Who's Sitting In First Class? Ranking the Top 20 Hawks.

[RussJames]

So we just gave Sherman, ET, Bennett and Baldwin a big ol' chunk of change this offseason. Russell Wilson and a couple others are due to get theirs next season. With all these big money re-signings you know there's going to a few players that are forced to move on to yellower pastures; Golden Tate was one of those folks... Wright, Avril, Kearse, Smith, Maxwell are all in their contact season; guys like Wagner, Wilson, Mebane, Okung, Lynch, and Irvin will all be in their contract season the year after that. So at the moment, Who's worth keeping and who's viewed as expendable...

Davis Hsu has a pretty decent analogy for this situation:

"The Seahawks as a team are seated on a plane – think of the roster split between first class and coach, with John Schneider and Pete Carroll piloting the aircraft and the coaching staff running the show as the attendants. 18 of the 53 total Seahawks can sit in first-class – and these are the guys that make $2 million or more per year, and the 35 other guys sit in coach and make near league-minimum salaries. The back of the roster fellas sit in the rear by the bathrooms and crying children, with the loud drone of the engine in their ears.

The 35 guys in coach are just working as hard as they can to earn the right to sit up front and get warm towels, fat leather recline-able seats, and the best in-flight meals. If any of them do earn that right – it just means they’re going to be replacing someone that has transferred planes or they’ll be bumping someone else out off the plane altogether."

So fellow 12s, I'm curious which Hawks you think belong in first-class? Ranking players with 1 being the overall most important player, and 19-n-lower being players that may be viewed as expendable.

1. Wilson
2. Thomas
3. Sherman
4. Lynch
5. Harvin
6. Chancellor
----------------------
7. Bennett
8. Unger
9. Wagner
10. Okung
11. Avril
12. Baldwin
----------------------
13. Mebane
14. Miller
15. Wright
16. Maxwell
17. McDaniel
18. Irvin
----------------------

Players just outside of my top 18.... 19)Rice.... 20)Hauschka.... 21)Kearse.... 22)Smith.... 23)Lane.... 24)Sweezy.... 25)Carp.... 26)Bowie.... 27)Coleman.... 28)Willson.... 29)McCoy.

I realize player rankings can be a bit ridiculous, but it's the most boring part of offseason, what else is there to talk about? Plus I'm very interested to see where fellow 12s rank a few of our upcoming re-signings.

 

[calinator]

1a. Thomas
1b. Wilson
3. Sherman
4. Lynch
5. Chancellor(on field more than Harvin)
6. Harvin
7. Wagner(lol at Unger)
8. Mebane
9. Baldwin
10. Maxwell

IMO

Edit: Bennett and Avril could be at 9 and 10 too but whatever. What a damn good deep team.

 

[chris98251]

Paul Allen, John Schnieder, Pete Carroll, everyone else is in coach, this is a team not based on any one individual, why we are successful. It's the concepts and study and execution of that. Why it's Petes team.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Paul Allen, John Schnieder, Pete Carroll, everyone else is in coach, this is a team not based on any one individual, why we are successful. It's the concepts and study and execution of that. Why it's Petes team.

I tend to agree with you Chris though I have to put Wilson in first class. The position is simply too important and it's too hard these days to win without 'the' guy.

 

[RussJames]

Paul Allen, John Schnieder, Pete Carroll, everyone else is in coach, this is a team not based on any one individual, why we are successful. It's the concepts and study and execution of that. Why it's Petes team.

I tend to agree with you Chris though I have to put Wilson in first class. The position is simply too important and it's too hard these days to win without 'the' guy.

haha you cop-outs. Fact is, Wilson is more important to the team than Irvin; Thomas is more important than McDaniel; Sherman more important than Maxwell; and so on...

The FO have to make some very difficult moves in the upcoming seasons and I think it would be interesting to see how fellow 12s rate the players on the squad. Is Wright worth big money? how about Maxwell? Avril, eh? Hence the rankings.

 

[bjornanderson21]

I dont understand how people can put someone whose done nothing as a Hawk (harvin) over players who have made great contributions to the team.

Harvin doesn't even get to fly in coach, he gets to spend the whole flight in the bathroom joining the mile-high club with himself.

 

[RussJames]

I dont understand how people can put someone whose done nothing as a Hawk (harvin) over players who have made great contributions to the team.

Harvin doesn't even get to fly in coach, he gets to spend the whole flight in the bathroom joining the mile-high club with himself.

He's only had one year as a hawk in a contract that lasts until 2018. Schneider paid the man big money for a reason. Or a few reasons...

