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Too soon?

I figure I might as well start off with one of these since the combine is--shockingly--only a couple weeks away. As Rob Staton noted today, the tenor of Pete's pre-offseason comments are much different than years prior.

“(We) don’t see anything we need to add. We just have to get better.”

“It’s not going to be something from outside of us. We have what we need.”

He's right. This group is special and if you keep them together they can continue to compete at a high level for a few more years. We don't have to gut our roster like the Ravens did last year...we just need to keep the band together.

And thankfully, they seem to want to stay together. Pro sports fandom breeds cynicism, but I believe Golden Tate when he says he's willing to take a hometown discount in order to come back here. You can always make more money elsewhere, but at what cost? Is it worth it to leave a community that adores you, leave your friends, and go to a place where you might not find the same level of success? Or work for a boss you hate?

Would you be happy with $5 million a year while working for a guy who really doesn't seem to give a **** if you get caught stealing a doughnut? Or happier with $7 million a year working for a cranky old piss pot like Tom Coughlin?

Bring back Bennett/Baldwin, and look heavily at cutting or restructing guys like Bryant/Rice/Miller/Mebane/Clemons. Extend Thomas/Okung [and Sherman...if you can]. Pat yourself on the back for a great offseason.

I think the O-Line could use some work.

i've always been more of an nba cap guy myself, or at least i was until the new cba came into effect. what are we looking at if we cut rice? obviously the team just won a super bowl without him, and a healthy percy harvin seems like an upgrade in terms of on-field talent. rice never really lived up to being that legit #1. tate, baldwin, and kearse all seem like quality #2's and #3's. we could always go after another speedster in the draft.

TTown wrote:i've always been more of an nba cap guy myself, or at least i was until the new cba came into effect. what are we looking at if we cut rice? obviously the team just won a super bowl without him, and a healthy percy harvin seems like an upgrade in terms of on-field talent. rice never really lived up to being that legit #1.

I'm not big on the NFL cap either. I believe the general idea is, when you sign a player, part of the money is guaranteed and part of it isn't. I don't know what the 2014 cap will be, and based on different things I've read we have somewhere between $13 million to $0 of cap room.

Rice signed a 5 year/$41 million deal with a $ 6 million signing bonus included. It appears the guaranteed money is determined by adding the signing bonus [which is spread out over the course of the contract] and the first two years of base salary. The amount of dead money--i.e. cap hit if a player is cut--is pro-rated based on the amount of the signing bonus still owed. Rice's cap hit this next season appears to be $9.7 million if he's on the active roster, but it's only a $2.4 million cap hit if he's released.

On KJR this morning, Mitch asked if people would resign Tate if he wanted a deal similar to Brian Hartline's from last season [5 years/$30 million]. The average annual value of that contract is, basically, $6 million. Hartline's cap hit in that first season was only about $2.5 million. In 2015, it jumps up to $6.2 million. That cap hit seems great for 2014, but in the second year when you might have to deal with a re-signed RW/ET/Sherman...things get tricky.

So if you cut Rice and sign Tate, cap-wise you're at the same place you were if you just kept Rice for 2014. Tate's a tough call. I really like the guy. I wish he was taller and didn't backtrack post-reception so much, but his drop rate is as low as you'll find in the league.

TTown wrote:tate, baldwin, and kearse all seem like quality #2's and #3's. we could always go after another speedster in the draft.

I don't know that PC/JS go for speed in the draft at WR. The depth WR [Kearse, Lockette] do a decent job getting downfield and over the top of the defense, and a healthy Percy can maybe do the same or draw more attention underneath. What Pete always loves to have at WR is a big sure-handed guy like Rice or Mike Williams. We won't have a chance--I believe--at drafting Mike Evans or Kelvin Benjamin. We might have a shot at Brandon Coleman or Allen Robinson. I don't know that Marquise Lee, Odell Beckham, or Sammy Watkins is an ideal fit for what Pete wants.

The team's foundation is defense-defense-defense, and the conventional wisdom is to anticipate the team drafting defense early and often in the 2014 draft. We have some guys along the DL that are either free agents [Bennet, McDaniel, McDonald] or have big contracts [Mebane, Bryant, Clemons] that some people might argue don't match their production. I don't think I would as a healthy Bryant takes away the run, Mebane is a force in the middle, and Clemons came on late once I think he was finally healthy.

Personally, I think the team re-signs Michael Bennett, cuts Clemons [sorry Clem], keeps Bryant/Bane Avril, mixes Irvin between SAM LB and LEO, leans on base defense LB corps of Wright/Wagner/Smith. The team had the luxury of not needing Jessie Williams, Jordan Hill, Greg Scruggs, and Benson Mayowa to do anything but either get healthy or get their feet wet. The coaches love to coach guys up, and I think some of those younger guys really get a shot in the rotation along the DL next year. Hill and Williams were slotted to line up next to each other in the middle of the line and McDonald was a camp cut. Once Williams landed on IR and Hill injured his tricep, that plan went out the window and McDonald came back.

