Seahwaks Offseason Thread

[Danny Darko]

Well,

Here we are a few days after the playoffs unceremoniously ended by a late Falcons drive and already looking at change. Change has been the hallmark of the Pumped and Jacked era, though personnel did solidify in some crucial ways over the last two years. So with the announcement that Gus Bradley is leaving for the head coaching jobs with the Jags lets take a look at what we know:

1- We have a QB ! Omagott no more complaining about Tarvaris, Russelmania has been unleashed.

2- Our O-Line isn't quite set, but it also doesn't need any major changes

3- Our Defense was good but also has a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

4- We need a Defensive Coordinator we might also need a Offensive Coordinator soon.

5- At times our receiving depth was an issue, but we have a few playmakers

6- Bruce irvin was better than I had guessed, but we are still in need of pass rushers especially considering knee reconstruction for Clemons. Jason Jones was not bad but also not a solution


Team Free Agents:

Unrestricted free agents are: K Steven Hauschka, DT Alan Branch, LB Leroy Hill, DT Jason Jones, CB Marcus Trufant, and OT Frank Omiyale.

Restricted free agents include: LS Clint Gresham, FS Chris Maragos, and DT Clinton McDonald.

Of this list I would like to keep Hauschka, Branch, HIll (at the right price and i think he will be), Omiyale (for the right price), and all three restricted unless some significant upgrade happens along those positions.

[Sweezo]

Part of the fun in this is trying to decipher what conventions have emerged for a team who routinely defies convention. We have ten picks, and maybe a piece or two to trade...

Draftwise, I don't know much, and the ideas of some players interest me solely based on how they are described elsewhere.

1- We have a QB ! Omagott no more complaining about Tarvaris, Russelmania has been unleashed.

Thank God. Now our QB controversy is who the BACKUP QB will be. I have no doubt Flynn will be shopped heavily, both to give Flynn a shot somewhere as a starter and give the team a chance to shift their cap burden around a little bit.

Who would be a good fit? Are they hoping to add a backup QB who could plug in without completely adjusting the offense? Do they try and get a semi-mobile veteran like Tyler Thigpen or Jason Campbell? Perhaps add a QB in the latter half of the draft like Collin Klein, Matt Scott, or E.J. Manuel? Some crazy gadget type like Denard Span or [God help me] Tim Tebow?

Personally, I expect us to draft a QB. That's how Schneider was taught to do things, and when you are lucky enough to 'hit' on a franchise QB there's nothing wrong with gambling a bit on a backup. I wouldn't be surprised if Matt Scott is the target in the middle rounds as he's an passing/running QB who's also got a bit of size to him.

2- Our O-Line isn't quite set, but it also doesn't need any major changes

Agreed. We'll draft an OL or two for the purposes of depth because that's just good business. But I like our line for the most part. Okung turned the corner and has developed into a franchise LT. Same with Unger at C. Giacomini got his personal foul issue under control and is solid if not spectacular RT.

The guards? That's the question mark to me. Carpenter's got potential but also injury issues. Moffitt and Sweezy have been inconsistent. McQuistan is good depth but not my preference as a starter.

So here's the thing...if we're picking 25th, what happens if a top shelf guard falls in the draft? As good as a guard can be, it defies convention to pick one early. Remember how many mock drafts pegged DeCastro to be a top 10-15 pick? Well, he fell to 25.

We may have needs on the team, but I think we're solid enough that we can draft BPA. So what if history repeats itself and someone like Chance Warmack falls? Goodness, think of a starting line of Okung/Warmack/Unger/Sweezy/Giacomini? With Lynch running behind them? Pure violence.

At tackle, I also am intrigued by the idea of D.J. Fluker or Kyle Long in 2nd round. I see some mocks putting Long in the 3rd and I'm surprised. In one year at Oregon he acclimated himself very well as a run blocker in an offense built on the zone read.

3- Our Defense was good but also has a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

I don't know how to fix this. I like Gus Bradley, but I'm happy to have a new DC who provides both a sense of familiarity and a fresh set of eyes at the same time. Part of it comes down to a pass rush; if you let a QB get comfortable late, you're giving him the chance to make him make you pay. I'd prefer to see WTIII or Jeremy Lane get the nickel job as I like their athleticism/aggression. Trufant seems a step slow, especially in the slot. And a quicker LB to cover TEs would be nice as well. Maybe a gamble in the middle rounds on Jelani Jenkins? Admittedly, I've seen nothing of Jenkins and couldn't pick him out of a crowd, but once again I find myself thinking made a pretty convincing argument for the selection today with thee hiring of Dan Quinn.

4- We need a Defensive Coordinator we might also need a Offensive Coordinator soon.

Nope! Within mere hours of losing Gus Bradley, we brought Dan Quinn back and gave Bevell an extension. That may not seem like much but I'm glad the team was fully prepared for the inevitable. I doubt Schneider found out Bradley was leaving and decided to give Quinn a ring on a whim...he had to have laid the groundwork for this awhile back.