- When healthy (hate that I have to say that…), he’s one of the most explosive players in the NFL.
- According to Football Outsiders he led all WR/TE in broken tackles in 2009, 2010, and 2012 (despite only 9 games in 2012)
- He’s one of very few players who can play the WR/RB hybrid role exceedingly well.
- In 2011 he had 1,312 total yards from line of scrimmage. And 9 total touchdowns.
- Any play can be a touchdown when the ball is in his hands.
- In his four years with Minnesota he racked up 3,985 total yards from scrimmage and 29 total touchdowns.
- He’s one of the best kick returners in the league.
- He lead all players (with 15+ returns) in Yards Per Kickoff Return in 2011 and 2012 with 32.5 and 35.9 respectively.
- He has 6 total kickoff return touchdowns, one of them obviously clinching Super Bowl XLVIII. 6 TDs is tied for 2nd all time.
- Defenses have to gameplan specifically for Percy.
- He demands the attention of multiple players on every play. Opening lanes for the HB and routes for WRs.
- Of the very few plays he made last season, every single one was boarderline incredible.
- Top WRs from this years draft are being compared (Watkins) or comparing (OBJ) themselves to Percy.
- I love Percy.

 

[Zebulon Dak]

Yeah. ^^That.^^

 

[nategreat]

Paul Allen, John Schnieder, Pete Carroll, everyone else is in coach, this is a team not based on any one individual, why we are successful. It's the concepts and study and execution of that. Why it's Petes team.

18 People are sitting first class, the rest are coach. In other words, which players are the cornerstones of the team? Which ones do you keep and which ones do you let go, if forced to choose? That's the question. In that sense, you have to be able to put a ranking on them. Yes, it's a team. But some players are more important- that's a fact.

1) Earl Thomas
2) Russell Wilson
3) Richard Sherman
4) Marshawn Lynch
5) Kam Chancellor
6) Percy Harvin
7) Brandon Mebane
8 ) Michael Bennett
9) Bobby Wagner
10) Russell Okung
11) Doug Baldwin
12) Zach Miller
13) Max Unger
14) KJ Wright
15) Cliff Avril
16) Byron Maxwell
17) Bruce Irvin
18) Sidney Rice

 

[Swedishhawkfan]

I dont understand how people can put someone whose done nothing as a Hawk (harvin) over players who have made great contributions to the team.

Harvin doesn't even get to fly in coach, he gets to spend the whole flight in the bathroom joining the mile-high club with himself.

His performance in XLVIII alone is enough to make you wrong

 

[Bigpumpkin]

His performance in XLVIII alone is enough to make you wrong

Percy Harvin is a unique talent.....no one else in the NFL is quite like him. Should that give him special privileges.......I think so.

 

[hawknation2014]

I dont understand how people can put someone whose done nothing as a Hawk (harvin) over players who have made great contributions to the team.

Harvin doesn't even get to fly in coach, he gets to spend the whole flight in the bathroom joining the mile-high club with himself.

He's only had one year as a hawk in a contract that lasts until 2018. Schneider paid the man big money for a reason. Or a few reasons...

- When healthy (hate that I have to say that…), he’s one of the most explosive players in the NFL.
- According to Football Outsiders he led all WR/TE in broken tackles in 2009, 2010, and 2012 (despite only 9 games in 2012)
- He’s one of very few players who can play the WR/RB hybrid role exceedingly well.
- In 2011 he had 1,312 total yards from line of scrimmage. And 9 total touchdowns.
- Any play can be a touchdown when the ball is in his hands.
- In his four years with Minnesota he racked up 3,985 total yards from scrimmage and 29 total touchdowns.
- He’s one of the best kick returners in the league.
- He lead all players (with 15+ returns) in Yards Per Kickoff Return in 2011 and 2012 with 32.5 and 35.9 respectively.
- He has 6 total kickoff return touchdowns, one of them obviously clinching Super Bowl XLVIII. 6 TDs is tied for 2nd all time.
- Defenses have to gameplan specifically for Percy.
- He demands the attention of multiple players on every play. Opening lanes for the HB and routes for WRs.
- Of the very few plays he made last season, every single one was boarderline incredible.
- Top WRs from this years draft are being compared (Watkins) or comparing (OBJ) themselves to Percy.
- I love Percy.

There are two players with eight regular season kickoff return TDs, so technically Harvin is tied with six other players for 3rd most kickoff return TDs. He needs at least two more to match the record, and three more in the regular season to match the regular season record.

Active players: Titans' Leon Washington (8), free agent Josh Cribbs (8), Falcons' Devin Hester (6), and Percy Harvin (6).

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/l ... career.htm

 

[MidwestHawker]

The one thing I would say most firmly is
1. Wilson
2. Thomas

After that there's plenty of room for debate. But anytime you have a good QB, that pretty much has to be your #1 since so much hinges on that. Thomas is probably the next in line in terms of being irreplaceable. I'd probably take Sherman third, but that's close.

