How the Huskies fared at the Combine and impact on Hawks

[D-train]

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter
Another NFL combine has come and gone.

Teams will now rest for, oh, 12 hours or so before getting ready for the next big thing on the league’s calendar — the start of the free-agent negotiating period March 11 and the new league year two days later.

But before we put the combine to bed, let’s take a Seahawks slant at some things we learned in Indianapolis.

Crowded QB market may have clinched Smith decision
The biggest Seahawks news of the past week was Geno Smith’s solidifying status as their 2024 QB.

There have been no definitive reports saying the Seahawks engaged in trade talks involving Smith.

But the timing of a report from Bleacher Report on Thursday saying the Seahawks had told Smith he would be on the 2024 roster seemed to suggest they may have gauged other teams’ interest but found there was little market for him.

Again, no one has reported or explicitly said that.

But if there was little market for Smith, that’s not necessarily an indictment of Smith but simply the reality of the NFL’s QB situation.

Smith turns 34 in October and has a $26.4 million salary-cap hit in 2024, a guaranteed $12.7 million base salary (which is not paid until the regular season), and a contract structure that would require a team to redo his deal for 2025 or consider him a one-year rental.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of other QB options for teams, some who are younger and cheaper, such as Chicago’s Justin Fields. Word was that the Bears were looking left and right for suitors for him but found little interest.

Also, Russell Wilson became available Monday, and because he’s owed $39 million by Denver this year, he likely could be signed for a $1.21 million base salary next season.

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No one knows what is going to happen to Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield could test free agency, and Gardner Minshew is likely to hit free agency.

Then there’s a QB draft class that includes up to six possible first-rounders, with Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and the University of Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. helping their draft stock at the combine.

All of which means there simply isn’t a lot of reason for anyone to trade much for a QB now.

Seahawks eye college QBs
That said, Seattle appears as willing as ever to draft a QB — not so much to challenge Smith in 2024 but to maybe take over in 2025.

McCarthy and Tulane’s Michael Pratt said they’d had visits with Seattle — McCarthy’s formal and Pratt’s informal.

Said Pratt: “Yeah, I think I did an informal with them, but, yeah, it would be great to play with a quarterback like that [Smith] to learn from and kind of learn the ropes. So, we’ll see what happens.”

There were also reports that Seattle met with LSU’s Jayden Daniels and possibly North Carolina’s Drake Maye. And Seattle’s coaching staff, which includes former UW assistants Ryan Grubb and Scott Huff, knows about all it needs to about Penix, and is familiar with Oregon’s Bo Nix.

But would Seattle use its only pick in the first two rounds on a player who might not play in 2024? Or would Seattle gamble that someone they like would be available in the third round (such as Pratt)? Or make a trade to move up, down or add picks?

For now, Seattle appears to be in covering-all-bases mode and likely awaits answers to those questions until closer to the draft, April 25-27.

UW stars shine bright
Almost to a man, UW’s 13-player contingent at the combine seemed to match or exceed expectations, with the only disappointments being a few who couldn’t do drills due to injury — tight end Jack Westover and edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui.

But shining the brightest might have been UW’s two biggest stars — Penix and receiver Rome Odunze.

Penix surely benefitted some from the top three QBs — Maye, Daniels and USC’s Caleb Williams — sitting out drills. And no one doubted that throwing against air was an environment in which Penix would thrive.

Still, he looked the part. And the biggest news might have been that his medical tests reportedly came back clean. Penix still appears lodged as the fifth QB after the top three and McCarthy. But his health and showing might have increased his chances to go in the first round.

Odunze, meanwhile, wowed the media with a good-natured, humor-filled session Friday, having also been said to have impressed in his interviews.

Then he wowed some more with his workouts — such as a 39-inch vertical leap — especially when considering he measure 6 feet 3 and 212 pounds. Odunze might still be the third receiver on most boards following Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers — both of whom sat out drills. But he solidified his standing at the combine as a top-10 pick who could go as high as sixth.

Good OL group could help Seahawks
Just as important as assessing specific players is assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the position groups.

That helps teams prioritize needs entering free agency, which begins next week.

