What is our plan?

[WindCityHawk]

Granted, I'm hardly a professional in the NFL personnel business, but I'm trying to read the currents in our recent moves and can't make out any sensible plan on Pete and John's part.

We've jettisoned probably our best pass rusher and corner, which frees up money, sure, but for who? I don't see anyone in free agency better than the guys we lost. And I don't see them breaking the bank on Sheldon or Earl to keep/extend them. I'd be shocked if we bothered to entice Graham back.

Are they loading up for a big trade/extension? Trading away another first round pick for a stud RB or WR? And if so, who is even out there who is both worth mortgaging a pick and cap space for AND is on the trading block?

And if they are going to make a splash like that, isn't it best saved for a final Super Bowl push rather than what is clearly a reloading year?

You get younger through the draft, but I don't see us stockpiling draft picks. And you clear money for free agency, but I don't see any free agents worth selling the farm for.

So what's the end goal here? Or is it just 2010 all over again--turning over every piece of coal in the pile looking for a diamond? Are we conceding to the Rams and 49ers this year and getting a head start on 2019? Can Pete even afford another year missing the playoffs?

 

[RussB]

Freeing up cap by letting go older injury prone players. Sherman hasnt been fully healthy in like 2 years. Front office is just getting a head start in finding new franchise players.

 

[AROS]

If this was Billichick it would simply be another day at the office.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Finding new franchise players? Have they found any in years?

You are expecting this to change?

We won because we had players that were measurably better than players on the opposing team. It isn't enough to get 'good' players. They need to be great, or we won't even make the playoffs.

I don't see a plan either. Last year they didn't know they might lose ET soon? Why not draft Baker then? Why draft a worthless DT and not Cam Robinson, who the Jaguars picked WITH THE PICK WE TRADED THEM. He will probably solidify their line for the next 6-8 years.

Our front office might have a plan but since it is clear they are over their heads or don't know what they are doing? Does it matter?

They will no longer have a loaded roster to make up for all their bad decisions.

 

[Rat]

We're just chilling out while the Rams and Niners take over the division.

 

[Shanegotyou11]

Honestly it depends on the free agents we get for simply this yr. The draft this yr for the 2019 yr.

I don't think we make the playoffs this yr if we don't make moves.

 

[kf3339]

We're just chilling out while the Rams and Niners take over the division.

Unfortunately this may end up being the correct answer.

At least for the near future.

 

[Grahamhawker]

Finding new franchise players? Have they found any in years?

You are expecting this to change?

We won because we had players that were measurably better than players on the opposing team. It isn't enough to get 'good' players. They need to be great, or we won't even make the playoffs.

I don't see a plan either. Last year they didn't know they might lose ET soon? Why not draft Baker then? Why draft a worthless DT and not Cam Robinson, who the Jaguars picked WITH THE PICK WE TRADED THEM. He will probably solidify their line for the next 6-8 years.

Our front office might have a plan but since it is clear they are over their heads or don't know what they are doing? Does it matter?

They will no longer have a loaded roster to make up for all their bad decisions.

Whatever the plan is, I hope in includes more foresight, less hubris, and better luck than the past several years.

I'm sitting here eating pancakes saying, "Yup, yup, and yup!" to the points in this post.

 

[kf3339]

Finding new franchise players? Have they found any in years?

You are expecting this to change?

We won because we had players that were measurably better than players on the opposing team. It isn't enough to get 'good' players. They need to be great, or we won't even make the playoffs.

I don't see a plan either. Last year they didn't know they might lose ET soon? Why not draft Baker then? Why draft a worthless DT and not Cam Robinson, who the Jaguars picked WITH THE PICK WE TRADED THEM. He will probably solidify their line for the next 6-8 years.

Our front office might have a plan but since it is clear they are over their heads or don't know what they are doing? Does it matter?

They will no longer have a loaded roster to make up for all their bad decisions.

^This as well.

