No, this is not a defensive end. This is Russell Wilson’s new wide out, DK Metcalf. Ya dig?

It’s apparent that theme of the 2019 Seahawks is to get back to the DNA that made them a Super Bowl contender. In the first round on Thursday, Seattle took a tough, physical, tone setting defensive lineman in LJ Collier that can stack the run, and rush the QB from multiple positions, a la Michael Bennett. On day two, with the 47th pick, Seattle took arguably the hardest hitting free safety in all of college football last year in Utah’s Marquise Blair. Watching his highlights, I can’t tell if Blair is more Earl Thomas or Kam Chancellor, but I think if they had a baby together is would be this guy. We’ve mocked both of these players to Seattle over the past couple weeks, and Blair we mocked twice.

If you study the draft and look at these players, both make a ton of sense. Both guys feel like Pete Carroll players, and during many Utah games, commentators would frequently mention how much Blair seemed like a Seattle type of DB. So, there we have it. Blair is a Seattle Seahawk DB.

He’s fast, hard hitting, he can cover, and he can tackle, and that is probably what Seattle wants more than anything else. I think when Earl Thomas was lost to injury last year, what began to plague the defense, more than anything else, especially in the games against the Rams, was missed tackles in space. You won’t get that from Blair, and that’s why I love this pick.

But if that wasn’t enough, Seattle traded back up into the end of round one and to 6-3 228 lb wide receiver DK Metcalf, who looks like he is something straight out of Marvel Studios Casting. The dude is cut like a greek god comic book character, and runs a blistering 4.33 forty yard dash. That’s faster the Tyler Lockett, and that’s a dude built like Kam Chancellor. While he’s a bit of a one trick pony running go patterns, at the same time, that pretty much fits a lot of what Seattle now does these days offensively. Once he learns more comprehensive patterns, good night Irene, there is no telling what he might do in this league. The one caveat here, out side of his limited route running, is that he had a neck injury his senior year, and those two things together probably add up to why he was available at 64.

What’s most exciting about Seattle moving up to get Metcalf is that they clearly are ready to swing for the fences on this guy. Carroll has always wanted a receiver like this in Seattle, but they have never been in great position to take one, and if what he does is stretch defenses and out muscle DBs for deep balls, well he’s about to be matched with one of the premier deep ball passing quarterbacks in the league in Russell Wilson. On paper, this seems like a fascinating match, and with the sad news coming out the Doug Baldwin might be calling it a career, it’s also seems to be a suddenly necessary one.

Seattle had one final pick on day two and that was Utah linebacker Cody Barton at pick 88. Honestly, I don’t know much about Barton, but it is interesting that Seattle moved up in front of Indianapolis to take him, and Indy took Stafford linebacker Bobby Okereke, who is probably a more widely known player. It’s clear that Barton was Seattle’s guy and they were afraid of loosing him to Indy. Looking at highlights from a 2018 game against Washington, it appears like Barton is a fluid athlete the drops comfortably in coverage, and is a patient sure tackler. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the PAC 12 starting linebacker with the least amount of missed tackles last year, and a national leader in coverage stops. Put all that together with good speed, strength and agility at the combine, and things become clear why Seattle moved up for him. He’s the highest drafted Seattle linebacker since they took Bobby Wagner in the second round in 2012, and with KJ Wright getting older and coming off an injury filled season, linebacker was probably a bigger need for the team than many were anticipating. I’m excited to see what this guy does.

With Collier, and Blair, Seattle is clearly looking for new tone setters on the defense. They want to be the intimidators again, and they want players that will get under the skin of the opponents. With Barton, they want steady and reliable play at linebacker, a la KJ Wright.

But with Metcalf, they want an absolute beast of a man at wide receiver. This guy satisfies the “Build Around Me Damn it” Clause in Russell Wilson’s new mega contract.

Thoughts about Day Three for Seattle. 

Seattle has three picks in the fourth round, one pick in the fifth, and one in the sixth. Teams can still find decent starting talent in the fourth. Seattle has addressed pass rush, safety, receiver, and linebacker. They could look for more pass rush, or run stopping help. They could add a corner. They can also add more receiver, or tight end help, and of course, they can go offensive line.

Here is a list of some interesting players with definite starting potential.

Hakeen Butler, Wide Receiver, Iowa State; another long fast receiver.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Safety, Florida; an athletic slot defender thought to be a high second round pick.

Renell Wren, Defensive Tackle, Arizona State; a massive human being who is an athletic freak for his size but needs to play with better disciple.

Dander Walker, Edge rusher, Georgia; thought to be a potential second round pick.

Christian Miller, Edge rusher, Alabama; kind of a Bruce Irvin type speed rusher.

Michael Jordan, Guard, Ohio State; not that Michael Jordan, but a massive run blocker.

Dru Samia, Guard, Oklahoma; an athletic guard who plays with a nasty edge.

Anthony Nelson, Defensive End, Iowa; a long base end with good pass rushing traits.

Amari Hooker, safety, Iowa; another hybrid defender thought to be a second round pick.

If Seattle should land any one these guys, you should rejoice as a Twelve. These guys are solid talents. Clearly, there is still value left at edge rusher, a really interesting defensive tackle, and there is some extremely interesting options left at DB. Don’t be surprised if Seattle targets another safety to convert to corner or nickel. They lost nickel corner Justin Coleman to free agency, and Gardner-Johnson, and Hooker could be interesting options early in the fourth. 

Also, I don’t know if they do go for another big body at receiver, but I find the idea of adding Butler fascinating. Seattle has always been about shorter quicker receivers in the Russell Wilson era. I’ve always wondered about how Wilson would fair with bigger faster targets like the Saints have always surrounded Brees with. Just a thought.

Go Hawks.

LJ Collier can bring the heat at defensive end and defensive tackle. (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)

I mocked LJ Collier a couple weeks ago to Seattle as their first pick. Yay!

I’m smart.

Seriously though, I think if we step back, this is a classic Seattle Seahawk pick under Pete Carroll. Watch his highlight tape. His game reminds me of one of my absolute favorite Seahawks; one Michael Bennett. At a stout 6-2 and 283 lbs, and with long arms, he has the strength to stack the run, and he has advanced pass rush moves to bully and confuse offensive linemen while getting to the quarterback. What I see is a strong run defender, and a disruptive pass rusher. I also see versatility as he can play multiple positions on the defensive line, and I think that is a critically important trait for head coach Pete Carroll. It actually wouldn’t shock me if he starts out as an end, but becomes a three down pass rushing three technique defensive tackle down the line. In my opinion, this is a really exciting pick.

One thing is that he is not is Frank Clark. Clark was a speed rushing end for Seattle, but Seattle doesn’t necessarily need to replace Clark with another edge rusher; they just need to find another passer rusher regardless of position. This is Collier, and while on paper Seattle is thin at rush end, this draft it deep at defensive line. I fully expect that Seattle continues to continue to add there over the next couple days, and I think Louisiana Tech end Jaylon Ferguson is easily still in play early on Friday.

Thoughts about day two and day three of the draft. 

By trading back with Green Bay, and then trading back with the New York Giants, Seattle now picks at 37, 92, 114, 118, 124, 132, 142, and 159. That’s plenty of picks to further fill this roster, and this draft is deep enough at defensive line that Seattle could find decent value into round four where they interestingly have four picks.

As mentioned above, Seattle still could go after a speed rushing end early at 37, but don’t be shocked if they ultimately go after a wide receiver. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if the opening of round two has a run at receiver, and with Seattle picking at 37, they could be right in the thick of that. They could also go defensive back, or an offensive linemen. I would say they could go defensive tackle early tomorrow, but Collier might have actually satisfied that position a bit as an inside rusher.

Regardless, there are some interesting players still on board that were thought to be potential first round picks. Here’s a quick list.

Jaylon Ferguson, Defensive End, Louisiana Tech.

