Seahawks Trade for Disgruntled WR!!!!

by: Michael Steffes

Holy Crap!! Talk about the mother of all stories to wake up to. According to Mike Florio at Profootballtalk.com, The Seahawks have agreed to trade their first round pick for Chad Johnson. How the freak did this happen? Just when you think you understand a teams philosophy for a sec.

This is out of the realm of my understanding. I am baffled. As exciting as it will be to have a big play guy like 85, he doesn't seem to have the type of personality to fit in here. He did say he wanted a chance to win, and while in Tampa, Ruskell and McKay once traded two firsts for Keyshaun Johnson, but you would have thought they learned their lesson.

To check out the rest of my rant.....

APRIL FOOLS SUCKERS!!!!

YOU BEEN HAD!!!!

NO HOW, NO WAY!!!!

GOTCH YA!!!!

Read More!

Ruskell Not Behind Reseeding Measure I HAVE ADDED A LINK TO THE VIDEO

by: Michael Steffes

In no surprise to Hawk fans, President and Gm Tim Ruskell does not support the reseeding proposal that would allow wild card teams a home game if they have a better record than division winners. According to Ira Miller and USA today, in this article, Ruskell is quoted as saying...

"The present system "has worked for us for so long," said Tim Ruskell, president of the Seattle Seahawks. "I'm a proponent of 'Why fix it if it's not broken?'"

Many of you may think I am paranoid, but in many ways this proposal is a shot across the bow of teams like the Seahawks. This is meant to devalue the division championship, which is code for, if you play in a crappy division and win it, it doesn't mean you should get a home playoff game, especially if you have a tough home field advantage and might win.

And if you think I am taking this too far, then watch NFLN Total Access tonight, assuming you get NFLN. When Adam Schefter, at around 30 minutes in, is talking about how this is being presented so teams who have better records don't have to play on the road against winners of weak divisions, they are simultaneously showing Leonard Weaver run for a 5 yard TD against the Rams.

UPDATE--For those of You who want to see what ruffled my feathers, the video is right here. It is right around the the 2:40 mark. It is kind of upsetting though I warn you. Read More!

Marcus Tubbs

by: Michael Steffes

Many of us have been wondering what is going on with Marcus Tubbs. We sense it foolish to be counting on him for any help at all this year. However, here comes some promising news. As always, with his finger on the pulse of rabid Seahawk fans, Clare Farnsworth spent the first day of the offseason program talking to Marcus Tubbs. Great work on Clare's part!

While it seems that even Tim Ruskell is skeptical, nobody seems ready to count Marcus out. In fact, he seems like a stand up guy, who isn't trying to fool anyone and is telling it like it is. I for one am cautiously optimistic about how much he may contribute, but one thing is for sure, now I will be hoping it happens, for Marcus' sake. END Read More!

Seahawks Season Begins

by: Michael Steffes

I just thought I would say hurray!!!, the Seahawks season has officially begun. It began today in Kirkland. That is, if you count the offseason conditioning program as the start of the season. Tim Ruskell apparently does, according to this article written by Mike Kahn at Seahawks.com. It is a pretty good piece. I wish it would have included who showed up, as these workouts are voluntary, but it is still a good read.

As many of you know, while it is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged that players participate. This was one of the main issues Mr. Ruskell took with DJack. However, I suspect there is little to worry about these days and the majority of the team is probably in town and working out. Well, except for newlywed Marcus Trufant. END Read More!

Closer Look At This Years Picks

by: Michael Steffes

Now that compensation picks have been announced, the draft order can be calculated. Thankfully, Frank Hughes at Seahawk Insider has done this for us. The Seahawks have pick numbers...25, 55, 86, 121, 189, & 233.

To look at who the Seahawks have taken in these spots before....

#25...(closest)Chris Spencer (26)
#55...CB Josh Wilson
#86...DT Ricky Hagood,
#121...(closest)Baraka Atkins (120), Terril Bierria(120, 02')
#189..DT Craig Terrill
#233...(closest) Steve Vallos (232), Jeff Kelly (232, 02')

Anyway, it looks like we will be picking in similar positions to last year. Speaking of last year, here is who those picks acquired...

#25...Jon Beason, LB, Car
#55...Josh Wilson, CB, Sea
#86...Marshall Yanda, T, Bal
#121...Marcus Thomas, DT, Den
#189..Joe Filani, WR, Ten
#233..Chandler Williams, WR, Min

Read More!

No Extra Pick

by: Michael Steffes

The Tacoma News Tribune's, Seahawk Insider, has a post up saying Frank Hughes called in and said the Hawks will NOT be getting a compensatory pick this year.

If you have been following this blog, you know that I expected that there was no way they were going to get one, despite Tim Ruskell saying he thought so. It just didn't make any sense, we signed way more big free agent deals last year compared to the free agents who we let leave. Not to mention that Patrick Kerney, one of the signings, went to a Pro Bowl, which canceled out Ken Hamlin, who also went to the Pro Bowl, leaving. As many of you know, the shear numbers of players going vs coming in, their contract amounts, and post season honors are the three criteria that go into the compensatory pick formula.

I do, however, expect that we will get a couple of late round compensatory picks next year.

Here is a breakdown of the picks awarded if you are interested, credit to Chris Brown at Inside the Bills.END Read More!

Not Ready For Prime Time

by: Michael Steffes

The Seahawks were passed over for the opening weekend prime time lineup. Considering they weren't even included after playing in the Superbowl, I guess it isn't too much of a surprise. Hopefully they will be included when the Thanksgiving schedule is announced. For now here is the line up...

Thur........Giants vs Redskins
Sun Night...Indy vs Bears
1st Mon.....Packers vs Vikings
2nd Mon.....Denver vs Raiders

Good to know that this team will be able to at least garner another "us against the world" mentality, or the "we get no respect" attitude. That seemed to propel them quite well in 05' as they constantly heard that they weren't as good as their record. Meanwhile, the opening Monday night will be highlighted by that thrilling Aaron Rodgers vs Tavaris Jackson duel, then followed by a terrible GM vs a terrible owner. Thrilling!! By the way, since the Mon. night double header started 3 years ago, this is the Vikings and the Raiders second appearance in the opening night. Now that is good marketing!!! END Read More!

Hill Looking for Payday?

by: Michael Steffes

Just a side note, Liz Mullen of The Sports Business Journal is reporting that Leroy Hill has hired Todd France to represent him. This is a telling move. It would appear that Hill will be looking to become a free agent after the season.

Todd France took over representation for Nate Clements the year before he was a free agent. that worked out pretty well for Nate. He was also the agent who got Takeo Spikes a big deal several years ago, which is how he kind of made his name.

How do I know so much about Todd France? Well, he, along with Tim Ruskell, and several of the Seahawks drafted in 2005, are all main characters in the book, "The Draft", by Pete Williams. Something I would recommend you check out if you want to get inside the psyche of all the parties involved in an NFL Draft. END Read More!

Another Running Back??

by: Michael Steffes

The Seahawks are using one for their alloted visits on a lesser known running back, Jackson's State's Lavarus Giles. This is according to Chris Dunfee at NFL Draft Blitz.com. Giles is also meeting with the Patriots.

He seems to be off the radar of a lot of the draft sites. He did work out well at the Jackson St pro day, however, in looking at last years stats, he really didn't get a chance until the last two games of the season. He responded with over 100 yards and 2 TD's in each game.

Giles was originally recruited by Ole Miss, but then switched his commitment to Alabama at the last second. There was a cloud of suspicion around his recruiting which eventually led to him leaving Alabama and playing at Divison II Jackson St. END Read More!

The QB Conundrum

by: Michael Steffes

As some have noted, the Hawks really are showing a lot of interest in all the 2nd tier quarterbacks. Many are wondering if the Hawks would really waste their visits creating the appearance of interest or are they really thinking about finding Matt's replacement. His contract is up in 2010, three seasons from now. Many of you have seen my take on this during various discussions, but I thought an in depth examination was overdue. Lets take a look....

I am on record as saying that this is a smokescreen and I stand by it. As you know, I often use a financial lens to help analyze things and in this case, that is very telling.

The Hawks have 3 QBs under contract already for 2008. Obviously they could cut one, but they haven't even seen Frye in a training camp yet. Why force yourself to cut him even if he looks good in camp. Also, you would lose all trade leverage, because other teams know that four QB's is a waste of a roster spot to everyone but John Gruden. Frye actually holds a lot more value than a rookie because he started for a year and a half in this league and he comes cheaper too.

To draft the QB's they prefer out of the ones they have worked out, it is likely they would have to use their 1st round pick, as all of those QBs are late first to early 2nd round picks. A first round pick carries with it a multi million dollar bonus and at most usually a five year deal. We would be paying a lot of money to someone who MAY be the guy 3 years from now. Plus, before his 2nd year starting you have to start thinking about an extension, unless you want to risk losing a guy you have devoted so much time too. This will be Green Bay's dilemma if Rodgers struggles this year, just watch.

Another thing is that taking a first round QB does nothing to further the goal of winning in Holmgrens last year. If the team is thinking TE with a high pick, the best thing they can possibly do to get value, is move back 5-10 spots. If only 1 of the teams looking for an early 2nd round QB thinks we might take one, then maybe we have a trade partner, which is the most difficult part of moving backwards.

