Too bad Seattle didn't keep RB Rod Smith on the roster

[Armchair Bronco]

Looking back with 20-20 vision, it all makes perfect sense:

Marshawn goes down and Jackson gets banged up, so Seattle promotes RB Rod Smith from the practice squad. Smith gets a carry or two, the game ends, and Seattle now has to choose between keeping him on the 53 man roster or waiving him - all in the hope of immediately re-signing him to the practice squad. So they waived him.

Except the front office apparently forgot they were playing Dallas the following week. Dallas had already signed former Seattle RBs Turbin and Michaels earlier in the year, so Seattle should have figured the Cowboys might get sneaky and sign Smith to get some inside Intel. Or, maybe Jerry Jones figured the 3rd times a charm.

And that's exactly what happened. Now the next best prospect after Rawls is playing for Dallas.

 

[907Hawk]

No doubt he has been killing it in Dallas, 2 carries for 5 yards on the year, how could the Hawks let such a great prospect walk to those savvy Cowboys.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

The trolls keep coming it seems. I like that Bronco fans still exist. You guys must love the Kansas City Chiefs.

Damn, they have a running back we gave away that is actually good. You can't be right all the time. Happy for Mr. Ware.

 

[Armchair Bronco]

No doubt he has been killing it in Dallas, 2 carries for 5 yards on the year, how could the Hawks let such a great prospect walk to those savvy Cowboys.

Hey, I'm just a historian - don't shoot the messenger!

Obviously, the Hawks promoted Rod Smith, not DuJuan Harris, the first time around. So, clearly they thought that Smith had more upside than Harris.

And the Cowboys must think Smith has potential, too. Otherwise he wouldn't be taking up a valuable roster spot. Dallas hasn't used him yet because they don't need to.

No matter how you slice it, the Hawks miscalculated when they waived Rod Smith, they should have waited one more week before waiving him. They gambled that he would clear waivers...and they lost. Now they're scrambling around at the 11th hour trying to make amends.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

No doubt he has been killing it in Dallas, 2 carries for 5 yards on the year, how could the Hawks let such a great prospect walk to those savvy Cowboys.

Hey, I'm just a historian - don't shoot the messenger!

Obviously, the Hawks promoted Rod Smith, not DuJuan Harris, the first time around. So, clearly they thought that Smith had more upside than Harris.

And the Cowboys must think Smith has potential, too. Otherwise he wouldn't be taking up a valuable roster spot. Dallas hasn't used him yet because they don't need to.

No matter how you slice it, the Hawks miscalculated when they waived Rod Smith, they should have waited one more week before waiving him. They gambled that he would clear waivers...and they lost. Now they're scrambling around at the 11th hour trying to make amends.

Luckily we aren't Dallas and have a quarterback. Jealous? I smell fear... it's sweet and thick. Methinks you guys won't go far given you are in the same division as Kansas City. That is a team everyone in the AFC should be scared of. And Pittsburgh. Two very dangerous teams yes?

 

[HawKnPeppa]

No doubt he has been killing it in Dallas, 2 carries for 5 yards on the year, how could the Hawks let such a great prospect walk to those savvy Cowboys.

Hey, I'm just a historian - don't shoot the messenger!

Obviously, the Hawks promoted Rod Smith, not DuJuan Harris, the first time around. So, clearly they thought that Smith had more upside than Harris.

And the Cowboys must think Smith has potential, too. Otherwise he wouldn't be taking up a valuable roster spot. Dallas hasn't used him yet because they don't need to.

No matter how you slice it, the Hawks miscalculated when they waived Rod Smith, they should have waited one more week before waiving him. They gambled that he would clear waivers...and they lost. Now they're scrambling around at the 11th hour trying to make amends.

Luckily we aren't Dallas and have a quarterback. Jealous? I smell fear... it's sweet and thick. Methinks you guys won't go far given you are in the same direction as Kansas City. That is a team everyone in the AFC should be scared of.

Not so! The Donkos have Olly Orville Redenbacher at QB...he's tall, strapping and darn near beat the Raiders today!

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

No doubt he has been killing it in Dallas, 2 carries for 5 yards on the year, how could the Hawks let such a great prospect walk to those savvy Cowboys.

Hey, I'm just a historian - don't shoot the messenger!

Obviously, the Hawks promoted Rod Smith, not DuJuan Harris, the first time around. So, clearly they thought that Smith had more upside than Harris.