 

[Erebus]

Strictly looking at it from the airplane analogy changes the list slightly than ranking based on who's done the most for this team. The players in first class are the guys you want to keep around long-term. Harvin is clearly one of those players, so he deserves a seat in first class.

My list would look like this:

1. Wilson
2. Thomas
3. Sherman
4. Chancellor
5. Lynch
6. Harvin
7. Okung
8. Bennett
9. Wagner
10. Baldwin
11. Mebane
12. Miller
13. Unger
14. Avril
15. Maxwell
16. Wright
17. Rice
18. McDaniel

 

[RussJames]

Strictly looking at it from the airplane analogy changes the list slightly than ranking based on who's done the most for this team. The players in first class are the guys you want to keep around long-term. Harvin is clearly one of those players, so he deserves a seat in first class.

My list would look like this:

1. Wilson
2. Thomas
3. Sherman
4. Chancellor
5. Lynch
6. Harvin
7. Okung
8. Bennett
9. Wagner
10. Baldwin
11. Mebane
12. Miller
13. Unger
14. Avril
15. Maxwell
16. Wright
17. Rice
18. McDaniel

You know what I just noticed that's kind of cool. In everyone's top 12 there are 6 offensive players and 6 defensive players. It's amazing how balanced this team is.

 

[Seahawkscrazy]

1 Thomas
2 Wilson
3 Chancellor
4 Sherman
5 Lynch
6 Bennett
7 Wagner
8 Mebane
9 Harvin
10 Miller


11 Okung
12 Wright
13 Baldwin
14 Haushka
15 Maxwell
16 Avril
17 McDaniel
18 Unger

Our O Line could use some help. Hope Britt/Bailey/Bowie pop.

 

[kearly]

1. Wilson. Best QB through two seasons in NFL history. Legend in the making.

2. Thomas. Enables teammates, not so much a "hunter" as Sherman, but when opportunity knocks he almost never wastes them.

3. Sherman. Scheme value aside, scheme dependance aside, Sherman is the best player on our defense, arguably the best defensive player in the NFL.

4. Harvin. The Earl Thomas of the offense. It's night and day for our offense when he's on the field, and he's the best KR in the game too.

5. Lynch. Plays better than his numbers. Tone setter. Defenses fear and respect him. Like Wilson, Lynch makes cliches real.

6. Okung. One of the best tackles in the game when healthy. When he misses games, his absence is felt.

7. Bennett. One of the NFL's most disruptive pass rushers.

8. Chancellor. He's been a little up and down and for Pete the SS position is relatively fungible. But at his best, Chancellor is without a doubt the NFL's best strong safety.

9. Maxwell. He is going to be flagged to death in 2014, but the guy just creates turnovers and is a pain for WRs.

10. Avril. Disruptive and seems to pair very well with Bennett.

11. McDaniel. Versatile, good pass rusher for a big guy. Probably leads the team in "dominant" plays that lead to TFLs against the run. Makes more "wow" plays than Mebane, and he's more versatile, so I have him a little higher.

12. Mebane. Still makes a few plays here and there, but at this stage in his career he's mostly a space clogger.

13. Bobby Wagner. Good blitzer, very good in coverage. Occasionally has issues against the run and getting off blocks, though he does cover ground fast.

14. Zach Miller. Terrific blocker with soft hands. Very underrated and very valuable given Seattle's reliance on max protect.

15. Sidney Rice. When healthy he is an elite level possession WR who's deadly on deep throws as well.

16. Doug Baldwin. Gets nicked up a lot, but injuries aside, he's Mr. Dependable, especially in clutch situations.

17. KJ Wright. His lack of speed is sometimes a liability, but he's an excellent tackler and plays smart.

18. Malcolm Smith. Didn't play much but was impactful when he did.

19. Bruce Irvin. Gets lost in the scrums, lacks instincts. But he's a big hitter and a good open field tackler. Great size and speed. At his best, he's Kam-esque.

20. JR Sweezy. Max Unger was so bad last season that I wonder if injuries are enough of an excuse. Meanwhile, Sweezy make huge strides in pass protection and has since added 20 pounds of muscle to help shore up his one remaining weakness: a lack of success in "power" situations.

Honorable mentions: Seattle had last seasons #1 special teams without Harvin, which is amazing. Guys like Ryan, Hauschka, Lane, Farwell and Lockette deserve special mention.

 

[Hawkfan77]

I dont understand how people can put someone whose done nothing as a Hawk (harvin) over players who have made great contributions to the team.

Harvin doesn't even get to fly in coach, he gets to spend the whole flight in the bathroom joining the mile-high club with himself.

Harvin is an elite talent who got hurt.

Plus he had a TD in the SB, so lets stop with the "he's done nothing as a Hawk"