Frustrating offseason

[Scottemojo]

Blitzer being Biltzer.

Nothing to see here.

 

[OffseasonChampions]

Blitzer, I want you to look at something.

This link takes you to the page for Green Bay roster transactions in the offseason after they won the SB. http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/transaction ... ay-packers

Look at March. Look at April.

In fact, use the drop-down and start looking through their transaction history for the March and April time periods for most of the last decade.

And now remember that this is the system in which John Schneider developed his personnel philosophy.

Blitzer's response will probably be that the Packers didn't even win a playoff game the following year.

 

[Rainman]

I really hope that the preseason power rankings have us behind Denver and SF. Might be just enough of a chip to piss the boys off. Play angry.

 

[-The Glove-]

Not frustrated at all...actually, I'm excited. You got Tony McD in Red's spot. Avril as the new Leo and Irvin probably in Avril's role with Mayowa, Hill, Scruggs, Simon, maybe even Williams all waiting in the wings and ready to go. That's not to mention the draft and under the radar FA's that are still available. Don't let the "no experience" factor worry you. These guys [will] practice with the best all offseason long. Sherman, Maxwell, Malcolm, KJ, and even Wagz and RW were inexperienced guys stepping into huge roles and we managed to do just fine. We should all relax and let these guys "Do Work" (in Big Black voice) cause the off season is still young.

 

[volsunghawk]

Blitzer, I want you to look at something.

This link takes you to the page for Green Bay roster transactions in the offseason after they won the SB. http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/transaction ... ay-packers

Look at March. Look at April.

In fact, use the drop-down and start looking through their transaction history for the March and April time periods for most of the last decade.

And now remember that this is the system in which John Schneider developed his personnel philosophy.

Blitzer's response will probably be that the Packers didn't even win a playoff game the following year.

Maybe so, but I'm just trying to prepare him so he doesn't end up drinking bleach or something in the next year or two...

As frustrated as he feels right now, he needs to get used to it, because this team has finished its building phase and has entered its maintenance phase. Every offseason for the foreseeable future is going to be like this for the Seahawks. Some FAs will be re-signed, several FAs will leave for other teams, and we will bring ALMOST NOBODY in from outside. Instead, we will try to stockpile draft picks and then use the draft to replace the departures with home-grown talent.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Definitely earning that nickname, mate.

The way I see it is we were bound to have this sort of offseason. We're in better shape to begin the offseason than 31 other teams. We're bound to lose a few pieces. But we haven't hemorrhaged talent like some of the previous Super Bowl champions did. We haven't lost key top-caliber personnel. We still have time in free agency, and we still have the draft. Pete and John have been pretty clear about what their plan is for this team, they've stuck to it, and so far it's yielded pretty damned good results. They said they were building for two things: a) winning a Super Bowl by the fourth year, and b) winning forever. They are right on track to do exactly what they said they would do.

We are also conducting this offseason as a precursor to signing a bunch of high-caliber talent next year. This year would devastate next year if we simply signed a bunch of pricey talent to the short term.

 

[OffseasonChampions]

Blitzer, I want you to look at something.

This link takes you to the page for Green Bay roster transactions in the offseason after they won the SB. http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/transaction ... ay-packers

Look at March. Look at April.

In fact, use the drop-down and start looking through their transaction history for the March and April time periods for most of the last decade.

And now remember that this is the system in which John Schneider developed his personnel philosophy.

Blitzer's response will probably be that the Packers didn't even win a playoff game the following year.

Maybe so, but I'm just trying to prepare him so he doesn't end up drinking bleach or something in the next year or two...

As frustrated as he feels right now, he needs to get used to it, because this team has finished its building phase and has entered its maintenance phase. Every offseason for the foreseeable future is going to be like this for the Seahawks. Some FAs will be re-signed, several FAs will leave for other teams, and we will bring ALMOST NOBODY in from outside. Instead, we will try to stockpile draft picks and then use the draft to replace the departures with home-grown talent.

Yep I completely agree. For some reason though there is a certain minority of fans that would rather see big name free agents from other teams come in than drafting cheaper, younger players. Our 2010, 2011, 2012 draft classes were all very strong. 2013 you could say wasn't so good but most didn't get playing time because the roster was stacked so it's still up in the air. I have faith in our front office to have another great draft class to fill in the needs we have.

 

[LymonHawk]

As far as I can tell, we have kept most of our coaching staff; which is a big deal in a post SB winning year.

BTW: The season is still far away.

 

[HawkFan72]

Look a the contracts that Allen/Melton/Hatcher/Tate signed. If the hawks had signed any of them at amounts close to that can you tell me you wouldn't start a different thread where you then worry about the ability to sign/extend Sherman/Thomas/Wilson in the future?