5- At times our receiving depth was an issue, but we have a few playmakers

I'm still intrigued by the idea of Tate in the middle in a Percy Harvin role. His athleticism is so awesome and I think it gets wasted sometimes on the outside. Baldwin had a down year, and if he gets pushed into the 4th WR role I wouldn't be as disappointed as I would have been at this time last year.

There's a LOT of interesting options on the outside. In the draft, I think there might be a lot to choose from in the first round: Keenan Allen, Terrance Williams, DeAndre Hopkins. Maybe take a chance on riskier playmaker type Robert Woods or Cordarrelle Peterson in round 2? How much would it take to add Denario Alexander [who broke out in the second half] or Danny Amendola [oh, he gets hurt a lot...but he knows how to make a play, and I'd find it hilarious to rip him away from the Rams]?

What about at TE? Zach Miller may have a big cap number but given his recent level of play I don't see him going anywhere. What about Zach Ertz in the first round? I'm actually quite fond of this idea.

6- Bruce irvin was better than I had guessed, but we are still in need of pass rushers especially considering knee reconstruction for Clemons. Jason Jones was not bad but also not a solution

I'd love to find a way to stick Dion Jordan on the outside. He's not a LEO type in the slightest but he's huge, he's still learning, and he can certainly make an impact play. But I don't think it will happen.

Red Bryant had sort of a down year, Clemons may or may not be ready for the start of the season, and Irvin's still a work in progress. Rob Staton seems fond of the idea of drafting Margus Hunt at DE; I've seen him labeled as a five technique on some cites which intrigues me. A big, raw Estonian discus thrower who can block kicks at will? Sure, why not? Can we make one big FA splash and bring Henry Melton in and let Alan Branch/Jason Jones go?

Of this list I would like to keep Hauschka, Branch, HIll (at the right price and i think he will be), Omiyale (for the right price), and all three restricted unless some significant upgrade happens along those positions.

Depends on the price[s]. I don't have anything against any of the Hawks free agents, and they all could have a place still on this team. This team has an awesome locker room and you can't push all your vets out for rookies every year. But with 10 draft picks, the team has a chance to continue staying young. If the draft fell in a way where we ended up with...I don't know...Ertz, Hunt, Kyle Long, Jelani Jenkins, Matt Scott and change we've landed another unconventional mix that's kind of thrilling.

Given the recent success of some teams when drafting kickers in the middle rounds, I have no problem spending a pick on a cost controlled guy instead of spending money on Hauschka. We have about $18 million in cap space, but I think it is incredibly important to be as miserly as possible in order to roll cap room over to next year when our first round of young FA hit. If moving Flynn for a pick and drafting a kicker clears $7 million in cap room and gives you the chance to extend Chancellor or Thomas next season, I think you have to do it.

Jones and Branch had their moments but if you can spend the same amount of money on a guy like Melton and push Jaye Howard and Scruggs into bigger roles off the bench, I think you've spent wisely. If you draft a guy like Margus Hunt, perhaps you also can rotate Red in at three tech and five tech?

[TTown]

i've had a man-crush on cal wr keenan allen for a few years now. i think a rice/allen/tate/baldwin wr crew would be epic.

i love dion jordan, don't get me wrong, but his shoulder injury really concerns me.

remember the 2011 draft? remember when we had needs EVERYWHERE? kind of nice going into this draft with pure BPA intentions. with our incredible drafting the last few years, even rounds 5-7 remain exciting.

[nuke the whales]

remember the 2011 draft? remember when we had needs EVERYWHERE? kind of nice going into this draft with pure BPA intentions. with our incredible drafting the last few years, even rounds 5-7 remain exciting.

Last year about this time I was reading every mock draft and free agency rumor I could find, wondering things like who our QB was going to be, if we'd re-sign Hawthorne, getting a back up for Lynch, if we needed a plan B for Okung.... This year? Not so much.

[asdf1223]

We are all Ravens fans.

[Yunsen]

I'll be sad if we don't resign Marcus Trufant because of how long he's been on the team and when he got drafted that was about the last time WSU was decent.

[Sweezo]

I'll be sad if we don't resign Marcus Trufant because of how long he's been on the team and when he got drafted that was about the last time WSU was decent.

I feel the same way [as I think he is the last Coug still playing in the NFL that was at WSU at a time when I was there...that isn't a kicker] but the team needs to move on. Trufant's skillset is a poor match for the slot.

[Yunsen]

Hope Irvin tries to bulk up this summer. That or let Hill go and try having him at OLB.

[wiff]

I'm a big WSU fan too but Trufant needs to be put out to pasture.

This team should be committed and focused on winning, not re-signing old guys who can't get it done anymore because it makes for a nice feel good story.

Winning the Super Bowl is a better feel good story.