Parris Campbell, Wide Receiver, Ohio State (Personal favorite)

DK Metcalf, Wide Receiver, Mississippi

Deebo Samuel, Wide Receiver, South Carolina

Juan Thornhill, Safety, Virginia

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Safety, Florida

Byron Murphy, Cornerback, Washington

Cody Ford, Guard, Oklahoma

If one of these guys is a Seattle Seahawk tomorrow, rejoice in that. These are all really exciting football players.

Go Hawks!

Jaylon Ferguson has pass rush traits that could take the sting out of the Frank Clark trade.

Well folks, we are officially one day away to the 2019 NFL Draft, and we all know well what that means. We got our final mock draft!

Yay!

So what do we know about these 2019 Seahawks right now?

Well, for one thing, and it’s the biggest and best-est thing, we know that Russell Wilson has just signed a blockbuster extension and will likely be a Seahawk for life. So, I think we can say that drafting a QB seems unlikely.

The other big, big, big situation with the team is that they just traded their top pass rusher, Frank Clark, to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 29^th pick this year, a 2020 second round pick, and they flipped their third round pick. We will get more into that whole deal below. Clearly, this team will be targeting pass rush in this draft.

And the other potentially big situation for the team is the health concerns of Doug Baldwin, and potentially his retirement. Wide receiver could be a big need.

It is also worth noting that this 2019 NFL Draft is considered to be historically deep at defensive line, and a deep draft in general for wide receivers, tight ends, safeties, and offensive guards.

Oh, yeah, one final thing. The Seahawks only have five picks in the draft this year, and General Manager John Schneider loves to trade down to get more picks regardless of how many they have in any year. So, with only four this year, the Seattle Seahawks are, like, 99.999999 percent sure to be trading down to get more.

So, with all that hashed out, here we go. Folks, allow me to introduce to you our final 2019 Seattle Seahawks mock draft.

With the 21^st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft – TRADE!

The Seattle Seahawks trade pick 21 to the New England Patriots for picks 32, 97, 101 and 239. The Patriots jump ahead of the Ravens to select one of the premier tight ends to replace Gronk, both teams have needs there, and Seattle picks up two late third round picks, and a seventh rounder to give them eight pick total. That will do.

With the 29 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Trysten Hill, Defensive Tackle, UCF

What does Hill offer?

He’s an athletic defensive tackle with traits to be a constant disruptor, and was one of the most impressive defensive line performers at the combine. His highlight tape is fun to watch. Big men shouldn’t move like that. Put him next to Jarran Reed, and that’s a lot of size, quickness and power inside.

Why is he still available at 29?

He fell into the doghouse with the new coaching staff and was regulated to becoming a rotational player in 2018. Apparently he is opinionated but under Carroll, Seattle has never had a problem adding those sorts. Feels like a classic Seahawk pick.

With the 32^nd pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jaylon Ferguson, Defensive End, Louisiana Tech

What does Ferguson offer?

He’s a long, lean, grown man QB sacking machine who led the nation in sacks. His highlights show an old school kind of bad-assed-ness to his game. He also plays the run well. He got better in college each year, which shows coachable traits, and like other Seattle edge rushers in the past, he displays good ability to convert speed to power.

Why is he at 32?

He played at a smaller school eating up small school competition, and his pro day performance was only so-so.

With the 92^nd pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Gary Jennings, Wide Receiver, West Virginia.

What does Jennings offer?

He is a possession receiver with good size and speed to stretch defenses and toughness to fight for contested balls.

Why is he still available at 92?

He’s perhaps a jack of all trades/master of none type, and needs to work on separating from defenders.

With the 97^nd pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks Select Drew Sample, Tight End, Washington

What does Sample offer?

He is a well rounded tight end with nice size, and athleticism that can block, and catch.

Why does he last until 97?

He could get stronger, and while he has decent traits as a receiver, he’s not as polished as some of the other players in this draft.

With the 101^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Marquise Blair, Safety, Utah.

What does Blair offer?

He’s a hard-hitting free safety with great range in coverage, and plays the run with a linebacker mentality.

Why is he still available at 101?

As physical as he is, he has a slight frame that might scare some GMs, and because of his aggressive style he can be penalty prone.

With the 124^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Maxx Crosby, Edge Rusher, Eastern Michigan

What does Crosby offer?

Pure speed off the edge to rush the quarterback. Pete Carroll covets speed off the edge, but Crosby also shows well against the run, displays a knack for causing fumbles, and plays with a edginess – all things that Carroll would appreciate.

Why is he at 124^th?

He has a long gangly frame 6-5 255 lbs, and the feeling is that he might need a year in an NFL weight room to reach his full potential.

With the 159^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select BJ Autry, Guard, Jacksonville State

What does Autry offer?

He’s a massive human being at 6-3 and 337 lbs, and he’s nimble – traits that Seattle likes in their new blocking scheme.

Why is he still at 159th?

Autry is a small school talent with decent traits but is still raw.

With the 239th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Drew Lewis, Linebacker, Colorado.

What does Lewis offer?

Speed and athleticism at linebacker that the Seahawks covet. He also has the ability to play inside and outside linebacker, and a great special teams player. It was also observed during his pro day that the Seattle coaches were working him hard.

Why is he at 239?

His fundamentals still need work, and he is not exactly a punishing tackler. He could stand to get stronger. He’s a project with upside more than plug and play.

Thoughts about these picks.

Seattle attacks the depth of this draft at defensive line early, and grabs two players who have the talent to be cornerstone starters, and later they grab another player that might have starter potential.

With Trysten Hill they get rare athleticism at DT. Admittedly, I’m swinging for the fences projecting this one, but it feels like a classic Seattle first round pick in that most will not see coming, and it would surely be ripped as Hill is not widely regarded as first round talent. However, there is recent chatter that his stock is rising, and Pete Carroll covets special athletes. Also, Seattle could have the intel on Hill from Shaquill and Shaquem Griffin who both played with him at UFC. If they vouch for him, I think he could be Seattle’s first pick, as they might not want to risk losing him to a team that is picking after them.

With Jaylon Ferguson, Seattle probably drafts a plug and play player to make up for the loss of Frank Clark. They are reportedly high on him, and I suspect one of these two first round picks might end up being him. There are others in this draft class that might have more athleticism that him, but he has traits and production. It wouldn’t shock me if they few him more as a Michael Bennett type than a Frank Clark, or Cliff Avril player.

Maxx Crosby is an interesting player. He had great college production, but might need to redshirt 2019 to get stronger. It wouldn’t shock me if Seattle ends up with three defensive linemen out of this draft that eventually become starters. The draft is that deep.

Marquise Blair feels like a Seattle DB. They’ve been bringing in a lot to the VMAC for visits. I can see them drafting DB earlier, especially if the first pick is a pass rusher.

The selections of Greg Jennings and Drew Sample help fulfill the “Build Around Me Damn-it” clause in Russell Wilson’s mega contract. Seattle could go WR earlier, especially considering the Baldwin situation.

BJ Autry offers needed depth at offensive guard. Seattle has DJ Fluker returning and they signed former division rival Mike Iupati to a one-year deal, but neither player is likely a long-term fixture on the line. Seattle needs to continue adding there.

Drew Lewis has the speed at linebacker that Seattle demands, and an NFL bloodline. Seattle brought back KJ Wright and Mychal Kendricks, but at some point, they need to get younger with that group. Lewis could be an interesting developmental player.

Thoughts about the Frank Clark Trade.

It sucks whenever a team moves on from a great player, especially one that is just hitting his stride. However, Seattle probably feels that there is a pass rusher in this class that can come in and contribute right away. They might see a couple of them.

Seattle probably also feels that there is a young player on the roster that is ready to take a big step forward. Jacob Martin flashed decent outside rush as the season went on last year. DT Poona Ford also came on strong. However, my money is on Rasheem Green. In the preseason, Green looked like a star in the making. That didn’t translate into the regular season, but there was a feeling in scouting circles last year that had he stayed in school another season, he could have probably been a top twenty pick in this year’s class. I suspect Seattle might have a more defined plan for him going into this season, and that is part of the reason why they felt like they could move Clark.

