What are you most looking forward to in the preseason

[Aseahawkfan]

For me what I'm most looking forward to:

1. Defensive changes. I want to see if we move to a true 3-4 or if this is Pete's 4-3 LEO hybrid.

2. Performance at the LT spot. I want to see how well Cross does in a NFL style offense.

3. RB performance. See if Penny can keep on his roll and if Walker can get going out of the gate.

[obiken]

Nothing, its like combat, when you realize your dead there is no hope.

[Old but Slow]

Wait a minute. I thought this forum was about quarterbacks and head coaches and disharmony and stuff. Oh, well.

First I will be looking at how they configure the offensive line. Will they get rid of Jackson; will they start both rookie tackles (or even one); and how well does this new center fit in.

The defense will likely look different, with some new players and new coaches, so it seems that other than the DT and safety positions, it is up in the air. Certainly there will be a scramble at corner, and while the linebacker spots are a little more settled, there are still questions, especially with depth.

The wide outs will be interesting as they really need someone to grab that 3d receiver spot and run with it.

Quarterbacks? Say la V. I know, I know, but I don't spell well in French.

[Aseahawkfan]

Nothing, its like combat, when you realize your dead there is no hope.

C'mon, Obi. You don't have some curiosity about these tackles? They drafted two big old tackles in the 1st and 2nd round. When is the last time you saw Pete invest so heavily in the O-line? You love O-line.

[NorthHawk]

Mostly Offense and if we are going to see an Offense that is more like McVays or if we are going to
run the same old thing.

For individual players I want to see Walker, the new OTs, and DBs. It should give us an idea of how far
they have to go to become competent at this level.

[Hawktawk]

I’m watching the qb battle and seeing how our defense shakes out . I don’t worry about the line as much as some . Obviously the running back situation is critical . I’ll be curious how many snaps people get in preseason games .

[obiken]

[/quote]C'mon, Obi. You don't have some curiosity about these tackles? They drafted two big old tackles in the 1st and 2nd round. When is the last time you saw Pete invest so heavily in the O-line? You love O-line.[/quote]

Yeah okay, you got me on that one. The DL is it improved, and is Penny going to be good or just injured again.

[Aseahawkfan]

Yeah okay, you got me on that one. The DL is it improved, and is Penny going to be good or just injured again.

Depends. They got the fat boys signed for the D-line. If they switch to more of a 3-4 using the new guy as a OLB rusher, could be interesting D-line or front 7. Do some interesting rush formations with Jamal Adams rotating as part of the pressure packages.

[RiverDog]

As a rule, I'm not too interested in preseason games, but this year might be different given the monumental change at QB and the unusually high number of draft picks on the roster.

The first thing I'll be looking at is Drew Lock. I already know what Geno can/can't do, but I have never seen Lock play in a live game. People have compared him to Josh Allen, and I'll be looking to see if that's reality or hype.

Assuming that both rookie OT's are starters, I'll be watching them, but I doubt that they get a chance to play against top pash rushers. Our first preseason game is against the Steelers, but it's unlikely that high profile pass rushers like TJ Watt will see much playing time, so it will be a little hard to evaluate them against 2nd rate competition.

As stated in the OP, it will be interesting to see what our defensive alignment looks like, if we have just 3 hands in the dirt or if we stick with the conventional 4-3.

[tarlhawk]

Three things that I think will reflect the most impact:

1) The settling of our QB situation in a decisive fashion to where the emerging QB is clearly the leader of our offense while the backup is solid security for injury purposes. Will we bring in a wildcard QB like Jimmy Garoppolo?

2) How well our new defensive coaching brain trust can translate solid coaching into getting the most development of our youth and the improvement of communication (our lack of communication played a heavy role in our defense stumbling out of the gate following our Colts game)

3) Will our TE group be fully utilized in a Waldron offense...keeping the chains moving while reversing last years lopsided Time of Possession? Will Noah Fant emerge as an offensive threat with DK impact?

[RiverDog]

3) Will our TE group be fully utilized in a Waldron offense...keeping the chains moving while reversing last years lopsided Time of Possession? Will Noah Fant emerge as an offensive threat with DK impact?

Good point about the tight end position group. I particularly want to see how well Will Dissly performs, if he's fully recovered from his knee surgery. He's the best all around tight end we've had since Zach Miller.

[EmeraldBullet]

It will be most interesting for me to see who gets the majority of reps behind center. I also look forward to seeing how our new additions, especially RB and TE and how well our young CBs hold up.

[RiverDog]

It will be most interesting for me to see who gets the majority of reps behind center. I also look forward to seeing how our new additions, especially RB and TE and how well our young CBs hold up.

