Well, here we have it. The 2022 NFL preseason is officially over for our Seattle Seahawks, Geno Smith won a quarterback competition that was never really a true QB battle, Miles Adams and some dude by the name of Michael Jackson flashed on defense all the way through, and Seattle has some nice looking running backs.

A lot is going to shake out with this roster before they play that first come Monday Night Football on September 12th. I think it’s pretty safe to say that Seattle is going to add some veteran faces cut by other clubs, and yes, I do believe that Jimmy G is a strong possibility up here, but that’s for then, and this is now.

Right now, these are the 53 players on this club who I believe have earned the right to be on the active roster for the 2022 Seattle Seahawks. Let’s break it down.

Quarterback: Geno Smith, Drew Lock, Jacob Eason (3)

Geno is the clear starter. He’s the guy that Pete Carroll has the most faith in to do the right things behind center. Say what you will about how uninspiring that sounds, but Pro Football Focus has graded him favorably all preseason, and obviously, the Seattle coaches agree.

Initially during the Cowboys’ game, I thought Seattle was likely going to cut Drew Lock after his outing, but after listening to Carroll post game, it sounds like he hasn’t given up on him. He’s young, with starting experience, and as all the physical tools needed to play the position as a starter. The question remains whether he has it within himself to limit mistakes and play the conservative style that Carroll prefers.

Jacob Eason has an elite arm that intrigues and I think is worth stashing on the roster for another season with club control next year. Personally, I think it’s kinda stupid to cut him right now.

If Jimmy Garoppolo ends up in Seattle, I believe Drew Lock is probably on his way out, for what it’s worth. Just my hunch on that.

Running Back: Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer, DJ Dallas, Darwin Thompson (4)

Ken Walker will probably start the season on the Physically Unable To Perform list, and miss the first month of football. That’s okay because Seattle likes all their running backs and feel comfortable with these four. It’s a shame that Walker won’t likely start the season as a main contributor, but I think it’s wise for Seattle to get him fully healthy for a potentially exciting second half of their football season with him. Homer, Dallas, and Thompson shined all preseason long.

Tight End: Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson (3)

Nothing shocking here. I don’t think the recent addition of JJ Arcega-Whiteside moved the needle. Fant is someone they want to showcase in this offense, and Dissly and Parkinson know what the coaches want. This is the three.

Wide Receiver: DK Mecalf, Tyler Lockett, Marquise Goodwin, Dee Eskridge, Bo Melton, Dareke Young (6)

The big surpriser here is my projected release of Freddie Swain. Dareke Young and Bo Melton have been interesting, and the club will have longer club control on them than they will Swain at this point. There’s a rawness here beyond DK, Tyler and Goodwin, but I think the truth is that we are going to see a lot of two tight end looks on the field. Look for the team to use Eskridge and Melton as potential runners as well as catchers.

Offensive Line: Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Austin Blythe, Gabe Jackson, Abe Lucas, Stone Forsythe, Phil Haynes, Kyle Fuller, Jake Curhan (9)

I was tempted to have Gabe Jackson as a surprise cut, but I think durability concerns remain with Phil Haynes. Forsythe has the makings of a decent swig tackle, and Kyle Fuller and Jake Curhan can each play multiple positions. Cross and Lucas are two super promising rookie tackles, and fingers crossed the Austin Blythe stays healthy at center.

Interior Defensive Line: Al Woods, Poona Ford, Shelby Harris, Myles Adams, Brian Mone, Quinton Jefferson (6)

For my money, Myles Adams has been the biggest star for Seattle in all three preseason games. He has consistently been disruptive inside as a pass rusher, and I think it’s all but certain he has made former first round pick LJ Collier expendable. I’m really excited about the potential of this guy.

Woods, Harris and Ford should be quality starters, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Seattle add another veteran to the mix down the road.

Edge Rush: Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Alton Robinson, Josua Onujiogu (5)

It’s a shame that rookie Tyreke Smith hadn’t stayed healthy in camp, but I think he’s safely heading to the IR as a guy that they want to keep around long term. Onujiogu flashed positively against the Cowboys enough to initially make my final 53, but honestly, I suspect this is another area that Seattle will look to add with a vet once teams make their cuts. Pete Carroll loves a deep pass rush rotation, and I don’t know if this is nearly deep enough.

Inside Linebacker: Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, Vi Jones, Nick Bellore (4)

I will be honest. I’m super nervous about depth here. I think, outside of Jordyn Brooks, this is whole group has me wanting (although Vi Jones has had a really nice preseason and deserves an active roster spot).

Bellore is a lock because he doubles as the starting fullback, but how do we all feel about Barton? My feelings are mixed. 3-4 middle linebackers genuinely have to be bad asses. Can we call Barton that?

This is the biggest area where I want Seattle to explore outside veteran options, and yeah, I’m not opposed to going after Roquan Smith, to be honest.

Cornerback: Sidney Jones, Artie Burns, Justin Coleman, Coby Bryant, Tariq Woolen, Michael Jackson (5)

Tre Brown is a promising talent who will likely start the season either on the IR or the PUP. This probably saves Justin Coleman a spot as initially the starting nickel corner, but watch out for Coby Bryant there down the road. Michael Jackson was a preseason star and earned his place. Tariq Woolen has crazy upside an eventual long term starter, and I think Carroll is going to trust Jones and Burns to be his initial starters on the outside. This is potentially a very interesting group.

Safety: Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Josh Jones, Marquise Blair, Joey Blount (5)

Ryan Neal is likely to start the season the on the PUP or IR, but never fear, Josh Jones has been really good all throughout camp. I think this team wants to carry 5 safeties because we are going to see a lot of Jamal Adams as a nickel linebacker, and because of Neal’s injury situation, I pick undrafted rookie Joey Blount as my fifth safety.

Special Teams: Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott (3)

No surprises here with the kicker, punter, and long snapper.

Final Thoughts.

I have much love for the potential I see with the running backs, the corners, and possibly the offensive line. I like the look of the interior pass rush of this team with how Myles Adams has come along. I think if Darrell Taylor can stay healthy as an edge rusher, this defense could be surprising there.

I have concerns about the depth of the edge rush group, and I have HUGE concerns about what the inside backers will be like (although, I’ve been a fan of Vi Jones through these preseason games). I also think that it could be worth it for the club to continue to look for veteran help at the interiors of the offensive and defensive lines, if there is a surprise cut off of another team.

As for the quarterback situation, I’ve submitted to this being the Geno Smith show until it isn’t. Geno is the veteran that Pete Carroll trusts. I think he’s likely still just a quality NFL backup, and I am willing to call a bluff here, but we will see. If I am wrong and Pete Carroll has proven the entire league’s perception about Geno incorrect, I will be the first to congratulate Pete Carroll for proving everyone stupid on Geno Smith, including myself.

As always, I remain fascinated about how everything will shake out, as I remain a determined diehard. I just want to see good defense, and a decent ball control offense this year. If I get that, I will be a happy Twelve no matter who is under center.

Go Hawks!

I promised myself one thing this football season when it comes to my Seattle Seahawks. I promised that I wasn’t going to sweat the quarterback situation.

Nope! Not after all that weird Russell Wilson stuff over the past couple seasons. I just wanted a season long reprieve from the position, you know?

“Let’s build it up for the next guy next year!”

All I thought I wanted was a simple return to being good on defense, on special teams, and I wanted to see positive growth with the offensive line and run game. Anything positive that the Seahawks could muster from the quarterback position would be a bonus, in my mind.

So, as I sit here, a day before they play their final preseason game, I’m surprised to find myself annoyed at their QB situation. In fact, I’m annoyed that I’m so annoyed.

As I process these emotions, I land on this one horrific thought that gives me to which gives me instant, unpleasant, and very painful gas.

What if Pete Carroll is absolutely the wrong head coach to bring on a new franchise quarterback?

The reason why I am finding myself asking this question more so today has everything to do with one Drew Lock, and how Pete has handled him through training camp. It all boils down to that.

Even though I haven’t put great stock into the idea that Lock will become the next long term starter at quarterback in Seattle, I thought the plan going into camp was for an honest competition between him, and Geno Smith in order to give him (or Geno) the chance to earn the starter spot, and basically to have a full season of seventeen games to audition for the long term gig. This idea made all the sense in the world to me, especially with Lock who is still only 25 years old.

In order for a team to land a franchise quarterback, it often requires a franchise to take many bites from the QB apple to get it right. Bites can involve free agency such as the famous case of Drew Brees and the Saints. They can obviously include the draft where there are countless examples, but they can also include trades such as Steve Young with the 49ers, Brett Farve with the Packers, and in terms of the Seattle Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck from the Packers to Seattle.