Seattle might also feel like there is a free agent pass rusher or two out there on the market that they can sign after the draft. Ndamukong Suh, Corey Liuget, Ezekiel Ansah, and Nick Perry are all sitting out there waiting for a contract, and Seattle now has the cap space to afford one of these guys after dealing Clark.

When Seattle won the Super Bowl with that historic defense, they weren’t reliant on one dominant pass rusher. They had a collection of good ones with varied abilities. They could be looking to get back to that, and this would be the draft to do that with.

Bobby Wagner is about to get PAID. It feels pretty clear moving forward that the faces of the franchise are Wilson and Wagner, and that is appropriate. They came into the league together, they are both unique athletes, and they both seem to be getting better each year. Trading Clark makes is easier to fit Wagner under the cap, and also gives Seattle a better chance to afford extending defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

Parris Campbell could give Russell Wilson a playmaking option that the team hasn’t seen since Percy Harvin.

Well folks, we are officially one week away to the 2019 NFL Draft, and we all know well what that means. We got a new mock draft!

Yay!

So what do we know about these 2019 Seahawks right now?

Well, for one thing, and it’s the biggest and best-est thing, we know that Russell Wilson has just signed a blockbuster extension that will keep him in Seattle for the next five seasons. So, I think we can say that drafting a QB seems pretty unlikely now.

Another fairly big situation with the team is that it’s star pass rusher, Frank Clark, is sitting on a franchise tag, and has given the team a June deadline to reach a lucrative long term deal with him, or he won’t report for training camp. There are reports out there suggesting that he might be on the trade block. We shall see if the team deals him in a effort to get cheaper there.

And the other potentially big situation for our beloved Seahawks is the health concerns with Doug Baldwin, and his potential retirement. Wide receiver could be a big need for the team.

It is also worth noting that this 2019 NFL Draft is considered to be historically deep at defensive line, and a deep draft in general for wide receivers, tight ends, safeties, and offensive guards.

Oh, yeah, one final thing. The Seahawks only have four picks in the draft this year. General Manager John Schneider loves to trade down to get more picks regardless of how many they have in any year. So, with only four this year, the Seattle Seahawks are, like, 99.999999 percent sure to be trading down to get more.

So, with all that hashed out, here we go. Folks, allow me to introduce to you our second 2019 Seattle Seahawks mock draft.

With the 21^st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft – TRADE!

The Seattle Seahawks trade pick 21 to the Kansas City Chiefs for picks 29, 92, and 167. The Chiefs jump ahead of the Ravens to select a edge rusher.

With the 29^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft –TRADE!

The Seattle Seahawks trade pick 29 to the Buffalo Bills who want to get ahead of the Green Bay Packers to also grab an edge rusher, and they send picks 40, 112, and 131, and 181.

With the 40^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks draft Parris Campbell, Wide Receiver, Ohio State.

What does Campbell offer?

He’s a playmaking offensive weapon that can be used in a smorgasbord of ways. I’m a defensive minded Twelve, one hundred percent, but Campbell’s highlight tape makes me feel warm and mushy inside. He is a bigger version of Percy Harvin without the baggage. As a running back converted to receiver, he can line up in the slot, be in the backfield, used as an explosive threat on end arounds, and has the speed to get deep, but the real treat is his spectacular run after the catch ability. If Seattle is looking to replace Doug Baldwin’s production in the slot, Campbell is a fascinating option.

Why is he still available at 37?

As a running back converted to receiver, he’s not the full package yet, and ran a limited route tree in college. If you are taking him high, you are drafting for his upside.

With the 84^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jace Sternberger, Tight End, Texas A&M

What does Sternberger offer?

He is a legit pass catching tight end that showed good production at A&M. Watch his highlights and tell me if Number 3 wouldn’t enjoy having him as a pass catching option. Seattle has tight ends that can block, but they don’t have much of a receiving threat at the position.

Why is he still available at 90?

He’s not considered much of a blocker at the position, and needs to get stronger.

With the 92^nd pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks Select Joe Jackson, Defensive End, Miami

What does Jackson offer?

He is long lean quarterback harassing machine. Well built at 6-4 and 275 lbs, he can play the strong side end, and his highlights give a Michael Bennett vibe. On top of showing good pass rush, he appears to be a sturdy player against the run, as well.

Why is he still available at 92?

In a draft that is deep at defensive line, Jackson is not the twitchiest athlete. He’s more of a power rusher than speed guy. He’s more brute, but I like brute. Jarran Reed is a brute.

With the 112^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Marvell Tell, Safety, USC.

What does Tell offer?

Length, and athleticism at safety. He’s a good coverage safety who is versatile enough to play the slot, and has traits that could make him a playmaker on the ball.

Why is he still available at 108?

He doesn’t have the biggest frame, and he is not regarded as much of an intimidating tackler.

With the 124^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Dru Samia, Guard, Oklahoma

What does Samia offer?

He is a big, strong, athletic, an aggressive run blocking guard with potential to grow as a pass blocker.

Why does he last until 124?

Well, he’s not a nuanced pass blocker.

At pick 131 of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Armon Watts, Defensive Tackle, Arkansas

Why does Watts offer?

Length and strength that Seattle seems to appreciate at DT, with some pass rushing potential.

Why is he at 143?

He didn’t grow into a starting role until his senior season, and is a bit raw.

With the 159^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Bryce Love, Running Back, Stanford

What does Love offer?

He was a big time playmaker in college with explosive home run hitting ability as a runner. With Mike Davis moving on, and CJ Prosise often injured, Seattle might want to add another runner, and this guy was big time in college.

Why is he at 159?

He’s a small framed runner who had injuries all throughout his senior season. He’s probably not going to be regarded as a workhorse back in the pros, but a change of pace back. Those guys tend not to get drafted early.

With the 167^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Greg Gaines, Defensive Tackle, Washington

What does Gaines offer?

He’s a squat high motored nose guard that can disrupt the run game and offer pass rush. The team is thin at defensive tackle and this is a deep defensive tackle class. It makes sense for them to draft a couple of them.

Why is he still at 167th?

Gaines lacks ideal arm length and needs to win with quicks to beat his blockers. A good rotational player might be his ceiling.

With the 181^st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Drew Lewis, Linebacker, Colorado.

What does Lewis offer?

Speed and athleticism at linebacker that the Seahawks covet. He also has the ability to play inside and outside linebacker, and a great special teams player. It was also observed during his pro day that the Seattle coaches were working him hard.

Why is he at 181?

His fundamentals still need work, and he is not exactly a punishing tackler. He could stand to get stronger. He’s a project with upside more than plug and play.

Thought about these picks.

Seattle uses the great depth of this class to address the defensive line three times later, and takes a playmaking receiver early. There aren’t thought to be a lot of top end receiver prospects in this draft. So, given the Baldwin situation, if Seattle is looking for a replacement, they’d probably have to select one early, and Campbell seems like a player that could be special and unique. Carroll loves to grab these guys early.

The selections of Campbell, Jace Sternberger, Bryce Love, and Dru Samia fulfill the “Build Around Me Damn-it” clause in Russell Wilson’s new mega contract. Go Hawks.

Joe Jackson has starter potential at end, and if Seattle doesn’t trade Frank Clark, they need someone to come in and own the spot opposite of him. Jackson, last year’s third round pick Rasheem Green, and third round pick from the year before that Nazair Jones could all be in an interesting battle of third round picks fighting for that spot.

Colin Cowherd can bite me.

Go Hawks.

The Good 

Savor this news. This is a grand day in Seattle sports history. Russell Wilson is the team’s best player, most important player, and he has been for years. The Anti-Russ crowd needs to come to terms with this now. Russ was the difference between that 10-6  playoff team being 6-10 last year. That’s what a franchise quarterback does for your team.

The “no trade” clause in this contract runs extremely counter to the speculation of Russell wanting out of Seattle. Pretty interesting stuff.

General manager John Schneider said on the ESPN 710 the other week that the two most important people in the building are the head coach and quarterback. That should have been a pretty strong hint that a deal would, in fact, get done. Seattle now has Pete Carroll for three more years, and Russell Wilson for five. Massive advantage for them to stay in solid contention year after year.

