Seahawks News

[NorthHawk]

They also just signed LB Nate Orchard.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... e-orchard/

[NorthHawk]

The cost for Frank Clark probably just went up.
DeMarcus Lawrence just signed a new 5 year deal for $105 Million.
Clark will want a similar amount or almost that instead of his Tag# of $17.1 Million.

[idhawkman]

Marsh was starting in SF if I remember correctly. Maybe he comes back like Bennett did after a short stint in Tampa. My fingers are crosssed.

[NorthHawk]

I thought I would continue a thread to keep the news all in one place.

We didn't extend Germain Ifedi which wasn't unexpected by many.
A lot of players from that draft didn't get extended - one of the most in
recent drafts. Most notable to me is Jack Conklin, RT for the Titans who
was a top 10 pick. Only 17 teams extended players that were drafted in
the 1st round and with the Pats forfeiting their choice that year, a total
of 14 were not extended.

In other news, we had meetings with Ansah and Shane Ray the last
few days. We probably won't be signing anyone until after May 8th
as then they don't count against Compensatory picks.

[RiverDog]

I thought I would continue a thread to keep the news all in one place.

We didn't extend Germain Ifedi which wasn't unexpected by many.
A lot of players from that draft didn't get extended - one of the most in
recent drafts. Most notable to me is Jack Conklin, RT for the Titans who
was a top 10 pick. Only 17 teams extended players that were drafted in
the 1st round and with the Pats forfeiting their choice that year, a total
of 14 were not extended.

In other news, we had meetings with Ansah and Shane Ray the last
few days. We probably won't be signing anyone until after May 8th
as then they don't count against Compensatory picks.

It would have been a huge surprise if we did pick up Ifedi's option. Although we haven't had very many #1 draft choices under this CBA (Irvin and Carpenter), we haven't picked up the 5th year option on any of them, and now with Russell's big contract, we have to economize. We should be able to at least replace him without a drop off in production, perhaps even upgrade the position, for half of what it would cost to pick up Ifedi's option.

[NorthHawk]

They apparently want to keep him, just not at the $10.5 million for his 5th year.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... long-term/

[obiken]

I want him gone, he's a bust and a penalty machine.

[Agent 86]

Just a quick shoutout to the regular posters on here who have kept me informed throughout free agency and the draft. There have been some great threads and posts by alot of you, and it's mostly civil which is so nice. Great job by Mak and Yoder to keep the peace while being as fair as possible.

Love this forum, read it multiple times a day, and hope to start posting a little more regularly.

For me in a nutshell

- love the RW3 signing, had to happen
- sucks losing Earl but I am in no way bitter, we all saw it coming
- think the Clark trade was the right thing to do, both teams got what they wanted I think
- don't watch college, but obviously intrigued with the Metcalf pick, that to me was a clear message to RW3 that they are investing in the Offense for him, big potential here, he doesn't necessarily have to be the best route runner for this offense
- O-line looks good going into the season, injuries will be the concern for Fluker and Iupati
- after what they did last year, I am going into this season with high expectations. But we all know HFA is huge, Hawks need to get that first round bye to give themselves the best chance.

[RiverDog]

Nice call out 86!

Regarding not picking up Ifedi's 5th year option, he's obviously not worth $10M even if we could afford it. IMO he's likely a goner as someone will be able to offer him more.

Although it's unlikely that Russell's contract factored into this decision on Ifedi, we might as well get used to this type of scenario playing out in the future where we have a player we'd like to keep but can't afford to.

And obi, Ifedi isn't a bust by any measure. He's a starting NFL OT that's going to cash in on a huge payday next season.

[NorthHawk]

I’m wondering if it’s just a process to work the Cap as Ifedi showed a big improvement from year 1 to year 2
at OT.
An interesting note is Conklin wasn’t extended by the Titans, either so if both end up entering FA, there might be
competition for their services. But if Ifedi shows more improvement, it might not get to that point.

[obiken]

Nice call out 86!

Regarding not picking up Ifedi's 5th year option, he's obviously not worth $10M even if we could afford it. IMO he's likely a goner as someone will be able to offer him more.

Although it's unlikely that Russell's contract factored into this decision on Ifedi, we might as well get used to this type of scenario playing out in the future where we have a player we'd like to keep but can't afford to.