This is smart strategic thinking, and the only thing it costs is a couple of visits that we would usually use on 7th round or undrafted possibilities. The gain is that they get the player that will help the most, this year, in the appropriate draft position, along with extra picks. The risk vs. reward here is substantially in the Hawks favor.

Finally, Seneca Wallace is also signed through 2010. So most likely, he will be part of the QB depth chart until then. Probably 2nd on game days so they can use him in special packages. Because of this, the smart move is to allow the team to evaluate Frye after a full season and compare his development to the rookie class. He could be a cheap alternative as insurance until the team can make a better assessment of how Hasselbeck is aging and when is the right time to think rookie. The one mistake this team shouldn't make is putting a 1st round (or early 2nd) quarterback on the roster that forces their hand when Hasselbeck's contract expires. No reason to push him out if he is still a top flight QB, or to allow a first round QB to reach the end of his rookie deal unused.

One other thing you have heard me note is that I think the team will want Jim Mora in charge when they choose Matt's successor. There is no evidence I can point to here. It is just a gut feeling I guess, based on what seems to stem from how QB's and the coaches who draft them are inexplicably linked in this league. Now maybe Mora could be instrumental in picking a QB this year, but I would think Mora is going to be pretty quiet in the war room, if only to avoid causing any rifts for the upcoming year.

Now you have a detailed look at where my beliefs that Hawks are not really serious about drafting a quarterback come from. One thing I most certainly believe when it comes to NFL teams and the upcoming draft is, that when there is smoke, is isn't always fire.
Read More!

Another Visit Scheduled

by: Michael Steffes

Well the Seahawks are scheduled to bring in another player most of us, including me, have never heard of, for a work out. KFFL lists Josh Buchanan of NFL Draft Bible as reporting that the Seahawks are using one of their 30 allotted visits on Bentley Guard, Mackenzy Bernadeau.

NFL Draft Scout has him listed as the 13th best Guard in the class. They say he is quick and athletic, and uses his hands effectively. He could use to get stronger and is coming off a torn meniscus. However, as a late round flier goes, it seems he is a pretty good prospect. NFL Draft Scout projects him as a 7th round pick.

I thought that maybe it would help to have a comprehensive list of visits and interest. So I have compiled a list of the names and pro days that I have noted and included it below, just.....



SUPPORT THE SITE BY CHECKING OUT THE SPONSORS!!!

Read More!

No Holmgren In Florida

by: Michael Steffes

According to this post in Mike Reiss' Blog for the Boston Globe, Mike Holmgren is the only head coach not expected to attend the Owners meetings. I thought I would pass this along because it is going to be a slow day with everybody gearing up for these meetings.

If you want to see more on the Owners Meetings.....

As you may know, Mike Holmgren used to extremely active in meetings like this, playing an important role in the competition committee. However, over his time as the head man for the Hawks, he seem to become increasingly frustrated with how the league handled things. Members of the Seahawks front office will certainly be down there. Last year they had represntitives serving on seven separate committees.

If you are wondering what to expect, well tomorrow, the National TV line up should be released, including opening weekend, Thanksgiving, and the Sun/Mon night schedules. The full schedule was originally scheduled for Thursday, although last year that was delayed. Also, issues to be discussed include....

• players hair lengths
  
• radio communication with defensive players
• changing the playoff seeding to eliminate a guaranteed home game for division winners (Thanks Tampa/Indy)
• eliminating the force out
• eliminating the 5 yrd face mask
• and of course spying
  

However, at least this is a chance to gather all together and share info. If I recall, in previous years, Mike Sando was good at getting opinions from former coaches on the Seahawks acquisitions, as well as getting some good stuff from the usually reserved front office members, so who knows what we will find out. Either way, it is a good way to kill a week as many of us desperately wait for draft weekend to arrive. 27 days and counting...... Read More!

Hass vs. Jones...Easley vs. Krieg

by: Michael Steffes

There are some epic battles going on right now over at Dave Kriegs Strike Beard. It is down to the elite 8, and some of the all time great Seahawks are facing off against each other. Have you voted yet?

80 some votes in, and Hasselback and Big Walt are separated by a mere vote. It is the equivalent of playing double overtime to get to the final four. People, this as is good as it gets as far as good Seahawk competition in March. Make sure your opinion is heard. Either click the link in this post, or the banner above the most recent post. One day to go and we will have the final four!!!! END Read More!

Pass Happy Hawks

We all know that last year the Hawks were basically forced into an offensive scheme that was centered around the passing game. This was out of necessity because they were completely ineffective in the run game. The Patriots had a offense that heavily focused on the pass too, but theirs seemed driven by an unnatural desire to mangle their opponents. Either way, this is actually a dangerous strategy. Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders, working in concert for ESPN, has a nice piece about quarterback hits. While it is geared towards Tom Brady, it can be applied to the Hawks as well.

If you want to read some analysis and how it relates to the Hawks....

Basically the story is meant to show that there is more to pass rush statistics than sacks. In essence, it is important to count QB hits along with sacks, and then factor in the number of attempts, as some teams run more than they pass.

Surprisingly, this article actually puts the Hawks line in a positive light, something that not many have done with last years performance. The first thing you may notice, is in the first chart, Matt Hasselbeck was in the top of the league in being bumped around by defenders with a total of 27 hits and 33 sacks. I will look at these numbers more closely in a minute.

The next thing you will see is in a lower chart, that because of the sheer number of pass attempts, actually 3 more than the pass happy Pats, the Seahawks ranked 10th in QB hit percentage. Matt was only hit 9.7% of his attempts. Rating higher that the line many said performed so well all season long in NE.

Here is the funny thing though. The article goes out of its way to mention that QB hits is a subjective stat. Different scorers count them differently. Seattle, and Qwest field are used as an example of a major difference. The Hawks combined to have 60 QB hits scored during their home games, and only 24 on the road. So it is possible that the Qwest field offical scorer is likely to call the lightest bump a QB hit. Call it the synic in me, but I saw our defense at home and on the road, and I think that could be the difference by itself. However, this suggests that it is possible that Hawks could have been even better. Either way, the Hawks still ranked as the 10th best pass protecting line, better than the Pats who got a lot of praise for their work. The Hawks line mostly took abuse. The moral of the story is that either way, when you pass a lot your QB gets knocked around a lot too. Strong reasoning to spend a little money and make sure the team can run next year, right.

What I am also interested in from this article is Hasselbeck's numbers. He was sacked THIRTY FIVE times!!!! Which is not so good, but he was only suffered a mere 27 quarterback hits. So why is this? Well my theory is that this shows poor coaching of the line and poor blocking by the running backs. Hasselbeck is a tough guy. He is not afraid to throw the ball and take a hit. The lack of hits, to me, shows how good this line could be if they fixed the scheme confusion. Another random Football Outsiders stat from a different piece is that the Hawks were tied for tops in the league in untouched defenders getting sacks with 13. This is heavily based on the line scheme, and not so much the actual personnel, else there would be more hits on Hasselbeck. When the linemen find the right scheme, they do quite well. The other reason defenders get through untouched is poor blocking from the running backs. However, Weaver should improve, and Jones is a quite capable blocker too. This bodes quite well for next year.

Also, this is an offense in which the QB often goes through several reads and then makes a decision. Smart QB's throw the ball away and take hits, not sacks. I think this is something that Matt has gotten a lot better at. At times he holds the ball too long, but I feel comfortable saying that if the team stops allowing untouched defenders through the line, the sacks will go down dramatically without the hits rising too much. They could easily put together a season like the Cleveland line last year with only 25 hits and 17 sacks (7.1%). That helped Cleveland win ten games, and they had one of the worst defenses ever. Imagine line play like that with the defense the Hawks are putting on the field. It could be something special. It would truly appear, that Mike Solari and the new running backs are the key. I can't wait to see how it works out.




THANKS EVERYONE!!! PLEASE SUPPORT THE SITE BY CHECKING OUT THE SPONSORS!! Read More!

Meet Jeb Putzier

New Seahawks tight end Jeb Putzier joined the Late Hits crew this evening on Sirius NFL radio. If you would like to learn more about Jeb, or at least read some of what he had to say then......

• He understands that he is a short term fix and was told that the team expects to draft a TE early. He thinks he can help the new TE much like he did with Owen Daniels in Hou.

• He has a wife and a daughter and he felt Seattle was the right type of city for his family. It was either the Hawks or the Jets, and he just felt that Seattle was better all around for all parties involved.
  

• For those of you didn't know Jeb is a proud Boise St Bronco. He was a walk on at Boise St. Clearly he has come a long way.

• He played football, baseball, basketball and track in High School, clearly he is a good athlete.
  

• He said that Hasselbeck is the best quarterback he has had a chance to play with and he is excited. He thinks the offense is going to be pretty hard to stop next year.
  

• Despite receiving, he says one of things he excels at is helping other players to get open, and this comes from having a good understanding of the flow of the game. He knows when to alter a route and how to move a safety so that people open up. He says this offense is very similar to the offense he has been in since be became a pro.
  

• He said one of the things that attracted him to Seattle was that they had plenty of leaders and that he could be part of that. He said in Denver, he was often trying to help people like Maurice Clarrett, and some people want to listen and others just don't. In Seattle, he said he can help with the young guys, but the vocal leaders of the team are already in place.
  