With Russell locked in, they don’t have to worry about spending critical draft capital on a quarterback this Spring.

The Bad

While it is tremendous news that this deal got done, I think both sides played an overwhelmingly intense negotiation game in the media, between reports that Russell felt under appreciated to Russell wanting out. They dragged the fans through the mud on this, and we got played a bit during the process. Glad the deal got done, but not cool.

With all that money going to one player, Seattle is probably not going to be able to hang onto all their top talent. This will put more pressure on drafting and developing well, and finding bargain gems in free agency.

The Ugly

Even time I tuned into Colin Cowherd during this offseason saga of Russell and the team, Cowherd successfully made me want to puke in my mouth a bit with the way he would hang on Russ, and then trash the team and the region. I’m happy the team signed Russ, and agree with his position that the team needed to do this, but his blowhard takes on how nobody likes Seattle, and Seattle never did anything before Russ, and everyone wants to leave Seattle was more than a bit much. Every time I would tune in, he made me fantasize about Seattle trading the QB. Not sure that’s the effect he was aiming for.

Hey Cowherd, got some news for you; Seattle doesn’t really like you either, and would be perfectly happy for you to keep its name out yo’ mouth. The fact you are from this region and continue to trash it makes me think that you are more of a soulless sell out than anything else, but nice tan you got there. Read me? Go Hawks.

Moving forward

The NFL draft is next week, and the Seahawks have only four picks. They need more.  With Russell Wilson now locked up, do they trade Frank Clark to get more picks? This is regarded as a historically deep draft class  at defensive line. It’s going to be interesting to see what they do. I think they probably hang onto him, and trade back.

Go Hawks!

Dear Seattle Seahawks,

Pay Russell Wilson. Just do it. Please get it done.

I know. I get it. You guys don’t want to pay all that guaranteed money. Frankly, I don’t want you to either, but sometimes we have to do things that we don’t like doing. That’s exactly what my father said to me when I was about four years old, and he bent me over his knee behind our church when I was being unruly during Sunday service. Sometimes, we have to do the things that suck to do. Truly, we do.

And look, I totally get it that it sucks having to pay so much top dollar for a quarterback on a team that prefers to run the ball, and likes to spread the wealth around so much on its defense. I get that. I don’t want to see Jarran Reed and Frank Clark go bye bye, either. But here’s the thing that I see staring down at all of us; Russell Wilson is a really, really, really good quarterback in this league, and players like him are really, really, really, really hard to come by. So, pay him.

Be like Nike, and just do it. He’s earned it, and it is what the market demands for top quarterbacks. Like Starship Captain Jean Luc Picard would famously repeatedly say; make it so.

And, you know, I get one hundred percent what some are saying about teams that pay quarterbacks top dollar not making the playoffs, but I say, also look at it this way, too; there are plenty of teams out there that don’t pay jack squat all for their quarterback and their team doesn’t reach the playoffs either because their quarterback sucks, or he is a rookie and too wet between the ears, or both. Russell Wilson has been in the league seven years now and has see a lot of football as a seven year starter. This is the time when Russell Wilson is likely to go from being really, really, really good to be really, really, really great. So, pay the man.

I know. You’re looking out for the best interests of your team, and I appreciate that. That’s what I want you to do. I don’t want you to blow up your cap, either, but frankly, I trust you to draft and develop defensive linemen more than I do quarterbacks, and I’ll be frank, and just throw out the names Rick Mirer and Dan McGuire as a couple examples of why my trust wavers some in that department.

So, pay Russ. I give you my permission.

And, I want to say that I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I’ve gone back and forth plenty. At some point, a team has got to say “enough is enough” in regards to these ludicrous escalating costs of franchise QBs. I get that merit, and I support it. I just don’t want it to be your team that does it.

You see, over the past week, I’ve found myself entertaining moving on from Russ because of all that, and I found myself fantasizing about all the players you could draft if you traded him to the Giants or Raiders for a bunch of first round picks. I’ve even allowed myself get carried away with the idea that Seattle could bring in Jacoby Brissett from the Colts to start in Russell’s place and be just fine, and you can find that on this here blog site from a couple articles ago. I was legit selling the notion. Now, I’m kind of taking a step back off that a bit.

Hey, I get it, we all want a screaming deal. I want to pay peanuts for greatness, too. I want to pay $25 for a perfectly fine leaf blower at a garage sale. It’s human nature, or as my dad would say, it’s Dutch nature.

We all hope that the 1972 Plymouth Barracuda sitting behind our grand uncle’s barn just needs a little tune up and a new paint job and he’ll give it away to us if we offer $500 and trim his laurel hedge that hasn’t been touched since 1998. But we know the real deal, if we step far enough back to actually see the whole beast. That 340 8-cylinder engine under the rusted out hood will need a major overhaul just to get it running. It will also take forever to search for replacement bucket seats and once you find some, they will cost a fortune to get them shipped from North Dakota, and there is simply not enough disinfectant in the world to get the dead rat smell out of the back seat of that old ride. $500 and chronic back pain from that hedge is not worth that car sitting in the back of your own garage for the next twenty years before your own grand nephew is stupid enough to offer you a deal for it. So, just take a hard pass on dealing away Russ and bringing in Jacoby.

Pay Russell Wilson.

We know what we got with Russ. When the game is tight, he can keep us in it, and has the uncanny ability to make the ridiculous big play in the waning moments of a critical game. We have seen it happen too many times. Dude can be scary good in those moments.

And guess what? Defenses know how good he is, too. They got that knowledge in the back of their minds the whole game long. Each time they are loading up the box to stop the run, they know perfectly well that Russell is fully capable of torching them with a big play action pass. Russ + run game = defenses having to play honest.

How do you think they will play our run game with Jacoby Brissett, or Dwayne Haskins at quarterback? They won’t send eight, they will send nine or ten. Dwayne Haskins never had to deal with that kind of pressure his one season quarterbacking for Ohio State. Jacoby Brissett wasn’t horrible in his one year as a starter for the Colts, but he didn’t exactly torch up the league, either. If I’m a defensive coordinator, I’m not scared of those guys, but if I have to call a game against Russell Wilson? Yeah, I’m thinking about that one. I’m telling my guys “watch for this, watch for that.. when he does this do that, do this so he will do that, and don’t let him do that, or he will do this.” Yeah, my guys are feeling my nerves when it comes to Russ.

So, pay Russell Wilson. Meet his deadline. Get it wrapped up on April 15^th, and then focus on having an excellent draft the following week. Get another pass rusher, another pass catcher, and rest your minds that you don’t have to worry about quarterback.

Rest our minds, and pay Russell Wilson.

Unless, of course, he is asking for an insane baseball type of escalation clause in his contract on top of all the guarantees he wants, or what he really wants is to play elsewhere and the only way to get him to play in Seattle is to pay through your nose and blow up your salary cap, as Mike Florio is now reporting. Then, I say stick to your guns, and yeah, maybe even trade is *ss because if he’s going to play you like that, there ain’t no way you can sign him to that kind of deal and then have him look at the 52 other players on your roster and convince them that he is “all in.” They’re going to stare back at Russ and know that he’s all into himself, and thus your fish starts rotting at its head. We don’t want that.

But, you know, pay Russell Wilson, if you can.

Sincerely,

Curtis Eastwood, 12^th Man for Life.

LJ Collier could be the answer to both stopping the run and rushing the QB. (Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)

Well folks, we are officially two weeks away to the 2019 NFL Draft, and we all know well what that means; it’s Mock Draft Season.

Yay!

Yup. That’s right. I’m excited. So much so that we are going to be conducting a few mock drafts focusing on perceived needs of the Seattle Seahawks. This is going to be fun, as this is our first official attempt at a Seattle Seahawks mock draft published on line.. for anyone who so chooses to see can see. Wish me well.

