Jody and RW

[D-train]

The author says she should ask herself if she still wants him to be QB for the Hawks. They should be asking the new HC candidates this question in the interviews.

By Michael-Shawn Dugar 4h ago 13
The Seahawks are currently operating in a gray area. At 3-7, they have less than a 5 percent chance of making the playoffs, which should put them in the mindset of other struggling NFC teams such as the Bears, Giants and Falcons.

But inside the building, Seattle’s players and coaches view that 5 percent chance as reason to keep fighting. That puts them in a mindset similar to the Saints, Eagles and Panthers, all of whom have five wins.

It’s an awkward place to be in. Conventional wisdom would suggest Seattle spend December planning for the offseason, but instead, the team is planning for a miraculous playoff push. This exercise will operate along the lines of the former, and look ahead to the early stages of an offseason in which Seattle misses the playoffs for the second time in the Pete Carroll-Russell Wilson era. All stats are provided by TruMedia unless otherwise noted.

Develop a quarterback plan
This decision should, in theory, be above Carroll’s head. He’s the highest-ranking person in the building besides Jody Allen, chair of the Seahawks and Vulcan Inc., and the trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust. Both Carroll and general manager John Schneider answer to Allen, whose involvement in the day-to-day operations can safely be described as hands-off.

Allen must ask herself this question: “Do I want Russell Wilson to continue quarterbacking this team?”

If the answer is no, then the offseason plan is simple. She would give Carroll and Schneider the green light to trade Wilson to a destination of the quarterback’s choosing and execute a rebuild.

If the answer is yes, Allen then would ask herself what she’s willing to do to keep him. Wilson, a man obsessed with winning, publicly expressed his frustrations with the organization after a 12-4 season so it’s easy to imagine him being downright irate after missing the postseason for the second time in five years. There’s a world in which Allen tries to keep the Big Three of Carroll, Schneider and Wilson together. But to avoid any more contention, be it in public or private, the smarter play would be to move on from the coach and GM and proceed with a new tandem in those front-office roles.

The correct answer to Allen’s dilemma can and will be debated for months if Seattle’s season continues its current trajectory. There will be time to address the pros and cons of both sides of the argument, but for now, the most important part of the discussion is to merely acknowledge Allen’s decision as the first step toward a successful offseason.

Be prepared to spend money
With only six 2022 draft picks, Seattle must plan on using its projected $55 million in cap space to fill holes on its roster. The Seahawks under Carroll and Schneider have been reluctant to spend money in the early waves of free agency and that’s generally a wise strategy. NFL free agency is largely about overpaying for slightly above-average talent. But sitting out the first few weeks of free agency is a luxury teams can afford only when they’re consistently drafting well. The Seahawks have not, and they don’t have a 2022 first-round pick, so expediting the rebuild will require spending some cash, regardless of any shakeups at quarterback or in the front office.

Here are the notable starters on expiring contracts: left tackle Duane Brown, right tackle Brandon Shell, center Ethan Pocic, running back Rashaad Penny, running back Alex Collins, tight end Gerald Everett, tight end Will Dissly, defensive end Rasheem Green, free safety Quandre Diggs, cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive tackle Al Woods. Defensive back Ryan Neal and defensive tackle Bryan Mone (RFA) are two key rotational players headed for free agency as well.

In terms of positional value, the Seahawks need multiple starters at premium positions like cornerback and offensive tackle. Tre Brown had season-ending knee surgery earlier this week so Seattle should consider itself in the market for two starting outside cornerbacks, since it’s worthwhile to have a plan in case Brown isn’t healthy enough to start next season.

Find a possession receiver
Improving the passing game should be a priority every year because of the relationship between passing efficiency and offensive success. Seattle’s offense needs a receiver with some wiggle. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are excellent receivers and arguably better route runners than they’re given credit for. But Seattle needs someone capable of consistently shaking the defenses on those Allen Iverson-esque crossovers with which Doug Baldwin used to kill defensive backs. Think guys like Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen and Cooper Kupp, players whose shiftiness allows them to be effective against man or zone coverage and uncover in the middle of the field.

