Much like the game against the Falcons, and the game against the Patriots, this Seahawk match against the Cowboys is sure to provide a lot of sparks from both offenses. These two teams match up very similarly. Both are led by dynamic quarterbacks who can beat you with their arms and legs, both teams have talented pass catchers, and both have dynamic runners. What is sure to also make this game a shootout is that both teams are coming into Century Field in Seattle with hobbled defenses.

For as troubled as Seattle’s pass rush as seemed to have been through two games, Dallas has also struggled with theirs, and further more, they have faced significant injuries to their secondary and at linebacker.

Russell Wilson has been on an extremely strong MVP campaign through these first two games. What he was able to do against a talented Patriot secondary last Sunday Night was well beyond impressive. Simply put, he will be looking at this hobbled Cowboy secondary like a tiger shark smelling blood in the water, and he will attack early and often. He could have an historically game this after, and that is saying something.

On the Flip side, Dak Prescott could be his own apex predator smelling blood, especially if Seattle is going to be playing this game without defensive end Benson Mayowa, and cornerback Quinton Dunbar, both starters listed as questionable. Seattle lost Bruce Irvin for the season last Sunday Night, and with a defensive end rotation that was already pretty thin and suspect at best, if Seattle is also without Mayowa, things could get ugly if they don’t get much from players like rookie fifth round pick Alton Robinson, and it could get really really ugly if Dunbar isn’t able to go and the Seattle secondary sustains another key injury. Seattle’s depth on their defense will get tested by this potentially explosive Cowboy offense. A big key to Seattle winning this at home is for that depth to hold up just enough. If they can do that, Seattle will most likely go 3-0 after the final whistle blow, and maybe even comfortably.

Here a few of my bigger keys to game for Seattle to get the win.

Russell Wilson plays hungry (and possibly angry)

Have you all noticed what I’ve been noticing about Russ lately? No, I’m not talking about the hot start, the ridiculously high completion percentage and touchdown passes and yards. That’s all great and dandy, and I will happily take that every game to a Super Bowl victory. Nah, I’m talking about that little something extra in his demeanor and attitude lately.

Russell is playing with a bit of fire this year. I’d even go so far to say that I detect maybe a smidgen of anger on the field. I think Russell might have gotten a bit tired of everyone talking about Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson none stop. I get the sense that he might have a little Alice Cooper’s No More Mister Nice Guy rattling around in his head, even running on repeat. He’s a little saltier out there against defenders and maybe even a bit in interviews.

I think he might have reached the place with his super nice guy persona where he has realized that it was only going to take him so far. I kinda think Russ is a bit pissed that, after eight seasons of playing at a high level, he still gets overlooked by football pundits and MVP voters. And I also think that maybe he is more than a bit tired of hearing that the Super Bowl years were more about the Legion Of Boom than his quarterback play.

Simply put, I think Russ is on a mission, and that mission to to crush the souls of all doubters about him that still remain. He wants that MVP, and he wants that Super Bowl title. He wants that Super Bowl win bad so that there will be no doubt as to the reason why Seattle has won it’s second title. This all said, I think that it is highly likely that Russell is going to cook up big time against that Dallas defense, and I don’t think that he is going to want to take the foot off the gas for a second. This will be Fox’s NFL game of the week, and somewhere in his mind, I think he might know that. This is another opportunity for him to show the world that he is QB1 in this league, and when I put all that together, I expect that he will have a monster game today. Jerry Jones might want to put Earl Thomas’s phone number on his speed dial.

Alton Robinson and Shaquem Griffin add enough needed speed to the pass rush

Much has been made of Seattle’s lack of sacks and pressures through two games. I might be of the minority opinion that it’s all been a bit overblown. They faced two veteran quarterbacks in Matt Ryan and Cam Newton that are hard to sack. One gets rid of the ball hyper quick and the other is just a freak of nature that is physically very difficult to bring down and Seattle has always had a difficult time with him, even in their peak years with Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril as their primary pass rushers. That said, Seattle went into the season banking on big contributions from veteran edge rusher Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin, and now they are down to just Mayowa, and he is hobbled. That’s not good.

For Seattle to comfortably hold off Dallas, they are going to need Alton Robinson to step up and make an impact as a pass rusher. I’m excited to see if he can do it. With all the beat writers who watched this team through training camp, it was practically unanimous that Robinson flashed the most as a pass rusher among the young players. It was pretty surprising to me that he was inactive these first two games, but I’m not convinced that inactivity is due to him not being ready to take the field. I suspect it has more to do with coach Pete Carroll wanting more experience on the field, and his impulse was to bring him along slowly if he could (this has been his tendency with rookie pass rushers over the years, see Frank Clark, Rasheem Green, Jordan Hill, etc).

It was equally surprising to me that the team did not elect to keep rush linebacker Shaquem Griffin on the 53 man roster heading into the season, thus relegating him to the practice squad. I thought he flashed pretty well as a pass rush specialist last year, and provided some interesting juice off the edge in a few key games down the stretch. I definitely know that they could have used his speed off the edge against the Falcons and Patriots.

It’s looking and more like Dallas could go into this game without both their starting offensive tackles. Seattle has got to find ways to pressure Prescott without always sending star safety Jamal Adams. There is a huge opportunity in this game for both Griffin and Robinson to go after those backup tackles. Huge opportunity for them. I’m excited for them to show off what they got.

Rookie linebacker Jordyn Brooks makes an impact in his first start

Brooks looked good in his limited snaps against the Falcons. Dallas is likely going to try to go after this Seattle defense with a balanced attack, much like Seattle loves to use. They are going to get the ball into the hands of Ezekiel Elliott as a runner and a pass catcher. Brooks has entered into the league as a fast linebacker taken in the first round who tackles very well in space. If Brooks helps slow Elliott down, that is going to make the Cowboy offense more one dimensional. I like Dak Prescott a lot as a passer, but I don’t know if I love him having to carry a team on the road without the aid of a run game, even in an empty stadium in the Covid era.

One benefit that Seattle might have with Brooks making his first start is that it is not certain where he will line up in the defense. Many are likely assuming that he will play the strong side spot the Bruce Irvin was holding down, but KJ Wright it capable of playing there. Seattle might use him a WILL and that could free him up to make more plays than maybe Dallas is anticipating. That’s going to be an interesting chess match to watch because at WILL, he showed in college to be pretty effective blitzer. Seattle could mix some interesting blitz packages with him and Adams together. This is something to watch for.

Ugo Amadi has a solid game at nickel corner

Amadi held in fairly well against the Patriots when thrust into duty after Marquise Blair was lost for the game (and now the season). He was decent enough coverage and he made some nice stops in the open field. He needs to build off of that outing in this match. It will be a tall task.

Dallas has three pretty talented receivers in Amari Cooper, rookie CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. I’m pretty certain that Cowboy coach Mike McCarthy is going to lean into this trio, especially if Seattle’s Quinton Dunbar can’t go at outside corner. The obvious person to target is the guy covering the slot receiver because that guy has the least experience. It’s up to Amadi to show McCarthy and the rest of the league that he belongs. He doesn’t need to be the star of the defense. He just needs to hold his own. I liked Amadi a lot coming out of Oregon in the draft last year. I think he has some interesting big play upside. I actually think that his play could be the sleeper key to Seattle holding off the Cowboys in this one.

How Seattle Might Lose This Game

It sucks to have to write about this subheading, but here we go. Dallas somehow is able to get Russell Wilson off his game is one way (albeit an unlikely one). Further injuries to the defensive line of Seattle or their secondary is another way and that one is considerably more likely.

Seattle is heading into this match razor thin on the defensive line, especially at defensive end. It’s why they are courting veteran defensive tackle Damon Snacks Harrison this week, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they also bring in edge rusher Clay Matthews. If Benson Mayowa is a no go in this game, Seattle will be down to LJ Collier, Damontre Moore, and Alton Robinson as their primary ends with Shaquem Griffin rushing off the edge as a linebacker. If one of those guys should go down with an injury,.. that’s just frankly pretty frightening. My fingers are crossed with Mayowa can play.

With Quinton Dundar questionable to play, and Marquise Blair out for the season, Seattle’s secondary could be pretty vulnerable in this game, and they would get really vulnerable if a starter goes down. If that happens, it is almost certain that this will be a game that Russell Wilson will need to win a shootout over Dak Prescott. It could very well come down to which offense gets the ball last to score. I will be honest, I’m not a huge fan of those sort of games.

My Final Score Prediction

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Dallas Cowboys 45 to 38.

I picked a low scoring win over the Patriots last week, something like 23-18, and I was completely wrong about how that game went, as it was a total shootout. So, I’m definitely picking a high scoring game in this one. Dallas was a high scoring offense last year, and it looks like they will be this year, as well.

That said, I think Russell Wilson wins a comfortable shootout against Dak Prescott. The final outcome of points might show a one score game, but I sorta see a likely scenario where Dallas scores late to get it to within seven points, but this time the onside kick doesn’t go their way, and Seattle simply drains out the clock.

Maybe this is just my homer optimism, but I actually think we might show signs of improvement with the defense. It’s just a feeling that I have watching the play-maker talent that they have, but I kinda think they are going to get Prescott off his spot a bit more with some creative ways, and that is going to create opportunities for others to make plays.

It’s also important to remember that Seattle was without free safety Quandre Diggs for most of the game against the Patriots, and whenever he is on the field, I think it just sort of settles others down, and players make plays. If Diggs would have played a full game against Cam Newton, that easily could have been enough for Seattle to have won that match more comfortably. I see Diggs being that sort of stabilizing factor in this match up today.

Who knows, though. We shall see soon enough.

Go Hawks!

Russell Wilson has become the best football player alive, and your Fox News addicted grandpa doesn’t care. Cam Newton is showing the world that, when healthy, he is still one of the most talented quarterbacks alive, and your hate filled uncle could give a flip. This is the state of 2020, and the National Football League. While most people should probably be elated that the league has found a way to offer us this spectacular brand of sports entertainment as a reprieve from the pandemic, the fires, floods, and marches, Americans have found a way to be divided about it. So, here we are.