Drew Lock, if anything, should have been considered one bite at the apple for the Seattle Seahawks the minute they got him here from Denver in the Russell Wilson trade. That would be the prudent expectation for him. At least, that’s what I thought.

Giving Drew Lock an honest opportunity along with Geno Smith to “be the guy” this year makes logistical long term sense, and while he doesn’t know this offense as much as Geno Smith does, I would think that the only way he learns it is to play through the rough patches. I think that starts by sharing equal reps with the first team offense, and to be embraced by his head coach.

Pete Carroll, however, has done anything but embrace him, and it gives me horrendous gas.

I have no idea what Carroll is doing by continuing to label this situation a “quarterback competition” when everything suggests that it is not a competition at all. I mean, what’s his plan? Does he have a plan?

In fact, it’s gotten so agitating for me that, every time I turn on sports radio and hear about Geno getting all the first team reps yet again, it requires me to immediately roll down my windows in traffic because of the amount of explosive gas shooting out of my ass, thus making the cab of my truck more toxic than the ozone destroying diesel vehicle that I am stuck behind.

Yet, here we have it. There’s been no equal reps between Drew Lock and Geno Smith with the first team offense, and because of that, there’s been no opportunity for Lock to build chemistry with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. That’s a big determent to any chance of him having any immediate success this season, should he have to start.

Even if Drew plays the majority of the time agains the Cowboys on Friday, and balls the F out, and forces Carroll’s hand in naming him the starter, he will go into a hyped up season opener against his former team in front of a sold out crowd in Seattle, facing Russell Wilson, without being given every opportunity from Carroll to understand how each of his star receivers break on their routes, and build a functional chemistry. That’s not a great recipe for success in front of a fickle mob of sixty thousand Twelves.

At this point, it’s probably way more reckless of Carroll to not name Geno the starter for the week one opener, and beyond. My hunch is that I’m not the only Twelve feeling a little gassy over that prospect.

And all of this begs the question as to why Pete Carroll has been calling this a QB competition between Lock and Smith in the first place. By the way he has shaped these practices, it looks very clear that Carroll has long made up his mind that Smith is his starter.

The thing of it is, though, and all positive PFF preseason grades of his aside, is that Geno Smith is most likely just a backup quarterback in this league. No team this off-season viewed him as a starter outside of Seattle, and he hung out there in free agency a long time before finally returning here.

It’s not just me saying this either. Just the other day on KJR 950, legendary former Seahawk head coach and quarterback guru Mike Holmgren said the exact same thing.

When asked about how he would have handled the quarterback situation for Seattle this year given the three guys that they have in camp, Holmgren said that he would have planned for Lock to be his starter, and given him most of the reps all throughout camp. He would have done everything he could have to coach him up and build him up in front of his teammates.. because he sees Drew Lock as a potential starting quarterback, and Geno as nothing more than a decent backup.

This is the same coach who was responsible for recycling Steve Young as a young busted player out of Tampa Bay, and making him into a pro bowler for the San Francisco 49ers. I think Mike Holmgren knows something about grooming a young quarterback into success.

My question is whether Pete Carroll genuinely knows how to do it, or even wants to do it.

I would also say that, for those Seahawk fans who are assuming that this team is going to pluck a quarterback out of next year’s draft to be the next franchise guy, these signs from Pete Carroll in relation to Drew Lock should give you cause for concern about that idea. They give me a lot of concern.

I think it is entirely possible (and probable given his age) that Carroll would much prefer to go the veteran route in Seattle for his last remaining years as head coach through 2025. Honestly, if Jody Allen isn’t interested in moving on from him (I don’t think she is), it might be the right call for the team in the immediate future seasons.

In fact, I think there’s now signs that point to a real possibility that we could see Jimmy Garoppolo here in Seattle within a week to be the next starting quarterback. A week ago, I wouldn’t have put much stock in it. Now, after seeing Geno getting all first team reps again this week, when it was presumed that Drew would have gotten some of those, I’m buying more of the Jimmy G to Seattle online chatter.

I’m especially buying into it now because of Carroll, himself, still refusing to name a starter now, or to even be in any hurry to name one for the next couple weeks, if needed. Why is that when it is clear that it looks like the gig is Geno’s?

Well, maybe the answer is that if he outwardly proclaims Geno his starter now, and then the team signs Garoppolo next week, he would have to take that status away from Geno because, frankly, Garoppolo is vastly the superior veteran quarterback. Pete Carroll is not going to do Geno Smith dirty like that, if his intention is to try to get Jimmy G here in Seattle next week.

Also, listening to Carroll continually backing Geno, and then say that Lock has done nice things “to put on his resume” more than suggests to me that Carroll doesn’t see Lock as being anything long term here, or even short term. It honestly makes me think that Carroll would rather cling onto Geno, who knows this offense better, while maybe planning to convince Garoppolo to come North on his 2022 NFC West revenge tour the minute he’s released by the 49ers next week after that rival team fails to strike a trade with another club.

At age 72, having a quarterback room with two veteran guys who understand the deeper nuances of NFL quarterbacking does seem like a reasonable desire for an old school defensive minded head coach. This thought, honestly, gives me less gas, actually. It’s kind of a Tums thought, sorta, or so I blindly hope.

I know one definite thing in all of this, though. Pete Carroll, at age 72, with his reluctance to fully embrace Drew Lock for a season is a massive red flag if this team has designs on spending a first round pick on a quarterback next year. It’s a MASSIVE RED FLAG.

If Pete won’t willingly ride with Lock this year to see what potential is there, when they are not expected to be any serious contender, what makes you think he will ride comfortably with a rookie next season when maybe more chips on on the table?

This is a very fair question to ask at this juncture.. and it give me the type of gas that reminds me that I should eat more vegetables.

So, maybe just go get Jimmy, and if all goes really well, extend him for a few more years.

And yes, it’s all comes to that final thought in all of this. I’m going to eat come carrots and celery now.

Go Hawks!

August 7th, 2022, Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington.. somewhere right around noontime.

I was sitting in my lower level seat next to my darling wife who is a GIGANTIC Seattle Storm fan as we were basking amongst the sold out crowd there to watch one of the most iconic Seattle sports legends play her final regular season game. It was an awesome experience seeing the love pouring out from fans in the seats, and former teammates and coaches, and other superstar athletes who have appreciated her greatness over the years through a video montage.

Sue Bird will go down as one of the greatest legends in Seattle sports history. If you are of the ilk who feels the compulsion to state that nobody cares about the WNBA, you are likely a fractured man with a frail sense of your own masculinity. It is that simple.

In Seattle, Washington, the Storm have a strong following, perhaps the biggest following of any WNBA team. No, they aren’t the Seahawks, or Sounders, or the Mariners as of late in terms of crowd size, but this town has plenty of fans of women’s basketball.

I have been to many Storm games over the years. I see Seahawk players regularly there, and former Sonic players hanging out court side, as well. I have regularly seen fans there wearing old Sonic jerseys who probably have adopted the Storm after the Sonics were stolen away from them (such is my story).

Of course, I have seen thousands of women of all age ranges there to support the finest women basketball players on the planet because they probably see girl power as a positive thing. Go figure that.

So, when I see some dude on the internet actually reply that nobody cares about the WNBA, I just kinda feel sorry for them. Finding comfort in their own masculinity must be fleeting.

But I have digressed severely from the original direction I was going with this piece.

Sue Bird is an astoundingly successful athlete who should be viewed as the GOAT of her sport once she is officially finished. She is one of the very best point guards I have ever seen play, and I have seen a lot of Gary Payton and John Stockton over the years. Her no-look passes are pure Jedi, and her abilities to take over games where her team needed her most are breathtaking to watch.

In 21 years of basketball in Seattle, she has won four titles. Additionally, she has won five Olympic gold metals. She has played longer on a Seattle team than anyone else ever has. She played longer than Steve Largent, Walter Jones, and Edgar Martinez.

She started her career as a Seattle Storm and she ended her career as one. That’s probably the most special thing about her, for me as a Seattle sports fan.

And it wasn’t all wine and roses for her, either. In between championships, she had legitimate down years with this club, and injured seasons, as she weathered through the ebbs and flows with this sport. In those periods of her career, she never looked for an opportunity to leave when the going got tough, and believe me, she would have had her pick of any WNBA team to go play for.

She could have gone home to New York, and she probably could have furthered her brand there, and became a bigger star on the national scene. She could have gone to LA and that would have easily opened doors for herself in the entertainment industry with her bursting personality.