This is another offseason item that must be addressed independent of what happens at quarterback. If Wilson stays in Seattle, then he’ll need someone to help him feel more comfortable attacking the middle of defense and connecting on the short and intermediate passes Seattle hoped would be a staple of Shane Waldron’s offense. If Wilson is traded, the new quarterback, whether veteran or rookie, will need likely need a quick passing game to be effective. The list of impending free-agent receivers with this skill set is underwhelming so the best way to check this box may be the draft or by trade.


Quandre Diggs leads Seattle in interceptions for the third straight year. (Joe Nicholson / USA Today)
Pay Quandre Diggs
Diggs turns 29 in January, and he has quietly been one of Seattle’s best and most consistent defenders since he arrived via trade midway through the 2019 season. Seattle has failed at drafting anyone capable of being a starting-caliber free safety since acquiring Earl Thomas in 2010, which is why the Seahawks had to trade for Diggs.

He’s set to hit unrestricted free agency and, as discussed before this season, Seattle’s decision to let Diggs play the year without a new contract may make retaining him quite expensive. Diggs is having another good season, leading the team in interceptions for the third straight year. As of Wednesday morning, he was leading all NFC free safeties in Pro Bowl votes.

Before the season, it appeared that new deals for the Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu, the Jets’ Marcus Maye and the Bengals’ Jessie Bates may impact Diggs’ market. Maye is injured and Bates is playing below expectation so those other impending free agents may not be as relevant. Regardless, the franchise tag number may be in the $13 million range and that’s the floor on a new deal for a player like Diggs, who plays the run at a high level and generates negative plays in the pass game.

The idea of having two high-priced safeties on the roster sounds less than ideal on paper. At the same time, Seattle’s defense has been shaky in recent years and attempts to acquire talent in the most cost-effective manner (the draft) have gone so poorly, the Seahawks honestly don’t have much of a choice. As for paying two safeties, Seattle isn’t at a point where it can refuse to compensate a player based on what someone else in his position group is making. The defense needs impactful playmakers and Diggs fits that description. It’s ultimately that simple.

Identify potential ways to acquire draft capital
In addition to spending money in free agency, the Seahawks need to consider moving at least one of their core players in exchange for draft capital. It won’t be easy: Most of Seattle’s best and most expensive players either just recently signed their deals or have reached ages that make their value to other teams very low.

These are some of Seattle’s highest-paid players and their 2022 cap hits, according to Over the Cap: Wilson ($37 million), Bobby Wagner ($20.3 million), Lockett ($10.05 million), Poona Ford ($9.6 million), Jamal Adams ($9.1 million), Gabe Jackson ($9 million), Carlos Dunlap ($6.5 million), Chris Carson ($6.4 million) and Jason Myers ($5 million).

Seattle is estimated to have more cap space than all but seven other NFL teams, so it’s not as if it needs to unload a bunch of salaries to get under the cap. Still, the Seahawks have just two top-100 picks in the draft after making just one in 2021. They need young, inexpensive, starting-caliber talent and that area of the draft is the place to acquire it.

The other option to acquire draft capital would be identifying young players whom Seattle may want to trade instead of extending, as was the case with defensive end Frank Clark in 2019. Other than Metcalf, there’s not much to work with from the 2019 draft class, which would be the group next in line for extensions. Metcalf could become the league’s highest-paid receiver this offseason. Other high draft picks the Seahawks could punt on for a possible return would be defensive end L.J. Collier and linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

[douche]

The author says she should ask herself if she still wants him to be QB for the Hawks. They should be asking the new HC candidates this question in the interviews.

By Michael-Shawn Dugar 4h ago 13
The Seahawks are currently operating in a gray area. At 3-7, they have less than a 5 percent chance of making the playoffs, which should put them in the mindset of other struggling NFC teams such as the Bears, Giants and Falcons.

But inside the building, Seattle’s players and coaches view that 5 percent chance as reason to keep fighting. That puts them in a mindset similar to the Saints, Eagles and Panthers, all of whom have five wins.

It’s an awkward place to be in. Conventional wisdom would suggest Seattle spend December planning for the offseason, but instead, the team is planning for a miraculous playoff push. This exercise will operate along the lines of the former, and look ahead to the early stages of an offseason in which Seattle misses the playoffs for the second time in the Pete Carroll-Russell Wilson era. All stats are provided by TruMedia unless otherwise noted.