I feel sad for the folks who have decided to turn their backs on these brave players who are willing to put their lives on the line for our entertainment while playing a blood sport during a massive pandemic. That level of anger and hate in their hearts must be heavy. Fortunately, I don’t think that most Americans carry that level of negative vibes with them. I think most Americans want to watch these players play, just as I think most Americans want to ultimately see equal justice for all. But that’s just me.

That all said, for the folks that did tune into this game, what an amazingly entertaining football spectacle were they ever gifted. Whenever the Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawks and the Brian Belichick New England Patriots play, it is practically guaranteed to come down to the wire in a dramatic fashion. This game was no exception. Yet again, it was decided by one score and it was decided by one play. This is why we watch football.

Let me break down my thoughts into my Sergio Leone inspired subcategories.

The Good

Russell Wilson is not only showing the world that he is the best quarterback on the planet, he is showing the world that he is the best football player alive. He had a stellar game last week against the Falcons defense week, but that was the Falcons. What he did against the Brian Belichick coached New England defense was considerably more impressive. Nobody carves up that secondary that. Nobody. Russell threw 5 touchdown passes, and went 21 for 28 passes for 281 yards against the best secondary in football with relative ease, and the smartest mind in football had little answer for it. Let. Russell. Cook.

As impressive as Russell was in the passing game, I think the Seahawk receivers were equally impressive. It felt like every Seattle receiver flashed. David Moore had a solid game last week against Atlanta, and he followed it was an even more spectacular game. He had a spectacular touchdown grab against tight coverage in the front corner of the end zone on a deep ball that he had to adjust for, but he also made a tough third down catch on a fast ball thrown towards his knees that he took in stride and turned up field. Tyler Lockett continued to be his reliable self, and rookie receiver Freddie Swain looked like he clearly belonged in the league. For my money, though, most impressive was how DK Metcalf fought with and punked star cornerback Stephon Gilmore. DK took the best corner in the league and he abused him in almost every way.. that’s a really interesting take away from this game. Seattle could have a major superstar talent blossoming at receiver. I’m excited.

I thought the offensive line played well in this game. The New England front seven is a tricky front and for the most part, Seattle handled their stunts and blitzes pretty well, and Russell had time to perform his surgery. They also proved to be pretty strong in the run game. Yes, there were a few false starts and holding calls, but I like the potential of this unit moving forward.

The defense had another rough outing against the pass but I like the way the defensive line played against the run. I thought defensive tackles Jarran Reed and Poona Ford showed up pretty strong against a solid offensive line.

Nothing made me happier in this game than the play of second year defensive end LJ Collier. He got a couple flashy rushes in on Cam Newton, and he came up with the play of the game with that goal line run stuff against Newton, hitting him hard in the backfield. Collier looks like a guy who can be a really solid player up front for a long time in this league. I like his potential moving forward. Seattle needs help here, though. More on that later.

The Bad

Seattle’s depth on the defense got tested throughout this game. It was pretty spotty, at best, and it was down right bad with the pass rush, especially at the end after Bruce Irvin came out of the game. Seattle’s weakness looks to be at edge rusher right now, and that a terrible area for the team to have a weakness.

I was hoping that we would see rookie end Alton Robinson active in this game, especially with Rasheem Green ruled out, but Seattle chose to carry more defensive tackles in this game, likely thinking the Patriots were going to lean into their run game. The result is that Belichick gave Cam Newton the green light to pass more against this unit, and Seattle got little consistent pressure on him. Newton had way too much time to make his deep throws as the game dragged on. Robinson had been a supposed star during training camp. If Seattle isn’t going to use him now, in my humble opinion, they need to bring in a proven vet, asap. Hopefully John Schneider has Clay Matthews number on speed dial.

For as dynamic as star safety Jamal Adams was in this game, effecting the run and pass, and working as a pass rusher, he left too many plays on the field. He got burned by Julian Edelman too many times. Belichick seemed to have made a concerted effort to match his star receiver against Adams. It’s tough for me to criticize Adams because the team is asking him to do so much, but because they are so dependent on him right now, he literally has to be at his best all the time right now. If they can at least get a semi decent pass rush going, this will only help Adams. This is another reason why Seattle must fix its pass rush soon. Adams cannot continue to be doing everything like this. It’s fun to watch, but just not sustainable for 16 games. I was surprised that they didn’t make a move last week to address the pass rush. I will be genuinely annoyed this week if they don’t do something.

Greg Olsen had a really weird game. He let a very simple-to-catch ball bounce out of his hands for a pick six in the opening offensive series, and he had a silly false start, or two. Maybe it is just him getting used to a new system and a new passer, but considering that he has been one of the more solid tight ends in the league for well over a decade, it was just weird to see this out of him. Fortunately, Seattle’s offense didn’t need him much in this match.

The Ugly

The people who will choose to not follow the NFL this year because the league has decided to be supportive about social justice for all. These people are dug in with their positions, they are in the minority, and it’s a genuine shame because they will be on the wrong side of history. It’s as simple as that.

I didn’t create this blog to delve into politics. Some of these people have chosen to randomly comment about how they don’t care about football, and won’t support anyone who won’t stand during the anthem. That’s fine. They are free to have whatever opinions they choose to have with these social issues, and they are free to troll this silly blog with their comments, and I am free to delete those comments and block them. At the end of the day, ballers are going to ball, and haters are going to hate. I just wish we could go back to the good old days when it is 49er fans trolling and not bigots, but that is just me.

Moving Forward

The 2020 Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawks could easily have the best offense in the league this year. Yes, you are reading that right. It’s well within this program to achieve that.

It will be a shame if they are not playing in a championship game because they could not fix their pass rush to just be an average pass rush. It will be inexcusable, really.

So, fix it Pete Carroll and John Schneider. Go get some veteran help, if you are not going to use a promising rookie like Alton Robinson. Do it this week because Dak Prescott as got to be looking at Seattle’s pass rush right now and he is salivating.

Get this done.

Go Hawks!

Beauty in the the eye of the beholder. Some will look at the Seattle Seahawks in this game against Atlanta and see an unworldly talented quarterback in his prime finally being given the freedom to cook with his offense, and they will have big blue and green hearts bulging out where their eyeballs should be. Others will see a defense with a defensive line that got gashed in the first half by an old NFC West foe and they will be determined to believe that it will be the position group to hold them back from a championship. Some will see a newly acquired superstar safety that made impact play after impact play and they will be perfectly fine to look past the imperfections of the defensive line, while others will look at the sloppiness of the new formed offensive line and they will sweat bullets every time the unworldly star quarterback drops behind center.

For me, looking at this early version of the 2020 Seattle Seahawks so far, I can honestly say that I am in love with this team. I have been in love with the quarterback since the preseason of his rookie year, and I have been in love with the head coach since he took over the franchise ten years ago, but I am in love with this squad, beauty marks, warts and all. I love what I see at receiver, tight end, running back. I love the energy and speed that I see on the defense. Above all, I trust that things will get better on both the offensive and defensive lines as the season hums a long.

But for now, let’s break down this game.

The Good

Praise be, Pete Carroll let Russell Wilson cook. I’m not on Twitter, but sometimes I snoop. All throughout this off-season, Seahawks Twitter (and Seattle Sports Radio) has been an unending noisy movement about letting Russ cook on the offense. It has annoyingly inspired a Fire Pete Carroll crowd, and it’s only been slightly less annoying than hearing all the undless speculation over whether Seattle would/should bring back Jadeveon Clowney. While I agreed with the notion that Carroll should allow Russell more control over the offense, I thought the whole movement was more than a bit overblown. During this game, it was great to see Russ cooking. This is the evolution this offense needs to now take with Russell now, and I am primed to see more of it. I am even more primed to see the Let Russell Cook movement be put to rest. Fingers crossed there.

Speaking of Russell, he just looked marvelous throughout this game. He stayed poised under fire, and he took what the defense gave him. This is one of the very best football players on the planet, and he might now be the best quarterback on the planet. This is not hyperbole. Seattle is blessed. Savor this time with him playing in the great Northwest and tune out the Colin Cowherd led noise about whether or not he will play his whole career up here. Savor it now.

I loved watching how much speed the defense played with. It’s just one game but this might be one of the faster defenses Seattle has had under Carroll. Yes, there are still concerns about the defensive line, but Bobby Wagner, Jamal Adams, Marquise Blair, Benson Mayowa, Quandre Diggs and even Lano Hill all looked really fast on the field. I expect this group to get better with run fits up front, and I expect youngster high pick players like LJ Collier and Jordyn Brooks to factor in more as the season wears on. I might be still in a bit of a minority opinion, but I’m actually not nervous about this side of the ball. There was sloppiness and mistakes, but you can’t teach speed and instincts and I saw a lot of speed and instincts on the field today. I’m kinda excited about this group.

I thought Benson Mayowa looked the part as the new starting Leo end. He had two highly impactful rushes on fourth down that resulted in a swatted pass and real pretty looking sack of Matt Ryan. I’m the first to admit that he needs more help, but I really liked what I saw from him. He needs a mate, so go get him one.

I also loved the varied looks that defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr utilized with his revamped unit. Not only did he deploy newly acquired superstar safety Jamal Adams in various ways throughout the defense, I don’t think I’ve seen the lines blurred more between a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense more under Carroll as I did in this game. There was legitimate concern with some fans that Carroll would not alter his standard 4-3 defense to take advantage of all the abilities Adams offers, and I think those concerns can be put to rest. Based on this one game, I would say that this defense could be even more of a hybrid scheme than in years past, and I welcome it. The strength of this group is going to be its linebackers and defensive backs, and lining up in a traditional 4-3 probably isn’t going to take advantage of those strengths. Unless they make some big acquisition to the defensive line (they could), I would expect more of this.

The offensive line had some shaky moments (as expected ), but I thought new center Ethan Pocic looked decent going against one of the best defensive tackles in the game. This is a good sign.

Circling back to letting Russ cook, I love the way Seattle varied the tempo of the offense. This is really how I want to see Russ cook. I don’t need him throwing 40 to 50 times a game, but I want to see him being given the green light to go up tempo whenever he feels like it will be to the offense’s advantage. I just think that he plays at a whole other level this way more times than not, and this is the balance that needs to happen between what suits him and how Carroll likes to soak up clock. They need to ride that balance. If they do that, I really like what this team can be this year.