First off, let me get out of the way that I’m not, in any way, a draft expert, nor do I pretend to be. However, I will say that I’ve been devotedly following the NFL draft process for decades, and if anything, I consider myself a genuine aficionado of the whole thing. The NFL draft is my Second Christmas. It’s fun. I think it’s fun.

It’s fun.

So, what do we know about these 2019 Seahawks right now?

Well, for one thing, and it’s the biggest thing, we know that their star quarterback, Russell Wilson, has given them a hard deadline of April 15^th to work out a long term deal with him, or he is cutting off contract extension talks for the rest of 2019. In just a couple of days, if a deal has not been worked out between the QB and the team, I suspect that the quarterback position might suddenly become a much bigger need for the team than many fans have been anticipating.

Another fairly big situation with the team is that it’s star pass rusher, Frank Clark, is sitting on a franchise tag, and has given the team a June deadline to reach a lucrative long term deal with him, or he won’t report for training camp. So, the team is also in a tough spot there, and there have been some reports that the team might be willing to actually deal Clark pre-draft, if the right deal is presented to them (I don’t buy it).

And then yet another situation that has recently come up for our beloved Seahawks in that there could be legitimate health concerns with Doug Baldwin, and that he might be contemplating retirement. So, wide receiver could presumably be a big need for the team, as well.

It is also worth noting that this 2019 NFL Draft is considered to be historically deep at defensive line, and a deep draft in general for wide receivers, tight ends, safeties, and offensive guards. It’s not considered an especially deep draft for quarterbacks.

Oh, yeah, one final thing. The Seahawks only have four picks in the draft this year. General Manager John Schneider loves to trade down to get more picks regardless of how many they have in any year. So, with only four this year, the Seattle Seahawks are, like, 99.999999 percent sure to be trading down to get more, even if your favorite player is sitting there at 21 by the time they are on the clock.

So, with all that hashed out, here we go. Folks, allow me to introduce to you our very first official 2019 Seattle Seahawks mock draft.

With the 21^st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft – TRADE!

The Seattle Seahawks trade pick 21 to the Kansas City Chiefs for picks 29, 92, and 167. The Chiefs jump ahead of the Ravens to select a wide receiver, both have needs there, and Seattle picks up a third and fifth round pick, and now has six picks to fill needs.

With the 29^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft –TRADE!

The Seattle Seahawks trade pick 29 to the New York Giants who want to get ahead of the safety needy Green Bay Packers to grab one to replace Landon Collins, and they send picks 37, 108, and 143.

With the 37^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks draft LJ Collier, Defensive Lineman, TCU.

What does Collier offer?

Pass rush, run stopping, and hustle. Check out his highlight tape. At 6-2 283, Collier has the size, strength and explosion to play strong side end, and reduce inside to a pass rushing DT role. His TCU tape looks terrific with him beating blockers with speed converted to power, and an array of moves that confuse the big fellas. He also shows strength to maintain a strong edge versus the run, which was lacking in the Seattle defense last year.

Why is he still available at 37?

For one, this is a deep defensive line draft, and another is that he ran a somewhat disappointing forty yard dash and short shuttle. Defensively, 4-3 teams typically want to see more athleticism at end, but if you consider that Carroll’s variation of a 4-3 employs personnel that are more common on 3-4 teams, his fit starts to make more sense, especially if he can play inside to pass rushing DT on passing downs.

With the 90^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Wide Receiver, Stanford.

What does Arcega-Whiteside offer?

He is a big bodied touchdown scoring monster. If Doug Baldwin suddenly retires, that’s some serious red-zone production leaving the team. Arcega-Whiteside could be the big receiver weapon that the team was hoping for in Jimmy Graham.

Why is he still available at 90?

He’s not considered a speed burner, and there are a lot receivers in this class thought to be better equipped to take the top off of defenses. He’s more of a big possession type.

With the 92^nd pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks Select Renell Wren, Defensive tackle, Arizona State

What does Wren offer?

Rare athleticism for a massive human being at 6-5 318 lbs. He is strong, explosive and fast. Once he’s honed his craft, put him next to Jarran Reed inside, with Collier at strong side end, and that is suddenly a big and powerful looking defensive front.

Why is he still available at 92?

His college tape is a mixed bag that showed some flash, but also a lot of undisciplined play, and inconsistent technique. Round three could be the sweet spot for him. He’s a project with upside.

With the 108^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Marquise Blair, Safety, Utah.

What does Blair offer?

Speed to play single high safety, which is what Seattle lacked last year. He also loves to hit. That could be why he has been referred to as a Seattle type of safety. He’s also a dedicated tackler and run supporter; things that would appeal to Pete Carroll.

Why is he still available at 108?

He doesn’t have the biggest frame, which might concern considering his physical style of play. He can also play a little too on edge, and that can lead to penalties.

With the 124^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Foster Moreau, Tight End, LSU

What does Moreau offer?

He is a big athletic tight end who is a dedicated run blocker, and loves to punish. He also possesses good speed, has capable hands, and run after the catch ability.

Why does he last until 124?

He’s not nuanced as a pass catcher, and needs to be developed.

At pick 143 of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Justin Hollins, Edge rusher, Oregon.

Why does Hollins offer?

Unique length, speed, and athleticism on the edge that can either be deployed as a strong side linebacker or a rush end.

Why is he at 143?

In a deep defensive line class, there are other edge defenders that have shown more production, and more general bad-assed-ness than Hollins. He’s a player that relies more on speed than strength, and there are other players that have both.

With the 159^th pick in the Seattle Seahawks select BJ Autry, Guard, Jacksonville State.

What does Autry offer?

Massive size at guard at 6-3 337lbs, which is what Seattle seems to prefer now under offensive line coach Mike Solari. He fits their power scheme.

Why is he still at 159?

Autry played at a small school and didn’t face top competition in college. There are other guards from bigger programs that will go probably go much higher than him.

With the 167^th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Drew Lewis, Linebacker, Colorado.

What does Lewis offer?

Speed and athleticism at linebacker that the Seahawks covet. He also has the ability to play inside and outside linebacker, and a great special teams player. It was also observed during his pro day that the Seattle coaches were working him hard.

Why is he at 167^th?

His fundamentals still need work, and he is not exactly a punishing tackler. He could stand to get stronger. He’s a project with upside more than plug and play.

Thought about these picks.

What’s the biggest thing that first stands out? No QB drafted! Yup. With this scenario, the Seattle Seahawks have reached a deal with Russell Wilson, and we can all let out a huge sigh of relief. They draft for needs and work the strength of the draft, which is defensive line.

I think this draft probably represents the most likely scenario that Seattle goes into this draft actually doing, and that is trading back multiple times. It’s highly unlikely they will trade Russell Wilson for two first round picks, and I doubt that they trade away their best pass rusher just to have to replace him with a rookie.

Personally, if they ended up with Collier, I would be pretty darned stoked about that one. I think that dude could be really special for years to come, and if they land Wren, and get him to play with disciple, Seattle’s defense could be set for years.

Every year, you should either draft an offensive or defensive lineman first. That’s what my dear old dad always used to say, anyways, and this draft is loaded with defensive linemen. Get multiple, I say. Why not?

Go Hawks.

I gotta be honest. I’m not the biggest Mariner fan. I don’t dislike the Mariners, but in the order of rooting for teams in the 206, the Mariners might be fourth on my list behind the Seahawks, Storm, and Sounders. Look, baseball is a long season, and there are no quarterback sacks in baseball, so you had better make it interesting for me, and the Mariners have done a miserable job of that over the past decade and a half of major league baseball.

I haven’t cared greatly for Mariners baseball for a number of reasons, and one of the strangest, for a reason that I can’t quite wrap my head around, is the odd level of division between some Mariner fans and Seahawk fans.

Here’s a perfect example. Last Spring, I’m walking through Pioneer Square on my way to a show, and I’m sporting along in my vintage Seahawk T-shirt underneath a sports blazer (it’s my going out look). As I approach the theater, I walk through packs of eager Mariner fans on their way to watch some live ball. Good for them, as the 2018 Mariners have flashed reasons for going out to the park, but as I pass by this one group of twenty-somethings, this intoxicated gal looks at me, awkwardly lunges with her friend holding her back, and yells “Seahawks suck!”