Develop a quarterback plan
This decision should, in theory, be above Carroll’s head. He’s the highest-ranking person in the building besides Jody Allen, chair of the Seahawks and Vulcan Inc., and the trustee of the Paul G. Allen Trust. Both Carroll and general manager John Schneider answer to Allen, whose involvement in the day-to-day operations can safely be described as hands-off.

Allen must ask herself this question: “Do I want Russell Wilson to continue quarterbacking this team?”

If the answer is no, then the offseason plan is simple. She would give Carroll and Schneider the green light to trade Wilson to a destination of the quarterback’s choosing and execute a rebuild.

If the answer is yes, Allen then would ask herself what she’s willing to do to keep him. Wilson, a man obsessed with winning, publicly expressed his frustrations with the organization after a 12-4 season so it’s easy to imagine him being downright irate after missing the postseason for the second time in five years. There’s a world in which Allen tries to keep the Big Three of Carroll, Schneider and Wilson together. But to avoid any more contention, be it in public or private, the smarter play would be to move on from the coach and GM and proceed with a new tandem in those front-office roles.

The correct answer to Allen’s dilemma can and will be debated for months if Seattle’s season continues its current trajectory. There will be time to address the pros and cons of both sides of the argument, but for now, the most important part of the discussion is to merely acknowledge Allen’s decision as the first step toward a successful offseason.

Be prepared to spend money
With only six 2022 draft picks, Seattle must plan on using its projected $55 million in cap space to fill holes on its roster. The Seahawks under Carroll and Schneider have been reluctant to spend money in the early waves of free agency and that’s generally a wise strategy. NFL free agency is largely about overpaying for slightly above-average talent. But sitting out the first few weeks of free agency is a luxury teams can afford only when they’re consistently drafting well. The Seahawks have not, and they don’t have a 2022 first-round pick, so expediting the rebuild will require spending some cash, regardless of any shakeups at quarterback or in the front office.

Here are the notable starters on expiring contracts: left tackle Duane Brown, right tackle Brandon Shell, center Ethan Pocic, running back Rashaad Penny, running back Alex Collins, tight end Gerald Everett, tight end Will Dissly, defensive end Rasheem Green, free safety Quandre Diggs, cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive tackle Al Woods. Defensive back Ryan Neal and defensive tackle Bryan Mone (RFA) are two key rotational players headed for free agency as well.

In terms of positional value, the Seahawks need multiple starters at premium positions like cornerback and offensive tackle. Tre Brown had season-ending knee surgery earlier this week so Seattle should consider itself in the market for two starting outside cornerbacks, since it’s worthwhile to have a plan in case Brown isn’t healthy enough to start next season.

Find a possession receiver
Improving the passing game should be a priority every year because of the relationship between passing efficiency and offensive success. Seattle’s offense needs a receiver with some wiggle. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are excellent receivers and arguably better route runners than they’re given credit for. But Seattle needs someone capable of consistently shaking the defenses on those Allen Iverson-esque crossovers with which Doug Baldwin used to kill defensive backs. Think guys like Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen and Cooper Kupp, players whose shiftiness allows them to be effective against man or zone coverage and uncover in the middle of the field.

This is another offseason item that must be addressed independent of what happens at quarterback. If Wilson stays in Seattle, then he’ll need someone to help him feel more comfortable attacking the middle of defense and connecting on the short and intermediate passes Seattle hoped would be a staple of Shane Waldron’s offense. If Wilson is traded, the new quarterback, whether veteran or rookie, will need likely need a quick passing game to be effective. The list of impending free-agent receivers with this skill set is underwhelming so the best way to check this box may be the draft or by trade.


Quandre Diggs leads Seattle in interceptions for the third straight year. (Joe Nicholson / USA Today)
Pay Quandre Diggs
Diggs turns 29 in January, and he has quietly been one of Seattle’s best and most consistent defenders since he arrived via trade midway through the 2019 season. Seattle has failed at drafting anyone capable of being a starting-caliber free safety since acquiring Earl Thomas in 2010, which is why the Seahawks had to trade for Diggs.