Ultimately I think this works out well for everyone. The new guys get their shot but aren't asked to do it all. The vets we don't keep--like McDonald--hopefully get a chance to get a nice little contract elsewhere. If I'm Jacksonville, I prey on the guys the Seahawks can't keep just as I did last year. Give McDonald say...a 3 year/$10 million contract? Be steady on the defensive line and mentor the young guys?

I'm okay with the Hawks waiving all four of Rice, Bryant, Miller, and Clemons. With the increase in the salary CAP and these reductions in salary, that would give the Hawks a healthy amount of flexibility to work with in the coming months. It seems Rice is surely gone for good. Same for Bryant, as it seems he will get more money elsewhere than we'd be willing to pay him. Perhaps one of either Miller or Clemons could be brought back for a lesser salary. I'm not sure about Walter Thurmond. If we can get him cheap, then why not keep?

As for Golden Tate, I think you try to resign him in the 5-6 million range. If someone really pays up for him, then you might have to let him go. I'm not sure it will come to that, however.

From there, extend Earl Thomas. Not sure about Sherman yet.

Not sure about the draft, other than it seems that we'll pick up a WR in either the 1st, 2nd, or 4th round. I could see our top pick being either a WR or DLman, longer shots being a TE (if Miller is gone) and an OLman, although it seems that they'll wait till later in the draft order to shore up that area.

As for FA's...possibly a TE if we lose MIller; possibly another OLman; possibly another DLman; possibly another WR to foster competition.

I'm not sure if any of the guys we picked up last year but didn't play much at all this year will take a step forward next year. Speaking mostly of Christine Michael, Alvin Bailey, Jordan Hill, Jesse Williams, Tharold Simon, and Benson Mayowa. We'll see.

All in all, we're in a pretty damn good situation this off-season considering we just won the Super Bowl. Did that really happen. I feel confident that we could be even stronger next season personnel/talent-wise than we were this season. Having Percy alone (knock on wood) seems to ensure that.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10583 ... e-seahawks
4/$28.5 mil for Bennett, which I think is a pretty good deal. Even better, it's set up 10/6/5/7.5 mil over the 4 years which helps us resign some guys later.

Good news. The DL would have started to become a little iffy there with Red and Bennet both being gone.

So far we've lost Clinton McDonald to the bucs and in a continuing theme, Walter Thurmond to the Jags. I wonder how many defensive players will end up in Seattle SE.

i'm an oregon fan so i like WT3, but his suspension didn't sit well with me and i like maxwell. i'm comfortable with jeremy lane/draft pick/FA pick-up/whoever battling it out for the nickel.

tate is visiting detroit.

jermichael finley is going to visit. if he's healthy, and aggreeable to a 1-year deal, hard to imagine zach miller sticking around. finley/willson/mccoy? sure, why not. or just a smokescreen to get miller to restructure?

jason hatcher is going to visit, too. had a career year on the wrong side of 30 last year, but (especially if we lose mcdaniel) he would be a fine short-term plug.

and lots of jared allen buzz tonight...

TTown wrote:and lots of jared allen buzz tonight...

The interest in Jared Allen seems odd to me. He doesn't replace Bryant, and he seems an odd fit as a LEO since he's a fairly traditional 4-3 DE. If they do sign him, I'd have to think Clemons is gone. But man, what a DE rotation Bennett/Allen/Avril would be.

I'm more interested in Hatcher who does kind of fill a need in the middle.

tate takes the money in Detroit. hard to fault him for that, plus he will playing alongside megatron in a pass happy offense. good luck to him.

still sucks to lose tate with Harvin's health issues, but... Kearse was clutch last year and it opens it up for him on the cheap.

Well WR just became a bit problematic for us. Basically it's...

--Harvin
--Baldwin
--Kearse

...as our starters, and...

--Lockette
--Matthews
--Price

...dueling for scraps.

FAcy looks pretty paltry now for strengthening up the WR corp. They'll probably have to sign another vet to shore this up, and then draft a WR with either our 1st, 2nd, or 4th picks, and perhaps another later in the draft. Perhaps even bring in a few undrafted FA's after the draft and make it a real competitive camp to be one of the 6-7 WR's that make the team.

We'll see...

But I do think we're going to have to be a *bit* more of a passing team next year. Lynch is getting older, we don't know about Michael as his eventual replacement, and teams are going to key on us in this way. Plus, I just want us to be a bit more of a passing team. We don't have to be the Lions or the Broncos, but it would be nice to be a little more so than we are now.

spot-on. i think we're all comfortable with harvin, baldwin, and kearse, but obviously harvin is always a question mark. i'd be very interested in exploring options in trading up to #18-22 and seeing if we couldn't snag marquise lee or brandin cooks. we're in a championship window here. then hit the OL hard elsewhere.

i think we may miss tate the most on special teams. he changed games last year. nobody else on the team returned a punt. i know he's a gamebreaker, but harvin as a returner just scares the hell of out me injury wise...

