Offseason Free Agency Addition Thoughts ...

[SDHawk]

Exactly. Do we risk losing Thomas, Sherman, Okung, etc. for the shot at a guy we THINK might put us over the top?

It's the difference between looking at each season in a vacuum and looking at a window of opportunity. If you're thinking of 2013 and absolutely nothing else, then yeah, maybe you sell out and blow tons of cash in FA to "get over the hump." If you want the Hawks to be SB contenders for the next decade, then you don't spend your money in FA - you spend it to lock up your own key superstars and continue replenishing the team through the draft.

We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now were a top 5 team... I think it takes just a couple splashy moves to cement us firmly as superbowl contenders for the next 3-4 years.

Sidney Rice's contract expires in 2016. That should free up a grip of cash, too.

IMO, we're at the bridge right now. For example, if we think Golden Tate is worth keeping, it would benefit the team to lock him up this offseason instead of waiting for him to hit FA after 2013 is done. Thomas will come up the year after that, and Okung after that. Okung and Russell Wilson become FAs the same year, and it will be tough to award them both big contracts in the same offseason. Making splashy moves for other team's players will absolutely cost us critical pieces of our team, imo. We'll be filling one hole while digging another.

I understand and appreciate your point, but if Mike Wallace, Jared Cook and Richard Seymour came to our door looking for employment, I would be happy to write them a check.

 

[Largent80]

Well, having 10 picks in a deep draft is good ammo for a lot of scenarios of which Pete and John are pretty good at.

I can see us being involved in F.A. but am unsure of all out pursuit of many.

 

[volsunghawk]

We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now were a top 5 team... I think it takes just a couple splashy moves to cement us firmly as superbowl contenders for the next 3-4 years.

Sidney Rice's contract expires in 2016. That should free up a grip of cash, too.

IMO, we're at the bridge right now. For example, if we think Golden Tate is worth keeping, it would benefit the team to lock him up this offseason instead of waiting for him to hit FA after 2013 is done. Thomas will come up the year after that, and Okung after that. Okung and Russell Wilson become FAs the same year, and it will be tough to award them both big contracts in the same offseason. Making splashy moves for other team's players will absolutely cost us critical pieces of our team, imo. We'll be filling one hole while digging another.

I understand and appreciate your point, but if Mike Wallace, Jared Cook and Richard Seymour came to our door looking for employment, I would be happy to write them a check.

As long as Cook comes at a reasonable price, I could accept that.

Wallace, hmm.... I seriously doubt he's going to provide an offensive spark commensurate with the contract he's going to get from wherever. Maybe if his diva nature drives his price down, then maybe... but he showed up SMALL for the Steelers this season. They couldn't count on him at all. I'm leery of that kind of player.

Seymour, I don't know. At his age, I'd be concerned that the injury that landed him on IR this season is the start of a laundry list of injuries that either reduce his effectiveness or leave him on the sidelines. He's not going to be a "vet minimum" kind of guy, either.

 

[mikeak]

IMO, we're at the bridge right now. For example, if we think Golden Tate is worth keeping, it would benefit the team to lock him up this offseason instead of waiting for him to hit FA after 2013 is done. Thomas will come up the year after that, and Okung after that. Okung and Russell Wilson become FAs the same year, and it will be tough to award them both big contracts in the same offseason. Making splashy moves for other team's players will absolutely cost us critical pieces of our team, imo. We'll be filling one hole while digging another.

You forgot this one guy on defense can't remember his name but some people say he is pretty good and he plays in the backfield think they call it back corner or something like that. Likes to talk a lot and he is good. I mean he is not pro-bowl good but pretty good......

His contract might be coming up the year after next and could require a few dollars as well

Agree - time to front-load existing guys that we want to keep to have room year after next and the season after that. Must get better through draft and if anything I say trade players away to open up cash room and get cheap rookies in here....

 

[SDHawk]

Wallace, hmm.... I seriously doubt he's going to provide an offensive spark commensurate with the contract he's going to get from wherever. Maybe if his diva nature drives his price down, then maybe... but he showed up SMALL for the Steelers this season. They couldn't count on him at all. I'm leery of that kind of player.

How many 4.3 receivers you know that would fit perfectly with a scrambling qb like RW3? How many times have you seen RW3 scramble out of the pocket only to hold onto the ball too long because his receivers couldn't separate? If we can shell out ~$8M per year for Sidney Rice...

