ESPN: we didn't sign Kaep in 2017 because of Russ

[BASF]

I don't disagree with the rest of what you're saying, but I'm not buying this narrative at all.

Geno looked decent when he came into the Rams game after Wilson's injury, but with the game on the line at the end, turned the ball over to lose it.

Why would anyone hold that interception against him when his receiver was tripped by the Rams DB so he wasn't there to catch the ball?

 

[keasley45]

@ryank24, He felt the risk was worth it, IMO, to chance being the hero by going in to the mighty Lambeau and defeat Rodgers and company coming off the biggest injury of his career. Had he done it? The story lines would have been immense and his stock (see: Legacy) would have been padded mightily. I love Wilson, but I felt I knew what his true motivation was. No risk it no biscuit. I didn't see it as some selfless act to rally his team.

exactly

 

[Lagartixa]

Team Russ, and a percentage of folks on dot net, truly believe that Russ' prime was being wasted by a poorly managed Hawks team. He was so wronged, from lousy OL to antiquated offense, his MVP seasons were slipping away. For all he was done for the Hawks, he DESERVED at least a full season of Let Russ Cook.

I have to admit I'm looking forward to talking-head mediots and some of .NET's resident experts trying to explain to us how the Broncos' offensive line got so much worse so quickly.

 

[ryank24]

@ryank24, He felt the risk was worth it, IMO, to chance being the hero by going in to the mighty Lambeau and defeat Rodgers and company coming off the biggest injury of his career. Had he done it? The story lines would have been immense and his stock (see: Legacy) would have been padded mightily. I love Wilson, but I felt I knew what his true motivation was. No risk it no biscuit. I didn't see it as some selfless act to rally his team.

He may very well have wanted to play the hero, and decided that playing through injury was worth the risk.

My point was more regarding the idea that his motivation was because he wanted to stop the Geno Smith train from gaining too much momentum.

 

[keasley45]

I don't disagree with the rest of what you're saying, but I'm not buying this narrative at all.

Geno looked decent when he came into the Rams game after Wilson's injury, but with the game on the line at the end, turned the ball over to lose it. He didn't look good against the Steelers or the Saints. And between those 3 games with a chance to win it in the 4th quarter he managed an interception, a fumble and a turn over on downs. He then finally got a win against the worst team in the league.

Especially if Wilson had already decided that he was done in Seattle (which I think was likely by that point), what possible motivation could Wilson have had to rush himself back from an injury? Playing through pain, risking re-injury, putting up sub-par stats compared to his typical standard of play for at least a few weeks. Somehow that was supposed to help his own stock by keeping Geno Smith off the field? If he wanted to make himself look good, he could have let the Hawks keep losing games with Geno running the show instead of losing games himself.

he threw the pick against the rams because tripped and fell. The ball was thrown excatly to where Tyler would have been. Against the Steelers, Watt was a wrecking ball and destroyed whoever he lined up against. Geno executed the plan he was given, which was overly conservative to limit the chances he might be rusty and amplify whatever sruggles the team was already having. his fumble to close the game is a fumble any QB would have had in that situation, getting hacked by a defender you dont feel coming.
And how many other qbs playing agaiinst the Jags had the kind of performance Geno had that game??
Answer - none. Certainly not the almighty Josh Allen who looked like a 2nd stringer against them the following week.

Its not a narrative to buy really. Its the fact of what happened and has dribbled out here and there over the years and been crystalized now in Russ's own actions. the offense loved TJack for who he was, his toughness and leadership, Fact. That same praise has Rarely been given Russ by his teammates over the years. Fact. The difference of opinion between Russ and his backup was stark. The best thing his #1 wr ADB had to say about him is that he had 'untapped potential'. He played with the guy for years and the best thing he can say when prompted is that he can get better?? meanwhile, when discussing Andrew Luck, he called him the best QB he ever played with. Umm...

Tate never mentioned him when asked about the best QBs he played with

DK seemed to be all team Russ after his rookie season, but then nothing overwhelmingly positive about the guy when he left and reserved his thanks to B Wags for his leadership. Seems he was caught up in the image and story RUSS created aroung not coooking anymore, until DK played another season and saw for himself why the system was flawed. When asked what the difference was late in the seaosn last year, contrary to his position when Russ was buddying him up the year before... that it was the running game wrecking things that made the passing game work.

Tyler? also his number 1 target ... relatively quiet considering the magnitude of who Russ was here.

And that says nothing about the team in hits prime years when stories would come out about how Russ was sheltered, favored, a little phony...

Not bringing in Kaep 5 years ago because it threatened Russ isnt a narrative. It was stated as such.

Russ is who he's shown himself to be through the years in leaked occurrences and opinions of his teammates and his own actions on camera and off.

