Zebulon Dak
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2007
- Messages
- 24,551
- Reaction score
- 1,417
I wish that was mine. I almost bought one but got accused of being a troll for it. Then I was just conflicted and never made the move.
Always Compete..?
- Thread starter jonkchar
- Start date
Attyla the Hawk
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2013
- Messages
- 2,559
- Reaction score
- 47
The roster is indeed littered with stars. But that doesn't mean we're not seeing competition on the roster.
While today, most of it looks like it's competition amongst the depth players. If you look at it from the three year plan angle, there is plenty to tune in to.
Just going by position group:
QB: TJack has been the backup for 2 years. After letting him go when Wilson earned the starting nod to our quick reacquisition of him a year later. He's been on 1 year deals and continues to test the UFA market. Certainly there is a degree of uncertainty here as he's a UFA again next year. Not much going on with this position but I'm guessing next year we might look to provide a cheaper understudy for cap relief reasons.
RB: Lots of competition here. But ultimately looks like status quo will win out. Certainly is a position group that should get some higher level competition in there as life after Lynch looms as a huge unknown.
OL: Obviously the most spirited competition. Not just for today. Sweezy and Okung are UFA next year. Already we're seeing the organization take steps to mirror their abilities with the draft picks this year. This is really a group that I'd expect to see high annual competition. Not a lot of room to keep 2nd contract guys on the roster. Watching Glow/Poole/Sokoli is worthwhile even if they don't play right away. At some point we might see all three play next year. Given how hard it is to stash OL and DBs on a practice squad -- who we keep at the tail end of the OL group this year or whether we keep 10 instead of our traditional 9 should tip the organization's hand about what kind of competition we'll see in 2016.
WR: Another group to watch for. This group may be the most influenced by 'club control' issues. Kearse and Lockette will be UFA next year. Lots of guys seem destined for the PS. The competition here seems mostly on the back half of the group. I'd expect Lockett and Richardson to maybe be the medium term replacements for Lockette and Kearse respectively. Kearse has some unique qualities that Richardson doesn't have. And I'm still expecting PRich to end up ultimately going on IR after his PUP expires. Seems like it'll be difficult to warrant 2 WR positions for players based on ST value. The group may survive in 2015 intact, but I'd expect there to be the precursor to a reorganization of this group based on who makes the cut this year.
DL: Team seems pretty loaded here. But quite obviously Seattle was looking at adding some reload options at end. Avril and Bennett are both in their primes on their second deals. Their positions are so valuable that Seattle has to keep plowing resources to keep these positions loaded. I'm not sure either Avril or Bennett will get a third deal here. They'll be wanting to go full out highest bidder mode and given it'll be their last deal to make bank, nobody should blame them at all. Marsh needs to show he can elevate his game. He's really kind of competing with next year's draft priorities.
LB: Wright. Paid. Wagner. Paid. Can't keep them all. Irvin made Malcolm Smith expendable. And I'm guessing that Seattle is going to accept paying 2 of 3 LBs in the starting lineup. Irvin already has been given the Tate and Carpenter treatment in the sense that Seattle declined to extend them in their final year. Seattle generally doesn't keep players who they don't extend. The ones we have -- they were extended. I'd say the history of how we operate is established and Irvin is not very likely to be retained. KPL is the current reload option. Seattle didn't get a LB in this draft class -- the first class without one.
DB: Big time competition. Not only for the vacant RCB position. But also for the vacant nickel. We've added more players to this group than any other I think, if we factor in post draft trades, UFA signings and conversion projects slated for possible PS stashing. Seattle has done something different this year which I think is uniquely ahead of the curve. We've added a bunch of conversion projects late to the roster. And added players who have already passed through waivers. It certainly appears that Seattle is smartly anticipating how difficult it is to stash DBs on redshirt year throughout the league -- and particularly how almost impossible it is for us specifically to do it. So this year we've added a lot of really raw guys not remotely ready to play in 2015 (McNeil, Farmer etc). The competition for 2015's roster is going to be tight and for those that look like they're truly in the mix -- expect them to be snatched up before the PS signing period starts.
Ultimately, I see the biggest competition playing out with players AND positions that I expect there to be roster churn in 2016. Seattle's roster model has now unfolded. We're going to pay superstars. And we're not going to have second deal players virtually anywhere on the roster. It'll be superstars and rookie deals across the board.
While today, most of it looks like it's competition amongst the depth players. If you look at it from the three year plan angle, there is plenty to tune in to.
Just going by position group:
QB: TJack has been the backup for 2 years. After letting him go when Wilson earned the starting nod to our quick reacquisition of him a year later. He's been on 1 year deals and continues to test the UFA market. Certainly there is a degree of uncertainty here as he's a UFA again next year. Not much going on with this position but I'm guessing next year we might look to provide a cheaper understudy for cap relief reasons.
RB: Lots of competition here. But ultimately looks like status quo will win out. Certainly is a position group that should get some higher level competition in there as life after Lynch looms as a huge unknown.
OL: Obviously the most spirited competition. Not just for today. Sweezy and Okung are UFA next year. Already we're seeing the organization take steps to mirror their abilities with the draft picks this year. This is really a group that I'd expect to see high annual competition. Not a lot of room to keep 2nd contract guys on the roster. Watching Glow/Poole/Sokoli is worthwhile even if they don't play right away. At some point we might see all three play next year. Given how hard it is to stash OL and DBs on a practice squad -- who we keep at the tail end of the OL group this year or whether we keep 10 instead of our traditional 9 should tip the organization's hand about what kind of competition we'll see in 2016.
