The Trade Scenarios I Dig For The Seattle Seahawks

Posted on September 29, 2025 by curtiseastwood

As the Seahawks sit this week at 3-1, many people seem surprised by this, but not I!

I have written many times over that this season could be an exciting one for Seattle, with a strong defense that could be tops in the league, and an offensive that could be better at quarterback and scheme. Thus far, my projections for this team are looking good, and we are now nearing the point of the season where John Schneider has often times made trades to help give his team a boost.

It was around this time of the season, in 2010, where Schneider sent a 4th round pick to Buffalo for Marshawn Lynch who became disgruntled with the Bills. This was also the time of the year back in 2017 when he traded a third round pick to the Texans for veteran left tackle Duane Brown to cement Seattle’s bid for the playoffs. He also plucked safety Quandre Diggs out of Detroit close to this time of year some years back in exchange for a mere 6th round pick.

Aside from the Russell Wilson deal to Denver, I would argue that Schneider’s best trades have generally come mid season for this club. With teams quickly finding themselves out of contention, the value for players generally becomes much better for the buyers as sellers look to acquire as many draft picks as possible while staring at a rebuild. John has proven to be very good at determining what his team’s deficiencies are, and finding good value to correct. Leonard Williams, Duane Brown, Marshawn, Carlos Dunlap, and Sheldon Richardson have all been big name players that he has been able to bring in.

As it stands right now, Seattle is sitting on a rare amount of salary cap space to get a bit splashier with trades this season, if they so choose to do it. Given Schneider’s track record, I am almost certain that we will see a move of two in the coming weeks, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a move comes sooner.

As we know, it has been reported by Ian Rapoport that several teams are sniffing around cornerback Riq Woolen, and this makes sense. Seattle has a rare jog jam at cornerback, and Woolen is in a contract year, and has played probably too inconsistent for the Mike Macdonald’s tastes. He’s still an elite athlete at a highly coveted position, however, and he’s young. This makes him probably a player that Seattle could get some decent value for in exchange, maybe not so much in draft capital, but perhaps in a player for player swap. So, there’s this to think about, as well.

At any rate, here are some players rumored to potentially be on the trade market that I would love to see Seattle consider bringing in at this time. I would venture to say that if anyone of these fellas becomes a Seahawk in the next few days and weeks, I would find it pretty gosh darn exciting.

Saints Running Back Alvin Kamara

I understand if Alvin Kamara to Seattle is a bit of a left field idea for you. Seattle has two talented young backs who split duties, so why bring in an expensive 30 year player to add to this mix? Here is my reasoning.

Ken Walker is a highly talented running back who is in a contract year like Riq Woolen, and has yet to really prove that he is a fit for the zone blocking scheme of Klint Kubiak. Not only is he still showing a tentativeness behind the line of scrimmage that leads to negative plays, I have seen film breakdown of him against the Cardinals on TNF where he showed an inexcusable laziness running a check down route that led to Sam Darnold having to dirt the ball away instead of getting an easy completion under pressure. This had to have been a play where his coaches probably didn’t love that, and it stands to wonder how many more plays like this he has before he has reached Woolen status with Macdonald and Kubiak, as well.

Let me explain this to you in the easiest terms I can use regarding Seattle’s offensive scheme. It is fully designed to marry the pass game to the run, and it requires quick decisions from the QB, receivers, and runners. QBs need to make quick reads, and make fast and accurate throws. Receivers need to run quick and precise routes. Running backs must hit their holes decisively, and have the vision to see lanes, however minuet those creases might be, to make cutback moves for positive gains.

Some backs have very natural instincts for this, and other backs struggle with it, but you cannot play hesitant behind your blockers no matter how muddy it is in front of them with defenders. Any hesitation behind the line of scrimmage by a running back can seriously fuck up an offensive series, especially against a good defensive front.

This is the negative impact that K9 can have on the Seattle offense if he cannot get these tendencies out of his game. I see little evidence, thus far, even with that nice game against the Steelers, that leads me to believe he can fit this thing here. I think Zach Charbonnet can, but when K9 is in the game, it feels very boom or bust on a series. He will make plays that will lead you to believe he’s one of the very best backs in the game, but then he will do things that will pull your hair out in frustration. I, for one, am tired of that frustration.

