What an incredible weekend for Seattle sports fans. On Friday Night, the Team Of Destiny Seattle Mariners defeated the Detroit Tigers in 15 innings of gritty baseball to advance to the ALCS, and on Sunday evening, they took game one in Toronto against a well rested Blue Jays team. On Sunday morning, the Seahawks kicked off against a talented Jaguars team in Jacksonville, and they beat them down, 20-12, to advance to 4-2, and a three way tie for first place in the NFC West.

After losing a tough high scoring shootout battle against the Tampa Bay Bucs last weekend, I had a lot of Sunday morning nerves about the Seahawks chances in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have been the big surprise storyline in the NFL this season, thus far. They have been winning by playing smart football, establishing the run, and playing impressive defense. Their defense, in fact, had been leading the league in creating turnovers heading into Sunday. Trevor Lawrence, while not at the red hot level of Sam Darnold, or Baker Mayfield this year, felt like a talented young quarterback finally starting to turn the corner as a pro.

Seattle’s defense, last week, played like wet butt against Baker Mayfield, to be brutally blunt. For Seattle to win this game, I thought we would have to rely on Darnold playing another strong game, and we would have to hope that Seattle’s defense would find with within itself to hold it together while missing three quarters of its starting secondary again for the second straight game. That last part felt like a big ask.

Well, apparently Mike Macdonald still knows a thing or two about coaching NFL defenses because Seattle’s defense kicked the snot out of Lawrence, and company on their home turf. Didn’t see this coming, but it was a sight to see. On Sunday, Seattle had the better quarterback and defense, and they won because of that.

The defense wasn’t perfect, and neither was Darnold, but they were pretty damn close to it. Darnold had one bad play where he put the ball in harm’s way at a critical time late in the game, but he was otherwise brilliant as a passer, yet again. In terms of the defense, I still think there remained issues on the backend with coverage minus starting safety Julian Love, and corners Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, and this game showed it. I also think that there remains some concerns with linebacker, as well, but holy smokes did Seattle’s pass rush show up big time when it was desperately needed.

I don’t think it is hyperbole to state the Seattle has perhaps the top DT tandem in the league with Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy pass rushing together inside, and the return of edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence was sight to behold with how he stopped the run and pass rushed.

Still, with all the talent that Seattle has on their defensive line, it was clear that Mike Macdonald felt they had to blitz Lawrence in order to effect Jacksonville’s passing attack. Up until this game, Seattle had not been known as a big blitzing team in the league. Macdonald loves to rush four and drop seven. Against Lawrence, however, perhaps Macdonald sensed a opportunity to go after him a bit more knowing he’s still not the most polished passer in the league, and the blitz would help his depleted secondary some.

This was the sense I got out of this game. If Seattle was in a match with a top tier quarterback, they might have done things differently, and lost like they did last week. This is the main reason why I believe that sitting at 4-2 now, in a wide open NFC, Seattle should look to deal for an impact defender, or two. I want two more pieces, and I want them now.

It is clear that through six games, Seattle has one of the best quarterbacks in the league playing for them. Sam Darnold has played through six games, against six really good defenses, and by most metrics, he’s played elite against them all. I think the chances are that as this season progresses, he and his receivers will only get better.

Would it be fun to add Chris Olave who played for Klint Kubiak last year? Sure. Is it necessary? Not as much as adding a quality linebacker next to Ernest Jones, or safety depth.

Jaxon Smith Njigba feels like a better receiver than Justin Jefferson now, and perhaps the top receiver in the game (not hyperbole). Cooper Kupp is proving a solid complimentary piece to JSN. AJ Barner has significantly progressed as a starting tight end, and Tory Horton remains an intriguing third receiver. Ken Walker and Zach Charbonnet are playing better within this scheme now, and feel like a very solid one two punch together as runners. This young offensive line, while still needing work as a run blocking unit, has been a revelation in terms of how it has pass blocked together.

Then there is Darnold, who is Pro Football Focus’s favorite quarterback. Everything he is doing feels sustainable in this offense, and he feels like he can be the guy here in Seahawk blue for the next six to seven years pretty easily.

All of this leads me to the place of feeling very strongly that Seattle should not feel queasy about surrendering draft picks in 2026 to fortify their defense more. To my eyes, the Seahawks should look to improve their situation at weak side linebacker, and depth at safety. For as much as it was fun to see the pass rush return against Jacksonville, I would love to see them make a big splash at edge rush, if they can, as well, but for my money, I want a quality starting WILL linebacker next to Ernest Jones, allowing Tyrice Knight and Drake Thomas to be quality backups, and I need stronger insurance at safety in place of Julian Love being out, and the potential of Coby Bryant getting banged up, too.

The NY Jets are now starring at 0-6, and they have quality players on their defense despite their losing ways. Veteran linebacker Quincy Williams would be an ideal addition to Mike Macdonald’s defense, but the 49ers have lost All Pro LB Fred Warner for the season with a broken ankle and their DC is Robert Saleh, formerly the head coach of the Jets. With Seattle and San Fran tied for the division lead, it seems destined that both teams will be now looking at making trades, and it seems natural that Saleh would look towards a former player of his, but there are other teams pretty much out of contention now that the Seattle could look towards.

The Miami Dolphins, in particular, are now 1-5, and their head coach is on the verge of getting fired. They have former Seahawk Jordyn Brooks who John Schneider wanted to bring back last year, but couldn’t get a deal done. Miami plays a defense that features a very similar scheme to what Seattle deploys and Brooks played a lot of WILL and MIKE backer in his time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Seattle looked to reunite with him.

Speaking of former Seattle Seahawk, the Titans have also now dropped to 1-5, and Quandre Diggs is playing safety for them. He was a popular player in Seattle for a spell, and at the very least would offer valuable veteran leadership and depth. Could Seattle look to reunite? It’s an interesting thought.

Another former Seahawk defender with the Titans is linebacker Cody Barton who blossomed more in the league after he left Seattle. He’s played well for a good Bronco’s defense last year, and is a natural WILL linebacker who has been good in coverage. I think he’s a consideration.

The Saints are also now 1-5, and they have two talented veteran linebackers that they could look to deal, and they have a very interesting edge rusher in Carl Granderson who would be a fun addition to Seattle’s pass rush, if they want to further bolster it.

Then there is the 1-5 Baltimore Ravens, the team that Mike Macdonald was the defensive coordinator for. The Ravens already dealt off one of their young edge rushers, but what about star linebacker Roquan Smith? He was a Macdonald favorite in Baltimore, the player they traded for from the Bears who solidified his defense into being the best in the league. Could Seattle be eyeing him to come in and partner with Ernest Jones? It’s an extremely interesting thought.

One more Macdonald favorite from Baltimore would be safety Geno Stone who is currently on the 2-4. He was an intercepting machine for Macdonald in 2023. Maybe he’s a guy they now make a play for? It would make sense.

One thing to keep in mind for Seattle is the wild card of hybrid rookie player Nick Emmonwari who through two games since coming back from his week one injury, as been playing on fire for the defense. Emmonwari plays exclusively a Big Nickel role, which if you do not know what that it, it is like a hybrid of a safety/nickel corner/linebacker. He is being groomed into being the ultimate chess piece in Macdonald’s defense that mostly plays in a 4-2-5 front, and basically, while Emmonwari lists on the roster as a safety, he functions almost more like a linebacker who covers slot receivers and tight ends.

The main reason why I bring this up about Emmonwari is that it is unreasonable to assume that he’s going to take over either of the deep safety roles of this defense anytime soon, if at all. Same with an idea that he could fill in at WILL linebacker. His niche is this Big Nickel spot that will likely be the single most unique trait to the Seahawk defense moving forward. He is Macdonald’s eraser in the flat, making life difficult for tight ends, running backs and receivers in a specific area of the field while also providing blitz abilities. If anything, as he gets more comfortable in this role, his presence might relegate Devon Witherspoon to a more pure outside corner position moving forward.

Which leads me to the Seahawk cornerback position, and my uncertainty whether they need do go out and acquire more talent there. I think this game against the Jaguars showed that if you can get enough competent safety and linebacker coverage play, cornerback for this particular defense might be more plug and play that I had been thinking in recent weeks. If Seattle has two really good coverage backers, and really good safeties, and Emmonwari, perhaps they can survive on Josh Jobe, Derion Kendrick, Shaq Griffin, along with Spoon coming back, and perhaps Riq Woolen can be a player dealt for a veteran at another spot.

Final thing before I close this one out. I have listed linebacker and safety as my biggest needs for this team, and side mentioned edge rusher. I don’t want to dismiss the idea of Seattle making a big shocking move for a big named edge rusher who might be out there on the Market. The Bengals are 2-4 and so are the Vegas Raiders.