For as explosive as Russell was in this offense, they played without Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett, and Rashaad Penny. Colin Cowherd can suck it with the idea that John Schneider hasn’t provided Russ enough weapons. This team could have one of the more loaded offenses in the league as the season drags on. That’s exciting.

The 49ers lost. That’s always fun.

The Bad

The Defensive line simply doesn’t feel like it’s all there yet. They got gashed inside early by Todd Gurley, and I can only image how Seahawk Twitter was reacting. That said, second year defensive end LJ Collier got some good early pressure that forced an intentional grounding call, and I thought at times, Jarran Reed got some pressure, as well. As the game wore on, both Poona Ford and Reed started coming up with nice run stops inside. They need help here, and I suspect it will be coming soon, more on that later.

For as much speed and energy that the defense played with, there was a lot of slop on the field. There was a busted coverage in the middle of the fourth quarter when Jamal Adams collided with Shaquill Griffin that gave Matt Ryan an easy touchdown toss to help Atlanta climb back into the game. There was a number of missed tackles, other leaky coverages, and I think there was some missed run fits early in the game. I’m not overly concerned here and I think with no preseason games, these sort of mistakes can be expected. That said, Seattle has to work out these kinks for this style of defense to work. I expect them to get it sorted out but it might take a few games.

As expected, the new look offensive line had some rough spots, especially on the right side of the ball. Damien Lewis might become a really solid pro bowl level starter for Seattle, but he is a rookie, and in this game, he looked like a rookie. It was baptism by fire having to block Grady Jarrett (one of the very best pass rushing defensive tackles in the game), but on top of giving up early pressures, he also had a few false starts later in the game. Right tackle Brandon Shell also looked a bit iffy. These two need to settle in more and build chemistry. I think that is going to take a few games.

Star receiver DK Metcalf dropped a couple catch-able balls, and one of those was a super easy touch pass that bounced out of his hands. He made up for those by grabbing a couple critical go balls (one that resulted in a pretty fourth and three touchdown in the red zone), but he can not have a season filled with these kind of drops. I expect him to clean that up.

The Ugly

This is my subcategory where I almost routinely bitch about the officiating, so here I go. There were a number of no calls in this game that effected both clubs. There was a face-mask on a Russell Wilson sack that wasn’t called, there was a false start on the Falcons that wasn’t called, and Seattle’s defense caught a few breaks coming in early on Falcon receivers and no pass interference was called. If I was a Falcons fan, I would have been screaming at my set about that. NFL refs are often like centrists, they tend to get hate from all sides, but it is what it is. Do better, refs!

Moving Forward

There is a lot to like about this initial showing from the 2020 Seahawks. It is fantastic to see Pete Carroll lean into Russell Wilson. He has to do that more now than ever. We need to see more of that. It doesn’t have to mean passing forty plus times a game, but it can mean letting Russ dictate more how to take advantages of the defenses that he is seeing. Just let him cook however way he chooses. Russ just wants to win, he needs that other Super Bowl title to strengthen his legacy, so trust him to make the best decisions.

As pretty as it was seeing Russ pass against the Falcons like that, don’t expect that to be a thing game in and game out. I think the Falcon defenders were selling out a bit to stop the run and that left opportunities against their coverage. Other defensive coordinators will see what Russ just did to them and they might be less likely to do the same. This is why Seattle must still stay committed to the run game and take advantage of Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde. There are going to be games where Seattle will likely need to grind things out. Expect those games to happen.

I don’t want to overstate how much Seattle needs to shore up their defensive line because I think there are other Seahawk writer sorts who are going to continue making a big stink out of it. I will just say that, if anything, I think Seattle needs to bring in better depth at defensive tackle, and I expect it to happen probably this week. After the first week of the season, teams can sign veterans on the market and they do not have to offer any guarantees to their deals. I think we are going to see a lot of movement this week throughout the league, and I suspect this is when we see Seattle make this sort of move. I also wouldn’t be shocked if they bring an another veteran edge rush, a la Clay Matthews to help add to the edge, as well.

If Seattle were to somehow manage bringing in Damon Harrison or Marcell Dareus at defensive tackle along with Matthews, that will likely dramatically change the complexion of the defensive front. If they do that, then I think it is safe to raise expectations for this side of the ball. It could be a really exciting unit with all that speed and talent on the back end. I think the club knows this, and we could easily see something happen within the next 48 hours. Fingers crossed there.

Go Hawks.

Yes, you have read this title correctly. Laugh all you want, 49er Fan. Chuckle away, skeptical Seahawk fan who is throat deep in despair over the fact Seattle made no serious attempt to bring back Jadeveon Clowney, or strongly chased after veteran pass rusher Everson Griffen (both on the open market for months). Read it and weep, Fire Pete and Let Russell Cook crowds. Put it in your pipe and smoke it, pissed off “Just Stick to Sports” person who now hates the league because of its new found support on social justice causes.

No truer words about this upcoming attempt at an NFL season can stated than the title of this piece. Doubt them and laugh at them all you want, and be the victim of your own football hubris. I don’t care, and neither do the Seattle Seahawks.

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson Thrive Under Constant Chaos

Anyone who has been following the Seattle Seahawks for the last decade knows how true this statement is. Some love the way the Seahawks play under this “organized chaos” while others have reached the point of emotional exhaustion that they crave nothing more than an Andy Reid type of coach to come into Seattle to let Russell fully cook in an offense. For me, there is no right or wrong way to feel about this dynamic. Being a Seahawk fan can be extremely stressful and also extremely exhilarating. Some people love the crazy carnival rides and some don’t. It is what it is.

I will say, however, that particularly during a highly unusual season, this team is probably built to succeed where others likely stumble. Let’s be honest about this whole thing; when the real bullets start to fly as the league kicks off, it’s going to be massively chaotic. Offenses that rely on timing and precision are probably going to be thrown off by the natural way that defenders will have early advantages in being able to play faster and fresher. There has been no preseason games to sort out continuity with offensive lines and timing with receivers. Every offense will enter into the first week of football with blind spots.

Russell Wilson is an incredible talent at quarterback, and one of the things that makes him so special is his ability to stay calm and sort through the chaos of pressures and coverages as games wear on. His uncanny ability to play “street ball” when plays break down is now very much a living legend in this league and it has been for years. Simply put, there is no quarterback in this league that I want on my team when things break down, and I think all teams are going to be faced with this sort of chaos for at least the first six weeks of the season. Seattle has a massive advantage at quarterback.

Seattle also has a massive advantage at the head coaching position. There is no coach in football who is better equipped to lead his franchise through the fires of chaos than Pete Carroll. The old hippy general thrives in it, he has built up the culture of the team to reflect that, and it all started with the very first practice of the team when he got here in 2010 and it has stayed the same. He wants his team to be able to handle any pressures, and he cultivates players that are capable of this.

Colin Cowherd can talk all that he wants to on his syndicated show about how Seattle is a declining franchise that relies too much on its star quarterback to save them in games. The truth is that he’s sorta besties with Russell, and I think it is likely that Russell has his ear when voicing frustrations about not being allowed to “cook” enough under the coaching of Carroll, and Cowherd is therefor compelled to get a narrative out there that doesn’t favor the coach, but I am perfectly willing to call hogwash to all that.

After eight seasons, I suspect Carroll knows exactly how to best use Russ. He knows what all of his strengths are and he also knows the areas where Russell isn’t as strong. He knows that for his quarterback to be at his very best, he needs to be supported by a balanced attack of a committed run game so that defenses don’t key off of his well documented height issues. The wiser fan probably has more trust in that Carroll knows perfectly well how to use Russell Wilson. Be the wiser fan.

Carroll also understands how to play defense really well, and I think this team is going to be much better defensively this year than many are expecting.

This Seattle defense is going to be better than many are expecting

There, I said it. I’m happy to say it. If you think that I am blindly in denial, I am cool with that, too. I probably think that you are blindly putting way too much emphasis on the fact that Jadeveon Clowney is now a Tennessee Titan.

Look, Pete Carroll understands how to play sound defense much better than you, or I do. This is a statement of fact. I also think that it is a statement of fact that he was as upset with how his defense performed in 2019 as certainly most Seahawk fans were. In fact, I think it is probably quite possible that he was more upset, even if he were to never admit it.

Carroll is never going to throw his defenders under the bus. So when he talked about how his defense stayed in base and the statistics showed how positive it was even though we could all see how terrible it was, let’s look at the bigger picture. Carroll hadn’t suddenly lost touch as a head coach. Carroll was playing the hand that he was dealt, and he retreated to a streamed down defense that would be least likely to give up big plays, and he was saying things to protect his players. This is what a good leader does.

This off-season was all about fixing the problems. Seattle had major issues in the secondary in 2019 that prevented them from playing the coverages that they wanted to play that would help the pass rush. Quarterbacks could dink and dunk all game long against that defense, and it was nearly impossible to generate a good rush, even with Clowney.

What has Seattle done this off-season? They traded for a talented young corner in Quinton Dunbar, and they traded for the best young safety in the game in Jamal Adams. They have also used their preseason to find a specific role in their nickel defense for the talented young defensive back, Marquise Blair. I would not underestimate how impactful these moves are likely to be.

Even more likely to be wrongly underestimated are the returns of Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa as the Leo rush ends. Yes, you read that right. These two “journeyman” players are going to make this defense better, even without Jadeveon Clowney. Chuckle away.

Look, Chuckles.. Clowney is a good player. I get that. He’s a freak athlete who can create instant disruption. He’s also a player that has an extensive injury history, has had years in the league to develop as a pass rusher and hasn’t, and apparently he doesn’t like to attend training camp. Pardon me if I am not overly upset that Seattle chose to not overpay for him. I’m sure that they would have liked him back, but not at any cost. Why? Because he is not a Leo rush end, and they probably don’t want to sink a ton of money into the five technique spot when they already have Rasheem Green and LJ Collier in the wings.

What they needed up front in 2019 were defensive ends that could play Leo. They had none. You are free to laugh at the idea of Mayowa being the featured player there because he’s been a career journeyman, but so was Chris Clemons when Seattle acquired him in 2010 and decided to feature him. Things turned out pretty well when they did that.