And the Cowboys must think Smith has potential, too. Otherwise he wouldn't be taking up a valuable roster spot. Dallas hasn't used him yet because they don't need to.

No matter how you slice it, the Hawks miscalculated when they waived Rod Smith, they should have waited one more week before waiving him. They gambled that he would clear waivers...and they lost. Now they're scrambling around at the 11th hour trying to make amends.

Luckily we aren't Dallas and have a quarterback. Jealous? I smell fear... it's sweet and thick. Methinks you guys won't go far given you are in the same direction as Kansas City. That is a team everyone in the AFC should be scared of.

Not so! The Donkos have Olly Orville Redenbacher at QB...he's tall, strapping and darn near beat the Raiders today!

He's too tall.

 

[peppersjap]

The same Rod Smith who didn't even start in college, I'm OK going in a different direction. The Cowboys plan at RB is definitely something we should follow, they have been doing so well with there carousel. Yet Rod Smith still hasn't cracked that formidable group.

 

[dunceface]

The same Rod Smith who didn't even start in college, I'm OK going in a different direction. The Cowboys plan at RB is definitely something we should follow, they have been doing so well with there carousel. Yet Rod Smith still hasn't cracked that formidable group.

:13:

 

[lobohawk]

No doubt he has been killing it in Dallas, 2 carries for 5 yards on the year, how could the Hawks let such a great prospect walk to those savvy Cowboys.

Hey, I'm just a historian - don't shoot the messenger!

Obviously, the Hawks promoted Rod Smith, not DuJuan Harris, the first time around. So, clearly they thought that Smith had more upside than Harris.

And the Cowboys must think Smith has potential, too. Otherwise he wouldn't be taking up a valuable roster spot. Dallas hasn't used him yet because they don't need to.

No matter how you slice it, the Hawks miscalculated when they waived Rod Smith, they should have waited one more week before waiving him. They gambled that he would clear waivers...and they lost. Now they're scrambling around at the 11th hour trying to make amends.

Luckily we aren't Dallas and have a quarterback. Jealous? I smell fear... it's sweet and thick. Methinks you guys won't go far given you are in the same direction as Kansas City. That is a team everyone in the AFC should be scared of.

Not so! The Donkos have Olly Orville Redenbacher at QB...he's tall, strapping and darn near beat the Raiders today!

And to think the Broncos could have been rolling out Russell this year, as they'd drafted Brock ahead of him. Might have actually been scary considering Russell would have been soaking up knowledge from Manning.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Just for the record, "just a historian"...

Dallas traded for and did not sign Christine Michael.

Dallas claimed Rod Smith on October 14...a full 17 days before Seahawks played Dallas.

And full month before Dallas cut Michael, and then signed Robert Turbin on November 18th.

And most importantly Rod Smith was not waived for an injured Fred Jackson, Jackson was over his ankle injury after the first few games and still played.

Rod Smith was waived because Marshawn Lynch was healthy for the time being after missing two weeks with a hammy (just before the Panthers game) and just after Thomas Rawls put up 160 on the vaunted Bengals D. Seahawks would have had to carry 6 RBs.

You got all the names right but it seems like your facts, "your history" is all wrong OP.

Horrible delivery, messenger.

 

[Largent80]

Rod Smith is another player with "potential". Usually they don't work out on this level. I would say that Coleman / Jackson will be serviceable while we wait for the Beast's return.

 

[Silver Hawk]

I have been an avid Ohio State fan for 45 years. Probably haven't missed seeing one play in the last 30 years.

When Rod Smith came to OSU, I thought that he was going to be great. He oozed potential.

As it turned out, he just never got it done in college. It started out with fumbling issues. Then, he never could make it to the field for any extended play. He missed time due to poor academic grades and was kicked off the team in the middle of last season, purportedly for failing a drug test. Was quite a shame.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Just for the record, "just a historian"...

Dallas traded for and did not sign Christine Michael.

Dallas claimed Rod Smith on October 14...a full 17 days before Seahawks played Dallas.

And full month before Dallas cut Michael, and then signed Robert Turbin on November 18th.

And most importantly Rod Smith was not waived for an injured Fred Jackson, Jackson was over his ankle injury after the first few games and still played.

Rod Smith was waived because Marshawn Lynch was healthy for the time being after missing two weeks with a hammy (just before the Panthers game) and just after Thomas Rawls put up 160 on the vaunted Bengals D. Seahawks would have had to carry 6 RBs.

You got all the names right but it seems like your facts, "your history" is all wrong OP.

