Tag Archives: Sheldon Richardson

Contracts, Trades

Schneider should tag-and-trade Sheldon

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John Schneider (via Fresh Files)John Schneider has not been afraid to make bold gambles with the Seahawks’ roster — Percy Harvin, Jimmy Graham and Sheldon Richardson being prominent examples. As the 2018 offseason approaches, he has a chance to make another one.

Richardson figures to command a hefty contract on the open market, and he and the Jets reportedly are interested in a reunion — just months after the Jets traded him to Seattle for a second-round pick and Jermaine Kearse (and a swap of seventh-rounders).

Schneider could shrug and let the defensive tackle go, content to look forward to the third-round comp pick Seattle likely would get in 2019 — a partial offset for that trade. Or Schneider could be a lot more devious and daring, if he felt he could manipulate the situation to Seattle’s advantage.

Schneider has not used the franchise tag since his first year in Seattle, 2010, when he retained kicker Olindo Mare. But he should consider it for Richardson. And then trade him.

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Contracts, The roster

Looking ahead to 2018

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Salary cap logoWith playoff hopes slim for the Seahawks, and a Super Bowl hardly a consideration even if they do make the postseason, many people already are looking ahead to 2018.

Some overreactive fools are suggesting the Seahawks blow up the entire team, fire Pete Carroll, trade Russell Wilson and get rid of every defender over 30. That’s complete silliness, obviously.

Carroll and Wilson have presided over the greatest era of Seahawks football — a six-year run that has included 64 wins, five playoff appearances, two Super Bowls and one NFL title. Yeah, it has been a relative disappointment ever since Carroll’s botched XLIX decision — the potential dynasty fizzled out with that huge gaffe.

But these guys have plenty left.

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Contracts, The roster

Key guys playing big roles in contract years; who might be back?

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Salary cap logoThree-quarters of the way through the season, the Seahawks are finally starting to look like the Super Bowl contender we all expected.

Well, not exactly like we all expected.

Having lost three star defenders and their preferred starting running back, while dealing with a variety of other injuries and issues (penalties, offensive line shuffling, etc.), they have had a lot to overcome and have changed in unexpected ways. That explains why it took them 12 games to look like one of the NFC’s top teams.

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Contracts, Free agency, The roster

“Riches” will determine 2018 moves

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Salary cap logoAs the Seahawks quickly get ready to embark on the second half of their season, their roster — like many around the NFL — looks quite a bit different than it did when the season started.

Seattle will head to Arizona without starters Cliff Avril, Chris Carson and Luke Joeckel. But John Schneider also has added Duane Brown and Dwight Freeney, who already have made their presences felt and will be big parts of the second-half playoff push.

As he tries to help the Hawks become a contender this season, Schneider also is evaluating and plotting his 2018 moves.

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CHAWK LINES, Week 7: At NY Giants
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CHAWK LINES -- Hawks at Giants

Cliff Avril was placed on injured reserve. He said he is not retiring and might be back this season.

Jeremy Lane probably won’t play in New York, but Michael Bennett “looks like he’s ready to go.”

Quinton Jefferson is expected to play with a cast. Projected inactives: Jordan Roos, Isaiah Battle, Luke Joeckel, Jeremy Lane, Tedric Thompson, C.J. Prosise, Garrison Smith.

Here are five areas where the Seahawks need to improve ASAP.

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Week 5: At Los Angeles

A win vs. Rams is worth celebrating — no matter how it happened

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At Los Angeles logoThe Seahawks had lost three straight games at the Rams and four of the past six meetings overall, so the fact that Seattle finally managed to steal one on the road against them is cause for major celebration.

Forget the typically poor offensive performance — the Rams always dominate the Hawks’ offense. Forget the fact that the Hawks were outgained 375 yards to 241. Forget that they rushed for under 100 yards for the fourth straight time vs. the Rams.

Instead, focus on the fact that the Hawks avoided falling two games behind the Rams in the NFC West. Focus on the five takeaways, including two each by Earl Thomas and Sheldon Richardson. Focus on the fact that Seattle kept the Rams out of the end zone in all five red-zone possessions.

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State of the team, The roster

With Avril in doubt, what is future of D-line?

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Avril on NFLNThe sudden concern over Cliff Avril’s health — and thus career — has put the spotlight on the future of Seattle’s defensive line.

Almost exactly 10 years ago, Mack Strong faced a similar neck injury and decided to immediately call it a career (after 15 years). Avril, injured against the Colts on Sunday, might face the same choice in his 10th season. He is out indefinitely as he and the team investigate the cause of the stingers that numbed his arms and hands after he was kicked in the chin tackling Jacoby Brissett.

“Whenever it’s the spinal stuff and you get stingers, that means that there’s some nerve action going on there and you’ve got to be really careful and really safe with all that stuff,” Pete Carroll told KIRO Radio on Friday. “In this case in particular, we’ve just got to make sure, so we’re going to take our time with this and let it quiet down. He’s really not uncomfortable, but just some of the tests he took showed some stuff and we’ve just got to make sure we’re really honoring it and make good choices here. We’re on the same page and (will) take it one step at a time, and we’ll get to it when we can.”

It’s entirely possible Avril will return soon — maybe even after the Week 6 bye. But the 31-year-old also might decide after this injury that the ongoing risk is not worth it anymore.

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Week 2: San Francisco
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CHAWK LINES -- 49ers at Seahawks

The Seahawks can show the opener was an aberration — or reality.

The Seahawks are 7-0 in home openers in Carroll era, winning by an average of 17.4 points. Here’s a look back at all seven.

Three matchups, including Brian Hoyer vs. the home crowd.

Five things to watch in the game.

“If there’s a matchup where they can get some pressure, it’s this one.” — Analyst and former offensive lineman David Diehl, on the 49ers’ D-line vs. Seattle’s O-line.

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Week 1: At Green Bay

Home field already on the line as Hawks open with familiar Pack

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Seahawks at Packers helmetsOne game won’t decide a season, but — if the Seahawks and Packers are really the two best teams in the NFC, as Vegas thinks — home-field advantage might already be on the line when they open the season Sunday.

And that means the Seahawks are going to need to buck some bad history at Lambeau Field.

The Seahawks have lost seven straight games in Green Bay, by an average of 18.9 points. That includes last December, when Russell Wilson threw five interceptions in a 38-10 blowout that was the Hawks’ worst loss since 2011.

As we have chronicled previously, the Seahawks and Packers have been one of the best non-division rivalries in the NFL for the past two decades. This will be the sixth meeting in six years and the 14th since 1999 (the Hawks are 4-1 at home, 1-7 at Lambeau).

On top of that, they still have a thriving pipeline — Eddie Lacy the latest to go from one team to the other. He’ll face his former Packers teammates Sunday.

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Contracts, The roster, Trades

DT notes: McDowell back, Richardson’s future

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Seahawks bandagesWhile rumors continue to circulate that Malik McDowell might never play again, Pete Carroll said the Seahawks’ top pick (35th overall) will return to the team “with really no demands on him” so “he has a sense of coming to work.”

Carroll also confirmed what was pretty clear: The Sheldon Richardson trade was driven largely by the loss of McDowell, as the team sought an interior rusher for this season (and beyond).

“That was an area we really were excited about him coming in and adding in,” Carroll said of McDowell, “and then when we realized we weren’t going to have him, it just made us look in earnest to see if we could find some way to help that spot.”

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