He’s set to hit unrestricted free agency and, as discussed before this season, Seattle’s decision to let Diggs play the year without a new contract may make retaining him quite expensive. Diggs is having another good season, leading the team in interceptions for the third straight year. As of Wednesday morning, he was leading all NFC free safeties in Pro Bowl votes.

Before the season, it appeared that new deals for the Chiefs’ Tyrann Mathieu, the Jets’ Marcus Maye and the Bengals’ Jessie Bates may impact Diggs’ market. Maye is injured and Bates is playing below expectation so those other impending free agents may not be as relevant. Regardless, the franchise tag number may be in the $13 million range and that’s the floor on a new deal for a player like Diggs, who plays the run at a high level and generates negative plays in the pass game.

The idea of having two high-priced safeties on the roster sounds less than ideal on paper. At the same time, Seattle’s defense has been shaky in recent years and attempts to acquire talent in the most cost-effective manner (the draft) have gone so poorly, the Seahawks honestly don’t have much of a choice. As for paying two safeties, Seattle isn’t at a point where it can refuse to compensate a player based on what someone else in his position group is making. The defense needs impactful playmakers and Diggs fits that description. It’s ultimately that simple.

Identify potential ways to acquire draft capital
In addition to spending money in free agency, the Seahawks need to consider moving at least one of their core players in exchange for draft capital. It won’t be easy: Most of Seattle’s best and most expensive players either just recently signed their deals or have reached ages that make their value to other teams very low.

These are some of Seattle’s highest-paid players and their 2022 cap hits, according to Over the Cap: Wilson ($37 million), Bobby Wagner ($20.3 million), Lockett ($10.05 million), Poona Ford ($9.6 million), Jamal Adams ($9.1 million), Gabe Jackson ($9 million), Carlos Dunlap ($6.5 million), Chris Carson ($6.4 million) and Jason Myers ($5 million).

Seattle is estimated to have more cap space than all but seven other NFL teams, so it’s not as if it needs to unload a bunch of salaries to get under the cap. Still, the Seahawks have just two top-100 picks in the draft after making just one in 2021. They need young, inexpensive, starting-caliber talent and that area of the draft is the place to acquire it.

The other option to acquire draft capital would be identifying young players whom Seattle may want to trade instead of extending, as was the case with defensive end Frank Clark in 2019. Other than Metcalf, there’s not much to work with from the 2019 draft class, which would be the group next in line for extensions. Metcalf could become the league’s highest-paid receiver this offseason. Other high draft picks the Seahawks could punt on for a possible return would be defensive end L.J. Collier and linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

" ...to avoid any more contention, be it in public or private, the smarter play would be to move on from the coach and GM and proceed with a new tandem in those front-office roles."

Can't disagree.

Schneider and Carroll have kept this team competitive for a lot of years and every team experiences a dip eventually. But I don't think that Carroll is extracting everything from this roster that he could be. I also believe that moving on from Wilson is a mistake. Pete admitted himself that if it weren't for Wilson, he'd probably be long gone. And once Wilson is actually gone, this team will struggle to find a replacement. Quality QBs don't grow on every tree in the forest.

That said, Jody Allen likely signed Carroll to the big extension because he's had success in the past and he takes care of everything football related so she can wash her hands of that part of the operation. And although I respect the fact that she's a 'hands-off' owner, someone needs to make a decision.

[auroraave]

" ...to avoid any more contention, be it in public or private, the smarter play would be to move on from the coach and GM and proceed with a new tandem in those front-office roles."

Can't disagree.

Schneider and Carroll have kept this team competitive for a lot of years and every team experiences a dip eventually. But I don't think that Carroll is extracting everything from this roster that he could be. I also believe that moving on from Wilson is a mistake. Pete admitted himself that if it weren't for Wilson, he'd probably be long gone. And once Wilson is actually gone, this team will struggle to find a replacement. Quality QBs don't grow on every tree in the forest.

That said, Jody Allen likely signed Carroll to the big extension because he's had success in the past and he takes care of everything football related so she can wash her hands of that part of the operation. And although I respect the fact that she's a 'hands-off' owner, someone needs to make a decision.

