A natural leader that left this party way too soon. He will be missed.

It wasn’t fun starting my day seeing on my sport’s ticker that 36 year old former Seahawk quarterback Tarvaris Jackson passed away in a traffic accident. I woke prepared to work on another mock draft piece in preparation of the NFL draft next week. However, it felt wrong to write about potential future Seahawks when a player from their past had just tragically passed away. So, I decided to write this piece instead. I hope you enjoy.

I always liked T-Jack. I don’t believe a ton of Seahawk fans, especially casual fans, had a great appreciation for him, but I think his teammates, and his coaches did, big time.

T-Jack was faced with the difficult task of taking over the offensive when they had just moved on from long time signal caller Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck was an incredibly likeable player for the team for a near decade. T-Jack had enormous shoes to fill when Pete Carroll chose him to replace Hass. It was most likely a hard position for him to be in, especially, I think, with fans, and some local sports radio hosts.

Fans were left doubting the logic of Carroll then, and whether Paul Allen knew what he was doing when he hired the former Trojan. I sat with family and friends watching some of those games in 2011, and endured the mocking of T-Jack when a ball went errant after the offensive line gave up early pressure. Then when T-Jack would comfortably roll out and hit a deep pass, I’d just sit back and say something like, “hm, looks like he has a pretty good arm. Don’t think Hass could have done that.” It was usually met with either further mocking or at least under the breath muddering.

I’m not going to say that I thought T-Jack was the answer, but I could see where Carroll wanted to go with the position. He wanted an athletic passer with a big arm to take advantage of play action. I loved Hasselbeck, but that was not his game. He was a rhythm passer who relied on precision timing with his receivers. Deep shots were not his game, nor were play action bootlegs. T-Jack could do that, and I thought he did it fairly well considering that the team was still building around him.

What I thought he did significantly better was being a leader, and being a genuine tough guy. Tarvaris Jackson was an incredibly gritty player who battled through 2011 playing with a torn pectoral muscle as a passer. If that isn’t toughness, I don’t know what is, frankly, and it had an undeniable positive impact on this young team that was trying to find itself.

He endeared himself to his teammates. He was a leader for them when they were a young squad and needed leadership. I think that was part of the reason why a number of players had a hard timing buying into Russell Wilson the following year.

Russell was clearly the better player, and Pete Carroll rightly chose Russ over T-Jack, but T-Jack had won over that clubhouse previously, and Seattle pretty much had to deal him away to Buffalo for pennies to keep from any QB controversies. That probably didn’t help some vets to warm quicker towards Russ, and I’m just guessing on that one. T-Jack had fans on the defense, and he clearly had fans on the offense (notably Doug Baldwin).

Then when T-Jack returned to Seattle the following year, he returned as a good soldier, and teammate. Russell was the starter, and he knew that, but I think he still led in his own way, and was likely a calming presence on a roster full of hot personalities.

I think, in many ways, Tarvaris Jackson set the tone for how a Pete Carroll Seattle Seahawk should be, and that was to, first and foremost, “protect the team.”

T-Jack did that exceptionally, and it’s sad that we lost him. I think the benefits of Seattle having him on their roster were largely unseen by the fans, but were greatly felt by his teammates, and I think a lot of those guys are likely grieving over this news right now. I feel for them, and I feel for his surviving family members.

Go Hawks.

Could Chris Jones to Seattle be a thing in the works? It would be cool if it was. (Getty Images)

This is the only thing that makes sense to me right now, and all the tea leaves are screaming it out to me as deafeningly loud as Bruce Dickinson’s howl at intro of Iron Maiden’s epic Number Of The Beast opus. I am now certain of it. Let’s explore these tea leaves.

Seattle’s stalemate with Jadeveon Clowney has given us? .. more perplexing inactivity

Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network made news earlier in the week on local airways by mentioning that the chances of Seattle signing Clowney have become slim to none. He added that they have been competitive in negotiations but are now looking at other options.

My reading of this is that something likely happened with the team and the player that have made negotiations impractical. This seems clear to me and both sides are likely moving on.

What has been quite confusing to me is why Seattle hasn’t moved on to bring in Everson Griffen, who is the only other premiere pass rusher on the market, and is a player that has openly stated his desire to play for Pete Carroll. Why the inactivity?

Money should not be the issue with Griffen. At age 33, he should be able to be signed well under what it cost Seattle to retain Jarran Reed. Seattle sign him today if they wanted to and make no mistake about it, Griffen would be a huge boost to their pass rush.

Beyond Griffen, the free agent market gets more bare, but there are a few other vets Seattle could probably sign at any point now and have chosen not to. Michael Bennett is another familiar name that has stated a desire to return to Seattle. Jabaal Sheard and Mike Daniels are another couple name veterans with pass rush abilities. Seattle could sign any one of these guys together at a cheap cost and they would certainly improve the roster.

Why this inactivity then?

The Rams trade Brandin Cooks to the Texans and this could signal a flurry of trades

The Los Angeles Rams are in a pinch. They have a terrible salary cap situation. They are also hoping to sign cornerback Jalen Ramsey long term, who they acquired mid season last year in exchange for high draft capital. They also can’t fill out their roster with the draft capital that they have, so trading expensive wide receiver Brandin Cooks to Houston for a second round pick made a lot of since, especially considering that this draft class is considered historically deep at receiver.

For the Texans, this move can be criticized as they have other expensive receivers already on the roster, but if they are in a “win now” mode, it does make some immediate sense. They weirdly traded their all world receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals for a mere second round pick. Reportedly, one reason why was that Hopkins wanted to renegotiate his existing contract and the Texans weren’t going to have that, so they shipped him off.

Note these two things. One is a team that is in a bad salary cap situation that has an abundance of talent at receiver, and the other is a team that supposedly had a weird contract stalemate with a star player and was willing to move on regardless of that player’s perceived talent.

As we inch more towards the draft, I think we could see more trades that reflect these type of dynamics and from what I’m seeing, Seattle is probably in discussions with a team that is either in salary cap hell or is dealing with some sort of disgruntled veteran. The teams with the worst cap space that aren’t a division rival include the Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs, Saints, Steelers, Bengals, and Raiders. The team that gives Jadeveon Clowney what he is asking for could easily join that short list.

One team that clearly appears to be dealing with a disgruntled veteran who wants out is Jacksonville with franchised pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. This is the obvious one to watch moving forward.

Seattle has signed an abundance of veteran offensive linemen.. why?

These moves are a bit curious for me. The Brandon Shell signing made sense in that he was a clear replacement for Germaine Ifedi at right tackle. BJ Finney made sense because he could either compete for the left guard spot, or replace Justin Britt at center if the team cuts Britt to save about $8 million off the cap. Finney has played and started at both positions in the league, pretty respectfully according to Pro Football Focus.

But Seattle also added tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and guard Chance Warmack who are both young former first round picks, and are now seemingly overloaded on the offensive line. This is doubly perplexing when you consider that this draft class is also loaded at offensive tackle and guard. You would think Seattle would want to tap into that talent pool, so why sign so many journeymen veterans?

When we look at this situation now, with an unresolved stalemate with Clowney, with no Griffen signing, and with Justin Britt carrying a lot of salary on what is now a shrunken cap space situation after all these signings, I think Finney could have likely been signed to replace Britt.

I also think Warmack was brought in to add to guard competition as a hedge to the draft. The same for Ogbuehi at tackle. If Seattle gives up significant draft capital for a pass rushing difference maker, it might not be in a great position to land an impact rookie offensive lineman. Seattle wants to cover their bases before the draft.

In short, Seattle might be looking to get cheaper on the offensive line to strengthen its defensive line. Britt could easily be gone, and there’s a slim outside chance that they could cut DJ Fluker, as well. Is it ideal? Nope, but it does explain these moves.

Instead for looking for premium edge rushing talent, Seattle could look to boost pass rush at defensive tackle.