Nice. “It must perpetually suck being a Mariners fan,” I thought to myself as I kept along my way.

Well, maybe not anymore.

I gotta say, and I know it is just a few games into this young 2019 season, but the 2019 Seattle Mariners are starting to make my head turn quite a bit, and if they can do that, that is a really good thing. 11-2 is a nice record after two weeks, but that doesn’t tell even a fraction of this story. It’s how they got to that impressive start that truly impresses. Thirty two home runs within the first twelve games is insane offensive production. There are teams that haven’t even scored thirty two runs yet. Thirty two home runs through twelve games is also a Major League record. In this very short start to this major league season, the 2019 Seattle Mariners have made history. Let that sink in, and marinate.

That’s not even what I find so fascinating. The thing that have my Seahawk fan head turning towards this club is that they doing it with youth, finally. Gone is overpaid and overhyped Robinson Cano’. Out-y is veteran slugger Nelson Cruz. Bye bye ace closer Edwin Diaz. Adios is star pitcher James Paxton. Kept are some selective building block talents such as steady right fielder Mitch Haniger, and the flashy second baseman Dee Gordan. In is a talented cheap youth movement with the likes of first baseman Dan Vogelbach, shortstop Tim Beckman, and athletic center fielder Mallex Smith.

The team ended 2018 falling just short for the playoffs yet again, and general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais where left staring at a roster that gave it their all, but ran out of gas and fell short. They also looked at a farm system that was depleted and ranked dead last in the Major Leagues. They decided to be bold about it, if not fully nutzoid, and they went on a massive selling spree to acquire youth. I admit, I wrote them off as crazy. Trade James Paxton? Really?!

Now, I’m coming around, and I’m more than eating my words. Not only do I applaud their boldness, I’m becoming “all in” on this team again, and that is something I haven’t been since Lou Piniella was the Skipper.

When Pete Carroll and John Schneider took over a struggling Seattle Seahawks team in 2010, they made sweeping changes off the bat. The team had expensive “names” like receivers TJ Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson, and defense end Patrick Kerney but did they have talent? Nah. Not really, and those names and salaries were replaced with cheap reclamation talents such as former first round bust of a receiver Mike Williams, a certain backup running back in Buffalo named Marshawn Lynch, and a pass rushing end that nobody ever heard of in Chris Clemons. Players that were drafted that year included Earl Thomas, Russell Okung, Kam Chancellor, and Golden Tate. The Seahawks were building something, and it wasn’t with big contracts. After the season, and the playoffs that featured the Beast Quake, Seattle let well paid veteran starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck walk out of town when he still probably two or three more decent seasons left in him as a starter.

When the Seahawks won the Super Bowl three years later, they did it with one of the youngest and deepest rosters in the league. I could argue that what possibly hurt the Seahawks the most after their Super Bowl runs was that they paid too many of their star players, and because they paid them so much top dollar, they stopped developing their younger talent that they were drafting. I remain skeptical of the idea that Seattle stopped drafting as well as they had prior to 2013. Personally, I think they stopped developing the talent that they drafted as well as they did before because, honestly, no fourth round corner was seriously going to challenge the newly richly paid Richard Sherman. No fifth round pick linebacker was going to challenge Bobby Wagner or KJ Wright. When Frank Clark was a rookie, he barely saw the field during stretches of games because he was lost in the pass rush rotation that included Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and Bruce Irvin.

Now, back to the Ms.

The Mariners, in my mind, for years were a franchise that was constantly mortgaging the future to compete in the present. They seemed afraid of a down year, or years, for years. They would chase the big names seemingly as a means of gaining relevance in a market that was increasingly becoming more dominated by its football team with each year. When the team traded promising young outfielder Adam Jones to Baltimore for veteran starting pitcher and curmudgeon Erik Bedard, I felt the vomit of burger I had for lunch sneak up into my throat. Then promising closer Brian Fuentes to Colorado for flash in the pan Jeff Cirillo? Argh.

Painful.

But nothing is more painful than seeing the team getting absolutely snow jobbed into in signing Robinson Cano’ to that ridiculous contract in 2013. Brutal. The fact that Seattle got the Mets to agree to trade for Cano’ and that contract is nothing short of miraculous, but it also cost the Ms Edwin Diaz and $20 million. Extremely high cost of doing business, but absolutely necessary.

Then the egg is all over your face, and you peed your pants, own it, and then do something about it. I think that is what Dipoto and Servais have done in this offseason, and the result of these moves is a Mariners ball club that is youth, hungry, and driven. That is very Seattle Seahawks circa 2011-2012.

There can be something truly galvanizing when you are a franchise full of a bunch of no name players that are unified with the feeling that nobody is taking them seriously. At one point during the Seahawks’ rise to greatness, nobody heard much of or considered much of Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson, and Doug Baldwin. Now all of these guys are Seattle icons. I’m not saying that Vogelbach, Gordon, Beckham, and pitcher Marco Gonzales are destined to become icons someday, but I am saying that they have my attention, I’m watching, and I am genuinely excited to see what comes out of this. It could be special.

And if it is special, and if I should ever see that drunk female Mariners fan ever again someday, I’m going to shout at her “Mariners rock!” – because, frankly, I am a better person than she is.

Go Hawks.

First off, let me state that I think it is highly unlikely that the Seattle Seahawks will trade Russell Wilson in 2019. Beyond 2019? Well, that’s a different ditty to write about, but if we are talking about 2019, if I had to bet the farm and a relative’s kidney, I would say that it’s not going to happen.

However, I’m no betting person, and this has been a crazy cycle of NFL trades over the past year with Khalil Mack going to Chicago, Antonio Brown going to Oakland, and Odell Beckham Junior going to Cleveland. All three of those players are cornerstone talents that, a year ago, and most would consider untradeable. So, yes, anything can happen. But none of those guys are franchise quarterbacks. Russell Wilson is. That, in and of itself, feels like it would be highly unlikely Seattle would move him, and the other reason is that presently, there is nobody in place on the roster to take his place.

What then would make the Seahawks consider trading him now? Well, let’s explore that.

Russell Wilson has set a hard deadline for the team to work out a deal with him, and that is April 15^th, two weeks before the 2019 NFL Draft. A good reason for that hard deadline is likely so that it eliminates any leverage Seattle would have over Russell should they draft a quarterback with a high round pick.

On top of all this, while Russell wants to be the highest paid quarterback in the league, and the team might well be willing to meet him there, now Mike Florio is reporting that what Russell might be going for is an escalation clause in a long term deal that would increase his annual earnings each year should another quarterback sign an extension that would top his. In other words, Russell wants a deal that would continue to make him the highest paid player in the league annually, and the Seahawks might likely not be so eager to accommodate that desire.

So let’s suppose that is the sticking point, and a deal fails to materialize by April 15^th. Both sides may well be happy to play out the season, and then play the franchise tag game for 2020, and beyond. But how does that go down in the locker room? How do players feel about Russell playing that kind of game with the team? How does Russell look fifty two other guys in the face and say that he is “all in,” and how does he lead them if he is essentially one foot out the door himself? How do the fans in the stands treat him when he throws a pick, or takes one of his usual unnecessary sacks? There could be a headache brewing down the road by playing this franchise tag game with Russ that Schneider and Carroll may not want to manage as it relates to other players on the roster, and fans in the stands if their seasons fall short.

Now, with this assumption that a deal doesn’t get done by the April 15^th deadline, Seattle could have a ten day window to field calls from teams regarding a trade for Russ. What if the New York Giants called and offered Seattle picks six and seventeen in the draft for Russell? Would that be enough to move the needle for Pete and John to consider?

This draft class is being touted as the deepest defensive line class in the last twenty seven years or so, and we know how much Pete Carroll loves his defense. That offer might perk up his ears a bit. But Russell is John Schneider’s guy. Would John Schneider be winning to give up a generational talent, at the single most important position in football, for a couple first round picks to be used on what are ultimately unproven players?