Now, I am not here to say that Mayowa will be as good as Clemons, but I am also not here to say that he won’t be. I am here to say that Carroll has a type of player that he covets for certain spots on his defense, and it seems to me that he is happy to have settled upon Mayowa at a very critical spot, with Bruce Irvin and likely rookie Alton Robinson rotating in (who has been the glowing talk of training camp by beat writers). Again, allow me to remind you that Carroll understands NFL defenses better than any of us.

Yes, they can stand to get more at defensive tackle behind Jarran Reed and Poona Ford. I’m not too worried there, I suspect they will add another player soon. I am also encouraged that they seem willing to go with Reed and Ford as the starting tandem. They are both talented young players worth continuing to develop. Give me upside anytime, especially in the interior of the defensive line.

The thing that I will circle back to is that Carroll has gone back to his defensive coaching DNA and that is building his defense from the back seven forward. They only other coach in the NFL that does it that way is Patriots coach Brian Belichick. That’s good company.

New England invests heavily in defensive back and linebackers, and they go with bargains on their defensive line. They want to be great at coverage and tackling. That is what Seattle was during 2012 through 2015. That is what Carroll is wanting to get back towards. I applaud that.

I’ve also seen it written by others that follow the team that Carroll runs a simple defense that requires the ability to rush with only four, and Carroll doesn’t get exotic with blitzes and doesn’t adjust his schemes. I think this is true, but to a degree.

Yes, Carroll has stayed committed to the single high cover three defense over the years in Seattle. And yes, it was streamed down and became less effective, especially last year without Earl Thomas. But I also think that he chose that defense specifically to fit Thomas when they drafted him in 2010, and before then, when he was the coach at USC, he ran more of a two deep defense. He adjusted his scheme to fit the strengths of a special athlete that they drafted.

Seattle traded two first round picks for a special athlete in Jamal Adams who does a lot of different things really well. He can cover, he plays the run really well, and he can pass rush. I have a sneaking suspicion that we are about to see a new evolution to Pete Carroll’s defense in Seattle. With Adams, free safety Quandre Diggs, and Marquise Blair, I suspect that it will be more safety centric than ever, and I think there are going to be twists that we haven’t seen.

With the drafting of Jordyn Brooks at linebacker, I think we are also going to see a lot more speed on defense as a whole. I’m excited to see how it unfolds. I’m not sure how it’s going to look, but I am confident that the 2020 Seahawk defense is going to be much better than last year’s. Chuckle away, Chuckles.

Finally, expect Russell Wilson to cook

Russell Wilson is going to cook in 2020. Bank on it. I think Pete is going to allow for Russ to do more up tempo, and I think they are going to mix in more quick passes to keep defenses even more honest.

This doesn’t mean that Russ starts throwing forty to fifty times a game. They will still strive for balance, but it does mean they will likely lean into Russ more on early downs.

Don’t expect this to look great out of the gates, or maybe even for this to happen immediately out of them, either. This will likely be an “as the season progresses thing” that will establish more as the offensive line gathers its chemistry and players settle in. Yes, we will likely still hear Cowherd lament how Seattle isn’t using Russell the right way, and the Let Russell Cook crowd will be screaming on the internet, but I recommend a more patient and reasoned approach.

Russell Wilson will cook in 2020. Bank on it. They didn’t bring in Greg Olsen, Phillip Dorsett, and they didn’t bring back Josh Gordon for Russell not to cook.

Writing off the Seattle Seahawks is a stupid thing to do

When will league pundits and fans ever learn this? Seemingly for the last five seasons people expect the Seattle Seahawks to fall off, and they always stay in playoff contention.. like, always.

Why would this season be any different?

Yes, you can talk yourself into thinking that the Arizona Cardinals are going to be the next big sleeper team to rise, or the Rams will rebound back to the top of the division, or the 49ers will easily hang onto it. Yes, you can look at the current projection of the Seattle defensive line and scream in terror about it. Yes, you could even do the same about maybe even the offensive line with three new starters.

But writing the Seattle Seahawks off with Pete Carroll has their head coach and Russell Wilson at quarterback is really stupid. If you want to be stupid, go for it.

Be that person calling for Pete Carroll to be fired, for Jeff Bezos to buy the team from Jody Allen because she is not the billionaire success that her more famous brother was. Jody Allen has given no indication that she can’t be a solid owner in the league, and all Pete Carroll has done as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks since he got here in 2010 is to coach players up into a scrappy team that just finds ways to win through the positive yet fearless culture that he establishes each and every year.

2020 should be no different and I am actually picking this team as my favorite to win the Super Bowl. Could I be wrong? Of course, I could be, but I’m certainly not going to make the idiotic projection of placing the third or fourth in the NFC West.

I got a good feeling about this team just like I have done every year that Carroll has been coach and Russell as been the quarterback, but this year, during a massive pandemic and everything else that has made the United States a daily dose of chaos, I like this team even more.

I smell a Super Bowl.

Go Hawks.

 

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

This has been the question that has haunted philosophers for centuries. At times, I am sure that, within the social circles of diehard chicken fans, it has inspired much a heated debate. This is the nature the phenomena of known as fandom.

Similarly, I think there might have been some growing debate within Seahawk fans as to what has made Pete Carroll’s defense work, and what needs most doing to fix. It has been narrowed down to what is more important; investing in a defensive line to create a top level pass rush, or investing in building back a top level secondary where coverage helps create sacks.

When Seattle sent two first round picks, a third round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald to the New York Football Jets on Saturday for Jamal Adams and a fourth round pick,  I think it is safe to say we now have an answer to that question. Pete Carroll much prefers to have a dominant secondary, and he obviously believes that Adams gives him the best chance of having that back in Seattle. He was willing to pay a big time ransom for his services.

There has been some reaction from Seahawk fans and bloggers saying that Seattle gave up too much for his services. I’m not so sure. With Russell Wilson at quarterback, Seattle is consistently a playoff level team, and no matter what Colin Cowherd says, I think Seattle has enough pieces on the offense where, if Russell remains healthy, that’s not likely to change anytime soon. Therefor, Seattle is more than likely to be continually picking late in the draft over the next few years.

If you really want to breakdown the value given up for Adams, you might choose to look at it this way. What if the Jets called Seattle and said that they would be willing to give up their young All-Pro safety for Bradley McDougald, Rashaad Penny, LJ Collier, and they would exchange their fourth round pick (likely to be an early one) for Seattle’s third round pick (likely to be a late one)?

Looking at it this way, I think most fans would be willing to jump on that deal, providing some assurance that Russell Wilson stays healthy. Literally, this is the only risk that it boils down to, and if you want to achieve greatness, well, sometimes you have to be willing to risk something.

Seattle has taken a calculated risk that Russell Wilson will stay healthy enough for the next two seasons that they will stay in playoff/championship contention. Given that he has never missed a game in eight years as their starter, it’s a reasonable risk to take.

What did the Seahawks acquire in Adams?

They received an immensely talented safety that is a bit of a cross between Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. He is a thumper and enforcer like Chancellor was, but his athleticism and play-making abilities are a bit closer to Thomas.

His skill-set also makes him one of the more uniquely versatile defenders in the league. In the Jets’ scheme had significant snaps at linebacker, edge rusher, free safety and strong safety, and some corner. He was literally all over the field. Thus, he gives Pete Carroll a ton of flexibility to use different coverages and looks.

The significance of this is that, over time, Seattle can go back to more of the coverages that they used in the Chancellor/Thomas era, and they could, in theory, add to those looks. This will certainly help the pass rush.

On top of all of this, this all-pro talent is only 24 years old, and presumably still has a lot of room to grow. This is pretty exciting stuff, and I think it’s okay to get pumped up.

So, go for it. Get excited. I’m not sure how much football we are going to have in 2019, but the future just got a lot brighter beyond that.

Seattle is probably not done shopping.

For one, I think that receiver Josh Gordon is coming back to play for the Seahawks in 2020. I think that the commish will clear him to play, and as soon as that happens, he will sign a deal with Seattle. His addition will have the offense pretty setup with weapons for Russell.

Additionally, I think Seattle will add a quality veteran defensive tackle to mix with Jarran Reed and Poona Ford. It could be Damon Harrison, Mike Daniels, Marcell Dareus, maybe even the return of Brandon Mebane. There are a number of decent DTs left on the market. This is the other deal that I fully expect to get done soon.

I also think there is a somewhat still an outside chance that they could add another edge rusher. In fact, even with this addition of Adams, I don’t think the door is fully shut on Jadeveon Clowney returning for another season. It still feels remote, but I wouldn’t call it out of the question. We will see soon enough.

For now, I am celebrating that Seattle made a splash move for a unique defender, and they appear all in for going for a title now. I dig that. Bring on the Niners.

Go Hawks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s late Spring. NFL mini camps should be happening, but they are not. To offer a slight reprieve for what has been trying times, I thought I would offer my own All Time Seattle Seahawks Roster with a practice squad and coaching staff. I hope you enjoy it as you stay safe out there.

Go Hawks, and Black Lives Matter.

Quarterback; Russell Wilson (2012 to present), Dave Krieg (1981-’91), Matt Hasselbeck (2001-’10)

With a Super Bowl ring, numerous pro bowls, record passing numbers, continual winning seasons, and all around spectacular play, Russell Wilson is the undisputed starter. I have Dave “Mudbone” Krieg beating out Matt Hasselbeck for the backup spot. No disrespect to Hass, but I just feel like Mudbone had a bit more of his own dynamic flair. Go Hawks.

Running Back; Marshawn Lynch (2010-’15), Shaun Alexander (2000-’07), Curt Warner (1983-’89), Chris Warren (1990-’97)

Beastmode is the starter. His toughness was tone setting and inspiring for his teammates. Alexander was a dynamic runner that was a home run hitter every time he got into open space. Curt Warner mixes in with his unique juke skills, and Chris Warren is the play-making third down back. Go Hawks.

Fullback; John L. Williams (1986-’93)

John L. is the best Seattle Seahawk not named Russell Wilson, Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, Kenny Easley, Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson, Richard Sherman, Jacob Green, Kam Chancellor, Bobby Wagner, Marshawn Lynch, Doug Baldwin, or Earl Thomas. Not bad for a fullback. He was a tremendously talented receiver and a powerful inside runner.