Welcome aboard Jeb! May you catch many balls and teach the rookie to be a real professional. Anyone who has to walk on at Boise St (before they were good) and makes it all the way to lengthy career in the pros, clearly works hard and does things the right way. There is always room on a team for a player like that.



Read More!

Money To Spare

It is funny how this offseason has gone. At one point the Hawks seemed to be passing on more than reasonable deals all because of salary cap constraints. Well....now, after locking up two of their best young defensive players, the Hawks have money to spare. This is what the professor John Clayton has to say on his ESPN Blog.

Salary cap room to breathe: The Seahawks were concerned about being tight against the cap. They had more than $9 million of their cap eaten up by the Marcus Trufant franchise tag. Now that Trufant signed a six-year, $50.2 million deal, the Seahawks have plenty of room. His contract saved the team $6.7 million of cap room. After his deal, the Seahawks had $13.9 million of room, which is why they had no problem giving kicker Olindo Mare a two-year, $3.5 million deal. They would like to get an extension with linebacker LeRoy Hill, too.

I think the next move seems clear. It is releasing Shaun and taking the whole hit this year. By restructuring Kerney and Grant, it is possible they have created cap hurdles that will have to be maneuvered in the future. But by avoiding any dead money, this team will have flexibility to keep the defense together. Especially when you consider that the team will be loading up on young offensive players in the upcoming drafts. END Read More!

Scheduling Dilemmas

Well, we know that the Seahawks won't be playing in the Thursday night opener at the Meadowlands. That however doesn't mean the Hawks won't be part of the prime time lineup. In years past, there have been two MNF games, usually one featuring left coast participants. Also there is this, excellent Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss has been doing some tinkering of his own. He thinks the Pats at the Hawks would be a nice ratings draw for the opening weekend too.

So you tell me...Do you want our crack at the Patriots early, mid season, or late in the year? Something tells me it will have a Wild Card feel to it. I think it might benefit the Hawks to play them early. They are going to have several new players in their secondary, and they won't be able to scout our improved run scheme. Tell me what you think....

UPDATE--John Clayton just said on his KRJ radio program that there is a lot of talk in the league that the Pats Hawks will be played opening weekend, probably Sunday Night. Read More!

Defensive Tackle Explained

Well, you all can thank RM8 for this. As I have said before, and I will say again, here at Seahawk Addicts we are all about the reader. RM8 wanted a post looking at the roles of the Seahawks D-line, and who from this years class will fit. So I have done some looking and will do my best to explain....

First off, even if you know, the Hawks play a 4-3 defense. Let me explain in case these numerical interpretations confuse you. A 4-3 defense is characterized by using 4 defensive lineman, usually 2 tackles and 2 ends. The second line of the defense is 3 linebackers. When you hear of a 3-4 defense it is the opposite, 3 D-linemen, and 4 linebackers.

Ok, so the Hawks run a 4-3 and have 4 D-linemen on the field at time. The defensive ends, Patrick Kerney and Darrell Tapp remain on the field in most situations. The defensive tackles tend to rotate in and out a bit more (usually cause of their size they get tired). The Hawks scheme functions best when they have a pair of tackles on the field with contrasting abilities. Usually they like to have one two gap player. This is a tackle who can occupy two blockers at once, usually a guard and the center. They also like to have what is called a 3-technique tackle. This is usually a smaller, quicker tackle, who can win a one on one match up and cause a disruption in the backfield. Hope you are following along ok so far.

So, as I mentioned, these DT's operate in pairs for the most part. One of the reason the team was so successful in 05' was that Tubbs was healthy. He is the closest thing the team had to a true two gap player until last year when they discovered Mebane. While not typical size, he holds up multiple blockers very well. This is why Holmgren sang his praises despite little proof on the stat sheet to back him up. Rocky Bernard is the teams top 3-tech tackle. He is the penetrator. Behind him, Craig Terrill would be considered a 3-tech, even though he is clearly not starting material, at least not with how important consistent pressure is in this scheme. Beyond these players, Howard Green is a definite 2 gap player, and Chris Cooper would be the 3rd 3-tech tackle. Hope you can see this way how the pairings would probably work.

So here is the problem. First, Tubbs can't be counted on to be the starter, so every body moves up. Mebane and Rocky are the top pair. Rocky, however, is showing signs of age along with the fact he is a free agent next year. Because of Mebane being entrenched as a starter, it seems that a 3-technique tackle is the biggest need.

Here is the kicker though, Tubbs, who no one even knows about how much he will contribute, is also a free agent. So essentially the Hawks could use both types of tackles for 2009. My reason for supporting the 3-technique guy is that he would have a year to learn the system behind Rocky and would need to start next year. The team could take a two gap player late, or next year, and he would be a back up to Mebane. So in my opinion, the Hawks should be looking for the smaller quicker type of defensive tackle first. Insert Trevor Laws man crush statement here.

The other side of this is that the team is really one injury away (two if Tubbs actually contributes), from having Howard Green be the primary run stuffer. Not a real exciting thought. Terrill is capable of working in that role, but he won't be nearly as successful as a wide body like Tubbs or Mebane. So, and I know this will thrill BobbyK... the Hawks should take TWO d tackles, one rusher, and one run stuffer. If they got some good ones, this D would really be in business for years to come. As I said earlier though, this could be done effectively over two years, which might allow the team to fill these roles with better players.


When we look at the draft, there are a variety of names being thrown around. Let me do my best to group them....

--3-Technique-------------------------2 Gap Tackles---
Sedrick Ellis...........................Glenn Dorsey
Kentawn Balmer...........................Red Bryant
Trevor Laws..........................Marcus Harrison
Pat Sims.................................Frank Okam
DeMario Pressley........................Athaya Rubin

These are partly some generalizations I am making. Sed. Ellis could probably do both, and they say a Dre Moore could do both. It is hard to say definitively, but what you look for in scouting reports is if they have a quick first step and thrive on speed, they usually work well as a 3 tech, if they are strong, or stout at the point of attack and handle blockers well, that usually means they fill the 2 gap role best.

So that is my not so brief breakdown of the D tackle roles. The Hawks seem to be in need of both. This year they have the starters mostly set. Now, if Tubbs can be the backup 2 gap tackle, that may open Craig Terrill up for a great year. If he can't, Howard Green will be playing that role. He was Ok last year, and he is certainly big enough and strong enough. One of the other advantages of having a second top notch penetrator (3 tech) is that they could pair him with Rocky on obvious passing downs and really start to collapse the pocket. The Giants used an oversized defensive end in Justin Tuck to do this last year and you can see where it got them. He is only 6-4 275, but when he is playing tackle, his speed gives guards fits. However it is important that they do this only situationally, because stopping the run is the best way to get the defense to third and long.



REMEMBER TO SUPPORT THE BLOG FOLKS!!!! CHECK OUT THE SPONSORS PLEASE!!!! Read More!

Reading Material

For those so inclined, I put together a few coherent sentances about the a certain unit most of us expect to be quite good next year. As you know, these often turn into puff peices in a way, but what else is going on right? So read if you want and feel free to provide feedback for me if you have something to say. I am going back to watching basketball.... can anybody say Stephan Curry?? Dude is the man!!!

Anyway, here is the article, it is over at the Power of 12 site.

END Read More!

Seahawks Scout the South

Earlier today I passed along a report that the Seahawks had a representative at the Georgia Southern pro day. Now comes this report from Nick Derison and The New Star that the Hawks were also in attendance at the pro day of Grambling State.

The star of the Grambling pro day was Clyde Edwards, a receiver who caught 97 balls for 3,215 yards and 37 touchdowns in his career. Grambling also had two CB's hoping to earn a draft spot named Zaire Wilborn and DeMichael Dizer. There was also a DT named Jason Banks on display. Common logic says the Hawks could be interested in any of these players as a late round pick.

I know it ain't sexy, but at least its something to keep the newsreel turning for all those jonesing for some news. END Read More!

Talking Shop With A Long Snapper

Just in case you were dying for some more special teams news, I found you this interview with Tim Lindsey. He was with Atlanta as a rookie after going to school at WVU. The Seahawks signed him to a reserve/futures contact after the year to come in and compete. He is heading to Seattle this week for the beginning of the offseason workout program.

And before you get yourselves all worked up, he was in Atlanta long after Tim Ruskell was gone. Anyway, here is the link to the interview. Hope you enjoy! END. Read More!

Every Stealer Fan's Worst Nightmare

Check out this story from the PI. I thought it was worth passing along. I say, support your local Seahawk fan. Any jerk who walks around the NW wearing Stealer garb is just asking for trouble anyway!

That said, I will inspecting my food a little more closely when I am traveling to road games this year. Read More!

S.A.- NFL DRAFT PREVIEW-Round 7

Well the Seahawks free agency wheelings and dealings seem to have come to an end with the addition of veteran kicker Olindo Mare, and now the Seahawk Addicts draft preview is coming to an end with the projections for the 7th round.

I have kind of increased the number of players included by a few because the shear number of players available to be picked in this spot is daunting. Also, according to Ruskell it is possible we will get a compensation pick, if so it will probably be a 7th, so maybe we will have two. That should be announced early next week. Who knows, maybe the Hawks will get to choose Mr. Irrelevant!

Speaking of irrelevant, lets hope my projections don't turn out to be so. To see the seventh round....