And obi, Ifedi isn't a bust by any measure. He's a starting NFL OT that's going to cash in on a huge payday next season.

So was Steve August River, but I wouldn't call him good.

[RiverDog]

And obi, Ifedi isn't a bust by any measure. He's a starting NFL OT that's going to cash in on a huge payday next season.

So was Steve August River, but I wouldn't call him good.

Steve August still holds the record for the number of games started at OT (90) for the Seahawks, so by definition he has to have been at least average. But I'm glad you brought him up as now I have a really good trivia question to spring on some of my Seahawk buddies.

I'm not calling Ifedi 'good', nor am I calling him a 'bust'. IMO he's a marginal performer with a penchant for penalties that isn't worth $10M. He shouldn't be difficult to replace.

[idhawkman]

Nice call out 86!

Regarding not picking up Ifedi's 5th year option, he's obviously not worth $10M even if we could afford it. IMO he's likely a goner as someone will be able to offer him more.

Although it's unlikely that Russell's contract factored into this decision on Ifedi, we might as well get used to this type of scenario playing out in the future where we have a player we'd like to keep but can't afford to.

And obi, Ifedi isn't a bust by any measure. He's a starting NFL OT that's going to cash in on a huge payday next season.

I agree with this alot. I think we might have his replacement already in camp, too. Give Fant another year over on that side as an extra olineman and I think he'll slip right over into ifedi's spot at the start of next year pretty well. He'll be cheaper, too.

Ifedi is in my book more of a slight disappointment but by no means a bust. As Riv points out, he's a starting OT in the NFL and there's only 64 of those in the world.

[idhawkman]

Steve August still holds the record for the number of games started at OT (90) for the Seahawks, so by definition he has to have been at least average. But I'm glad you brought him up as now I have a really good trivia question to spring on some of my Seahawk buddies.

Not just you have that now. BTW, we can't use it on those of us in this forum as we all know this now but others it will probably work on.

[NorthHawk]

I agree with this alot. I think we might have his replacement already in camp, too. Give Fant another year over on that side as an extra olineman and I think he'll slip right over into ifedi's spot at the start of next year pretty well. He'll be cheaper, too.

Ifedi is in my book more of a slight disappointment but by no means a bust. As Riv points out, he's a starting OT in the NFL and there's only 64 of those in the world.

People are in too much of a hurry` to give up on OL these days. They come from College largely unprepared for the NFL and have to be taught much more of the basics than
they did when the likes of Walt or Pace and those OL types were rookies. With more and more Colleges going to spread or "Air Raid" Offenses, they don't get much training
in run blocking or a lot of pass blocking because of the quick release nature of those Offenses.

With Ifedi, he's played 2 positions and had 2 OL coaches in 3 years. Last year he showed some improvement. Is it because Solari is a better teacher or could the blocking
philosophy be better suited to his natural strengths? I think it's a little bit of both and expect him to get even better this year.

He may never be a Pro Bowl candidate, but he should be able to have a good career as a solid, but unspectacular RT as a floor and I'm not sure we can ask for more these
days from young players from College unless we're selecting in the top 10 and even then it's hit and miss.

[idhawkman]

You may be right North, but do we pay him next year $10m/yr to keep him? Doubtful but if he proves he's worth that much this year, we might. Right now, the hand belongs to the Seahawk's org and I feel like Ifedi is drawing to an inside straight. He could do it but the odds are heavily against him. (good thing he's not in the Hunger games, right?)

edited: BTW, "IF" He does play to the level that we want to sign him next year to a longer term deal I feel that we will have won the SB. With the other 4 guys on the Oline playing the way they can, if Ifedi steps up to that level we should have HFA throughout.

[NorthHawk]

Pete said recently that he wants Ifedi to be around for a long time. It may be just
talk, but maybe extending him now affects the Cap calculations next year. As well,
maybe they think they can get him at a lower average cost if they don’t set expectations
early. I can see it being part of a teams overall plan with salaries in some cases.

[idhawkman]

Pete said recently that he wants Ifedi to be around for a long time. It may be just
talk, but maybe extending him now affects the Cap calculations next year. As well,
maybe they think they can get him at a lower average cost if they don’t set expectations
early. I can see it being part of a teams overall plan with salaries in some cases.