Trey Hendrickson is a name long been tossed out as a potential trade target for the Seahawks dating back to training camp. He is 30 years old and is on the last year of his contract. I don’t know if he is someone the Bengals will deal or be very stubborn about, but I don’t think the trade for Joe Flacco is going to save their season, and if Seattle offered their third round pick for him as a rental with a chance to sign back in the offseason, that feels like a pick that could prove valuable to the Bengals as they look to build more through the draft than ever with all the big contracts given to their receivers and quarterback. This would feel like a very John Schneider move to make now, and maybe Macdonald just sees winning with top shelf pass rush as the way to win the division more so than linebacker and safety or corner help.

Then there is the Raiders with one Maxx Crosby, who while he is Mr Raider, at age 28 how much longer does he really want to wait out this team finally getting competent?

They could have pursued Sam Darnold last offseason, but Tom Brady stepped in and waived that away, wanting 35 year old Geno Smith, instead, who has been awful for them. They beat the lowly Titans, 10-20, but again, Geno didn’t look great, and they now have to face the gauntlet of facing the Chiefs, Jags, and Broncos over the next three games. They could easily be 2-7 in a few weeks with a busted season.

It was reported that Schneider asked about Crosby in the Geno trade and was willing to deal DK there in addition for him last offseason. What if Seattle offered Vegas a couple first round picks for Crosby? Vegas would have the draft capital necessary to find their next quarterback, and more properly fill out their roster, and Seattle would get to add a star edge rusher who is contracted through 2029. It feels win win for both organizations.

This is an idea that was floated out last week by Rob Staton of Seahawks Draft Blog, and I think it is a really interesting one. I just don’t know if the Raiders front office would be ballsy enough to trade their most popular player, and supremely piss off the majority of its fanbase, but it is a fun thought for Seattle in terms of going all in.

And, at this point, why not go all in on this team this year? The Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers are all resting at 4-2, so why not create a NFC West arms race battle for the division?

Seattle’s arguably got the hottest quarterback in the division right now, and certainly one of the hottest ones in the entire conference and league. They also have the hottest receiver in the league in JSN. They have an offensive line that is generally not terrible and is actually pretty decent at pass blocking, and I think their run game is showing some signs of turning the corner. While I would love to see them trade for an upgrade at center or right guard, I don’t see quality centers or guards being available on the market.

So, why not make a good defense an absolutely terrifyingly defense now?

I think John Schneider and Mike Macdonald should think big about what might be out there, and go get it. Roquan Smith added to this defense sounds fun. Maxx Crosby sounds franchise altering. I’m ready to think big for this team, and I hope the front office is, too.

Go Hawks!

Every year, I walk away from watching the NFL draft feeling pretty good about the Seattle Seahawks. I just want to be clear about that, and you are free to take this article with as much of a grain of salt as you wish with the knowledge of this simple fact.

This is want glass half full people do in life, and I am definitely a glass half full type to the extent that I feel I sometimes offend others when I am not as mad and outraged about something as they are. My survival instincts are such that I gravitate to find assurances in the positives, and not dwell upon negatives to the point of walking into the ocean waters to never return again.

If the zombie apocalypse were to happen tomorrow, and I made it through the first day, my thought might become “at least real estate in Seattle will become cheap again.”

So, I was okay with Seattle taking a running back in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft when they could have had Lamar Jackson as a developmental quarterback behind Russell Wilson. I was also fine in 2019, when they reached for a need at edge rusher in LJ Collier instead of taking one of the many good offensive linemen that were available. I was even okay with them taking wide receiver Dee Eskridge in 2021 over all pro center Creed Humphrey when offensive line was clearly their bigger need than a third wideout was. “In Pete and John I trust” was my happy motto in all of these instances.

But these are examples of draft decisions that GM John Schneider has been a part of that have had Seattle Seahawk fans pulling their hairs out, screaming at their television sets, and wanting to see his ass canned, if not his head handed to them on a silver platter (twitter reactions can be intense). This offseason, the anti Schneider delegation of the Seahawk fanbase has grown to an all time high fever pitch, fueled by a 2024 season that saw a dysfunctional Seattle offense with another piss poor offensive line effort, but make no mistake about it; Seattle’s draft history from 2017 to 2021 has been built up ammo against the lovable movie quoting GM.

We will never know for certain if those picks were more influenced by him or Pete Carroll (who had final say over personnel decisions), but it is interesting that in two draft cycles now with Mike Macdonald as coach, Seattle has emphasized the interiors of their defensive and offensive lines with their first pick. That feels very contrasting to time spent with Pete, and it was very eye opening to see Vegas select a running back at 6th overall Thursday night when they could’ve taken offensive tackle Armand Membou, who was regarded the most physically talented offensive lineman in the entire draft class. Let that sink in if you have been more of a Pete person than a John person as a Seattle Seahawk fan over the years.

Anyhoo, I digress from the topic I intended to write about.

The Seattle Seahawks, and maybe specifically GM John Schneider, needed to absolutely destroy this draft after a season of Mike Macdonald taking over for the very popular Pete Carroll, leading the team to the 10-7 record, but just missing out on the playoffs again. For many fans, it was season full of frustrating mixed results. We saw much better defensive efforts, but that was to be coupled with erratic and dysfunctional offensive football.

This led to offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb (popular with diehard Husky fans serving also as Seahawk fans) getting fired, and fueling controversy over airwaves, and social media. Seahawk fans who were also diehard Husky loyalists were more apt to blame Macdonald for the offense’s dysfunction than heaping the blame on Grubb, even though Grubb was clearly out of his depths of understanding professional defenses he was coaching against.

Then we had both Geno Smith and DK Metcalf asking for trades and finding their ways out of the 206 are code (also upsetting to a lot of fans and their supporters in the media). When your starting quarterback and one of your starting receivers wants out, it could be construed by an average fan that all is not great at the VMAC, especially if that average fan was quite attached to said player(s).

So, yeah, John Schneider really needed to nail this draft. Like, he had to crush this mother out of the park, and then some.

Well, I am here to report to you, as a diehard, glass half ful, Seattle Seahawk fan, that he did that. I mean, John Schneider absolutely murdered this motherfucker.

I am not using hyperbole when stating that I believe this could become Schneider’s greatest draft class ever, even greater than the famed 2012 draft that saw us land Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson, and many other starters. I needed a day to let this draft settle down with me, and not be too overly reactive with my positivity, but this is where I sit with it two days later.

If you get two quality starters out of a draft, guys who can easily work themselves into extensions after four seasons, that is a pretty good draft haul, and you did well as a front office. I think there is a very reasonable chance in four years time, we could see four top end starters coming out of this class for the Seahawks that they will choose to extend, if not more. That is potentially a massively good haul, and a franchise redefining one, at that.

Let me stress again this again. We could see four of them, but I think there is also a chance that it could be more.

Here are my breakdowns are each player selected in order, and you can decide for yourselves after this piece if you are ready to get more excited about the future of the Seattle Seahawks franchise tucked away in the never rainy always sunny Pacific Northwest.

North Dakota State Guard Grey Zabel

I am reluctant to put this on his plate, but it is impossible not to compare this kid to hall of fame Seattle Seahawk guard Steve Hutchinson. I do think his upside good be pretty close to that, though. That is not to say that he won’t have any welcome the NFL moments as a rookie, he will, but I view him as an instant plug and play player, most likely at left guard, and I think he has the physical traits and game tape to project as a pro bowl guard for Seattle, if not an annual All Pro player. Guys who have the college tape that he has, and the extreme explosive traits that he has generally make for really good NFL offensive linemen. Seattle was extremely fortunate that he was still available at pick 18. For some fun historical context, Hutchinson was taken 17th overall back in 2001. I haven’t been this excited about a Seattle first rounder in ages.

South Carolina Safety Nick Emmanwori

Emmanwori was a popular prospect with Seahawk fans for picking at 18, and Seattle traded up for him in round two, taking him at pick 35. In his press conference, Schneider commented that when Seattle traded up for him, they felt like they acquired two first round picks with him, and Zabel. He was extremely popular with Seattle defensive coaches through the draft process. It is easy to see why. He has the highest performance scoring out of any college safety coming out of the NFL scouting combine, ever. His athleticism is off the charts, and it is paired with a huge 6-3, 220 pound frame. It is easy to compare him to Kam Chancellor (a self confessed hero of his), but I think he’s different. He’s a much better athlete than Bam Bam was, a bit less of a hammer, but maybe more of an overall playmaker. He plays the run like an extra linebacker, though, and is described as a tight end eraser by draft pundits, which is exciting considering who we play against within the division. This is a very exciting pick.

