Well, it certainly looks like a lost weekend as far as Seahawk news go. Oh well, this is the quiet before the storm. With the NFL Combine looming, which will certainly provide some more insight into the plans of GM Tim Ruskell, I thought today would be a good day to continue the...
SEAHAWK ADDICTS OFFSEASON PREVIEW
First off, if you are new reader and haven't had time to read past posts, here is a link that should put all the Offseason Preview pieces on one page. Previous pieces have included a salary cap breakdown, the Hawks 4 big UFA's and the secondary UFA's. So whats next? It time to talk about who the Hawks may target in free agency. To do this, first it is important to mention the team needs. These are listed in my estimation of importance of free agency only!!!!! Not overall. This is based on my belief that the team benefits by getting younger on offense, but is already fairly young on defense.
For the breakdown......
TEAM NEEDS-----
1) D Tackle--- This is really the one and only need on the defensive side of the ball. They don't even need a total stud, although that would be nice. Really, they need a rotational DT would would provide protection for a Tubbs injury and replace Chuck Darby.
2) Tight End-- Filling this in FA allows the team to take a dynamic rookie RB in the first. While having a rookie TE will be nice, it is hard for a rookie TE to contribute in this offense right away.
3) Long Snapper---- For Christ Sake, Fill this hole. If the kicking game is an adventure again because of the snapper, this blemish on Ruskell's record will seem more like herpes, the gift that keeps on giving!
4) OL-- Cheap Versatile guy. Gray may retire, which would leave a hole for a back up center. My preference is 'Chop' as G/T, but he might be looking for greener pastures
5) WR--Veteran, big target, red zone guy, especially if the let Hackett walk. Mostly just for insurance and competition.
Kicker and CB would be another one, but I don't even want to get into that until we find out the fate of Marcus Trufant. It is also possible that they fill this through the draft.
So who will the Hawks look at??
DT's---
Corey Williams, GB, probably too expensive now that Haynesworth will get the tag, probably only an option if the team goes all in for coaches last year.
Tommy Kelly, Oak, Solid option, especially as a run stuffer. Only 27 too. Lacks in rushing the passer though.
Randy Starks, TN, Ton of potential, very young. The knock is that he wears down. Sounds like the scouting report of every other Seahawk DT
Issac Sopopaga, SF, Better fit for a team that runs the 3-4, but definitely a rotational guy who won't command a ton of money. Hawks have been known to steal from divisional foes.
TE's-----
Dallas Clark, Ind, All indications from Bill Polian are that Clark gets the tag. However, Colts fans think he drops a lot of balls and they think Utecht deserves more of a shot. If he doesn't get the tag, he would be a seem stretcher for sure.
Alge Crumpler, FA, I think it is a good fit, but only for the right money. If the team wants to win it all next year, he helps, but 3 years from now he is probably dead money.
Ben Troupe, TN, Good potential as a receiver, but has very little interest in blocking. When Scaife went out last year, Tennessee's run game suffered.
Jeb Putizer, FA, Only mention him because the Hawks have looked at him before. Probably would be brought in with a top draft pick at the position to round out the depth chart.
Long Snapper---
A lot of team have recently re-upped their long snappers, including Dallas and WA, with pro bowler Evan Albright. Honestly, I don't care who comes in as along as they do the freaking job! Did you really expect me to breakdown longsnappers? I can't even find who is available. Darche isn't. Maybe Robinson will play another year, why not?
Offensive Line---- This clearly got bumped down on the list after the signing of Mike Wahle
1) John Welbourn, KC, In fact he was just released. He can play center and guard and has worked with Solari before. If Gray retires, look for the team to sign him up, unless they think Vallos is a player
2) Maurice Williams, Jac, Serious road grader who plays both G and T. May command too much, may be expecting a starting job, but if he overshoots his value, he would make a great second or third free agency week pick up.
3)Justin Smiley, SF, People may have soured on him after attitude problems and diminished production, but would provide a solid back-up if either of the guards falter. Probably depends on what other are willing to give him. SF doesn't want him back.