Horrible delivery, messenger.

Touche, brother.

Nice job. :th2thumbs:

 

[JaiSeaSea]

I wasn't impressed with Smith in preseason. He seemed to avoid contact and run out of bounds.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

And to think the Broncos could have been rolling out Russell this year, as they'd drafted Brock ahead of him. Might have actually been scary considering Russell would have been soaking up knowledge from Manning.

Drink in that knowledge Donkey fan, Fantasize about what Russell Wilson would play like in orange and then let the fact that your "QB of the future" is Brock freakin' Ostrich.

Oh and as for your QB of the past............43-8.

 

[TwistedHusky]

I don't think the Hawks could factor in this many RBs getting hurt either.

Remember that we were losing guys in the secondary routinely, and it was important to keep depth there. Not to mention the lines + LBs. Don't forget that our OL was held together with former DL guys. Anybody gets hurt in the above and we suddenly end up with a big hole in the boat.

And right now, secondary is highly valued and RB are fairly undervalued. It was not a given that Smith was going to get stolen away, but for the fact that Dallas was so desperate for even an average performing RB.

Rawls getting hurt was just a stroke of really bad luck, but clearly the selection of Rawls over Smith was the right one.

And how many other teams would weather the loss of so many key pieces ?

Admittedly, the storm of injuries really hit when the schedule got soft, but considering the impact of people they lost - pretty amazing job keeping the boat upright at all.

Yes, it would have been great to have kept him, but this is clearly a team that has improved from the 8-8 type of ball they looked to be playing toward at the start of the year. They just have to somehow get to the playoffs and get our guys back, and they have a good chance of doing some damage in the playoffs.

Isn't that all you can ask given the difficulties this team has had to overcome?

 

[kearly]

I was pissed the moment I heard Smith was activated, because I knew he'd get five carries, look good, get cut, and then nabbed by some team on waivers. And when exactly that scenario occurred, I was more annoyed than pissed, because I saw it coming a mile away.

That said, I had no idea we'd actually need Smith this season. So I guess in retrospect, a dumb at the time decision looks even worse today.

Of course, we only saw 10 carries worth of Smith in the preseason (7 YPC). It's hard to say if he's actually any good based on such a small sample size. But I did like his talent. He passed the eyeball test for me, even if he had some of Shaun Alexander's annoying habits.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

I was pissed the moment I heard Smith was activated, because I knew he'd get five carries, look good, get cut, and then nabbed by some team on waivers. And when exactly that scenario occurred, I was more annoyed than pissed, because I saw it coming a mile away.

That said, I had no idea we'd actually need Smith this season. So I guess in retrospect, a dumb at the time decision looks even worse today.

There is a flip side to this though.

Seattle (and by this I mean Pete Carroll), have a well earned reputation for preparing and playing young talent. One of the benefits to that is they cull a lot of diamonds out of the rough.

But also too, Pete has shown to be a career starter for guys like this. So often we end up littering other rosters with guys we provided opportunity for. Pete is the Pez dispenser of opportunity for young players. While we lose a lot of guys we wished we'd kept -- the reality is that reputation keeps this steady flow of UDFA talent coming in year after year.

I'd be more pissed that we've carried two fullbacks all year at the expense of Rod Smith. That still seems excessive. Not cutting Michael Bennett for 2 kickers excessive. But still.

 

[Armchair Bronco]

I was pissed the moment I heard Smith was activated, because I knew he'd get five carries, look good, get cut, and then nabbed by some team on waivers. And when exactly that scenario occurred, I was more annoyed than pissed, because I saw it coming a mile away.

That said, I had no idea we'd actually need Smith this season. So I guess in retrospect, a dumb at the time decision looks even worse today.

Of course, we only saw 10 carries worth of Smith in the preseason (7 YPC). It's hard to say if he's actually any good based on such a small sample size. But I did like his talent. He passed the eyeball test for me, even if he had some of Shaun Alexander's annoying habits.

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't represent historians very well in the OP, but my observations weren't exactly 180 degrees off the mark, either. I'll try to be more accurate and factual the next time around.

But the comments above summarize what I should have said all along: I also had a feeling that after being activated, Rod Smith would get a few carries in garbage time, not look bad, then get cut, and then be signed by another team. Whether it was 7 days or 17 days before Dallas played Seattle is a footnote. Someone in the front office smarter than me ought to have at least considered the possibility that Rod Smith would be nabbed, in particular by Dallas.