Miami Tight End Elijah Arroyo

There are reports that a number of NFL teams had Arroyo as a top 25 physical talent in this draft, but they are scared away by his injury history from a few seasons ago. Seattle was not scared, though, and took a big swing at the fences by taking him at 50. His 2024 college game tape is an exciting watch, when he played a healthy season, and was a big time playmaker for Cam Ward and the Canes. He is yet another high profile explosive athlete, but better yet, he has an unusually advanced route tree for a college tight end. On top of his explosive traits, his ability to stretch the field as a big man, he is a very gifted route runner, and in Klint Kubiak’s system, route running is the most import thing for any receiver to show. Seattle could elect to keep Noah Fant around to ease Arroyo into this offense in 2025, but I wouldn’t be totally surprised if Seattle chooses to let him go if they feel Arroyo can step right into being a day one starter. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Alabama Quarterback Jalen Milroe

At pick 92 in the third round, the Seattle Seahawks took this highly athletic college quarterback. I have to be careful about how I project Milroe because I don’t want to set expectations up to a higher level than they should be right now for him. Due to the fact that there is so much meat on the bone when it comes to this quarterback and how it impacts Seattle with his selection, I will be writing a separate piece about him in the coming days. There is a lot to digest here, but for now, let me say a few short things about him.

I watched a lot of games of his last year when I thought there was a chance he could be a target for Seattle in this draft. He is a phenomenal athlete on the field as a quarterback. He has incredible wheels and instincts as a runner, and he has a cannon of an arm that launches some very impressive deep passes. He is very unpolished as a traditional passer, however, and he will have a lot to clean up as a developmental quarterback, and therefore, it is pretty unrealistic to expect him to compete with Sam Darnold this year for the QB1 job, and it might take him a few seasons to develop into that situation, if he does. In that, I will also say that if Klint Kubiak is successful at cleaning up a few fundamentals of his game, Jalen Milroe has all the physical talents in the world to become a superstar quarterback in the NFL. That is his ceiling, and it is a very exciting thought to think about as a Seattle Seahawk fan.

Notre Dame Defensive Lineman Rylie Mills

Mills had his fans with the draft pundits, and some folks even had a late second round grade on him. He tore up his knee in the college playoffs, however, and wasn’t able to physically test for teams. Due to this, he fell in the draft to early round five, where John Schneider has an excellent track record of making great value selections over the years (AKA Round Five John Schneider Magic). His college tape is pretty impressive as a power rusher, and run stuffer. According to Mike Macdonald, defensive coordinator Aden Durde was banging the table loudly for him. I suspected that Seattle would target a massive nose tackle type, and Mills isn’t that, but he has the traits to play the big power end role in Seattle’s defense that Roy Robertson Harris provided last year, but he will need time to properly heal. His impact on this team might be further down the round, but he’s a very interesting value pick.

Colorado State Receiver Tory Horton

Personally, I am pretty high on Horton as a receiver, and I was anticipating that he would be Seattle’s pick in the third round. I felt like that would be the area he would go, and that was sort of the projections I saw for him alot online. Needless, to say that I was happy to see Seattle get him later in round five with some more Round Five Schneider Magic Making.

I became a Horton stan after I watched a game of his in college a couple years ago when Colorado was battling Colorado State, and I dialed into because of the Coach Prime Time hype that was happening. Naturally, all the talk was about Prime and his kid at quarterback for the Buffs, but during the battle, my eyes kept going to Horton whenever the Rams were on offense. He seemed like a 12th grader playing against 6th grade kids at times, making impressive catch after impressive catch that led to a Colorado State upset over Prime and Son. It was a fun game to watch, and as it stands for the Seahawks, I think he has the talent to challenge for this third receiver role this year, and he could become WR2 down the road, mark my words on this. In his press conference, John Schneider compared him to Packer great Donald Driver, and I can see it.

Alabama Fullback Robbie Ouzts

I will admit that I had no idea who the bleep this cat was when Seattle took him late in the firth round, but after I saw Seattle listing him as a 6-3, 275 pound fullback instead of the tight end role he played for the Tide, I got excited about the prospects of more John Schneider Round Five Magic brewing in our faces again.

Why am I excited about this? This feels like a very Baltimore Raven thing to do, and anyone who knows my thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks knows how much I am desperate for this team to ultimately emulate the Ravens way. I want it so much so that I want the Seahawks to feel like the NFC version of the Ravens, and this pick makes me feel like they are heading more and more towards that. Exciting stuff to think that a big run blocking college tight end from a top SEC program can convert to a big, powerful, forceful lead blocker for Seattle running backs and provide Sam Darnold a bit of a safety outlet as a receiver. I bloody well love this draft pick for Seattle, and if your are desirous for physical running NFL football to return to the PNW you should bloody well love this pick, as well. Go Hawks!

Kansas Guard Bryce Cabeldue

Again, great value day three pick by John Schneider, but this time in round six. Cabeldue was an athletic tackle in college who scored high PFF grades as a zone blocker. Some viewed him as a third round pick talent, and Seattle got him much later. I think he is a guard in Seattle’s system, but he has flexibility to play tackle in a pinch, and maybe even stick there. This selection, I believe puts Anthony Bradford’s roster spot in jeopardy as it sounds like Seattle’s intention is to have him play guard. We shall see.

Miami Running Back Damien Martinez

For as exciting as the Milroe pick is, I think this might be the pick that really puts this draft class over the top. I was shocked to see Martinez available in the seventh round. Martinez feels like the type of back that a team drafts in round four, and elevates quickly as a productive starter for them. He is a powerfully built one cut inside runner who was coached up really well in college to be patient with his blockers, see the holes, and explode through them. This point of patience is critical for a zone blocking attack that is all about the offensive line reaching levels and creating lanes. The zone system requires running backs who are patient to wait for lanes to materialize, and if I am being honest about Ken Walker, that has been a blemish of his as a starting running back for the Seahawks. Martinez is an interesting grab for Seattle.

Iowa Tackle Mason Richman

I haven’t the faintest clue about Richman, and I won’t pretend that I do. A little more digging around on the internet shows that he was a four year starter at left tackle for the Hawkeyes, and had a pass blocking grade 79.6 by PFF last year, which is encouraging. Mel Kiper noted in his A draft grade for Seattle that he really liked this pick, and that is also pretty damn cool.

UNLV Wide Receiver Ricky White

Like Martinez, I was genuinely surprised to see Ricky White still available in the seventh round. He was a highly productive college wide out for the Runnin’ Rebels, a smooth route runner, solid pass catcher who can high point passes, and he’s a separation artist. He didn’t run a fast 40 yard dash at the combine, and this must have sank his draft stock, but he looks more sudden in games than this 40 time suggests. At any rate, his fall benefits Seattle because he is a complete system fit for what Kubiak needs his receivers to be. This was a great value pickup at the end of the draft.

Closing thoughts and feels

As I mentioned above, a good draft class is when you have landed a couple starters who can be long terms pieces to your team’s roster. Guys who can be good enough starters that you look to keep them around into a second contract.

Seattle had three outstanding drafts in a row from 2010 to 2012 that helped define the height of the Legion of Boom era. I think Seattle has had two really good drafts in a row between 2022 and 2023 that has helped them survive the Russell Wilson trade, and build towards a promising future. I believe the 2024 draft is trending well with the big time potential of Byron Murphy, the promising way Tyrice Knight played at linebacker, how AJ Barner played at tight end, and I still believe in Christian Haynes as a serviceable right guard in the future, and I believe Sataoa Laumea belongs as a guard in the NFL, as well.

This draft, however, feels potentially super duper special, and allow me to explain why I see it this way. I will try to make this as succinct as possible.

I believe that Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori have the rare athletic traits and game tape at their respective positions on the offensive line, and at safety to be regular pro bowl players, and possibly All Pro players, as well. On top of that, I can see both of them being tone setters on both sides of the ball. I can see Zabel being that nasty play through the whistle ring leader of Seattle’s running attack, and I can see Emmanwori evolving into that spirited back end defender that offensive coordinators have got to account for. The idea of Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon working together in coverage and as secondary run defenders and blitzers is an exciting concept in my mind.

Elijah Arroyo could be vintage Vernon Davis in this offense. Provided he stays healthy enough, he could easily become a true mismatch receiving tight end who can stretch the field, run all routes, create huge YAC production in space, and generally be a regular pain in the ass for defensive coordinators to think about. Seattle gave up a rare big bodied receiver when they traded DK Metcalf, but they gained one at the tight end position with Arroyo. He has definite pro bowl potential down the road.

Again, I will write more extensively about my thoughts on Jalen Milroe (I have many). For now, I will simply say that if Klint Kubiak can coach some bad tendencies out of him, and clean up his short area accuracy issues, get him to comfortably function in a proper pro style offense, he could become an exciting QB1 down the road. In the meantime, he has a natural skillset that is so rare in this league that I would have to imagine Kubiak and Macdonald have plans for that in packages this year, and that have me wanting to go see more games live. It honestly does.

As for the rest, I think there is a strong chance Seattle found its starting fullback in Robbie Ouzts, and there is a very reasonable chance, in my mind, that Tory Horton can grow into the WR2 role, in time. It would not shock me if Seattle develops eventual starters in Mills, Martinez, and Cabeldue, as well, and I think Ricky White will surprise a lot of Seahawk fans this preseason (he’s a good system fit).