There has been a lot of talk about Seattle trying to pull out a trade for Yannick Ngakoue, or alternatively, another franchised edge rusher in Baltimore’s Matt Judon. The latter suggestion, I think has maybe more realistic merit.

Personally, if I had to bet who would be more likely a Seattle Seahawk this season, I would be more willing to lay money on Judon being the guy, and the biggest reason for it is that is, because of his age, the draft capital Seattle would have to surrender would likely be a lot cheaper, and I’m not convinced that Ngakoue is a better player and more deserving of a big contract from Seattle than Clowney.  If you are going to trade a first round pick and pay Ngakoue, why not save the pick and just pay Clowney? A third rounder for Judon on a short term deal? I could see that move.

One thing I notice, though, when looking at a number of teams that are in tough salary spots (Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New England, Cincinnati, Atlanta), these teams each carry an expensive veteran defensive tackle type on the roster in varying degrees. The most notable here is KC with franchised star Chris Jones, and a commitment they have made to retaining other players, and a superstar quarterback who they will have to pony up for soon enough.

Another situation where watching out for is the New York Giants with their franchised defensive tackle/end Leonard Williams. Similar to what Seattle did last season trading for Clowney, the Giants shipped their third round pick to the Jets to acquire Williams and their general manager Dave Gettleman put himself in a corner stating that they wanted to sign him long term. So far negotiations have gone nowhere, and the Giants have a fairly deep rotation at the position anyways.

Could Gettleman be enticed to trading Williams for a third round pick to save face on looking like he gave up too much for a half of a season rental player?

If so, Seattle has already shown the willingness in the past to send a third round pick away for a one year rental on a proven pass rusher, an while Williams is not a big sack number guy, like Clowney, he does create a lot of pressure, and beats a lot of double teams. With him paired with Jarran Reed inside, theoretically, that could be a pretty formidable pairing. At the very least, they could open up things for more marginal edge rushers to have success, if Seattle puts that kind of emphasis on their interior pass rush. It’s an interesting notion to consider.

This all leads back to Kansas City’s situation with Chris Jones.

A Chris Jones trade to Seattle might be more likely than you think.

Now I am not goign to suggest that this is the move that will happen here in a little bit, and I will be the first to admit that a Chris Jones to Seattle scenario has a kind of Hollywood story-line ridiculousness to it. Would the team that traded for Seattle’s star pass rusher in Frank Clark last year be willing to turn around and deal their own home grown star pass rusher to Seattle the following year?

Then factor that acquiring Jones would surely cost a first round pick, and change just to get him onto your club. Seattle might likely have to give up a first and a second round pick, and if that is enough to get the deal done, Seattle will have essentially trade Frank Clark for Chris Jones when all the other compensation is tallied between both clubs. It’s a bit of a goofy premise, but it also does make sense.

When I look at it that why and ask myself if I would be willing to trade Clark for Jones, the answer that I come up with is always “heck yeah,” and I was always a big Frank Clark guy. For me, I would love the opportunity to have Seattle bring this guy in and sign him long term. He’s a rare breed of player that has the size to play and dominate inside and has the athleticism to play outside at end, as well.

This deal wouldn’t be cheap, either. Jones fully wants to be paid top dollar. Expect $21 million to be his asking price. So, could Seattle afford this? The short answer is, yes, if they wanted to.

They have about $12 million in available cap space, but by cutting Justin Britt they would save over $8 million (this makes the BJ Finney deal make more sense). Seattle could make a couple other moves by releasing linebacker KJ Wright and Bradley McDougald, and that would free up another $10 million plus. It’s worth noting that Seattle has some depth behind both of those defenders with players that the drafted last year, and I would trade both players for Jones in a heartbeat.

Seattle can also move money around in the form of signing bonus to more easily fit Jones under the cap in 2020 and pay him more down the road with the contracts of Britt, Wright and McDougald are fulfilled and off the books, if they want to hang onto any number of those players. There are definitely ways to make this work.

The more I think about it, the more I think Seattle could be willing to make this kind of bold move. Jones was a player that they had interest in during the 2016 draft as they had brought him into the team facilities for a workout meeting. His versatility to play both end and tackle would clearly appeal to Pete Carroll. They could line him up at 5 tech on run downs in certain situations with Jarran Reed and Poona Ford also on the field, or they can just have him play the 3 technique tackle spot with Reed returning to the nose tackle position he played during his first two years in the league. With Reed and Jones inside, who do guards and centers double team? This could be a massive problem for even the best interior offensive linemen.

As an old school football traditionalist, this appeals to me greatly. Call me an old fuddy pants, but I just think that in a 4-3 defense, it all starts inside at defensive tackle more than any other position. If you are dominant there, it makes everyone else’s job a lot easier, and with Jones, I can actually see be more willing to pay him the type of money Clowney wants than pay Clowney that cheddar.

For as disruptive of a player as Clowney can be, he has never been able to develop his pass rush, and he has constantly battled through injury. A smart general manager would look at those two aspects, and be hesitant to pay him top dollar. At the same time, a smart general manager might look at Jones and see the steady production, the youth, and lack of injuries, and just be comfortable paying premium for a top performer like that.

The bigger question might be would Kansas City be willing to trade Jones. That is not something that I can definitively answer, but I will say that they already have a star player on their defensive line that they paid a heavy price for in Frank Clark. They also have to pay their star quarterback a record deal soon enough. They also have additional pass rushing options on the roster behind Jones, and the 27th pick of the first round might net them a decent young player to develop at a cheap cost.

They might see it a lot like Seattle did last year with Clark. They love the player and would like to keep him but they need to get more young talent on the roster for the long term and they can’t pay everyone. From these perspectives, I think that they could be compelled to move Jones for the right cost.

It’s also possible that Seattle doesn’t want to make a big splash like this

It’s of course very possible that Seattle sees a defensive tackle that they could pick early to develop along with Reed, but I have my doubts this is the path that they want to take presently. If they had more talent already on the defensive, I would be more convinced of it.

Defensive linemen, more often than not, take time to develop, especially the ones that don’t go top ten. Clark took time to develop, and so did Reed. LJ Collier struggled mightily last year as a rookie. Bruce Irvin flashed as a rookie, but then got moved to linebacker, and was replaced by veteran free agent Cliff Avril as the top edge rusher.

The draft is never a sure thing, and the window for Seattle to collect championships with Russell Wilson at quarterback might start to shrink sooner than we are anticipating. This is probably why Russ made a plea a few months ago for Seattle to bring in more stars to the team, and so far, general manager John Schneider has yet to really do that.

You might call 35 year old tight end Greg Olsen a star, but for how much longer, and can we call Bruce Irvin a star? Cornerback Quinton Dunbar might be a star in the making, but that is not certain. Defensive end Benson Mayowa might become a free agent steel and a serviceable edger rusher, but do we think he can be a star?

Retaining defensive tackle Jarran Reed was a nice start to free agency. He’s a really good player that I think is undervalued by a lot of fans, but is he a star? Maybe he can be.

Would drafting Alabama defensive tackle Raekwon Davis with their first pick guarantee that he becomes a star in this league within the next few years? I dunno.

Chris Jones is a star, and a young one at that, but if Seattle doesn’t want to shell out that kind of draft capital and pay the big bucks long term for him, they could certainly split the difference and trade for a Matt Judon, or possibly Leonard Williams with less draft capital, but they would paying a lot of salary for a player that perhaps isn’t really a star, either.

In the short term, maybe they would be willing to do that if that meant keeping the first three picks they have in this draft. They could trade for Williams for the short term, and look to draft Davis or another defensive tackle to develop behind him. If Williams blows up, and is worth the top dollar, they can make that decision after the season, and maybe move on from Reed because they have a young drafted player in the wings.

It’s really hard to get into the mind of John Schneider on this one, but it is interesting that they have not brought in any big name at this point to replace Clowney, and even with the additions of Irvin and Mayowa, they remain razor thin with their depth on the defensive line.

Something has to give and give soon. Don’t you think?

It’s going to be interesting to see what comes out of this one within a few weeks.