First...Here are the links to the previous projections...
1st...2nd...3rd....4th...6th.

As Always, these are just my opinions, but I am basing them off of things I have learned about the Hawks Draft Master, Tim Ruskell. Things like, he doesn't take players from small schools, and he thinks character is pretty important, etc.

Here are the projections....

SEAHAWK ADDICTS 7TH ROUND PROJECTIONS

Chancy Washington-RB-USC-- Washington is the classic running back who could be a better pro than college player. He just never got the touches necessary for him to be great at USC. He is a physical runner with a good build and runs between the tackles well. He would probably need a year on the practice squad to work on blocking/receiving and understanding the system.

Brandon Coutu-K-Georgia- Coutu has a big leg. He hits kicks from 50+ with no problems. He also has a good leg for kickoffs. He was a little inconsistent at times, but that is why you have a veteran to compete with him. Is this the kicker the Hawks like? Who knows, but he seems to fit the profile of the one who left.

Eric Foster-DE-Rutgers- I didn't know much about this guy until it was announced that the Hawks are brining him in for visit. However the video that reader Erik found says a lot. He just looks like a Ruskell guy. He is smaller, but a fighter. He looks like the quick penetrating tackle the Hawks like to use in their rotation. HERE IS THE VIDEO.

Tim Bugg-LS-Indiana- Not too much I can say except he is the best long snapper around. He was at the combine and supposedly impressed. Most think that he won't be drafted, but if the Hawks want to make sure he has to come to Seattle, they could throw a 7th at him. Wouldn't be the worst idea I have ever heard.

Matt Spanos-C-USC- Big, big, center. 6'5" 300lbs. He is known to play with a nasty streak. He doesn't have a lot of experience at center, but could also play guard. he would be put in a similar position as Steve Vallos. Spend a year on the practice squad, see if there is some promise, and then possibly slide into Chris Gray's role of backup guard/center. He has played against top players during his career, including Sed. Ellis everyday in practice.

Tyler Polumbus-T-Colorado-- This kid could be just they type of tackle prospect the team should be looking at. He has prototypical size at 6'7" and he is atheletic enough to play LT. However he needs some time to grow into the role. Perfect, the Hawks have two tackles. He could be the 4th tackle this year, be the backup next year if Willis departs, and maybe eventually he becomes a very good player in the league. His size and athleticism give him a lot of upside.

Jonathan Zenon-CB-LSU- Typical story of a guy who was a heck of a competitor against very good competition who is a late round pick because of his 40 time. The Seahawks corners don't usually run deep with WR's so much anyway, the safeties do. He is 5'11" 190lbs and a very good athlete. Despite his size he is known to be a physical corner.

Jehuu Caulcrick-FB-Michigan State- Caulcrick is one of the few throwback fullbacks in this draft. He is also the only one likely to be available late in the draft. While FB is not a huge need for the Hawks, it would be nice to have some insurance. Weaver will be a UFA next year, and really I am not sure what to expect from Kirtman. This guy is a bruiser and a good short yardage guy. Not the greatest hands, but a capable lead blocker. If the teams wants to add a more traditional fullback, this could be the guy.


There it is. A reader suggested that we keep score how good the projections are. I want to assure I will be, but I would feel lucky to just have one or two guys the Hawks draft on my lists. Ruskell keeps things close to the vest and very few can predict with any accuracy what he will do. But for now, the projections are done. I think this will free me up to start a series of SA Mock Drafts, starting next week. There is less than a month until the big day....personally, I can't wait.

THANKS AGAIN!!!! KEEP SUPPORTING THE SITE!!!!!!

Read More!

Visits, Pro Days, & Prospects

With such a busy day yesterday, I thought I would get you updated on what is going on with the various players that the Seahawks are showing interest in. Remember, usually these visits are used to recruit players who may go undrafted into signing with the Hawks. To Continue...


J.J. Pesavento, of Next Level Scouting is reporting that the Hawks are bringing in Louisville TE Scott Kuhn. Kuhn is 6'6" 255 and doesn't seem to be much of a receiving threat. He had two catches last season.

Josh Buchanan, of NFLDraftBible.com is reporting that the team will meet with DE Bryan Smith out of McNeese St. Nfl Draft Scout has him listed as an OLB. They also say he was the most dominant edge rusher in the FCS subdivision the last two years.

Buchanan is also reporting that the Hawks are interested in Central Washington S prospect Chris Hemphill. Draft Scout also lists Hemphill as an OLB. He was a transfer from UW. He is 6'5" and 235lbs

KFFL is reporting that the Seahawks will meet with Wake Forest TE, John Tereshinski. It seems he is being looked at as a fullback for the next level. He has good hands and is a capable blocker. He was also a backup long snapper. Can never have too many of those, right?

Finally, The Seahawks attended the Georgia Southern pro day. Georgia Southern has two running backs, a WR, and a corner who could hear their name called in April.
These players are:

Mike Hamilton and Lamar Lewis at RB, Jayson Foster at WR, and Brandon Jackson is the CB.

There you have. Add these names to the file of now you know. The Hawks certainly use their visits in an interesting way. At least no other team has any idea who we are really targeting either. Read More!

One Team Who Wants To Trade Up

In much of the draft speculation going on, myself, and many of you, feel that the best move for the Hawks is to move back and get more picks. It seems that all the players that would really be good fits are more deserving of being taken in the early second than at the #25. Of course, if Jonathan Stewart slides this could be moot, however, according to Lions Insider and Tom Kowalski, Detroit would like to get back into the late first to draft Jarrod Mayo.

If you are so inclined.....

If you are looking at this in accordance to the draft pick value chart. Seattle's pick at #25 is worth 720 points. Detroit's 2nd, #45 is worth 450, Detroit would need to add in a 3rd, and probably one of their two 5ths to come up to #25. Here is a link to the draft pick value chart, if some you have never seen it.

I think this speculation is kind of fun. It gives you a good foundation for why it is so hard to make some of these deals. Teams have to give up an awful lot. FYI, if you are playing around with numbers, The Hawks currently have #25, #55, & #86. Everything after that won't be determined until compensatory picks are announced. Read More!

Could Mare Get Cut?

I say yes... absoulutely! He has no guarantee to be on the roster. With the rare exception of certain "slaves to the business men" who get big signing bonuses up front, kickers are always in danger of being cut. Especially if they don't produce.

To continue....

Lets say hypothetically, that Mare was given a 1 mil signing bonus. He then say has base salaries of 1.25 each of the next two years. This is a reasonable guess at what the contract may look like. The Hawks would only be responsible for the 1 million bonus if he is cut before camp. It would count against the cap, but nothing else would. Would that be an expensive gamble? Sure for most, but Paul Allen has the deepest pockets in the league. It is worth it if it allows the Hawks to select the kicker they like with out reaching, and then as insurance in case he doesn't perform.

Also, as I mentioned in the previous thread, while Ruskell was in Atlanta, the Falcons carried two kickers. So if it takes a season for the young guy to develop, or they want to ease him in, so be it, Ruskell has proven he is willing to go this route. It is possible that the kicker the Hawks like could be accurate, but have a weak leg for kick offs, thus they would share duties. However, it would seem the Hawks will make a decision on Mare, one way or the other, before the season starts and his deal becomes guaranteed for the year because of his veteran status.

UPDATE--For all those who want a little more (or less) clarity on the subject, or just have a man crush on our GM, like me, here is an interview, done Wednesday with Tim Ruskell. FYI, he suggests they will draft a kicker, and then maybe carry two on the roster for a little bit. Or not. Who knows?

Read More!

Seahawks Get Mare

Reported by Mike Florio at profootballtalk. It is a two year 3.5 million dollar deal. Say what you want, but the final hole on the roster has been filled.

As for Mare, he has a big leg. He was second last season in touch back percentage at almost 29%. He doesn't have the long distance accuracy of Josh Brown, but his kickoffs are substantially better. Think of it this way, rather than winning the game for you in the last second, he helps win the game all the way through by putting the opposing offenses at a disadvantage. The % of a team scoring a touchdown goes down significantly for every 10 yards they are backed up. Plus, this deal is no guarantee he will make the team, although it seems likely, with a rookie possibly on the practice squad. We'll See....

If the Hawks were going to go into the season today, I would feel comfortable that they would finish at least as good as last year. They still have the draft to improve this team. If they find even a couple of quality contributors, they will contend for the conference championship. END Read More!

Will Leroy Sign Long Term?

There is a nice little piece that was posted at Profootball Weekly yesterday talking about the Seahawks recent signings of Pro Bowl defenders.

However, the article does create a little concern, when it implies that Leroy Hill may be a little harder to lock up. To quote the article...

“Hill could be an interesting case,” a team source told PFW. “Because he has been so overshadowed by Tatupu and Julian Peterson in Seattle, he could be a guy who just might want to test the market when the time comes.

It seems that Leroy may want to find a spot where he can take top billing. This is understandable. He defintely is overshadowed by the two other linebackers. Hopefully though, Hill will realize that not only is the grass rarely greener when leaving an organization like the Seahawks, but Julian Peterson will not be around for ever. He would be the heir apparent to the spot of pass rushing specialist from the linebacker position.

The draft will probably tell us a lot about the signals the team is getting from Leroy and his representation. If they go linebacker high, we can expect that Leroy is more interested is being the top dog, than keeping one of the better position groups in all of football together. END Read More!