We're probably not going to see a heck of a lot out of Walker, at least not in the first couple of preseason games. RB is a position so subject to injury, and the last thing we want to see happen is for him to get injured in a meaningless preseason game. My guess is that they give him a soft landing, no more than 5 touches per game.

It will be interesting if Pete splits the snaps with the first team offense equally between Geno and Lock. When Flynn and Russell were battling it out back in 2012, Flynn got nearly all the work behind with the first team.

[Hawktawk]

We're probably not going to see a heck of a lot out of Walker, at least not in the first couple of preseason games. RB is a position so subject to injury, and the last thing we want to see happen is for him to get injured in a meaningless preseason game. My guess is that they give him a soft landing, no more than 5 touches per game.

It will be interesting if Pete splits the snaps with the first team offense equally between Geno and Lock. When Flynn and Russell were battling it out back in 2012, Flynn got nearly all the work behind with the first team.

It’s my understanding Geno has had all the first team reps so far although Carroll said a few weeks ago it wouldn’t take long for Drew to catch up . Obviously if we have a QBOTF on the roster it’s he or Eason who almost certainly will not start this year but Pete threw him a bone saying he was fighting his tail off . I will say based on my film study of Genos time if he’s that guy he could start and win here for a while . I guess Pete and I are the only people who think last year wasn’t a fluke.
This TC might provide answers but then there’s plenty of preseason all pros who can’t play a lick when the games start counting . It will be a fun one to see what happens .

[NorthHawk]

I heard Pete talk about the QB situation and he said at that time that Geno was ahead but it was mostly because he’s more
familiar with it and they should be pretty much even by TC. It was hardly an endorsement of Geno and sounded more like
he expected Lock to eventually win the starting role.

[tarlhawk]

If you look at the QB competition designed to provide motivation to both of your QB and one already has shown confidence (being very confident in displaying knowledge of Waldron's play book) ...then there is no mystery as to what Pete says. Our coaches are trying to rekindle Drew Locks confidence and nurture a competitive desire to compete and win...he has expressed a desire to win it.

This early camp saw Geno getting more time if not all with the "ones"...because evaluation of the other offensive components needs a QB already familiar with the playbook to see what we got. The situational opportunities ( two minute drills/fast tempo/red zone assignments) have been split with excellent results from both QB as far as command of the huddle/movement in the pocket/getting the offense to the line of scrimmage.

The REAL competition will begin in a few short weeks...when comfort gives way to intense evaluation...will Drew be a quick study with the playbook? Physically their skill set is comparable with only an age gap and contrast in confidence separating the two. Drew has already singled out the TE group as something he has quickly appreciated upon arriving...Noah Fant as a familiar phenom and he has complemented Dissly and expressed wonder at why Colby Parkinson hasn't become the Red Zone nightmare he sees him as.

[Aseahawkfan]

Noah Fant looks like a very promising TE.

[NorthHawk]

He was a high first round pick so he should have some potential.
I was a little concerned by reading comments that he had a problem with drops.
Hopefully we will see the best of him and the comments are just sour grapes.

[RiverDog]

He (Noah Fant) was a high first round pick so he should have some potential. I was a little concerned by reading comments that he had a problem with drops. Hopefully we will see the best of him and the comments are just sour grapes.

My question about Fant has to do with his blocking ability as an inline tight end. With two rookie OT's and going up against the DE's that we are, we're going to need to be holding the tight end in to block on a number of occasions. I would assume that being a high draft pick that he must be at least adequate.

[NorthHawk]

Not necessarily.
A lot of TEs these days are drafted for their ability to add to the Offense as a receiver. Fant wasn't known as a particularly effective blocker rather a TE with speed
and pass catching abiility.

We'll see how he does, but Bleacherreport compares him to Jimmy Graham and Walterfootball says he's a poor blocker.
He's an athletic freak, but it remains to be seen if he can become a complete TE that this team will need.

[Hawktawk]

Much the same as saying they liked lock in the draft JS said they were going to draft Fant and Denver got him . I find it fascinating that Lock and Fant have already connected 74 times . He is a huge fast man , far thicker than Graham and maybe faster . A fascinating side note to the trade . I want win now guy whoever it is . I mention Kj endorsing Geno and it’s crickets . This is a respected savvy veteran hawk . Crickets .

I hope Lock comes in and wins the job . But if it’s clear by his stats that he hasn’t and they start him anyway it might create friction in the locker room as Geno has been a good soldier for 4 years in the organization and as Michelle Tafoya said pre game before the Steelers game “ he is universally loved by his teammates “

what I’ve seen is there is a genuine friendship and mutual respect between the men which is cool . Let’s see what happens when it heats up. It’s obviously the biggest story in camp .