Go Hawks

I have the need, the need for some speed rushin’. Go Hawks!

Well, poo poo.

At the time of this writing, the 2020 Seattle Seahawks still have yet to sign Jadeveon Clowney, and reports are now surfacing that chances are becoming increasingly more slim that they will. As this stalemate between the team and the player has officially entered soul sucking status, I’ve all but lost interest. Sign Clowney or don’t sign Clowney. Let’s just move on.

That all said, I still believe that the Seahawks will make at least one more move to add to their defensive before the draft. They have to. They cannot go into the draft with their defensive line cupboard this bare.

This mock draft reflects the scenario that Jadeveon Clowney does not return and Seattle does not make a significant move to replace him with a star quality vet. Based on who they have already on the roster at other positions, it seems like Seattle also has needs at offensive tackle, offensive guard, and running back.

So, let’s begin.

With the 27th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks trade with the San Diego Chargers!

I am willing to project two relatively safe bets here. One is that the Chargers will use their first pick at the top of the draft to take a quarterback. The other is that Seattle general manager John Schneider will look to trade down for more picks.

If the Chargers take Oregon’s Justin Herbert, they are probably going to want to either pair him with a left tackle prospect, or give him a dynamic play-making weapon, and there could be a run on both in the later portion of round one.

In this scenario, LA sends picks 37, 71, 186, and 220 to Seattle for pick 27 in round one. Seattle drops down ten spots from their first pick and probably has their fingers crossed that one of a small handful of edge rushers they like will still be available.

With the 37th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Julian Okwara, Defensive End, Notre Dame

Seattle gets a 6-4, 255 pound speed rusher with freaky athleticism, and length. While he lacks counter moves as a rusher, he has picked up a lot of tackles for losses by using his top end speed and closing burst. Physically, he ticks many boxes that this team covets at the Leo end position.

This was kind of Frank Clark a few years ago, and since Clark had the benefit of learning from Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, if Seattle brings in someone like Okwara, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to bring Bennett back to have him learn from the cagey vet.

There’s a decent chance that he won’t be there at 37, and if Seattle is still looking for pass rush talent with their first pick, they may either have to settle for a lessor athlete at edge, or take a defensive tackle, if they think that player could add to the interior pass rush. Given the unrefined areas of his game and some inconsistencies shown on tape, though, there is also a chance that he will be available, as teams might be inclined to grab greater immediate value at other positions on their draft boards.

With the 59th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Matt Peart, Offensive Tackle, Connecticut

If Seattle doesn’t take an offensive tackle with their first pick, this is probably where they need to take one. With Peart, at 6-7 and 318 pounds with 36 inch arms, Seattle gets an incredibly lengthy player with good athleticism that can likely play the right or left side, but like Okwara, he has a rawness to his game, and may need to get stronger to handle top edge rushers in the pros. That would probably be okay because they signed Brandon Shell to a two year deal to take over from Germaine Ifedi.

If they take Peart here, and Shell plays solidly at right tackle, they might feel compelled to groom Peart specifically to take over at left tackle once Duane Brown decides to call it a career. This is a good value pick that may require a red shirt year.

With the 64th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Rashard Lawrence, Defensive Tackle, LSU

I’m quite positive that Pete Carroll has a deep fondness for a lot of players coming off the national championship roster at LSU. He is close friends with LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, and Rashard Lawrence has a quality that Carroll likely loves at defensive tackle. He’s a player to watch out for, and one that I could see Seattle make a surprise selection on, possibly taking much higher than here.

In short, what Lawrence brings is a lot of Jarran Reed like qualities as a two gap run defender with interior pass rush upside. At 6-2 and 308 pounds, he’s built a lot like Reed, too, and he plays with a similar junk yard dog mentality.  He’s a good player. I like him a lot, and I suspect teams might like him a lot more than some scouting reports do. The only knock on his game seems to be his injury history, and if he’s available beyond the third round, that’s likely the reason why.

With the 71st pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Van Jefferson, Wide Receiver, Florida

As mentioned, this draft class projects to be uniquely deep at wide receiver. Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network projects nearly thirty players with third round or better grades in this class. In a nutshell, this means that there is a strong likelihood that a very good receiver will be available around this pick for Seattle, and they might feel compelled to grab one here even though it’s not their biggest need (although, I contend it is a need because depth at receiver is a concern).

What Seattle gets with Van Jefferson is a player with good size at 6-1 and 200 pounds who is a solid route runner with great quickness who catches the ball with ease. While he is not the speed burner that Lockett and Metcalf and Phillip Dorsett are, he’s not slow either, and is a good run after the catch guy. In many ways, I think he can be a bit of a Doug Baldwin type and we all know what that can mean. This is a good value pick.

With the 101st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Zach Moss, Running Back, Utah

Any who has watched Zach Moss play at Utah and draw definitive comparisons to Chris Carson. They are built similarly, and they run with a very similar physical style. He sees the holes, sets up blockers and then explodes with authority. He’s also a very solid receiver out of the back field. It’s no surprise that Seattle showed interest in him at the Scouting Combine last February. This guy is very much a Seattle running back, and yes, they will be drafting a back at some point in this draft. If Moss is available here, I think this is the likely pick.

With the 133rd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select, Johan Jackson, Guard, Ohio State

Once we get into round four, I suspect we will see a run of guards start to come off the board. There’s a bunch of good ones in this class. I think once we see a run of offensive tackles in rounds one and two, and receivers and back in rounds two and three, guards and centers are going to start coming off the boards, especially when you see that teams with defensive needs are going to take defenders early. If Seattle doesn’t take a guard earlier, I don’t think that they wait much longer than here.

With Jackson they get a player with good size, decent football smarts, and good technique. He’s not a bad athlete but is not a dynamic one either and probably fits Seattle’s power scheme more than a zone blocking one. He likely comes in to add quality depth with an outside chance at battling for a starting spot.

With the 144th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select, Michael Ojemudia, Cornerback, Iowa

This is where Seattle takes it’s annual mid round cornerback project. Ojemudia fits the physical traits Pete Carroll covets at outside corner. He’s 6-1, and has 32 inch arms, he shows good route awareness in zone coverage, and since Seattle almost exclusively runs a cover three zone, his fit feels natural. At the back end of round four is where you want to take a player like this, and teams that run a lot of man coverage are going to shy away from him.

With the 186th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Raequan Williams, Defensive Tackle, Michigan State

Seattle misses out on an entire round five before they select here, and by the time they get here, I think they are likely to pick best players off the board, and that’s what Williams probably is. They addressed depth at defensive tackle with Rashard Lawrence, but here they just get good value at a position group that could still use better depth. Williams is a strong two gap defender with enough athleticism to push the pocket, if needed. Plus he has the great length that Pete Carroll loves at DT.

With the 214th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Calvin Throckmorton, Offensive Lineman, Oregon

Pete Carroll loves versatility with his offensive and defensive linemen, especially his depth players, and at this point, you are drafting for depth. Throckmorton played tackle, guard, and center for the Ducks. While I don’t think he’s what you want at tackle in the pros, something about him makes me think he might have a decent future in the league at center or guard, and is a player worth taking a flyer on right here.

With the 220th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select John Metellus, Safety, Michigan

The last player that Seattle selects is a strong safety from Michigan who played for a head coach that Pete Carroll admires greatly. Metellus was a productive college player who played with a nastiness and intelligence that will appeal to Carroll. His average speed and size might keep him from being a high selection but he will bring a demeanor that will fit into Carroll’s rebuilding secondary.

Thoughts about this mock draft

I really like that Seattle addressed the defensive line three times and with two high picks. I also like that they found upside at offensive tackle, and I love that they found value at receiver and running back, thus giving Russell Wilson more young weapons for the offense.

If Seattle is able to land Okwara with their first pick, I think that’s a good pick, even if he’s a bit of project. Yes, there is a rawness to his game, but you can’t teach speed and burst and length, and those are the traits that Seattle needs for a young edge rusher. It’s vital to have him learn from a quality vet, though. That’s a move that must happen.

