I was just thinking about how close-knit this team is. One of my favorite moments of the season was in Week 14, I think, during the Cards/Hawks game. Our boy Tim Ryan, Seahawks personal National correspondent, mentioned how close this team was. How it's like a family in the locker room. Of course, that comes as no surprise to all of us thanks to the Real Rob Report. Carroll and Schneider and the rest of the gang have succeeded in making something "special."

Now, what about getting to the top and winning the Super Bowl this next season? It's obvious that with a few smart additions this team will be fighting for the Lombardi Trophy come playoff time next season. They'll do their thing in the draft, picking up some of the playmakers and stars of the future, that's what they do. What about free agency though? We've seen the 'Hawks adhere to their own version of the "Packers Model" in the past and the Packers are rarely active in free agency aside from keeping their own guys. When they do hit the FA circuit, it's usually for bargain bin players to fill out the bottom of the roster and compete for jobs and playing time. Now that the Hawks have almost completed the job of stocking a fully self sufficient roster, I'm expecting that they'll go that route in FA as well. So I'm not expecting any guys like Melton, Wallace, or Bowe. Guys with high price tags and a name for themselves.

Instead, I'm expecting them to go for guys that will fit into this close-knit squad. Guys with non-stop motors and relentless effort. Guys with high football IQ's and toughness that's through the charts. Guys that will come in to camp and try and earn the respect of their new teammates and prove to them that they are just as tough and can hang with the rest of the bunch. Someone who can be relied upon in the future when the games start to count.

So it wouldn't surprise me to see the team go after some guys like Delanie Walker. There's precedent for that kind of move, Michael Robinson anyone? Guys like William Hayes that are used to having to prove themselves and still not getting the respect. Hayes would make the perfect Seahawk with the chip he's probably got on his shoulder. Desmond Bryant was a UDFA from Harvard that spent two years buried on the bench in Oakland before emerging as one of the lone brightspots on an otherwise dismal defense in the Bay. Ask Scottemojo how much he'd love to have Desmond Bryant in this defense. Ramses Barden seems to fit the bill because he'll be cheap, overlooked, but has some serious size and potential. He looked like a genuine good receiver in his breakout game against Carolina earlier in the year.

Of course, I could be wrong. The team might try and make a huge splash or two and pick up some marquee free agents to create the feeling of the FO doing whatever it takes to get the best talent to Seattle to get a ring. What do you guys think? The marquee names approach or the "Always Compete" approach? Which type of free agents will be the best fit with this team and which type of FA will the front office pursue?

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A huge splash is fine if it's a guy who will still fit in with that "family in the locker room" attitude and fit within budgetary constraints.

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I don't think a big splash is necessary. Just find a couple quality starters, such as Desmond Bryant and Jared Cook. I think we'll find it much easier to sign free agents now that we have a franchise QB, a top defense, and coming off a playoff appearance.

I assume a TE like Cook would prefer to catch passes from Russell Wilson than Jake Locker. Seattle is also an ideal place for pass rushers to play. They'll get that extra boost from the 12th man, and also get a few coverage sacks with our great secondary.

Not that character doesn't matter, but I'm sure they will look for talented guys with character and think of terms of how they fit moreso than they will look for character guys who can play if that makes any sense.

I'm hoping to see Desmond Bryant on our radar and another "1 year show me contract" with Jason Jones. I think those two moves can go a long way towards resolving our D-Line issues (assuming Jones doesn't get hurt again, which is likely, hence his 'cuttable' contract. However, Bryant mitigates his potential loss as we can use him as more of a role player/depth.)

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Osi Umenyiora and or Jared Cook/Delanie Walker.

Osi has stated before that he would love to play at the link. Osi in Seattle feels like it would be a match made in heaven if given the chance. Jared Cook/Delanie Walker would be an awesome compliment to Zach Miller.

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I was specifically going to mention Osi but I guess I forgot. I hope he ends up with the Hawks. Always been a fan of his goin back all the way to the Troy State days. I think he'd make an excellent addition and could have a huge impact if he finds the fountain of youth that great DE's have been able to find as of late. He could only help the pass rush IMO.

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Schefter just reported on twitter (https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status ... 0236952576) that the Lions released DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. I remember us taking a look at him a few years back, but him opting for a heftier contract with them. Thoughts? He's 34, so probably only a one-year contract, but might help hold down the DE position until Clemons comes back.

Assuming, of course, we can't find an every-down DE in the draft.

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The inexpensive ones.

Be careful what you wish for. I'm a fan of both teams, live in NY, and my family has had Giants seasons for over 40 years, so I feel I have a great working first-hand knowledge of the GMen from seeing them live. At Osi's peak he was a guy who really didn't do much other than make 4 or 5 big game plays off the pass rush. Kinda like what we all envison and hope Irvin becoming. Never gonna be a run stopper and can go unnoticeable for stretches, but when the pass rush os needed Osi came through big time. Well, unfortunately Father Time waits for nobody and over the past few years those 4 or 5 plays pretty much became 0, 1, or 2 at most. For the most part Osi has been useless, and I don't see him making some miraculous return to form. Foir 1 year there are certainly worse options, but I believe Osi still feels he's a top level player and will look for a multi-year deal. If that's the case he's a bigtime pass as far as the Seahawks are concerned IMO.

Osi could be a great pickup for us, but it would have to be a cap freindly contract and I don't see that in the cards.
The main thing for me is contracts. We have a lot of extreemly talented young players soon to get a payday. I don't want to see any contracts given to players that can hinder our ability to keep ET, KC, Okung, Sherm and others.
Get quality at very very low cost, just the way they have been.

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Randy Starks!

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Honestly, if the WR market isn't huge I think getting Bowe or Wallace would be fantastic. Even if it's a contract similar to what Sidney is getting that makes our offense become one of the most explosive in the NFL. Remember how scary the Cards were during the Boldin/Fitz years? They made average receivers become 1,000 yard receivers purely by defenses needing to focus on the outside. Our offense was clicking at a level we hadn't seen since 2005 to finish out the year and adding a PREMIER wide receiver puts us over the top IMO.

If the market is tough though, I think getting lots of depth on the Dline with some above average signings would be the next best thing. We would probably target playmakers earlier in the draft if that's the case which I wouldn't be opposed to either since there are a bunch of really solid guys coming out this year. Randy Starks would be a great pick up for us and I'd like Osi who has to realize he isn't going to get a big contract. He would become Raheem Brock except I think he has more talent.

I would love to have Walker. he is a baller but the Niners will resign him. Vanden Bosch would be an awesome pickup at DE.

Vanden Bosch nor Osi is an option in my opinion. These guys are accelerating downhill and unless you can get them at something similar to what Raheem Brock played for, I would just pass. These guys just do not seem to be short term answers.

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"Pray to the LORD now...Seattle are a bunch of heathen atheist Canadians."
NFL GM: "How do you stop a Seahawk? Take away his doctor's prescription pad."”

Melton

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Kruger... he already has experience sacking Kraeperdick.

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The guy I'm most interested in is Bengals DE Michael Johnson.

how much would kruger cost?

Makes sense to me. Those are the 2 players I'd like to see acquired. I wouldn't mind any size splash they would like to make... but, getting at least 2 players that have the potential to be key contributors makes things more interesting going into the draft to grab BPA/ also possible luxury picks vs. reaching for positions of need. I think doing that (reaching by drafting for need) really catches up with teams eventually.

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