Tag Archives: John Schneider

Hawks’ RB plans: Replace Turbin with Jackson, trade Michael

September 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks were busy juggling their running back stable Friday, reportedly agreeing on a one-year deal with Fred Jackson while dangling Christine Michael in a trade and planning to waive Robert Turbin for the purpose of putting him on injured reserve.

The Hawks reportedly will waive/injured Turbin, which means he will revert to season-ending IR if no other team claims him. But, he is expected to miss only about five weeks with his high ankle sprain, so some team might be inclined to pick him up. If not, he will miss the season on Seattle’s IR.

The Hawks are taking a little gamble that Turbin will be scooped up — as they did with Michael Bowie (claimed by Cleveland) last year. But, Turbin also is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, so the risk might not be that high. Or the Hawks might not care.

If they had wanted to put him on short-term IR so he could return at midseason, they would have had to keep him as part of the 53-man roster this weekend and wait until next Tuesday to place him on IR/return (which cannot be used until the Tuesday after final cuts are made).

Meanwhile, John Schneider said Thursday that he was busy working the phones for possible trades. He didn’t mention any players, but Jason La Canfora reported Friday that the Hawks were indeed shopping Michael, the 2013 second-round pick who has not really gotten on the field.

Continue reading Hawks’ RB plans: Replace Turbin with Jackson, trade Michael →

The roster, Trades

Schneider: ‘We’re talking to clubs’ about trades

September 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider already has made two trades this preseason, acquiring Mohammed Seisay and sending out Kevin Norwood.

Those were the 11th and 12th trades he has made in the preseason since he arrived in 2010 — and he is looking at possibly making more in the next week.

Before the Seahawks beat Oakland in the final preseason game Thursday, Schneider told Steve Raible the Hawks are talking to other teams about potential deals.

“We have five or six guys we’re concentrating on tonight,” he said, “and comparing those guys to other players that are out there that we’re talking to other teams about.”

Continue reading Schneider: ‘We’re talking to clubs’ about trades →

NFL draft, State of the team, Trades

Another fourth-round flunkout for Schneider

August 31, 2015 cc 1 Comment

John Schneider has been hailed for his ability to find mid-round diamonds in the rough, but his track record in the fourth round certainly hasn’t been responsible for that reputation.

The trade of Kevin Norwood is the latest example. And, if rookie Terry Poole is let go this week as well, Schneider’s Round 4 record will take yet another hit.

Obviously, the fourth round is a bit of a crap shoot, but teams should hit on at least half of those picks. Since Schneider took over the Seahawks in 2010, the league average on successful fourth-rounders has been between 55 and 60 percent (not counting this year, of course).

But the fourth round has been Schneider’s worst — based on typical expectations. In his six drafts, Schneider has selected a league-high 12 players in the fourth. Of the 10 drafted before this year, just four remain — and only two have really done much to help the Hawks.

Continue reading Another fourth-round flunkout for Schneider →

Contracts

Chancellor’s agent is bluffing — isn’t he?

August 19, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Earlier this year, Michael Bennett’s agent tried to bluff the Seahawks into giving Bennett a new deal. Now Kam Chancellor’s agent is doing the same thing. We think.

In April, agent Drew Rosenhaus seemingly spread rumors that Bennett wanted to be traded to Atlanta, where former Seattle DC Dan Quinn is now coach. But the Hawks were unfazed. Even as Bennett told everyone who would listen that he is not happy with the deal he signed last year, the Hawks did not budge from their budget. In fact, he has said they haven’t told him they would do anything with the contract that still has three years and $18.5 million left on it.

Now, Alvin Keels, Chancellor’s agent, is saying Chancellor will remain out until the Hawks redo the deal he signed in 2013, which still has three years left.

“He will not report without his contract being addressed this season,” Keels told ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “The team and I have been in contact, but we haven’t been able to agree on any compromise.”

Continue reading Chancellor’s agent is bluffing — isn’t he? →

Contracts, Training camp

Schneider doesn’t sound interested in adjusting Chancellor’s deal

August 5, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Not a big surprise: Seahawks GM John Schneider told SiriusXM NFL that the Seahawks do not plan to adjust holdout safety Kam Chancellor’s contract.

Schneider said it’s tough because of the personal feelings he and the franchise have for Chancellor, but the Hawks “have to continue to conduct business the way we always have.”

“We all love Kam. He’s a phenomenal football player, obviously a key core player in what we’re doing here defensively,” Schneider said. “We all miss him. It’s a bummer for everybody involved in the situation.

“It’s personal because you love a guy so much and you have so much emotional and personal feelings for the player. At the end of the day, you have to stick to your plan and your principle. That’s what has to guide you rather than (personal feelings).

“It’s about the team. It’s the ultimate team sport,” Schneider continued. “In order for us to be a consistent championship-caliber team that we’ve been preaching ever since we got here, we have to continue to conduct business the way we always have.”

