Offseason changes

[NorthHawk]

So Chicago and New York are only a QB away from SB appearances? The Giants with only 2 million in cap space are going to be able to shed 50
million in "only their worse players"? So Russell wants to share the heat being taken by NY Giants ownership?

Nope. Didn't say that. What I did say was new GMs might want to make a splash, and for Wilson and his family there would be more opportunities for both
he and his wife's career.
The Cap can be overcome if they are creative. It's done all the time.

[NorthHawk]

So Marshawn was "breaking tackles" behind the LOS? His O-Line sucked so he had to break tackles? He didn't break tackles once in the crease? His reputation as a "beast" to bring down had nothing to do with him reaching the 2nd level where LB's hang out? Guess I missed out on "seeing" poor Marshawn having to escape all those defenders penetrating our "porous" line into the backfield...and all those successful "read options" that he and RW tortured the edge containment with? It's never a TEAM winning effort with you...always an individual being forced to rise above the failings of his TEAM.

KC replaced 4/5 of their O-Line because they had no other draft/FA concerns? This is the team with 2 100 million dollar contracts and a star QB playing on his rookie salary...being admired for gambling with their future...or do these two million dollar contracts expire before their QB hits his 2nd contract?

Marshawn made the OL look better than it was/is. It is proven as when he left, the run game took a huge hit and the OL was exposed as being what it is.

KC replaced most of their OL because of injuries to both Tackles. To them the cost/benefit wasn't worth the risk and they could have afforded to keep them but like all good organizations they had a plan to
replace them. Unlike us who after 6 years of bad Center play we still haven't addressed it.

[RiverDog]

Marshawn made the OL look better than it was/is. It is proven as when he left, the run game took a huge hit and the OL was exposed as being what it is.

KC replaced most of their OL because of injuries to both Tackles. To them the cost/benefit wasn't worth the risk and they could have afforded to keep them but like all good organizations they had a plan to
replace them. Unlike us who after 6 years of bad Center play we still haven't addressed it.

Not to horn in on you guy's discussion, but I feel compelled to toss in my 2 cents worth.

Yes, Beast did make a big difference and elevated the play of our OL. But there several other changes that contributed to the demise of our running game.

Max Unger was traded in 2015 and we never replaced him with an adequate center. The person we traded him for, Jimmy Graham, was a horrible blocker, more of a wide receiver than an inline tight end and much less effective than Zach Miller, the guy he replaced. I can't remember the name of our RT, last name started with a G I think, but he was a nasty run blocker that we lost to FA around that same time. We also let go of Paul McQuistan, a guard that had beat out James Carpenter. Plus Beast himself was starting to wane.

If our offensive line were a person, they'd be Rodney Dangerfield as Pete doesn't give the position any respect.

[NorthHawk]

Breno Giacomini (sp) was our RT.
He wasn't great, but he brought a nasty attitude and along with Lynch presented the team with an identity.
What's our identity today? I don't know. It seems we are waffling in the middle between a finesse team and
a team that wants to be tough but doesn't have the personnel to be so.

[Hawktawk]

I loved Breno . ET called him the dumb Italian or something . A little nastiness in your line isn’t bad even if it gets a flag now and then .

[RiverDog]

I loved Breno . ET called him the dumb Italian or something . A little nastiness in your line isn’t bad even if it gets a flag now and then .

Yeah, his pass blocking wasn't the greatest and he had the tendency to draw stupid PF penalties, but he was a nasty run blocker. He's the best RT we've had during Pete's regime.

[mykc14]

I loved Breno . ET called him the dumb Italian or something . A little nastiness in your line isn’t bad even if it gets a flag now and then .

Wasn't it something Russian? Big Russian, maybe? I think he really is Italian which is why the nickname 'Big Russian' was so funny.

[TriCitySam]

I think Pete speaks pretty well and pretty straightforward compared to most, there are some questions that simply the media are not entitled to know. The most recent comments in The Athletic have the Seahawks "standing pat", and regardless of what some of the talking heads say, that's pretty much in line with what Pete, Russ (RW, NOT his agent) have been saying, and it seems even Jodi. If you remember the guy that first reported she was "unhappy" almost immediately began backpedaling.