So, as I see it, Schneider has landed at least three likely high end starters who will be fixtures here for the next decade of Seahawk football, and it is somewhat possible that he has landed a fourth one who will be a star quality franchise quarterback. There is probably another starter in Ouzts if he takes to the fullback stop which they seem excited about for him.

There could be three to four other starters coming out of this haul. Not all of these guys will play into second contracts if they develop into starters, but some of them might.

If all of this happens, this will be, without any doubt, John Schneider’s career defining draft class, outdoing the famous Seattle Seahawk draft of 2012. It will put him into the Hall of Fame as a general manager, no doubt, especially if Macdonald and Kubiak develop Milroe into a quality starting quarterback in this league.

All big ifs, I am sure, but that is what we are looking at here. This is the reasonable potential of this draft class. This is what I can comfortably conclude with my glass half full perspective.

And if you want a glass half empty take from me because that is just the way you roll, sure, Elijah Arroyo might never stay healthy enough to be a reliable starting tight end, Milroe might never becomes more than a Taysom Hill gadget player, and it might prove that Seattle should have taken another offensive lineman at 35 instead of a playmaking safety. All of this could also prove true.

Just let me know if you need some encouragement when the zombies eventually show up in your front yard.

Go Hawks!

There are many reasons why I have supported the Seahawks moving on from Geno Smith, and DK Metcalf, and I have liked both players a lot during their time in Seattle. For me, I was not shocked by either move. In fact, I applauded both trades.

Through the course of last season, doubt began to grow steadily in my mind as to whether DK was a Mike Macdonald guy, and maybe whether Geno was, as well. The fact that both fellas requested trades out of here confirmed it. If you are a Macdonald guy, you will want to be here (see Ernest Jones). If you are not, then you will probably be fine to move on.

It’s all good, though. When new regimes come in, there is typically a feel out phase for the coaches, and the players.

When the legendary Mike Holmgren took over the team in 1999, superstar receiver Joey Galloway decided to hold out for half a season, and after the season concluded, he was dealt to Dallas for two first round picks. The Walrus wasn’t playing.

So, nothing needs to be controversial about this reality of DK, and Geno wanting out and moving on. It just is. For younger Seahawk fans who had a decade and a half of Pete Carroll football, I can understand this being a shock to their system. I just see it differently.

If you are well into your middle age years, such as I, and you have followed NFL football most of your life, you see cycles with the team you closely follow. Every major coaching cycle that I have witnessed with the Seattle Seahawks since 1983, when Chuck Knox replaced Jack Patera, there have been major shakeups of the roster, especially at quarterback.

Knox replaced franchise quarterback Jim Zorn with a little known backup by the name of Dave Krieg midway through his first season here, and Krieg never looked back. Years later, Tom Flores replaced Krieg with what eventually would become Rick Mirer. Dennis Erickson was quick to move off of Mirer and cycled through John Friesz, Warren Moon, and eventually landed on Jon Kitna. Mike Holmgren eventually replaced Kitna with Matt Hasselbeck and Trent Dilfer. Pete Carroll then replaced Hasselbeck with what eventually became Russell Wilson. Such is the cycle of new coach and quarterback life.

So it should be no shock to any long term Seahawk fan in year two of Mike Macdonald, Geno Smith has been replaced by Sam Darnold. Not if you are a geezer, such as I am.

People can say that it was John Schneider who was the one for moved off of Geno Smith, but I would have to imagine that if Mike Macdonald was that much of huge believer in him, he would have implored John not to trade him. I’m going to guess the Macdonald didn’t fight too hard against this move. Not if he saw an alternative on the horizon that he thought he could get similar results out of, and is significantly younger.

Why Seattle moved on from Geno when Macdonald seemed to embrace him is a bit cloudy, I will admit. Seattle’s proposal to him for an extension wasn’t that different than what he ended up agreeing to with Vegas, after all.

If I were to guess why this trade happened, I would say that it was maybe a bit more player driven than the team looking to get rid of him, but it is interesting that the team didn’t fight too hard to make him happy with whatever concession he needed to stick around. I suspect that if we really examined the root of his relationship with the Seahawks, it might appear to be a much more of a mutual parting of ways than how this story has been drawn up in the media.

As for DK, I think things are more clear. He’s a highly talented, and ultra competitive player who has probably felt miss-used in Seattle over the years, and because Mike Macdonald was shifting to an offense that would be running more, he likely wasn’t interested in hanging around for that. Fine. Best of luck in Pittsburgh.

We can talk offensive line improvements all day long, and I will not grow tired of it, but at the end of the day, I want players here who want to be Seattle Seahawks, period, and in that, want to be Mike Macdonald guys. I don’t need Pete Carroll players who hold grudges over the front office, and most of all, I don’t want to overpay to keep talent that just doesn’t truly want to be here.

Last season was a hard watch for me as a Seahawk fan with both DK and Geno, individually, at times. I thought both players showed a lack of poise that cost Seattle games, and demonstrated tantrums during games that made me feel like they were losing their grips as leaders.

The image of DK Metcalf ripping the headset off of an assistant coach and yelling at Ryan Grubb with it was as ugly of a thing to watch as anything I have seen from a Seahawk, and I saw some ugly shit in the Kingdome in the 1990’s. It is an imagine that will forever be burned into my mind. I root for the Pittsburgh Steelers signing cranky old Aaron Rodgers just so DK can create a new shit show moment on his current team that will surpass the ugliness of this one here.

In terms of Geno, man, I hate to say it, but things didn’t feel that much better, in certain moments. There was a lot of bad sideline body language that filtered out through him in tough losses, and there was meltdowns, as well.

I was in the stands last December, close to the Seahawk bench, when in the closing moments of the loss to the Vikings, Geno Smith decided to get into a yelling contest with an angry fan. Having witnessed Sam Darnold ball out against a good Mike Macdonald defense, and pull off a gutsy win with that throw at the end of the game, and then witness Geno’s meltdown afterwards stayed in my mind, and fueled my thoughts.

Time will tell if Sam will be as good as Geno in Seattle, or better. One thing that I feel very certain about Sam is that after a rough loss at home, you won’t see him verbally going after a frustrated Seahawk fan in the stands.

As I see things now, I believe Sam Darnold has a pretty good chance to prove himself a bonafide Mike Macdonald guy. I sense he has a personality that will likely mesh well with the coach. He just needs to lead this team to wins on a consistent basis, and the rest can fall into place for him.

I also sense that Sam probably really wants to see this thing work out for him here long term. After his years of taking lumps in bad organizations, kicking around a couple other ones, he probably just wants to win any which way he can, and if that means being a high end game manager for a defensive minded head coach way up in dreary, isolated Seattle, Washington, then he’s probably going to be down for it.

He might even be happy enough to self depreciatingly joke about throwing the ball 25 times a game, especially if this team is eventually in annual championship contention. I sense Sam is this sorta fellow.

Despite the fact that he was raised an LA kid, he doesn’t strike me as a bright lights fella like Russ was, and DK sorta is. I think he has a personality much closer to Matt Hasselbeck and Dave Krieg, and for Seattle, I think that can be a really good thing.

In terms of other current Seahawks, I think cornerback Devon Witherspoon is a clear Mike Macdonald guy, and has a chance this year to further step up into a leadership role, not only on defense, but for the entire team. Of all the guys who have come out of recent draft classes, he might be the one most thrusted forward in terms of being a core Macdonald fella. You can tell the gifted defender and coach are tightly bonded.

There are many other dudes on defense that I sense circling strongly around the young head coach, as well. Defensive tackles Leonard Big Cat Williams, and Jarran Reed feel like strong Macdonald guys. Linebacker Ernest Jones also feels like a core Macondald dude, and I think safeties Coby Bryant and Julian Love are probably right there with him.

My guess is that defensive end DeMarcus Lawerence will probably establish himself as one, as well. Macdonald seems genuinely very excited to add him to his defense, and D Law was very eager to come up here to play for him, and defensive coordinator Aden Durde (who coached him in Dallas).

The offense, however, is mirkier in terms of who the Macdonald fellas are. I might be pretty high on the potential of Sam Darnold, but he still needs to prove it. I might think that Jaxson Smith Njigba could become a new leader, and a core Macdonald fella, but that is projection, as well. Ditto for Ken Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and AJ Barner.

Cooper Kupp should become an immediate leader, but it is mirky how long termed his stay will be here, given his age, and injury history. This is why I believe Seattle will most certainly look to draft a receiver within a few weeks, and maybe much higher than people are anticipating.

In terms of the offensive line, I don’t know who the leader is, and this feels a very glaring issue. I think Charles Cross is a good left tackle, but I don’t sense he’s an alpha dog like Duane Brown was. Abe Lucas is a bit of a junk yard dog at right tackle, but injuries have held him back to becoming the alpha up front that he would likely naturally be. The situations at guard and center are even mirkier, as we all know.