 

[ryank24]

he threw the pick against the rams because tripped and fell. The ball was thrown excatly to where Tyler would have been. Against the Steelers, Watt was a wrecking ball and destroyed whoever he lined up against. Geno executed the plan he was given, which was overly conservative to limit the chances he might be rusty and amplify whatever sruggles the team was already having. his fumble to close the game is a fumble any QB would have had in that situation, getting hacked by a defender you dont feel coming.
And how many other qbs playing agaiinst the Jags had the kind of performance Geno had that game??
Answer - none. Certainly not the almighty Josh Allen who looked like a 2nd stringer against them the following week.

Its not a narrative to buy really. Its the fact of what happened and has dribbled out here and there over the years and been crystalized now in Russ's own actions. the offense loved TJack for who he was, his toughness and leadership, Fact. That same praise has Rarely been given Russ by his teammates over the years. Fact. The difference of opinion between Russ and his backup was stark. The best thing his #1 wr ADB had to say about him is that he had 'untapped potential'. He played with the guy for years and the best thing he can say when prompted is that he can get better?? meanwhile, when discussing Andrew Luck, he called him the best QB he ever played with. Umm...

Tate never mentioned him when asked about the best QBs he played with

DK seemed to be all team Russ after his rookie season, but then nothing overwhelmingly positive about the guy when he left and reserved his thanks to B Wags for his leadership. Seems he was caught up in the image and story RUSS created aroung not coooking anymore, until DK played another season and saw for himself why the system was flawed. When asked what the difference was late in the seaosn last year, contrary to his position when Russ was buddying him up the year before... that it was the running game wrecking things that made the passing game work.

Tyler? also his number 1 target ... relatively quiet considering the magnitude of who Russ was here.

And that says nothing about the team in hits prime years when stories would come out about how Russ was sheltered, favored, a little phony...

Not bringing in Kaep 5 years ago because it threatened Russ isnt a narrative. It was stated as such.

Russ is who he's shown himself to be through the years in leaked occurrences and opinions of his teammates and his own actions on camera and off.

I think Russ showed his true colors a year ago when talking about his legacy and making the conversation about himself. I'm not trying defend the guy the way John63 does lol. Personally I'm glad we moved on and are starting fresh.

But with about 90 seconds of googling, I see that Geno threw for 195 yards and 2 TDs against the Jags. I also see Tyrod Taylor threw for 291 yards and 2 TDs. Mac Jones threw for 227 yards and 3 TDs. So I'm not sure what your comment means about nobody else performing similarly against the Jags? He payed well against them, and I'm not arguing he didn't. But he wasn't lighting the world on fire in the 3 starts he made.

I also think it's incredibly telling the way his teammates reacted/didn't react when he was traded. But that's built from a relationship after years of playing with those guys, not a couple game stretch of trying to keep Geno down because he was stealing the team from Wilson.

I assume (maybe incorrectly) that Wilson was already planning on pushing his way out after the season. So I still don't see how keeping Geno stifled benefits him since he wouldn't have been playing here next year anyways.

Regarding not signing Kaep in 2017, maybe that had something to do with it? It was reported by ESPN at the time, but it's certainly not a fact. I do remember very specifically Pete in a press conference after the decision was made to not sign him, that Kaep is a starter in this league and should be starting somewhere. Maybe it was because Wilson is delicate. Maybe it was because Pete didn't want any kind of QB controversy. Maybe that just meant Kaep expected starter money, and the Hawks only wanted to offer backup money.

Again, my only point is that I don't believe the true motivation behind Wilson playing through injury was because he was trying to keep Geno Smith off the field as attempt to somehow make himself look better to the fans or his teammates.

 

[JayhawkMike]

Things in the rear view mirror are much smaller than they appear. This includes Kaeps abilities as a QB. I wish we would never hear his name in this message board again. I don’t hear clamoring for Tim Tebow or a dozen other washed up QBs that have been out of the league for HALF a DECADE. Let it go.

nobody wants him here for his football abilities. The only idiots that want him here want him for his politics. Screw that.

 

[keasley45]

Things in the rear view mirror are much smaller than they appear. This includes Kaeps abilities as a QB. I wish we would never hear his name in this message board again. I don’t hear clamoring for Tim Tebow or a dozen other washed up QBs that have been out of the league for HALF a DECADE. Let it go.

nobody wants him here for his football abilities. The only idiots that want him here want him for his politics. Screw that.

What do politics have to do with his football skill? I never liked him or the 9ers when they were rivals. But to lump me in a crowd and claim you know the reason I wouldn't have minded seeing him here back then was because I agree with his protest, is BS. Yes, I'm African American, but also the son of a 27 year army vet and have police officers in my family. One has zero to do with the other and frankly that comment is offensive.