Of the players mocked, I think Rashard Lawrence and Zach Moss most closely represent Seattle type players. They just feel like Seahawks. Those are two names to keep in mind day two of the draft.

This is just the first mock that I will do as we head closer to the draft. There’s going to be other options worth exploring that I think will be pretty exciting.

Go Hawks and stay safe!

A diamond in the rough returning home? I dig it.

Hurray!

Long lost prodigal son Benson Mayowa has finally returned back home to the PNW having signed a one year deal with $3 million dollar in guaranteed money, and Seattle’s 2020 pass rush is starting to take some form… finally. I’m stoked.

He joins other former Seahawk prodigal son Bruce Irvin on his return home, and I suspect Seattle is one more former Pete Carroll player reunion away on the defensive line to having a set rotation of pass rushers. We will touch more on that later.

Now, go ahead. Laugh all you want to about my abundant enthusiasm over this “journeyman” defensive end coming back to Seattle, but looking at Mayowa’s stats in Oakland last year, he actually put up some impressive numbers. As a rotational player for the Raiders, in 316 snaps, Mayowa had 7 sacks and 12 quarterback hits. Now compare that to franchise tagged Yannick Ngakoue from Jacksonville who Seattle has been rumored to be interested in trading for. In 803 snaps, Ngakoue produced 8 sacks and 17 QB hits in 2019; that’s a significant amount more in snaps that Mayowa and only slightly better numbers to show for it, and that is on a line that had Calais Campbell for goodness sake.

Yet, Ngakoue is franchised, and set to make at least $17 million in 2020. Seattle got Mayowa to come back to the team that signed him as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2013 for a mere $3 million that could escalate to $4 in incentives. That, my friends, is the definition of value shopping.

I like this move a lot in many ways, and allow me to break them down.

Mayowa brings familiarity, experience, and production to Seattle

I mentioned in separate piece on this blog not long ago that I felt there was a strong likelihood that Seattle would seek out familiar faces in free agency to shore up the pass rush and the defensive line (you can click here to revisit it if you like). In short, because Covid 19, there is likely to be no OTAs and mini camps to acclimate new talent to teams. This is going to be especially hard for rookies, but I think it’s going to be a challenge for some veterans, as well. A smart team might look more intently on bringing back it’s own player,s and players that have played in either their system before, or similar systems, as they head into Summer training camp.

Like Bruce Irvin, Mayowa was brought up in the Seattle defensive system. He will know how to play the Leo end spot in Seattle, which is the position that the defense most desperately needs help with.

Also, like Irvin, he is coming off of a productive year as a pass rusher, but unlike Irvin, Mayowa is still relatively young at 28 years of age. Because of that, I am actually a bit more intrigued by Mayowa because there still could be a bit of upside to his game.

Depending on who they further add (I suspect that they will add at least one more veteran piece to the defensive line plus a drafted player or two), I can legitimately see a scenario where Pete Carroll will open up competition between Irvin and Mayowa for the starting Leo end spot in training camp, and honestly, I can see Mayowa potentially beating Irvin out.

It doesn’t really matter who starts between the two, however, as they will both see plenty of time on the field, and probably together at times rushing in the NASCAR package on third downs. Carroll has always favored a deep rotation of pass rushers and this is Seattle’s value shopping way of getting back to that.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see in another day or two they either bring back Jadeveon Clowney, or the reach a deal with star defensive Everson Griffen (who played for Carroll at USC and would probably come in considerably cheaper than Clowney because he is older). At this rate, I’d actually be more willing to bet on it being Griffen over Clowney, but we will soon see.

Another dark horse to keep in mind is bringing back Michael Bennett. For me, it doesn’t really matter who. I think what Seattle needs and likely wants more than anything else is production and familiarity. Any one of these three veteran players will provide that.

Teams don’t generally get better spending big in free agency on outside players

I gotta be honest, as much as I have been desperate for Seattle to hang onto Jadeveon Clowney, I don’t want to see Seattle break the bank on him, and if he goes on to Tennessee making more than $18 million annually, I won’t be too heart broken. For as dominant as he can be, he has a troubling injury history. At $15 million, I’d be more comfortable with it, but even then, I’d have my concerns. It’s a totally overused cliche in sports, but it really is true; your best ability is availability, and I have a hard time seeing smart teams spending big on players with significant injury histories.

I also think, as a general rule of thumb, it’s unwise to over spend on outside players that aren’t familiar with your scheme and your culture. Looking at the Atlanta Falcons in 2019, they went big in free agency to address their offensive line and it didn’t work and they suffered a losing season with a bad offensive line.

A smart team identifies who they need to keep and how to build off of them. The first order of free agent business for Seattle was to bring back starting defensive tackle Jarran Reed, and they were perfectly willing to pay the fair market value for his services.

Now, say what you want about his disappointing 2019 season that was impacted by suspension and ankle injury, but Reed is still a stout run defender who can rush the passer. Those guys don’t grow on trees in the NFL. I consider his extension similar to when Seattle chose to extend Brandon Mebane in 2011, and that move worked out pretty darn well the following few seasons.

Smart teams also stay patient in free agency, find value, and they know how to plug them in. This is what Seattle did in 2013 when they brought in Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett when their markets were cool. Avril was a known pass rusher, but Bennett was thought to be more of a run defender who he didn’t really blossom into a pass rusher until after Seattle brought him in. Seattle found a niche for Bennett to rush inside at defensive tackle. That was smart.

Bill Belichick is fabulous at plucking players from other rosters that appear margin talents at best and turning them into productive players in his system. This is what winning teams do.

So, while it’s fun to suggest that Seattle should pay $18 million plus annually to Clowney and then trade for Yannick Ngakoue and pay $18 million plus annually for him, I think the smarter move might be to search harder for value and volume. For the $18 million it might cost just to sign Clowney, Seattle could have Mayowa, Irvin and Griffen on the roster and therefore, a much deeper and stronger rotation once you mix in the younger players.

Smart teams continue to build through the draft

Even if Seattle finds a way to bring back Clowney, or bring in Griffen, the best way for Seattle to maintain success being a contender is to build off of the players they have drafted and will draft.

If Seattle throws big contracts to Clowney and a player like Ngakoue, what does that say about LJ Collier who was their first round pick in 2019? Is he to be just a role player from here on out? Or does he put on some extra mass and kick inside to play defensive tackle with Jarran Reed? Reed is your starting 3 technique and Collier surely wouldn’t be big enough to play nose tackle. In a way, such moves would be an instant admission that Collier was a busted pick without even giving him much of a chance.

Also, what about Rasheem Green who was actually your most productive pass rusher in 2019? Is he now just forever a role player in your system? That’s kinda seems like wasted potential to me, especially for a player who when he came out of college in 2018, most reports said that he had major upside for a team willing to be patient with him.

By signing players such a Mayowa, Irvin, possibly Bennett or Griffen, you’re probably not giving up on the younger players already on the roster. Even if Griffen comes in with a couple years on a deal, that still gives way for Green and Collier to battle for potential starting spots. I think this is a big deal in the minds of Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider.

Also, by filling your biggest needs with value priced veterans, it lessens the possibility of reaching for needs during the draft. Reaching for talent is never a good way to build a team or maintain success.

For example, this draft class is not thought to be great for defensive line, but it is for other positions like receiver and offensive line. Now, Seattle probably wants to draft a pass rusher type, but if that player isn’t really there when they first pick, they won’t be pressed to take one just to take one. Instead, they can go with a pass catcher, or offensive tackle, or different position all together if there is clearly a special talent there.

I know the San Francisco 49ers are a sexy team right now with that pass rush, but Seattle is likely not going to catch up to them in that department in one off-season, or even two. It took the 49ers years of sucking before they loaded up that line like that, and it was all mostly done with high draft capital. So, Seattle is likely going to have to compete in other ways with that club. Getting Russell Wilson better weapons and blockers and making him more difficult to defend is a great counter to that pass rush.