Instead, she stayed in Alaska South, and waited for the Storm to build it up again to bring home a third and fourth ring.

So, when I sat there in the sold out arena, and I watched this very special celebration of her, and I saw Russell Wilson pop onto the Jumbotron, and I heard all the boos, if I am to be honest, I didn’t feel an ounce of badness about it. Not a bit of it, and I say thing having been as big of a Russell Wilson fan as any over the years.

This situation was about her, and her greatness. Storm fans were there to celebrate her, and not watch the dude who very passive aggressively worked a trade for himself out of town for the past year and a half.

Russell Wilson is many things for Seattle. He was a great quarterback in his prime, and he was a huge part of our city’s Super Bowl win. His play on the field was often times spectacular to watch. None of this can ever take that away from him, and I believe what he did for Seattle Children’s Hospital was even greater than anything he ever did on the field.

Having said all that, I believe there is this whole other side of Russ that runs very counter to all of that. His self promoting style is very hard to swallow as a fan, and I suspect some Denver fans are going to grow tired of that in a hurry, especially if he doesn’t prove to be the savior for their club like many are projecting. I think his desire to be the center of attention, and the entourage he rolls with probably makes him a challenging teammate, and maybe even more challenging to coach.

Russell Wilson is a diva, and the thing is, I think he’s likely always been one, long before he ever met and married Ciara. I think his marriage to Ciara is just a natural progression in his life, as I think being a Denver Bronco is after growing dissatisfied with the Seattle Seahawks.

Russell Wilson is fueled by an intense ambition. He’s hard wired with it, and it has lead to to achieve great things, but ambition is a double edged sword that comes with a cost.

His intense ambition led him to eventually wanting to get as far away from Pete Carroll’s style as he could. As a fan of both individuals, I think that’s sad, really.

In 2012, Pete Carroll went against his preferences at quarterback, and went with an unproven 5-10 quarterback to lead his team. All of Carroll’s quarterbacks were taller pocket passers, but Pete saw something special in him that he felt was worth riding with.

Many Russell Wilson fans say Pete Carroll held him back. I say Pete Carroll gave him a legitimate chance to be an NFL starter where most other head coaches probably would have viewed him as a plucky backup. If not for Pete, there likely would not have been this Russell Wilson story such as this one.

And people who are deeply fans of Russell Wilson can point to Pete holding him back in the last few years in Seattle, but do they ever consider that maybe Pete knew more about what Russ can and can’t do than they do? That maybe Pete knew exactly which style of offense gave Russ the best chance to succeed?

It’s going to be interesting to see what Russell does in Denver over the next few years. I can see him doing great things, but I can also see him struggling. We shall see soon enough.

One thing that we will never see from Russ, though, is anything close to having the legacy in Seattle that Sue Bird will own forever. There will likely be a statue of Sue Bird outside of the Pledge Arena. I highly doubt that there will ever be a statue of Russ outside of Lumen Field.

That said, I suspect, over the years, Russ will be thought of kindly by most Seattle fans again, but right now, I don’t personally blame anyone who can’t resist the urge to boo him. I don’t think that makes them trash. I think it makes them passionate Seattle fans who didn’t like how he and his agent worked their way to Denver by trashing Pete Carroll and teammates in a back channel way to the likes of Colin Cowherd, and such.

Sue Bird would never have done that, and didn’t do that. I’m sure there were times in the span of twenty one years where she wasn’t in love with Seattle’s coaching, or maybe felt the front office didn’t make enough of the right kind of moves to surround her with better talent.

Sue Bird’s greatness isn’t just what she did on the court. It was who and what she was off of it that made her what she is, and how she will always be thought of by everyone who played with her, and coached her.

Can anyone ever say the same about Russell Wilson?

I don’t think anyone outside of Colin Cowherd and Russell’s agent can with any honesty.

If I had one wish for Russell Wilson while he was here in Seattle, it would have been for some trusted individual close to him to point to Sue, and convince him to truly be more like her. I think it would have made his legacy greater, and maybe he would still be here.

I am sure he meant well wishing Sue the best in that video montage. I believe he’s a genuine fan of hers, but also I think he has earned some boos at Climate Pledge from anyone who was feeling it in that moment.

I also think that it is absolutely poised to be a wild home opener at Lumen Field in a month. I will be very curious to see how he is greeted. My guess is that it will be a mixture, and I think that is completely reasonable response from the Twelves.

Cheer him, if you are feeling it. Boo him, if you need to do it. It’s all a process.

As for Sue, you keep doing you, girl.

Go Storm.

A few months ago, I was driving southbound on I-5 through Seattle on a busy afternoon, and as I decided to get off on the freeway onto the 4th Avenue exit, I noticed a rather grim sight. There, at Lumen Field, the two gigantic murals of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner were taken down, and there was nothing in their place.

I thought to myself, “who do the Seattle Seahawks even put up there now?”

Only the name of one player immediately came into my mind, and that was DK Metcalf.

This is when I knew that the Seattle Seahawks weren’t going to trade him. There’s no other player on their roster that has superstar potential that they can market after moving on from Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

Not Tyler Lockett, Rashaad Penny, Jordyn Brooks, Jamal Adams, or even Quandre Diggs. Not that these guys aren’t bad players. They’re all very good, but they aren’t superstars. Not like DK is becoming.

Don’t believe me? Even Hollywood is seeing is star potential these days as he’s set to star in a Paramount feature film.

Right now, DK Metcalf is the Seahawks’ best shot at having a bright young face of the franchise player. So when the deal was announced on Thursday, while I was definitely joyed at the news, I wasn’t surprised. This was a deal the Seahawks had to do.

Some fans will clench their hands over the cost, and they will say that he isn’t a top five receiver in this league, and this team is being foolish. I am not one of those.

I see DK Metcalf as an ascending talent who’s best football is still ahead of him. From a physicality perspective, the only other Seattle sports athlete that I can think to compare him to is Sonics legend Shawn Kemp. Kemp was a physical nightmare in his prime with rare size and speed and power. This is very much DK Metcalf, for me.

What Seattle needs to do now is let him take over like the Sonics eventually did with Kemp. They need to go get him a point guard at quarterback like Kemp had with Gary Payton. I am positive that is the plan moving forward.

In the meantime, let him be this team’s leader, and face for now. He’s freakishly talented, and highly marketable.

I was at Seahawks training camp this Saturday, and I saw DK jerseys everywhere. All eyes where on him, and the crowd cheered at his catches in traffic. There’s a buzz about him, and there’s a air of confidence that he now carries with him on the practice field. He knows he’s the man.

And let’s see what this season brings us at the end. Maybe, someone else will emerge along with him as a new star. Maybe it’s defensive end Darrell Taylor taking the next step. Maybe it’s Rashaad Penny, or Ken Walker toting the ball. Maybe, it’s even Drew Lock, or Geno Smith, as wild as that might sound.

But for right now, there’s only one certainty. This team belongs to DK. There’s no Russ for him to be a little brother towards, and there’s no Bobby for him to gain sage advise, either.

Now, it’s time for DK to be that guy, the bigger brother offering support to others. This is on him now. That’s what that massive 3 three year extension means. He has to be the guy.

Personally, I think he’s ready for it. In fact, I know he is.

DK is many things. He’s a surviver, a thriver, and he’s a disco diver.

No, he’s not a disco diver. I just thought it would be funny to throw that in to see if you’ve been napping.

All seriousness, I think this is his time, and I am personally ready for it. I need new blood stepping forward with this team, and I can’t see anyone more better suited to do that now than DK Metcalf.

People will joke about who he’s got at quarterback (and they are), but the truth is that a guy like DK Metcalf is going to make any quarterback’s job easier. This is partly why I am not sweating Seattle’s quarterback situation much this year. I’m willing to see what happens, and I happen to love that fact that DK will be a big part of this show for the next four years.

This was a no brainer move by this team. They locked up their best playmaker. Now, go figure out the point guard for him.

And just throw him that damn slant pass over the middle and watch him beast defenders into oblivion. Do this, Drew, or Geno, or whomever.

Observations from Seahawks training camp practice on Saturday July 30th

A lot of stuff has been made about the two quarterbacks battling for the starting job in Seattle, and how poor they had looked at the start of camp. The Sports Radio 710 morning host in Seattle has had a good time ripping on how bad of a throw and decision Drew Lock made at the end of their first practice last Wednesday. Others have pointed to how rough Thursday was for Geno Smith, fumbling the ball multiple times in his quest to hold Lock off.

