John Schneider is getting all kinds of accolades for turning four draft picks into 11 last week, in keeping with his mantra that “the more picks you have, the better your chance of improving your team.”
That’s not necessarily true. And Schneider needs only look at his own team to see it. So, what are the chances of these new guys making this club — especially given recent history?
Continue reading Another volume draft, but what are the odds these guys stick?
The Seahawks are usually very set with their roster by this time of the offseason, having already retained their key free agents, perhaps added a couple and then of course drafted.
But this year is different: They should be very active in the so-called Phase 3 of free agency, because they still have not improved their defensive line.
The Seahawks have ditched their top three pass rushers over the past two offseasons, and the only notable guy they have added to replace them is first-round pick L.J. Collier. And he alone will not add up to a Frank Clark, Michael Bennett or Cliff Avril.
Thankfully, Pete Carroll and John Schneider plan to do more.
“We talk about those phases of free agency,” Schneider said. “There’s basically like three or four different phases, and we’re basically now heading into Phase 3.”
“We’re very much involved with what’s coming up next,” Carroll said. “We’re not done. We’ve got work to do, and we’re excited about what’s coming up. You guys will see in time.”
The Seahawks never know what to do with first-round picks, so imagine the problem they had Thursday when they had two of them back to back and their only real goal was to expand the rest of their draft.
The Seahawks had two picks, and yet it felt like they had no plan for them — other than to bail out as much as possible to add more selections. And they didn’t do that very well either, failing to add a Day 2 selection (beyond the one their first-rounder became).
There’s a reason the Hawks usually trade out of the first round: When they stay, they typically use the pick on a second-round player anyway. They’ve now picked five players in the first round since 2011, and four of them have had second-round grades by most draft analysts. The Hawks have to hope L.J. Collier is a better version of Bruce Irvin (a first-round reach who had eight sacks as a rookie).
Continue reading Chasing picks, Hawks reached for Collier (but he could be worth it)
“Not cool.” — John Schneider on having just four picks as draft month begins.
John Schneider is lamenting his lack of draft picks this year and wondering whether he will be able to trade down in a deep draft, but there is no reason to worry on either count.
Schneider needs to look at his draft stock over two years, knowing he will have 13-15 picks. As we chronicle in our comp tracker, the Hawks will have at least two bonus picks next year — a 3 and 4 — and might end up with all four (3, 4, 6, 7).
Knowing he will get at least an extra third and fourth, Schneider has the luxury of potentially using his real 3 and 4 in 2020 to trade up in this draft. Added to his likelihood of moving out of the first round, that should create enough flexibility for Seattle to net three or four Day 2 picks. And that is what Schneider should be targeting.
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 