I don’t think Seattle would get much value to trading away K9 right now, so I am not suggesting that Seattle should necessarily deal him away. I will say that I lack trust in him as Seattle’s featured runner, however, and I feel more trust in Charbonnet.

The problem with this two headed monster for Seattle, in my view, is that it appears that the coaches prefer Charbonnet as the third down back because of his better pass blocking and maybe receiver skills. This means that they probably want to preserve this role for him, and use K9 more on first and second downs, and right now they are living with the potential collateral damage of K9 doing some weird ass thing on any given play in the hopes that he hits it right.

Alvin Kamara understands Kubiak’s offense, having played in it last year. He had nice production in it last year for the Saints, and at age 30 with an expensive contract, the trade compensation for Seattle probably wouldn’t be much. In fact, Seattle could deal Riq Woolen probably straight across for him, and maybe even get something in addition back, as well. The Saints would then have the rest of the season to see if Woolen is someone who they would want to extend long term, and Seattle would get better stability in its the run game.

I just know that, in this particular scheme, Seattle needs running backs that get it, and can offer positive plays with regularity. Karama is still a talented runner, and he’s a good pass catcher. You can rely on him, even at age 30. That’s why I am into this idea for Seattle. I really like it a lot, and if this creates a log jam at running back, that is a log jam worth having for this offensive philosophy.

Saints Receiver Chris Olave

What if I were to tell you that in next few days or weeks, Seattle deals Riq Woolen to Vegas for a third round pick, and then they send that third rounder and maybe a late round pick to New Orleans for wideout Chris Olave who also played for Klint Kubiak? Would you get excited about that?

Or how about Woolen and a 5th round pick to straight across to NOLA for Olave? How would that make you feel?

Sam Darnold would have Jaxon Smith Ngijba (who is having a sensational start to the season), Olave, Cooper Kupp, promising rookie Tory Horton, and Jake Bobo all as viable passing targets to carry forth his own impressive start to the season, and he would have Olave signed through 2026. I think this is a pretty fun thought.

Olave knows the system, has played with JSN back in their Ohio State days, and offers youthful proven insurance for the potential of Kupp wearing down, or JSN getting injured. He has the speed to stretch defenses, and like JSN, he can run every short to intermediate route, as well..

His concussions are a concern, and probably to the extent of hampering his trade value, but with the depth Seattle would have at receiver with his addition, he likely wouldn’t be asked to be The Guy. JSN is The Guy in this offense. Darnold also has chemistry with Kupp and growing chemistry with Horton. Olave could come in without the pressure of having to be at the forefront right away, but rather being the guy who can provide big catches as the season wears on, and potentially being the Sundance Kid to JSN’s Butch Cassidy in future seasons.

For these reasons, I really dig this idea a lot.

Saints Guard/Center Cesar Ruiz

I am going to stay with New Orleans one more time here and suggest that if they drop to 0-4, and begin a fire sale, perhaps Seattle could decide to take the opportunity to fortify their young offensive line by trading for Cesar Ruiz who is currently the Saints starting right guard but also has a lot of center in his background. Anthony Bradford has been playing well for the Seahawks this year at right guard, but what if Klint Kubiak sees an opportunity to land Ruiz and have him play center here?

Ruiz hasn’t played very well for the Saints this year, but last season was his best year as a pro while he was coached by the bulk of Seattle’s offensive staff. He knows this blocking scheme, and he knows the offensive line coaches very well. The Saints have Erik McCoy as their starting center, and he’s one of the best ones in the game, so Ruiz had to find a home at guard to get on the field. He played center in college, however, and it isn’t hard to imagine that he could take that position over for the Seahawks now, and have it solidified for the next several seasons.

This move could see Jalen Sundell in the role of a valuable swing offensive lineman capable of playing all five positions on the offensive line in a pinch. Sundell has not played terrible for Seattle this year at center, but sometimes I wonder if he’s got enough premium strength inside to hold up to bigger stronger DTs in the league. Center is not a position that requires the strongest guys on the OL, but having a strong ass M’fer inside at the position doesn’t hurt, either. Ruiz is that kinda player, and he is very familiar with the zone blocking scheme.

An offensive line that consists of Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Cesar Ruiz, Anthony Bradford, and Abe Lucas feels potentially very young and formidable. Jalen Sundell could provide the ever valuable swing player in that group as he came into the league as an undrafted left tackle and impressed Mike Macdonald with his intelligence and athleticism.