Of course, we all know what the national media take is on Seattle’s quarterback situation. They all think Pete Carroll is absolutely bat shit for not going and getting Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.

Well, I’m no QB guru, or anything close to that, but from what I watched from the blazing hot hillside of the VMAC Saturday afternoon, I thought both quarterbacks did well at various points. I thought Geno Smith had a good command of the offense, and had an obvious connection with DK and Tyler Lockett, but I thought Drew Lock started to look better as the scrimmaging drills went on.

I thought Lock had the best throw of the day, zipping a perfect back shoulder throw that was caught for a score against tight coverage. He also showed good movement and a willingness to run, along with some nice passes over the middle on shallow crossers (something we have seen Russell Wilson do very little of over the last few years).

From what I see of the quarterbacks, Geno is clearly ahead, but Lock looks intriguing enough to want to see more of him with the starters. I can see this battle going right down to the end of the preseason. I also think it’s possible that whomever the starter is, Seattle’s QB situation may not be as bad as some radio voices are making it seem like it is, but we will see.

In our rookie watch, I thought three guys really stood out to me on Saturday.

Ken Walker looks special at running back with how he cuts and how fast he is. It was interesting to se how effective he was running through traffic inside.

Left tackle Charles Cross stoned Seattle’s best pass rusher in Darrell Taylor on a play, and rendered him useless. He looked decent in run blocking as well, but he did have one false start. Cross looks promising. This is a big deal.

The biggest play of any rookie came from cornerback Cobe Bryant, though. In defending a twenty yard sideline throw from Drew Lock to tight end Colby Parkinson, Bryant timed his leap perfectly to rip the ball out of Parkinson’s hands for what looked like was going to be an easy touchdown grab. That play wowed the crowd, and erupted the defensive sideline. I like the potential of this guy a lot.

Backup safety Josh Jones made a good physical play on a deep pass from Geno Smith, and ripped the ball away from the receiver for an INT.

Rashaad Penny looks big and FAST at running back. I’m maybe most excited about what Penny and Walker do at running back this year. Both were making plays as runners and pass catchers.

The starting pass rushing DL looks like Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu as the ends, and Quinton Jefferson and Shelby Harris at the tackles. Nwosu looked especially quick off the edge.

And finally, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf looked like absolute studs together at receiver. Lockett and Geno had a definite vibe going on in the red zone drills. This left me with the prevailing thought that maybe Seattle could be a sneaky team this year, if the chips fall right. Wouldn’t that be fun if they were?

Go Hawks

“KJ always does it right.”

Those were the words that my wife would hear out of my mouth whenever I would see KJ make a splash play as a starting linebacker for my Seattle Seahawks. Fortunately, there were a lot of those plays over the years. But that’s not the reason KJ will always be one of my favorite all-time Hawks. It runs deeper than that.

Yesterday, July 28th, 2022, was a weird day for me. I was commuting home on I-5 through downtown with my work bud when we got stuck in a major traffic stall because a truck carrying oxygen tanks caught fire and those tanks started to.. explode. To our fortune, we weren’t close to the truck of exploding tanks, and we were eventually diverted down an on ramp that led us through downtown and back on southbound lanes.

But it was there in that jam where my pal, Ray, while checking Facebook, learned that we had suddenly lost a friend. Major double whammy.

Nick Garrison was a legend in the Seattle theatre community to which both Ray and I have been a part of for many years, and have each done shows with him. Nick was breathtakingly watchable and sharply funny, but there was a lot more to him that that.

I have only been in one production with Nick. It was Twelfth Night at the Seattle Rep that featured a star studded cast of Seattle theatre royalty and some fancy actors out of New York. I had a tiny chorus role, and Nick played the tiny principal character of Fabian. In a role that required very little stage time, and dialogue, Nick Garrison stole that entire production away from a bunch of serious heavy hitters, and he did it without upstaging anyone. He was just that dynamically sharp and fascinating to watch.

But off-stage, Nick Garrison was an even bigger sweetheart with what always appeared to be a purely kind soul. I’ve never personally known another person who has that much talent and that much outward kindness. The theatre scene is ripe with talent and some expected big egos that can come with it. I was not super close with Nick, but around him, I never sensed a whiff of ego.

This is KJ Wright to me, and why I think he’s one of the absolute greatest Seahawks of all time. He was ultra talented as a player, but he was even a better person to everyone around him.

At 6-4 and 250 lbs, he looked like a NFL defensive end, but he was a pure off-ball middle linebacker who used that length and strength to his advantage along with his next level instincts. I have been a diehard Seahawks fan since the early 1980’s and there are very few games of this team that I have not watched. I have seen a lot of good linebackers play here, but I have never seen another Seahawk linebacker routinely blow up screen plays like KJ was able to do in his diagnosis of what the offense was trying to do.

“Don’t get fooled by the oke doke” is something I heard him say on sports radio when he was early in his career and quickly found himself in the starting lineup and playing at a high level. It was evident that KJ was taught and understood football awareness at a high level, and that was, for certain, one of his NFL superpowers that he used to pair with his rare size at his position.

KJ made plays. He was good in coverage. He was good in space. He was great at the line of scrimmage when needed, but I think he was even a better teammate, and that was his ultimate superpower. He deeply cared about people, and he had the courage to lift them up whenever he felt that was needed.

You cannot put a value number on what that means to any organization to have that type of person around. Sure, there were splashier players on Seattle’s legendary defense, and we can list them together, but KJ’s role within that defense, in my opinion, was absolutely as vital.

He was a galvanizing piece to the puzzle that made for one of the absolute best defenses of all time. His ultimate strength as a player was his heart and how he let it shine towards his brothers and anyone else around that organization.

Nick Garrison will deeply be remembered for his immense talent and kindness in a tight knit Seattle theatre community. He inspired many, and touched a lot of souls. I was not super close with him, but he was always one of my favorite people to bump into. He made me feel like I mattered.

As I write this out, I find this odd poetry that Nick passed away around the same time that KJ Wright signed a one day contract in order to retire a Seattle Seahawks. Having known Nick, and from what I know of KJ, they operated very similarly. Inside, they were built the same way, I suspect. There is no value to be placed on these type of people.

When my son grows throughout his life, I will tell him about KJ Wright. I will say to him that KJ always did it right. I was share with him my memories of watching him put George Kittle on his ass as well as how special of a guy we was, and how special his final press conference was to watch.

I will also tell my boy about Nick, I suspect.

“Just be a good person.”

That’s what KJ said in response to the question that asked what he wanted his legacy to be about at his final press conference. The most important thing to him is being there for others around him.

KJ Wright is many things, but a good person is what he is most, and that should mean everything in football and life. It is my hope that his legacy carries over with this new look Seattle Seahawk team, and there will be someone on that roster who will carry forth what he meant for this club. That, in my opinion, is the surest path to building this team back up again into a special one.

And to any friend of mine who knew Nick Garrison well, and happens to be reading this, I am really sorry for your loss. He was special.

Peace and love, and go Hawks.

Dear Seattle Seahawk Fan,

Let me first start this off by saying that, I had been previously heavily into the idea of Baker Mayfield becoming a Seattle Seahawk for 2022. When healthy, I think he can be a fun quarterback to watch. He’s got spunk. I like spunk. Also, at age 27, it has been hard for me to determine whether he’s peaked as an NFL starting quarterback. I kinda think he hasn’t.

So, when news broke that he’d been finally traded to the Carolina Panthers for a mere conditional 5th round pick in 2023, I was a bit bummed for a spell, and then I sorta moved on.. to Jimmy Garoppolo.

I won’t lie. These rumors that Seattle is interested in acquiring Garoppolo intrigue me, but I understand it if you would rather pass.

We have all had a good chuckle at Jimmy G in the PNW over the years while we had Russell Wilson up here. He’s not an athlete like Russ, and he doesn’t have the deep ball abilities like Russ, either. He’s also proven injury prone, and Russ, for the most part, has not been.

Nevertheless, when healthy, Garoppolo proved to be a very capable system quarterback for San Fransisco, and the players down there love this guy. I believe these things matter in football.

When healthy, Jimmy G is a smart enough quarterback to know what a defense is trying to do, and where to go with the ball quickly and accurately with short to intermediate throws. He’s very good at throwing to his running backs and tight ends (something maybe Russ didn’t do enough of).

When he throws an interception, he doesn’t get rattled. He has confidence in himself and his teammates to bounce back, and he’s done this many times. He’s a natural leader, and a likable guy.

These are all important qualities in a quarterback. If Seattle were to make a rare interdivisional trade for him with San Fransisco, I would not be disappointed. I think many of the things he does well as a starter fit along with what offensive coordinator Shane Waldron wants to do with this offense.