Wide Receiver; Steve Largent (1976-’86), Doug Baldwin (2011-’18), Brian Blades (1988-’89), Tyler Lockett (2015 to present), Darrell Jackson (2000-’06), Bobby Engram (2001-’08).

What this group tells me is that Seattle has done a sneaky good job over the years collecting really talented yet diminutive route runners. The biggest guy out of this group is Jackson at 5-11 and 206 pounds. However, each guy in this group was/is a superb route runner with great hands, toughness, and had/has a uncanny ability to make the spectacular play.

Tight End; Jimmy Graham (2015-’17), Zach Miller (2011-’14), Jerramy Stevens (2002-’06)

What this group tells me is almost the exact opposite of the receiver group. There were receivers that I could have included in that grouping. With tight end, it was a struggle to come up with three quality players for my final 53, and nothing screams that more loudly than having Jerramy Stevens make the All Time club.

Offensive Tackle; Walter Jones (1997-2009), Duane Brown (2017 to present), Russell Okung (2010-’15)

There is probably not a more talented overall football player that has ever worn a Seahawk uniform than Walter Jones. Big Walt was an incredible athlete and if your kid is sulking about the coaches trying to make him an offensive lineman instead of a quarterback, have him watch Walter Jones highlights. It is almost like watching a Marvel movie superhero. Duane Brown is as solid as they come, and Russell Okung was a quality pro bowl player for the Seahawks in his time.

Offensive Guard; Steve Hutchinson (2001-’05), Chris Gray (1998-2007), Brian Millard (1984-’91), Edwin Bailey (1981-’91)

What Pete Carroll did to form the Legion of Boom secondary in Seattle, Mike Holmgren did for his offensive line when he coached the Seahawks. On that line, Steve Hutchinson is a hall of famer, but Chris Gray was also a high level starter. In the 1980’s, Brian Millard helped pave ways for Curt Warner and John L Williams in the 1980’s, and his teammate, Edwin Bailey, had a long career at left guard, starting a remarkable 120 games.

Center;  Kevin Mawae (1994-’97) Max Unger (2009-’14),

Kevin Mawae is a hall of famer that Seattle stupidly let leave in free agency in the nineties. Max Unger is arguably the best offensive lineman in the Pete Carroll era not named Duane Brown, and it was a shocker when he was shipped to New Orleans as part of the deal for tight end Jimmy Graham. All he did for the Saints was a continuation of his steady pro-bowl level play until he retired from football.

Defensive End; Jacob Green (1980-’91), Jeff Bryant (1982-’93), Michael Sinclair (1991-2001), Cliff Avril (2013-’17), Michael Bennett (2013-’17)

Seattle has done well over the decades at defensive end. Jacob Green is the best edge rusher that I’ve ever seen in a Seahawk uniform, and I think had he played in a bigger market, he would have be a hall of famer by now. Jeff Bryant was his terrific counterpart. Mixed in between them and the modern day era dynamic duo of Avril and Bennett is Michael Sinclair who was a dominant edge rusher in the 1990’s.

Defense Tackle; Cortez Kennedy (1990-2000), Joe Nash (1982-’96), Sam Adams (1994-’99), John Randle (2001-’03)

Cortez Kennedy (resting peacefully) was the most dominant defender to ever play in a Seahawk uniform. His explosive first step, power, and interior pass rush was incredible to watch. In his day, he could routinely destroy multiple blockers, and blow up running plays almost before the quarterback could make the hand off.  Joe Nash (1984 All-Pro) was a classic overachiever who far outplayed his un-drafted draft stock, enjoying a 14 year NFL career. Sam Adams formed a great tandem with Kennedy in the nineties, and and while hall of famer John Randle’s Seattle tenure was short (and at the end of his career), he was a pro-bowl player for the Hawks.

Outside Linebacker; Chad Brown (1997-2004), KJ Wright (2011-present), Leroy Hill (2005-’12), Rufus Porter (1988-’94)

Chad Brown was a fantastic “do everything” outside linebacker for the Seahawks. KJ Wright has always done everything right, Leroy Hill was a fierce blitzer, and Rufus Porter was a dynamic pass rush specialist who became a quality every down linebacker.

Middle Linebacker; Bobby Wagner (2012-present), Lofa Tatupu (2005-’10), Fredd Young (1984-’87)

Bobby Wagner is a future hall of famer who might be on the way to having his jersey retired, Lofa was an instinctive field general who excelled in coverage and against the run, and Fredd Young was a dynamic play-maker. There are other linebackers that I could have listed but these three were the most dynamic.

Cornerback; Richard Sherman (2011-’17), Dave Brown (1976-’86), Marcus Trufant (2003-’12), Brandon Browner (2011-’13), Shawn Springs (1997-2003)

Richard Sherman is a definite future hall of famer, but Dave Brown was Sherman before Sherman was born. Marcus Trufant was a solid pro bowl level player from the Holmgren to Carroll era. Browner is a legendary member of the LOB, and Shawn Springs was a gifted player during the late 1990’s to early 2000’s. This is a strong group.

Free Safety; Earl Thomas (2010-’18), Eugene Robinson (1985-’95)

Earl Thomas is one of the best athletes to play for the Seahawks. His rare ability to play center field, and cover sideline to sideline revolutionized Seattle’s defense under Carroll. Robinson was a steady player for some bad Seahawk teams in nineties, but at least enjoyed a bit playoff success earlier in the eighties. He was a three time pro-bowler that enjoyed a long NFL career.

Strong Safety; Kenny Easley (1981-’87), Kam Chancellor (2010-’17)

I was reluctant to call Earl Thomas the best athlete to ever play for the Seattle Seahawks because I think that honor belongs to Kenny Easley. In the early to mid 1980’s, Kenny Easley was a human highlight reel. He was a ferocious play-maker, taking away the football, scoring on returns, and laying terrifying hits on receivers. He was the original enforcer and tone setter on an exciting defense under then head coach Chuck Knox, and he is a much deserved hall of famer. Kam Chancellor was the Boom in the Legion Of Boom, and the fearless leader of that historic defense. He has been my favorite Seahawk player of the modern era not named Russell Wilson.

Kicker; Norm Johnson (1982-’90)

Stormin’ Norman Johnson was a Seattle Seahawk legend in the eighties, and he possessed a monster leg with great accuracy. He’s the best kicker to ever wear a Seahawk uniform to far and away.

Punter; Rick Tuten (1991-’97)

Rick Bootin’ Tuten was a sensational punter for the Seahawks in the lean years of the nineties. Sadly, he unexpectedly passed away in 2017.

Long Snapper; Trey Junkin (1990-’95)

Junkin was a solid long snapper for the Seahawks in the nineties. For a team that didn’t do a whole lot of winning at that time, they always seemed to have solid special teamers.

Ten Player Practice Squad; QB Jim Zorn (1976-’84), RB Chris Carson (2017-present), DE Chris Clemons (2010-’13), DE Frank Clark (2015-’18), DT Brandon Mebane (2007-’15), DT Jarran Reed (2016-present) LB Dave Wyman (1987-’92), LB Brian Bosworth (1987-’89), Safety John Harris (1978-’85), Center Robbie Tobeck (2000-’06)

Jim Zorn was kind of the original Russell Wilson, a crafty scrambler who was had instinctive play-making abilities. When healthy, Chris Carson has been every bit of a dynamic runner as other great Seattle backs. Chris Clemons and Frank Clark get over shadowed by the Avril/ Bennett duo of the Pete Carroll era but were both spectacular in there time here. Brandon Mebane and Jarran Reed have been the best DT’s of the modern Seahawk era. David Wyman and Brian Bosworth were drafted together and, for a short time, played wonderfully together before injuries quickly caught up to the Boz. John Harris was a solid safety in the eighties, and Robbie Tobeck was a rock solid center for the Holmgren coached Seahawks.

Head Coach; Pete Carroll (2010-present)

There is no head coach in professional football who can squeeze more juice out of a lemon than Pete Carroll. He is a master motivator and culture builder, and I think he is a way better game adjuster than many give him credit for. Best of all, players want to play for him, and play well for him.

Offensive Coordinator; Mike Holmgren (1999-2008)

Would Holmgren be willing to call plays under Pete? I highly doubt it, and I don’t even think it is even a philosophical fit, but he was his own play caller during his time as the head coach, and at the height of that time, he did it masterfully.

Defense Coordinator; Tom Catlin (1983-’92)

Tom Catlin was a masterful defensive mind. He coached both 3-4 and a 4-3 defenses in Seattle under head coaches Chuck Knox and Tom Flores, and he coached these defenses at league leading levels. His defenses consistently did two things; they sacked quarterbacks and they took the ball away. Go Hawks.

Special Teams Coach; Rusty Tillman (1979-’91)

Part of what made the eighties Seahawks such a fun team to watch was their dynamic special teams play. They blocked a lot kicks, scored on a lot of returns, and generally played with a lot of fun mayhem. They were a joy to watch.

Final thoughts

This exercise has revealed a few things to me that I want to share.

One thing it revealed is that, despite the continual criticism over the offensive line during the Pete Carroll era, this era produced three linemen that made it onto this All Time roster. This suggests to me that perhaps some of the high sack numbers are on Russell Wilson holding onto the ball longer than he should, instead of checking down (sorry to beat that dead horse once again).

Another thing this roster suggests is that Seattle has been historically good at finding pass rushers on the defensive line, and quality running backs. This is a nice formula for football played in the cold wet Puget Sound weather in the Fall. Every Seattle Seahawk contending team has featured a dynamic runner, a quality quarterback, and most have had a reliable pass rush. If you can run the ball, you can control the clock, and if you have a quality quarterback, you score, and if you have a pass rush, you generally stop the other team. That sounds a lot like Pete Ball to me.

Thirdly, this roster also indicates that Seattle has been a lot better over the years finding quality receiver talent than many would think.

The final thing that this roster shows me is that all the “Seattle used to be a miserable team for years” talk that some jealous filled fans of other teams toss around is a bit overblown. Seattle had a bad to mediocre stretch of football for most of the 1990’s. There was very little consistently good quarterback play during the bulk of that decade, and that effected the team’s ability to contend for playoffs.