This is why it is imperative that Seattle makes moves during the draft (or by trade) that bring in talented alpha dogs to the offensive line, at least two of them. I think it is equally important that they look at players who play other positions on offense who can come in here with strong alpha personalities, as well, and galvanize themselves as core Mike Macdonald guys.

I have said this name a lot in recent pieces, but North Dakota State guard/center prospect Grey Zabel feels like the perfect draft pick for Seattle, given their obvious needs. He plays with an aggressive, athletic, fiery zone blocking style, and has a personality the reeks of leadership. Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson does, as well, and so does Georgia guard Tate Ratledge. Being able to land any one of these guys in the first or second round of the draft would be a huge get for Seattle, in my view.

I want to single out an offensive guard prospect who could be a sneaky target for Seattle that probably not enough people are talking about due to where he played ball. Sacramento guard Jackson Slater is a small school grinder who spent all of his time in college playing in a system that is very similar to what Klint Kubiak will be coaching here. He was a stand out player at the Senior Bowl, and he was a great athletic tester at the NFL Combine. On top of that, he grew up in the Seattle area. He might be much higher on Seattle’s draft board than people realize, and if they opt to go different directions than offensive line in their first couple picks of the draft, he might be a player that they feel very comfortable targeting a bit later.

In terms of other local angles and offensive line, it is worth noting that Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Junior is another Seattle kid who is thought to be a good player for a zone blocking scheme, and is generally thought to be a high to mid second round pick talent. With some maneuvering in the draft, it wouldn’t shock me, especially if Seattle takes a player at 18 who isn’t an offensive lineman, that perhaps they try to move up in the second round for Conerly to play left guard, and then look to draft Slater a bit later on. What a boost of talented young local kid infusion that would be to the interior of their offensive line if they were to land both players, and Conerly would have the potential to move to tackle should they need an eventual replacement for often injured Abe Lucas.

I want to throw one more local kid angle at you in this coming draft that I think it is important to strongly consider. Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka has been connected to Seattle in recent weeks, and I think there are compelling reasons why.

First and foremost, he is a gifted athlete with strong route running abilities, separation abilities, and he has sure hands that perfectly suite the Kubiak system. In fact, he might have more upside to him than even JSN, even though he is constantly compared to him given where both players played college ball, and what roles they played there.

The second thing is that Egbuka is regarded as a natural leader, and was a guy other fellas followed at the high profile program of Ohio State. This is a big personality comp to throw at him, but it appears like he may have Doug Baldwin vibes, and believe me when I say it that this offense, as it currently exists, could probably use a bit of Angry Doug in the locker room.

The third thing about Egbuka that I think is really worth weighing heavily on is that he grew up in the greater Seattle area a huge Seattle Seahawks fan. It would be extremely meaningful for him to be drafted by the team he heavily rooted for as a kid, and for him to have a chance to come home and establish himself as a new leader of it moving forward.

After dealing with years of unhappy Russ, years of unhappy DK (and perhaps an unhappy Geno), wouldn’t it be refreshing for John Schneider if he just took Egbuka at 18 and figured out guard on day two? I find it very tempting.

There is another pass catching scenario that I think they would have to strongly consider, maybe not at pick 18, but perhaps after a trade back in round one, or a trade up in round two. I think LSU tight end Mason Taylor is going to be a really good NFL football player for a long time in this league, and would fit the Klint Kubiak offense, brilliantly. I believe this so much that I actually got pretty excited when news broke yesterday that he has a scheduled pre-draft visit with the Seahawks at the VMAC.

Mason has deep NFL genes with his dad Jason Taylor being a long time NFL defensive end, and he has a high football IQ as a player. He’s a gifted receiver, and he’s a willing blocker. He feels like a grinder, and a tough guy, and if Macdonald wants this team to become the most physical team in the NFC West, having a talent tight end like this dude is a good step forward towards being that.

There is no local angle to Mason playing here, and his dad was a high profile athlete from Miami, and his aunt is a high profile sports media personality living in LA, but given the fact that his father played defense, I suspect he would appreciate seeing his son play for a coach like Macdonald in Seattle. I would be comfortably be willing to wager that Mason Taylor and his skillset, and pedigree would fit in really well with the Seattle Seahawks, and what they want to be. I believe this so much as that I wouldn’t be upset if he becomes their pick at 18.

I also can’t help but think that, if they somehow maneuvered around enough to come out of this draft with both Emeka Egbuka and Mason Taylor, that these two moves, alone, would provide a titanic franchise altering scenario for the Seattle Seahawks towards the positive; so much so that it would feel championship worthy.

I don’t know if championships can be made on a philosophy of picking best available player at a need position high, but I do think that taking best player available regardless of position is a philosophy the championship teams often embrace. Therefore, it is not completely set in stone for me that Seattle must take an offensive lineman at pick 18 just for the sake of it, especially in a draft where it appears to be deep enough with guard prospects for them to grab a couple good ones a bit later on.

As for quarterback in this draft, while I am not a fan of Seattle spending a high pick on one (I don’t think there is one in this draft worth it), I am warm to the idea of Brock Huard’s that taking a mid round flyer on Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, if the opportunity is there for it. He is by far and away the biggest project QB in this draft, but his athletic upside is absolutely through the roof, and the immediate skillset that he would provide as a running QB is fun to envision for this offense. He is also a very high character personality who could be a great locker room presence.

Mike Macdonald has recently expressed his approval of the tush push play continuing in the league. What if one of the things that is fueling his fandom of the play is because he has a vision of Seattle taking Milroe in the third round specifically to be a developmental quarterback who would see plenty of attack in year one as Seattle’s tush push specialist player on third and shorts and fourth and shorts?

What if behind closed doors, he and Klint Kubiak are envisioning a scenario where they have Sam Darnold and Milroe on the field together much like Mike Holmgren used Matt Hasselbeck and Senecca Wallace in certain packages?

Holmgren and Macdonald talk a lot at the VMAC together when Holmgren makes appearances there. It would not shock me if Holmgren has shared with Macdonald thoughts on how they could be creative like this on offense, if Macdonald was ever picking his mind on the subject.

The more I peal back these hypothetical Milroe to Seattle layers, the more I can see it being a thing. The fact that Brock Huard, who is quite tapped into the organization, brings Milroe up on his radio show as a player he would have interest in at QB in the middle rounds, and the fact that Macdonald seems to love the idea of the league keeping with the tush push, the more I can convince myself that Jalen Milroe is screaming Seattle Seahawk in a few weeks.

I suppose I should also acknowledge a likelihood that the first player Seattle takes in this draft isn’t an offensive player at all. In truth, I think it’s fairly likely, even though I have already stressed that most of the Macdonald guys on this team already play on the defensive side.

Why do I think this? Because I tend to sense that cornerback is a bigger need for the Seahawks than fans want to realize right now, and this draft is uniquely rich at defensive tackle, and there are a few fascinating safety prospects who could be options for Seattle at pick 18, as well.

I would say that if there is a scenario where Michigan cornerback Will Johnson falls to pick 18, then I think Seattle should grab him, even with other players I have mentioned still being available. There is a strong chance that this won’t happen because he is such a naturally gifted, well rounded player, but he was injured enough last year that with shoulder and toe injuries that it kept him from performing at the NFL combine back in February, and perhaps those injuries force a fall in round one.

If Seattle were to take advantage of that, he would join the team as pure outside defender who is great in coverage, good against the run, and would very likely be a built in Mike Macdonald player with Macdonald’s ties to Michigan. Given the inconsistencies of Riq Woolen and Johnson’s deep understanding of this particular scheme, it would be a no brain decision drafting him.

Outside of the draft, I think it is also worth talking about potential trade scenarios for the Seahawks, especially when it does come to the offensive line. I’ve got a fun one for you.

Let’s suppose in a hypothetical world, Seattle’s first pick is Emeka Egbuka, and he is the player available that the organization feels strongest about making a Seattle Seahawk. Now lets say at pick 50, there is a really good cornerback they like that they believe can be a long term partner with Devon Witherspoon, and they take him there. Then let’s further say that at pick 52, there is a nose tackle that they feel can be the stalwart anchor for the next decade of Mike Macdonald football in Seattle, and they scooped him up. Fans would be in an absolute uproar over Seattle punting on offensive line if this scenario played out this way, no question about it.

Now, let’s say that at pick 82, instead of taking Jackson Slater or another guard prospect to mix in with Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, and Sataoa Laumea, John Schneider works out a trade with New Orleans for veteran guard Cesar Ruiz, a former Michigan Wolverine center who is essentially a John Harbaugh guy, and by that degree of separation, a Mike Macdonald fella. He would also be a Klint Kubiak player having played for the OC for a year in NOLA, and he would know the Seattle offensive line coaches very well.

Would this move settle your anxieties some with the offensive line, especially if Seattle walked away with Jackson Slater at pick 92? I know it would settle mine down quite a bit.

Then we would be looking at a scenario where Seattle has infused its offensive line with a proven NFL player who is young enough to be a fixture here for a good long while. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility, in this scenario, that Kubiak would choose to make him his starting center given his history at the position in college, and his familiarity with this scheme.