We retained Bennett, which was offseason priority number 1. And his contract appears to be a steal based on the numbers other pass rushers have gotten.

If we can work out a deal for Thomas and have a good draft then the offseason will be a success.

This. All the way.

 

[TDOTSEAHAWK]

Loved the offseason so far. 15 million in cap room and not really an appreciable drop in talent (just a little thin on depth). Pretty good with a Super Bowl champ. We will have 3-4 extra draft picks next year and will be able to re-stock that depth with Earl, Sherm and Russ locked up long term.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Disappointed that we weren't able to retain Tate or sign Allen. But especially in Allen's case I am happy to see the discipline with our front office. They have obviously thought this through, ie how much will it cost us to keep our stars in a year or two, so what can we offer now etc. I like the fact they stuck with the plan vs panicing and moving the Allen offer closer to what he got today from the Bears.

If we have faith in our FO to find players and coach them up, no need to be frustrated or worried.

 

[Hawkstorian]

Our 10 best players from 2013 are all back. Think of it that way.

 

[oldhawkfan]

Seriously? This is the greatest offseason ever! Super Bowl Chamos!!! Every time I turn around I see people wearing Super Bowl gear, cars with bumper stickers and flags, commercials selling Super Bowl memoribilia. This is the best damn offseason I have experienced in 38 years as a Seahawks fan.

 

[sutz]

The culmination of the draft first/fantasy football mentalities. If one's focus in too heavily on the post-season or superstars, one would be frustrated.

Someone who looks at what has transpired and does an honest appraisal of what the team actually lost vs gained over the last couple of weeks, there isn't a lot of reason to be overly concerned.

My focus will be on next year's Super Bowl, not individual players.

 

[OffseasonChampions]

Seriously? This is the greatest offseason ever! Super Bowl Chamos!!! Every time I turn around I see people wearing Super Bowl gear, cars with bumper stickers and flags, commercials selling Super Bowl memoribilia. This is the best damn offseason I have experienced in 38 years as a Seahawks fan.

If we won the next 2 Super Bowls and 3-Peated.... Blitzer would whine about how we let Bobby Wagner go in free agency. He will always find some negative even in the best of times.

 

[kidhawk]

Are you forgetting that there is a draft coming up?

Also, teams that make lots of free agent moves in the offseason are generally losing teams who want to make over their squad. We don't fall into that category.

Did you read my post? I talked about the draft. I just don't think we can fill all our needs through it.

Most of our needs are depth needs, and those are EXACTLY what you fill through young players from the draft or undrafted free agents.

 

[Throwdown]

Are you forgetting that there is a draft coming up?

Also, teams that make lots of free agent moves in the offseason are generally losing teams who want to make over their squad. We don't fall into that category.

Did you read my post? I talked about the draft. I just don't think we can fill all our needs through it.

What needs?

I only see oline and WR, easily replaceable in the draft.

 

[Jbo]

2007 New York Giants gained a punter in the offseason before - won SB.
2013 Ravens re-signed Ray Rice, Jacoby Jones, Extended Pollard, Web, McClain, Birk
and signed NO ONE. Basically making no moves in the first 2 weeks. - won SB

I'm sure I could look at tons of other SB winning teams. Winning Free Agency means nothing.

Good point!!!!!

 

[TwistedHusky]

The world is coming to an end when I start being the voice of reason....

Look, there are three things that a fan has a right to expect from the owner:

1 - Put a good staff team in place

2 - Make the team strong, develop well, and do your best to keep important players

3 - Win or achieve at a high level for as long as possible and then try to remain competitive over the long run.

We won the SuperBowl. Something we haven't done for 20+ years of the team history. The ultimate prize.

SuperBowl teams get raided. They lose free agents. The costs to keep important players increase. This is why it is very very rare for a SB team to repeat. We also have key players we are going to need to keep that we have to save up to keep. All of this equals the team had to get weaker in free agency, and it did.

Can we address some of those issues in the draft? Considering the ability of this team to find performers in the later rounds of the draft, yes. Is it reasonable to expect that we will be as good as the team that was one of the better teams in SB history, AFTER having lost some important pieces? No. Even good rookies tend to take a while to hit their stride, and while some of our PS guys might come in and light it up - more likely there will be a learning curve just like most professions. (Which is why veterans tend to be more valuable than rookies if you set aside the salary/comp issue)

We won. We can expect to have a strong team for years and maybe even reach another SB when it becomes less of being carried by the running game and defense, and more carried by the all-pro QB we have as we move by necessity to a QB focused offense (like NE had to do).

But expecting to just bulldoze to SBs repeatedly and being upset because we didn't keep players we couldn't afford anyway? That is a bit much.

 

[Happypuppy]

We have to keep our players. They have to catch us.