TTown wrote:tate takes the money in Detroit. hard to fault him for that, plus he will playing alongside megatron in a pass happy offense. good luck to him.

This is the first one that kind of hurt, emotionally. I just plain like Golden Tate, and he clearly enjoyed his time on this team and in this community. Listening to his interview on KJR was somewhat heart-breaking. Tate sounded sad about leaving, making it clear the offer he got from Seattle just wasn't something he could take.

He had to take the money. The deal you sign doesn't mean squat. Ask Red Bryant, Chris Clemons, and Sidney Rice. The only thing that really matters is [1] what you make early and [2] the guaranteed money. If the report that Tate was receiving $4 million more guaranteed from Detroit is accurate...who wouldn't take that? It pisses me off to see fans eviscerate the guy online. He left for a substantial amount of money and gets to play opposite Calvin Johnson. It's not like some ****hole team like the Browns offered him $500k and he jumped at it.

This is why Tate was foolish for...being honest. The minute you say point blank you would take a hometown discount and you don't want to play in some "crappy" city...you invite criticism when you leave for a place like Detroit for more money.

BullTalk wrote:Well WR just became a bit problematic for us. Basically it's...

--Harvin
--Baldwin
--Kearse

...as our starter, and...

--Lockette
--Matthews
--Price

...dueling for scraps.

I'm sad to see Tate go just because I like the guy, but I don't think it hurts us that much. Even if we do pass the ball more it won't be by much. Tate has great hands, but so do a lot of other guys.

There's great value in the draft at WR. Tate was a round peg in a square hole...I think the team hoped to use him as a slot guy, but he ended up being a better fit on the outside. Pete surely wants a tall WR and he'll likely have his pick of one or two at pick #32. Give RW a big target and we might find the offense improve.

Giacomini's gone, too. I know a lot of fans are freaking out because of the sheer amount of players moving on, but we're not losing anyone crucial. This is what good teams do to keep their core. How bad does Dallas look, cutting Demarcus Ware because they're $23 million OVER the cap with a team that wasn't even competitive? Pete doesn't want to go all out for a Super Bowl next year...he wants to compete every damn season.

While that might seem disloyal...the players that move on have been rewarded handsomely. I'm happy for guys like Schofield and Giacomini and Maragos who are role players that are getting the chance to cash in and take care of their families. Football's a brutal sport, and I do not understand the concept of playing a game that few play long term where long term brain injuries and quality of life are at risk. Good for them. Thanks for the Super Bowl, now reap the rewards.

TTown wrote:spot-on. i think we're all comfortable with harvin, baldwin, and kearse, but obviously harvin is always a question mark. i'd be very interested in exploring options in trading up to #18-22 and seeing if we couldn't snag marquise lee or brandin cooks. we're in a championship window here. then hit the OL hard elsewhere.

i think we may miss tate the most on special teams. he changed games last year. nobody else on the team returned a punt. i know he's a gamebreaker, but harvin as a returner just scares the hell of out me injury wise...

Thankfully, PC/JS value special teams properly. I doubt they take a half-assed approach to finding a new punt returner.

As for trading picks, why not trade some of those '15 picks to move up this year? We're going to get a ton of comp picks next year thanks to all the FA who are leaving. Keep your 1/2/3 rounders next year but feel free to use some of the later picks to get the guys you want.

Between the depth at WR in the draft and Giacomini going to the jets, I think our 1st rounder needs to be spent on the offensive line. We need 2 guards, a tackle, and someone to step in for Okung if (when) he gets hurt, unless we think Bailey and Bowie can be plugged into two of those spots. Remember though how last year we got Bennett and Averill on cheap, short deals because of the market for pass rushers? We might be able to get another deal like that for a receiver this year.

I admit it. I'm a little uneasy about us not signing any additional OLmen or DLmen after losing:

--Giacomini
--Red Bryant
--Chris Clemons
--Clinton McDonald

There's definite subtraction on both sides of the line as of this moment. Do we really think that...

--Bowie
--Carpenter
--Bailey

...are going to adequately man the LG/RT positions? Sweezy is iffy at the RG position as it is. Our OL (mostly due to injuries) was our weak spot last year. Even if two out of three of the above fill in adequately, we're lacking quality depth on the OL.

Same goes true for the DL now. Can we count on Jordan Hill and Jesse Williams stepping up at the DT position? And we're definitely short at DE now. I'm pretty much counting on Jared Allen, but no movement on that front as of yet.

More worried about the OL than the DL, but we are a little thin now on both sides.

PS> Agree with the thoughts and sentiments about Golden Tate. That was a bit of an *ouch* there, and very well could come back to bite us in the arse next year. He liked it here, was always available for action, improved every year, great punt returner...he was one of "our guys". I would have felt better about this had we signed some quality linemen soon after. We are precarious at the OL and WR positions, not positions where rookies tend to contribute all that much.

We'll see...

early word this a.m. is that zach miller restructured and is coming back at a more team-friendly $$.