You know this is a team that lost 7 games by 1 score (5 by 3 or less), had kicker that had an off year and a QB that was 1) off and 2) missed 4 games. So, easily this could have been a playoff team with 10-12 wins. And quite frankly, the way we finished....I don't think there is a NFC team that would want to take us on. If we can shore up a couple of areas, yeah - I think we can compete with anyone. And that's what I want - a team that can compete with anyone. Doesn't mean were gonna be a champ, remember this is a league built to make everybody 50-50 and only ONE team has been able to defy that. We see a lot of teams with easy schedules in the playoffs each year.

[Hawktawk]

Schlereth called the AZ game . He pointed out we handed them 14 points and 2 possessions by our offense and still scored 38 which might have been another 50 burger . We were probably the # 1 offense last few weeks . We can talk about is Penney fools gold . Is this little 4 of last 6 push with a real liftoff last 2 games a mirage ? I guess we will find out . Multiple outlets still saying Pete isn’t in the clear yet . We shall see.

[RiverDog]

Schlereth called the AZ game . He pointed out we handed them 14 points and 2 possessions by our offense and still scored 38 which might have been another 50 burger . We were probably the # 1 offense last few weeks . We can talk about is Penney fools gold . Is this little 4 of last 6 push with a real liftoff last 2 games a mirage ? I guess we will find out . Multiple outlets still saying Pete isn’t in the clear yet . We shall see.

What "multiple outlets" are you seeing that say Pete still isn't in the clear yet? I did a search and didn't come up with anything new.

[Hawktawk]

The same reporters . Jason La Canfora and Mike Garafalo last I saw . Maybe selling copy . But the meeting hasn’t happened . So we shall see . My guess they are standing Pat but the Giants fired Judge today after reports he was safe .

[RiverDog]

No official announcement yet and we might not even get one. Common sense tells us that if they were going to fire Pete, they surely would have done it by now. It looks like Jodi is going to stick with the status quo. From Gregg Bell of the TNT:

A league source who would know the upshot of the end-of-season meeting of Pete Carroll, John Schneider and Jody Allen folks are hyperventilating over tells me “I’m not authorized to comment.”

No surprise: Seahawks status remains quo. Take a walk. Adopt a dog. Enjoy your weekend.

https://twitter.com/gbellseattle/status ... 71169?s=20

https://sports.yahoo.com/pete-carroll-m ... 19903.html

Now the focus shifts to Russell. Will he demand a trade?

[c_hawkbob]

Of course not, that would make him a blatant liar.

[RiverDog]

Of course not, that would make him a blatant liar.

No, it wouldn't. He's left himself enough outs in his statements, such as "I hope it's not my last game (in Seattle) but I know it's not my last game in the NFL" which doesn't obligate himself to fulfilling a promise and even hints at the possibility of playing somewhere else.

But we'll see. It's going to be an interesting drama.

[tarlhawk]

Now the focus shifts to Russell. Will he demand a trade?

Demand? He has no precedent to stand on...unless you want to compare him to DeShaun Watson and the Texans...Watson wasted a year in his unknown career...Russell is goal oriented (I would like to play longer in my career...3 SB as a goal). John Elway forced a trade when he was drafted by the Baltimore Colts who desperately needed a QB when they selected him...he told them rather tacitly that he informed them he would never play for them and that they had made a bad selection by ignoring him.

On this day in 1983, the Baltimore Colts were forced to trade quarterback John Elway, who had just been selected #1 overall six days earlier in the NFL Draft.