I don’t know if the Saints would entertain parting with Ruiz even in his struggles this year, but they might. Therefore, a player for player trade of Woolen for Ruiz straight across doesn’t seem all that crazy to me. Perhaps both players need new landing spots.

Dolphins Receiver Jaylon Waddle

Like the Saints, Miami is a team that appears on the verge of being early sellers at the trade deadline. They host the Jets on MNF. If they drop to 0-4 after that game, I think there’s a decent chance their head coach gets fired, and they go into a fire sale mode.

People are pointing to Tyreek Hill as being a high probable trade candidate for clubs, but Seattle won’t likely be suitors. Under Mike Macdonald, they are even more character driven as a club than they have been in year’s past, and Hill’s character is simply not a fit up here.

But could Jaylen Waddle also be a potential trade option? Waddle is younger than Hill, less of a headache, and would probably net more value for the Dolphins who could be staring at a major rebuild yet again.

Given the fact that Waddle also comes with a bit of an injury history, like Olave, I don’t think that trade compensation for him would be very backbreaking for an NFL front office. A mere third round pick might be enough to do it, and if that is all it is, Seattle would acquire a guy who is a field stretcher, and plays in a similar scheme, and would be locked into a contract through 2027. One would think that perhaps player for player trade involving Woolen might get it done, as well.

It’s a fun thought on par to the Chris Olave idea.

Dolphins Middle Linebacker Jordyn Brooks

I am going to stay with the Dolphins here and switch to defense for a moment. Seattle’s defense has pretty much been lights out through four games, but depth at the inside linebackers spots still make me a bit nervous. I love Ernest Jones as a Seahawk, and I am happy with how Tyrice Knight and Drake Thomas have platooned at weak side linebacker together.

I’m nervous as to what happens with Seattle’s defense should Jones get injured. Knight and Thomas feel like classic, run, cover, and hit WILL linebackers, and I am not sure if they could handle the MIKE spot.

Seattle had an interest in re-signing Brooks during the 2024 offseason. They lost out on their pursuit for him, however, to the Dolphins when they were in an 11th hour period of heavy negotiations to extend star defensive tackle Leonard Williams on the eve of official free agency. It felt like a rare dropped ball by John Schneider, and one he admitted to being disappointed that they couldn’t get it done with him.

Is the Dolphins are to soon be big time sellers, does it not make sense for Seattle to explore getting Brooks back up here? I think it does.

He’s proven to be a very good run and hit WILL linebacker and he’s also proven that he can handle the MIKE spot, as well. Having him and Ernest Jones roaming the middle of the field is a fun thought, and I don’t think there was ever any ill will between Brooks and the Seattle’s front office. He just chose the sunshine and views on Miami Beach over the overcast damp days of Seattle in the Fall.

If Seattle doesn’t make a move on offense to strengthen its depth at receiver, or running back, decides that linebacker is an area they see an opportunity to further strengthen, I would not be upset with that, and I don’t imagine that the mid season trade value for Brooks would be that high. It wasn’t for Ernest Jones last year at mid season, and Jones is a better player. Riq Woolen for Brooks straight across feels very fair, if not altogether funny from a Seattle perspective.

Cowboys Defensive Tackle Mazi Smith

Mazi Smith was the first round pick for a Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a massive human being at 6-3, 337 lbs, and he’s got unique athleticism for his size. He has not lived up the billing for the Cowboys, however, and the team acquired pro bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark from the Packers in the Micah Parsons trade.

There is a lot of speculation that they are ready to punt on Smith who is now in his third season, and they are also a team that happens to have a need at cornerback in order to improve their defense. I think this is a scenario where Seattle could deal Woolen to Dallas in exchange for Mazi Smith and maybe even get another pick or player in exchange, to be honest.

Smith played his college ball for Mike Macdonald when Macdonald was the architect of that impressive Michigan defense that featured Aidan Hutchinson. Macdonald knows him as a player, and the Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde also knows him from his days coaching Dallas defensive linemen.

The strength of the Seahawks defense is their defensive tackles and their secondary. I think there is value in the idea of making your strength even stronger, however, and Seattle would have a season and a half with Mazi Smith to see if they can turn him into a quality starting nose tackle. In the meantime, adding him now would provide an even deeper DT rotation which I think would be pretty darn sweet, especially if you might get a bit weaker at corner after a Woolen trade. You can never have enough quality defensive linemen, especially the big ones.