I think that this sort of trade would also signal that Seattle likes the shape of its young roster, and they believe they can compete for the playoffs this year, and that idea excites me. I don’t mind watching this team stay competitive as they transition away from Russ.

Having said all this stuff, then there’s this curious case of one Drew Lock, and the feels that I feel when it comes to this guy. Here’s the big reveal I offer about myself. I am a big time sucker for a good underdog story.

One did not become a fan of the Seattle Seahawks in the early 1980’s by not rooting for an underdog. This is a deeply embedded trait of mine, and I would argue that all three of the Seahawks’ most prolific passers were underdog stories in David Krieg, Matthew Hasselbeck, and Russell Wilson. Like it, or not, the underdog quarterback is a HUGE part of the Seattle sports DNA.

So, yeah, I’m slowly becoming a bit of a Drew Lock fan. I’m really pulling for the guy to succeed in Seattle. Like, I would LOVE for that to happen.

He seems like a genuinely likable dude, and I like that in a quarterback. He’s taken a ton of flack from fans and some media, and weirdly, the US Open Tennis. He’s handled it well, and has joked it off with ease. Personally, I find that endearing.

And you can laugh at that all you want about any idea of him turning it around. I get it. He lead the league in interceptions in 2020, was replaced in 2021 by the journeyman of journeymen starters in Teddy Bridgewater, and currently hasn’t been “beating out” Geno Smith as QB1 during Spring OTAs (I got some thoughts on that one).

You can pull up all kinds of historical examples of quarterbacks who had rough starts to their careers as Drew Lock has had, and never materialized into good players. You can say there was a reason he slid out of the first round in the 2019 draft when some projected him to be the second best quarterback prospect behind Kyler Murray.

I also get that you might be eyeing the 2023 NFL draft class of quarterbacks, and believing that there is a future star sitting there for Seattle to pluck up if they suck enough this year, and that has you not much interested in a scenario of Drew Lock turning it around for himself this year. For many, the golden ticket is to get a bright young quarterback on a rookie contract, such as Seattle had when it went to back to back Super Bowls a decade ago. I totally get this stuff.

But I guess I would also like to point out that when Matthew Hasselbeck first got to Seattle, a couple decades ago, he initially sucked as a starter. I was there, and saw it live.

He forced throws into coverage. He was head strong about his abilities, and he had an arrogance as a young starter that felt unearned. He ended up benched in favor of a veteran bandaid quarterback in Trent Dilfer much like Drew Lock was last year in Denver for Bridgewater.

I know this Matt HasseIbeck story well because I was one of the masses in the stands chanting for Dilfer every time he threw a pick (which was often). Finally, Mike Holmgren benched Hass for Difler, and the team became more competitive. Fans like myself felt validated, and Hasselbeck seemed destined to be yet another quarterback miss by an organization that missed on quarterbacks for the entire decade of the 1990’s.

People forget just how close it was for Matt Hasselbeck to have a flame out in the league before his career even got truly started. It was dangerously close.

Hasselbeck sat for about a year on the bench behind Difler, and if it wasn’t for a season ending injury to Dilger that forced Hasselbeck back into the lineup, he might likely would have busted out of the league. Seattle would have likely continued with Dilfer until they drafted (or traded) for his replacement.

But that was not to be Hasselbeck’s story. Due to this Difler injury, he got a second chance at being a starter, and in that chance, he played more within himself, and the offense finally clicked for him. Two years later he would be a starting quarterback in a Super Bowl, and he is arguably the second best quarterback in Seahawk franchise history.

Matt Hasselbeck got a second chance to rewrite his own story as an NFL quarterback. With this new chance, he changed up his attitude. He became a better team player. He understood more what Holmgren wanted him to do, he executed it, and fought back his worst impulses on the field.

He became a good, reliable, Pro Bowl worthy quarterback.

So, when I look Drew Lock in Seattle this Summer, fighting for a second chance, it’s very hard for me not to think about Hasselbeck twenty years ago. It’s not entirely an unrealistic idea that Lock’s story could mirror Hass’s.

Drew Lock is only 25 years old, and has only started just over 20 games in the league. That’s not a lot of starts, and call me crazy, but I think his 25-20 TD-INT ratio is perfectly indicative of a young quarterback going through the pains of figuring out NFL defenses and his abilities to play against them.

Last year, Denver’s head coach was on the hot seat, and long lost patience with his development. Vic Fangio needed to win games, and he went with his version of Trent Dilfer in Teddy Bridgewater. This is what I read into Drew Lock’s notorious benching in 2021.

So, while it didn’t work out for Lock in Denver, maybe it will for him in Seattle, if Seattle doesn’t make a move for another quarterback (or ride with Geno Smith all season). Maybe with a true second chance, he plays more within himself, and becomes a good fit for what Seattle wants to do. We won’t know unless Seattle gives him this chance, and I have landed on the position of hoping that they do.

Pete Carroll is not on any hot seat, no matter how NFL pundits want to spin it into a storyline for the 2022 season, or some upset Seahawk fans want to wish it into existence. Jody Allen would not have endorsed trading away Russell Wilson during an off-season that hosted a bad NFL draft class for quarterbacks with an idea that Pete was going to immediately roll this team back into a powerhouse right away. She knows this is going to be a process. Pete’s job is most likely one of the safest in the league.

Therefore, he has luxury to see what is there with Drew Lock. I suspect that he knows this, and that is why this team didn’t trade for Baker Mayfield, or draft Malik Willis with one of their second or third round picks back in late April.

And for those who think I am drawing too much on Hasselbeck as a positive example for Drew Lock, he isn’t the only NFL quarterback who’s career started out rough. I also seem to remember Peyton Manning throwing a ton of interceptions during the early points of his career, but being he first overall pick in 1999, I think it’s fair to say say he was afforded the luxury of time to work out the kinks.

So, while I get that many people are giving Drew Lock a zero chance of working out as the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, forgive me if I am not one of those. I think it might be well worth it if Seattle ultimately does give him a shot at it.

If Drew Lock fails to take command of this team, and lead this young offense to success, Seattle can look to the veteran market next year, or more likely, they can look to the draft where it is expected to be a better one for quarterbacks. They would have the draft capital necessary to make either sort of move on a guy that they want.

But if it clicks for Lock in this offense, and unexpectedly, he’s able to guide this team into post season contention, play efficiently, making enough plays when needed, and being a good distributer the way Pete Carroll loves his quarterbacks to be.. well, then things become more interesting for 2023, potentially.

Then you are looking at a quarterback who is young enough, experienced enough, has enough top end physical talent, and has shown an ability to turn his game around. That sounds like a guy who maybe John Schneider and Pete Carroll want to consider keeping around, especially if he’s won over the locker room.

It also sounds like another example of the Seattle Seahawks keeping their tradition of the underdog quarterback making good a continual thing. And if this happens, then all that draft capital from Denver can be used to further build out a young foundational core to help this organization go beyond mere playoff contention again. And isn’t that the goal, anyways?

Personally, I would be there for that.

Go Hawks!

Rule number one with any successful NFL draft: fans should never dictate who gets picked where.

I know this is a tough pill for some fans to follow, especially the smart fans who will say you should never draft a running back high, and the fans who thought Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was a sure fire first round talent (he wasn’t).

If you don’t like the fact that the seemingly QB needy Seattle Seahawks didn’t draft one, I would encourage you to let go of that position for this year. By most expert accounts, this quarterback class had all the makings of a bad one. I think Seattle did the right thing to avoid the position, and instead, focused on other positions of need where the talent in this draft was clearly superior.

I know many Twelves aren’t digging the prospect of Drew Lock at quarterback this year, but I think the truth of the matter is, if Lock were a quarterback in this class, he probably have been the first one taken. Therefore, the Seattle Seahawks might as well see what they have with him in 2022 before deciding on spending high draft capital on an unproven dude who has never faced an Aaron Donald before in his life.

If Lock doesn’t work out, then Seattle can search for a QB in 2023. However, if he plays well enough, beyond expectations of many, well then, the Russell Wilson trade to Denver will probably look all the better for Seattle in the end. In that scenario, Seattle would have their quarterback situation solved, one would think. My guess is that is exactly what they are thinking.

But enough of this quarterback talk. Seattle did the right thing in the first round by staying at 9 and taking Charles Cross, who some view as the best pass blocking left tackle in the draft. I would have taken defensive tackle Jordan Davis there, and therefore, I am another example of why fans shouldn’t be decision makers.