1983 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Colts had the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft. Elway was wary of playing for the Colts, among the worst teams in the league at the time, and his father advised him against playing for head coach Frank Kush, who had a reputation as a harsh taskmaster. While Elway preferred football, his agent Marvin Demoff later stated that baseball was "a true option" for him at the time. The possibility gave Elway leverage in negotiations with the Colts.[20]

Elway told the Colts in December 1982 that he did not want to play for the team, and later told the Colts that he wanted to play on the West Coast or for the Dallas Cowboys or Miami Dolphins.[19] After unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate a private agreement with the Colts in which Elway would cite his alleged desire to remain on the West coast to explain the team trading him, Elway publicly threatened to join the Yankees full-time if the Colts did not trade him; Demoff wrote in his journal, published three decades later, that "he would be a garbage collector before he'd play for Baltimore." Elway's refusal to join the Colts was controversial— Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw denounced him, stating "you should play baseball … he's not the kind of guy you win championships with"—but many other NFL teams began negotiations with the Colts for the quarterback. One possibility was trading Elway for the San Francisco 49ers' Joe Montana, whose team had a poor season in 1982. Another was a trade with the San Diego Chargers, which was negotiating a new contract with its star quarterback Dan Fouts. The New England Patriots were interested, but the Colts did not wish to trade Elway to a team in the same division.[20] The Los Angeles Raiders almost traded for Elway the day before the draft, but the Raiders could not complete a required trade with the Chicago Bears.[19]

With no successful trade before the draft, the Colts had to draft Elway and possibly trade him later.[19] Team general manager Ernie Accorsi wanted Elway as, Accorsi later said, he did not foresee the 1984 Draft as producing any first-round quarterbacks. Accorsi announced Elway as the team's choice as soon as possible during the 15-minute window on draft day, surprising observers,[20] but Kush had already told Elway's family by phone that the Colts would pick him regardless of baseball.[19] Elway that day reiterated his wish to not play for the Colts at a press conference, saying "As I stand here right now, I'm playing baseball". (When a reporter pointed out that the Yankees were not based on the West coast, Elway replied "They play baseball during the summertime".)[20] Jack Elway said that John "will never play for Irsay or Coach Kush".[19]

Worried that the Colts would waste their pick, team owner Robert Irsay began negotiating with the Denver Broncos before the draft.[19] His team was interested in offensive lineman Chris Hinton, whom the Broncos chose as the fourth pick in the first round. On May 2, Irsay and Accorsi agreed to trade Elway for Hinton, backup quarterback Mark Herrmann, and a first-round pick in the 1984 Draft, which turned into offensive lineman Ron Solt.[20][19] The Colts controversial relocation to Indianapolis the following year would later prove to somewhat vindicate Jack Elway's concerns, and that franchise would largely struggle until the arrival of Peyton Manning during Elway's last season as a player.[20]

[tarlhawk]

No, it wouldn't. He's left himself enough outs in his statements, such as "I hope it's not my last game (in Seattle) but I know it's not my last game in the NFL" which doesn't obligate himself to fulfilling a promise and even hints at the possibility of playing somewhere else.

But we'll see. It's going to be an interesting drama.

Outs? ...as in double speak? That would question the depth of his declaration of being a Christian. I trust Russell Wilson as a man of character whose word is his bond...his agent and like minded media might see an opening for him to utilize but a contract is a commitment made to a specific team.

[RiverDog]

No, it wouldn't. He's left himself enough outs in his statements, such as "I hope it's not my last game (in Seattle) but I know it's not my last game in the NFL" which doesn't obligate himself to fulfilling a promise and even hints at the possibility of playing somewhere else.

But we'll see. It's going to be an interesting drama.

Outs? ...as in double speak? That would question the depth of his declaration of being a Christian. I trust Russell Wilson as a man of character whose word is his bond...his agent and like minded media might see an opening for him to utilize but a contract is a commitment made to a specific team.

Sorry, man, but as much respect as I have for Russell, I don't trust him or any other professional athlete any further than I can spit. I've been burned too many times before by placing my faith in an athlete's expression of their desire to stay with my favorite team only to wake up one morning and see that they've split. It happened with Alex Rodriguez and it happened with Steve Hutchinson.

[NorthHawk]

Russell will do what Russell thinks is in his best interest.
From the list of teams he was willing to be traded to, it's obvious he prefers an Offensive HC as a destination, but make no mistake, he is willing to move on
if he thinks it will give him a better chance to amongst the best ever. It's apparent he doesn't think Pete ball will help accomplish that goal, so the choice to
move on has to be on the table.