I think Pete has to say that. I think they'll let him Test free agency next year and realize that he's not worth what he thinks he might be

[RiverDog]

Pete said recently that he wants Ifedi to be around for a long time. It may be just
talk, but maybe extending him now affects the Cap calculations next year. As well,
maybe they think they can get him at a lower average cost if they don’t set expectations
early. I can see it being part of a teams overall plan with salaries in some cases.

I think they'll let him Test free agency next year and realize that he's not worth what he thinks he might be

It's not a matter of the Hawks "letting" Ifedi test free agency. By declining to pick up his option, the Hawks have made him a free agent after this season.

I don't think that there's any doubt that Ifedi will receive an offer in excess of what we'd be willing to pay him. As much as some of us have complained about him, he's still started a lot of NFL games at a position that is in high demand.

[NorthHawk]

They still have a lot of time to waive a contract in front of him.
The Titans didn't extend Conklin who many think is one of the best RT's in the game.
I don't think he will automatically go to FA, either without the team making an offer
that would make him reconsider.

[RiverDog]

They still have a lot of time to waive a contract in front of him.

That's true. But my point is that the ball is now in Ifedi's court, not the Hawks. It's not a matter of the Hawks "letting" him test FA as one might with a transition tag. It's Ifedi's decision as to whether to sign an extension this season or test free agency next year.

[NorthHawk]

I think that after the June cuts happen and the Cap room is settled, we might see some offers made.
It would be Wagner first, of course and maybe Reed, too, but they should be able to do all three if they
think he's worth it. I guess it would be determined by how much he thinks he's worth as to whether he
signs for a longer term here or test FA as well as what type of offer the team makes to him.

[RiverDog]

I think that after the June cuts happen and the Cap room is settled, we might see some offers made.
It would be Wagner first, of course and maybe Reed, too, but they should be able to do all three if they
think he's worth it. I guess it would be determined by how much he thinks he's worth as to whether he
signs for a longer term here or test FA as well as what type of offer the team makes to him.

I'm not sure how anxious the club is to extend either player this far out. Outside of Russell, I can't think of another player that they extended a season before their contract expired (Beast maybe?). Perhaps they might take a shot at Bobby, but as far as Ifedi goes, IMO I'd rather see him play for his contract. We have a couple players on the roster that might be able to push him for his starting job and there's always the threat of injury that would diminish his value.

[NorthHawk]

Both Reed and Wagner are UFA's next year, so getting them signed is a larger concern in my opinion, but if one of them
turns out to be a quick negotiation...

[NorthHawk]

Since this a a Seahawks News thread...

We signed 4 draft picks.

2-47: Marquise Blair, S (Utah)
4-124: Phil Haynes, G (Wake Forest)
4-132: Ugo Amadi, S (Oregon)
5-142: Ben Burr-Kirven, LB (Washington)

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2019/ ... raft-picks

[Oly]

I'm not sure how anxious the club is to extend either player this far out. Outside of Russell, I can't think of another player that they extended a season before their contract expired (Beast maybe?). Perhaps they might take a shot at Bobby, but as far as Ifedi goes, IMO I'd rather see him play for his contract. We have a couple players on the roster that might be able to push him for his starting job and there's always the threat of injury that would diminish his value.

JS doesn't extend with more than 1 year left, but he's comfortable extending guys after the draft but before training camp of their final years. He extended Sherman on May 7, 2014, which was when he was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, for example. It's probably only going to be the core guys that get those deals, but I'd be shocked if he doesn't try to get Bobby's contract done. I could see a 3- or 4-year-deal that has most of the money up front and makes it easy to cut him after 2 years if he gets injured. I can't see them locking up Ifedi, though, unless it's a really team-friendly deal. But, after the mediocre Ja’Wuan James got 12.75M per year to play RT for the Broncos, I can't see Ifedi signing a cheap deal. Like you, I think they let him finish the season and see if Fant or Jones can step up.

[RiverDog]

I'm not sure how anxious the club is to extend either player this far out. Outside of Russell, I can't think of another player that they extended a season before their contract expired (Beast maybe?). Perhaps they might take a shot at Bobby, but as far as Ifedi goes, IMO I'd rather see him play for his contract. We have a couple players on the roster that might be able to push him for his starting job and there's always the threat of injury that would diminish his value.