Look at what the Eagles did last year with their deep DT rotation. They won the whole damn thing with it. They dominated. I want to see Seattle dominate teams on defense again. This is why Macdonald was hired, and that is why I am into this idea.

Giants Edge Rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux

To be honest, I’m not sure Seattle would have much interest in Thibodeaux even though he’s a young player at a premium position, and he played college ball in the PNW. There were some rumblings a while back that when Seattle had a top ten pick in the 2022, he was a player who was off their list of prospects. Thibodeaux came out of Oregon as a guy with a bunch of hype, and a vibe that perhaps he was more concerned with his off field brand than being “all ball” on the field.

Being a LA kid, he also seemed inclined to prefer a destination that offered him a lot of bright lights, and a scene. That’s not Seattle, Washington, and I suspect that the Seattle front office, after dealing with high maintenance Russell Wilson for years wasn’t much interested in investing their first round pick on a player such as that. He was taken before Seattle picked, but the rumor is that Seattle wouldn’t have taken him if he was there, anyways.

Over recent years, the NY Giants appear like maybe they are ready to move from him. They traded for Brian Burns, and they drafted Penn State star edge rusher Abdul Carter.

Thibodeaux hasn’t been a bad player for the Giants, but he’s not been the type of spectacular athlete that you would expect from a high NFL lotto pick, either. Personally, I don’t think he’s any better than Boye Mafe who Seattle took early in the second round of the same draft he was selected in.

So why would Seattle any have interest in acquiring him now?

Well, the Giants picked up his fifth year option on his rookie contract and he’d come to town with two years left on a rookie deal when Mafe is set to be a free agent, and that’s something in a salary cap driven game. Another thing is that you can never really have enough quality edge rushers.

Also, DeMarcus Lawrence is 31 years old, and Uchenna Nwosu has been very injury prone, as we all know. Derick Hall and Mafe appear to be the future, but what if Seattle is leaning more towards choosing Hall over Mafe in terms of contract extensions, and that will lead a hole on the roster next offseason as they allow Mafe to enter free agency. They could use the presence of Thibodeaux here in that scenario, and maybe a change of scenery and getting with a great defensive head coach is the thing Thibodeaux will crave as he looks to ascend as a player before he hits free agency in 2027. He’s played college ball up here in the left hand corner of the USA, so he would know what to expect even if it lacks the glitz he prefers.

Again, I don’t know how likely this would be a thing for Seattle. They might be very out on him still if those rumors were true, but you never totally know.

I think trade compensation would be fairly steep, easily a day two pick, but what if Seattle and the Giants discussed a Riq Woolen for Thibodeaux scenario? Seattle gets another talented young pass rusher, and the Giants get a young cornerback who still possesses the rare physical traits to be one of the better shutdown corners in the game, and they can look to franchise tag next offseason to work out a long term contract with.

Mike Macdonald seems to especially love his defensive line, and wants it to be a deep and rich rotation, and he seems to know what he likes at cornerback and the backend. It’s early in his tenure here, but it feels like he prefers to emphasize strength in the trenches. This is the main reason why I wouldn’t rule a trade like this out for this club.

Closing Thoughts

These are trade scenarios that if Seattle made in the next week or so that I would get pretty excited about. I am sure there’s other possibilities out there, as well, that make decent sense, but these are the type of moves I want to see the Seahawks go attack.

In addition to these proposals, I could see Seattle having particular interest in Saints receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed, who knows the Kubiak system, and is a legitimate deep threat. I could see Macdonald especially liking his special teams value on top of improving receiver depth, and not necessarily taking reps away from promising rookie Tory Horton, either. He’s one to watch for Seattle.

It’s also worth noting that Raider receiver Jakobi Meyers wants out of Vegas with a new contract, and if Pete Carroll covets Riq Woolen, Meyers for Riq makes sense for both clubs, although I think Meyers and Cooper Kupp on the same team together has a redundant vibe. Right now, I’m sorta so so on that idea, but I could warm to it.

I suppose one should never rule out Seattle pursing Cincinnati edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, either. I wouldn’t hate the idea. He’s a great pass rusher, and would definitely be a spark up front as Seattle looks to preserve leads late in games. I just don’t know how altogether well he would fit Macdonald’s hybrid front that asks its edge rushers to play end and linebacker. Hendrickson has only ever played in standard 4-3 defensive fronts, and asking him to do exotic drops at 6-5 270 pounds might make him limited on the field in certain situations. Seattle’s scheme requires ends who can also legitimately play linebacker, and I don’t know if that is in his game. I know it is with Thibodeaux.