 

[pehawk]

I'm hoping Wallace's value dropped. IMO, his numbers dropped due to his holdout and Arians being gone. But, Wallace thrived with a QB whom improvises and extends plays. He's EXACTLY the right WR.

 

[Hawksfan78]

What about Dwayne Bowe??? Isnt he a FA this year?

 

[volsunghawk]

Wallace, hmm.... I seriously doubt he's going to provide an offensive spark commensurate with the contract he's going to get from wherever. Maybe if his diva nature drives his price down, then maybe... but he showed up SMALL for the Steelers this season. They couldn't count on him at all. I'm leery of that kind of player.

How many 4.3 receivers you know that would fit perfectly with a scrambling qb like RW3? How many times have you seen RW3 scramble out of the pocket only to hold onto the ball too long because his receivers couldn't separate? If we can shell out ~$8M per year for Sidney Rice...

Not sure, but I bet we could find someone in the draft or with a cheaper price tag that would give us most if not all of what Wallace could bring us. Who's to say that Rice and Wilson won't work together over the offseason to improve their chemistry/communication?

Hell, isn't Rice an excellent example of what going after FA WRs can do? I don't think anyone here would suggest that he's lived up to the deal we gave him, and make no mistake... Wallace is looking for that same kind of deal. How do we tie THAT much money up in WRs? Unless we're going to cut Rice loose to make room for Wallace (thereby taking at least a few million in cap room as Rice's guaranteed money accelerates onto the 2013 cap), it doesn't make much sense.

 

[AnchoviesofTerror]

im actually strangely content with doing nearly nothing in FA this year, with how many draft picks we have before the draft even begins and how deep the talent seems this year i dont see nor want to see any big contracts. especially considering we will have to start resigning some important people in the next few years

 

[A-Dog]

Is Henry Melton worth giving up the picks for if he gets franchised? I would love to get the 3-technique position locked up long-term. We're going to be picking low in round 1.

 

[Hawkscanner]

Just something to keep in mind in terms of some of these discussions ...

2013 NFL Available Cap Space ...

1) Cincinnati ... $55.1 M
2) Cleveland ... $48.9 M
3) Indianapolis . $46.0 M
4) Miami ......... $35.8 M
5) Tampa Bay .. $31.3 M
6) Jacksonville.. $22.1 M
7) Buffalo ....... $20.6 M
8] Tennessee .. $19.4 M
9) Seattle ..... $18.6 M
9) New England $18.6 M
11) Denver ......$18.5 M
12) Minnesota ..$16.1 M
12) Kansas City $16.1 M
14) Baltimore ...$15.7 M
15) Chicago .... $13.3 M
16) Houston ... $12.9 M
17) San Diego ....$8.7 M
18) Green Bay ....$7.1 M
19) Philadelphia ..$5.2 M
20) Atlanta ....... $4.9 M
21) San Fran ..... $3.9 M
22) St. Louis .... $1.8 M
23) Arizona .... $723,000
24) Detroit .... (- $1.1 M)
25) Washington(- $4.0 M)
26) Oakland ... (- $4.5 M)
27) NY Giants ..(- $4.7 M)
28) Pittsburgh ..(-10.8 M)
29) Carolina ... (-11.8 M)
30) N. Orleans (-14.7 M)
31) Dallas ..... (- 18.2 M)
32) NY Jets ... (- 19.4 M)
Source:
http://nfltraderumors.co/nfl-team-cap-space-6/

Those numbers will obviously change, but they should be fairly current.

 

[MANUNITED23]

I would love to see Starks or Melton on this team.

 

[Hawkscanner]

Is Henry Melton worth giving up the picks for if he gets franchised? I would love to get the 3-technique position locked up long-term. We're going to be picking low in round 1.

Precisely the question I'm throwing out there regarding him and some of these players who will get franchised. Now I'm not saying Melton is that guy necessarily ... but let's say you've got a RFA who can really "Tilt the Room" at his particular position (a Victor Cruz or maybe even a Mike Wallace for example) ... it might be worth entertaining the possibility, given where the Seahawks will be drafting. I'm not sure I would do it in the end ... but given their draft position, it might be worth considering.