S.A.- NFL DRAFT PREVIEW-Round 6

Alright...getting down to the nitty gritty. The Seahawk Addicts draft preview is moving into the sixth round. Obviously at this point, specialists such as kickers are included. No one at this point is guaranteed to make the team. I trended back towards skill position players because it seems Tim Ruskell likes to pick up skill players from good teams who dropped. I think that there could be some value in those type of picks this year. Anyway to see the sixth round chart....

First, Here are the links to the previous projections:

First Round...Second Round...Third Round....Fourth Round.

The theory I have used to make these selections is based on the vast (very little) knowledge I have acquired on Tim Ruskell. You can read a more detailed account in either of the first two projections.

Any way, here are the picks.

SEAHAWK ADDICTS 6th ROUND PICKS

Ali Highsmith-LB-LSU-5'11", 230 lbs, 5.0 40 yrd dash time does not equal high draft pick. However, if you watched this guy play for LSU he was all over the field. Clearly his heart and desire make him do things on the field that don't seem possible with his measurables, like when he ran Darren McFadden down from behind. He is versatile and can play at any LB position. He is a good leader and excels at rushing the passer from the LB position. That fits the Hawks scheme well. Also, at this point he is an excellent value.

Nick Hayden-DT- Wisconsin- It is kind of iffy if he will be available at this point, but it was a reach to take him in the fourth. If he is here expect the Hawks to have him high on their list. He is a hard worker and consistent over achiever. He is known to be dependable and durable. A little light at only 290 lbs, but makes up for it with hard work and good intangibles. They say he is more of a run stuffer than a penetrator, but he had 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in his senior season.

Adrian Arrington-WR-Mich- I was already looking to include him, and then it was announced he was coming to Kirkland for a visit. I think Arrington totally fits the mold of picks like Courtney Taylor and Ben Obamanu. He had some character issues early in his time at Michigan, but he must pass the Hawks filters or they wouldn't be having him for a visit. His value is in his toughness over the middle. He is 6'3" and provides a nice target to throw to. Also was a beast in the red zone, with 5 td passes, despite Manningham often being the preferred target. His best game was his last game in the Capitol One Bowl vs Fla.

Hussian Abadullah-S-Washington St.-There are probably some of you who can tell us more about Abdullah than any scouting report, but here is some of his qualities that the Hawks will like. First off, his bloodlines. His brother is a safety for the Broncos, so he knows what it means to be a pro. Second, he plays with attitude, which is important for a safety. He has decent hands and ball skills and makes plays at key times. Also, was a standout on special teams at WSU, so no question about his value as a young player in the NFL.

Mike Hart-RB-Michigan- Mike Hart has a great college resume, yet some people think he will be lucky to hear his name called on draft day. That is how bad his combine was. Also, it is just too deep a draft class. However, the Hawks will love what he brings to the table, and if he slips this far they may take a flier on him. He is tough as nails, runs hard, attacks the middle of line, and NEVER (except his bowl game) fumbles. He went three years with out a fumble before his last game. He is an adequate receiver and the fact that he doesn't have good speed won't bother the Hawks because they have a perfect compliment in Julius Jones.

Taylor Mehlhaff-K-Wisconson- Not too much can be said, except we need a kicker. He has the strongest leg of the bunch. He is used to kicking in inclement weather. He has a good record on kicks 50 yds or longer. He is a hard worker and if he is available here there is no reason not to take him. Especially if the Hawks don't have a kicker, or have Olindo Mare for him to compete with.

Ok folks... One more to go...or at least until the supplemental picks are announced. Although i am still not sure why Ruskell thinks the Hawks are getting one. Anyway...Now I can watch basketball tonight and know that the heavy lifting for the day is done. Hope you enjoy...

PLEASE REMEMBER TO SUPPORT YOUR HARD WORKING BLOGGER!!!!

Read More!

Jonathan Stewart on Sirius

Jonathan Stewart was on Sirius NFL Radio with Tim Hasselbeck and Adam Schien this morning. He reitterated his desire to play for the Seahawks and said they have shown interest in him.

He said he thinks he would fit into the Seahawks offense perfectly, running, receiving, blocking, and he has absoulutely no problems contributing on special teams. He called the Seahawks his ideal situation.

He said his toe is progressing well. He said he wanted to have the surgery so that teams would be getting the best of his abilities when he started his career. He said if it drops him in the draft that is out of his control. As for being injury prone, he says that is a myth. He plays through injuries like everybody else and he wants to play in every game the team is involved in. He said he got 250 yards on a messed up toe that needed surgery, so that should tell GM's a lot.

Stewart expects to be at full strength when camp starts and he will compete with whatever running backs are on the team and hopes he can win a starting job out of camp. Stewart will be visiting Dallas, a team he rooted for as a child. Houston has been contacting him as well. END Read More!

ESPN Fan Mock Draft

Espn is holding a fan mock draft. Currently the Seahawks are on the clock. Your votes determine who they will take. Why ESPN would put the Seahawks on the clock at 9am Eastern Time is another story. You have until 10am PST to vote. Anyway, here is the link, Seahawk Addicts endorses either Brandon Albert or Derrick Harvey. Read More!

Denver Serious About Mare

Just thought I would update the kicker situation. According to this article by Lee Rasizer or the Rocky Mountain News, the Bronco's offered Olindo Mare a contract.

There are several items of note in the article. First, it would appear that Denver kept Mare in town most of yesterday putting on a full court press, (mixing sports analogies, bonus points) trying to get him to sign. No worries, the Hawks were probably a touch busy yesterday anyway. Mare got on a plane yesterday afternoon and headed to Seattle.

Second, the article says that the Seahawks have been in touch with Mare since it was apparent Brown was going to walk. Huh? Well, I guess this is the vet kicker we want. It seems if the idea of having Mare be the kicker is growing on some of you, and I would say I feel the same way. Kickers are kickers. If you want more proof, read this. The Mile High Report just did an analysis much like our Chris Sullivan which showed Elam is easily replaced too. The question now, is who is replacing their kicker with Olindo Mare?

END Read More!

More Visits, Pro Days, & Draft Stuff

Just a few more notes and nuggets before I call it a night. Hope you enjoy...

J.J. Pesavento, of Next Level Scouting has report on KFFL that says the Hawks are having Bryant Johnston, DE, from Gardner Webb out for a visit. Johnston was one of the top non BCS subdivision players last year. In fact, he was even included as a finalist for the Ted Hendricks award, against players like Chris Long and Lawrence Jackson. He has all the intangibles Ruskell loves, including being an all-academic player. He is currently projected for the fourth or fifth round, but NFL Draft Scout has his stock on the rise.

Also, Josh Buchanan, of NFLDraftBible.com, has two reports involving the Seahawks.

First, Adrian Arrington, WR, of Michigan is coming for visit as well. Arrington's stock was seemingly on the rise at the end of the year after a strong showing in UM's Bowl game. However, slow times have hurt his cause. I can attest that he is not afraid to go over the middle and has good hands. He is currently projected as a sixth round pick.

Finally, the Seahawks were in attendance at USC's pro day. No, not that one, University of South Carolina. I will actually be attending the U of So Cal pro day and giving all of you some inside access to what goes on. But as for the Gamecocks, the Seahawks were most likely looking at senior RB Corey Boyd as a late round pick. Here is a report on the SC pro day from The State, a local paper. END Read More!

Shocking Story

In all of this talk about the draft, some of you may have read up on offensive line prospect Heath Benedict, from the small college of Newberry.

Unfortunately, Heath Benedict passed away today. The reasons behind it are not clear. This is an utter tragedy. He was ranked in the top 10 at his position, and was likely to go early on the second day.

Seahawk Addicts expresses their deepest condolences to the Benedict family. Let this serve as a reminder how important every day is. Even when the future looks so bright, it is important to treasure the present. END Read More!

Ruskell's Quotes Very Telling

Ruskell told reporters, including Clare Farnsworth, that the savings realized from Marcus Trufant's long term deal are already spent.

After the news conference to announce Trufant's six-year, $50.2 million contract, the club president said the money basically was accounted for: $3-$4 million for the rookie pool that will be needed to sign the draft choices and college free agents; $2 million for an injury-protection fund to sign players when others are lost for the season; and signing a veteran kicker.

This seems to be very telling. It had been assumed and speculated by many that the savings the club would get from designating Shaun Alexander a June 1st cut would be used to sign the rookies and as emergency for the season. Well, Ruskell has allocated the Trufant savings for that. With no major targets left on the free agent market, it would seem the team won't do anything except add a kicker till after the draft.

So it would appear that the team doesn't need to cut Shaun to save money. Will they still cut him? I think so, and probably shortly. It appears though that the team will take the 125K hit this year and avoid any dead money. I must say, in a year where it looked like the team was in a bad spot, they managed to get a lot done. It is possible depending on how the draft goes that they will clear even more space, much like last year when after drafting Josh Wilson, the team cut Kelly Herndon. Players like Jason Babin, and even Mike Green are possible subtractions if replacements are drafted.

This team has worked its way out of the toughest spot it has been in financially, in the Tim Ruskell era. If they get a few more years out of Kerney and Grant, we may look back at 2008 as the teams best offseason. END Read More!

