Peterson traded!

[HeavyP]

Julian Peterson has apparently been traded to Detroit for Corey Redding and a pick (a 5th since we traded ours for Colbert?)

This trade makes sense on many levels.
1.) JP went to Michigan St.
2.) We asked JP to restructure his contract, he declined.
3. ) Seattle must not like BJ Raji
4.) The staff has talked about how we're going to use Dlinemen closer to Olinemen with starters and backups defined, opposed to rotating players all the time.
5.) There are plenty of good LB prospects available in the 2nd/3rd round, and all the good DT will be gone by then.
6.) Leroy Hill can now become our main pass rusher (which he's good at). He went from our best cover LB to our best pass rushing LB.
7.) Corey Redding is a beast, also by trading Detroit JP they're less likely to take Curry. If STL is set on an olinemen (which they are) then Kansas City becomes the wild card. They will take (most likely) Curry or Crabtree.

That means we could effectively run a Curry/Lofa/Hill LB corps (if we believe Curry is the best player), and got Redding out of the deal.

I think this is a good trade.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9335192/Source:-Seahawks-trade-LB-Peterson-to-Lions

[Sweezo]

I'm disappointed because I really like Peterson. But if Hill is moved to that side and is used as a pass rusher again, I guess you raise a good point. I wasn't all that sold on Cole, so depth at DT isn't a bad idea.

[nuke the whales]

Well we traded from a position of strength where we probably weren't going to be paying all three guys big, long term contracts and addressed a position of weakness. It's probably a good thing that Colin Cole's contract is only guaranteed for $5-6 million depending on what source you're reading. I had questions about whether or not we were actually seriously considering Raji because of his character issues. We also got some extra cap space and a 5th rounder out of the deal. I will throw out a potential draft scenario though. What if the lions don't take Stafford and the top three are Smith, Monroe, and Curry in some order? What in the heck do we do then? There doesn't seem to be room for Raji or Crabtree and the next OT's aren't that high on the board. Do we take Stafford? Reach for Jenkins? Auction the pick?

[HeavyP]

I'm fine with reaching. Honestly. I think getting the player you want is more important than anything else. trading back (as we all know) is very difficult. I've said this for the last two months, there are two guys we should be considering: Crabtree and Jenkins. Jenkins is a little bit of a reach whereas Crabtree is the BPA, however I feel like I want Jenkins more.

[Bulltalk]

I think I'd be content with either Smith, Monroe, Curry, or Crabtree. If the Seahawks believed that Stafford was the real deal, I wouldn't be unhappy with picking him either. I'm still not sold on a DB at the #4 pick as HeavyP is. I don't want to reach when we're fortunate to be this high on the draft board. I want a potentially standout playmaker (Crabtree), a potentially standout LT for the future (Monroe, Smith), arguably the best talent in the draft (Curry), who would fill in for the loss of Peterson, or Stafford as our future franchise QB, if the Hawks truly believe him to be all that.

[Bulltalk]

Is this our probable starting defensive lineup as of now:

Defensive Ends: (Kearny, Jackson)
Defensive Tackles: (Mebane, Redding)
Linebackers: (Tatupu, Hill, draft pick?)
Safeties: (Grant, Russell/FA/draft pick?)
Cornerbacks: (Trufant, Wilson)

After the trade, I see our biggest defensive needs being:

1) Safety
2) Linebacker
3) Cornerback

We've got to strengthen the safety position, but will probably do so in either rounds 2-3-4-5 of the draft, or in FAcy (don't know who is still out there). They well might not be able to resist Curry at the #4 pick if he's still on the board, otherwise I could see them going for a LB in either rounds 2-3-4. There are a couple of talented LB's who could potentially fall to us in the 2nd round. As for CB, like I said, I'm just not sold on a CB with the #4 pick, but certainly am open to drafting a CB in either rounds 2-3-4.

[HeavyP]

I would say our Starting lineup looks more like:

Defensive Ends: (Kearny, Jackson/Tapp)
Defensive Tackles: (Mebane, Redding)
Linebackers: (Tatupu, Hill, D.D Lewis/Will Herring, Lance Laury)
Safeties: (Grant, Russell/Babineaux)
Cornerbacks: (Trufant, Jennings, Wilson)

After the trade, I see our biggest defensive needs being:

1) Safety
2) Corner Back
3) Defensive End

I don't view having a 3rd LB of that much importance. Hill can now be that blitzing LB where he was so good. D.D. Lewis is fine as a starter and Will Herring can actually defend someone. I was getting sick of watching Peterson blitz and Hill struggle to cover ANY WR or TE. Now, maybe we won't have that problem.