How likely is this a thing that could play out for Seattle? I’m not sure. I suppose you could ask why NOLA would be willing to part with him, but it is worth noting that they are strapped with a bad salary cap situation, and Seattle does have a much better one to fit him in. In fact, Seattle is presently sitting on a healthy amount of current cap space that screams for a trade scenario such as this one.

It is also worth noting that two of the biggest positions needs for the Saints seem to be corner, and edge rusher. Could Seattle sweeten the deal by adding Riq Woolen who they might not view as a good long term fit here with Macdonald? Could it be a package of Boye Mafe and a pick for Ruiz when they know they have Derick Hall emerging into a bigger primary edge rushing role?

This is a fingers crossed scenario that I would love to see Seattle pull off. Use the draft capital that your acquired in the recent trades to help flip for a proven, quality veteran guard or center who Kubiak knows, and trusts, and feels good about building around.

Is this a pipe dream fantasy? Quite possibly, but allow me to have it.

At the end of the day, this is the offseason to get right about Mike Macdonald guys. Draft these guys, trade for these guys, sign these guys. Let 2025 be the true start of the Macdonald era sans Pete Carroll holdovers who won’t fully buy into what Macdonald’s vision is.

I am embracing this uncertainty of Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp, and the speculative nature of their impact here. I am fine with the question marks, and the unfinished vibes of the offensive line. I’m excited to see what the draft brings, how trades might happen, and what they could add after the draft.

I have chosen to let go of Geno Smith and I wish him well in Vegas. I have very easily let go of DK Metcalf, as well.

I invite you to do the same.

Go Hawks.

So, a wee bit of a bomb was dropped last week when NFL draft insider Tony Pauline wrote an article that mentioned Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough was gaining first round buzz, and the teams showing the most interest in him have been the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Seattle Seahawks. Alrighty, then.

I will be the first to admit that the news left me with a bunch of conflicted thoughts.

I really liked what Shough had shown at the NFL scouting combine, and how he seemed to come across at the Senior Bowl in practices. He’s a likable personality. He’s tall, athletic, and mature. He has clear tools, and an arm talent that feels very translatable to the NFL. He has intangibles that make him an interesting match for Mike Macdonald, and he feels less of a project than many of the other quarterbacks in this draft, including Jaxson Dart, and Cam Ward. For Seattle, however, I just don’t know if I would like him taken any earlier than round three, and if he goes higher than that, let him be someone else’s prize.

It is funny how fluid the NFL offseason can be. Back in late February/early March, if some NFL insider had told me that Seattle was eyeing taking a quarterback early in this coming draft, I would have been excited about the notion. Having the college football playoffs and the national championship still fresh enough in my mind, I found myself becoming a big time Will Howard fan, and I have liked Jaxson Dart a lot, as well. Seeing Louisville QB Tyler Shough throw at the scouting combine had really turned my eye, as well.

Back then, Seattle still had 34 year old Geno Smith on their roster, and for me, 2025 felt like a good year to take a stab at one of these quarterbacks in the first, or second if they felt really strongly about one of them. The idea made sense. Sign Geno to a short extension to offer him more money up front, and take one of these guys to groom behind him for a couple years, essentially creating a Green Bay Packer Jordan Love scenario.

Two weeks later, this whole notion evaporated after Seattle traded Geno to Las Vegas for a third round pick, and pivoted towards signing Sam Darnold in free agency. With 27 year old Sam Darnold coming in on a three year contract, my entire view of the Seahawk QB situation had suddenly shifted. Seattle got seven years younger at the position in a lateral move that could prove to be an upgrade, given the new Klint Kubiak system, and the potential of Sam being a better fit for it.

For me, this move to Sam Darnold greatly diminishes the need for Seattle to draft QB of the future this year, and I still like a number of quarterbacks in this draft even if none of them appear to be top end prospects. I like Howard, Dart, and Shough quite a lot, actually. I also think Texas QB Quinn Ewers has a little something interesting about him, and could potentially be a good system fit here. I think Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard could honestly be a really interesting draft and slow develop prospect for Seattle if sat patient, and took him in rounds three, four, or five, and same thing with Syracuse QB Kyle McCord.

If Seattle were to draft any one of these guys in rounds three through five, I would be fine with it. These are the rounds that they should properly go in, I feel. The reality is that quarterbacks, in general, tend to get elevated higher up draft boards given the league’s constant need for them, and because of that, many of these guys will probably get drafted much higher in a few weeks time. I just don’t want to see Seattle join the needy lot of teams that will be looking to gobble them up earlier than necessary.

Seattle has seemingly committed to seeing if Sam Darnold can be a long term solution here, I feel like they can, and should be more patient than perhaps a large handful of other teams zeroing in on these prospects. Given the needs that still exist on the offensive line, perhaps the lack of depth at cornerback (and maybe safety), the injury concerns of Cooper Kupp, the lack of a long term solution at tight end, I just don’t want to see Seattle draft a QB any earlier than round three, and I prefer to see them wait it out until day three of the draft, if they can.

It would be cool to see them draft a guy at some point, and I get that lure of wanting to see a talented QB on a rookie contract slow cooking into potentially being an eventual starter. I also see the logic salary cap logic of taking a QB this year in the draft, as well, with Sam Howell being in the last year of his rookie contract, and therefore having a developmental QB2 on a rookie contract for the next four years.

I also appreciate that the inner workings of Darnold’s contract really makes it seem more like a two year “prove it” sorta deal with team friendly outs for Seattle. To me, it makes the deal all the more better for the team, and in a sense, the player, as well.

If Darnold struggles to match his breakout performance of 2024, Seattle has the ability to move on from him quickly over the next season, or two. If he plays really well in their Klint Kubiak scheme, he will be in position during the 2027 offseason to negotiate a bigger long term contract to stick around. Within the framework of his contract with Seattle, the Seahawks have protected themselves, and Sam Darnold has waged a good bet on himself working out here. Every Seahawk fan should like that.

Essentially, in two years time, Seattle will know if Sam Darnold is, or is not their long term franchise quarterback. This is why I am absolutely not down for Seattle burning their first round pick on a quarterback such as Tyler Shough, or even Jaxson Dart later this April. If they are both available at pick 18, let them become the prizes of other teams afterwards.

I think there are most likely going to be strong options for them in the first round to improve their offensive line (finally), or further strengthen their defensive line. I could also get down with Seattle taking a crack at a defensive back, or a tight end if one of Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, or Mason Taylor is sitting there.

Many fans would hate this, but I could even be convinced that taking a receiver in round one makes sense, if my arm is twisted enough, and local kid Emeka Egbuka is there, who grew up in Tacoma being a huge Seahawks fan. Egkuka is a lot like Jaxon Smith Njigba, but I can be convinced that it isn’t a bad thing for Seattle to nab him up, and groom him behind veteran Cooper Kupp. Inject a guy like him onto this roster, and suddenly the narrative that Darnold won’t have as good of a receiving corp to throw to as he did in Minnie shrinks dramatically.

I likely wouldn’t love seeing Seattle take a receiver, tight end, or DB at 18 overall if a good offensive line prospect was available, but if the guy is really special, I could wrap my head around it. I would just have a much harder time wrapping my head around a quarterback, if that proved the case.

If that pick does become quarterback Tyler Shough, as NFL draft insider Tony Pauline has recently sorta suggested, it would be a tough pill for me to swallow. It would leave me with the feeling like Seattle would have way overcorrected at quarterback to an unnecessary degree, and I like Shough for reasons already mentioned. In round three, I would enjoy seeing Seattle taking a swing at him, if he was still there, but not round one, or even really, round two, and here is why.

Shough has a lot of college experience starting because he has been injured so many times that he has bounced around different programs looking for fresh starts. To a degree, it has been a blessing to him because he has played in numerous systems, has grown as a passer, and a person, and has created a pretty good floor as a quarterback draft prospect for himself. He will, however, turn 26 years old in the Fall, and is therefore, just about two years younger than Darnold, and that, matched with his injury history, makes him less appealing to me as a prospect.

He would be the perfect player to land with Pittsburgh with a chance to start right away, and get his clock going as a rookie. I think Cleveland would also be a great spot for him with a chance for the team to move off of the horrendous Deshaun Watson situation. The Jets certainly make similar sense with Justin Fields not being a certainty to succeed. Tennessee would be a very obvious landing spot with a chance for him to openly compete with Will Levis.

I could even argue that going to the Rams, where they probably have Stafford going year to year now, would make sense. Ditto with the Giants and Russell Wilson being on a one year deal, or even to the Raiders with Geno Smith.

For Shough, I think either a situation where he can immediately start as a rookie, or develop behind an older QB1 who probably only has a couple of years left makes a bunch of sense. If Seattle still had Geno Smith here, I could get behind taking Shough earlier, or any other of these quarterbacks getting hyped up a bit.