Rutgers DE Visiting Hawks

Rutgers defensive end Eric Foster is another in a long line of fringe prospects who will be visiting the Hawks. So says the Mike Garafolo and the New Jersey Ledger, who reports on Rutgers pro day.

Foster is 6'1" 273 lbs, and is rated as the 23rd best DE prospect by NFL Draft Scout. It is possible that he could put on weight and be a quicker lighter tackle, like the Hawks tend to use. Expect him to either be a late round flier or under consideration to be signed as an undrafted free agent.

HERE IS A VIDEO FOUND BY READER ERIK. NICE WORK!
Read More!

Seahawks Passed On for Opener

According to Jason La Canfora and his Redskins Insider Blog, the Redskins will be the Giants opponent to open the season on Thursday Night.

This is the first time the Thursday night opener will feature a divisional matchup. It had been reported that the Seahawks were being considered. However, with the news that the NFL will have to move the start time up to 7pm EST, to allow NBC to cover the Republican National Convention, and John McCain's acceptance speech, it is possible that any west coast team was eliminated from consideration.

Jim Zorn will certainly start his head coaching career in the spotlight. This will either be very good for him, or very bad, however, no one will say it isn't a compelling storyline.

UPDATE-- Apparently Mike Garraffalo of the NJ Ledger didn't think so highly of a Giants/Seahawks matchup anyway.

I mentioned before I expected the league to break form here and schedule a divisional game because the next-best opponent on the home slate is Seattle. Not exactly opening the season with a bang in that one

END Read More!

Charting The Defensive Personnel

Hey Folks. In case you have been napping, or just haven't quite put it all together yet, it appears that Tim Ruskell and the Seahawks have put together quite a formidable defense. Not only that, but they are locking up the key cogs for years to come.

I thought that maybe it would be informative to chart this out, so that we could look at maybe what could still be done, say....in the upcoming draft.

To see the chart and discuss.....




As you can see in the chart, not only is this a really good defense, but it is young and will be around for quite a while. To begin, lets look at age.

While age does not effect all positions equally, the four clear spots of note here are Patrick Kerney, Brian Russel, Deon Grant and Julian Peterson. Each player declines at their own rate. Two of those guys are pro bowlers. The other two are safeties. This supports my theory that the team should be looking at a young safety in this draft. Grooming them now would be a smart move. Also, arguably, Kerney and Peterson are the two best pass rushers, albiet from different spots. Since the team needs a reserve linebacker anyway, look for a young guy who could fit the JP mold to be drafted as well. Kerney, who has crazy methods for keeping himself feeling good, is likely to end his career here, signed till 2012 and already 31, the oldest member of this unit. Getting depth behind him can be done now, but the same could be said about adding a QB behind the 32 yr old Hasselbeck, and I am not ready to do that yet.

The other spot of note is DT. The team is going to have Rocky Bernard be a free agent after this year. Also, he will be 29. Being that the one area this defense has struggled is stopping the run against mammoth offensive lines, it would make sense to get a DT too. If you try to fill Rocky's mold, it will be important to get a disrupter. As reader S.T.T.B.M. pointed out earlier, Bernard's game is more about wreaking havoc and allowing others to collect the stats. This could be hard to find. I think it is important the team take one early, but you all know I a have a man crush on a certain DT from a roman catholic school near Chicago. He would fit the mold, but I am sure a number of players do.

I think the most important thing to note, is that overall, the Defense averages 26.3 years of age, and average being signed for 3 more years. This is one way to keep a "Superbowl Window" open. By the way, that is a concept I believe in about as much as Santa Claus. By planning and drafting smart, and then locking up guys like Lofa and Marcus, this team could become the Atlanta Braves of the NFL. Lets just hope they get a few more world championships out of it.

Read More!

Keenan Burton, WR, Kentucky

Ed Thompson of the Scout Network is reporting that at his pro day several weeks ago, the Seahawks talked to Keenan Burton, the wide receiver from Kentucky. I thought I would pass this along, but for an entirely different reason than you might think.

The funny thing about this, is at one point I posted a newspaper article that mentioned the Seahawks at the KY pro day. I was speculating they might be interested in Burton, who is kind of being heralded as a sleeper pick. However, a reader quickly pointed out to me that the teams listed in the article were the teams NOT in attendance at the pro day. I then felt like an idiot(which is no stretch sometimes) and the post disappeared. And in the end, all for naught, the Hawks were at the KY pro day, and did talk to Keenan Burton. HA! END Read More!

Home Town Discount

John Clayton just posted an article about Marcus Trufant's signing titled Trufant Gives Seattle Hometown Discount.

I thought that this is an interesting topic. Why? Because the Hawks seem to be darn effective at getting players to agree to these deals. By my count there have been four deals that could be counted as hometown discounts this offseason.

Mike Wahle...took very little money, has ties to Bainbridge Island
Sean Locklear...good young tackles usually get more than 12 mil guaranteed.
Lofa Tatupu....No need to test the market, he loves it in Seattle
Marcus Trufant....took less than every other corner who signed, local guy.

Is Leroy Hill next? The days of free agents leaving and then bashing the organization ala Chike Okeafor are long gone. This is the benefit of having a successful, and well run franchise. I will go out on a limb and say the only other team that is keeping their own, for less, as well or better is New England. For those who argue that Ruskell alienates the players and upsets them with his negotiating style, this is pretty solid evidence to the contrary.

Also, Congratulations Marcus....Enjoy your honeymoon big guy! Come back safe! END Read More!

Steve Largent...Where Does He Rank?

All time great Seahawk WR Steve Largent has been included in ESPN's top 10 wide receivers of all time. The article was written by Mike Sando, and is a pretty good piece. He used a variety of panelists to come up with the rankings. Largent ranked 7th. The article states some panelists had him at 4, and others at 8. We can debate it, but I wonder how Largent would have faired in todays NFL. Would he have been just as dominant, or just another receiver? My guess is he would have been pretty damn good, but I doubt he would have gotten 100 TD receptions. Too many receivers on the field and teams spread it around. You can debate, but he is defintely deserving of a top 10 nod of all time. END Read More!

Trufant Contract #'s

Frank Hughes has broken down the contract for the Seahawk faithful at Seahawks Insider. Here is the link. Good Work Frank!

For the first two years of the deal Marcus has a base salary of 1 mil. He has a signing bonus of 10 mil this year, and a roster bonus of 7 mil next year.

His cap hits then are 3 million this year, which saves 6.5 off the franchise tender, and then 10 million next year. If the team needs room, they may convert the roster bonus to a signing bonus, much like they did with Kerney and Grant this year.

Also, in 2010, Trufant has a base salary of 5.7 mil, with a roster bonus of 3 mil, making his cap hit 10.7 mil, unless either of these roster bonuses are converted.

That all totals almost 28 million, so he is scheduled to make about 22 over the last three years. The salaries are probably something in the vicinity of 6.5, 7.5, and 8 million. With cap hits 2 million above that in years 4 and 5. All and all, the Hawks are taking some big hits in later years to lower the hit in this year.

My belief is that they will now take Shaun's hit all in 2008 and take their medicine, trying to create some cap freedom in upcoming years. This would be a smart move to aid the transition to the Mora regime. END Read More!

Good Morning To You, Marcus Trufant

I love waking up to news like this! Marcus Trufant, according to profootballtalk.com, has reached a long term agreement to remain a Seattle Seahawk. The deal is 6yrs 50.2 million. Marcus is receiving 20 million in guarantees and essentially 28 million over the first three years.

Well, obviously, Marcus blinked. And I think he should be commended for it. When Lofa reached his long term agreement, I commented that Marcus would have to figure out whether he was a Seahawk or 10 mil a year CB. Well, he chose Seahawk, and probably in no small part because of the team spirit shown recently by not only Lofa, but Kerney, Grant, Terrill, and Babs. This is going to be a heck of D next year and probably moving forward.

You can see the deal averages pretty close to 8.3 per year. With the first three years paying out 28 million, that is a little more than nine per year. So my guess is that the salaries are pretty fair and Tru got him self a nice chunk of change up front. It will be hard for me to get the info, unless someone reports it, the NFLPA recently changed their website and currently it showing people who have signed elsewhere as Hawks, so who knows if it will have base salaries again. Either way this appears to be a better deal than any of the other recent ones signed by corners.

Oh yeah, and the best news, this is all just in time to sign Olindo Mare, who is in town today. Let the Mare watch begin(god please no). Read More!

More on Chris Cooper

Here you go bmsnyder. Ask and you shall receive...sometimes. Here at Seahawk Addicts we are all about the readers. You want more Chris Cooper, you get more Chris Cooper.

Cooper is 6-5 280. He is kind of a tweener. He played LB for the Cards but will fit into the rotation at DT/DE for the Hawks. He is 30 yrs old and went to college at Nebraska-Omaha. For your scouting report....


First off, here is the ESPN article about his release.

Here is a report by the PI about him from training camp that year.


2007 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc.
Grade: 43 | Key
Alert: None

Comment: Cooper is a journeyman backup player who has played seven NFL seasons. He is primarily a defensive end but will align at tackle on passing downs, but is not a great player at either position. Upon being waived by the Seattle Seahawks in 2006 he was signed by the Arizona Cardinals and did not fare much better in his production in Seattle. He lacks functional strength and power at the point of attack against bigger offensive linemen and is easily engulfed and knocked off balance when playing in the trenches. Cooper is not a speed rusher and struggles getting upfield, though he is a competitor and will not quit. He is not a front-line player who will add overall upgrade value to a team.