Continually building through the draft is always a good thing, and with four picks in the first two days of this draft, Seattle is in a decent position to find valuable starting talent on cheap rookie contracts, but they had to nail it. They also have to give players recently drafted opportunities to evolve and flourish.

Seattle has a prototype for the Leo end spot and Mayowa fits it

This is just a thought that I would like to leave you with.

Even since Pete Carroll has taken over the Seattle Seahawks, they have had a very specific type of player they seek out to play Leo end. Generally, that player is about 6-3, 250 to 265 pounds, with at least 33 inch arms, and has had decent times in the forty and agility drills during their scouting workouts. This all started in 2010 when Seattle traded established starting Defensive end Darryl Tapp (who didn’t fit that profile) to Philly for a little known “journeyman” in Chris Clemons ,and they subsequently made Clemons a bit of a star for a few years afterward. It continued through to when they drafted Bruce Irvin, signed Cliff Avril, and drafted Frank Clark.

Stuck in the middle of all of that is Benson Mayowa when he made the team as a little known undrafted rookie free agent out of Idaho in 2013. Mayowa is totally within Seattle’s profile as a Leo, but here’s the more interesting thing to note.

Chris Clemons was 29 years old when Seattle traded for him, and Mayowa is now 28. Now, I am not going to say that Mayowa is the next Chris Clemons. However, I’m also not going to say that he isn’t the next Chris Clemons either. When Philly gave up Clemons for Tapp, the feeling around the Philly media is that they gave up peanuts to Seattle for a really good player. Nobody took Clemons to Seattle seriously.

Should Mayowa beat out Irvin for the Leo spot, and should that lead to 8 to 10 sacks for him in 2020, Seattle might well consider working on an extension him because they will have gotten him for a steel. If Clemons to Seattle at age 29 had him blossom late, who is really to say that the same can’t happen for Mayowa?

I’m not.

Just some food for thought.

Go Hawks.

Dear Seattle Seahawk General Manager John Schneider,

Please stop being cute and just sign defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, or move on already. This stalemate is driving me nutzoid, and when I go nutzoid, bad things happen to my human’s furniture (plus, I cough up hairballs, which is gross).

I have a need, a need for speed in the pass rushing department, and last year, it was hard to watch your defense, and the lack thereof. Gimme the pass rush, John Schneider!

Or Ima gonna go nutzoid during this shelter in, and lord knows what may happen to this household. I might even be forced leave a poop on my human’s pillow.

Thus far, the only moves that you have made to fix the pass rush have been bringing back defensive tackle Jarran Reed for two years, and then signing former Seahawk fun guy Bruce Irvin. Don’t get me wrong, these are fair moves, but then you just stopped. That ain’t cool, yo.

That’s like feeding your fan-base dried figs and a few handfuls of walnuts during the day with the promise of a full course meal at 5pm, and then at 5pm, you start with a Caesar salad and a small bowl of french onion soup, and then you go take a pot nap, leaving them hanging. That really ain’t cool, John Schneider!

Look, at this point, I don’t even care if you bring back Clowney. That’s how desperate I’ve become. I mean, I would prefer Clowney, but I would gladly settle for Everson Griffen, or a value priced combination of Jabaal Sheard, Benson Mayowa, or Michael Bennett. Just bring in a couple more proven pass rushers.

Please don’t think that you can go into the 2020 season with Irvin, Reed, Rasheem Green, Shaquem Griffin, and LJ Collier as your main pass rushing rotation. That ain’t going to cut it, John Schneider!

Look, I’m sorry I just yelled. I know that you have a salary cap that you need to manage and you need to factor in future contract extensions like corners Shaquill Griffin or recently added Quinton Dunbar. That’s why I say that if you aren’t going to commit to Clowney, just bring in Everson Griffin for a rental.

Or trade for somebody like Baltimore’s Matt Judon.

Just do something.. like now. Pretty please.

Don’t go into the draft in a month forcing a need in a draft class that isn’t deep on the defensive line. That’s what dumb dumbs do, and I know you’re no dummy. So don’t act like one.

Plus, this non action of yours is REALLY BORING. With this Covid 19 shelter in, it’s not cool to bore your fan-base. We need action. I mean, it is pathetic watching my human starring into his smart phone every hour on the hour to see if there is any breaking news, only to see him flop it down in bitter disappointment.

Do you think it is fun to watch a middle aged man sulk? DO YOU?!

It sucks.

Sorry that I yelled again, John Schneider.

Okay, I got that off my chest. I trust that you will do something. I liked the Dunbar trade. I even liked bringing in wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (even though my human was a little annoyed that it wasn’t Michael Bennett). I am just asking you to do something soon.

It’s going to be really annoying to watch Everson Griffen sign with Buffalo only to then watch Tennessee out bid you for Clowney once teams are allowed physically examine players, and then you are forced to settle for Benson Mayowa days before the draft. Don’t bring that on my human, and don’t subject me to watching that.

Please.

Loves and hugs,

Earl Thomas Eastwood, 12th Cat For Life

I apologize for being a few days late about responding to this most recent signing. The Covid 19 shelter in has been a major impact in my life, like I am sure it has for anyone else who reads this little blog. However, given a few days since this signing has afforded me some deeper thoughts on it (head’s up; I really like this move).

Here are my thoughts.

Russell Wilson wants “stars” but does John Schneider?

During the Pro Bowl last January, Russell Wilson dropped a minor bombshell during an interview by saying that he wanted to see his team add stars during free agency. It was a out of character thing for Russ to do, but you could understand it. The 2019 Seahawks relied heavily on journeyman talent on both sides of the ball, from tight end and receiver depth, to defensive line and into the secondary. Still they managed to win eleven games and were one inch away against the San Francisco 49ers at home from winning twelve and the division. Had Seattle had better options at rush end, better coverage players at the back end of the defense, and more play-making options on the offense, Seattle could have had home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Thus far, general manager John Schneider hasn’t really brought in any “stars” to the team. At least, he hasn’t brought in any A-Listers. At best, I think we can say that tight end Greg Olsen, rush end Bruce Irvin, cornerback Quinton Dunbar, offensive guard Chance Warmack, offensive tackle Brandon Shell, and now recently added receiver Phillip Dorsett are all recognizable names in the league. A few of them are former first round picks, and a couple of them have been quality starters. At this point, Dunbar is probably the one addition that has the greatest chance of being a true star in this league moving forward, but at best, I think we can call this a collection of B-list talent.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with quality B list talent. Some of my favorite Hollywood actors are B-Listers, and there is every chance that a B-Lister can become an A-Lister once given the right opportunity (see how Quentin Tarantino resurrected John Travolta’s career out of the gutter after casting brilliantly him in Pulp Fiction). An argument could be made for each of these recently acquired players that Seattle is a great opportunity for them to have big impacts, as they are all players filling big needs for the club.

Most of these signings are also talents who were productive players in 2019, and Dorsett is no exception. With the Covid 19 pandemic likely to take away off-season training programs for all NFL teams, my hunch is that John Schneider is looking to add as much proven veteran talent as he can get to stay ahead of the competitive curve once preseason practice is allowed in August. 2020 very well might not be the year for a true contending team to rely on a handful of rookie players to make an impact. They will have no mini camps to soak in the playbooks, get acquainted with established players, and they will be forced to learn on the fly once Summer training camp begins.

So, in short, instead of signing a few big name A-List star players, Schneider is searching for short term value on the veteran market, and he is looking for them in high volume. In my opinion, given the circumstances, this is not a bad idea at all, and I’m sure Russ understands.

What does Phillip Dorsett add to the offense?

In a word, speed, and lots of it.

By adding Dorsett, and assuming he wins the third receiver role, Seattle will boast one of the fastest three receiver sets in the league when he is matched with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. They now have three legit pass catchers who can all take the top off the defense, and his skill set is probably a great match for the offense that Seattle likes to run.