I think the bigger problem is that Wilson is past his prime - keeping an expensive declining QB as part of a rebuild makes very little sense - especially factoring in he'll have a new contract coming up. What is the purpose of keeping him? He cannot carry the offense, he is not going to be the difference between making the playoffs or not. Send him somewhere he can play for a possible playoff team so he can play out his twilight years in return for some much needed assets. Saints? Steelers? Seattle's rebuild will be a long one - they have little draft capital for the next couple of seasons. They are likely gonna suck hard in the bloodbath division. I agree that it's time for a change at the coaching level - although I would not be opposed to keeping Waldron to see what he can do. The Indy game plan showed flashes of what could be. I would 100% keep JS as well - he's far better than people give him credit for. I imagine the Jamal Adams trade is all on Carroll - not JS. I think Carroll pressured JS to 'do whatever it takes" to get Adams - thinking Adams may be the piece that puts Seattle over the top for one last championship run while Carroll still has Wilson in what's left of his prime.

Right now - Wilson solves no short or long terms problems for the franchise - except as the most marketable player. This team is not going anywhere for the foreseeable future - do a roster purge - trade Wilson, Metcalf, and Wagner for draft picks. Keep JS and possibly Waldron. I suppose that would be up to the incoming coach. What would be really interesting is if Carroll resigned at the end of the season and went back to USC for one last ride into the sunset. They still have not hired a coach.

[D-train]

Yeah you can't rebuild with Wilson. He won't want to play for a loser and you won't have the picks that you need by trading him.

[douche]

I do like JS. I think PC's shelf life has expired. And should Wilson go, there isn't much to replace him.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

You guys are crazy. Schneider has been a mediocre to bad GM since 2013. And i think it is pretty obvious that he had help in his first three drafts.

[D-train]

You guys are crazy. Schneider has been a mediocre to bad GM since 2013. And i think it is pretty obvious that he had help in his first three drafts.

Yeah, not a fan.

[Donn Beach]

well, since you asked...from 2012 JS has been basically average, be interesting if anybody has really beaten the draft over a long period

not that I understand that, but it seems like 2016 should be ranked higher than 2015


https://beastpode.com/2021/01/17/john-s ... nfl-draft/

[D-train]

I don't see how 2015 can be #3 Did pick two good players in Clark and Lockett but literally zero after that.

[auroraave]

We all know that the only people who are skilled and experienced at NFL drafting - the true draft experts - are all on this forum. Looking back in hindsight to find the player that is having the most success - and saying that's who you would've taken - is definitely how it's done. No one on here has any idea of the intel crunched or data sifted through or the available talent, to come to a team's drafting conclusion - nor does anyone on here ever factor in the total risk every pick is, or injuries or just the random shit that happens that is completely out of your control - like injuries or ATV cliff diving. people are mad because every single player picked at the bottom of the first round doesn't pan out as a future hall of famer - so JS sucks. Yeah, that's totally reasonable. Even better - no one has any comparable metrics as to how he's done against his constituency - and isn't that important? Someone did that on here a few years ago and it showed JS was top ten - and everyone stopped whining about it for a while. The facts don;t back up the lazy narratives on here. He's been great at roster building, cap management, mid season moves, etc. And yet no one can ever get past McDowell's random stupidity, which is some how JS's fault, and the fact that Carroll's team could never figure out how to properly use Penny when he was actually healthy. Yes, injuries and talent mismanagement is also 100% JS's fault. It's incredible that, only on this forum, the only GM that has ever had draft picks not pan out - is JS. It's almost as if no one factors anything into their thinking other than emotions. The oline sucks - that's on JS! Or, maybe the players he's acquiring aren't even playing their natural positions, you know, like Damian Lewis. No way that would fall on coaching. Gotta be the GM!

I'll take JS all day. The ones that complain the most are always the ones who do the least amount of research and realistic analysis. it's always "Ohhhhh myyyyy gawwwwd a draft pick didn't pan out!!!!!" The narrow mindedness is baffling. Is JS perfect? Of course not. Is that supposed to be the metric he's measured by? More nonsense. How about - who's better? (cue the crickets).