[tarlhawk]

Speculation abounds but don't think the O-Lines of wherever he has "chosen" are any better for his play style. I think Russell is smarter than to seek to "force his way out". He has built a legacy based on his character...he's a human being facing disappointments ...some tragic...some heightened by media desperate for story lines. I trust his word and him honoring his commitment to the contract he signed.
The rest of you are free to feel different...we live in America and NFL Football is pure entertainment...our passions should be our personal strong beliefs/convictions.

[Stream Hawk]

Anything leak from their meeting this week? It’s a bad idea to go total status quo. Was liking idea of Pete ceding total control; he’s 70 and should focus on honing in on his final coaching opportunity. I am still holding hope that KNJ will be replaced with a better DC. I don’t know who that is, though.

[c_hawkbob]

Anything leak from their meeting this week? It’s a bad idea to go total status quo. Was liking idea of Pete ceding total control; he’s 70 and should focus on honing in on his final coaching opportunity. I am still holding hope that KNJ will be replaced with a better DC. I don’t know who that is, though.

Nothing, and that in and of itself says everything. It'll be the same guys working toward the same goals. And I'm fine with that.

[c_hawkbob]

Of course not, that would make him a blatant liar.

No, it wouldn't. He's left himself enough outs in his statements, such as "I hope it's not my last game (in Seattle) but I know it's not my last game in the NFL" which doesn't obligate himself to fulfilling a promise and even hints at the possibility of playing somewhere else.

But we'll see. It's going to be an interesting drama.

"I hope it's not my last game (in Seattle) but I know it's not my last game in the NFL" is not the only thing he's ever said about it.

[Aseahawkfan]

Sounds like everything is going to be the same going into next year. Job security not even brought up in end of season meeting.

Somewhat makes sense. The fact that 3 of the teams in our division made it to the playoffs including the garbage 49ers, we could probably turn it around fairly quick with some good picks. No one is dominant in the NFL right now.

I guess status quo for next year. We'll see what they can get with this draft.

[NorthHawk]

If everything stays the same I expect an unhappy Wilson, a poor draft class, and more of a middling result where we maybe make the playoffs
but are one and done. The OL won't be fixed, the DL will still be a work in progress, and Pete will tell us we are almost there with just a few
more pieces to become a SB participant.

Most coaches have a shelf life of 5-8 years. 8 years if they win it all and it's even rarer to see a HC win it all early, then rebuild and win again
8 to 10 years later with the same team. I can't think of any coach who has done that in the modern era. Maybe Belichick, but they were never
really rebuilding as their declines were quite small.

[RiverDog]

If everything stays the same I expect an unhappy Wilson, a poor draft class, and more of a middling result where we maybe make the playoffs
but are one and done. The OL won't be fixed, the DL will still be a work in progress, and Pete will tell us we are almost there with just a few
more pieces to become a SB participant.

Most coaches have a shelf life of 5-8 years. 8 years if they win it all and it's even rarer to see a HC win it all early, then rebuild and win again
8 to 10 years later with the same team. I can't think of any coach who has done that in the modern era. Maybe Belichick, but they were never
really rebuilding as their declines were quite small.

Andy Reid built a SB club with the Eagles then did so again in KC. The Tuna and the Walrus took multiple teams to the Super Bowl. Dick Vermeil took a team to the SB then took a 10 year LOA then did it again. Don Shula took the Colts and the Dolphins to SB's. Should I stop?

[NorthHawk]

Most coaches have a shelf life of 5-8 years. 8 years if they win it all and it's even rarer to see a HC win it all early, then rebuild and win again
8 to 10 years later with the same team.

Lots of HC's have gone to the dance with different teams, but not many with the same team 5 or more years later.

[tarlhawk]

Lots of HC's have gone to the dance with different teams, but not many with the same team 5 or more years later.

Salary cap enforcement began in 1994...The days of Chuck Nolls getting credit for creating a dynasty in Pittsburgh with 4 SB victories in a short time span are over. Returning to the Super Bowl has many factors...did some of your best coaches get "poached" for better positions? Was the core of your team youth with many diamonds in the rough still playing on rookie contracts? ...or a carefully built "house of cards" with many cap busting FA contracts and a surprising bill of health for your stars?

It is NO ACCIDENT the NFL is now built on parity across the league. Returning to the SB is not only daunting (many variables/moving pieces) but just stringing consecutive winning seasons is difficult for most teams in this "climate"

[TriCitySam]

There have been 7 HC that have taken two teams to the SB, and I think 3 were shown the door - which, to me, speaks more to the unrealistic expectations put on HC's in the NFL. Sometimes your team is the best, well prepared, played the best game - but somehow the victory escapes.....or is taken away (2005 - I rarely blame the striped shirt buys, but I'm with Holmgren on that one).

[obiken]

Sorry, man, but as much respect as I have for Russell, I don't trust him or any other professional athlete any further than I can spit. I've been burned too many times before by placing my faith in an athlete's expression of their desire to stay with my favorite team only to wake up one morning and see that they've split. It happened with Alex Rodriguez and it happened with Steve Hutchinson.

SH and Payrod, come Rivey, bad bets!! Jr, Big Unit, and DJ, would have been a lot better bets. Yeah they still left. I dont blame RW for leaving, Pete is cooked, there is nothing but a giant tear down IF they are smart, if not its doom anyway.

[mykc14]

There have been 7 HC that have taken two teams to the SB, and I think 3 were shown the door - which, to me, speaks more to the unrealistic expectations put on HC's in the NFL. Sometimes your team is the best, well prepared, played the best game - but somehow the victory escapes.....or is taken away (2005 - I rarely blame the striped shirt buys, but I'm with Holmgren on that one).

As a HC in the NFL you have one job and that is to win. It's as even a playing field as you are going to get in pro sports. If you are in control of personnel and X's and O's and are not winning who can you blame? Something needs to change. It would be interesting to see how PA would have handled that end of the season meeting with PC.

[Agent 86]

By Michael-Shawn Dugar Jan 20, 2022

Seahawks offseason primer: Pete Carroll needs a D-coordinator, smart moves in free agency and draft home runs


At this point, it’s safe to assume Seattle’s offseason rebuild will be led by executive vice president of football operations Pete Carroll and general manager and executive vice president John Schneider. By their side will be salary cap manager Matt Thomas, whose official title is vice president of football administration.

Carroll and Schneider will work in tandem, overseeing roster changes. Schneider’s personnel staff and Carroll’s coaching staff will contribute as well, but when it comes to making sure the Seahawks have a championship-caliber roster, that responsibility comes down to Carroll and Schneider. Here’s what those two have to work with entering the 2022 offseason.

The coaching staff
Carroll made his first coaching staff changes of the offseason on Tuesday, firing defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and defensive passing game coordinator Andre Curtis. Austin Davis, Seattle’s quarterbacks coach the past two seasons, also left to become the offensive coordinator (and QBs coach) at Auburn. It’s unclear how the Seahawks plan to replace Davis, but they have in-house options available. Carl “Tater” Smith was Russell Wilson’s QB coach from 2012 to 2017 and is now an associate head coach. Dave Canales, Wilson’s QB coach for two seasons (2018 and 2019), is the offensive passing game coordinator.

On defense, Seattle has an in-house candidate in Clint Hurtt, the defensive line coach and assistant head coach. Before joining the Seahawks in 2017, Hurtt was the Bears’ outside linebackers coach under Vic Fangio, a notable nugget on Hurtt’s resume considering the other candidates Carroll has requested to interview for the defensive coordinator vacancy. Carroll requested an interview with Fangio’s most recent defensive coordinator in Denver, Ed Donatell, according to ESPN. A source told The Athletic on Tuesday that Carroll has also requested an interview with Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai, who also worked for Fangio in Chicago as a defensive quality control coach. Based on these candidates, Carroll is seemingly interested in shifting to more split-safety defensive looks, which would match the adjustment he’s made to that side of the ball in recent years as Seattle has moved away from being a strictly single-high safety team.