Shough going to Seattle at 18, though, after signing Darnold? Man, I wouldn’t get that.

If Seattle were to take Shough with their first round pick, they would almost certainly feel the pressure to move off of Darnold without seeing the experiment with him through. Due to his age, the clock for getting Shough in the driver’s seat as QB1 for Seattle would probably be pressured to be sped up, as he will be 30 years old by the time he would be negotiating his second contract.

And if they did decide to move off of Darnold early in favor of developing a 26 year old quarterback that they invested a first round pick on, and Shough struggles and or gets injured (as he often did in college).. Jeeze Louise.. when what does Seattle have potentially have at quarterback?

It would potentially be a bloody mess that would see the whole front office fired, and maybe the coaching staff, as well. Personally, I would like to avoid that scenario from happening because that sounds way too much like the New York Jets over the past 15 years.

Now, if he ends up playing like Josh Allen all of that is moot, but how likely is that going to be?

My guess is not that likely, and his ceiling will probably be, well.. Sam Darnold-esque with maybe a greater likelihood of getting injured a fair amount more. That doesn’t sound like someone I want to see Seattle spend a first round pick on when they already have Darnold on the roster for the next three years, or longer, if all goes well.

Now, if he is sitting at pick 82 or 92, and Seattle wanted to add him, then I would be way more warm to it. That would be much more palatable.

If he lasted that long, then it would signal that the league recognized his injury concerns and had questions about his true ceiling. Seattle could take advantage of an older college quarterback still being available who might have a decent floor, and enough ability to push Darnold early.

If he develops strongly, and quickly, Seattle would have flexibility to move away from Darnold. If Darnold plays well enough to not really make of a competition between the two, then Seattle has a decent and affordable backup option on their roster for the next four seasons. Either scenario would be win/win for Seattle, and Seattle will have bolstered their roster by taking players at other positions earlier.

Honestly, this might be the reason Seattle is taking a good long look at Shough. They might not be considering him in the first round, but should he last into round three, he might become an interesting option once offensive line, and a few other positions are addressed. Having him behind Darnold becomes additional security at the most important position at a more palatable cost.

But first round quarterback for Seattle this year?

Nah, I am not feeling that.

Not in an offseason when the biggest need on this team clearly has been improving the offensive line, and Seattle has done extremely little in free agency to add talent to it. I can accept this reality of lack of veteran infusion to the offensive line if Seattle sees numerous players in this draft that they are prepared to add early, starting in round one. Ideally, I would want to see an offensive lineman taken in round one, and another one taken in round two.

North Dakota State guard/center Grey Zabel is the guy I am all in on due to his physical profile and fit for their zone blocking system, but there are others who I equally could get behind at pick 18. I wouldn’t hate it if they selected Ohio State guard Donavan Jackson. I also wouldn’t be mad if it was Oregon tackle/guard Josh Conerly Junior, either (other local Seattle kid, FYI).

Honestly, I wouldn’t hate it if their first three picks of the draft (picks 18, 50, and 52) were all offensive linemen, given the needs of improvement to this area being that extreme. It likely won’t happen, but I wouldn’t be upset if it did.

So, while it is fun to think about seeing Seattle drafting a quarterback high because it would infuse fans with something daydream about, especially those skeptical about Darnold, I don’t think this is the draft to do it. I don’t think any of these quarterbacks are sure things be quality NFL starters.

I think it is all fingers crossed projection with Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Dart, Howard, and Shough will become quality NFL QBs. If any of these guys were in last year’s draft where six quarterbacks were drafted in the first twelve picks of the draft, they all would have likely been second or third round picks, at best. Let other teams needier at quarterback take swings on them.

Go get Grey Zabel, or someone else close enough to his talent level on the offensive line. Commit to saying what you want to be; a tough physical team that nobody wants to play. Do not pass over a player who will provide you this opportunity up front for a quarterback prospect who may not ever be able to beat out Sam Darnold at QB1 spot further down the line. Don’t do this.

Ride this through with Darnold over the next two years, and see what you have with him first. If it doesn’t work out, then consider taking a quarterback high. You might be better positioned for it in a future draft with a stronger quarterback class than this one.

Trust me on this. This is not the draft to take a quarterback high. At all. Not for the Seattle Seahawks, anyways.

Go get me Grey Zabel, instead.

Go Hawks!

With two weeks of NFL free agency now in the books, I bet there are Twelves scratching their heads over the state of the Seattle Seahawk offensive line, leaving bloody scabs of frustration for concerned loved ones to see. I will be the first to admit that I’m surprised by the lack of movement at guard and center, given the needs.

The NFL offseason is fleeting. A week and a half ago, the Seattle Seahawks were free agency darlings in the eyes of SI journalist Albert Breer for the way they moved off of Geno Smith for Sam Darnold and essentially a third round pick. Fast forward to now, we have various analysts now calling them big time losers of the offseason because they signed Darnold and haven’t made big free agent moves to upgrade the offensive line for him.

“What is the plan in Seattle?”

“It seems like the Seahawks have no plan.”

Indeed. From an outsider perspective, it’s a fair take. For those close to the team, however, there is a nuanced perspective national media folks won’t spend time discussing. Nuance does not great headlines.

I don’t believe that the Seattle front office is the clueless mess that skeptics would have it. First of all, I didn’t think this year’s free agent crop of offensive lineman was that great. The only player I was really hoping for was former Altanta center Drew Dalman who quickly signed a massive contract with Chicago. Secondly, I think it is worth reminding frustrated fans that the draft appears to be promising for interior offensive linemen.

At the Senior Bowl, it was noted by many how intently GM John Schneider was studying offensive line drills. He was watching these guys like a hawk (intended pun). This should have been a big tell for what Seattle’s plan would be to address the offensive line this offseason.

With now two weeks into free agency and no real move to be made on the offensive line outside of adding a swing tackle, I am beginning to let go of expectations of what I thought this team would do, and I am embracing their process. There are talented players in this draft class who are going to fill needs on Seattle’s offensive line, and I am ready for them to come in.

When reality smacks you across the face, it is time to let go of expectations that you have held onto, and just accept what is. This ability to let go is beneficial for survival, and has been passed down to us through generations of strife.

When our forefathers were picking berries down by a riverbank, and a gigantic saber cat jumped out of the brush, grabbed one of their children, and ran off with it for an easy snack, our forefathers didn’t just stop producing more kids. Instead, they just got smarter about where to bring them around.

So, while I would have imagined that Seattle would have made former Viking center Garrett Bradbury their new center here, following Sam Darnold to the 206, I had to quickly pivot off of that. Likewise, when I also would have thought that Teven Jenkins possibly would have been signed last week to become the new starting left guard.

Neither of these moves happened. Bradbury was never brought in, and it is worth noting that Seahawk center Olu Oluwatimi has a similar 2004 PFF grade to his. Jenkins did visit, but left Seattle without a contract, and quickly signed elsewhere. It is obvious that Seattle was not as high on these players as many Seahawk fans had been, and I think the answer to this is now obvious.

Bradbury never lived up to the hype of his first round status in Minnesota, and Jenkins has a problematic injury history, and a questionable desire to play through pain. As desperate as we can be wanting to see Seattle make free agents moves to improve the offensive line, I don’t think we should hold it against them that they punted on either of these guys.

Seattle obviously sees prospects in this draft that they could land, and develop as long term answers rather than make spendy moves on free agents whose previous teams felt ready to move on from. Alternatively, it is also very possible that their new offensive coaches honestly like the potential of young players recently drafted, and they want to further develop them as starters.

Believe it or not, Anthony Bradford was actually one of the better zone run blocking guards in football last year, per Pro Football Focus. The problem was that with former coordinator Ryan Grubb, Seattle did not run the ball nearly enough, and he was not consistent enough as a pass blocker. If the new offensive line coaches can further unlock the potential of Bradford, he has the size and athletic profile to be a dominating run blocking guard in this league.

Additionally, last year’s third round pick Christian Haynes was one of the best pure zone blocking guards in all of college football in 2023, but he was little used by Grubb, and once Bradford was lost for the season after eleven games, he was leap frogged by six round pick Sataoa Laumea, who coaches could like, as well. There is a perception around the team that Grubb mishandled the development of Haynes, and this could be true. The interesting thing about Haynes is that he has a body type that could make for an intriguing candidate at center, if Seattle takes a guard early in the draft, and views Bradford as a starter at guard, as well.

But why am I bringing up all this zone blocking jargon, you ask? Well, Seattle is adopting a scheme that is largely reliant on zone blocking, and with that offensive linemen who are really good at getting to second level defenders, and creating elaborate running lanes for running backs are requirements to making the scheme go.

What does this mean most likely for Seattle and the offensive line moving forward this year?

They added Josh Jones as a veteran swing tackle, and I suspect that they will make one more modest veteran move on the offensive line prior to the draft that is now a month away. Like Jones, it will likely not be a move that gets many Twelves hopeful, but I suspect that the real big splash for the offensive line will happen in this draft, likely in round one or round two.