[tarlhawk]

From "NorthHawk" He (Noah Fant) was a high first round pick so he should have some potential. I was a little concerned by reading comments that he had a problem with drops. Hopefully we will see the best of him and the comments are just sour grapes.

My question about Fant has to do with his blocking ability as an inline tight end. With two rookie OT's and going up against the DE's that we are, we're going to need to be holding the tight end in to block on a number of occasions. I would assume that being a high draft pick that he must be at least adequate.

From a 2019 Bleacher Report scouting:
—Ridiculous athlete who ran a 4.5 in the 40, jumped 39.5 inches in the vertical, 10 feet, 6 inches in the broad and then ran a 6.81-second three-cone drill.

—Great catch radius with the athleticism and flexibility to make grabs away from his 6'4", 249-pound frame; will go up high to challenge on 50-50 balls with a great vertical jump but also goes low to get balls off the turf.

—Very productive, especially in the red zone. Is able to score with yards-after-catch speed or by posting up defenders.

—Gets to top speed in a hurry; will leave linebackers yards behind him in coverage and must be accounted for by a safety over the top. Will cause defenses to panic.

—Better blocker than many think; will slide and mirror in the passing game and is quick enough to win in the run game and get to the second level.

—Can be lined up anywhere in the formation and have success; won't be limited to certain roles or alignments.

—Intelligent student-athlete who wants to be a surgeon after football.

Noah has stated he wants to become a complete package (in-line blocking)...as for rumors of drops we live in an era of stat rich info...just a little effort to look into this.

Hmmm lets compare a TE we all "love to hate" ...George Kittle. In 2021 Kittle was targeted 94 times catching 71 for 910 yds while dropping only 2 passes (2.1%). In 2020 he had only 63 targets catching 48 for 634 yds while dropping 5 passes (7.9%)

How did Noah Fant compare? In 2021 Fant was targeted 90 times catching 68 for 670 yds while dropping 2 passes (2.2%). In 2020 he had 93 targets catching 62 for 673 yds while dropping 5 passes (5.4%) I'm not seeing an issue with drops ...are you? Go Hawks

[NorthHawk]

He's no George Kittle if that's what you are trying to imply. Kittle is more of a Gronkowski type and Fant is more of a Graham type if you want to make comparisons.

[tarlhawk]

He's no George Kittle if that's what you are trying to imply. Kittle is more of a Gronkowski type and Fant is more of a Graham type if you want to make comparisons.

No implication made...I identified a top notch TE from amongst our enemy and showed your fear of hearing rumors of Fant making too many drops is without merit...when you look purely at statistical comparisons.

Noah Fant is more of a speed and burst guy with only one broken tackle last year while Kittle had eight...so your physicality contrast holds up.

[RiverDog]

He's no George Kittle if that's what you are trying to imply. Kittle is more of a Gronkowski type and Fant is more of a Graham type if you want to make comparisons.

No implication made...I identified a top notch TE from amongst our enemy and showed your fear of hearing rumors of Fant making too many drops is without merit...when you look purely at statistical comparisons.

Noah Fant is more of a speed and burst guy with only one broken tackle last year while Kittle had eight...so your physicality contrast holds up.

Scouting reports are interesting, but they come from college competition and don't always translate to the next level.

You always wonder why an opposing team would be willing to give up on a player and toss them in on a trade. Drew Lock is a prime example. The Broncos gave him a shot, and for whatever reason, decided that he wasn't their QBOTF, and since they were trading for a QB, it didn't hurt them one little bit to include Lock in the deal if it would keep the Hawks from demanding a player that they really liked.

So, if Fant is that good, then why were the Broncos willing to part with him? It's one of the things I'll be watching for in the preseason.

[NorthHawk]

I read a report that the Broncos thought Fant was a good player but not someone that they absolutely had to keep to incorporate with Wilson.
The article author thought that the Broncos considered their current TE's to be talented enough that losing Fant wouldn't make much of a difference.
He does come from Kirk Ference's Offense which is a Pro Style Offense, so he has been exposed to blocking, but Denver didn't use him in that manner.
With Lock? I think it was a matter of them seriously upgrading at QB so losing one and gaining another was a net win. And Seattle probably needed to
come away with another QB who might have potential starting ability and if not then a possible adequate backup.

[RiverDog]

I read a report that the Broncos thought Fant was a good player but not someone that they absolutely had to keep to incorporate with Wilson.
The article author thought that the Broncos considered their current TE's to be talented enough that losing Fant wouldn't make much of a difference.
He does come from Kirk Ference's Offense which is a Pro Style Offense, so he has been exposed to blocking, but Denver didn't use him in that manner.
With Lock? I think it was a matter of them seriously upgrading at QB so losing one and gaining another was a net win. And Seattle probably needed to
come away with another QB who might have potential starting ability and if not then a possible adequate backup.