Of these players mentioned, the two that I have the strongest interest in are most definitely Alvin Kamara, and Chris Olave. Both players know this scheme well, and I feel alright for Seattle to continue developing Sundell and Bradford at guard and center, and seeing where that goes. I would love to add more stable weapons around Sam Darnold as he leads this thing further along the coarse of the season. Either one of these guys would be an exciting get.

If I had to choose one single player for Seattle to go get, however, it is most definitely Alvin Kamara based on what I’ve seen through four games on the year. Seattle has got to get it’s run came going consistently through the remainder of the season, and it is fairly reasonable to expect that a young offensive line with some decent talent now with much better coaching will settle in better, but then it comes to the running backs here. I think we can be much better there.

I’ve been very harsh on K9 in this blog, perhaps too harsh, but in my view, his issues simply have not progressed enough entering into his fourth season here. He makes me nervous. I don’t want to see Sam Darnold play in a lot of third and long situations this year, I want to see mostly third and short, or at least third and manageable. I want runners who know, and trust, and have instincts for this particular scheme. I want running backs who know how to net positive yards even if the blocking isn’t totally there on a play. Alvin Kamara, I feel, is still very that type of player in this league.

So, I say go get him.

Woolen for him straight across? I would not be upset about that.

Go Hawks.

My Mood Meter On The Seattle Seahawks Is..

Posted on December 8, 2023 by curtiseastwood

At 6-6 with five crucial games in the season left to play, the Seattle Seahawks still have it within themselves to win three games or maybe more, and still make the playoffs. I don’t greatly care if they do, and that absolutely stuns me.

For the first time since I can ever remember, I find myself feeling this way. Every year up to this point, from Dave Krieg leading this team to the playoffs for the first time when I was a kid, it has always been about making it to the post season. Even in that horrid year of 1992, when they went 2-14, and some dude named Stan Gelbaugh was their starting quarterback, I was blindly thinking playoffs.

I’m not thinking playoffs right now. I’m thinking how to we get this team to become more than what it is, which is the epitome of NFL mediocrity.

Forget about the Super Bowl, how do we get them to become a team that is actually feared in this league like it was a decade ago?

People will say that we need better guards, a true franchise quarterback, linebackers and safeties who can cover and tackle, and play callers who are actually good at their jobs, etc.

Yeah, okay. I won’t argue against that.

I’m nervous, however, this present regime run by Pete Carroll won’t see it this way. I can fully envision Carroll saying at the end of this season that he likes the young nucleus on the offensive line, he loves his coordinators, still thinks Jamal Adams is the player on defense to build around, and he wants to bring a slowed down Bobby Wagner back.

I gotta tell you folks, if those words come out of Coach’s mouth after this team finishes 8-9 or worse in January, I am going to have a hard time wrapping any sort of optimistic embrace around them next year. Hello Darkness My Old Friend may very well be playing on a hellish loop inside my mind every time I reach for one of my many Seahawk hoodies.

Walking this team back next year is not good enough. It would be like the Seattle Seahawks colluding with the Seattle Mariner ownership to suck all the joy and hope out of a PNW fanbase.

My mood meter for the Seattle Seahawks right now is as “meh” as meh can possibly be. Instead of looking forward to games, I am looking at mock draft articles. I’m not fixated on the present, I am almost entirely looking ahead.

Here are the things that I hope this organization is preparing to do to build themselves into a true contender starting next offseason, and winning three out of the next five games and sneaking into the playoffs isn’t likely going to change this list for me.

Shake Up This Coaching Staff

When this team was dominating in 2013-2014, Pete Carroll had an outstanding defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn, and he had an underrated offensive coordinator in Darrel Bevell. Progressively over the years, his coordinators have gotten worse, and thus so have his defenses and offenses.

Pete Carroll is a great culture builder and a master motivator, but I think it’s fair to say that he is not the tactician as other coaches are in this division. He needs great coordinators on his staff. Right now, it appears as if Seattle has two young coordinators who may very well be in over their heads.

