Will Fries. But they still might end up with one of the top guards; Teven Jenkins (Chicago) is due in for a visit to the VMAC on Monday.

After a week of free agency, the defense – already on schedule to be a top-five unit in 2025 — is a bit better, and the offense is still rebuilding after the surprising mini-teardown.

Let’s take a look at the roster.

Continue reading After a week of free agency, a look at the roster →
Coaches, Free agency, The roster

Kubiak ties to Darnold & MVS countered losses of Geno & Metcalf

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Relationships make the NFL go round – and that was never more obvious than in all of the Seahawks’ dealings over the past week.

The franchise’s relationship with DK Metcalf soured to the point that he simply wanted to go play elsewhere. John Schneider said he could not work it out with Metcalf, so he traded him to Pittsburgh.

Then Geno Smith forced a trade when he and his agent refused to respond to Seattle’s fair contract offer – $40 million in 2025, per Brady Henderson. Whether Smith intended it or not, he got a reunion with his favorite coach, Pete Carroll, back in the NFL with the Raiders.

That might have left the Seahawks in a bind if not for Mike Macdonald’s preemptive move to hire Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator. Kubiak’s previous relationship with Sam Darnold made it easy for the Hawks to quickly replace Smith with Darnold.

Continue reading Kubiak ties to Darnold & MVS countered losses of Geno & Metcalf →