Read More!

Dysfunction Runs Deep

Out in 49er land. How many of you really believed that Roger Goodell would punish the Niners over two phone calls Drew Rosenhaus never even answered? Well it looks like the PR spin machine was in full effect. This article from the San Jose Mercury News and Tim Kawakami puts a little more light on the charges. And it is none too flattering for the 49er brass.

Apparently, people were sending emails they shouldn't have. Especially the ones bashing the owners. Learn this lesson now, do not say things in email that you don't want your boss to see. You know what I see in my crystal ball.....oh, its another 5-11 season, and the vision is clouded with pink slips.

Read the article folks, it is a little vague, but seems a bit more plausible than two unanswered phone calls. I would like to also credit Profootballtalk.com, where I saw this article linked first. END Read More!

March Madness X 2

In case you don't get NFL Network, or don't really feel like watching Marshall Faulk embarrass himself on a regular basis, you may have missed that they are doing their own version on the sweet sixteen. Yes, its March, more brackets. The Seahawks have been posed against the Eagles in round 1 in the 8/9 game.

Solomon Wilcox took the Hawks to advance to the Elite 8 in a tasty match up against the Patriots. He even went as far as to say that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC with their improved running game. The only lower seed he took was Cleveland over Pittsburgh.

Marshall Faulk of course took the Eagles to beat the Seahawks. No surprise, apparently he is a bit sick of the Hawks smacking around the Rams for the last 3 years. 6 in a row baby! Eat it Marshall!!

Also, if you haven't checked Dave Krieg's Strike Beard in a while, he is on to the sweet sixteen of the greatest Seahawk of all time. *Cough*TEZ!!!*Cough* Make sure you get over there and cast your votes. It is a moral imperative. You can use the link provided, or the banner currently residing above the most recent post. END Read More!

Seahawks Sign Two

According to Danny O'Neil and the Seattle Times, the Seahawks are bringing back some old faces. They have signed D.D. Lewis to fill the reserve linebacker role, and Chris Cooper to help solidify the D Line rotation.

These are some interesting moves. I wonder how much they will be counting on either of these players. The good news is that both should know the system. However, it would seem that both are in danger of losing their roster spots depending on how the draft goes.

No word yet on whether or not Olindo Mare will make it out of Denver with out a contract. Read More!

S.A.- NFL DRAFT PREVIEW-Round 4

And the hits just keep on coming! I have completed my round 4 analysis for the Seahawk Addicts draft preview. I must say, round 4 was the toughest. Mainly because the Hawks don't currently have a 5th rounder, so I was conscious of players they might really like who could go in the fifth as well. Picking in the 4th, Ruskell could grab someone he really likes projected for the fifth. At this point, it is about getting good players and good fits, and very little is considered a reach. Especially when you won't be picking again for 65-70 slots.

Anyway, lets get to the projections. As always, these are educated guesses formed around all I have read and learned about Tim Ruskell. To Continue...

If you haven't been following along, here are the previous projections.

Round 1..............Round 2..................Round 3

In both of the first two projections, the reasoning behind how I made my decisions is discussed. Meanwhile.....

SEAHAWK ADDICTS 4TH ROUND PROJECTIONS

JerMichael Finley-TE- Finley probably has one of the bigger upsides of all the TE's. He is big, fast, and has good ball skills. He has ideal height for the position at 6'4" He is also known to be a team guy and has good intangibles. The knock on him is his blocking. He also could use to put on some weight. He is also kind of inexperienced, he would have benefited greatly from staying another year in Texas. Because of that, he is likely to find himself drafted in the 4th. Expect TE's to slide a little further after the teams with a glaring need take the top 4 or 5.

Brian Kehl-LB-BYU- Kehl is a Ruskell guy to a tee. He is a bit undersized, but makes up for it with quickness, effort, and attitude. He is a big hitter despite his lesser attributes. He was a leader of an overachieving BYU defense. He will be an excellent back up and special team with the possibility to be more. The one knock is that he is a little older at 24 because of taking a mission.

Marcus Griffin-S-Texas- Lots of people have been speculating about Texas players that the Hawks may be interested in, but nobody mentions Griffin. The Hawks interviewed him at the senior bowl, and it is just as likely they are looking a little closer at him. He has great bloodlines, and a great attitude. He is a hard worker who clearly understands football. While his measurables aren't off the charts, he has enough to get by with his smarts. Would be an asset on special teams as a rookie.

Carlton Powell-DT-VT- Powell has the ability to be a very good second day pick. Doesn't have the measurables, only weighing 290, but the numbers don't lie. VT was one of the best rush defenses in the country and Powell was a big reason why. He has started to develop pass rush moves too. He only had 2 1/2 sacks as a senior, but had 15 Qb pressures. Often that is a better indication of his actual success in rushing the passer. He would be a valued addition to the Hawks as he earned awards at VT for both leadership and hustle. It didn't show up right in the chart, but teams have gained NEGATIVE 13 yards on their last 106 running plays towards Powell.

Kirk Barton- T- Ohio St- Could be an excellent use of a 4th round pick. He started almost every game of his four year career at OSU, and played well against top competition. Seahawks have had some success getting linemen from OSU later in the draft. Rob Sims at least is a starter, which more than a lot of 4th round picks can say. If the team is serious about eventually moving Lock to the left side, then Barton could be the right tackle of the future. In the short term he could replace Ray Willis if he leaves as a free agent next year, or as the back up tackle if Willis has success at guard.

Chris Harrington-DE- Texas A+M- Harrington's pops was a Los Angeles Ram. He is the kind of try hard overachiever that Tim Ruskell loves. He has top notch leadership and is a tireless worker. Right now he holds up against the run better than rushes the passer, but that is what would make him a good complement to the current rotation. He is said to have football instincts that can't be taught. Could turn out to be anything from a solid end to the next Aaron Kampman.

Ok, there is round 4. No round 5 selection, so I may take a few days before throwing up the late round selections with the specialists. Also, special thanks to Coach B. I had a different DT in the mix who was kind of a reach, but after reading his comment in the Laws thread I discovered someone I hadn't looked at too much. After a second look, I included him.

THANKS AGAIN FOLKS!!!!
PLEASE KEEP SUPPORTING THE BLOG!!!!!!

Read More!

Seahawks Attend UNM Pro Day

That is University of New Mexico if you are keeping track. This is being reported by JJ Pesavento, of Next Level Scouting. The Lobo's, what a great nickname. Apparently the Lobo's had several pro prospects, none which are expected to go very high. Prospects include: CB Brandon Payne, LBs Nick Speegle, Fola Fashola, and Chrishone Harris, QB Tali Ena, FB Landrick Brody, RB DD Cox, WR Martin Romero, and OL Claude Terril. The also have a place kicker who may end up on a roster named Wes Zunker. Who knows who the Hawks were looking at? You can debate. If you want a report on how the pro day went, check out this scout.com site, profootballexperts.

END Read More!

Answers to Your Questions Vol. 7

Howdy All. Well I feel like I am on a roll today. Draft preview....check. Power Rankings.....Check. Obligatory Notre Dame prospect video....huh?(Really I hate ND, but this year for some reason I like their players). So what is left?? Answers to your questions.


I will get right to it. So. Here. We. Go......


Evan... asked what the Vet minimum is and is there a way to find out?

Well this is actually something you will find fascinating. I am not sure where I read this, but I put it in my salary cap notes for future use. The vet minimum is actually 730K this year. However, if you give a player the vet minimum and NO signing bonus, the cap charge is only 438K. It is like an incentive plan to encourage teams to keep vets around. I will go back and see if I can find the source.

Yung Hawk...Asked if Martellus Bennett could slip and what I thought of him?

I originally thought very highly of Bennett, but I have heard several people, including Rob Rang, say that he isn't the kind of player Tim Ruskell usually prefers. He is has a boisterous personality and has a questionable motor. Really, he needs people to light a fire under him, he doesn't really self motivate, or at least that is what is being said. He could slip to the third, but I doubt all the way to the Hawks pick. It is hard to know where the TE's are going to go because a lot are projected in a similar range, so it really is up to the teams.

Lone Star Hawk...asked about Craig Stevens of Cal?

I will only say this. Stevens is probably a fine football player, but he the 8th or so rated TE for a reason. Considering that this is really the one hole the Hawks have to fix, it would make sense for them to get some one higher off their board. Also, where would the team be if it waited to try and get Stevens and then he got taken earlier than expected, there is really nobody who could play right away behind him.

CDALLAN ...asked if it is possible that Leonard Weaver is the best TE on our roster?

I would say no, absolutely not. Weaver is a full back. The team saw him as a fullback when they signed him and have been grooming him for this role. If they thought he had any future at TE they likely would have tried him there by now. If they moved him to TE, it would essentially weaken two positions (FB,TE), so they are much better finding players that they project as good TE's.

Zaxk... Says he tells 10 people a day about the site.

Thank you Zaxk! It is passionate readers like you that have helped it grow so fast. I think that is really cool that you are so pumped about it. I really am enjoying doing it. The more people the better, I say, as long as it stays civil.