One possibility for the Bronco's willingness to give up Fant is that they were aware of Russell's aversion to throw across the middle in an area that would take advantage of a good, pass receiving tight end.

In any event, I'll be watching him closely once the preseason gets started.

[tarlhawk]

One possibility for the Bronco's willingness to give up Fant is that they were aware of Russell's aversion to throw across the middle in an area that would take advantage of a good, pass receiving tight end.
In any event, I'll be watching him closely once the preseason gets started.

Read an unconfirmed report that during negotiations Denver must have already been informed Noah Fant had to be included...and asked if we were willing to add Dissly...but instead we gave Will a decent contract extension...negotiations can be tough.

[Hawktawk]

One possibility for the Bronco's willingness to give up Fant is that they were aware of Russell's aversion to throw across the middle in an area that would take advantage of a good, pass receiving tight end.
In any event, I'll be watching him closely once the preseason gets started.

Read an unconfirmed report that during negotiations Denver must have already been informed Noah Fant had to be included...and asked if we were willing to add Dissly...but instead we gave Will a decent contract extension...negotiations can be tough.

Seattle had to give up a 4th round pick to make the deal happen . Imagine that . Greatest QB ever to play the game and we had to include a 4th . This was previous dudes idea , his wish but JS and PC won this trade going away and it will become evident soon . Not sure about Lock but Geno threw enough in the middle in 13 quarters to pull us out of dead last in throws between the hash marks . Imagine this Fant in the seam and Dk on the fly and Lockett completely lost from the defense . We will be better then last year . Much more consistent .

[Aseahawkfan]

Noah Fant was on the second to last year of his contract and about to get expensive. May be a shrewd salary cap move to sweeten the deal for Russell to include Fant. If Fant does well, no way we can afford him, DK, and Tyler on the same team. Fant is pretty good receiving TE who has been held back by having a not so great QB, same as DK and Tyler will drop in numbers having a lower quality QB this year.

[RiverDog]

One possibility for the Bronco's willingness to give up Fant is that they were aware of Russell's aversion to throw across the middle in an area that would take advantage of a good, pass receiving tight end.
In any event, I'll be watching him closely once the preseason gets started.

Read an unconfirmed report that during negotiations Denver must have already been informed Noah Fant had to be included...and asked if we were willing to add Dissly...but instead we gave Will a decent contract extension...negotiations can be tough.

Interesting.

I was surprised that Dissly was signed to the contract that he was. I'm not disappointed as I really like him, the best all around tight end we've had since Zach Miller. But a 4 year contract coming off major knee surgery? They must have a lot of confidence in his return.

[Aseahawkfan]

I was surprised that Dissly was signed to the contract that he was. I'm not disappointed as I really like him, the best all around tight end we've had since Zach Miller. But a 4 year contract coming off major knee surgery? They must have a lot of confidence in his return.

Apparently they have more confidence in Dissly than Penny or Geno. Penny got a one year prove it deal and Geno got a one year backup QB deal. I am surprised they had that much confidence in Dissly to sign him to a three year deal worth 8 million a year.

Noah Fant's cap hit low this year, but jumps to 6.85 million in his last year in 2023. He is a very solid TE, but going to get expensive quick as much as we are paying receivers.

[NorthHawk]

They know the rookies at T will struggle so they overpaid to get a TE that can block in Dissly.

Regarding wanting Fant, part of a trade is giving the appearance of equity so getting a former 1sr round pick still
on his first contract fits that bill. It takes some of the heat off of giving up a perennial Pro Bowl QB. Since we didn’t
know how to use Graham it will be interesting to see if they learned anything from that wasted trade.

[Aseahawkfan]

They know the rookies at T will struggle so they overpaid to get a TE that can block in Dissly.

Regarding wanting Fant, part of a trade is giving the appearance of equity so getting a former 1sr round pick still
on his first contract fits that bill. It takes some of the heat off of giving up a perennial Pro Bowl QB. Since we didn’t
know how to use Graham it will be interesting to see if they learned anything from that wasted trade.

Graham wasn't exactly a bust, but he wasn't the TE they were looking for. He never could learn to block well. A TE that is just a good receiver not gonna do well in a play action pass style offense like Pete likes to run.