JS doesn't extend with more than 1 year left, but he's comfortable extending guys after the draft but before training camp of their final years. He extended Sherman on May 7, 2014, which was when he was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, for example. It's probably only going to be the core guys that get those deals, but I'd be shocked if he doesn't try to get Bobby's contract done. I could see a 3- or 4-year-deal that has most of the money up front and makes it easy to cut him after 2 years if he gets injured. I can't see them locking up Ifedi, though, unless it's a really team-friendly deal. But, after the mediocre Ja’Wuan James got 12.75M per year to play RT for the Broncos, I can't see Ifedi signing a cheap deal. Like you, I think they let him finish the season and see if Fant or Jones can step up.

Thanks, Oly! I was pretty sure that we had extended Beast a year out, but couldn't remember anyone else besides Russ.

I see where Bobby is acting as his own agent. Not many players do that anymore.

Agreed about your observation about how the James signing will affect Ifedi's market value. James was hurt a lot and the best anyone can say about him is that he is an average to above average RT. Ifedi has a better injury history but he also has drawn more penalties. PC and JS have overpaid at other positions, but not on the OL. Until Britt broke the trend, not a single OL was offered a 2nd contract. With 31 other teams in the league, it's a near certainty that someone will overpay him.

[NorthHawk]

Is it overpaying or just the market rate of today?
The Oakland RT got a bigger deal than expected, too, so maybe the landscape has changed.
I think it depends on how he looks in TC and pre-season because they don't want to go back
to the days of a Fire Drill OL when nobody was in the same position from game to game.
We have to expect Fluker and Ifedi will miss a few if not more games, and a new RT,
we would be looking at old scenario under Cable with revolving pieces.

[idhawkman]

I could be totally wrong on this but I seem to remember the year that Kam held out was with 2 years left on his contract. Then they resigned him the next year with one year left. Am I getting that wrong? I believe that is true and why I was so upset at him. I can understand the last year of a contract holding out of training camp but not with multiple years left.

[NorthHawk]

I could be totally wrong on this but I seem to remember the year that Kam held out was with 2 years left on his contract. Then they resigned him the next year with one year left. Am I getting that wrong? I believe that is true and why I was so upset at him. I can understand the last year of a contract holding out of training camp but not with multiple years left.

Wagner, Reed, Fant, and Ifedi are all on the last year of their contracts and are Unrestricted Free Agents after this year, so a new contract falls
within the team norms of offering new contracts.

[idhawkman]

Wagner, Reed, Fant, and Ifedi are all on the last year of their contracts and are Unrestricted Free Agents after this year, so a new contract falls
within the team norms of offering new contracts.

I don't like Fant and Ifedi being FAs on the same year but I don't see us offering either of them this year. So we might lose them both. I would like to see Bwags get signed to an extension and Reed if the money is there. Not sure we can afford him though. Would love to keep him but.... He might be an unintended consequence of signing our Franchise QB.

We've made the big investment on the offensive side of the ball, we need that side to produce this year and not do what they've done in the past by only showing up late in the second half of games. They need to start strong and fast.

[RiverDog]

Is it overpaying or just the market rate of today?
The Oakland RT got a bigger deal than expected, too, so maybe the landscape has changed.
I think it depends on how he looks in TC and pre-season because they don't want to go back
to the days of a Fire Drill OL when nobody was in the same position from game to game.
We have to expect Fluker and Ifedi will miss a few if not more games, and a new RT,
we would be looking at old scenario under Cable with revolving pieces.

It's over paying. They're getting the apple cart in front of the horse. By making an average performer the highest paid at his position, they're forcing the market to adjust to the new norm. How else can you explain someone like Jimmy Garappolo getting the type of contract he secured?

Unless he's willing to give us a dang good home town discount, I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that we'll sign Ifedi to a long term contract regardless of the consequences it would create on the OL. We have bigger fish to fry and a limited amount of bacon grease.

[NorthHawk]

Salary norms are set by other teams upsetting the apple cart. Look for Conklin to get a big contract.
At this point it looks like we will have a lot of Cap room next year. I've read in the area of $50 million.
That covers all of the starters who are FA's and leaves a lot of room for any Free Agents they might
like (JS doesn't like to participate in the 1st wave of FA, so it's not much of an issue). People talk
about replacing Ifedi, but with who? Jones is unproven and if Fant is better than Ifedi, he would have
been starting not to mention that if he becomes the starting RT, we would have to pay him big $$ to
stay instead of Ifedi.

