who is the CORE...?

[QuahHawk]

1 year can change a lot, If you asked this before last year I'm sure there would have been more people suggesting Mebane, Clemons, Red, ET, and Wright as our core cause they we the play makers on a top 5 defense.

So much has changed but "Core" guys have to be leaders and guys who's play elevates the players around them. I'd also throw out the word irreplaceable, they had to be guys that you can't put a value on, guys that are worth more to your team than another.

#1 Wilson
#2 Thomas
#3 Lynch
#4 Okung
#5 Chancellor
#6 Unger


Guys like Sherman, Harvin, Rice, Miller, Bryant, Mebane, Wright, Wagner, Tate are on the fringe but are not quite there for me.

I'd like to argue against Sherman as a core player, he might a top CB in the league but I think some is due to our system and the other DB's surrounding him. To me ET is more important to our defensive scheme and I think PC & JS have shown they value the saftey position more than the CB. We drafted ET in the 1st, paid Kam big money but have plugged the CB position with a UDFA form the CFL and a 5th round pick. I think WT3, Lane, Simon, or Maxwell would not lose us the game if they had to fill Sherm's shoes. Without ET and probably even Kam our defense would struggle.

 

[Subzero717]

1 year can change a lot, If you asked this before last year I'm sure there would have been more people suggesting Mebane, Clemons, Red, ET, and Wright as our core cause they we the play makers on a top 5 defense.

So much has changed but "Core" guys have to be leaders and guys who's play elevates the players around them. I'd also throw out the word irreplaceable, they had to be guys that you can't put a value on, guys that are worth more to your team than another.

#1 Wilson
#2 Thomas
#3 Lynch
#4 Okung
#5 Chancellor
#6 Unger


Guys like Sherman, Harvin, Rice, Miller, Bryant, Mebane, Wright, Wagner, Tate are on the fringe but are not quite there for me.

I'd like to argue against Sherman as a core player, he might a top CB in the league but I think some is due to our system and the other DB's surrounding him. To me ET is more important to our defensive scheme and I think PC & JS have shown they value the saftey position more than the CB. We drafted ET in the 1st, paid Kam big money but have plugged the CB position with a UDFA form the CFL and a 5th round pick. I think WT3, Lane, Simon, or Maxwell would not lose us the game if they had to fill Sherm's shoes. Without ET and probably even Kam our defense would struggle.

I don't mind your list but a RB that is 28-29 and has had 2 backups/replacements drafted the last two years?

 

[formido]

I'd like to argue against Sherman as a core player, he might a top CB in the league but I think some is due to our system and the other DB's surrounding him. To me ET is more important to our defensive scheme and I think PC & JS have shown they value the saftey position more than the CB. We drafted ET in the 1st, paid Kam big money but have plugged the CB position with a UDFA form the CFL and a 5th round pick. I think WT3, Lane, Simon, or Maxwell would not lose us the game if they had to fill Sherm's shoes. Without ET and probably even Kam our defense would struggle.

Aside from his league leading cover rate, which I doubt ET deserves (or wants) any credit for, Sherman is a core player because his fearlessness rallies his teammates. His loud mouth lets the world know Seattle's a force to be reckoned with, even when ESPN is trying to ignore them.

 

[DavidSeven]

Core for the next two to three years:

Wilson
Lynch
Okung
Unger

+

L.O.B. (Browner, Chancellor, Thomas, and Sherman)

I feel like if we can retain those pieces over the next 3 years, there's no way the team isn't at least competitive every year regardless of what happens around them. Physical run attack (function of Beastmode + line play), the secondary, and Russell Wilson comprise the core identity of the Seattle Seahawks.

Over the next 5-6 years, I see Wilson, Okung, Unger, Thomas, Chancellor and Sherman as the core pieces to an elite team. Obviously, Harvin has a big contract, but right now, I see him as the guy that puts us over the top. As we get a chance to see how he and the team mix and evolve, he'll then likely be part of the discussion as a core piece.

 

[CANHawk]

Picking up on the "irreplaceable" discussion; there's only two guys that fit that description IMO: Russell Wilson and Earl Thomas.

RW is fairly self explanatory (he's amazing) but Earl's range is siiiiiiiiick. That crazy range allows him to play as the single high safely, which is a ridiculously hard thing to do. Earl playing single high allows the secondary to do all kinds of other crazy things with Kam, and this year will translate into doing crazy things with Kam and Antoine Winfield. Earl's amazing skill set allows the defense to do what it do, and in that way Earl is irreplaceable.