Cross is a pure left tackle who was carved out of a left tackle factory to play left tackle in the NFL and that is what Seattle picked. Bravo. Outside of quarterback, this was, by far, their biggest need, and they nailed it.

But John Schneider and Pete Carroll were not to be outdone by their Cross selection. At pick 40, they found Minnesota pass rusher Boye Mafe landing in their laps and the snatched him up for dear life.

If Seattle had traded out of 9 into the teens for another day two pick, and taken Mafe, that move probably wouldn’t have been criticized. In fact, it would have made sense. Mafe compares to former Seahawk great Cliff Avril, and that would have been the thing talked about. They wanted their new version of Cliff, and they got him. Excellent.

And I get it that many Twelves probably weren’t doing first pumps into the air when with their next pick at 41, when they took Michigan State runner Kenneth Walker III, but let’s consider why they did that. Chris Carson has a severe neck injury, and it’s possible he won’t play football again. We gotta be real about that fact, and while we are being real there, let’s also acknowledge that Rashaad Penny has a long injury history in this league (as promising as he has finally turned into as a runner).

The Seahawks needed a plan at running back better than walking back Penny, and hoping Carson could play again. They decided to take perhaps the best running back out of this draft, and a player who was a Heisman contender. If Walker was taken in the bottom of round one, few draft pundits would have considered that a reach, and for those Seahawk fans who largely criticized this team for not taking MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor a couple years ago over Jordyn Brooks, well, this Walker pick is for you.

But Seattle was still not to be outdone with their selections of Cross, Mafe, and Walker. No way.

At pick 72, they took stud Washington State Cougar right tackle Abraham Lucas at a spot in the draft that I thought he would have next to no chance still being there. I mocked Lucas to Seattle several times at picks 40 and 41. I thought there would honestly be a decent chance he would get snatched up at the end of round one.

Lucas was one of my very favorite players in this draft. I think he has the makings of being a premiere right tackle, and I thought he had the athletic talent to possibly even shift to left tackle, if needed. He’s that special. In college, he was a really solid pass blocker, and held his own against Kayvon Thibodeaux last year. He’s also a highly athletic mover as a run blocker. Ask WSU running back Max Borghi how good Lucas is as a blocker.

With Cross and Lucas together, I truly believe Seattle Seahawks have the goods to develop one of the best bookend tackle situations in this league in a couple short years. This gets my juices flowing. I’m jacked on that idea.

And this is how good programs draft. None of these picks were a reach, and this approached stretched into early round four when Seattle picked up Cincinnati cornerback Coby Bryant; a big, smart, instinctive, physical cover corner that many project as a solid starter in the league, and someone who just so happens to be the recipient of the Jim Thorpe Award given to the best defensive back in all of college football. Are you kidding me? Oh, heck yeah.

But was Seattle done at cornerback with Bryant? HELL NO THEY WEREN’T!

In early round five, these sneaky Seahawks took Tariq Woolen out of USTA who some believed would be a second round pick simply due to his immense upside. What upside am I referring to here? How about 6-4 205 pounds of dude who runs a blistering 4.28 forty yard dash.

Why did he slide? Well, he’s two years new to playing corner being a wide receiver convert. Does that sound familiar? OF COURSE IT DOES, THAT WAS WHAT RICHARD SHERMAN WAS, AND THIS DUDE IS WAY FASTER!

There’s legit chance that Woolen, in round five, ultimately becomes the biggest steal out of this draft. He has that kind of upside. Time will ultimately tell, but what a great mid round pick there. I love this pick!

A few picks later, Seattle grabs another edge rusher in Ohio State’s Tyreke Smith, a long limbed 6-3 254 pound dude with a good motor, and a bit of a bad ass edge. Smart pick. Two things are certain in life; one is that mayonnaise is absolutely disgusting, and the other is that Ohio State defensive linemen routinely find steady gigs in the NFL, and now in Seattle, we have one. I dig it.

Finally, the Seahawks manage to find a speedy route runner receiver who was garnishing some third round consideration in round seven in Bo Melton, and then grabbed another bigger speedy pass catcher in Dareke Young (who based on his highlights, looks like he can do some fun stuff with handoffs, as well). I’m not going to pretend to know how good either of these cats are, but hearing Rob Rang compare Melton to Doug Baldwin on the radio during my afternoon commute made me almost swerve in traffic. I was pretty fired up on that.

So, yeah, I’m totally pumped on these Seahawks now. They absolutely SLAYED this draft, I think.

They went best player at need positions early, and found potentially great value in the later rounds. This is exactly what you want out of your team when a rebuild is happening. That’s how you properly get the whole thing going.

And they didn’t reach on a quarterback who will likely be no better than Drew Lock (or even Jacob Eason, for that matter).

With the haul Seattle landed out of this draft class, I am profoundly more excited about 2022. They double dipped at offensive tackle, pass rush, cornerback, and receiver, and they landed a stud running back who could become a superstar in this league. I see some star talent, and I see some valuable depth added. Outstanding.

The only real question mark is at quarterback, and while that is the most important position, I’m willing to see what happens with Lock in 2022 (assuming he wins the competition). If he pans out, then that’s aces, and if he doesn’t, well, this roster will be primed for a different quarterback next year.

I, for one, can wait quarterback out, if needed. Just build the roster right, and a quarterback will come, if he isn’t here already.

Do I think that quarterback is here?

I don’t know. We will see.

Do I think this team can compete more than expected in 2022?

I think it’s possible, but it’s not the expectation I have.

My desire for this team is to build a roster up enough that any functional quarterback can guide it back into contention. With the dearth of true top end quarterback talent, I feel this is what smart organizations do. I think this is exactly what Seattle did in 2012.

So, let’s just do that again. I’m here for that, and I think this is a tremendously positive start.

Go Hawks!

Dear Seahawks Fan,

I will be the first to admit this, I didn’t want the Seahawks to draft a left tackle at pick 9. I wanted them to go for behemoth Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis, who ran a ridiculous 4.7 forty at an impressive hulk-ish size of 6-6 340 pounds.

I wanted Jordan Davis badly, and I didn’t care if he wasn’t an edge rusher. I got caught up on his size and traits and what Pete Carroll could mold out of that.

My concern was that Seattle was going to pass him up for a left tackle, but the guy I was convinced they would grab with Trevor Penning of Northern Iowa, who is another size/speed freak, but my concern on Penning was how raw he seemed as a pass blocker, and that would feel very on brand for Pete Carroll to go for a guy like that. I was bracing for that reality, and had accepted it for days.

Seahawks played a brilliant smokescreen game of leaking out their interests over the last few days leading to the draft in both Davis and Penning. As I weighed both, I wanted Davis so much more. I just felt like, if you are going to pick at 9, take the guy who has the chance at being the more impactful pro, and it felt like Davis had the it-factor over Penning.

But alas, Seattle took neither. They took left tackle Charles Cross instead, who I hadn’t much considered, not because he’s not a good player, but because he played in an air raid style offense as far removed from a Pete Carroll offense in college as you can get.

You see, Cross wasn’t asked to run block much for Mike Leach at Mississippi State. Not that he didn’t run block, but that wasn’t his calling card. He’s a pure pass protector.

Seahawks did the right thing here. This is the first pick to set the rebuild post Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner. They needed to get a left tackle capable of protecting the blind side of the next quarterback for the next decade of Seahawk football, and they grabbed the guy many considered the best pass blocking tackle in this draft. Maybe not an explosive run blocker, but the guy who will protect, and get it done.

I applaud this pick. I sorta suspect it signals a shift in philosophy towards more of what Shane Waldron wants as an offensive coordinator as opposed to what Pete Carroll wants as a defensive minded (and run the ball at you) head coach.

I like that the Seattle Seahawks did the very grown up thing and drafted the most important position in football outside of quarterback with their first pick in this draft, and got what looks like a really good one, instead of doing what I would have done, and drafted a freakish defensive tackle who may or may not be more than a two down player in the league.

Time will tell if Charles Cross is a pro bowl left tackle. The Seattle Seahawks certainly think he’s on that trajectory.

All I know is that when I watch his tape, I see great balance and footwork, and someone with the skilled athleticism to play basketball who can stay with a rusher and redirect. This is pretty much what you want out of a left tackle.

This feels like a solid pick and a great start to this all too important 2022 draft for the Seattle Seahawks. They got the left tackle and there is still plenty of talent to be had in early round two and three.

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows what I think they should do. Go get Baker Mayfield, and use picks 40 and 41 elsewhere outside of quarterback. It’s not that I don’t like Malik Willis, or Desmond Ridder, or Matt Corral, it’s just that I don’t think any of these guys are likely to be better than what Mayfield is, and Mayfield won’t cost a high pick due to how stupid Cleveland handled his situation.

