D.J. Fluker gives Seahawks a bargain at guard over Luke Joeckel
The one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million for Seattle's new right guard offers significant savings from the $8 million Luke Joeckel earned in 2017.
The one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million for Seattle's new right guard offers significant savings from the $8 million Luke Joeckel earned in 2017.
With their defensive line in flux due to departures, Todd McShay feels like the Seahawks will grab Marcus Davenport from UTSA with their first-rounder.
Shamar Stephen and Tom Johnson are being counted on to help fill the void left by Sheldon Richardson's departure.
Something to keep in mind with the Seahawks' offseason program: OTAs are voluntary while minicamp is mandatory. If, say, Earl Thomas is still with the team and hasn't gotten an extension by the time OTAs begin in late-May, there's a good chance he'd skip those. If he really wanted to make a point, he could no-show for minicamp as well, but that would subject him to fines. The last Seahawk to hold out, Kam Chancellor, attended OTAs and minicamp in 2015 before skipping training camp.
The dates for the Seahawks' offseason workout program are set. It begins April 16. OTAs are May 21-22, May 24, May 29-30, June 1, June 4-7. Minicamp is June 12-14. The Seahawks will also have a rookie minicamp either the first or second weekend after the draft.
The majority of Seattle's free agents are stopgap players who are signed to short-term deals.
The Rams' star power on defense is off the charts thanks to additions such as Ndamukong Suh, but will it all translate to L.A. having the top unit?
Cross Geno Smith off the list of potential backup quarterbacks for the Seahawks. Smith visited the team last week but has agreed to a deal with the Chargers. As ESPN's Eric Williams notes, the Chargers' addition of Smith likely means Kellen Clemens won't return as their backup. Clemens' past experience with new Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer could make him an option for Seattle. Austin Davis, the Seahawks' backup last season, remains unsigned. Russell Wilson is the only quarterback under contract following Trevone Boykin's release last week.
Despite Russell Wilson's durability over the past six years, the Seahawks will need to sign a backup. Here's a look at a few potential candidates.
Running back Thomas Rawls has signed with the Jets, ending his three-year run with the Seahawks. They seemed prepared to move on from Rawls all along; non-tendering him as a restricted free agent and then signing Mike Davis likely sealed that outcome. Rawls at one point looked like an heir apparent to Marshawn Lynch, but he couldn't follow up a tremendous rookie season in 2015 that ended early because of a nasty ankle injury. His departure won't factor into the formula for compensatory picks because he was non-tendered as an RFA. The Seahawks have four tailbacks on their roster: Chris Carson, Davis, J.D. McKissic and C.J. Prosise. Eddie Lacy is unsigned and not expected back.
In an interview with 710 ESPN Seattle, Seahawks general manager John Schneider says outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo was "pretty much" the team's No. 1 priority among outside free agents. Mingo projects as Seattle's starting strong-side linebacker in base packages and an edge rusher on passing downs. Schneider said Mingo will rush the passer more than he's been asked to by his previous teams: "He's such a good athlete, people have been putting him in space and letting him run around and stuff instead of letting him put his hand on the ground as much as we're going to let him do."
Losing the likes of Sheldon Richardson and Richard Sherman while doing little to replace them has left the Seahawks with work to do.
The Seahawks are getting a free-agent visit from Geno Smith as they search for a backup quarterback, sources tell ESPN's Jordan Raanan. The 27-year-old Smith spent last season with the Giants after beginning his career with the Jets. Russell Wilson is the only quarterback on the Seahawks' roster after they waived Trevone Boykin this week. Austin Davis, last year's No. 2, remains unsigned.
With all of the Seahawks' recent roster moves accounted for, ESPN's Roster Management System has them with around $11.7 million in remaining cap space. But remember, they'll have to set aside about $6 million to sign their draft picks.
Defensive end Marcus Smith's one-year deal with the Seahawks is worth $1.425 million, according to ESPN's Roster Management System. The breakdown: $800,000 base salary, $400,000 signing bonus and $225,000 in per-game active roster bonuses. The signing bonus is the only guaranteed money.
Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay and Chris Sprow talk about the Seahawks needing to focus on rebuilding their defense, especially their secondary.
Trevone Boykin was arrested Wednesday and charged with aggravated assault after his girlfriend accused him of beating her severely at his home in North Texas. He had been released by the Seahawks on Tuesday in the wake of the allegations.
The contracts for new Seahawks defensive tackles Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen are both for one year with base values of $2.1 million, according to ESPN's Roster Management System. Johnson: $950,000 base salary, $900,000 signing bonus, $250,000 in per-game active roster bonuses ($15,625 apiece). Stephen: $800,000 base salary, $1 million signing bonus, $300,000 in per-game active roster bonuses ($18,750 apiece).
Filling Richard Sherman's role in the secondary seems to be a popular pick for the Seahawks, but don't be surprised if they move down.
What's Seattle's answer to one of the great defensive-tackle duos ever? Well, Pete Carroll keeps talking about finally having continuity on his O-line.
The Seahawks do indeed envision free-agent addition D.J. Fluker playing right guard. Coach Pete Carroll confirmed as much from the NFL owners meetings Tuesday and noted Fluker's connection to new offensive line coach Mike Solari, who was his position coach last season with the Giants. "I'm fired up about D.J.," Carroll said, according to The Seattle Times. "This was a guy we knew through the draft and have tracked him for a number of years because of his unique qualities, his physical nature and his style. The thing I like most about this transaction is that he worked with Mike Solari, so he's got background and he's got ... the mentality that Mike wants. But I think the best part about him is that physical nature. He's 355 pounds and plays like it and I'm anxious to see if he won't give us a different impact in what he can bring to the game."
The Seahawks have had several opportunities to shoot down speculation that All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas is available in a trade, and at no point have they done so. Continuing a theme from the scouting combine, general manager John Schneider said Monday at the NFL owners meetings in response to questions about Thomas that the Seahawks wouldn't be doing their jobs if they weren't listening to everything. Coach Pete Carroll spoke highly of Thomas but didn't rule anything out when asked about the situation on Tuesday, according to The Seattle Times. One of Carroll's replies, in part: "They all would love to have him, so there's some talk that people are trying to maybe come after him, but he's a fantastic part of our team. We've been blessed with such great safety play for so many years that we recognize and relish the factor of that position. He has done a good job, and he's got another year on his contract, so we're excited for the future."
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was asked at the NFL owners meetings Tuesday about Richard Sherman's recent comments on the direction of the team. Sherman said following his release from Seattle and Michael Bennett's trade to the Eagles that the Seahawks have "kind of lost their way a little bit in terms of how they see players and how they evaluate players." Carroll laughed when asked about that, according to The Seattle Times. "So what else is new?" Carroll said. "Sherm has been saying stuff his whole career, so this is nothing different. I've been through so much of what he has said, I take it all with a grain of salt. He's just battling. He's just trying to figure it out."
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll reiterated to reporters at the NFL owners meetings Tuesday what general manager John Schneider said a day earlier: the team didn't know about Michael Bennett's legal situation in Texas when he was traded to the Eagles earlier this month. "I know nothing about it," Carroll said, according to The Seattle Times. "When this came out was the first time we ever heard about it and I don't know any of the details at all so I shouldn't really comment other than to think that I can't imagine Michael doing that with any intention at all. It must have been an accident in my mind for how I know him. He cares so much about people I can't imagine that being anything but that. But it sounds unfortunate and I'm sure there is a lot of stuff ahead here to figure it out But I don't really know how to comment other than that but I was just surprised. I feel terrible for the woman who was impacted by that, of course." Eagles GM Howie Roseman told reporters that he trusts the Seahawks didn't withhold any information about Bennett when they traded him to Philadelphia.
Dan Le Batard, Papi and Mina Kimes question if Markelle Fultz made us all believers, if the Rams are rising & Seahawks are sinking, is Melo mediocre and more.
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 478 | 329 |
| Seattle | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 366 | 332 |
| Arizona | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 295 | 361 |
| San Francisco | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 331 | 383 |
