Tag Archives: Pete Carroll

August 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Some observations from Day 4 of camp from those who were there:

Per The Seattle Times, Kristjan Sokoli is now practicing at left guard. That narrows the competition at center to three guys and gives Alvin Bailey another thing to think about as he attempts to nail down the LG spot.

Lemuel Jeanpierre is the leader for the center spot, according to Gregg Bell of The News Tribune, and Tom Cable says it should be decided soon.

Robert Turbin’s surgically repaired hip seems fine; he showed great burst in his return to practice, per Seahawks.com.

Jimmy Graham is loving his first camp in Seattle, Seahawks.com reports.

Seahawks.com passed along three key points from Kris Richard.

On 710 ESPN, Pete Carroll said Graham has impressed him more than anyone. He also talked about the future of his team, tough decisions such as cutting Tony McDaniel, Kam Chancellor’s holdout and the roster battles in this camp.

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Contracts, State of the team

Wagner’s contract gives team some flexibility

August 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

In the wake of Bobby Wagner’s monster contract, Pete Carroll said the Seahawks face uncertainty next year in the way the team is going to be constructed.

“It is so challenging to do this,” Carroll said, “and particularly as it (the salary cap) changes and you don’t know and you have to predict. … This is a big year now (for Seattle free agents); we don’t know what’s going to happen with the cap. We’ll wait and see.”

As it turns out, Wagner’s contract reflects the uncertainty and also covers the Hawks in case he misses games, as he has the past two seasons.

Wagner’s four-year, $43 million deal reportedly includes an $8 million signing bonus and — rare for the Seahawks — a $4 million option bonus in 2016 that would activate 2019 while giving the team cap flexibility next year and beyond.

Either way, the Hawks will pay Wagner $7 million in 2016 — with a $3 millon salary if they pay the option or $7 million if they don’t. So the cap hit could be $6.1 million or $9.1 million in 2016. If they decline the option, it would make it just a three-year extension. But they surely just wanted to include a second signing bonus to offset cap hits in 2015 and beyond.

The Hawks also included $3.5 million in per-game roster bonuses — $500,000 in 2016 and $1 million in each of the next three seasons. Wagner missed five games last year and two the previous season, so the Hawks clearly want him to earn some of the deal through simple availability.

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

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 →

Minicamp, OTAs, State of the team, The roster

Will Marsh replace Irvin as LB/LEO combo in 2016?

June 20, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks improved themselves at nearly every position this offseason.

They traded for tight end Jimmy Graham, moved up in the draft to take wide receiver/return maestro Tyler Lockett, drafted three offensive linemen, added defensive linemen Ahtyba Rubin and Frank Clark, and reinforced the secondary with Cary Williams, Will Blackmon, Tye Smith and Ryan Murphy.

One of the few positions where they made no moves was linebacker, a group that seemed kind of thin behind Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Bruce Irvin, Mike Morgan, Brock Coyle and Kevin Pierre-Louis.

But the Hawks apparently have plans to improve their depth and prepare for the likely departure of Irvin next offseason — 2014 draft picks Cassius Marsh and Eric Pinkins both are working at linebacker.

Continue reading Will Marsh replace Irvin as LB/LEO combo in 2016? →

State of the team, The roster

‘This is a team that’s built for the future’

June 11, 2015 cc Leave a comment

“This is a team that’s built for the future. … We’re in the middle of this. This is not like the end. This is just the middle of this.” — Pete Carroll to 710 ESPN after blowing the Super Bowl in February.

The Seahawks’ contract impasse with Russell Wilson has many wondering how much longer he will be the team’s quarterback and, in a related consideration, how long the Hawks’ Super Bowl window will remain open.

But Pete Carroll’s comments from February remain just as germane today, despite the apparent lack of progress on Wilson’s deal: This team is right in the middle of its Super Bowl window.

The team controls Wilson’s contract for at least three more seasons, which happens to match the duration of the deals of some of the team’s best players: Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett. Signed through 2018 are Cliff Avril, K.J. Wright, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman.