The finances
The league salary cap rose 14 percent between 2021 and 2022. Teams will have $208.2 million to work with. Seattle is due to have just north of $51 million in total cap space, which is sixth-most in the league, according to Over the Cap. But Carroll on Jan. 10 made clear he doesn’t want people to look at Seattle’s amount of cap space and anticipate a flurry of free-agent moves.

“We’ve got a lot of players that are going to be free agents that need to be on this team next year, so that money goes very quickly there,” Carroll said, emphasizing that having cap space leads people to expect a bunch of offseason activity. “That’s not necessarily how people should look at it. They should be clear we’ve got some wonderful players on this team that need to come back, so that money will go faster than you think. It won’t be quite as free as it looks like right now.”

Because of that statement, Carroll was asked if he’s suggesting that Seattle won’t make a splashy move to improve the roster this offseason.

“Don’t cancel us out on that now,” Carroll said. “We are wide open. You’re either competing or you’re not, and that means you’re striving to figure it out. That means whatever opportunity is available, we’re in it. We’re going to figure out whether it fits us, whether it doesn’t. I have no idea what I’m talking about — just count on us. We’re going to be battling. Johnny is going to be chasing whatever the opportunities are and we’ll see if it fits and see how we can do it.”

It makes sense Carroll is tempering expectations. The Seahawks’ history would suggest they aren’t about to run wild with their money this offseason. Carroll and Schneider had a similar budget ahead of the 2020 season and the team spent more than $38 million (in terms of its first-year cap hits) on defensive tackle Jarran Reed ($9.3 million), tight end Greg Olsen ($6.9 million), defensive end Bruce Irvin ($5.9 million), right tackle Brandon Shell ($3.4 million), center B.J. Finney ($3.5 million), tight end Jacob Hollister ($3.3 million), defensive end Benson Mayowa ($3 million) and cornerback Quinton Dunbar, whose $3.4 million salary was acquired via trade. The rest was spent on lower-level signings.

The Seahawks that year were coming off an 11-5 season that ended with a loss in the divisional round of the playoffs, so it’s not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison. The 2020 offseason spending, though, shows how fast that money can dry up without making a “splash.” Seattle’s most expensive move that year was re-signing its own player (Reed) and the second-richest deal went to a tight end before free agency even started. While Carroll isn’t ruling out a big swing this offseason — like the time the Seahawks traded a first-round pick and a Pro Bowl center for Jimmy Graham — it’s unlikely that a team with so many holes and a lack of draft capital makes a splashy move.

The roster
This is the list of Seahawks slated to be unrestricted free agents:

FS Quandre Diggs
CB D.J. Reed
CB Sidney Jones
RT Brandon Shell
LT Duane Brown
C Ethan Pocic
OL Jamarco Jones
RB Rashaad Penny
RB Alex Collins
DT Al Woods
DL Rasheem Green
DT Robert Nkemdiche
TE Will Dissly
TE Gerald Everett
QB Geno Smith
The restricted free agents will be center Kyle Fuller, offensive guard Phil Haynes and cornerback Bless Austin, all of whom are unlikely to be tendered. The notable exclusive-rights free agents (players whose rights can be retained for a minimum salary) are safety Ryan Neal, defensive tackle Bryan Mone, receiver Penny Hart, cornerback John Reid and safety Nigel Warrior.

Carroll feels the nucleus of a championship team is in place, but the list of unrestricted free agents is another reason why the coach emphasized the desire to bring back his own guys. Diggs, Reed and Woods were three of the team’s best players on either side of the ball in 2021 and the Seahawks are entering free agency without their starting tackles, outside cornerbacks or tight ends. And the running back who lit the league up to end the season.

As discussed here, Penny’s market might not be all that robust considering his position and injury history. The same cannot be said for some of Seattle’s other free agents. Reed, for example, is a 25-year-old defender at a premium position, fresh off a career year in which he had 10 passes defensed and a pair of interceptions while displaying an ability to play sticky coverage in man or zone. He was one of the top 10 highest-graded players at his position, according to Pro Football Focus. Those are the type of players who cash in. Reed could land a multiyear deal paying him eight figures per year. Sidney Jones wasn’t as consistent as Reed but he’s also coming off the best season of his career and turns just 26 in May.