Dorsett is a good route runner, and while he is a smaller player at 5-10 and 190 pounds, he is a capable blocker during run plays. Because he is more polished that David Moore, Seattle can also probably use more motion plays when in three receiver sets by either placing him or Lockett in the slot and moving them around. This could open up both the passing, and the run game with more jet sweep possibilities.

Dorsett also has familiarity with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer when Schotty was the quarterback’s coach in Indianapolis. He also played college ball in Miami with Jake Heaps who one of Russell’s best friends, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Russell had good intell from Heaps on what kind of player and teammate Dorsett is. It was rumored right before free agency began that Dorsett would be a target for the team.

In reality, though, I think Dorsett is most likely a quality veteran hedge for receiver that Seattle will likely take in the draft in April. The 2020 draft class is widely considered historically deep, and the safe bet is that Seattle will select of these pass catchers at some point in the draft, and possibly a couple of them. With Dorsett on the team, there will be no need to rush an rookie along in a condensed training camp situation. They could afford to red shirt a player with major upside.

In multiple ways, this was a sharp signing for Seattle. I really dig it.

Further thoughts about how Covid 19 will impact the Seahawk offseason

The more this pandemic sits with me, the more I realize that 2020 is probably not the year for a contending team to rely on a bunch of rookies. Thus, I would not be surprised at all if we see Seattle trading away 2020 picks for proven NFL players on reasonable deals sitting on other NFL rosters. I think this could especially be the case for the defensive line and fixing the pass rush.

This 2020 class is not regarded as a great class at defensive line, especially at defensive end. There is a chance Seattle might be able to land a decent defensive tackle prospect with their first pick, but they would probably have to use that pick on one if they wanted to land one. By the time they select on the back end of round two, they might have been all scooped up.

Thus, I think it is very possible that we could see Seattle trading day two or day three picks for veteran players to match with Jarran Reed, Rasheem Green and Bruce Irvin, especially if they are unable to reach a deal with Jadeveon Clowney and have to settle for players such as Benson Mayowa. Teams that they could likely make deals with are teams that will not go into the 2020 season as true contenders, but are building for the long term and want picks.

Looking over other NFL rosters, it is interesting to me that teams like the Giants, the Jets, the Raiders, the Bears and Washington all have somewhat log jams at defensive tackle types. It’s possible that Seattle could look to improve their pass rush by adding more interior pass rush to go along with Jarran Reed, and thus take pressure off of rush ends. As there is a dearth of rush end talent in the league, more teams seem to be doing this.

There’s a few rush end types on building clubs that Seattle could target as well. Let’s remember that one of the first moves John Schneider made as the team’s new GM in 2010 was trading as mid round pick for defensive end Chris Clemons, who at the time was definitely not considered A-List talent in the league. That move became a hugely beneficial one for the club heading into the Super Bowl seasons.

This is just stuff to keep in mind as we head into April. If Seattle lands a quality veteran defensive end and defensive tackle through trades, or free agency, they will be better in position to take advantage of the true areas of talent in this draft class, which is receiver, running back, and offensive line. If Seattle wants to fulfill Russell’s request for stars, reaching on a defensive lineman with their first pick is probably not the best move to make. Taking an explosive offensive playmaker is.

Stay safe out there friends, and go Hawks!

A long and lean pass defending machine lands in Seattle. Hurray!

Rejoice, Twelves.

Seriously. Get outside today, and shout it in the streets, and shout it to the sky. Then run back inside quickly because we are in a shelter in situation. The Seattle Seahawks made a trade that fixed their cornerback situation for the 2020 season.

Let us break it down.

Why Quinton Dundar is a big deal for Seattle

Slightly under looked last season because Seattle’s pass rush was so nada, was the weak secondary play at corner and nickel. Simply put, Pete Carroll did not trust what he had on the field. Thus, he chose to do two things that annoyed a lot of Seahawk fans, inspiring many of them to decide that he had gotten too old and the game had surpassed him (total nonsense). He chose to keep his base defense on the field for the majority of the time because he felt his three linebackers provided better coverage than his nickel corners, and he called softer coverage because he didn’t trust his corners (likely Tre Flowers) to play aggressive bump coverage against receivers.

Because Pete Carroll’s golden rule on defense is to not get beaten over the top, these decisions gave most quarterbacks the opportunity to dump the ball off quickly with the short passing game. This allowed most offenses, even the bad ones, to march the ball up field with relative ease. Once they got in the red zone, however, Seattle’s defense was able to tighten by using the back of the end zone as an extra defender, and often times, this would result in the offense settling for a field goal or turning the ball over. As bad as Seattle’s defense was, they were actually a decent red zone squad (kinda oddly).

Thus, 2019 showcased a Seattle defense that was the ultimate definition of a “bend don’t break” group, and I’m quite positive that the head coach was just as unsatisfied with it as most fans were. For all the talk about how Seattle could not generate a pass rush (even with Jadeveon Clowney added), Seattle’s situation at corner and nickel was crippling to that pass rush. Had Carroll had the level of play he needed at corner, he very likely would have called more aggressive coverages, he would have had a nickel defender on the field more often than not during obvious passing situations, this would have very likely taken away shorter route options for quarterbacks, and that all would have led to more sacks for the defense. During his press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine last month, Carroll flat out stated that a big part of fixing the pass rush was fixing the play in the secondary.

Enter Quinton Dundar who Pro Football Focus graded as the second best corner in the game last year by his level of play, behind only one Richard Sherman. This is a significant move by Seattle to fix the position. This move gives Seattle a quality starter opposite of Shaquill Griffin, it allows them to play more nickel, and ultimately to play more aggressively.

Like Sherman, Dundar is a long lean corner who was a former receiver in college. He understands route concepts and that affords him the ability to play aggressively with confidence. This is a huge deal for Seattle’s defense in 2020 with the Arizona Cardinals adding all world reciever DeAndre Hopkins, the Rams still being loaded at receiver, and the 49ers likely to add a quality receiver with a deep draft class next month. Seattle needed to make a move like this, and they should be congratulated by addressing this position aggressively with a proven veteran with pro bowl potential still in his prime.

Bravo.

Why was Dunbar available for a mere 5th round pick?

This is a good question to ask yourself. For one thing, Dunbar comes was an injury history. That doesn’t appear to scare Seattle, though, as last year they traded for Jadeveon Clowney who has an extensive injury history of his own. This injury history likely drove his market down, as there are also decent corners still available on the free agent market.

The other thing that likely made this move a pretty affordable one is that he is on the last year of the three year deal he had with Washington, and was demanding either an extension with the club, or to be traded. Thus he was forcing his way out of DC, and it became a buyer’s market for his services.

Still, it was just last week that Denver traded for pro bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and sent a mere seventh round pick to Tennessee for his services, and last year Seattle sent a 5th round pick to Detroit for pro bowl alternate safety Quandre Diggs. Often times there is great value to be had with trades when teams are looking to unload veterans that are either deemed too expensive or too discontent. Like Diggs last year, Seattle took advantage of the situation and acted.

What does this mean for Seattle signing Clowney or another quality veteran pass rusher?

It’s tough to know just how much this impacts a potential Clowney signing. Dunbar’s contract isn’t an expensive one. So it is highly possible to fit Clowney and maybe one more veteran pass rusher under the cap after a little juggling.

However, since Dunbar is coming to Seattle was only one year left on his deal, Seattle might want more flexibility to sign him long term if he proves to be a great fit. Seattle also has Shaquill Griffin playing in a contract year and probably wants to extend him, as well. Thus, from this perspective, Seattle might be angling to bring in veteran pass rushers on short term deals, and should Clowney find a longer term deal greater than what Seattle is offering, he could be out-y.

However, thus far, Clowney hasn’t found that deal, and as the days go by, it feels more and more unlikely that he will, as other teams are making moves that are shrinking their salary cap space. There is still a pretty realistic chance that he returns to Seattle on a short term deal that will allow him to re-enter the market next year for a chance at landing the big contract that he is seeking. There is also a pretty realistic chance that, as the days go by, resentment towards Seattle grows more with Clowney, and he chooses a shorter term deal elsewhere.