Shams... That is a funny term "seahawks widow". She is well aware of how the season goes. She goes to a least a couple of games a year. She also knows I am SOB to be around till about Wednesday if the Hawks lose. She doesn't find it very amusing, but you take the good with the bad right? No one can claim I am not passionate about it!

M|sf|t (is that how you do it?).. asked if we should look at third round Rb's?

To be honest, I think the signings of Jones and Duckett probably tips the Hawks hand that they don't really like a lot of mid to late round backs. I think they may take one at the top if they really like him, or at the very end as a project, but I my guess is they leave the middle round "depth backs" to someone else. My guideline is kind of been, if he is better than Morris right now, consider him, but else just role with Morris, he is cheap and had a career year last season. As far as guys I like in that range... I really like Tashard Choice. He isn't super fast, but he runs hard and he had a really nice catch about 15 yds down field in the Senior Bowl that really opened my eyes to his receiving ability.

Shams...Asked does Larry Tripplett have anything left?

That is the 730K(vet minimum) question. He hasn't gotten much interest has he, which would seem to suggest he doesn't. However, he still only 29. He started all 16 games in each of the last 2 years. Last year he had 18 tackles, 1 sack, 4 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery and 1 int. The Hawks like to rotate their DT's to keep them fresh. I think he would work as a rotational guy, but he may want to be a starter. I don't know. His strengths are his athleticism and quickness which suit the Hawks scheme well.

All right bloggies. Thats all for now I hope you are picking up what I am puttin' down! Dig it! Read More!

Call Him A Playmaker

Great interview and video clips with Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame. I will be honest, I barely knew this kid until the Senior Bowl. But the more I read and the more I see, I really think he warrants consideration with the #25 pick. Anyway, if you want to get a better feel for Trevor, the man, and the player, check out this NFLN video right here.

UPDATE-- Here is the link to write up on Laws done by Field Gulls, they seem to have been on this bandwagon even before yours truly. Glad I am not the only one who has seen the light! Read More!

Power Rankings: Pre Draft

Well, with free agency winding down, it is inevitable that we begin to see power rankings come out. The first of which has been submitted by Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.

He has the Hawks rated 9th, and seems to think Jones will do well for us. More importantly, we rank third as far as NFC teams go on his list.

I thought that this would be a great time to break out the Seahawk Addicts Pre Draft Power Rankings. To check em out....

SEAHAWK ADDICTS FINE 15

I will do a full 32 team version weekly during the season, but for now I am lazy. Notice no one in the Hawks division is on the list, and I believe rightly so. Anyway, I wasn't conservative, so I am sure some of you may disagree.
Read More!

Niners Lose 5th, Swap 3rds

Looks like this tampering charge wasn't as ridiculous as the 49er brass would of had you believe. According to ESPN Sportscenter, the NFL has found the 49ers guilty of tampering on Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.

The team must forfeit their 5th round draft choice, and swap 3rd rounders with the Bears. That moves them down 5 spots in the third round. Here is the story according to the Chicago Tribune. Read More!

Good Linebackers Still Available

When Seahawk's stalwarts like Kevin Bentley and Niko Koutouvides departed early in free agency, many of us started to rightly worry about linebacker depth. However, it appears the team was right not to rush into anything, as good linebackers still remain available late in free agency.

I thought I would depart from draft stuff for a minute to take a look at who the Hawks could still acquire in free agency that would help them....

The Linebackers

1) Ian Gold... I thought for sure that he would have gotten a deal by now. I know for his last contract he represented himself, so maybe he is still doing that and it is slowing the process. Gold did not excel as a starter in Denver and thus was replaced this season by new free agents. However, he is still a good player who could back up every linebacker position. Also, early in his career he was selected to the Pro Bowl as a special teamer, so he could be a leader there.

2)Caleb Miller.... Caleb supposedly came and visited the Hawks. He got pretty significant playing time when healthy in Cincy, however he does seem to be a bit injury prone. He is likely holding out waiting to see if he can get a starting job. However, it was said he is a willing special teamer, and might be ready to be part of a much different culture in Seattle. I put out some feelers to see what happened with his visit, so maybe I can find out how it went and if the Hawks are really interested.

3)Victor Hobson.... A personal favorite of mine. A good linebacker coming out of Michigan, who had a promising career derailed by the Jets switch to a 3/4 defense. He just wasn't as effective as an OLB in that system and now has been replaced by high price guys. However, I don't suspect the Hawks will be running a 3/4 anytime soon, so he could be a playmaker off the bench, especially if he is willing to cover kicks.

The Others

4) Larry Tripplett.... hasn't made much noise in free agency since being released by Buffalo. However, I think he would be a good fit here. He played his college ball for UW. While not a premier DT anymore, he would excel as a member of the rotation. The more draft work i do, the more I think it is Trevor Laws or bust. Almost every other mid round DT in the draft has character issues or a questionable motor--two things that usually make the Hawks say thanks, but no thanks.

5)Olindo Mare... People have made the case on this one both ways, but one thing that can't be dismissed is that he has ability to lead the league in touchbacks every year. That was one of the teams big complaints with Brown. With the team likely to have a lot of new personal on special teams, a few extra touchbacks would help. And who knows? Maybe he regains his form and becomes a decent kicker again too. It would certainly cost us all a few gray hairs I suspect though.

6) Aaron Elling, K, previously with Cincy.... Elling is a like a younger version of Mare. His strength is in kicking off. He has a huge leg. He can also punt in a pinch. His FG kicking needs a little work though. Thankfully he has had plenty of time to practice since he hasn't been a full time guy since 2003 and hasn't attempted a field goal since 05'. Uh Oh? Can you say rookie kicker? Read More!

S.A.- NFL DRAFT PREVIEW-Round 3

Here we go, just rolling along. With such a slow Easter Sunday, I managed to get through another round of the draft preview. If any of you may have the opinion that I am just pulling these lists from where the sun don't shine, it really couldn't be further form the truth. I am using three sites, two of which are subscription based and their projections and reports. I am then trying to fit them into what I believe the Hawks may do.

Lets just say my girlfriend wishes the draft was this weekend, and it ain't cause she cares who the next tight end is.

So, with that said, lets move it along to the third round. Just...

If you haven't been keeping up, here are the previous segments...

FIRST ROUND..........SECOND ROUND.

You can read the theory behind my picks before either of the first two projections. And as always, these are just my opinions and educated guesses.

But as for the third round, here are the picks....



Mike McGlynn-OL-Pitt-This could be an under the radar pick that could pay big dividends. McGlynn is one of the more versatile linemen in the draft. He played both guard and tackle during his Pitt career with outstanding success at both. He is known to have outstanding foot work and is excellent in space. Also, McGlynn was Pitts long snapper and supposedly was quite good. So while he develops as a blocker he can contribute as a long snapper on special teams. He could also serve as an emergency center. Also known as a fiery leader with top level intangibles.

Jordy Nelson-WR-Kansas St- Nelson is just a football player who ended up at WR. He played some strong saftey his first year at KSU, and was a QB in high school along with being an all state track star . Lucky for the Hawks he ended up at WR because he makes the perfect WCO receiver. He is 6'3" with a strong frame. He doesn't have elite speed, but isn't slow either. He has arguably the best hands in the draft and excels at yards after the catch. He tops this all off by being smart, hard working and tough. I don't like the Hawks taking a wide out, but if they have to, taking Nelson in the 3rd is as a good a pick as they can make. He is often compared too Joe Jurevicius.

Jeremy Thompson-DE-Wake Forest-Thompson would start as the perfect complement to Tapp. Right now he is a top notch run stuffer at end. His passing rushing should improve dramatically as a pro, especially if he is working next to someone like Pat Kerney every day. He tore an ACL in 05' and he wasn't really full strength until last year, or likely he would be going higher. He fits the Hawks well because at this point he provides depth and is given time to progress.

Jamar Adams-S-Michigan- Adams fits the mold of a Seattle safety perfectly. He may not be the flashy ball hawking type, but he is solid in every facet of his play. He is said to be excellent at diagnosing play action and in run support. His leadership is unquestioned. The UM coaching staff would invite him into coaching meetings for help game planning and working with the defense. He took the young secondary under his wing and had them playing much better by the end of the year.

Duane Brown-OT-Virgina Tech- Brown would be an excellent pick at this point because he could be someone who ends up looking like a steal a few years from now. He came to VT as a TE, but was moved to RT and then LT. He is super atheletic for his position, which would be a plus if the Hawks are thinking about a zone system in the future. Pass protection is his strength, but at as a tackle for the Hawks, that is a good thing. Again, because the Hawks have starters entrenched, he would have time to grow into a starting role.

Jonathan Goff-LB-Vanderbilt- I think Goff is a perfect fit for the Hawks as a backup linebacker who could eventually start. He can play insider or outside and is as stout as they come at 6'2" 245 lbs. He is known as a hard worker and team leader. He is not only smart but has a high football IQ too. Top grade for intangibles. Plus comes from the SEC, so he has played against top competition during his college career.

Whoot Whoot! There you go, round three. Have your way with it. We are starting to dig a bit deeper into the prospect pool, so hopefully I introduced you to some players you may not have been aware of, but now are considering. Will any of them actually be Hawks? Who knows? But is sure is fun to project!




Please Remember to Support you Local Blogger! Thanks!
Read More!