Elsewhere in the secondary, Diggs is expected to need just four to five months to recover from surgery to repair his broken leg and dislocated ankle. Turning 29 in late January, the two-time Pro Bowl safety is still in line to cash in this offseason. A top-five safety salary would mean a deal worth at least $14.6 million per year. A top-10 salary would be in the $12 million per year range, depending on what happens with the other free agents at the position. Even after the injury, Diggs figures to be due for a payday in one of those ranges.

On offense, replacing two offensive tackles may be a tough task. Seattle drafted (and essentially redshirted) sixth-round pick Stone Forsythe in 2021 and found an undrafted gem in right tackle Jake Curhan. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler in his two-round mock draft has Seattle selecting Minnesota right tackle Daniel Faalele with the 41st pick. Forsythe is listed 6-8, 307 pounds, and Faalele has similar size, listed 6-9, 380 pounds. Between Forsythe’s $866,000 2022 cap hit, Curhan’s $834,000 cap hit and the potential cap hit of a Day 2 draft pick like Faalele in the $2 million range, Carroll and Schneider could take a cost-effective approach to replacing their starting offensive tackles of the past two seasons, relying on draft picks and a veteran tackle in the second or third wave of free agency.

And that’s something they may seriously consider. The 2022 free-agent class of offensive tackles isn’t exactly star-studded, but the demand for pass protection is so high every year. To make significant upgrades this offseason, Carroll and Schneider will need to open their wallets. A top-20 annual salary for a left tackle would be in the eight figures, which is about what it would cost for a top-10 right tackle on the open market.

The draft capital
The Seahawks have picks in the following rounds of the 2022 draft: second, third, fourth (two picks), fifth and seventh. They are without a first-round pick because of the Jamal Adams trade and their sixth-round pick was shipped to the Jaguars in exchange for Sidney Jones. Seattle has an extra pick in the fourth round because of the Adams deal. The Seahawks don’t have any compensatory picks coming their way. Unlike most years, Seattle will pick near the top of each round, which matters a bit less on Day 3 but is certainly relevant on Day 2. As frustrating as it may be for Schneider and Carroll to be without a first-round pick, there are still impact players to be acquired at the top of the second and third rounds.

Seattle doesn’t have a ton of picks with which to work — Schneider would like to acquire more — but anyone who has spent time in draft rooms will tell you that the second, third and fourth rounds are where the meat of the roster is formed. Seattle can quickly turn its luck around with a series of home runs in the middle rounds of the draft — which is exactly how it built a contender in the past with picks like Golden Tate (second round), Bobby Wagner (second round), Russell Wilson (third round), K.J. Wright (fourth round), Richard Sherman (fifth round) and Kam Chancellor (fifth round).

One reason Seattle has needed to pull starters from other teams via trade is because picks in the middle rounds didn’t always feature those home runs. From 2017 to 2019, Seattle spent Day 2 picks on defensive tackle Malik McDowell, center Ethan Pocic, cornerback Shaquill Griffin, safety Lano Hill, defensive tackle Naz Jones, receiver Amara Darboh, defensive end Rasheem Green, receiver DK Metcalf, nickel Marquise Blair and linebacker Cody Barton. Only two of those players ended up being reliable starters. Fortunately for Seattle, the 2020 Day 2 selections of edge defender Darrell Taylor and offensive guard Damien Lewis are trending the right direction but taking receiver Dee Eskridge at No. 56 in 2021 has yet to pay dividends.

This trend must change immediately if Seattle is to become a contender.

Carroll in his exit interview was asked to assess his team’s drafting over the past five years. He started with the disclaimer that “all drafts are not created equal,” noting that Seattle hasn’t drafted in the top 10 since 2010. This is a point Schneider has made in the past, specifically when comparing Seattle to others in the division. All three teams in the NFC West have drafted in the top 10 multiple times since then. The Cardinals and 49ers have drafted in the top 10 at least three of the last five years. That context in mind, Carroll said he’s been pleased with Seattle’s draft classes.