Nowadays, Seattle is neither a top offensive team, nor is it a top defensive team. They have become as mediocre as mediocre can be, and if the season ended today, Seattle would be picking 15th overall in the first round of the draft. It quite frankly doesn’t get any mediocre than that, and this needs to drastically change.

In my ideal world, I would have Pete Carroll remain as the head coach of the Seahawks and coach through his contract that expires in 2025. I would have him move off of Shane Waldron as the offensive coordinator, and do the same for Clint Hurtt as the defensive coach. Neither side of the ball is playing well enough for me to believe either coordinator has earned the right to be back next year. The defense is only marginally improved from the god awful mess that it was last year, and the offense has greatly regressed.

At the end of this season, three defensive minded NFL head coaches, who have all been very good defensive coordinators in the past, could be out of a gig. Robert Saleh with the Jets (who used to be on Carroll’s Super Bowl winning staff), Dennis Allen with the Saints, and Matt Eberflus with the Bears could all be available for Carroll to bring in. If I were Seattle, I would make one of these guys a handsomely paid coordinator. Incidentally, each one of these guys prefers the 4-3 defensive scheme which had be a trademark of the great Pete Carroll defenses in years past.

I have nothing personal against Clint Hurtt, but two years into this thing, I think this whole shift to a modified 3-4 has been a frustrating failure, and I would prefer it if Carroll just returned to the 4-3 defense he knows inside and out. Watching Seattle flirt in this 3-4 has been a frustrating mess and I think it’s a bad defense to throw at the San Francisco 49er offense.

As for the offensive coordinator, how about this crazy idea? Why not bring Darrel Bevell back who is now serving at the pass game coordinator for the high octane offense of the Miami Dolphins?

For me, this is not a crazy idea. In fact, I think it might actually be a really good one.

Under Bevell, Seattle had the most success in the Carroll era, offensively. They were a league leading unit in explosive plays, and he figured out a way to best utilize Russell Wilson as a duo threat quarterback that caught the league off guard.

With Bevell down in Miami today, I think it is fair to think that perhaps he has gained insight into how to operate Mike McDaniels exotic Shanahan-esque offense. Personally, I would very much like that offense here in Seattle.

Former players have come back to Pete over the years. Why not this former coach?

Whether Carroll sticks it out or not, the one thing I know is that I don’t know if I can handle another season next year of this team underperforming with the talent it has on this roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. For me, I think the main issue has been Xs and Os over the Jimmies and Joes. We will see how this season plays out, but right now, I need changes on this staff.

Make The Tough Choices On Expensive Players Not Playing Up To Their Contracts

It’s not fun to write about player contracts and who is living up to them and who isn’t, but good teams do not pay top end dollars for middling results with players. Presently, Seattle has the most expensive starting safety tandem in the league and they do not play dominantly.

In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Jamal Adams has been one of the worst starting safeties in the league this year, and he has been especially terrible against the run. I have thought for a while that the team should move permanently to a linebacker role, but would you trust him to stay discipline in his technique to make the routine tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage?

His partner, Quandre Diggs, has been a better performer, but he still whiffs a lot in the open field on tackles. Diggs is set to make over $21 million next year if he is still on the team. That is an absurd amount to pay a safety who is decent but not great.

Adams is set to make over $26 million, and that is an insane amount to pay a safety who PFF thinks is one of the worst starters in the league. Even moving him to linebacker where he might function better as a player, paying him this amount seems like a gross dereliction of salary cap management. He has not been nearly the impact player they thought they were getting when they traded for him.

There is no universe where I think it is a good idea for this Seahawk organization to bring both safeties back in 2024 at these high salary rates. If I were John Schneider, I would move off of both of these players, and look to have Julian Love play one safety spot with possibly Coby Bryant competing for the other. I would also look to the NFL draft to see what I can find. Personally, I really dig Washington State safety Jaden Hicks as a possible option in the third round.

Another expensive veteran who is not really living up to the high salary he is earning is tight end Will Dissly. I love Uncle Will as much as the next fan, but he is not a $10 million a year level tight end in the league. I do not see how this team can bring him back in 2024 at this cost.

The most complicated issue salary wise for the team in 2024 might be Geno Smith. In 2024, he is due to make over $31 million dollars, and even though he hasn’t been helped by Waldron as a play caller, even the biggest Geno Smith fan has to acknowledge his regression this year over where he was at this point last year. Most metrics have him ranked at about the 18th best passer in the league this year.