This All-Time roster suggests that the Seahawks had talent on some of those nineties teams. They were a pretty decent ball club through most of the 1980’s, and things definitely changed dramatically for the better from the early 2000’s to present. In fact, thus far, through this early portion of the 21 Century, Seattle has largely dominated the NFC West. That’s not bad. So take that, Seahawk haters.

That’s my story and I am sticking to it, anyways.

Stay safe everyone. Peace and love, and go Hawks.

 

 

On Friday, May 22nd, 2020, the Seattle Seahawks agreed to terms on a one year deal with Carlos Hyde. YAY!

I’m not kidding. Seattle needed to make this move. I’m going to be Captain Obvious here for a minute.

Seattle is a running team. Even with a unique talent at quarterback in Russell Wilson, the very foundation of this team is built on the ability to run the ball. Some of the “Let Russell Cook” crowd will hate that sentence, but I would argue strongly that in order to let Russ cook, Seattle needs to be a running team.

Russell is a spectacular quarterback, and I am as big of a Russell fan as anyone, but his skill-set and stature screams to be supported by a run game. He is not a drop back pocket passer, and never will be. With a diminished height, he cannot consistently target the short middle of the field, and therefor, if defenses do not have to honor the run, he is much more easy to defend. See what happened during the 2017 season when Seattle suddenly had no dependable run game and that forced his throwing mechanics off, see what happened against the Cardinals at home last year when Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and CJ Prosise all were lost to injuries, and see what happened in Green Bay during the playoffs.

Russell needs a run game to be at his best, and with Penny likely not able to be ready to play during this first half of this season, and Carson never able to show that he can stay healthy, Seattle needed to add significant talent to this position group. Part of me suspected that they would have used a high pick in the draft last April on one (although I was happy they chose the defense and the pass rush instead). When that didn’t happen, I felt for sure Seattle would add a proven vet afterwards.

Enter Carlos Hyde.

Reportedly, Seattle had originally offered former Atlanta Falcon runner Devonta Freeman a contract worth up to $4 million in incentives, but he balked. So they gave the same offer to Hyde. Personally, I’m glad it worked out this way because I much prefer Hyde over Freeman.

I get why they were maybe more intrigued with Freeman, though. He’s a different back than Carson, he offers more of a pass catching threat, and he’s more of a homer run perimeter runner like Penny is. However, he is also likely no longer a bell cow back, and should they lose Carson for a number of games, he may not be able to carry that kind of load. I shudder at that thought.

Hyde is a bell cow. That is exactly what he is, and he proved once again that last year in Houston rushing for over a thousand yards. He is a physical inside runner, with great vision, and patience. He is also a capable pass catcher. In my opinion, this is a sneaky good addition to the roster.

Seattle now has a quality veteran runner to mix in with Carson, and not miss a beat in terms of physicality and production should they lose Carson for a game or two. If I am a linebacker or safety looking at a mix of Carson and Hyde, I’m gonna eat an extra bowl of Wheaties that Sunday morning.

I love this move.

Here is some other musings.

Don’t hold your breath for Clowney to return to Seattle

I have long given up on hope that Jadeveon Clowney will play for Seattle in 2020. I have no idea where he will end up, but I don’t expect it to be in the 206 on Sundays.

I have mixed feelings about this. It’s hard to say that Seattle’s defense will be better without Clowney in 2020, but I also have grown to have some pretty strong reservations about the idea of Seattle signing him to a big long term contract. He has yet to prove he can stay healthy through a season, and no matter how you spin it with his pressure rates, he’s not an elite pass rusher. Even at this stage of his career where you would think his skills would now be more developed, they haven’t, and that is a big red flag for me.

Giving a massive payout to a player that checks these negative boxes is probably not a wise long term investment, no matter how much physical talent he has. Therefore, you can add me into the group of those who believe that John Schneider is doing a good job by not offering anything more than a short term prove it deal.

Yes, I would be happy if Clowney is back in 2020. He’s still a major disruptive talent when healthy, but let’s be real; Michael Bennett was also disruptive in his days in Seattle, and he was also cheaper, and he was a better pass rusher.

Jadeveon Clowney is not the end all be all. I think this is how Seattle sees it, and I think that is why they are dug in with their current offer.

Now that Seattle signed Hyde, I would expect Seattle’s next move it to add a quality veteran run stuffing defensive tackle, and maybe, if the price is right, they will add either one more end, or another tackle, and they will call it good with the defensive line.

If Clowney comes back to Seattle, it will be because he moved off of his position, and even if he does that, I don’t really expect it to be with Seattle. How would that look in the locker room?

Usually when there is a financial stalemate between a free agent player and the team he was just on, that player chooses to move into another market, presumably partly out of spite. If I were a betting man, I’d be more willing to wager that Jarran Reed will get his old number 90 jersey back this Fall than Clowney returning to wear it again. I hope I am wrong, but I don’t think I am.

A slow off-season marked by the Covid 19 pandemic has led to weird Russell Wilson reporting, and I wish it would just stop.

Why do weird off-season stories about Russell Wilson and the Seahawks always have to annually emerge in the national media every off-season?

If you are anything like me, you annually hate this. From stories about certain Seahawks not liking Russell because he wasn’t Black enough, to certain players on the defense not liking him because he was Pete Carroll’s pet, to maybe John Schneider talking to Cleveland about possibly trading him when he was entering his contract season in 2018, to maybe Russell wanting to play in New York City.. every stinking year it seems like the national media has to run with some story-line.

Look, it’s annoying enough as it is as a sports fan dealing with this Covid 19 pandemic that has brought the sports world to a halt.  As a deep fan of both Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks, I find these continuing Russell stories extremely agitating, and now more than ever. I don’t need to read speculative stories in the headlines about whether or not Seattle may or may not trade him one day just as much as I don’t need to read or see arguments about the economy vs human health during a major pandemic.

Who cares if John Schneider briefly chatted to Cleveland about maybe trading Russ for the first overall pick in 2018 (if there was any serious talk, it would have been for much more than that pick, mind you). The deal did not happen, and the team signed him to a record deal. All should be good, and if I am to wager anything, I’d wager that Schneider briefly entertained the Cleveland talk because he knew that Russell’s agent, Mark Rodgers, is essentially Satan when it comes to dealing with new contracts, and he was looking for whatever leverage he could find before entering what was surely going to be an extremely difficult negotiation process.

This really shouldn’t have made it into the news cycle at all in 2020, but NBC Pro Football Talk analyst Chris Simms apparently felt like people were not paying enough attention to his show that he had to dig up these old rumors about Russell, and then his partner Mike Florio had to double down by speculating that the Seahawks “might” trade Russell in a few years, just before he reaches the end of his third contract.

Please stop. Just stop it. If we want to revisit the ideas of trading Russell Wilson in 2023, I’m cool with it then, but for the next few years, let’s just focus on Russell Wilson present day starting QB of Seattle Seahawks, and drop all this horse crap talk.

Go Hawks.

I think Josh Gordon is going to be a Seattle Seahawk in 2020 and I welcome it

When the news brought late last Fall that Josh Gordon tested positive for weed and was suspended again, I immediately wrote a piece that described him blowing his last chance at being a professional football player. What a difference a number of months make. I’m now doing a total reversal.

I think the league is going to reinstate him in 2020, and with the league now catching up to the entire west coast’s progressive position on weed, I say bring the pot smoker back to the Pacific Northwest. We got great bud up here, and we have an even better quarterback who wants more “stars” on his team.

Josh is certainly a star talent in this league, and if you have any doubts about that, go watch that grab he had against Carolina last year. I have been watching Seahawk football all my life from the late seventies to now, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier grab by a Seahawk player than that 50 yard grab he stretched out for in that game (no offensive Doug, Tyler, and Steve).

If I were a betting man, I would be willing to bet a relative’s farm that Josh Gordon will be a Seahawk this Fall. Take it to the bank. It makes a ton of sense.

I want the Seattle Seahawks to add Damon “Snacks” Harrison to this roster badly

In my opinion, I believe Seattle’s biggest need is to add a quality run stopping defensive tackle. Possibly even two. Personally, I think they need this more than bringing back Jadeveon Clowney. There is zero proven depth on this roster behind Jarran Reed and Poona Ford.

There is no player out there on the market right now that I want more than Damon “Snacks” Harrison. At 6-3 and 350 pounds, he is the ideal man to put at nose tackle next to Reed, and to allow Ford to become their top rotational interior defensive lineman.

Seattle has invested a lot of capital at linebacker to get better on defense. Therefore, it makes all the sense in the world to put the best talent they can find in front of those linebackers, and Harrison fits that bill. He would keep Bobby Wagner and friends clean, and I think he would make Jarran Reed even a better player.

I also think that Seattle is a great destination for Snacks to finish out his career. It would give him a great chance at finally being a starter on a proper Super Bowl contender, and I think he’d like the culture out here playing for Pete Carroll.

Please, John Schneider. Pretty please go get us some Snacks.

Final Thoughts

I got no real final thoughts to close out this piece. I’m just happy as pie Seattle added Carlos Hyde, and I really want them to add Damon Harrison. I’d be pretty happy if they brought back Josh Gordon and Jadeveon Clowney. We will see soon enough how that all shakes out.

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if they also make some sort of splash trade as we get into August. Who and what and how much is all yet to be determined, but they are almost always looking to add, and they are certainly not done yet. It feels likely to me that a move of that magnitude could easily happen.

Could it be a pass rusher of note? Maybe Odell Beckham Junior? Or star safety Jamal Adams?

Maybe it could, but one thing is clear, though; Russell wants stars.

Go Hawks.

Let me be the first to say that grading a draft class is a stupid waste of time. Example, the 2012 Seattle Seahawk draft class that included Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson, Jeremy Lane, and JR Sweezy (all eventual starters) was universally panned and given an F by many of the so-called highly paid draft experts.

The biggest fundamental reason why I feel like it is such a massive waste of time is that the NFL scouting community uses draft experts to spread a certain amount of disinformation on players hoping that players they really covet will fall to them. They will say things like “well, he’s fast, but he didn’t do this, and never showed that he could do that..”