I think Drafting Jenkins has a chance to take care of 1 of our top 2 defensive needs. Whether it's CB like I believe he should be or Safety like everyone else seems to believe. Either way, he fits two holes. The CB's in the 2nd round are very disappointing this year. They all have character red flags or are undersized.

Lets not forget Wilson is a great Nickelback but he should not be a 2nd CB. I think we will draft a LB as we usually draft one every year and we didn't last year. However, I think the team is very high on Hawthorne who played really well all camp/preseason.

I don't like any of the DE's in this draft. Orakpo is a workout machine who will always battle injuries. Everette Brown looks okay but not at 4. Maybin, no one seems to know where to place him.

Gus Bradley (our DC) was the LB coach at Tampa. They released Derrick Brooks. We freed up 4.2 million by doing this trade (maybe more since Redding restructured his deal). Do you think we'll make a run for him?
I want Jenkins at 4.

[Bulltalk]

I would say our Starting lineup looks more like:

Defensive Ends: (Kearny, Jackson/Tapp)
Defensive Tackles: (Mebane, Redding)
Linebackers: (Tatupu, Hill, D.D Lewis/Will Herring, Lance Laury)
Safeties: (Grant, Russell/Babineaux)
Cornerbacks: (Trufant, Jennings, Wilson)

After the trade, I see our biggest defensive needs being:

1) Safety
2) Corner Back
3) Defensive End

I don't view having a 3rd LB of that much importance. Hill can now be that blitzing LB where he was so good. D.D. Lewis is fine as a starter and Will Herring can actually defend someone. I was getting sick of watching Peterson blitz and Hill struggle to cover ANY WR or TE. Now, maybe we won't have that problem.

I think Drafting Jenkins has a chance to take care of 1 of our top 2 defensive needs. Whether it's CB like I believe he should be or Safety like everyone else seems to believe. Either way, he fits two holes. The CB's in the 2nd round are very disappointing this year. They all have character red flags or are undersized.

Lets not forget Wilson is a great Nickelback but he should not be a 2nd CB. I think we will draft a LB as we usually draft one every year and we didn't last year. However, I think the team is very high on Hawthorne who played really well all camp/preseason.

I don't like any of the DE's in this draft. Orakpo is a workout machine who will always battle injuries. Everette Brown looks okay but not at 4. Maybin, no one seems to know where to place him.

Gus Bradley (our DC) was the LB coach at Tampa. They released Derrick Brooks. We freed up 4.2 million by doing this trade (maybe more since Redding restructured his deal). Do you think we'll make a run for him?
I want Jenkins at 4.

I was just listing the starters. By the way, where is DD Lewis? He's not listed on our roster now, and not listed as a FA, at least not that I could find. What's his status?

I won't cry if we draft a CB at #4, just think we will have reached when we could have picked a blue chip, potential star player at either the LT, WR, QB, or even LB position, if Curry is the much surer bet than any CB we might nab at #4.

Why not just get the best CB available with our 2nd or 3rd round pick? If there was as close to a sure thing/potential star as possible at the CB position picking 4th, then I'd be on board. But that's not what I'm hearing of Jenkins. He's just not ranked by almost anyone with the top LT's, Curry, Crabtree, or Stafford. Why reach? I don't get it?

I'm not calling myself any draft expert, or going to say that such a pick won't outperform any of these higher ranked players. Sure, it's possible. I'm just reading what everybody else is reading, listening to what everybody else is listening to, and thinking about him in terms of what I've seen. Jenkins isn't adding up to the #4 pick for me.

I guess we'll see. Evidently, you see something in Jenkins that currently values him higher than almost every pundit thinking about this draft

[Sweezo]

D.D. Lewis and Laury both resigned yesterday.

As for Derrick Brooks...can he cover anyone anymore? I think he was reduced to a two down linebacker with Tampa Bay last year, coming out on passing downs. I guess if you add Brooks against the run and bring Lewis/Herring in to cover, that may work.

[Bulltalk]

D.D. Lewis and Laury both resigned yesterday.

As for Derrick Brooks...can he cover anyone anymore? I think he was reduced to a two down linebacker with Tampa Bay last year, coming out on passing downs. I guess if you add Brooks against the run and bring Lewis/Herring in to cover, that may work.

Thanks. I couldn't come up with this info yesterday.

[Bulltalk]

PS> I saw my first major mock draft having us nabbing Brian Orakpo DE with the #4 pick, after our recent activities.

[Ex-hippie]

From what I've heard, Redding has underachieved somewhat ever since he was tagged as a franchise player and got that mega-contract. But I might be inclined to cut him a good deal of slack, since he was hardly in the best environment. Having some depth at his position (i.e., competition to give him a kick in the butt) might raise his performance level as well. So I'm somewhat optimistic. When Peterson refused the pay cut, it was clear he needed to go if the team was going to continue with its building plans. Redding is also a couple of years younger than Peterson, for whatever that's worth.