I keep reading comments around the internet from people who are hell bent on getting rid of Ifedi
without any plan as to how to replace him. It's almost the same locked in attitude as some of the
political perspectives and they aren't going to let go. Let's see if he improves again this year
before we jettison a player that might just be getting the right coaching and be in the right
system to succeed.

[RiverDog]

Salary norms are set by other teams upsetting the apple cart. Look for Conklin to get a big contract.
At this point it looks like we will have a lot of Cap room next year. I've read in the area of $50 million.
That covers all of the starters who are FA's and leaves a lot of room for any Free Agents they might
like (JS doesn't like to participate in the 1st wave of FA, so it's not much of an issue). People talk
about replacing Ifedi, but with who? Jones is unproven and if Fant is better than Ifedi, he would have
been starting not to mention that if he becomes the starting RT, we would have to pay him big $$ to
stay instead of Ifedi.

I keep reading comments around the internet from people who are hell bent on getting rid of Ifedi
without any plan as to how to replace him. It's almost the same locked in attitude as some of the
political perspectives and they aren't going to let go. Let's see if he improves again this year
before we jettison a player that might just be getting the right coaching and be in the right
system to succeed.

JS also has a habit of not resigning offensive linemen to multi year 2nd contracts, the only one during their 9 year tenure being Justin Britt. Compound that reality with Ifedi's situation by an unprecedented (for the Hawks) record contract just signed and a potential HOF'er that wants to be paid makes an improved performance out of Ifedi almost a moot point as all it will do would be to increase his worth on the FA market and make him even more unsignable.

JS traded a Pro Bowl offensive lineman, Max Unger, without any viable replacement on his roster. Our current situation when considering a replacement for what can only be described as an average RT is certainly no worse than our situation at center was when he traded Unger.

[NorthHawk]

JS may not have re-signed many OL to 2nd contracts except for Britt and Brown, but he also never drafted DB's
before the 4th round until last year and then he took one in the 2nd this year, so he does break trends if he
sees value.

They didn't seem to value OL much in the days of Cable, but it seems to me they have figured out that they need
continuity and talent, not just a slapped together group and hope for the best. By trading for Brown and signing
Fluker, they started to put together an OL with an identity and it looks like they have a prototype of OL to play.
Ifedi fits that physical profile very well and if he continues to improve this year, he could be a valuable player.

What would make it a moot point is if he regressed this year, but let's see how he does. He may be worth
it in the long run.

[idhawkman]

One thing is for certain and I think North is pointing it out in his posts. "IF" the oline leaks like a sieve, NOTHING works on offense, it wears out the defense and we lose. Our franchise QB is not as fleet of foot as he once was and a leaky OL will be even more dangerous every year going forward because of it. So there might be some merit in keeping Ifedi. I'm not in the camp of keeping Ifedi at this point. I'd rather pay a rookie a rookie's salary in that position but if that then turns into a turnstile for a path to our QB then I will have taken a terrible gamble and jeopardized our team's future. I don't have the confidential scouting reports that JS gets or the input from Pete to evaluate if he is the answer or not. I have to trust in them but the bar is pretty low IMO for a rookie to overtake him at that position.

[MackStrongIsMyHero]

https://www.fieldgulls.com/2019/5/9/185 ... -contracts

No surprise, though perhaps slightly more of a surprise with Baldwin. Was hoping he'd be able to pull off one more season, but the time has come. As a younger Seahawks fan, these two I can refer to as great Seahawks that I was able to see play.

[Aseahawkfan]

Dang. Baldwin too. Good luck and good life to both. They gave Seattle their best and set the bar high for themselves and anyone following. Glad they played for Seattle. Can't wait for them to enter the Ring of Honor.

[idhawkman]

I'm a defensive guy by heart and my biggest passion is in the DBs. So KAM is one of my all time favorites (even though he severely disappointed me with his holdout). I'm so glad that he was ONLY a Seahawk and never played for another team. Loved both of those guys and hope they have full and rewarding lives beyond the field.

[NorthHawk]

That’s a lot of leadership that’s lost with those two moving on.
I wish them both the best in their lives and expect to hear from
at least Doug Baldwin in the future as he moves to the next
phase of his life.

It was a great ride watching them perform on the big stage.