You probably get my drift by now, and I would also say that grading a draft before these players have a chance to suit up and play on Sundays is also pointless. It’s also probably unfair to grade them until they have had at least a couple seasons under their belt.

So that said, I am going to continue this silly exercise to divvy out my grades for this class followed by a few descriptors explaining the grade given. Be forewarned, I like this class.

Jordyn Brooks, Linebacker, Texas Tech. Grade A+

I’m giving this high grade because Seattle took the very best player on their draft board after not exercising a trade back. There was no reach here, and Brooks also filled a position of some need. On top of pass rush, Seattle also needed to get faster on defense. They took a lightening fast linebacker who was regarded as the best run stopper at his position in the class. There is some thought that he is not good in coverage, but I think the more accurate description is that his coverage skills are not at the level of where he is as a run defender and a tackler in space.  Word has it that had Seattle not taken him at 27, Baltimore would have at 28. Seattle’s defense got faster with this pick.

Darrell Taylor, Defensive End, Tennessee. Grade B+

Kudos for Seattle able to get the edge rusher they wanted (I believe John Schneider when he said that they would have taken Taylor with the first pick if Brooks was not there). Taylor has the physical profile that they covet for the Leo end position, and Pro Football Focus gave him a 84.9 pass rushing grade in the SEC last year. I wrote after day two of the draft that when watching him, he reminds me of Cliff Avril. Looking at more tape, I think he might be closer to Frank Clark. He looks really strong and explosive on top fast, but his pass rush is raw, and it is probably important for Seattle to add one more quality pass rushing vet for him to learn behind. I believe his upside is likely higher than anyone else in this class, though, and I can see why they wanted him.

Damien Lewis, Guard, LSU. Grade B

I love Damien Lewis, and if I were to pick a guard to play in front of Russell Wilson out of this draft class, he would be towards the very top of my list. At 6-2 and 327 lbs, he is monstrously strong, as he is able to squat over 600 lbs (good lord). You see that on tape in the way he can abuse defensive tackles. He also had a great Senior Bowl week, handling his own in pass rush drills against star defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw who was drafted by San Francisco. You can see the logic in this pick at 69, but there was a couple quality DTs on the board that would have further added to an area of greater need (defensive line). I really wanted Seattle to land one of those guys, but Lewis instantly made DJ Fluker expendable, as they cut the vet right after the draft. That says something.

Colby Parkinson, Tight End, Stanford. Grade A-

I’m giving this pick a high grade because I think, like Brooks, Seattle went with the best player on their board regardless of position, and at this point of the draft, the best defensive tackles, offensive tackles, and wide receivers were gone. He was a five star athlete coming into Stanford, and he did not drop a single pass in 2019. His blocking needs work, but a 6-7 and 250 lb with that kind of receiving ability is pretty interesting. I was a big fan of this selection. Seattle likely found great value here.

DeeJay Dallas, Running Back, Miami. Grade C+

Seattle needed to come out of this draft with a runner, and I think Dallas fits the profile of what Seattle looks for there. He kind of reminds me of Mike Davis from a couple years ago. He looks like a player that could become a dependable third down back that can spell the starter for a series or two per game. However, there was Virginia corner Bryce Hall still available, and I was hoping that Seattle would go in that direction. This was a fill a need pick.

Alton Robinson, Defensive End, Syracuse. Grade A

If I had to pick the greatest value pick out of this draft class for Seattle, it would be this guy. If he was taken where they took Damien Lewis, it would make sense for Seattle to double down aggressively on pass rush like that (as their pass rush was so scant in 2019). Pete Carroll said that he was the player he was most surprised was still available, and I had seen a lot of mock drafts that had him going in the second or third rounds. When looking at his tape, the NFL player that he most reminds me of is Everson Griffen (a current free agent that Seattle has been linked to and Carroll coached at USC). Physically, he looks very similar and he kinda has that same bend around the corner.

Freddie Swain, Wide Receiver, Florida. Grade C

I’m not going to pretend to know much about Swain. On tape he looks like a very good punt returner, and he has shown nice hands and agility going after errant throws, and looks like a decent run after the catch guy who can work the slot. John Schneider said that he’s a tough competitor that their scouts were drawn to. My feeling is that he was drafted to compete with David Moore as the fourth or fifth receiver and if he handles returns well enough in camp, he might beat him out.

Stephen Sullivan, TE/WR, LSU. Grade A+

This was the guy that Pete Carroll really wanted to come out of this draft with, and Seattle traded back into the draft late to get him. Bravo. He comes into Seattle with an incredible back story about overcoming adversity while growing up with numerous hard realities. He played receiver and tight end at LSU with a greater background at receiver. He had a strong Senior Bowl week and was an explosive tester at the combine. While he is raw, he has huge upside, and I think the coaches are going to work to carve out a niche role for him. He will be very determined to learn and do whatever they ask out of him, and I wouldn’t bet against this guy making the final roster.

Final Thoughts About This Class and a Few Thoughts About What Seattle Might Do Moving Forward Towards Training Camp

Overall, I would grade this class a solid B+. I like it a lot better than a lot of experts. I think they found great value in Brooks, Parkinson, Robinson, and Sullivan. I think that they are successful in attacking their biggest need by land two pass rushers with starting potential. I really like that they found a solid guard prospect.

I will be honest and say that I was pretty disappointed that they did not come out of this draft with a quality defensive tackle, or an offensive tackle that can be groomed behind Duane Brown. This draft looked strong at both positions in the top portion of it. Darrell Taylor well be the next great pass rusher drafted by Seattle, he certainly has all the traits, but I thought Alabama’s defensive tackle Raekwon Davis was perhaps more plug and play ready. I was salivating over the idea of lining him up inside with Jarran Reed.

I was also a bit disappointed that they didn’t draft one of the higher quality receivers earlier. I think had Seattle been able to execute an initial trade back, they would have been in position for that in the third round.

But this is how the NFL draft goes sometimes. It’s hard to fill all your needs. This is why I feel like Seattle will be active soon enough filling out remaining needs with either veteran free agents or veterans acquired in trades.

If I were a betting man, I would bet that Seattle brings in a quality run stopping defensive tackle. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised (or disappointed) if that player is Damon “Snacks” Harrison. I think Harrison is exactly what Pete Carroll loves at defensive tackle. At 6-3 and 350 lbs, he is a massive run stopper who, if paired inside with Jarran Reed, would eat up space, and keep blockers off Bobby Wagner. His presence would be an immediate upgrade to the defensive line.

I think Seattle will also land one more veteran edge rusher. I think it is far too important for  the development of Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson to not do this. If it isn’t Jadeveon Clowney being brought back, I would expect it to probably be Everson Griffen, and maybe even Michael Bennett.

We shall see soon enough, though. Oh, yes we shall.

Go Hawks.

 

 

 

On the first two days of the 2020, the Seattle Seahawks focused on getting faster with the front seven of their defense, and then that took the best offensive lineman on their board. On day three of the draft, they looked for a combination of depth players, and players that offer some unique high end potential. Let’s break these players down a bit.

Stanford TE Colby Parkinson gives Russell Wilson an interesting red zone target

I will be honest. I didn’t have tight end much on my radar before this draft. Seattle seemed loaded up on the position by adding veteran pro bowler Greg Olsen to compete along with promising youngsters Will Dissly, and Jacob Hollister. They also brought back fan favorite Luke Willson. I simply did not see this as a position of need for the team.

What Colby Parkinson might be, though, is simply the best player on Seattle’s board at pick 133, regardless of position, and Seattle chose to make that type of selection. Essentially, they chose best player over biggest remaining need.

Parkinson is a unique red zone target at 6-7 252 lbs, with basketball player traits, and sure hands. Pro Football Focus noted that he remarkably did not drop a single pass last year in college football. His 4.7 forty time is fast enough for the tight end position and his 3 Cone Time of 7.15 indicates an ability to get out of his breaks quickly.  He is also a former five star athlete, and a high football IQ player that understands route trees. It should be also noted that Stanford has produced numerous high end quality tight ends over the last decade. Parkinson seems to be continuing that trend.

I believe, at this range of the draft, this pick satisfies the “let Russell cook” crowd of Seahawk fans. Parkinson is more of a Jimmy Graham move tight end type than the inline player Dissly is, and could be used as a big slot receiver type in two tight end sets.

Heading into the college football season, there was some hype that he could be a first round pick. So, I think Seattle gets really solid value here. I like this pick.

DeeJay Dallas is a Seattle Seahawk style running back

At 5-10 217 lbs, Miami’s DeeJay Dallas fits the physical mold of a Seattle Seahawk style running back. He’s a physical inside runner that tries to punish tacklers, and was an explosive tester at the Combine with a 33.5 vertical jump and a 119 broad jump, and his 4.58 forty time is close to what Chris Caron’s was coming out of college.

What makes Dallas interesting is that he started out as a receiver at Miami and ended up as their featured running back in 2019. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr ranks him as the best pass blocking back in this draft class.

Put all this together, and I believe Seattle drafted a player likely compete as a third down back, and to provide quality depth. I think his closest comparison to a Seattle runner is Mike Davis. Seattle drafts a position of need here.

Alton Robinson provides interesting depth at Leo end

Seattle double dipped in this draft at edge rusher. Robinson was a productive player coming out of Syracuse. At 6-3 and 264 lbs, running a 4.64 forty, and boasting an impressive 35.5 vertical jump, he is also an explosive combine tester. Some mock drafts have had him as a second round pick. On tape, you can see pretty go bend off the edge, as well.

I didn’t have him much on my radar for Seattle because his arm length is shorter than the 33 inch threshold they use for their defensive linemen. I think in an effort to boost the pass rush, they are willing to use a mid round pick on an outlier player, though, who has other pass rush traits they like.

It’s also interesting that he has been spending recent time training in Bellevue Washington with none other than former star pass rushing Seattle Seahawk Cliff Avril. Thus, it’s easy to assume Seattle has had some good intel on this player.

He’s an interesting pick.

Freddie Swain adds slot receiver and punt returner potential

Seattle waited out a deep receiver draft class to the bottom of round six before that took a player. Swain is a fast slot receiver type with soft hands and a natural run after the catch ability. He also has decent size at 6-0 and 197 lbs.