Should Clowney ultimately decide to leave Seattle, I think Everson Griffin, Benson Mayowa, Michael Bennett, and Jabaal Sheard all become likely targets, and Seattle might look to bring in a couple of these guys. Either way, it would be great to see this resolve soon. I still give it about a 50/50 chance Clowney returns.

With this addition of Dunbar, though, I will say this. I am becoming less concerned about Seattle’s pass rush in 2020. Even if they were to only add Mayowa and maybe one of the other veteran pass rushers not named Clowney, Seattle’s ability to play more aggressive on the back end of their defense will allow for better pass rush.

Another thing to keep in mind; they have invested relatively high picks over the last few years in LJ Collier and Rasheem Green that they would ideally like to see takeover as starters. Signing a couple veterans to longer deals probably shrinks the likelihood of either doing that.

So as the tea leaves begin to really settle in, it seems more and more likely that Seattle will settle by signing proven vets on short terms, and then probably looking to add more through the draft. This draft class is not considered a deep one for the defensive line, however, so if Seattle is going to do that, expect them to take a defensive lineman early this April.

But that is then, and this is now, and I say “welcome to Seattle, Quinton Dunbar!”

Blessed be, and go Hawks.

Bring back Bennett? May not be a bad idea.

Well, here we are Twelves. We are exactly one week through NFL free agency, and thus far, the Seattle Seahawks have signed defensive tackle Jarran Reed and old friend, defensive end Bruce Irvin, and a hand full of journeyman offensive linemen.. and that’s it. Rather surprisingly, still sitting out there waiting for a gig is star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

It’s surprising that he has not found a suitable deal thus far, as many thought he would be the hottest pass rusher on the market. However, the truth of the matter is that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, teams can not have their doctors look at the core injury that he has been recovering from, and teams have shied away from his expensive asking price, including the Seattle Seahawks.

Reportedly, Seattle has made him an offer, but he has obviously not bitten, and thus we have a frustrating stalemate. While this stalemate has lingered, we as Seahawk fans have watched a number of other high end pass rushers sign contracts with other teams. This has caused a bit of a panic with some fans and bloggers who follow the team.

I’m here to say relax, folks. The Seahawks have a plan. They will fix the pass rush. It’s just that we haven’t seen it yet, and the league wide consensus seems to be that Clowney will likely return to Seattle on a short term deal so that he can re-enter the market in another year or two for a bigger deal more to his liking.

I’m also going to say that if Clowney doesn’t return to Seattle, the pass rush will likely still improve from last year. For one thing, it practically can not get any worse, and for another, Pete Carroll will not going into the 2020 season without adding significantly to the front four.

Here is what I think might happen.

Adding familiar faces

I think it could become hugely important for Seattle to land multiple pass rushers who intimately know Pete Carroll’s defense. With this current virus pandemic expected to last weeks, if not months, it legitimately threatens the NFL’s off-season training programs, and the chances of any Spring mini-camps after the draft.

There are still some sexy names sitting out there that Seattle could pursue. They could add Ndamukong Suh to pair with Jarran Reed to potentially create an intimidating inside rush. They could trade for a top edge rusher in Yannick Ngakoue or Matt Judon, who are both sitting on franchise tags. They could definitely make a splash move or two like this, but none of these players are familiar with Carroll’s system, and with without mini-camps likely being available, they would be forced to learn on the fly come actually training camp in august.

Thus, it might be wiser for Seattle to show restraint and look at veterans on the market that know the system and even some that have natural chemistry with players already on the roster. Currently sitting out there in free agency are Clowney, Everson Griffin, Clay Matthews, Michael Bennett, and Benson Mayowa. Each of these pass rushers are familiar with Pete Carroll’s defense either by playing for him in Seattle or in college at USC.

Laugh all you want to about the return of Michael Bennett and Benson Mayowa to as legitimate fixes to Seattle’s ailing pass rush, but both players were more productive than Clowney in the sacks column last year. So was Griffin and Matthews (Griffin was significantly so).

For sake of argument, let’s assume that Clowney leaves, and Seattle signs just the two former Hawk pass rushers in Bennett and Mayowa. Recently added Bruce Irvin collected 8.5 sacks in 2019, while Mayowa had 7, and Bennett had 6.5. Irvin and Mayowa likely would rotate as the primary leo ends, and Bennett works with Rasheem Green and LJ Collier at the five tech (Green was the team leader in sacks last year with 4). Between Irvin, Mayowa, Bennett, and Green, that’s 26 sacks right there. Seattle had 28 for the entire season in 2019.

Then when you factor in the likelihood of a full season from defensive tackle Jarran Reed, more contributions from rush linebacker Shaquem Griffin, and further steps forward from Collier and potentially defensive tackle Poona Ford, plus blitzing contributions from linebackers and defensive backs, it quickly becomes realistic to project Seattle pass rush improving significantly. This doesn’t even include who Seattle might look to add in the draft this Spring.

Personally, I think that if they lose Clowney, they probably bring in Everson Griffin on potentially a two year deal, and then one of Bennett or Mayowa. Landing Griffin would be a huge boost, in my opinion. In all honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Seattle eventually add Clowney and Griffin, and we are all breathing big sighs of relief, but this piece is looking at all angles, including losing Clowney.

A further case for bringing back Michael Bennett

This idea isn’t just me pontificating bringing back another aging veteran who was a personal favorite of mine. This is about bringing back a player that still showed the ability to rush the passer in 2019, and one that knows this defense exceptionally well.

Adding Bennett would also mean bringing back a player that knows Jarran Reed, Bruce Irvin, and linebackers Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright really well. Part of making a pass rush functional is chemistry, and I would argue that lack of chemistry had as much to do with Seattle’s pass rush dysfunctions in 2019 as anything. Ziggy Ansah couldn’t get healthy enough for training camp, Jarran Reed was suspended for the first six games, and Clowney was a late addition who had to pick up the defense on the fly. Bennett knows this defense and key players in the front seven. That’s a benefit.

I also think that his veteran presence would likely help Rasheem Green and LJ Collier out immensely. Both players comped to Bennett coming out of college. Why not take the opportunity for both to actually learn for Bennett? Seems prudent to me.

Finally, Bennett has expressed a strong interest in returning to Seattle to finish his career out. Who knows if Seattle has interest, but from where I look this, I say this is a situation to monitor.

Relax

Relax Seahawk fans. I think one way or another, Seattle will fix this pass rush this year, and frankly, there is bigger things to worry about.

Take care of yourselves during this pandemic. Don’t stress, get rest, stay distant from others in public, eat plenty of fruits and veggies, workout in safe places, wash your hands, clean your surfaces, and go Hawks.

Bruce is back!

Writing this piece makes me happy. I have always been a big Bruce Irvin fan, and I thought it was a mistake that Seattle let him leave in free agency after the 2015 season. Yes, they already had Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and Frank Clark as primary pass rushers, but Bruce had developed into a very good SAM linebacker, and doubled as a capable pass rushing end. As my dear old dad used to say, you can never have enough pass rushers.

I had hoped that he would have returned a couple seasons ago when the Raiders decided to tank their season, and released him, but he ended up signing with Atlanta. I had my fingers crossed last off-season that Seattle would bring him home, but he ended up signing with the Panthers where he enjoyed an 8.5 sack season. So when news broke late yesterday after that Bruce had signed with Seattle, I told my wife that I would do a cartwheel in our backyard if the next news breaking was that they were bringing back Michael Bennett, as well. I was pretty darn happy about it.

What does the Bruce Irvin Signing Mean For the Seahawks?

People can choose to over-inflate the signing or dismiss it. Yes, it’s true that Bruce is older now at 33, but he has always been one of the more freakishly athletic edge rushers in the league, has only played eight seasons, and he is still showing production. He might be one of the youngest 33 year old players in the league, and Seattle desperately needs productive pass rushers. From this perspective, this was a really good signing.