 

[sdog1981]

I think they are going to follow a plan similar to the Falcons and Pats. Old offense young defense. The Sherman cut would have made more sense after the 2018 season because right now 11 million for a top-five corner is cheap. The 2018 free agent group is a scrap heap and I don't know if the team can crank out a 2011-2012 run in the draft to get the team back to a Superbowl level in 2020.



PS. Holy crap it's almost 2020.


PPS. Holy crap it's almost 2020 and we don't have hover cars or hoverboards. The Jetsons lied!!!

 

[MrThortan]

I am confident the FO has a plan, just not confident that it will be a good one. Limited cap space and draft picks with a lot of holes to fill. Seahawks in '17 were between the 11th to 13th youngest roster, depending on where you look, which could mean that that there are a lot of younger players who are going to be called to take on bigger roles in 2018. Rams were the 2nd youngest last year. They will more than likely be an even better team this year. On paper, the Hawks have a brutal schedule next year. I don't expect a Super Bowl season, but I do expect to have more wins then losses. Maybe that is unrealistic to many, but I don't think we are the Browns quite yet.

A lot depends on how much the new OC and DC change things up. One off season is not a whole lot of time to learn a new system. Will there be minor changes, or major? Simplified changes with a greater plan for the future or just flood the team with new schemes and concepts? Will the new changes even lead the team in the right direction? Who knows, I don't.

On offense, my primary desire this season is get the OL back to at least average. This will help both the passing and running game. I think Russell is good enough to make things happen with average players around him if he at least has average blocking. Need a stud RB, which could be Carson, but I am not against drafting one with #18 depending on who is there. Rawls wasn't the guy, Carson got injured, future uncertain, Davis is serviceable, but not a premier back. Just no stupid signings like Lacey.

On defense we are going to need some new starters to take over for the vets that have been released, traded or may retire. Lots of injuries last year, but some guys stepped up and proved to be at least serviceable. Another year with more practice with the ones and they should in theory get better. Looks like the Seahawks are heading in a direction of letting most of the old guard go and will have to sign some of the free agents back on realistic deals. Going to be difficult as all the new pieces learn to work as a unit. The LOB is gone.

Will probably have to let go of star players like they did Sherman and pass on players like Graham and Sheldon so we can resign more average players and one year deals to fill needs in the roster. With so many needs and such limited resources, is it better to keep one all pro at 11 million or sign three lesser players at 3.6 million? Would love to go for the big one in 2018, but not at the cost of '19 and '20. That attitude last year helped get us in the situation the team is in now.

 

[Jerhawk]

The plan us to get the aging vets off the roster, off the books, and try to find new, fresh young kids to come in and compete for those positions. The same way the championship team was built

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

The plan is they hope they don't suck too bad this year.

Actually, they might want to suck to secure higher draft pick(s) next year.

 

[rossob]

We've jettisoned probably our best pass rusher and corner, which frees up money, sure, but for who? I don't see anyone in free agency better than the guys we lost. And I don't see them breaking the bank on Sheldon or Earl to keep/extend them. I'd be shocked if we bothered to entice Graham back.

[...] So what's the end goal here? Or is it just 2010 all over again--turning over every piece of coal in the pile looking for a diamond? Are we conceding to the Rams and 49ers this year and getting a head start on 2019? Can Pete even afford another year missing the playoffs?

Imo they are extending two out of the following 3: Daune Brown, Earl, Sheldon. If not they might try to get better picks next year because we are probably going to suck big time this year unless last years draft picks turn out to be awesome.
Could also just want to start from scratch again like in 2010 but I don't think Pete plans to stay long enough to go through with this.

 

[chris98251]

They have to move the old Furniture out and clean the carpet, it's been pretty dirty for a while now and that Furniture has nostalgia around it but the seat cushions are worn and the feet on one of the chairs keep falling off, who knows about that couch, every time we lift the seat cushions we find another worn out cliché.

