Blitzer88":asn0sv4l said:
Still love my Hawks think they can still extend Earl and Sherm but, Is anyone else as frustrated about this offseason as I am right now. I mean I knew we were gonna lose some of our guys, but I did not think we would lose, what, 12 of our free agents. Plus this is one offseason where guys seem to come visit and leave without a contract. That usually hasn't been the case with this front office. Also, we have yet to really fill any of those spots that were vacated by departing players and yes I know the draft is upcoming, but you can't fill every need in the draft. And yes I know I'll be bashed for being negative, but I was just expecting a lot more from this offseason. I am just starting to get worried. Okay, rant over for now.
Not frustrated in the least. This will happen next year too at an even more painful rate.
I expected this to occur. And by the philosophy that Pete instilled, I knew this would be the byproduct. Seattle is going to be a team that reloads early and often. It's why I didn't buy the idea last year that we didn't have roster spots so we should trade up for quality over quantity in the draft. It's why I generally discount those ideas here this year.
Seattle is going to sustain its success, by continually allowing their tier 2 stars to earn their second contracts on other clubs. So expect Seattle to ideally keep 6-9 rookies from every draft class on it's roster.
No team can pay all of their players. That's a reality. There's two ways a club can go.
1. Try like mad to keep all your players. When teams try to hang on to their tier 2 stars, they inevitably go through periods of boom/bust in order to reload on talent. They end up having to structure deals in poisonous ways that mortgage cap health for immediate relief. Then the piper comes calling and they have to purge your roster wholesale and rebuild
2. Be selective of the players you retain. Allow your tier 2 stars to move on. And reload your team relentlessly with talent.
Seattle opts for #2. As fans, it seems much more treacherous. The uncertainty is thick. The lack of hype wears on you throughout the offseason. But Seattle has made it's championship team on unheralded -- even viciously panned draft decisions. This organization believes in the players in it's program and take a long term view. How many posts have we seen here where we're panning our 2013 draft class because it didn't produce anything?
It produced the next wave of players. We have depth that is ascending this year. Next year when Lynch is let go (and I expect fully that he will), Christine Michael will be the feature back. Bryant is gone. Williams/Scruggs are there to elevate. Thurmond/Browner are gone. Maxwell is inserted in his place. Maxwell will go next year. Simon or Lane will replace him. Avril will go next year. Mayowa will replace him.
This organization's philosophy of Win Forever actually requires that we constantly reload with elevated players within our program. They go hand in hand. Guys like Wright and Maxwell and Smith are going to go next year. Wagner may well too in 2016. We will naturally try to resign them. But it'll be at a discount. The philosophy of our sustained success requires it.
I fully expect this upcoming draft to be nearly as underwhelming as 2013's was. But if you look at the guys we bring in -- I think you'll see the pattern emerging as Seattle has evolved from it's original talent anywhere phase of 2010-2012, to a talent sustenance phase of 2013 and beyond. Seattle will predraft for future need. Get a lot of players that can make the squad and develop for a year. Spackle roster holes with mundane talents like Paul McQuistan/Breno Giacomini/Steve Schilling.
I should add, that this system has another happy byproduct. Seattle pretty much gets any UDFA prospect they want. Because our system provides opportunity. Real opportunity. It seems every year we have 2 to 3 guys that we didn't even take with our half a dozen day 3 picks that either make this team or make another team. UDFAs know that they will get a shot every bit as real as if they were drafted on day 1.
When Pete laid out what he wanted his program to be -- I understood it immediately in 2010 for what it was. A modified college program. With the ability to keep around 10 players beyond their rookie deals. But in essence a revolving door of cheap rookie talent. The fuel for this program is the draft. And in particular -- day 3 of the draft.
This team simply owns that day. In a way few other teams have ever managed to do so. It's going to be fraught with frustration and doubt here amongst the local fanbase. It'll continue to be met with derision nationally. But it's our organization's comfort zone. And it's where the genius of this team truly resides.
Not only does it keep us continually healthy cap wise. But it prevents or guards from our players ever becoming complacent or satisfied. This team is a continual treadmill of hunger and desire. It is meant to rotate guys in. To keep that fire fueled, you have to accept letting good players go in order for the next guy to shine.