Was Kaep elite? No. Was he a middle of the pack qb good enough to take his team to the superbowl (almost twice, were it not for us) and come a play away from winning it once? Yes. Tim Tebow couldn't spell playoffs. Nor could whatever 'washed up' qbs you're insinuating could have actually accomplished that feat. He was good for who and what he was and the double threat aspect of his game. his stats, even in the year he was released were better than about half the qbs in the league.

 

[keasley45]

I think Russ showed his true colors a year ago when talking about his legacy and making the conversation about himself. I'm not trying defend the guy the way John63 does lol. Personally I'm glad we moved on and are starting fresh.

But with about 90 seconds of googling, I see that Geno threw for 195 yards and 2 TDs against the Jags. I also see Tyrod Taylor threw for 291 yards and 2 TDs. Mac Jones threw for 227 yards and 3 TDs. So I'm not sure what your comment means about nobody else performing similarly against the Jags? He payed well against them, and I'm not arguing he didn't. But he wasn't lighting the world on fire in the 3 starts he made.

I also think it's incredibly telling the way his teammates reacted/didn't react when he was traded. But that's built from a relationship after years of playing with those guys, not a couple game stretch of trying to keep Geno down because he was stealing the team from Wilson.

I assume (maybe incorrectly) that Wilson was already planning on pushing his way out after the season. So I still don't see how keeping Geno stifled benefits him since he wouldn't have been playing here next year anyways.

Regarding not signing Kaep in 2017, maybe that had something to do with it? It was reported by ESPN at the time, but it's certainly not a fact. I do remember very specifically Pete in a press conference after the decision was made to not sign him, that Kaep is a starter in this league and should be starting somewhere. Maybe it was because Wilson is delicate. Maybe it was because Pete didn't want any kind of QB controversy. Maybe that just meant Kaep expected starter money, and the Hawks only wanted to offer backup money.

Again, my only point is that I don't believe the true motivation behind Wilson playing through injury was because he was trying to keep Geno Smith off the field as attempt to somehow make himself look better to the fans or his teammates.

Solid post. I was referring to the fact that he played about as flawless a game as you could play and they turned the pass game off in the 4th qtr.

And yeah, those other qbs played well, but completing what, 15 consecutive passes? It just gets frustrating hearing all the talk from some about how bad the guy was. Note - bad qbs never complete 15 consecutive passes, even in practice.

Geno was grasping the offense. If that's not true, I don't think Waldron would want him around. It's his baby. His job security. There are other middling qbs we could get to outperform Geno. If Shane thinks he's worth the time, I'm going to see what the guy showed last year ad glass half full, rather than the waste of a roster spot some characterize him as.

And Russ's weakness has always been what Geno showed against the JAGs. Go back and listen to how pointed and effusive Carroll was in his praise after that game, and how Waldron notblong after was quick to point out how well Geno made decisions and distributed the ball... he ran the offense.

When asked about why the offense was struggling when Russ was back in, he said pretty clearly that the offense only works if the qb makes smart, fast decisions.

He said it for Geno, he pointed out Russ not doing it. That's the OC saying that, not a fan.

 

[jammerhawk]

Meh, on the OP topic.

If RW vetoed the signing of Kaep it is what it is and reflective of at least part of the reason why he now plays for Denver instead of here. Then again somehow I wonder if many truly think Kaep is starter quality as QB at any rate. He truly wasn't that great when he played for SF.

 

[toffee]

@ryank24, He felt the risk was worth it, IMO, to chance being the hero by going in to the mighty Lambeau and defeat Rodgers and company coming off the biggest injury of his career. Had he done it? The story lines would have been immense and his stock (see: Legacy) would have been padded mightily. I love Wilson, but I felt I knew what his true motivation was. No risk it no biscuit. I didn't see it as some selfless act to rally his team.

Fighting or asking to start the GB game was understandable, but I thought Pete should have pulled him at half time, injury and all. I place the blame on Pete, it was Pete's job to pull an ineffective QB.

As far as selfless act to rally his team?? His team was rallying behind Geno.

 

[rcaido]

So you're telling me the reason why Kaep did not play for the Seahawks in 2017 was because of Wilson. Yeah that makes perfect sense. He also must have convince the whole league not to sign him for the past 5 years.

Lots of clowns here.

 

[keasley45]

So you're telling me the reason why Kaep did not play for the Seahawks in 2017 was because of Wilson. Yeah that makes perfect sense. He also must have convince the whole league not to sign him for the past 5 years.

Lots of clowns here.

No. The reason the FO gave for not signing Kaep, was to not put a starter behind Wilson.

 

[CPHawk]

I’ve said it before. I wish we had signed him, or anyone for that matter. Then he would be out of the NFL and to media could stop pushing Kaep as a legit NFL qb still.