Continue reading Schneider doesn’t sound interested in adjusting Chancellor’s deal →

Contracts, State of the team, The roster

Hawks had to cut someone; now, what about Chancellor?

August 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Once the Seahawks signed Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner to their megadeals, it was obvious someone probably was going to get cut.

While Brandon Mebane (and his $5.5 million salary) had been the rumored candidate for months, it turned out to be Tony McDaniel, whose release added $3 million to the $2 million or so the Hawks had left under this year’s cap. They typically like to have at least $4 million in reserve for practice squad and injury replacements during the season.

Pete Carroll was not happy to lose the 30-year-old McDaniel, who had been a key member of Seattle’s top-seven run defense in each of the past two Super Bowl seasons.

“It is a significant loss,” Carroll said. “Tony has been a really good core player for us, and we really liked him and what he’s brought to our club. This decision sucks, but you know we had to do something. Maybe there’s a chance we can get him back someday; I don’t know how that will work. Unfortunately, that’s what had to happen today.”

It weakens the depth on a defensive line that had looked pretty stout, especially at tackle, and means Mebane and Ahtyba Rubin will have to carry the weight as the run stoppers.

The next immediate roster concern is holdout safety Kam Chancellor.

Continue reading Hawks had to cut someone; now, what about Chancellor? →

Contracts, State of the team

Why Chancellor is unhappy — and why it doesn’t matter

July 29, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It probably should be no surprise that Kam Chancellor reportedly has joined the chorus of Seahawks wanting more money, but John Schneider has to be simultaneously laughing and crying over yet another request for a raise.

As if Schneider and contract dealer Matt Thomas don’t have enough going on …

So, why is Chancellor unhappy? Since he signed his four-year, $28 million deal in 2013, four safeties have come along and trumped his $7 million annual average. That includes his own Legion of Boom sidekick, Earl Thomas, who makes $10 million a year.

Chancellor has gone from fourth in annual value among safeties to eighth, with Devin McCourty ($9.5 million), Jairus Byrd ($9 million), Eric Berry ($8.34 million), Dashon Goldson ($8.25 million), Eric Weddle ($8 million) and Reshad Jones (just over $7 million) trumping him.

Like Michael Bennett, Chancellor apparently is upset that his deal has been surpassed by the market. And, like Bennett, Chancellor must know that is how it works and there is almost no chance the Hawks are going to adjust his deal this year.

Continue reading Why Chancellor is unhappy — and why it doesn’t matter →

Contracts

If Wilson wants to stay past 2017, he might need to fire Rodgers

July 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

If Russell Wilson wants to remain a Seattle Seahawk beyond 2017, he might have to fire Mark Rodgers and bring back Bus Cook.

Once Wilson dismissed Cook, a veteran NFL agent, last December, it was easy to see the handwriting on the wall: Rodgers, an inexperienced NFL contract negotiator, would use baseball economics in his negotiations with the Hawks and drag out a process that should have been relatively simple.

Ta da! Here we are.

Continue reading If Wilson wants to stay past 2017, he might need to fire Rodgers →

Contracts, State of the team

How tagging Wilson would affect the roster

June 25, 2015 cc Leave a comment

If the Seahawks end up using the franchise tag on Russell Wilson in 2016, as it currently appears they might, it most likely would mean the end of the Seattle tenures of Russell Okung and Bruce Irvin.

Irvin knows that and doesn’t really care, even if he said last week that he wants to stay in Seattle. He clearly would be just as happy playing in his hometown of Atlanta. And he knows the Hawks have only so much money to go around.

“They’ve got a lot of people to take care of,” he said. “You’ve got Bobby Wagner, who deserves his money, and Russell, who deserves his money. Like I said, it’s a business and that stuff will work itself out.”

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Franchise history, NFL draft

Moffitt was Schneider’s worst draft pick

June 17, 2015 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider’s worst draft pick is coming out of retirement.

John Moffitt was so bad that Schneider and the Seahawks actually changed the way they evaluate draft prospects largely because of him, focusing on football character over skill starting in 2014.

“There’s certain guys you spend a lot of time with, because you’re trying to figure out the man,” Schneider said before the draft last year. “What’s in his heart? What his personality’s like. Would he fit in in the locker room? There’s certain guys that we haven’t done that good of a job with, in my opinion, in the past.”

That’s a clear reference to Moffitt, who was traded by the team after Tom Cable got tired of his lackadaisical attitude — which it turns out was caused by his drug problem.

Moffitt started 15 games in 2011 and 2012, alternating with J.R. Sweezy toward the end of the latter year. Cable was never impressed by Moffitt, whose drug addiction apparently scuttled whatever ability or desire he had.

Moffitt always came across as a buffoon, running into trouble with the law and the NFL more than once. Apparently he has addressed his drug problem and wants back in the NFL. The Seahawks clearly are not an option.

We consider him the worst pick in Schneider’s six drafts. Here’s our bottom five:

Continue reading Moffitt was Schneider’s worst draft pick →