 

[DavidSeven]

Speaking of that, I don't know how many people caught this, but Russell said yesterday that he and Earl have a spent the last six months exchanging notes and watching tape together to better understand defensive/offensive looks.

 

[General Manager]

Wilson
Sherman
Lynch
Thomas
Rice
Kam

Harvin is on the list if he plays as projected. Only two of those player's on that list are a must sign, Wilson and Sherman. Earl is a very good free safety but we'll be ok without him .Wilson and Sherman are crucial that's how I see it. Lynch is on his last deal, i'm not exactly sure about Rice's contract but if he is resigned it will be for less money than he's currently making that's a given. I think they should do everything they can to keep Earl but if it's him or Sherman i'm keeping Sherman he's the better player of the two.

 

[TwilightError]

Long term might be different but right now Lynch is in the very nucleus of the core of this team. In fact, I would call it hardcore. Lynch, Wilson and the Legion of Boom.

 

[fsmassey]

Wilson
Okung
Sherman
Thomas
Lynch

The truth is, you don't want a core. You want to keep drafting and replacing as many players as possible. That is how you stay good for a long time.

Who was the core of the Colts for their perennial playoff run? The Pats? The Steelers? A couple guys, that is it. Those franchises were known for being able to replace their talent with younger, cheaper talent. It is a cold way to do it, but the best way to build a perennial contender. We want to be married to as few of these guys as possible.

The Ravens of the last decade disagree with you

Edit: Ex-Ravens, sorry

 

[Tical21]

Wilson
Okung
Sherman
Thomas
Lynch

The truth is, you don't want a core. You want to keep drafting and replacing as many players as possible. That is how you stay good for a long time.

Who was the core of the Colts for their perennial playoff run? The Pats? The Steelers? A couple guys, that is it. Those franchises were known for being able to replace their talent with younger, cheaper talent. It is a cold way to do it, but the best way to build a perennial contender. We want to be married to as few of these guys as possible.

The Ravens of the last decade disagree with you

Edit: Ex-Ravens, sorry

The Ravens are the prime example! They stayed relevant for a decade with Lewis, Reed, Ogden and Suggs. Now their entire core is Flacco, Rice and Ngata. Where are all their other LB's? CB's? DE's? Offensive players? Do they have a 10 man core? Did they overpay Kruger? Boldin? Reed? Aren't those guys people you might have considered "core" people?

 

[Tical21]

The moral to the story is that we've already paid a bunch of guys, and have a bunch more to come. As much as we all hate it and love our guys, there are going to be some brutally painful decisions coming. The good news, is that we have a fantastic front office that is going to be able to replace this guys with other folks that will become household names. We're going to see a few of the Sherman, Thomas, Tate, Wright types failing to be signed. Just be thankful that we have a staff that is as good as it gets at finding Lane, Guy, Harper, Smith etc. As much as I hate to say it, the Steelers have been an absolute model franchise. The Packers just had to let Chuck Woodson walk. The Pats got rid of Richard freaking Seymour. How many LB's have the Steelers replaced? WR's? If you're doing it right, you don't have to overpay your own guys.

 

[justafan]

As good as Sherman is I don't think you can pay a CB 15 or 16 mil a year like Revis is getting.That is about what he is going to want.You let him walk.
Off the top of my head I cant think of any dynasty that managed the salary cap that way.
Imo the positions that deserve franchise money are QB LT a true No 1 WR and maybe another OL or 2 if you have the cap space.
On D Thomas will be one of the core, the rest I think the jury is still out on.Most are replaceable I think.
Unfortunately there will be some popular players released when the new contracts start coming around.Tough choices to be made thats for sure.

 

[Scottemojo]

As good as Sherman is I don't think you can pay a CB 15 or 16 mil a year like Revis is getting.That is about what he is going to want.You let him walk.
Off the top of my head I cant think of any dynasty that managed the salary cap that way.
Imo the positions that deserve franchise money are QB LT a true No 1 WR and maybe another OL or 2 if you have the cap space.
On D Thomas will be one of the core, the rest I think the jury is still out on.Most are replaceable I think.
Unfortunately there will be some popular players released when the new contracts start coming around.Tough choices to be made thats for sure.