Is it good spending to pay Geno $31 million next year when 17 other quarterbacks have been outperforming him in 2023? Or is it wise to cut him loose and try your hand with Gardner Minshew or Jacoby Brissett and look to the draft that appears deeper than usual at the position?

Lastly, there is the issue with Tyler Lockett and his $26 million set to be due on the books in 2024 when the team has DK Metcalf, Jaxon Smith Njigba, Dee Eskridge and Jake Bobo on the roster who are all younger and less expensive. It sucks to think about moving on from a Mr Seahawk like Lockett, but is $26 million to an older receiver on a roster loaded up with good receivers good spending?

Here is the stark reality facing this team in 2024 that a lot of fans don’t want to think about right now, but I will share. This team is going to be tighter against the cap, and they don’t have a starting linebacker contracted in 2024, nor do they have a starting tight end, starting left guard, or a starting center. They also just traded a second round pick and fifth round pick to the Giants for starting defensive tackle Leonard Williams who is set to be a free agent. This is a grim outlook.

If I were the GM of this team, I would absolutely cut my losses with Jamal Adams, and I also would cut loose Quandre Diggs. Those two moves would free up about $13 million dollars, and that would be the money I would look to use for signing Leonard Williams to a multi year contract. Williams provides a stoutness up front on their defense line that is more important than middling safety play on the backend.

If I were the GM, I would move off of the Will Dissly contract and use that money to try to retain starting linebacker Jordyn Brooks who at this stage, is probably more impactful of a player than Bobby Wagner is. If I can’t keep him, I look to free agency to add a younger linebacker, and I look at the draft.

If I were the GM, I would begrudgingly move on from Geno Smith’s contract, and use that money to bring in a cheaper veteran solution at quarterback, and I would look to the draft. I have made my steadfast desires about this team drafting Michael Penix Junior well known, but there are others in this draft class who would also get me pretty excited.

Seattle can free themselves of the Geno contract, and open up nearly $30 million in cap space to go after a solid veteran guard and possibly a solid veteran center, as well, and finally fix this offensive line right, instead of continually shelling out one year prove it deals on journeymen players such as Phil Haynes and the countless players they’ve tried to plug at center over the years. They could add someone like Gardner Minshew who has been a somewhat decent starter, and they set themselves up to draft a player to be the next franchise passer.

If I were GM, I would move off of the weirdly big contract this team gave backup nose tackle Brian Mone, and I think they probably will. Someone needs a noogy on their head for even signing him to that deal in the first place.

If I were GM, I would hang onto Tyler Lockett even though he’s expensive. I like having one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the league, and if I am drafting a quarterback, I want him to benefit from that.

Add To The Trenches In Free Agency

The only players set to be free agents that I would be greatly inclined to bring back would be Leonard Williams, Jordyn Brooks, and tight end Noah Fant.

As stated above, this team needs to quit toying around with their offensive and defensive lines. Teams like the Eagles and 49ers annually look to add to their lines, not subtract, and low and hold, they are annually NFC powerhouses. Football is not rocket science. The teams that run better and stop the run better generally do better at winning games.

Here is a short list of quality NFL guards set to be free agents in 2024. Robert Hunt of the Dolphins, Jonah Jackson of the Lions, Jon Runyan of the Packers are all probably big upgrades over Damien Lewis for the Seahawks. For my money, if Robert Hunt hits the open market, I would love to see Seattle pounce on him.

Here is a short list of pending free agent centers. Connor Williams of the Dolphins, and Lloyd Cushenberry of the Broncos, and Andre James of the Raiders. Getting Connor Williams to pair with Robert Hunt both from the Dolphins would be an ideal scenario for Seattle. Retaining Evan Brown actually wouldn’t be a terrible move for the team as a Plan B, as he has been the one consistent player on the unit all season, but I want greatness at that position, for once.

As for the defensive line, just work out a multi year deal with Leonard Williams, and develop DTs behind him. I like the players around him enough on this unit to feel like Seattle is building something if they can just retain him. So, do it.

Draft A Quarterback To Develop Into A Starter

This coming draft class could involve as many as ten quarterbacks who could be viewed as eventual starters in this league. I think it’s likely that six could easily be drafted in the first round. If the season ended today, Seattle would hold the 15th overall pick. If Seattle finishes at 8-9 or worse, that pick could easily climb closer to the top ten. This should put Seattle in position to draft one of these quarterbacks.