My Wishlist for Days Two and Three of the Draft

Here is the short order wish list of players moves I would love to see the Seahawks do over the next few days. I do’t expect all these moves to happen. This is just merely guys I would love to see as Seahawks and think there’s a great fit here for.

Baker Mayfield via trade. When healthy, he’s a top fifteen quarterback in this league who probably hasn’t reached his full ceiling yet as a player. I would also be willing to wager that, with the chip on his shoulder he will have coming to Seattle, he would be a fun player for fans to watch, and I think Pete Carroll would be the perfect head coach for him to be more comfortably himself.

Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas would be an outstanding complement Charles Cross, and would give Seattle the potential for an outstanding offensive line for the next several years.That’s an exciting thought.

An edge rusher with dynamic upside like Sam Williams out of Ole Miss, or Minnesota’s Boye Mafe to mix in with Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu and Alton Robinson would give Seattle a bright young rotation of edge rushers to reshape this defense into a top ten one.

Washington cornerback Kyle Gordon would be a outstanding fit for this defense, and if he slides to 40, he would make tons of sense. He’s got good size and great natural athleticism.

Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal is an old school throwback middle linebacker with size, speed, and strength to be a true enforcer inside when Seattle plays more 3-4 looks in its base defense. Seattle could use a thumper like this to pair with Jordan Brooks, and he’s a great blitzer.

Connecticut defensive tackle Travis Jones is a size/speed monster not too for off from Jordan Davis, and he offers interior pass rush potential. He would be an exciting addition to the front four of this defense who could play nose, big 3 tech, and 5 tech.

Cam Jurgens is solidly the second best center prospect in this draft and would be a great fit for Waldron’s zone blocking offense. He’s a tough dude, as well. I would be thrilled if Seattle drafted him.

In the later rounds, I really like Washington State running back Max Borghi to the Seahawks as an underrated runner and a great pass catching running back. He would be an immediate fan favorite here, too.

Finally, if Seattle were to take a quarterback with pick 40 or 41, I think Ole Miss QB Matt Corral is the best system fit for what Shane Waldron would want his quarterback to do, and I think he likely has higher upside over Desmond Ridder and Sam Howell, and he won’t likely be as much of a project as Malik Willis. For me, Corral is a mixture for Jimmy Garoppolo and Jalen Hurts who were both second round picks that have become functional NFL starters. I think Corral has more talent than both, and is worth a shot in the second round, if they want to go QB.

If Seattle lands any of these dudes, or combination of these dudes, I am to be pretty fired up for the potential of this team in 2022, and beyond. If they can snap up two or three guys off of this list, I will do cartwheels in my backyard and terrify my family.

Will they make any of these moves????

It’s going to be fun to find out!

Go Hawks.

Dear Seattle Seahawks,

I am so flipping excited about this draft, I’m a walking talking spaz machine. After 12 years without a top ten draft pick, you are in prime position to select a BAMF player to kick start your rebuild. I haven’t been this giddy with anticipation since I learned that the original leads of Star Wars were coming back for the last trilogy.

I just got one simple ask over the next few days.

Please, don’t get too cute with this draft. Pretty please.

If you are going to trade out of pick 9, please let it be for a stud player you know that you can get a little bit later, and please let that player be either an offensive or defensive lineman. Pretty, pretty please.

I am going to give you a very short list of wants that I have for your team, and I hope that it will serve you as a bit of a guide line for the next 72 hours.

I want you to draft defensive tackle Jordan Davis with your first pick. I know your interior defensive line rotation is probably fairly decent, and you have much bigger needs at offensive tackle, quarterback, corner, and probably linebacker, but I really, REALLY want you to just take Davis. 6-6 340 pounds running a 4.7 forty makes him a Marvel character, and frankly, I want that on this defense. Put him inside, and it will make Darrell Taylor’s job a heck of a lot easier. Please just get this guy. Pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top.

I don’t want you to draft a quarterback. It’s not that I don’t like Matt Corral or Desmond Ridder, it’s that I want these picks going to other premium positions of need. I think it’s a better draft for that, and I want you to just go out and trade for a certain disgruntled young veteran quarterback with a MASSIVE CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER who’s name rhymes with Maker Bayfield. Yeah, please just do that. I think he and Pete would be a good match for each other.

I really want you to draft Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas. I think he’s exactly what you need at right tackle, and he might even have what it takes to shift to a left. He’s long and athletic, moves well, and pass blocks pretty darn good, as he held his own against Jayvon Thibodeaux in the game against Oregon last year. He’s who you need at offensive tackle. If you are going to trade up towards the bottom of round one, have it be for this guy.

I want you to draft a stud linebacker who will attack the line of scrimmage, take on guards, and fly to the ball. This looks like a really good draft to do just that. Please draft the Water Boy.

I want you to find a good center prospect who will develop into a starter. You got Austin Blythe here now. So, I don’t think you need to go early at this position unless there’s a guy there that you think will be a pro bowl player here for years. If that’s the case, then yeah, draft that dude, but either way, find us a center who can be legit.

I really liked what you did last year picking up cornerback Tre Brown in the middle rounds. He looks like a dude who can be a pretty good player in this league. Go get us another one to go along with him. I’m cool with you waiting until the mid rounds again, if you think you can get the dude here.

Please draft Washington State running back (offensive weapon) Max Borghi. I don’t know why I’m gravitating to Cougars so much this year, maybe it’s the way they showed grit through adversity last year, but I’m a big believer in Borghi. I think he’s an underrated runner, and at worst, a really good candidate for the third down back gig here. He’s a local hero, and the fans will love him. Go get this guy.

If you do all these things, this will be a great, grand slam, home run draft. This will be the proper draft to usher in a new era of Seahawks football, and it will bring back that energy that was felt circa 2011-2012 when Bigger, Stronger, Faster was the theme. Jordan Davis literally is that.

So, just go get that, and bring him here, and kick start this thing off right.

Go Hawks!

Dear Seattle Seahawk Fan,

Predicting what these Seahawks will do during the draft is a fool’s errand. Therefore, what I am attempting here is probably sillier than the Dumb and Dumber dudes on a mescaline bender inside a bouncy house listening to the Scissor Sisters.

But that said, I have a quasi Jedi sense on what I thinks going to happen with these Seahawks over the three day span of the draft, and if I’m wrong, well, I’ve just been watching too much of the Star Wars Rebels series in preparation of the Obi Won Kenobi show starting on May 25th (should have been set for May 4th, duh).

So, here we go. Here is my final bold prediction mock draft for these 2022 Seattle Seahawks.

With the 9th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks trade with the Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings want to make a splash on their defense and trade up for Jordan Davis, and I will scream in agony (Davis is who I want Seattle to draft more than anyone else). Minnie sends Seattle picks 12 and 77, so there’s that.

With the 12th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Trevor Penning, Offensive Tackle, Northern Iowa

There’s a lot of growing buzz around Penning to Seattle lately, and I can see why. He’s a huge tackle prospect, and he possesses crazy athleticism, and a plays with nasty edge. It’s worth noting that, with Andy Dickerson now coaching the line for Seattle from the Rams, there could be a shift in what Seattle now wants at offensive tackle. The Rams use taller tackles, and last year, Seattle drafted 6-8 Stone Forsythe as a developmental guy. Penning fits this profile with considerable more elite traits. Why am I confident that Seattle is about to make him their next starting left tackle? Pro Football Focus graded his run blocking last year at 99.9, the highest number that they have ever given a player, ever.

Trade Alert!

At pick 25, the Buffalo Bills trade their first rounder to the Seattle Seahawks for picks 40 and 72. Hmmm.. Seattle sees someone they love in this draft that they need to get back into round round for.

With the 25th Pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seahawks Seahawks select Matt Corral, Quarterback, Ole Miss

Like Penning, there has been a steady buzz connecting Matt Corral with the Seattle Seahawks. I can see the reasons. His ultra quick release and athleticism makes him a good fit for the quick passing attack that Shane Waldron wants to run. The fact that over sixty percent of his passes came off of play action last year is a big tell. His college coach is Lane Kiffen, who is very close with Pete Carroll. He went to a high school in California that Pete Carroll is highly connected with. He models his game after Aaron Rodgers who is probably John Schneider’s favorite quarterback. I actually think it’s possible that he’s QB1 for this team, and I almost feel stronger about him being a Seahawk than I do Penning.

With the 41st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks trade with the Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs want to move up to grab a prize safety and they trade to Seattle picks 50, 103, and 233. By trading back from 41 to 50, Seattle gets a late third round pick and another seventh rounder. In a deep draft, this is attractive enough.

With the 50th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Abraham Lucas, Offensive tackle, Washington State

I just got a hunch that Seattle is going to be aggressive attacking offensive line in this draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they want to come out of this draft with two starting offensive tackles. I think Lucas is a highly underrated dude. He’s a good mover and pass blocker. They met with Lucas at the combine, and he’s a stated fan of the team. If they want him, I don’t think he will be there in round three. Might as well grab him here if he’s available.

With the 77th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Leo Chenal, Linebacker, Wisconsin

Seahawks have a definite need at linebacker, and Clint Hurtt was promoted to coach up a more aggressive style defense. Chenal fits the mold of being aggressive, and he’s a very effective blitzer. What I really love about Chenal is his willingness to mix is up with guards and centers. He will need work as a coverage guy, but I can see Seattle being very attracted to his style on the whole, and I think he likely brings a level of bad ass that this defense frankly needs. I wouldn’t be upset with this pick. Dave Wyman will love him.

With the 103rd pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jalyn Armour-Davis, Cornerback, Alabama

I see Seattle taking a cornerback in this draft, and I think day two is likely. I think Armour-Davis is going to be a guy that they will likely target. He has a physical profile that they like, plays an aggressive style that they probably want, and he was coached by Karl Scott who is Seattle’s new secondary coach. I see a lot of dots connecting him to the Seahawks.

With the 109th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Daemon Pierce, Running Back, Florida

Seahawks are going to draft a running back out of this draft. It’s a certain. The question is how soon? My hunch is that they don’t wait longer than this pick right here, and I think Daemon Pierce has a running style that screams Pete Carroll football. He’s physical, he’s got decent speed and is hard to bring down, and he can catch the rock out of the backfield. He would be a great competent to Rashaad Penny, especially if Chris Carson can’t play this year. He feels like a Seahawk runner.

With the 145th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Michael Clemons, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M

Seahawks passed on edge rushers early to fill bigger needs at other spots but will feel great about taking this guy here. Clemons was a good player for A&M. I think his floor if pretty good. He will be an NFL player for years, likely. At this stage, Seattle is probably happy to pick him up for the depth he can provide with a chance at developing as a starter down the road.

With the 153rd Pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Alec Lindstrom, Center, Boston College

I’m sure at some point in this draft, Seattle would love to pick up a developmental center who they think has a chance to be a good one in their zone blocking scheme. Like, Clemons, Lindstrom is a player with some decent refined qualities. I think he has a decent floor. I also think center is a position that you can sometimes find guys in later rounds to bring along. In round five, I’d be good about taking this guy, and I think Seattle would be too.

With the 229th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Max Borghi, Running Back, Washington State

I am connecting Borghi to the Seahawks to compete for the third down back gig, and I think Seattle has followed him closely. He’s a scrappy dude who isn’t shy about contact, and is a really good receiver out of the backfield. I also think he’d be a pretty willing special teamer. I suspect that Seattle is into him. This would be a really fun pick for the fans.

With the 223rd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jalen Nailor, Wide Receiver, Michigan State

Pete Carroll is always looking for the down field threats and at this stage in the draft, taking a flyer on Nailor feels like a smart move. He’s a shifty dude who averaged over 17 yards per catch last year, and he carried out of the backfield some. For me, I see him as a backup to what they want out of Dee Eskridge, and a likely fifth receiver candidate.

Thoughts about Trevor Penning taken first and adding Abraham Lucas round two

With no Duane Brown or Brandon Shell on this roster right now, the Seahawks are terrifyingly thin at offensive tackle with unproven Stone Forsythe at left tackle, and Jake Curhan at right tackle. Curhan showed some promise late last season, but he might ultimately be a better guard than a tackle in this league.

Trevor Penning makes sense on a lot of levels, as stated above. He’s got size and elite athleticism, and he’s known to be a very hard worker who loves passionately football. I think he also had some pretty good games against bigger programs last year that got NFL scouts excited about his potential. I wouldn’t hate this pick. That 99.9 run blocking grade from PFF gets my juices flowing, and I’m sure it does for Seattle, as well.

Abraham Lucas makes a TON of sense. It makes sense for Seattle to want to walk out of this draft knowing that they have their bookend tackles nailed down for the next several years.

I think Lucas is a guy that projects as a top level right tackle, and I honestly wouldn’t be upset if he was taken round one. He’s also supposedly a big Seahawks fan, so getting a guy here with his talent, that wants to play for this program, also makes tons of sense.

I will be incredibly happy if the Seahawks walk out of this draft with Abraham Lucas.

Thoughts about the Seahawks trading up for Matt Corral

I’m not a fan of taking a quarterback this year. I don’t know if I’m a fan of taking one next year, as well.

I prefer the Seahawks to trade for Baker Mayfield, sign him to a short extension, and giver him a two year window to establish himself as the franchise quarterback. He’s a proven commodity who has faced and beaten top NFL defenses. When healthy, I think he’s solidly a top fifteen quarterback in the league, and he probably hasn’t reached his ceiling yet as a pro.

I’m also not convinced there is any quarterback in this draft (or even next year’s) who will be any better than Mayfield, so why not just go get Mayfield, and use the top end picks at other positions of need? It just makes too much sense for me not to do it.

That said, I gotta vibe that Seattle wants to draft a quarterback high this year, and have that dude on a rookie deal while they fork over the big bucks to keep DK Metcalf here for the longer haul. I believe this is the plan, and if it is Matt Corral, I will kinda sorta dig that.

He’s the only quarterback of this class that gets my juices flowing. That release of his is next level, and while he was very much a system quarterback in college, I don’t necessarily consider that a bad thing for the Seahawks with their system. I think there’s potentially a very good fit here with him.

It’s also very interesting to me that the quarterback he most emulates is Aaron Rodgers, who slid into the twenties during the 2005 draft because he was viewed by the league as merely a “system quarterback” in college. Apparently, being a system guy didn’t bother John Schneider when he was a key front office person in Green Bay and they selected Rodgers that year.

For me, Matt Corral is essentially Jimmy Garoppolo if Jimmy G was more athletic, and had a better arm. A stronger armed Jimmy G with faster wheels isn’t the worst thing to have as your starting quarterback. In fact, I think that sounds pretty good.

I would say that if there’s one thing about Corral that makes me nervous, it’s his narrow frame. Russell Wilson was a short quarterback and his height hindered him some, but he was a stocky dude who could take punishment. Corral is taller, but he’s super wiry, and I think he’s going to have to learn how to avoid the hits in this league. This is the only thing about him that makes me slightly nervous. Your best ability will always be availability.

But, I like him. If Pete and John love this dude, I’m intrigued.

Final Thoughts

I’m not super stoked about the Seahawks going heavy on offense with this draft, but I’m prepared for it. I would prefer them to stay at 9, and possibly grab Jordan Davis, who I think is destined to become a rare game wrecking defense tackle for years.

But, I see the writings on the wall. Without Duane Brown and Brandon Shell, Seattle’s offensive line looks like a horrific mess. Even if they are both brought back, both positions need to be addressed for the longer haul, and so does center. Therefore, I’m anticipating that they will add at least three O-liners out of this class, and possibly more.

I’m pretty convinced that they will also draft a quarterback high, even though they remain somewhat connected to Baker Mayfield. I kinda think the Mayfield situation might be the fall back plan more than anything else, but we will see. The one thing that I’m certain of is that this team doesn’t want the main quarterback competition to come down to Geno Smith battling Drew Lock, and Jacob Eason. This, I’m sure of.

I also feel strongly that they need to grab a running back, and it might be wishful thinking on my part that they wait until the middle rounds. It could happen much sooner.

I don’t think they’re going to take an edge rusher high. I think the big dollars that they gave to Uchenna Nwosu signals that they know they aren’t going to land a premier edge rusher, and they are prepped to address other big needs with their higher picks. I also suspect that Carlos Dunlap could easily be brought back in for another season after the draft, and next year’s draft looks to be a good one again for defensive linemen and edge defenders.

I think they are going to try to land a stud linebacker and a starting caliber corner. This draft is deep enough at both positions that can probably wait to the third round (if they wanted to), and Seattle has yet to draft a corner higher than round three under Pete Carroll.

So, there it is. There you have it. This is my big bold mock draft prediction.

And we are a few short days away from where I will be completely proven wrong about all of this.

Just go get Baker and draft Jordan Davis.

Go Hawks.