No. You don't let him walk. After year three you propose a long term deal that is generous, but not dumb. Unless you have thought of a way to generate one turnover per game, which is damn near Richard's average. If he refuses that payday looking for the big score, you tag his ass in year 5, then negotiate again. Or trade him for draft capital.

You are right, players will go that people love. But they don't have to go without compensation.

 

[CANHawk]

As good as Sherman is I don't think you can pay a CB 15 or 16 mil a year like Revis is getting.That is about what he is going to want.You let him walk.
Off the top of my head I cant think of any dynasty that managed the salary cap that way.
Imo the positions that deserve franchise money are QB LT a true No 1 WR and maybe another OL or 2 if you have the cap space.
On D Thomas will be one of the core, the rest I think the jury is still out on.Most are replaceable I think.
Unfortunately there will be some popular players released when the new contracts start coming around.Tough choices to be made thats for sure.

No. You don't let him walk. After year three you propose a long term deal that is generous, but not dumb. Unless you have thought of a way to generate one turnover per game, which is damn near Richard's average. If he refuses that payday looking for the big score, you tag his ass in year 5, then negotiate again. Or trade him for draft capital.

You are right, players will go that people love. But they don't have to go without compensation.

I think that's a big BIG thing. If we can identify those guys who aren't going to be able to fit into the long term plans and wheel them off for picks in their last year (instead of pigeon holing ourselves by tossing money we don't have at them or letting them walk for nothing), we should be able to use those picks to rebuild the supporting cast with the same type of good, young and CHEAP players that this current team is built out of.

 

[Treefiddy]

Russ
Okung
Earl
Sherman

The rest can be plugged in with new players over time.

 

[Tical21]

As good as Sherman is I don't think you can pay a CB 15 or 16 mil a year like Revis is getting.That is about what he is going to want.You let him walk.
Off the top of my head I cant think of any dynasty that managed the salary cap that way.

Sure you can, if you play such a style where a corner is important enough. Not that long ago, the best corner in the game was rented at higher prices than this for championships. Not saying Sherman is as good as Deion, but I think you can apply the same philosophy.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

This is a great gawd damn thread. Regardless of author, it's a good one. That's very painful to admit because a Canadian touched me when I was a child...and it was either Bryan Adams or CANHAWK...........

I'll bet that Cuts Like A Knife.

 

[fsmassey]

Wilson
Okung
Sherman
Thomas
Lynch

The truth is, you don't want a core. You want to keep drafting and replacing as many players as possible. That is how you stay good for a long time.

Who was the core of the Colts for their perennial playoff run? The Pats? The Steelers? A couple guys, that is it. Those franchises were known for being able to replace their talent with younger, cheaper talent. It is a cold way to do it, but the best way to build a perennial contender. We want to be married to as few of these guys as possible.

The Ravens of the last decade disagree with you

Edit: Ex-Ravens, sorry

The Ravens are the prime example! They stayed relevant for a decade with Lewis, Reed, Ogden and Suggs. Now their entire core is Flacco, Rice and Ngata. Where are all their other LB's? CB's? DE's? Offensive players? Do they have a 10 man core? Did they overpay Kruger? Boldin? Reed? Aren't those guys people you might have considered "core" people?

I can agree with the idea that the core is small, but the notion that teams don't stick to cores is ridiculous. The niners stuck with Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Joe Staley for the better of a decade, and just now, 8 years later one piece is replaced.

We could talk about the core of the Steelers, too, because they've been around for a long time too.

What I'm saying is that this idea that the league's mindset is just to recycle players is ridiculous. You keep really good players, even as they age. You only replace it if it needs replacing or if its a clear upgrade in cap space. This Seahawks team is just full of those really good players.

A better question would've been which starters are the most replacable

 

[CANHawk]

This is a great gawd damn thread. Regardless of author, it's a good one. That's very painful to admit because a Canadian touched me when I was a child...and it was either Bryan Adams or CANHAWK...........

I'll bet that Cuts Like A Knife.

But it feels so right...

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

This is a great gawd damn thread. Regardless of author, it's a good one. That's very painful to admit because a Canadian touched me when I was a child...and it was either Bryan Adams or CANHAWK...........

I'll bet that Cuts Like A Knife.

But it feels so right...

:bow: