Grading the Draft

[Michael K.]

Did you say you retired from coaching?

Nope, this is my 13th or 14th season of Fastpitch, but my first as the Head Coach. I was the Head Coach the last two Fall seasons as well. I basically coach from the end of February until Halloween! The WIAA requires a small break from July 31st until my Fall season starts, which is usually mid August. Then I can't have any contact over the winter, usually Halloween until Open Gym in early February....but February is observation only until our first practice. Which would be the Monday of the week where March 1st Falls. So, it was real late this season since March 1st was a weekend.

[D-train]

Did you say you retired from coaching?

Nope, this is my 13th or 14th season of Fastpitch, but my first as the Head Coach. I was the Head Coach the last two Fall seasons as well. I basically coach from the end of February until Halloween! The WIAA requires a small break from July 31st until my Fall season starts, which is usually mid August. Then I can't have any contact over the winter, usually Halloween until Open Gym in early February....but February is observation only until our first practice. Which would be the Monday of the week where March 1st Falls. So, it was real late this season since March 1st was a weekend.

I am looking forward to checking out a few games!

[Donn Beach]

Looking forward to 2026

If the Seahawks extend Cross, which they should want to do anyway because he's simply a good player, they will save around $13.1 million in cap space for 2026. That would put them at just barely under $100 million in total cap space, basically allowing them to do whatever they want.

Of course, the Seahawks will have to re-sign some of their pending free agents, a group that includes running back Kenneth Walker III, cornerback Riq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant and more. Even still, they'll have plenty of money to add outside free agents if they so choose.

The Seahawks made it a point to free up future cap space this offseason, and they've done a pretty good job of that. Now, they can put some of that newfound cap space to good use and free up more in the short term.

[douche]

Yeah, think there's questions about Darnold being as successful with the Seahawks, more of an unknown factor. I've been meaning to bring up how impressed I am with JS's off season. You guys can groan but I think he's shown why he is highly regarded around the league. He's basically rebuilt the team, and he's done it quickly and efficiently. We'll see what the product is like, for me it feels like when Pete and js first took control. Create an identity, a common factor that runs through both the offense and defense. It began with replacing Grubb, installing a new offense with kubiak,trading Geno and Metcalf, signing Darnold, and then the draft. That to me was a heck of a lot to accomplish over an off season.

Yes we will.

[Donn Beach]

Yeah, think there's questions about Darnold being as successful with the Seahawks, more of an unknown factor. I've been meaning to bring up how impressed I am with JS's off season. You guys can groan but I think he's shown why he is highly regarded around the league. He's basically rebuilt the team, and he's done it quickly and efficiently. We'll see what the product is like, for me it feels like when Pete and js first took control. Create an identity, a common factor that runs through both the offense and defense. It began with replacing Grubb, installing a new offense with kubiak,trading Geno and Metcalf, signing Darnold, and then the draft. That to me was a heck of a lot to accomplish over an off season.

Yes we will.

So what yeah think, are you optimistic or doubtful. Hate to say it but I am pretty optimistic.i think because I feel there's holistic quality to it now that seemed to be lost before. I feel like that's what fell apart with Pete and JS. The moves had little connection. Like the Jamal Adams trade. I was excited about it but it never went anywhere, it didn't seem connected to anything else.

Take the current offensive line issue. There was a lot of early pressure to throw money at it with FA but JS addressed it with the draft. I was doubtful about waiting for the draft but I think they did a good job of it. I never expected JS to use his first round pick on a guard but he did and I think it's going to help. And there's Bryce Cabeldue to compete at right guard. And the tight ends hopefully will have a impact on the line, as well as bringing in Kubiak.Hopefully we are seeing interconnectedness that maybe wasn't as strong before

[Sibelius Hindemith]

I don't see the line being much better this year if at all. Zabel will probably struugle - OL always take at least a year to get up to speed. Olu is still Olu, maybe Haynes takes the next step, hopefully Lucas can stay healthy. Maybe the run game improves with Hernandez and Ouzts added in. I don't see Darnold having a goid year because without protection he turns into a sack magnet and turnover monster. Arroyo should help make up for the loss of DK as a big target.

The D looks like the same group with Murphy hopefully more impactful, although if they use him as a NT don't expect numbers any better than last year. The edge guy they signed from Dallas is over the hill snd who knows what Emmanwori's going to look like. Hopefully not another Aaron Curry or Taylor Mays but who knows. Don't see any reason to be excited about the CBs or ILBs either.

[douche]

So what yeah think, are you optimistic or doubtful. Hate to say it but I am pretty optimistic.i think because I feel there's holistic quality to it now that seemed to be lost before. I feel like that's what fell apart with Pete and JS. The moves had little connection. Like the Jamal Adams trade. I was excited about it but it never went anywhere, it didn't seem connected to anything else.

Take the current offensive line issue. There was a lot of early pressure to throw money at it with FA but JS addressed it with the draft. I was doubtful about waiting for the draft but I think they did a good job of it. I never expected JS to use his first round pick on a guard but he did and I think it's going to help. And there's Bryce Cabeldue to compete at right guard. And the tight ends hopefully will have a impact on the line, as well as bringing in Kubiak.Hopefully we are seeing interconnectedness that maybe wasn't as strong before

I am more doubtful than optimistic. No one can say for sure what will happen. It just seems to me that the team possesses this endless array of coaches, assistants and specialists (I suppose every team does) that seems overly convoluted. Will the line be better? Perhaps. How will the offense perform? We got pretty excited about that last year with Grubb, and it didn't seem to go anywhere. Will Kubiak make a difference? Hard to say. It all stems from Macdonald.

I did like the draft. But only time will tell if it all translates to the field.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

If Ernest Jones goes down, the Hawks will be screwed up the middle of the D. They have no backups and they don't have a true nose tackle other than washed up Hankins and some other rabble.

[D-train]

I don't see the line being much better this year if at all. Zabel will probably struugle - OL always take at least a year to get up to speed. Olu is still Olu, maybe Haynes takes the next step, hopefully Lucas can stay healthy. Maybe the run game improves with Hernandez and Ouzts added in. I don't see Darnold having a goid year because without protection he turns into a sack magnet and turnover monster. Arroyo should help make up for the loss of DK as a big target.

The D looks like the same group with Murphy hopefully more impactful, although if they use him as a NT don't expect numbers any better than last year. The edge guy they signed from Dallas is over the hill snd who knows what Emmanwori's going to look like. Hopefully not another Aaron Curry or Taylor Mays but who knows. Don't see any reason to be excited about the CBs or ILBs either.

What year did the Oline get up to speed??? lol

[Donn Beach]

I don't see the line being much better this year if at all. Zabel will probably struugle - OL always take at least a year to get up to speed. Olu is still Olu, maybe Haynes takes the next step, hopefully Lucas can stay healthy. Maybe the run game improves with Hernandez and Ouzts added in. I don't see Darnold having a goid year because without protection he turns into a sack magnet and turnover monster. Arroyo should help make up for the loss of DK as a big target.

The D looks like the same group with Murphy hopefully more impactful, although if they use him as a NT don't expect numbers any better than last year. The edge guy they signed from Dallas is over the hill snd who knows what Emmanwori's going to look like. Hopefully not another Aaron Curry or Taylor Mays but who knows. Don't see any reason to be excited about the CBs or ILBs either.

What year did the Oline get up to speed??? lol

Think he's talking generally, league wide. Though I believe the commanders went from the bottom of the league to the middle in one season. They utilized FAs. But yeah, I'd like to see some kind of movement like that.

IF Haynes has any sort of possiblity of taking a step why not Olu?