It all has to be replaced.

I stated in another thread, we drafted a lot of guys that have been red shirted or hidden on IR, when the original LOB was formed they did not have All Pros and HOF type players in front of them, it was much easier to identify who was going where, we have reached the point where injuries and salaries make moves necessary, we seen small samples of these players but no real game experience long term.

We are in better shape on our D line then when Pete came in, yes we lost Bennett but we have guys that may be able to help. We have a bunch of players on our O line that we know were valued highly but never showed it, Cable curse or lack of continuity trying to learn 4 positions versus getting good at one. I think we can make it serviceable with our new Line coach, serviceable would be hundreds of a percent better then what we have seen.

That's the players, schemes on offense will be different and welcome, motion and set up's for our receivers to isolate defenders etc.

On defense Pete will take what we have and adjust to the strength of the players, we may not run exactly the same defense if Earl is traded, we may go to a Tampa 2 style, we will adjust.

We are not as bad off as some feel we are, surely not as bad as when Pete came in, not saying Super Bowl bound yet but not saying were in the cellar either till I see the complete assembly in action a few games.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Except all of this is reactive, not proactive.

That is not a plan, that might be making moves, sometimes strategic and sometimes tactical.

But it isn't a plan.

Was the plan really to bring in Duane Brown and send a bunch of draft picks to Houston to get him? Thus hamstringing us in the rebuild we had to know we would need to engage in this year?

Nope. Clearly, the FO went all in this year with Richardson and Brown. But a lot of us on the sidelines were sitting here thinking "What the hell are they doing? They don't have a SB team. They are going all in and they still have no way to assure they can even score TDs reliably"

A plan would have been bringing in Cam, that means not having to bring in Duane Brown this year and saving the picks and cap room. It might have been trading your 1st last year for some picks this year, and getting that 2nd to get Baker. That is a plan, a plan happens over time. It did not have to be their plan, but moves that are only made to react to the immediate situation to me indicate the lack of a plan.

Part of the problem really.

This FO might be so many moves ahead we cannot see it, but it might be a more reasonable assessment that they are just reacting instead of building anything. And that kind of short term thinking rarely gets much reward for it.

 

[RussB]

Some fans need to chill out , they still have Wagner and Earl. Who are the most important players on the defense. Sherman is great, but hes not getting any younger. He was going to be gone sooner or later and they had to choose between him and earl.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Honestly it depends on the free agents we get for simply this yr. The draft this yr for the 2019 yr.

I don't think we make the playoffs this yr if we don't make moves.

Barring a miracle they are not likely making the playoffs in 2018.
Re-up Earl, and Brown.
Do not spend any unnecessary money on FA band-aids, draft well this year, draft well in 2019 and spend wisely on FA pickups.

No more projects or reaches in the draft. Quit trying to prove you are the draft geniuses (by taking risky picks), when you haven’t had a great draft since 2012.

 

[James in PA]

I think that THEY think they can draft & coach up young players on defense. I think they are very open to the idea of playing young guys and having them learn on the job. I have no idea what they are doing on offense. With the freed up money, hopefully they will invest more in o-line help. Maybe sign a WR. I’d rather they draft a RB or 2 than sign another free agent veteran whose best years are already behind him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NJlargent]

Honestly it depends on the free agents we get for simply this yr. The draft this yr for the 2019 yr.

I don't think we make the playoffs this yr if we don't make moves.

Barring a miracle they are not likely making the playoffs in 2018.
Re-up Earl, and Brown.
Do not spend any unnecessary money on FA band-aids, draft well this year, draft well in 2019 and spend wisely on FA pickups.

No more projects or reaches in the draft. Quit trying to prove you are the draft geniuses (by taking risky picks), when you haven’t had a great draft since 2012.

Well said and spot on. The only thing I disagree with re-upping Earl. I’d rather keep SR. You can’t minimize the importance of DL. I also think earl’s antics with Dallas was an issue.