Sure, Lynch could walk at any time if he feels the Call of Duty to do something else. And Bennett might not be with the team beyond this year if he continues to sit inside the VMAC whining about his contract while his teammates practice.

But, with the team now talking to Bobby Wagner about a new deal, we should be able to add the linebacker to the list of long-term Seahawks at some point this year.

Add the team’s young receivers (Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett, Kevin Norwood) and some of the other additions from the last two drafts, and the Hawks have a solid core through at least 2017.

Continue reading ‘This is a team that’s built for the future’ →

Contracts, State of the team

Irvin now says he wants to stay in Seattle

June 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Bruce Irvin has not been present at Seattle’s OTAs, but he says he would like to stay in Seattle after next season and he has been working hard and plans to have his best season yet.

“I have one year left. I would love to be in Seattle,” he told NFL Media on Saturday. “That was the team that gave me a chance when nobody else did. A lot of people told me I wasn’t a first-round pick, but Pete (Carroll) and John Schneider took a chance on me; so, like I said, I would love to be there.”

That comment runs counter to his statement last month that he would be in Atlanta next season. Pete Carroll tried to quash that story, but it seemed pretty obvious that Irvin meant he would like to play in his hometown.

Continue reading Irvin now says he wants to stay in Seattle →

Contracts, State of the team

Wilson & Wagner are in, Bennett & Irvin are not

June 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

I’M IN.

It’s one of the Seahawks’ mantras. And clearly not everyone is buying in completely.

Offseason team workouts don’t offer too much football value — they’re like glorified walk-throughs — but they are a great vehicle for seeing who is committed to the team and who isn’t.

Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner certainly are. Michael Bennett and Bruce Irvin are a different story.

All of them have contract concerns. Wilson and Wagner are entering the final year of their deals, but neither is complaining that he doesn’t have a deal yet; Wilson is leading the offense in workouts and Wagner is right in there with his higher-paid defensive teammates.

Meanwhile, Bennett and Irvin are pouting about their contracts, boycotting voluntary work with the rest of the team.

Continue reading Wilson & Wagner are in, Bennett & Irvin are not →

Contracts, The roster

Is Wilson necessary? And would he hold out?

June 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

As we wait to see how Russell Wilson’s contract negotiations play out, some are asking whether Wilson is even necessary to the Seahawks and others are wondering whether he might put the Hawks in a bind by holding out.

Some argue the Seahawks could have reached the Super Bowl the past two years with almost any quarterback. Others vehemently disagree.

Neither group is completely right. And the argument is largely irrelevant anyway.

Continue reading Is Wilson necessary? And would he hold out? →

CHAWK LINES

May 30, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Holdout Michael Bennett said he wants to be paid like the top seven players at his position, which would mean $10 million a year.

Russell Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, talked to 710 ESPN about contract negotiations.

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls wrote about the detailed technique Pete Carroll’s staff teaches cornerbacks. As we wrote a couple of years ago, the Pete Carroll Secondary School has been in session for 30 years.

Cary Williams appears to fit right in with the Legion of Boom. The Hawks think the 30-year-old’s best football will come in Seattle.

Field Gulls rounded up some radio interviews by Jordan Hill, Luke Willson and Jermaine Kearse.

K.J. Wright talked to 710 ESPN about new LBs coach Lofa Tatupu and new DC Kris Richard (recall that both of those guys played for Carroll at USC).

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” fan Bobby Wagner was voted by NFL peers as the 69th best player in the league, per NFL Network. Michael Bennett was No. 90. Six other Seahawks will be listed higher.

Kam Chancellor and Carroll think the Hawks are Super focused in the wake of the crushing end to last season.

Matt Bowen and Chris Simms of Bleacher Report look at Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett — Seattle’s two awesome new weapons.

Wilson was a guest speaker at Rodgers’ daughter’s graduation.