For one, he knows Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, KJ Wright, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr, and the Seattle culture really well. The other important thing is that Seattle mostly needs help at the rush Leo end spot, and at this stage in his career, that is what Bruce is. He is likely a solid upgrade from the Ziggy Ansah failed experiment last year.

Personally, I don’t fret about his age. As I stated, I think he is still one of the more athletic speed rushers in the league, and I wouldn’t bet against him playing beyond his mid thirties, if he finds a niche in the league where he is used as a pass rushing specialist. That’s what I think he is most likely going to be in Seattle, which is great.

Which also leads me to saying this; I don’t think Seattle is near done shopping for pass rushers. I think there is an increasing chance that either Jadeveon Clowney returns to Seattle or they trade for Jaguar end rusher Yannick Ngakoue. I think there even a chance that they could wow us, and do both. I also would not rule out a return to Seattle by one Michael Bennett, or an Everson Griffin signing (who played college ball for Pete at USC).

I wouldn’t even rule out a trade for a player that we are not thinking about. How many people woke up yesterday morning thinking that Denver would send a seventh round pick to Tennessee for star defensive tackle Jurrell Casey? Personally, I would have loved to have seen Seattle make that deal, but regardless, that deal at least gives me confidence that more deals are likely out there and Seattle will be in the mix.

At any rate, this pass rush is not remotely fixed yet. Bruce is a nice start, but I can’t wait to see what lands next. We shall soon see.

Seattle loads up on veteran offensive lineman

Over the last 48 hours Seattle has signed veteran guard/center BJ Finney, and tackles Brandon Shell and Cedric Ogbuehi. Finney and Shell both signed two year deals, and Ogbuechi signed a one year contract.

Shell likely replaces right tackle Germaine Ifedi to the joy of many Seahawk fans. Make no mistake, he’s nowhere near a pro bowl level player, but he has graded slightly better than Ifedi over the years by Pro Football Focus, and is coming in on an inexpensive deal. My ultimate reading on this is that he is a hedge for a player that they will likely draft this Spring to be the likely long term starter. This draft class is loaded at offensive tackle.

Ogbuehi is probably a cheap replacement for George Fant. He will compete to be the swing tackle. He will also most likely be looked at as the next run blocking “big tight end” that Fant was, as he was used in the role in Jacksonville last year.

The more interested signing, in my opinion, is BJ Finney. Based off of comments I’ve read from Steeler fans, he was a highly valued swing guard and center in Pittsburgh, and was a capable starter when called upon. Pro Football Focus graded him out to be a pretty good pass blocker. This could be a sneaky good signing for Seattle. There is a chance that he takes over at guard for Mike Iupati, but I actually think that there is a greater chance that he ends of replacing Justin Britt at center.

Britt is coming off of a serious knee injury and is carrying an expensive salary in 2020. If Seattle is to remain aggressive in fixing its pass rush, releasing Britt saves about $9 million off of the cap. After the Finney contract, that would be about a $5 million savings. Watch for this move to likely happen.

What to expect for Seattle moving forward in free agency

Expect them to significantly continue to add to the pass rush. It will likely happen through free agency and trades. Keep these names in your mind; Jadeavon Clowney, Yannick Ngakoue, Everson Griffin, Matt Judon, and Michael Bennett. I think there is a decent chance any combo of these names are going to be Seahawks soon.

I would also expect them to look to add more in their secondary. They’ve been linked to Damarious Randall who could come in to be the starting nickel corner. I’d love that signing.

I would also very much expect them to add veteran help at running back, but they probably won’t move as fast there. The main goal will remain fixing the pass rush and then I would expect the other chips to follow.

So there we have it. Stay safe, friends.

Go Hawks.

Seattle keeps it’s prized interior defender

For us football crazed nutballs, the NFL off-season is a godsend. In any regular year, the NFL off-season marks a time when fans for all 32 teams can dream about what their team can become. It officially starts with free agency and works itself to the draft. I almost get as excited for it as I do the regular season. I call it the Dream Season.

This year, I feel that this NFL off-season is especially needed. The Covid 19 virus has now become a global pandemic, and because of this, sports leagues are rightly shutting down. As sports fans, I believe we very likely need this off-season now more than ever. We need to dream, and feel positive about our teams. We need this distraction.

Here are some of my thoughts about the first day of “unofficial” free agency.

Defensive Tackle Jarran Reed Stays in Seattle

Personally, I’m really glad to see the big fella back, and a two year $23 million deal seems fair for a guy who is a plus run defender, and capable inside pass rusher. I think some fans were down on him at the end of the season, and felt that he was expendable, but it never seemed like the team was, and it didn’t seem like the league was either. I think Reed perfectly fits what Pete Carroll likes at defensive tackle. He loves big bodies that can anchor and have the ability to push the pocket. That is Jarran Reed, and I think they hold onto a guy who’s best football is likely still ahead of him.

I also think that two years feels win win for both the player and the team. For the team, it solidifies the interior of the defense line for a couple more seasons, and for Reed, it allows him to enter the market again at a reasonably young enough age. Seattle has done well in the past signing defensive linemen to shorter term deals in Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Alan Branch, and others. A shorter term contract tends to make a defender play hungrier. I like the idea of a hungry Jarran Reed for two more years.

Tight End Luke Willson Stays in Seattle

Yay. My favorite Canadian tight end product is staying home. Luke Willson is the ideal Seattle Seahawk. He’s a positive locker room guy, a fun guy, he’s a good run blocker, and a capable pass catcher. There is a ton of cultural value to keeping a guy like this on your roster, and with his return Seattle should be pretty set at tight end, with no rush to hurry back Will Dissly from his Achilles injury.

Seattle Tenders Restricted Free Agents Jacob Hollister, David Moore, and Others

In addition to keeping Reed, Seattle made moves to help secure a few restricted free agents. Tight end Jacob Hollister, receiver David Moore, center Joey Hunt, and defensive end Branden Jackson all should be back in 2020.

What’s interesting to me is that the team chose to place a high second round tender on Hollister. This means that they will pay him roughly $3 million for 2020, and should any team signs him to a contract, they would have to surrender a second round pick to Seattle. This also means that they likely see Hollister as a valuable piece to their roster in 2020, even with the signing of Greg Olsen, and the returns of Will Dissly and Luke Willson.

The NFC West Is Becoming The Best League In Football

What out for the Arizona Cardinals. Not only do they have one of the more exciting young quarterbacks in the league in Kyler Murray, they just magically dumped off overpaid running back David Johnson to Houston for hall of fame level wide receiver  DeAndre Hopskins to pair with Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk. They also placed the transition tag on Keynon Drake who severely outplayed Johnson. They also have a top ten pick in this year’s draft that is loaded at offensive tackle and top heavy at defensive line. They could easily be the surprise team of the conference in 2020.

Then you have the division champion San Fransisco 49ers who held onto their prized defensive linemen Arik Armstead, and shipped off his interior mate DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the 13th overall pick in the draft. San Fransisco will now have two picks in the first round, and this draft is looking historically deep at receiver and is good for offensive line. It’s going to be really interesting to see how they reload.

The Rams are more pinched. They don’t have a lot of cap space, and they don’t have any high picks, but this is still a team that has Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey on the defense, and they are still loaded with star power on the offense.

Seattle’s advantage is clear. It’s MVP talent Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll, and their proven formula as a Super Bowl wining quarterback and coach combo. Don’t be surprised if Seattle pulls off a surprise trade of their own to stay up with the others in the division. Who or what, I don’t know yet. It could another star to the defense, or a play-maker on the offense, but I suspect they will be willing to go bold this year. They might just simply be waiting to see if they can retain Jadeveon Clowney before they make that kind of move.

At any rate, this is looking like a spectacular division. I’m pretty excited about it, and Seattle needs to nail this off-season to take it over. Let’s see if they do it.

Go Hawks.