What makes him a plus for Seattle is his abilities as a returner. I suspect Seattle would love to further remove the chains of the return game off of star receiver Tyler Lockett, and if Swain can come in and compete with David Moore as the fourth of fifth receiver option for Russell Wilson, that job might be his. This is a depth pick.

Finally, if Seattle didn’t have enough at tight end, they traded back into round seven to take LSU’s Steven Sullivan

What can I say, Seattle loves tight ends big time these days. Sullivan is another unique athlete at 6-5 and 248 lbs with long 35 inch arms and runs a fast 4.6 forty. Like Parkinson, he is a big flex tight end and not the inline blocker type that Will Dissly is. In fact, he is a former wide receiver that converted last to the position just last season.

I’m not going to pretend that I know much more than that about him. He wasn’t on my radar, and I didn’t think tight end was that big of a need. Clearly, I thought wrong.

I’m going to be interested to hear what Pete Carroll thinks of this guy. Is he another tight end, or do they see a big receiver in him? He’s a project player.

Further thoughts about day three of the NFL Draft

I love that Seattle took best player available at pick 133 and got Russell Wilson a unique big receiver/tight end in Colby Parkinson. I think Russell always had a fondness for Jimmy Graham during his time in Seattle and probably covets getting another big red zone target that he can rely on. I think this guy has intriguing upside to his game, and could factor in as a rookie.

I also liked that Seattle double dipped at edge rusher as it was clearly the greatest position of need. With no certainty of Jadeveon Clowney coming back, and Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa both signed to one year deals, Seattle had to come out of this draft class with a long term option, and it looks like they got two. I’m good with that.

What I am not good with is that Seattle missed out on drafted a defensive tackle with upside potential. Arizona Cardinal generation manager Steve Keim must have been studying my silly little blog because last night after the day two selections, I noted defensive tackles Leki Fotu (Utah) and Rashard Lawrence (LSU) as great day three options for Seattle. That big fat bald headed SOB took both of them in round four before Seattle had a chance to pick. I literally yelled at the television when he took Lawrence two picks ahead of Seattle. What a jerk face.

All and all, I really like this draft for the Seattle Seahawks, though. I will have final notes posted tomorrow about this draft class along with some musings over what further actions this team could take in free agency or trades to bolster the roster heading into training camp (hopefully there will be a training camp). For now though, I will just say this; after three days of this draft I feel more at ease about the direction of this club, I feel that their roster has improved in places it needed to, and I am good with that, but I think there is a little bit of work left to be done. So, roll up your arms, John Schneider.

Go Hawks

Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Golden Tate, Frank Clark, Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett, Jarran Reed, DK Metcalf, Shaquill Griffin, Justin Britt.

That’s a nice list of Seahawk players that have been drafted Day Two of the NFL Draft during the Pete Carroll and John Schneider era. The majority of these guys have been pro bowl level players for this club, and a couple of them are generational talents.

On Day One of the 2020 NFL Draft, Seattle took Jordyn Brooks, a speedy run stopping linebacker that most were not considering as a first round pick even though the talent was clearly there on tape for all to see. While most thought that Seattle would go pass rusher, they took the player that they thought was the best player on their board. Seattle has needed more speed on the defensive side of the ball, and they needed better tacklers for the last couple seasons. Enter Brooks.

On Day Two, Seattle focused on improving their pass rush, and improving their offensive line. Let’s break these two players down.

Darrell Taylor is exactly what Seattle looks for at Leo end

There were a few bigger edge rusher names were on the board when Seattle trade up to be 48 to take Tennessee defensive end Darrell Taylor. Iowa’s AJ Epenesa, and Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara are two players that had garnished first round hype for several months leading to the draft.

I never thought Epenesa would be a player of interest for Seattle, even though national draft pundits had been consistently mocking him to Seattle at pick 27. While he has had good production at Iowa, he’s not a bendy rusher, he’s not quick, or explosive, and he doesn’t have the size to likely play much at defensive tackle for this club either. At best, he could probably a serviceable 5 technique end for a club that is loaded at 5 technique with last year’s first round pick LJ Collier, Rasheem Green, and Brandon Jackson. Further more, nothing on Epenesa’s tape made me think that he would likely be any better than Green, or Collier.

What Seattle has been in desperate need of since they traded away Frank Clark is a Leo end. They essentially played without one last year for the first time in Pete Carroll’s tenure. It was an odd decision for the club, as Carroll coaches a very specific style of defense that almost entirely depends on having a serviceable Leo. Jadeveon Clowney, as talented as he is, is not a Leo, and neither is Ziggy Ansah. These are base 4-3 ends.

For those who do not understand this defensive line terminology, allow me to quickly explain. Seattle runs a hybrid 4-3 defense that is called a 4-3 Under, and at times, it looks a bit like a 3-4 defense. Simply, the defensive line is slightly tilted. On one side you have a bigger defensive end (5 technique) that almost looks like a defensive tackle playing up against a tackle, then you have a big defensive tackle (1 technique) that plays between the offensive guard and center that is strong enough to take on both blockers, followed by a more athletic tackle (3 technique) that plays in the other gab between the other guard and the other offensive tackle, and then you have this much lighter, quicker, more athletic player that plays much farther out on the edge of the other offensive tackle.

That player is the best athlete on the defensive line and his job is to make that tackle have to deal with him solely, and that creates opportunities for the athletic defensive tackle and others. That player is the Leo end.

In 2018, when Seattle had Frank Clark, he was their Leo, and Jarran Reed was the 3 technique DT. Clark had 13 sacks that year and Reed had 10.5 sacks. That was how a functioning 4-3 under defensive line is supposed to ideally work.

Under Carroll, up until last year, Seattle has always show cased a Leo. From Chris Clemons to Cliff Avril, to Frank Clark, that player is always about 6-3 and 260 lbs with long arms that can bend the corner and has the explosion to convert speed to power against blockers. They win with explosion, twitch, speed, leverage, bend and strength.

This draft class had very little prospects that fit this profile.  The few that I could honestly see as potential Leos were Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara, our boy Darrell Taylor, Charlotte’s Alex Highsmith, Alabama’s Terrell Lewis, and maybe Tulsa’s Trevis Gibson. Highsmith and Gibson are major project players that you probably don’t take with a high pick, and while Lewis is a talented athlete, he could never stay healthy enough through college and would be a major risk to take high, as well.

When Seattle traded up for pick 48, I figured it was either for Okwara or Taylor, and Seattle chose Taylor. Okwara interestingly enough continued to fall into the third round.

Seattle chose the athlete that I believe has the highest upside. In fact, the last few weeks leading to the draft, I felt that there was an outside chance he could be the first player they would take if they didn’t trade back too much. He has a very Cliff Avril/ Frank Clark vibe to his game with his ability to bend the corner, and convert speed to power. His hits on quarterbacks and running backs in the backfield are no joke. He can win with a bend on the edge, and he can win with a bull rush. That’s what Cliff Avril did, and all Taylor needs to do to get to that level is add more pass rush moves to his tool box.

My last few mocks, I had Seattle taking a defensive tackle with their first pick because I did not think Okwara or Taylor would be there after a trade back. When they are picking at 27, I thought one of these guys was probably going to be that pick. To my shock, they took Jordyn Brooks.

I am elated that they were able to land Taylor with their next pick. I thought he would be possibly going to New England, Detroit, or Miami long before Seattle would pick again. He feels like a Belichick coaching tree type of player. Seattle got lucky with this pick.

Damien Lewis is a grown man at offensive guard

When Seattle traded back from 64 to pick 69 in the third round, I really wanted them to add one more piece to the defense. I honestly wanted them to take Ohio State defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton because I think he has the tools to be a really good player for years to come. When they selected Lewis, I was initially deflated, kind of like I was deflated when Seattle took Jordyn Brooks at pick 27 over a defensive lineman.

As this pick settled in with me, though, the more I quickly liked it. Damien Lewis has round two talent, and round two is typically a superb round to get a quality guard. Lewis was the strongest player on the national championship LSU roster. He is able to squat 600 lbs, an insane amount of weight. He is also a player with a high football IQ, and was a clear leader on the team. Best of all, he’s not just a run blocking road grader, he’s actually a pretty good pass blocker.

When the San Francisco 49ers added South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at pick 14, my heart sank with that pick. San Fran had successfully traded it’s star defensive tackle to Indianapolis and then used that pick to take a player who quite possibly has even greater upside. I turned to my wife after that section, and simply said, “well, then. Seattle is going to have to draft a guard now, and he better be a good one.”

Seattle just landed a really good guard with this pick. I know they are presently loaded up on the line, but I wouldn’t read too much into it. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lewis beats out DJ Fluker outright for the starting job this Summer and makes him a cap casualty. Out of these three early round picks, Lewis might be the player that wins a starting job the soonest.

I love this pick.

Thoughts about Day Three of the NFL Draft.

Seattle will have four picks to play with on Saturday, two in the fourth round, a high one in the fifth, and a late sixth round pick. They can still find good value, and maybe a future starter or two. Some really interesting names to watch for at some positions of need include the following:

Leku Fotu, DT, Utah. He’s a big athletic talent, and Seattle loves Utah defenders.

Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU. Underrated player that has a Jarran Reed vibe.

Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn. Massive steel if Seattle lands him day three.

Saahdig Charles, OT, LSU. Would not be shocked if he is a Seattle target.

John Hightower, WR, Boise State. Underrated and feels like a Seattle WR

Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Miss. A true burner that fits their vertical game

Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington. Seattle is loaded at TE, but Bryant could tempt.

Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech. One of the best nickel corners in the draft

Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia. Big outside corner that fits Seattle’s mold.

Troy Dye, LB, Oregon. Seattle is now stacked at LB, but what if they move on from KJ?

These are just a few names to keep in mind when Seattle looks to add. There are other names I could mention, but these players really stand out. There is still some really interesting offensive linemen, a couple defensive tackles, and a few back end defenders that Seattle might like to scoop up. There are also going to be some interesting pass catchers.

For me, with their four remaining picks, I would love to see a quality defensive tackle, a playmaker added to the offense, a playmaker added to the defensive back end, and one more quality offensive linemen, and I don’t care in which order.

Go Hawks!