As for the draft, even though Curry no longer looks like a possibility to Detroit at #1, I don't see how he gets past Kansas City at #3. The pick just makes too much sense for them. Process of elimination for some of the other positions available: they took a possible left tackle last year in Branden Albert; they took a WR, and a good one, two years ago in Dwayne Bowe; they just traded for a franchise QB. There's a need, and Curry is a Derrick Thomas-type who would become a fan favorite. Unless someone trades up to the pick to draft Stafford or something like that, I don't see Curry getting through.

I'm not sure what the current status of Derrick Brooks is -- I know Pro Bowl selections are sometimes lame, but I note that Brooks made it in 2008 (in fact, he was the guy Peterson replaced because of injury). Tampa connection + extraordinarily high character = someone Ruskell will definitely consider very seriously.

[HeavyP]

I wish Seattle would make a play for Cutler. They say they don't want only picks. I posted this in the Cutler thread on the main board:

As a Seattle fan I know I'd offer Hasselbeck + #4 for Cutler. Or perhaps you could make this a 3 way with KC and finally land Cassel?

Seattle sends: Matt Hasselbeck, #4
Seattle receives: Jay Cutler

Denver sends: Jay Cutler
Denver receives: Matt Cassel

Kansas City sends: Matt Cassel
Kansas City receives: Matt Hasselbeck, #4

Kansas city then effectively traded there 2nd round pick for Vrabel, Hasselbeck and #4. This way Kansas city can draft a QB and groom him behind Hasselbeck for a year or two.

Man, I wish Seattle would do something like that.

[Ex-hippie]

I dunno -- were I to compile a list of "sets of two teams that are least likely to make a trade involving franchise quarterbacks," Broncos-Chiefs would be pretty high on the list, shortly after Cowboys-Redskins and perhaps just ahead of Jets-Patriots and Bears-Packers.

I also have serious doubts about Cassel's value. He has proven about as much IMO as Scott Mitchell had proven before he signed a comparable contract in Detroit. That's why he was only worth a second-round pick (and I think even that was too much to give up, considering what they had to pay Cassel). The fact that your scenario has Kansas City parlaying a second-round pick into a massive treasure trove indicates that there's a huge mark-up of Cassel going on there.

And although I'd entertain thoughts of trading the #4 for Cutler, I don't think of Hasselbeck as a throw-in. Maybe we don't know how much time he has left, but he's still valuable. I'm not sure what good he'd do on a team that's rebuilding from scratch in any event.

[Bulltalk]

I wish Seattle would make a play for Cutler. They say they don't want only picks. I posted this in the Cutler thread on the main board:

As a Seattle fan I know I'd offer Hasselbeck + #4 for Cutler. Or perhaps you could make this a 3 way with KC and finally land Cassel?

Seattle sends: Matt Hasselbeck, #4
Seattle receives: Jay Cutler

Denver sends: Jay Cutler
Denver receives: Matt Cassel

Kansas City sends: Matt Cassel
Kansas City receives: Matt Hasselbeck, #4

Kansas city then effectively traded there 2nd round pick for Vrabel, Hasselbeck and #4. This way Kansas city can draft a QB and groom him behind Hasselbeck for a year or two.

Man, I wish Seattle would do something like that.

If Stafford is available at #4 (possibility, but certainly not a probability), and the Hawks think he's the real deal, then why not just pick him at #4, and give him a year or two to develop behind Hasselbeck?

[Danny Darko]

Cutler would not want to come in as a 2nd string player. Plus I have my doubts about his longterm future due to his Diabetes and attitude.

I'm thinking Curry is who we want, we take at OT if he's gone at 4.

[Bulltalk]

I noticed that a couple of mocks have us picking LeSean McCoy, RB from Pittsburgh with our 2nd round pick. A few different evaluators think he may have the most upside of all the RB's in this year's draft. He's a sophomore eligible draftee. I haven't seen this kid run that I can remember. I'll have to you-tube him.

What do people think about such a possible 2nd round pick?

[Ex-hippie]

Cutler would not want to come in as a 2nd string player.

I don't think the plan is to have him backing up Senca Wallace....

[Danny Darko]

Cutler would not want to come in as a 2nd string player.

I don't think the plan is to have him backing up Senca Wallace....

So you think enough of him to give up on Hass? I think that's a recipe for disaster. I am skeptical about Matt's health, but I think we have to give him a solid run otherwise the book of Holmgren which is a valuable irreplaceable book of West Coast offense and "how to" Quarterbacking is lost.