The draft is always an important roster tool, simply because it ideally brings cheap talent and helps create a core. But some drafts are more important than others. Here we rank John Schneider’s drafts, from most to least significant (based on draft capital and needs, not results):
Continue reading Which drafts mattered more?
Over his 11-plus years as Seattle’s GM, John Schneider has been pretty good when it comes to making trades (we put him around .600).
But it’s also rare when Schneider gets value out of good players he lets go.
He didn’t get it for Michael Bennett or Richard Sherman or Earl Thomas. And he certainly didn’t get it with Jarran Reed, who was released Friday because the Seahawks had put themselves in a spot where they needed his $9 million in cap space and Schneider could not get a team to give up even a seventh-rounder for a solid starting defensive tackle who has 19 sacks over the past three seasons.
Continue reading Value for good vets continues to elude Schneider
If they thought about it enough, some NFL owners would be irked at Pete Carroll that the CBA negotiations have not yet resulted in their desired deal.
Why would they be mad at a coach who has nothing to do with it? Because some of the key players who are challenging the owners’ proposal grew up in Carroll’s culture in Seattle. He fostered individuality and independent thinking, and former Seahawks Russell Okung and Richard Sherman — along with current Hawk Bobby Wagner — are using the lessons they learned as Seahawks to fight for the best deal they can get the players.
Back from South Africa and Paris, a rare two-week vacation during football season, let’s catch up with some thoughts after the Seahawks improved to 7-2 while we were gone …
While we were watching lions (not the Detroit guys) devour baby buffalo (not the Bills) in the South Africa bush, the Seahawks held off Atlanta and beat Tampa Bay in overtime (we followed that one on Twitter from Nelspruit, S.A., which was fun).
Seattle also put Tedric Thompson and Justin Britt on IR, reportedly dangled Rashaad Penny, once again considered signing Antonio Brown and claimed Josh Gordon. And Quandre Diggs still has not played for them.
Continue reading Catching up ahead of huge Monday night game
“There’s nothing we like more than beating the guys that we love.” — Pete Carroll
As Earl Thomas comes back to Seattle, hoping for some fan love, it will be the biggest reunion/revenge game since Richard Sherman came back last December.
Sherman lost in Seattle but got even when his 49ers won in overtime at home two weeks later.
Everyone knows Thomas, now a Baltimore Raven, carries a big grudge against Pete Carroll for not wanting to re-sign him. Thomas notoriously flipped off his coach as he was carted off the field with a broken leg in Week 4 last season — what turned out to be his final game as a Seahawk.
Thomas downplayed the revenge factor this week, and Carroll said he will “love him anyway.” But Carroll also said he loves beating his former players.
John Schneider and Pete Carroll always say they check out every major opportunity that arises, and the star defensive backs on the trade market early this season obviously have piqued their interest.
They reportedly were one of the handful of teams in the Minkah Fitzpatrick sweepstakes, but they obviously were not interested in giving up the first-round pick that Pittsburgh ended up sending Miami.
Now word is they are among the clubs that have made “substantive inquiries” about Jalen Ramsey. Still, it would be surprising if the Seahawks actually traded for Jacksonville’s star corner, who is expected to be dealt by next week.
There are a bunch of reasons a Seattle deal for Ramsey seems unlikely.
Continue reading Ramsey deal seems unlikely, despite ‘substantive’ inquiry
Seattle’s 2019 season will be defined in prime time in November and December.
The Seahawks got a very balanced schedule, highlighted by alternating home and road games through the first 14 weeks and four straight night games in the second half of the season.
The Hawks will play five prime-time games overall, including two against the division rival Rams.
Seattle also has four 10 a.m. games, but Pete Carroll doesn’t care (ask him). His teams are 13-11 in 10 a.m. starts (playoffs included) since Russell Wilson arrived, and they have won seven of the last nine (all three in 2018).
Continue reading Season success will be determined in prime time
The Seahawks don’t want to trade Russell Wilson, and Wilson doesn’t want to be traded. Yet the ridiculous rumors continue that Seattle might move its franchise quarterback.
ESPN’s football reporters keep talking about the possibility, and recent Raiders coach Jack Del Rio chimed in about it. Jason La Canfora, whose reports about Wilson’s contract have all been negative, posited some trade ideas from “a smart football guy.” And Pro Football Talk, similarly pessimistic about a deal, offered teams that should call Seattle.
All of those people are forgetting one thing: John Schneider NEVER trades a premier player when he has any value. He keeps him to the bitter end. So it would be a stunner if he even considered dealing Wilson.
Continue reading Trade Wilson? Schneider never deals his stars
The return of K.J. Wright means there will still be two members of Seattle’s famed Legion of Boom defense on the field in 2019. But make no mistake: That unit is now officially gone.
Wright’s re-signing was a pleasant surprise after Earl Thomas’ long, slow goodbye finally ended with him heading to Baltimore for $13.75 million a year.
With Thomas gone, Wright and Bobby Wagner are the only ones who remain from Pete Carroll’s vaunted defense that helped lead the Seahawks to two Super Bowls and put together one of the most spectacular half-decades in league annals.
But the end also is in sight for Wright, who sounds like he’s going to retire after this two-year contract. And there is no guarantee Wagner will be around beyond this year, the final of his deal.
Continue reading Wright’s back, but Legion of Boom can take a bow
A week after the Seahawks put together their defining win of the season, at Carolina, they added an exclamation point with a 43-16 win vs. former Seahawk Richard Sherman and the undermanned 49ers.
Russell Wilson threw a season-best four TD passes, each one marked by the receivers’ celebration skits (including an homage to Sherman’s famous Tip); Bobby Wagner played easily his best game of the season, setting a team record with his 98-yard pick-six; and the Seahawks moved two games over .500 for the first time this season — happy to show Sherman they are not a “middle of the road” team as they beat the 49ers for the ninth straight time.
The Seahawks officially moved into playoff position, where they can remain if they beat Minnesota next week and win the final three. (Even dropping one game probably wouldn’t hurt them that much.) If the season ended today, the Hawks would be the No. 6 seed.
Continue reading Seahawks blow out Sherman’s 49ers, move into playoff position
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 