WR: Another group to watch for. This group may be the most influenced by 'club control' issues. Kearse and Lockette will be UFA next year. Lots of guys seem destined for the PS. The competition here seems mostly on the back half of the group. I'd expect Lockett and Richardson to maybe be the medium term replacements for Lockette and Kearse respectively. Kearse has some unique qualities that Richardson doesn't have. And I'm still expecting PRich to end up ultimately going on IR after his PUP expires. Seems like it'll be difficult to warrant 2 WR positions for players based on ST value. The group may survive in 2015 intact, but I'd expect there to be the precursor to a reorganization of this group based on who makes the cut this year.
DL: Team seems pretty loaded here. But quite obviously Seattle was looking at adding some reload options at end. Avril and Bennett are both in their primes on their second deals. Their positions are so valuable that Seattle has to keep plowing resources to keep these positions loaded. I'm not sure either Avril or Bennett will get a third deal here. They'll be wanting to go full out highest bidder mode and given it'll be their last deal to make bank, nobody should blame them at all. Marsh needs to show he can elevate his game. He's really kind of competing with next year's draft priorities.
LB: Wright. Paid. Wagner. Paid. Can't keep them all. Irvin made Malcolm Smith expendable. And I'm guessing that Seattle is going to accept paying 2 of 3 LBs in the starting lineup. Irvin already has been given the Tate and Carpenter treatment in the sense that Seattle declined to extend them in their final year. Seattle generally doesn't keep players who they don't extend. The ones we have -- they were extended. I'd say the history of how we operate is established and Irvin is not very likely to be retained. KPL is the current reload option. Seattle didn't get a LB in this draft class -- the first class without one.
DB: Big time competition. Not only for the vacant RCB position. But also for the vacant nickel. We've added more players to this group than any other I think, if we factor in post draft trades, UFA signings and conversion projects slated for possible PS stashing. Seattle has done something different this year which I think is uniquely ahead of the curve. We've added a bunch of conversion projects late to the roster. And added players who have already passed through waivers. It certainly appears that Seattle is smartly anticipating how difficult it is to stash DBs on redshirt year throughout the league -- and particularly how almost impossible it is for us specifically to do it. So this year we've added a lot of really raw guys not remotely ready to play in 2015 (McNeil, Farmer etc). The competition for 2015's roster is going to be tight and for those that look like they're truly in the mix -- expect them to be snatched up before the PS signing period starts.
Ultimately, I see the biggest competition playing out with players AND positions that I expect there to be roster churn in 2016. Seattle's roster model has now unfolded. We're going to pay superstars. And we're not going to have second deal players virtually anywhere on the roster. It'll be superstars and rookie deals across the board.
hawkfan68
Well-known member
TorontoHawk":3mln6cds said:
All of a sudden that Tjack jersey is looking better, better. I had a Kitna jersey once...I think I may still have it.
Zebulon Dak
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2007
- Messages
- 24,551
- Reaction score
- 1,417
I had a Josh Brown jersey.
GeekHawk
Well-known member
hawkfan68":15bwhpj1 said:
Having a Kitna jersey is perfectly understandable, and even commendable. Unknown QB who leads his DII (or is it DIII?) Central Washington team to the national championship, then only gets noticed because the Seahawks' coach's son plays on the same team, then gets drafted and sent to NFL Europe, then leads his team to the NFL Europe championship, all the while saying that his ultimate goal is to teach high school math, then not only becomes a starting NFL QB, but ends up with a 14 year career... Then teaches high school math in Tacoma. Wear that jersey with pride, son! That's a man to be proud to associate yourself with.
Exittium
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2012
- Messages
- 3,043
- Reaction score
- 10
Kam's not Competing why should everyone else :sarcasm_on: .. heh
HawKnPeppa
New member
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2009
- Messages
- 4,733
- Reaction score
- 0
DavidSeven":3v4oulep said:
Perfect example! You can promote competition all you want, but if the challenger's level of play doesn't approach that of the incumbent, why would the coaches have any reason to speak of competition?
OTOH, if the position in question is lacking in some areas (I.E Center and RT), Seahawks coaches are willing to go out on a limb if they see potential and steady progress from the youngster/s. I see no evidence of them retreating from the competition theme.
Overseasfan
New member
If someone like Blackmon suddenly outperforms Sherman he'll start at LCB. If Turbin suddenly becomes superior to Adrian Peterson he'll start over Lynch. If RJ Archer becomes an Aaron Rodger like player he'll start over Wilson.
See the trend? If a player outperforms another he'll start. However, we have a team filled to the brim with stars. Random unknowns/back ups won't all of a sudden beat out pro bowlers. That's just not going to happen.
But then look at Center. Lewis was expected to start but LJP and Nowak played better so he was relegated to third string. Who expected Garry Gilliam to be our starting Right Tackle going into the Regular Season? I'll tell you now, not many. Always compete is still true but this doesn't mean that our best players are going to have to fight for a roster spot.
See the trend? If a player outperforms another he'll start. However, we have a team filled to the brim with stars. Random unknowns/back ups won't all of a sudden beat out pro bowlers. That's just not going to happen.
But then look at Center. Lewis was expected to start but LJP and Nowak played better so he was relegated to third string. Who expected Garry Gilliam to be our starting Right Tackle going into the Regular Season? I'll tell you now, not many. Always compete is still true but this doesn't mean that our best players are going to have to fight for a roster spot.