[tarlhawk]

Interesting article by Brady Henderson (ESPN) which maybe "explains" why Dissly got an above avg contract extension):

According to ESPN Stats & Information, 25% of Wilson's career pass attempts have been thrown zero to 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage and between the field numbers. That's the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL among 55 passers with at least 1,000 attempts since 2012.

It hasn't stopped Wilson from becoming one of the game's elite quarterbacks, but favoring deep shots to the perimeter over shorter throws helps explain why his tight ends were rarely a prominent feature of the Seahawks' offense.

Interestingly, Fant's old team helped Dissly get paid. The Broncos wanted him to help replace Fant, arm Wilson with a familiar target and get one of the NFL's better in-line tight ends. When Denver made its push for Dissly, the Seahawks upped their offer to three years and $24 million.

A month later, before Fant had stepped foot onto their practice field, the Seahawks picked up his $6.85 million option for 2023. It was the first fifth-year option they've exercised, having declined to do so with their five eligible first-round picks since the options were instituted in 2011.

"Obviously, that was a huge testament," Fant said. "It kind of showed their faith in me."

[Old but Slow]

After looking at all the responses to the OP, and finding a lot of good points, I realized that what I am most looking forward to is getting it started. Let's go already. Enough with off season. Let the games begin.

[Aseahawkfan]

I'm ready to go too. I'm looking forward to the preseason this year. I want to see how this all comes together.

One thing about a brand new team is the excitement of seeing a group of new rookies proving if they can play. Even now watching the Mariners is exciting because have a great rookie in Julio Rodriguez who is as good a rook as the Mariners have had since Ken Griffey Jr. That's fun to watch.

I'm hoping some of these rooks surprise us like they did when Pete first built that Super Bowl team. Be nice to see some lightning strike twice.

[RiverDog]

They know the rookies at T will struggle so they overpaid to get a TE that can block in Dissly.

They resigned Dissly over a month before the draft, so unless they knew in advance that they were going to draft two OT's and pencil them in as starters, I doubt that was a consideration. IMO they knew that no matter who they had as bookends, they considered a blocking tight end like Dissly to be a very valuable commodity. There's not many around with the combination of good hands and blocking ala George Kittle. But I also wonder if with the acquisition of Fant, which happened a week before Dissly was signed, created a sense of urgency, that they may have felt that Fant wasn't a very good blocker.

Regarding wanting Fant, part of a trade is giving the appearance of equity so getting a former 1sr round pick still
on his first contract fits that bill. It takes some of the heat off of giving up a perennial Pro Bowl QB. Since we didn’t
know how to use Graham it will be interesting to see if they learned anything from that wasted trade.

Perhaps, maybe even likely. Even though we have never fully utilized them, we seem to have put a premium on tight ends over the years, bringing in high profile free agents (Olsen, Everett), expensive trades (Graham), and the draft (Dissly, Parkinson).

[NorthHawk]

They had a plan going into the draft. They knew they were going to trade Wilson - or at least had a good chance to do so as it's been stated the Broncos were
persistent in talking to our FO about Wilson. They also knew that they might not re-sign Brown and they had to upgrade at RT. So signing a TE that is a good
blocker was going to be important on at least one of the sides of the Offense. Even if they kept Wilson, that one rookie OT would have problems early.

We have put a premium on TE's, but we've wasted their talents. It's a pattern that's a little disturbing to be honest but it seems to fit Pete's philosophy of
having a complete TE but not taking advantage of the talents that make them special. I hope this changes with Waldron but if the core philosophy on
Offense stays the same then I somehow doubt we will get the best out of Fant or any TE that isn't a blocker first.

[Hawktawk]

They had a plan going into the draft. They knew they were going to trade Wilson - or at least had a good chance to do so as it's been stated the Broncos were
persistent in talking to our FO about Wilson. They also knew that they might not re-sign Brown and they had to upgrade at RT. So signing a TE that is a good
blocker was going to be important on at least one of the sides of the Offense. Even if they kept Wilson, that one rookie OT would have problems early.

We have put a premium on TE's, but we've wasted their talents. It's a pattern that's a little disturbing to be honest but it seems to fit Pete's philosophy of
having a complete TE but not taking advantage of the talents that make them special. I hope this changes with Waldron but if the core philosophy on
Offense stays the same then I somehow doubt we will get the best out of Fant or any TE that isn't a blocker first.

“ we” didn’t waste their talent . Our quarterbacks have . Hasslebeck didn’t feature tight ends nor has Wilson . Even so Graham set Seahawks records . Not a monumental achievement but he was not the reason we weren’t more successful with him. He got the last laugh in Green Bay ending our slim chance in the divisional with a clutch catch at the sticks . Fant has the potential to be a superstar in the mold of a Shannon Sharp or something . Just get him the ball .