It’s also worth noting that this draft class is not considered especially deep at the QB position. It’s got maybe two or three players that the league seems fairly keen on, but then a handful of players that might have what it takes to develop into good professional passers, but are also considered major projects.

So, does John Schneider bite on the Giants offer?

Perhaps, if the Giants were also willing to either toss in their 2020 first round pick, or a collection of second round picks, and I think here is why.

I am going to try to sell you on something.

Seattle may not need to draft a quarterback in 2019 if they trade Russell Wilson to the Giants, even though the only other QB presently on the roster is first round bust Paxton Lynch. There was a report that came out late last August that Seattle had an interest in trading for the Indianapolis Colt’s backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, and the interesting thing about the report was that Seattle had offered a second round pick for him. It was a pretty sounding crazy report for a couple reasons; one being that Seattle doesn’t own a second round pick in 2019, and two, a second round pick for a backup QB?! That’s whack.

The report was later shot down by both sides, and the season went on. But something marinated a bit with me in this. It sort of felt like a “where there is smoke, there is fire” sort of thing, and it lingered on me through the season. Why would Seattle do this, and at that high cost?

Seattle’s offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenhiemer, was the Indianapolis QB coach in 2017, the year Andrew Luck spent on IR, and Brissett started in his place. There’s a history between coach and player, and Schottenhiemer was credited for getting Brissett to play admirably under the difficult circumstances of that season.

I particularly remember the Colts coming into Seattle on a Sunday night game, and Brissett played pretty scrappy in the loss. He hung tough in the pocket and on the move, and had the Colts driving against a good Seattle defense that was coming after him. He was gutsy with his passes, and didn’t show fear staring into the mouth of the LOB lion. For a while, it felt like a game Seattle might lose. I can imagine that impressed Carroll.

Could have Seattle placed a call to discuss a trade, knowing what the contract difficulties around the corner with Russell? Where they looking at the 2019 quarterback class, and determining that they would rather roll with Brissett as a hedge, instead?

Hm.

Now, if the Giants toss in their 2020 first round pick along with six and seventeen in this year’s class, and Seattle maybe still has something on the backburner with the Colts on Brissett, maybe, just maybe, Pete leans forward behind John, and whispers in his ear, in a quasi-fatherly way, almost teetering on creepy, if not slightly maniacal “it’s okay, you can do this.. you can let him go.. we’ll be just fine,” and Seattle makes the deal with New York, then trades for Brissett, and extends him to a cap friendly deal for him to have first crack at becoming the starter.

Now, with no more Russell Wilson salary, the team has plenty cash to spend on Frank Clark, Bobby Wagner, Jaran Reed, Germaine Ifedi, and whomever else that they want to hang onto or bring in to form the new nucleus. Plus they have a young passer with veteran experience and possibly still some decent upside left in his game. Suddenly, with pick six, seventeen, and their own pick twenty one, they have three picks to play with in round one of a potential historic defensive draft class, and no pressing need to reach for a quarterback.

At pick six, they could be staring at Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, or Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary. Both of these guys were considered the top two recruits in the entire nation when they were entering college, and each possess game wrecking physical talent. Put one of these two on the defensive line with Clark and Reed, and watch out. In an interesting note, Seattle is reportedly interested in Gary, and there is absolutely no way he makes it to twenty one, he probably doesn’t make it out of the top ten. Why the interest in him then? Hm.

At pick seventeen, Seattle could be looking at Iowa tight end TJ Hockenson, or Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard. Hockenson is regarded as the best tight end prospect in twenty years, and rates as a superb blocker and pass catcher. Dillard is a highly intelligent and athletically gifted left tackle that could come in and start at left guard, and once Duane Brown is ready to hang them up, slide on into is nature left tackle spot. Seattle is reportedly interested in Dillard, and he probably wouldn’t be there at pick twenty one.

At pick 21, Seattle could look at Ohio State receiver Parris Campbell, or Michigan linebacker Devin Bush; two other guys that have blue chip potential. Or they can trade back a bit towards the end of round one, pick up an extra third round pick, and grab UW defensive back Byron Murphy, or Oklahoma guard Cody Ford; players that possess on-field traits that Pete Carroll loves.

Seattle could end up with a draft class that has up to three potential blue chip players, and for sake of argument, four other players that all could have decent starter potential all on cheap rookie deals. Plus on top of that, Seattle would have two first round picks to play with in 2020.

Trading Russell may well mean that Seattle doesn’t make the playoffs in 2019, but maybe not. Maybe doing away with Russell’s 2019 salary opens the door financially for Ndamukong Suh to sign a deal, and be paired next to Jarran Reed. A 2019 Seahawk defensive line could suddenly sport, Clark, Reed, Suh, and Gary. Fun.

Folks can laugh all they want to at the suggestion of Jacoby Brissett leading the 2019 Seahawks into the postseason, but let us not forget so quickly that Blake Bortles led the 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC championship game with a team built to run, and play tough defense. Chuckle away, but I say it’s possible. Is Bortles better than Brissett? Yeah, I’m not so sure.

And I’m not saying Brissett would be the long term answer, either, or even that I’m advocating for him. I’m just saying that I can fully see the Seahawks going after him after a Russell Wilson trade to give him the opportunity to be the starter. There is precedent there when they traded a third round pick to the Chargers in 2010 for Charlie Whitehurst when they could have drafted a QB, and then again in 2011, they signed free agent Tavaris Jackson. Even in the year that they ultimately drafted Russell in 2012, they again first went the veteran route with Matt Flynn. Seattle, under Pete Carroll and John Schneider have shown more precedent pursuing veteran solutions for the QB1 job than drafted ones. It’s just that a drafted player ended up being best solution, and yet that was a player wasn’t even drafted until round three.

But let’s stop for a second here, and be honest. This is all crazy talk, though, yes?

Yeah! It’s goofy, and I’ve allowed myself to get caught up in all of it. These are the type of thoughts that start to make sense minutes before last call, a few too many cocktails into the night, the KISS song blaring is convincing you that they were talented, and you’ve convinced yourself that the desperate person you’ve been chatting with is attractive. In those moments, you start to entertain trading your star quarterback and replacing him with a journeyman. Then the next day, you feel bad about yourself, think about returning to yoga, and cutting out red meat.

That’s why I suspect that if a deal doesn’t get done between Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks by April 15^th, Seattle will work diligently to lock Clark, Wagner, and Reed into new deals, and they will be prepared to franchise tag Russ in 2020, or possibly trade him then if they have a suitable heir apparent on the roster ready to step in, or they just play the franchise game again in 2021.

2019 to 2021 buys Seattle time to have the next quarterback of the franchise in place, and allows Russell Wilson to enter free agency potentially still very much in his prime. It feels to me like this is where this ship is sailing. We might not like it as fans, it might feel like a long, drawn out, delaying of the inevitable, but I honestly think that this is what we are probably staring at. They will likely deal with whatever turmoil comes out of Russell’s position because, frankly, again, franchise quarterbacks are too valuable, and they won’t give him up without having another solution in place.

Carroll will have the security of Russ until he feels good about the next QB in place, and that could mean drafting a quarterback high this year, even if Parris Campbell or Byron Murphy is sitting there when they take him.

Will Grier out of West Virginia, anyone?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Yeah. I really hope Seattle and Russell can work this one out. I would love to see Murphy on this defense. I really would.

Go Hawks.

I love Russell Wilson. I do. I know he can be a bit odd and challenging to relate to with the whole NanoBubbles thing, the Trace Me app, all his brandings, not sleeping, and even I have to admit that the whole celebrity QB thing is more than a bit much, especially for the provincial Pacific North Westerner such as I, and I know that this ultra, squeaky clean, nice guy sort persona thing that he has at time feels surely too good to be true. Surely, behind closed doors, he has to be a d*ckhead every once and a while, right?

Yeah, I don’t really care because he says and does the right things, and frankly, I think that is a big part of a quarterback’s job. He’s the closest player on the roster to management, and a big part of his job is to reflect the head coach, which he does.