It is recently been estimated that there are 16 interior offensive line prospects in this draft that will be viewed as NFL starters. That’s a healthy number.

Some of them are college tackles who will convert to guards in the pros, and some might even convert to center. Dennison and Benton have long proven track records as NFL offensive line coaches who have converted college tackles into production interior offensive linemen.

It is very safe to say that in a month’s time, at least one of these 16 mastodons is going to be a Seattle Seahawk. It is possible that with Bradford and Haynes on this roster, that player will be our new starting center. It is also possible that the coaches will look to convert Haynes to center to make way for a talented rookie to play guard, as he has a good body type for the position.

Does this feel risky? Yes. Absolutely it does, but almost every move that Seattle has done this offseason has been a big calculated risk.

It was risky moving on from Geno Smith in favor of Sam Darnold, who even though I believe might prove to be an upgrade, there is no guarantee of that panning out.

Likewise, even though Cooper Kupp is likely a better scheme fit for Seattle than DK Metcalf likely would have been, there is no guarantee he stays healthy enough, and therefore it is a huge risk for Seattle to trade off DK only to pivot to Kupp. Because of this, I fully expect Seattle to draft a receiver at some point within the first two days of the draft.

I think there is even a modest risk that Seattle has signed 31 year old DeMarcus Lawrence to a big three year contract. He’s older, coming off of a significant injury last year. While I am hopeful that Mike Macdonald will make good use out of him, there is no guarantee that his body won’t start to further break down given his violent style of play.

What I like about all of these moves is that the Seattle front office has realized that annually treading water at 9 or 10 wins a season is not likely going to bring them any closer to another Super Bowl ring, and they are now finally willing to take some educated risks. If Sam Darnold does prove to be a good system fit here, as I think he will, then Seattle has effectively solved its longer termed quarterback question, and if not, then they can look to the draft in a future year. If the totality of Cooper Kupp and a promising rookie receiver is a greater sum than DK Metcalf for this scheme at receiver, then Seattle will have made a brilliant move to trade him rather than overspend to keep his unhappy butt on the roster.

Likewise, if Seattle does indeed draft North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel, and he converts to a pro bowl center for Seattle for the next ten years, then it would be a brilliant stroke from the front office to not settle on a mediocre veteran center like Garrett Bradbury just because of his familiarity with Sam Darnold. Raise your hand, if you are a Seahawk fan who would love to see the center position finally secured by a quality player for the next decade of Seahawk football.

This is the biggest thing to consider now as a Seahawks fan. Wouldn’t it be more prudent to invest in young talent in a good draft for interior offensive linemen than overspend for mid level players in the free agency? My answer to this is very much a resounding yes.

You made the switch from Ryan Grubb to Klint Kubiak because you recognized that the Kubiak system would be better for your team. Kubiak brought with him top notch NFL offensive line coaches who master at coaching a zone blocking scheme, and you have a couple year guards on the roster who have shown to be good zone blockers. This draft is loaded with college players who were good in zone blocking schemes.

It appears that John Schneider is prepared to trust these coaches to get the most out of young players. It is not the safest thing to do. It does not make me feel as comfortable as I want to be as a Seahawks fan. It is, however, probably the smartest thing to do given the mediocrity of the free agent market for guard and center, and the promising nature of this draft class.

This draft is not thought to be strong at quarterback, and Seattle quickly pivoted to Sam Darnold when they felt they would not reach a deal with Geno Smith. This draft is also not thought to be greatly rich at receiver, either, and that is why I think we have seen moves to add Kupp, Marquise Valdez Scantling, and now River Cracraft.

This is a promising draft for guards and it has some players who could convert to center. This is a great draft for defensive tackle, running back, and tight end.

This is a good draft for Seattle to get meat and potato players on both sides of the ball. If you want to play stout defense, and run the ball, control clock, play connected as a team, then I think Seattle is well positioned with five picks in the top 92 to add to the line of scrimmage, and around out the roster for this team to better play the style of ball that Macdonald would have it.

Seattle could even theoretically draft a special player at 18 in this draft who doesn’t play on the offensive line, and still find solutions for their line in the second and third rounds. It would make me incredibly nervous if they did this, but there are a couple tight ends who will be drafted in the top frame of this draft who are talented enough that if one fell into the lap of Seattle at 18, it might be too difficult to resist the urge of selecting. If Seattle took one of these guys, I would be pretty on board with that, and then I would keep my fingers crossed that they could grab a couple good offensive linemen in round two.

What I suspect is most likely, though, is that John Schneider does the very conventional thing and takes the best offensive lineman on their board at 18, or a little bit later in the first round after a bit of a trade back, and then he takes another offensive lineman on day two. History supports this likelihood.

In 2022, after they traded Russell Wilson, Seattle was very thin at offensive tackle. While some wanted them to take a swing on a quarterback in the weak quarterback draft class, they conventionally took the best left tackle on their board in Charles Cross, and then they took right tackle Abe Lucas in early round three. Cross was not widely viewed as a top ten draft prospect but they stayed safe, and took him at 10 overall, anyways. This proved to be a pretty decent payoff, and they found decent value with Lucas later on.

It feels very logical that John Schneider should look to replicate this with the interior of Seattle’s offensive line this April. I can see a very vivid scenario where Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart is sitting at pick 18, and Seattle choses an offensive line over a quarterback who will have a lot of Twelves clamoring for him like they did with Malik Willis four years ago when Seattle took Cross, instead.

Grey Zabel is going to be a guy who is going to be talked about a lot for Seattle in the coming weeks. He is a tall, strong, athletic zone blocker who plays with a lot of attitude and toughness, and is reportedly a very strong leader. He took a series of reps at the Senior Bowl at center, and snapped the ball well. Some think he has the profile to be a solid guard in this league, but could ultimately be a top tier starting center down the line. I think there is an extreme possibility that Seattle would draft him at 18, but I also think it is very possible that he is taken before Seattle’s pick.

If this proves the case, and Zabel won’t be available to them, that could compel Seattle to trade down a bit and still take a guard, and then double dip at guard again on day two, and then consider moving Christian Haynes to center. It wouldn’t get a lot of Seahawk fans excited, but with the high number of offensive tackles in this draft that could convert well to guard, plus guys who were quality guards in college last year like Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson, Georgia’s Tate Ratledge, and Alabama’s Tyler Booker, a Haynes move to center suddenly becomes more interesting in an open competition with Olu Oluwatimi, if Seattle grabs a couple of these fellas.

There are a couple other convert to center candidates in this draft, as well, that Seattle could consider. Purdue offensive lineman Marcus Mbow has a similar projection to convert to center as Zabel, based on his physical traits that suit the position. Some think that West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum could be suited for the spot, as well.

Outside of these two other guys, though, this draft is considered very thin at center in terms of who were actually playing the spot in college last year. Georgia center Jared Wilson is the only player who is thought to have strong starter potential in this draft. That is why guys like Zabel and probably Mbow are going to be elevated based on projection.

This is why Zabel is going to continue being a very talked about player for Seattle at 18. Based on the current needs of the team, he might be a top player on their board at this point. Their ideal scenario might be being able to take him at 18, and then keeping their fingers crossed that one of Jackson, Booker, Ratledge, or Oregon’s Josh Conley Jr falls in their lap in round two.

If they are fortunate to land Zabel and there is a run on top guard prospects to the point where none of them land to them in round two, then that is where they might go different directions much like they did in free agency, and they trust their coaches to further develop Haynes and Bradford as guards. Is this ideal? Probably not, but objectively speaking, it is a fall back that could work out, or at least work better for them in the 2025 season.

It is already noted that Bradford and Haynes have both shown good abilities as run blockers in a zone scheme. The truth of the matter for Seattle is that with Kubiak replacing Ryan Grubb, Seattle is venturing back to their 2012-2014 DNA of predominantly being a running team with play action passing being a complimentary feature. If they add Zabel inside, that could be enough to further uncork the potential of Ken Walker and Zach Charbonnet and it further mitigate the limited pass blocking traits of a guy like Bradford, and who knows, perhaps Benton and Dennison are able to develop Bradford further as a pass blocker. This is possible.

In their ideal world, I feel like this coaching staff would probably love to see Sam Darnold throw on average about 25 times a game, and the bulk of that on play action passes where he has shown to be very good at it. This is the strength of their new quarterback, and he might be perfectly fine staying in this game managerial lane while guiding Seattle to wins. At this point in his career, he is probably just looking for stability, and a chance to win as a starter however which ways those wins come. If this is the case, that is not a terrible thing, at all, for Seattle, or for him.

I suspect that this is their plan. They want a good young enough game managerial situation at quarterback. They want to win with defense, play good special teams, and close out the circle by running the football, killing clock, and making explosive plays off of play action.

Ironically, I think they really do want to get back to Pete Carroll football in many, many ways.

Now go get Grey Zabel.

Go Hawks!