“We’ve had enough support from our drafts that it’s given us a chance to be a really successful team over a consistent course of time,” Carroll said. “There’s always guys in there that you like more than you thought you would or that didn’t turn out as well as you thought they would. I think we’ve done a really good job in general. We’ve been able to meet some needs when we had to, other times we were surprised like crazy by the output of guys.”

Carroll while pointing out how often the Seahawks trade away picks, either before the draft or on draft weekend, said he likes their “activity” on draft weekend.

“I like our creativity at draft time,” he said. “I like our flexibility, we’ve always moved and created stuff for us that we thought would help us number wise, or position wise. We’re planning on staying the course on that as much as we can and being as active and competitive as possible.”

[NorthHawk]

There have been 7 HC that have taken two teams to the SB, and I think 3 were shown the door - which, to me, speaks more to the unrealistic expectations put on HC's in the NFL. Sometimes your team is the best, well prepared, played the best game - but somehow the victory escapes.....or is taken away (2005 - I rarely blame the striped shirt buys, but I'm with Holmgren on that one).

Other than Belichick, I don't think there has been a HC that has taken the same team to the SB 5 or more years later, and none have done so after rebuilding.
The odds are really stacked against PC doing it considering the drafts and FA moves after the last SB appearance and seeming lack of a coherent plan to take the next steps.

[Hawktawk]

We haven’t won a divisional game in 6 years . Forget Super Bowl. I guess one and done is better than last year but I’m not optimistic about anyone in the current mix getting another one whether it be PC here in his 70s or Russ at another location .

[NorthHawk]

We haven’t won a divisional game in 6 years . Forget Super Bowl. I guess one and done is better than last year but I’m not optimistic about anyone in the current mix getting another one whether it be PC here in his 70s or Russ at another location .

If Russ ends up in Denver then he might have a shot pretty quickly. They are a solid team in search of a much better QB.
The Raiders are in flux at the moment but they might be able to contend if their FO situation settles down. After all of the bad
press of late, a squeaky clean Franchise QB might be something they would want. For Russ, it would depend for both teams on
who ends up being their HC.

[Hawktawk]

Raiders is flavor of the day in a rumor mill . Russ for Carr and some high picks over next couple years . I heard a 1 in 22 and 24 and a 2 or 3 in the middle . Who knows . I think Denver has the capital but would Russ go there ? Saints if he wants to win but they have no cap or draft capital to speak of. I just don’t think it’s settled .

[Uppercut]

Sounds like Sean Peyton is stepping down in NOLA. Maybe Hawks can get him and keep Russ.

[tarlhawk]

Sounds like Sean Peyton is stepping down in NOLA. Maybe Hawks can get him and keep Russ.

Sean Peyton is not some "free agent". He has stated he desires to step away from football in 2022.

[RiverDog]

Sounds like Sean Peyton is stepping down in NOLA. Maybe Hawks can get him and keep Russ.

Sean Peyton is not some "free agent". He has stated he desires to step away from football in 2022.

Plus he still has two years remaining on his contract with the Saints, so any team that wants to hire him is going to have to negotiate with the Saints.

I think it's pretty clear that we're not in the market for Sean Payton. Nevertheless, it's going to be interesting to see if one of the other teams that are make a run at him. He wouldn't be the first person ever to change his mind.

[NorthHawk]

We're not in the market at the moment, but we might be next year.
And then we could take a run at him. At the very least cost Jerrah a few million $ more than he might otherwise have to pay.

[Hawktawk]

Why is everyone on Sean Payton’s jock ? What’s his legacy ? He turned around a dead franchise with Drew Brees from a doormat to a usually competetive team . He got to one super bowl when Favre threw another horrible interception when in position for a GWF . Won in a nail biter featuring the ballsiest call of his career with the onsides at the half . But since then ? Some good teams , some bad teams . I guess at least they won some divisional games but had a couple brutal seasons and the coach missed a year for bounties . Bottom line his last Lombardi was the year before Carroll was hired , he’s never been back . He’s not at the top of my list .