He doesn’t have to be “one of the guys” for the very simple reason that by the nature of the position, it would be difficult for a quarterback to be one of the guys. Being one of the guys, at times, can mean being at odds with management when they let a popular beloved player go. Being one of the guys could also mean tuning out during team meetings when you’ve heard all the catch phrases and stories shared by the head coach, and you decide to just quietly read a book instead. Hey, you’re an established vet, you earned that right, right?

Eh.

The quarterback can’t do that. There’s too much spotlight, and there is too much responsibility on the field and off of it. Not only do you have got to be able to read defenses, make line calls, and know the offensive plays and audibles inside and out, you have got to tow the line for your coaches so that others will buy into their messaging. You have to believe in the play calling, and when things far short, you have to say the right things at the right times, even if that comes across cliché.

“We could have been better, I could have been better.. but there are a lot of great things we did, and we just fell a little bit short.”

How many times have you heard Russell Wilson say those words or a close variation of them after a close loss?

Yeah, it’s pretty much what he always says, but really, he’s not ever wrong in any of that. A receiver could have caught a ball that bounced out of his hands, the right guard could have been savvy enough to pick up that stunt instead of helping the right tackle, and Russ could have not overthrown that wide-open receiver deep. But, he also did hit that other receiver in perfect stride, and line did start blocking better in the fourth,^, and the defense did force that turn over that got them back in reach.

The reason why I’m bringing all this up is because I have felt the Russell Wilson divisions in and amongst the Twelves for a long while now, growing more intensely with seemingly every season, and with an offseason that is clearly going to be about the next Russell Wilson extension, these divisions are primed to deepen, and ripen. On one side, there is the faction that believes without Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks would not have won a Super Bowl, and he is most important player on the team. They aren’t wrong in that, and for the faction on the opposite side that says that any quarterback could have quarterbacked that 2013 squad to a Super Bowl victory, I say simply; that’s nuts. It’s total nutty talk, but I think when the Anti Russ squad starts listing all the top salaried quarterbacks and their lack of championships and playoff wins, they come up with some pretty compelling points. I think both positions can be, and are true.

Russell Wilson is the most important Seattle Seahawk, and he has been that since his rookie year when he won the starting job. The starting quarterback is the most important player on the team, and the good ones get paid, and the really good ones get paid a lot. Russell Wilson is certainly is really good quarterback. I would argue that if Kirk Cousins was quarterbacking the 2018 Seattle Seahawks, they probably would have been closer to 6-10 than the 10-6 finish that they had. Wilson had some absolutely INSANE game saving plays down the stretch, especially during the Sunday Night standoff with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

It’s also true that when you pay your quarterback more than fifteen percent of your salary cap, it’s becomes an increasingly difficult challenge fielding a deeply strong roster. You’re going to loose some really good players when their salaries come up in free agency, and that places a greater need to draft and develop really well. On top of that, you have to find really good value in free agency. It’s all easier said than done, but I believe it can be done.

Where I sit in all of this is that I hope that Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks get another extension done. I believe that it is best for both parties. I think that Russell is a great extension of Pete Carroll for the team, and that the team should be built around him, and if that means that they can’t keep a Frank Clark or a Jarran Reed, so be it. It sucks because I deeply want both of those guys on the roster, but Seattle drafted and developed those guys, and there is no reason not to think that they can’t draft and develop more defensive lineman. Drafting and developing a quarterback is, frankly, much harder to do, even for a team that wants to run the rock like Seattle does.

I would actually argue that running the ball the way Seattle seems committed towards on first and second downs actually put more pressure on the quarterback on the third down when it is obvious that it is going to be a pass, and Russell has handled that chore really well. He is not afforded the luxury of being a rhythm passer like a lot of other passers in this age. He has got to be on it, and it’s tough to do that when you aren’t afforded a lot of reps.

Yes, sometimes his passes are off. Sometimes they sail a bit high, or he puts too much mustard on them, but a lot of the times, he comes off with the absolute jaw-dropping throw at a crucial juncture of the game. It’s amazing, and validating as a lover of DangeRuss.

Russell Wilson did something very interesting this week. Out of nowhere, he set a hard deadline to get a deal done with the team by April 15th, two weeks before the 2019 NFL Draft. It’s an odd thing to do because, by NFL standards, it’s a substantially early time in the year to work out big time contracts. Most teams wait until Summer. Russ wants it done now, and it’s fair to say that he wants to do it now because if the team drafts a quarterback, they can use the rook as leverage in negotiations during the Summer. By doing a deadline now, he puts pressure on the team to negotiate without great leverage.

Short of drafting a quarterback with their first pick, I’m not sure how much leverage an unproven rookie is going to have over Russell in the Summer, though. “Oh, you’re really ready to roll with Ryan Finley?.. Okay, I’m more than happy to test free agency.”

I’m not really even sure how much leverage they would have if they stayed at pick twenty-one and drafted a quarterback there. The Arizona Cardinals traded up and took Josh Rosen tenth overall last year. There was some belief during that draft process that Rosen was the most NFL ready QB in that class, and now there is talk that they could be looking to trade him away for maybe a measly third round pick because they are now strongly considering taking Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray tops overall. First round quarterbacks are no guarantee, mi amigos. Nope.

So, I’m going to say that, with a some sufficient soul searching on the Russell Wilson contract saga (Russocalypse, as I like to call it), I think it is a good thing the Russell is stepping up to create this semi-odd deadline. I think it is good to ignite a fire that gets the two sides talking, and word has it, both sides have been over the few days, or so.

I would also encourage the Pay Russ camp not to get overly discouraged by all the recent Colin Cowherd insider hot takes about Russ and Ciara wanting to move out of Seattle to NYC. I think that the high probability in all of that is that Cowherd has been purposefully fed info from Russ’s agent as a big negotiation ploy put forth in the media, and he knows this feeds his nationally syndicated talk show, and is perfectly willing to run with it. Journalists much closer to the team pulse feel that a deal will get done, and I trust those sources considerably more than Cowherd’s brand.

Deals get done with deadlines, and while Russ might have the leverage in this, John Schneider might feel a huge sense of relief banging out one of the Big Three deals he has pending with Russell, Frank Clark, and Bobby Wagner prior to the draft. It could help shape the draft board considerably better if quarterback is less of a concern. That could be incentive enough for Schneider to be willing to deal now.

Russell is fully entitled to maximize his earnings, and he should be. He has done and said all the right things from day one. He has quarterbacked his ass off under duress when Seattle has had one of the worst lines in professional football. He has never complained, even when three seasons ago he was quarterbacking with a high ankle sprain, a sprained knee, and an injured upper body. As nice a guy as he is, he is as gritty on the field as they come, and I’m sure that is something that Pete Carroll beyond cherishes about him.

He has been the perfect extension of Carroll, and he deserves to be the highest paid player for a bit, but I will also say that, if he is earnest about wanting to remain in Seattle for a third contract, I think it is essential that Russell also concede a bit here and there to help Schneider retain players and field a roster that will help him potentially win another title. If he is entering into these discussing with that mindset, I actually think it is quite possible that a deal actually gets done.

But even if a deal doesn’t get finalized before the April 15^th deadline, it still might be a bonus. It would allow Schneider and Carroll to consider drafting a quarterback more intently. Knowing that you’re not going to be negotiating with his QB would give Schneider the ability to also focus more intensely on negotiating with Wagner, Clark, and Jarran Reed, knowing that he can use the franchise tag on Russell in 2020, and try jump starting negotiations with him again then, or possibly even trading him, if talks aren’t happening.

I don’t really see any wrongs in this deadline, honestly. I also don’t really seeing anything wrong with making Russell Wilson the highest paid player in the league, even on a running team. Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Patrick Mahomes are going to break that deal around the corner. It is the cost of having a really good QB.

But I also don’t see a ton of wrongs if a deal doesn’t get done, either. I love Russell, but ultimately, I trust Pete and John, and it will be interesting to see where this goes.

I don’t see him going anytime soon, but we shall see.

Go Hawks.