One position that stood out and could help Seattle is the offensive line.

The offensive-line group was highly regarded entering the combine but only burnished those credentials. To cite one example, the NFL Network reported Sunday that an anonymous general manager said, “This is the best OL group he’s ever seen.”

Seattle appears set at tackle with Charles Cross on the left side and Abraham Lucas on the right. GM John Schneider said Lucas had knee surgery after the season and it hopefully clears up the issues he dealt with in 2023.

But Seattle has unknowns inside, where each of the 2023 season-opening starters — center Evan Brown, right guard Phil Haynes and left guard Damien Lewis — can be free agents. Lewis will be the most sought after of those three.

The Seahawks don’t have a second-round pick but have two in the third (Nos. 78, 81) and another in the fourth. They might feel confident they could fill those holes there. Of course, good draft depth might depress the free-agent market and make it a little less costly to bring back Lewis or the others.

On the other end is the linebacker group, which didn’t do a lot to dispel the idea there may not be a linebacker in the first round for the first time since 2011.

Pro Football Focus wrote that after the combine it remains “still unlikely” that any inside linebacker will be taken in the first round, noting Payton Wilson of North Carolina State is the only one who might have a shot.

Seattle’s top three inside linebackers from last season — Jordyn Brooks, Bobby Wagner and Devin Bush — can be free agents, with Brooks the obvious top target of that trio. His price tag might have gone up after last week.

[Michael K.]

Like SH said earlier, half the “Edge” players are really LBs, so that is misleading. I HATE taking a run stuffer at LB in the first round anyway, and are there any inside LBs that really rush the passer? Brooks and Queen were bad picks, IMO. Not bad football players, but poor values for the first round.

[D-train]

Like SH said earlier, half the “Edge” players are really LBs, so that is misleading. I HATE taking a run stuffer at LB in the first round anyway, and are there any inside LBs that really rush the passer? Brooks and Queen were bad picks, IMO. Not bad football players, but poor values for the first round.

And Brooks ended up being worse over the course of their 1st contracts.

[Michael K.]

It’s just not a good value to draft someone on defense in the first round that doesn’t affect the other team’s passing game. I think it was Wyman that praised Queen’s ability to drop deep into coverage, or maybe it was Brock. But still, give me someone that rushes the passer or a Corner Back any day. Even Safety, but a fucking MLB?

[D-train]

It’s just not a good value to draft someone on defense in the first round that doesn’t affect the other team’s passing game. I think it was Wyman that praised Queen’s ability to drop deep into coverage, or maybe it was Brock. But still, give me someone that rushes the passer or a Corner Back any day. Even Safety, but a fucking MLB?

And then everyone celebrated just because he wasn't terrible. Bobby Wagner proves you point that you don't need to draft MLBs in the first round. He turned out pretty well.

[Donn Beach]

For a minute I misread Brock as Brooks, why would he be praising Brooks for deep coverage ability? That was the knock on Brooks, lack of coverage skills. There was a defense of Brooks that his athleticism would win out. If you're drafting a MLB there he better be one special dude.

[Michael K.]

For a minute I misread Brock as Brooks, why would he be praising Brooks for deep coverage ability? That was the knock on Brooks, lack of coverage skills. There was a defense of Brooks that his athleticism would win out. If you're drafting a MLB there he better be one special dude.

Exactly. The knock on Brooks was that he was a liability in the passing game, so we used a first-round pick on a guy that should have played for Switzer in the 80s. No, one of either Wyman or Brock Huard was praising Queen for his ability to drop into coverage. Even then I don't think a MLB is worth a first-round pick, but it's just the way I value positions. I have drafting a RB in the first round too, and don't get me started on one that played his college career at fucking SD State! The game has changed, and you use a first-round pick on players that play those positions of impact. QB, OT and WR on offense, and pass rushers and guys that cover the receiver on defense. There might be an occasional interior O Lineman on offense, but for the most part? Stick with that formula.

Our LBs get beaten like a drum in coverage, so in Pete's infinite wisdom we would constantly leave them on the field on passing downs. What's worse is we also couldn't stop the run. What a fantastic combination!