As already stated, I have been very outward in my belief that Seattle should have UW’s Michael Penix Junior high on their draft board. He has an elite arm, he can make every single NFL throw, he’s accurate, he’s big and athletic enough, and he has a pension for winning games. His age and injury history almost might make him the fourth or fifth quarterback on a lot of teams’ draft boards in a draft that could also include Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, JJ McCarthy, and Bo Nix.

If Penix manages to land at whatever pick Seattle is selecting at in round one, I pray they do not overthink it, and take another player. Penix fits what Carroll wants to do as a big armed deep passer working off of play action, and he’s a high character dude. Even more so, he’s now firmly a local legend. Fans will likely be more patient with Penix than they are at this point with Geno Smith, or possibly a different drafted quarterback.

But like I said, there are others in this coming draft class who could present really interesting options. For my money, I would probably be just as excited if Seattle landed Jayden Daniels or Bo Nix. Just go get one of these guys, and look at other areas of need afterwards.

Final Thoughts

This team is not built to compete with the 49ers, and I don’t know if it’s even built to compete with the Rams. I fear that continuing the status quo will give Arizona an opportunity to surpass them in the division with their new coaching staff, and upcoming draft capital.

Last year, Arizona ownership said enough is enough with Kliff Kingsbury, and moved on when it was clear that mediocrity was about as far as Kingsbury would take them. It should be noted that they did this after gifting him a brand new contract extension the year before.

Would Jody Allen and her Vulcan crew do the same in Seattle if Carroll leads this team to a losing season?

I have my doubts, but she may insist on new coordinators, and she may grant general manager John Schneider more autonomy from Carroll’s overriding powers of the front office. This is my realistic hope for this team.

I’m not convinced it was Schneider who wanted Seattle to overspend for Jamal Adams in that trade with the Jets and then sink nearly $48 million dollars into two starting safeties. My gut tells me those were all of Carroll’s desires.

I think this team needs to move on from Jamal Adams this offseason. His play doesn’t warrant his salary, and fans are growing tired of him not living up to the billing.

Also, when I watch Adams play, and I don’t see a great team guy. I see a person who loves to celebrate with over the top antics whenever he makes a play, and I see a dude who misses too many tackles and isn’t a great cover safety. He also often behaves like a total jerk, and the way in which he most recently went after a NY Jet reporter on Twitter taking shots at his wife is a terrible look.

I don’t want a guy like this on the team I root for, and I don’t think he is doing this culture any favors. I think it would best for the team and the player if they parted ways after the season is done.

I like Quandre Diggs as a player but not at $20 million APY. I don’t see a safety in the league worth with this contract, to be honest.

Lastly, I don’t really want to see this team part ways with Geno Smith in the coming offseason, but given the fact that this roster is in no way shape or form ready to truly compete with San Francisco, I see logic in freeing up cap space to go out and truly land two high quality veteran additions to the interior of this offensive line. If Seattle hangs onto Geno in 2024, I don’t think they will be in a position to make these sort of moves even if they cut their safeties, Will Dissly, and Brian Mone, and also try to retain Leonard Williams, Noah Fant, and Jordyn Brooks.

The easiest way to properly build this roster up to win games against San Francisco might just be to release Geno Smith in February. If they did that and it landed them a stud guard, and a really good center, and they brought in Gardner Minshew or Marcus Mariota, or whoever else at a cheaper cost to compete with a rookie quarterback, I would get totally behind that.

This is where I oddly find myself with this team presently. I don’t have much faith in them over this final stretch of games. I have found myself more frustrated in the coaching of this team than I can ever remember beyond the brutal Mike Flores era of Seahawk football. That is saying something.

I love Pete Carroll, but I cannot handle this continual lack of discipline, and I really can’t handle frustrating play calling, and odd schemes that don’t appear to be working. I am long past tired of the antics of Jamal Adams paired with his underwhelming play. I am really super tired of the offensive line being a nonstop issue with this team.

I need change.

Frankly, I kinda think Geno Smith deserves better than this after winning Comeback Player Of The Year last year. I kinda think maybe playing for a team like Minnesota next year might be a really good thing for him while Seattle finally starts to sort all this shit out.. finally.

This is my mood meter. It is as “meh” as it can be for the team I love most. I would like it to change.