The answers: The 2016 draft class. Third-rounders. Fourth-round receivers.
The question: Where have the Seahawks struggled in the draft recently?
The trade of Nick Vannett leaves five of the 10 picks from the star-crossed 2016 draft class and just three of the league-high seven third-rounders from the 2016 and 2017 drafts.
Continue reading Vannett deal highlights some draft struggles
K.J. Wright will make his season debut against Sea Lions Golden Tate, Luke Willson and DeShawn Shead, and he’s got big plans for the reunion game.
“I’m going to mess Luke up — no, I’m just (kidding),” Wright said. “I do hope I cover Luke. I want to tackle Golden as well. I talked to Shead earlier this week and I told him I’ve got to exchange jerseys with him. So it feels good seeing those guys.”
This game should look very familiar to the Seahawks — not only because of the Sea Lion reunion but because the Hawks are in almost the same position they were in exactly six years ago when they went to Detroit.
The good news: The Seahawks don’t have to play in Denver and Chicago during the winter. The bad news: They have to open with consecutive road games.
The opener in Denver and the Monday night game in Chicago in Week 2 mark the third time since 2011 the Hawks have started with two straight road games. They opened 0-2 in both 2011 and 2015.
Seattle’s 2018 schedule is weighted toward road games early and home games late: The Seahawks play five of the first seven on the road and four of the final five at home (three in prime time).
They have five prime-time games — four in Seattle, where the Hawks are 17-2 in night games (including playoffs) under Pete Carroll. They are 26-5-1 in prime time overall under Carroll.
The NFL year begins in a month, and the rumors and speculation are heating up across the league as free agency and the trading period approach.
In addition to the usual free agency chatter, there is a lot of speculation about what the Seahawks are going to do with veterans Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett — all signed for 2018.
Barring value trade offers, we expect all three to be back — Thomas with a new deal and Sherman and Bennett likely playing their final seasons in Seattle.
Here’s the latest scuttlebutt on Seattle’s top pending free agents and some players who have been mentioned in connection with the Seahawks:
John Schneider set such a high standard in his first three drafts, it would be nearly impossible to match. So it’s no surprise that he hasn’t.
According to an excellent study put together by The Washington Post using Pro Football Reference’s Approximate Value (AV) rating, Schneider’s 2012 draft was the best in 20 years — as measured against expected value (EV). And his 2011 draft was fourth on that list.
That clearly was an impossible level to sustain.
As Schneider joked Monday: “How come that doesn’t happen anymore? What’s your problem, dude?”
The problem was how far the Seahawks dipped for a couple of years. And the hope is the 2016 and 2017 draft classes will bring them out of the slump.
The Seahawks dominated the NFL news cycle on Friday, signing four players, bringing in four for visits and finding themselves facing the prospect of having to deal with the possible return of Marshawn Lynch.
It was a busy day to cap the first full week of the league year, which has seen the Seahawks focus intently on improving their running attack while also trying to fill holes in their defense.
The Seahawks so far have lost four players, re-signed three and added four. None of their losses — Steven Hauschka, Brock Coyle, Damontre Moore, John Jenkins — have been very significant. But there’s also no guarantee that any of their additions will make them much better than the 10-win team that fizzled out of the playoffs in Atlanta.
It’s crazy how some people just can’t wait for the Seahawks to get rid of Jimmy Graham.
When news of Jared Cook’s visit broke, the immediate reaction by some fans was: “The Seahawks are planning to cut or trade Graham.”
Of course, that is all poppycock. Even if the Hawks had not just paid Graham a $2 million roster bonus, they were never going to cut him. And a trade is very unlikely, too. John Schneider was pretty clear at the Combine: Graham will be with the Seahawks in 2017.
The Cook visit was more about Luke Willson — either as a possibility to replace him or as leverage to get him to take Seattle’s offer.
The Seahawks might actually come out of the first weekend of free agency with one of their primary goals — adding better experience to their offensive line — fully accomplished.
On Saturday, the team announced the signing of Luke Joeckel and finished meeting with T.J. Lang, who reportedly had a “great” get-together and could give them an answer Sunday.
In a positive sign, Lang followed the Seahawks on Twitter after the trip (he did not follow the Lions after visiting them).
The Packers and Falcons also were interested in Lang, who figures to get around $8 million a year — possibly with some play-time incentives due to his recent hip surgery.
Continue reading Are the Hawks close to achieving their top goal?
The Combine is over and the league year (i.e., free agency and trading) is about to start, so it’s a perfect time to do a status check on the Seahawks, including free agency rumors and mock drafts:
QUARTERBACK
Status: Russell Wilson is healthy, working out in California and taking weird pictures with his family. The Hawks might look at bringing in someone to challenge Trevone Boykin for the No. 2 spot.
Free agents: None.
FA and draft rumors: More than one person has speculated that Colin Kaepernick, impending former 49er, could join his former nemeses as Wilson’s backup.
RUNNING BACK
Status: Pete Carroll is hoping for a healthy Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise this year. Alex Collins also came on late last season and could be a bigger factor in 2017. The fullback position could be stacked if both Brandon Cottom and Marcel Reece are back.
Free agents: FB Marcel Reece, FB Will Tukuafu.
FA and draft rumors: Adrian Peterson reportedly wants to play for Oakland, Seattle or New England. The Hawks are unlikely to offer him much, so the Raiders seem his best option. … Oklahama State’s Chris Carson (6-0, 218) was projected to Seattle in the seventh round of Rob Staton’s most recent mock.
A year ago, the Seahawks needed a new left tackle to replace the departing Russell Okung. Most people (probably even George Fant) would say they didn’t find one, which is why there is a lot of speculation about them checking into the several veteran tackles being let go.
But, unless one of those guys wants to come to Seattle on a cheap deal, don’t expect the Seahawks to add one. They had the chance last year to pursue Kelvin Beachum or Ryan Clady, but neither has been very healthy — which explains why both are available once again and why the Hawks wouldn’t pay either one much money.
Perhaps more intriguing is Branden Albert, if the Jaguars don’t acquire the 32-year-old from Miami to replace Beachum. But, even if Miami were to release him, he probably would end up with a richer deal than the Hawks would want to offer.
Okung also is expected to be free again — Denver not exercising the option in his contract March 8 — but it’s hard to see him returning to Seattle after the Hawks didn’t make much effort to keep him last year.
Continue reading Don’t expect Hawks to spend much on a tackle
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 