4) LJ Shelton, FA, Pork Chop clone. Veteran and versatile. If Chop leaves, he fits.
WR----- Anyone we sign, is mostly insurance for Deion Branch. Hawks would be looking for someone they could release in the second half, after Branch is back and young guys have more experience.
1) Malcom Floyd, SD, RFA--- SD may not tender him, with Jackson, Chambers, and Parker. Either way, he was undrafted. 6-5, 225, was having a promising 06' before he hurt his ankle and got zero playing time last year
2) Keary Colbert, Car, Never lived up to promise in Carolina, however, he is a west coast guy from California, who went to school @ USC. He is 6-1, had hands in college, and still young. If he doesn't work out, he won't kill you when he is released as Branch comes off the Pup list.
Two others to think about.... Brian Kelly, TB, CB-- Ruskell drafted him when he was in TB. If Tru leaves, my guess is that he is the number one target. Isiah Kacyvenski--Special Teams Ace! Right the wrongs of the past this year, bring Kaz back if Niko leaves!
Obviously, this is my opinion on who might interest the Hawks. It is very possible that their biggest signing has already happened. Free agency won't be as much fun as last year, but Hawk fans will be paying attention none the same. When April begins and the Draft is in sight, then, and only then, will the Seahawk Addicts Offseason Preview continue...
Very nice analysis.
ReplyDeleteI think Ruskell is going to let Tru test the market to see what happens. If he ends up being a true $9mil CB, I think we have to let him walk, and possibly go CB in the 1st round, or with Kelly, who you mentioned.
Or, if we do want to throw big money at a CB, I'd rather take a shot at Asante Samuel...but who knows if he has any interest.
As we've seen many times in the past, teams that perform well get ravaged in FA in the offseason, and I think this may be our year.
I just have a feeling that at least 2/4 of our big FAs are going elsewhere: Trufant, Locklear, Hackett, and Brown.
No mention of any rbs?
ReplyDeleteGreat blog entry - I've bookmarked this site..
ReplyDeleteIndeed, v. good workup.
ReplyDeleteMy 2 cents:
DT
In addition to uncertainty about Tubbs, Rockey has been nicked-up with chronic injuries and he's getting older. The Hawks have had great success finding value DT's in the draft. Perhaps they will draft one this year.
TE
Ruskell isn't goint to break the bank for Alge. Crumpler is going for as many paydays as possible on a gimpy knee rather than winning one for the Gipper.
A TE that isn't interested in blocking won't be playing in Seattle, so Troupe's out. Maybe your suggestion about Putizer will come to pass.
OL
Gray said a year ago that he wants to play two more years. I expect that if he doesn't get jerked around about his contract he will be back. The advantage with Gray is that he knows the offense well.
Locklear will be hard to keep but Tim should try real hard. He is a very good RT who will get All Pro money from somebody. Losing him will create continuity problems on the line. Expect a drop in performance by his replacement. An OT in the first round of the draft is in order.
WR
Malcom Floyd sounds like a prospect but he's probably too big for Ruskell. Just kidding.
CB
Spend the money, F tag Tru and see if he can repeat his 07 performance. Draft another corner in the meantime.
Kicker
Kickers are having something like an 80% success rate in the league now. Get another kicker.
Thanks for the opportunity to play armchair GM on this sunny sunday.
Major Hit
Teruski says
ReplyDeleteBOYCOTT the TNT untill saturday feb. 23, let them know the blog is dying!!!
This blog is going to thrive...there is someone here who loves the hawks running it
Right on
I'd like to throw out another name for possible OL depth. Rick DeMulling. 4 years with Indy and starting experience (41 games), 2 years at Detroit (12 starts)and a one year deal last season with the Skins. He'll have just turned 31 when training camp starts and we're talking about depth, not starter here. He's from Tacoma and played at Idaho, won't cost much.
ReplyDeleteI've been touting Sopoaga for awhile as a worthwhile pickup for the DL rotation. My thought on Tubbs is that we can stick a fork in him, he's done. Two serious knee operations in consecutive years, two straight IR visits. It's the last year of his contract coming up, I think they do the injury settlement and he never plays a down again. I like the idea of Starks too, wanted us to draft him.
Of the FA tight ends, I'd like Clark and Crumpler, but with Clark's resume' he'll command a lot of scratch, and I'm concerned about Crumpler's knee problems. Troupe would be OK, if we drafted Fred Davis we'd be getting the same kind of TE, a receiving threat who doesn't block. I guess Davis could be taught to, Troupe's been around long enough that if he wanted to learn to be a better blocker he would have by now.
OK, now for a question. How does tendering an undrafted free agent work? You mentioned tendering Weaver at 2nd round-$1.47 mil level. But since he's undrafted, if he were to sign a multi-year deal with another team, we're not getting a 2nd round pick right? Because he was undrafted we get nothing, correct? Because as I posted in an earlier Free Agency blog article, Pittsburgh has a pretty good WR named Nate Washington who is an undrafted RFA that has similar numbers over 2 years to Hackett in 3 years (or over the last two seasons really. I think he'd be a good pickup.
Purple, the only RB that I'd be interested in as a free agent would be Musa Smith.
I would love to see the big bad red bryant next to my fav mebane! MONSTERS!!!
ReplyDeleteMysticseachicken-- I may do a post on it at some time, but here is the short of it. There are four tenders.
ReplyDeletestandard is 927,000 or so. If someone signs the player we get a pick in the round they were drafted. Weaves case would be nothing.
Next is a 2nd. We pay the player 1.46. If someone wants to sign him we get a second.
Then first round and First & Third. the salaries escalate accordingly. If you want to sign those players you have to give up a 1st, or a 1 and a 3, respectively.
So because Weaver was undrafted we have to hit him with a second in order to make sure we can keep him, else we could get poison pilled and get nothing in return. Get it, got it, great!
In all the cases, the team is given the opportunity to match, but with poison pills seemingly OKed by the NFL, anybody who wants a player can make sure matching is discouraged.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I love about sports is that I get to share it with my boys. They are 10 and 11. I have been a TNT faithful until this offseason. I would REALLY like to share this new site with them, but cannot do so with the language being the way it is in this and other entries. Respectfully, any chance you could make your entries professional and "G" rated? You're doing a fabulous job otherwise.
ReplyDeleteHey, good preview, but there is one big point I don't agree with. Everyone is talking about needing a new DT. I agree that if Tubbs cannot come back healthy then we need to replace him. but consider this - if Tubbs comes back, then having Mebane and Tubbs backed up by Rocky and Terrill is one of the best DT rotations in the league.
ReplyDeleteIf Tubbs is healthy we are in great shape at DT.
Our D line problem is more likely to be at DE! We have ONE. We need THREE. (Ok, we have two, but Tapp is not qualified to start, he is the guy who should be rotating in on third down.) Tapp has proven himself too small to play on first and second down. He got sacks whenever he played agains second-string left tackles, but whenever he played against a true starting LT, he completely disappeared from games. He is a third down situational pass rusher only.
The Seahawks need a true starting Right DE!
Hey, good preview, but there is one big point I don't agree with. Everyone is talking about needing a new DT. I agree that if Tubbs cannot come back healthy then we need to replace him. but consider this - if Tubbs comes back, then having Mebane and Tubbs backed up by Rocky and Terrill is one of the best DT rotations in the league.
ReplyDeleteIf Tubbs is healthy we are in great shape at DT.
Our D line problem is more likely to be at DE! We have ONE. We need THREE. (Ok, we have two, but Tapp is not qualified to start, he is the guy who should be rotating in on third down.) Tapp has proven himself too small to play on first and second down. He got sacks whenever he played agains second-string left tackles, but whenever he played against a true starting LT, he completely disappeared from games. He is a third down situational pass rusher only.
The Seahawks need a true starting Right DE!