The GM Armchair - how to regain draft capital and cap space

[massari]

McDougald+Eric Reid+1st round pick > Earl Thomas

So Reid at SS in this scenario?

Reid will cost a ton and isn't much younger than Earl. Instead of having an all-world FS for our single-high defense we'd have an excellent SS and a decent FS. It's a huge risk for a small *potential* incremental gain.

I submit that with our draft history in the first round, ET+McDougald > McDougald+Eric Reid+1st round pick. Both Reid (we aren't guaranteed to get him, and don't know his price tag) and the first round pick are the biggest risks in that inequality, and they are both on the RHS.

Anyone else on the defense I can see it. But with Wagner and Thomas the likelihood by far is that we don't bring back enough value to replace them. Unless they were making outlandish contract demands, and they haven't, they are untouchable.

Earl Thomas will likely be the highest paid Safety after he signs his next deal. His play is based off speed and he is approaching 30. There's nowhere to go but down.

He openly wants to play for the Cowboys. Good example keeping him around?

Earl Thomas is three years older than Reid BTW.

 

[lukerguy]

McDougald+Eric Reid+1st round pick > Earl Thomas

So Reid at SS in this scenario?

Reid will cost a ton and isn't much younger than Earl. Instead of having an all-world FS for our single-high defense we'd have an excellent SS and a decent FS. It's a huge risk for a small *potential* incremental gain.

I submit that with our draft history in the first round, ET+McDougald > McDougald+Eric Reid+1st round pick. Both Reid (we aren't guaranteed to get him, and don't know his price tag) and the first round pick are the biggest risks in that inequality, and they are both on the RHS.

Anyone else on the defense I can see it. But with Wagner and Thomas the likelihood by far is that we don't bring back enough value to replace them. Unless they were making outlandish contract demands, and they haven't, they are untouchable.

Earl Thomas will likely be the highest paid Safety after he signs his next deal. His play is based off speed and he is approaching 30. There's nowhere to go but down.

He openly wants to play for the Cowboys. Good example keeping him around?

Earl Thomas is three years older than Reid BTW.

You make some valid points. But a lot of this is contingent upon Reid signing. If you could guaranteed Reid replacement then I would be in favor, but otherwise, would be tough for me.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

If Earl was to be extended this off season his contract may look something like this -

4 year extension signing him through 2022

I say he wants to be the highest paid safety in the league, so $13.5M average per year - $54M total value

$20M signing bonus

2018 - $5.5M base salary, $5.9M prorated bonus - cap number of $11.4M
2019 - $6.5M base salary, $4M prorated bonus - cap number of $10.5M
2020 - $8.5M base salary, $4M prorated bonus - cap number of $12.5M
2021 - $10.5M base salary, $4M prorated bonus - cap number of $14.5M
2022 - $11.5M base salary, $4M prorated bonus - cap number of $15.5M

Considering he has missed (I think??) 9 games between 2016 and 2017 that contract scares me, somewhat.

Scares me way more than somewhat.

If Pete and John didn't learn their lesson from handing out massive new contracts and extensions to aging vets over the past couple of years, then they never will.

Earl's a fantastic player and leader by example. But as you noted, he's missed a LOT of games, and his age tells us that he's going to miss even more over his next contract.......especially the way he plays, flying around with no regard for his body.

Just not prudent to give him a gigantic extension, it's just not.

btw, I'm in total agreement with your initial plan to clear out cap space and add picks.........except I keep Sherman next year. IMO his injury was fluke, and on the last year of his deal? He should come in to camp healthy and ready to prove he has another contract in his career.

 

[original poster]

Yeah I wouldn’t be against Sherm coming back next year. I’m in two minds. We all know what Pete and co can do at DB, maybe they strike on another corner and we’ll be set at the position for a good few years with Griffin on the other side.

His play has never been about his speed, it’s been about his football smarts which aren’t going to deteriorate with age.

 

[Sox-n-Hawks]

Yeah I wouldn’t be against Sherm coming back next year. I’m in two minds. We all know what Pete and co can do at DB, maybe they strike on another corner and we’ll be set at the position for a good few years with Griffin on the other side.

His play has never been about his speed, it’s been about his football smarts which aren’t going to deteriorate with age.

Trade Sherman and Bennett to Buffalo for Poyer and they're #22 first round draft pick. Use it to pick up Denzel Ward or Levi Wallace.

 

[original poster]

At least they’d be out of the NFC!

 

[mrt144]

I know this is probably unpopular but what could we get for KJ Wright?

 

[Sox-n-Hawks]

At least they’d be out of the NFC!

Exactly, if you trade a decent player, get them out of your division, and ideally into the AFC.

 

[QuickLightning]

You guys are ridiculously over-valuing players. Especially guys like Sherman who are already over the hill as far as age is concerned at his position and that's not even factoring in his injury. He will begin the season on PUP and may never regain form... No way in hell do the Seahawks manage a 2nd rounder from that.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Yeah I wouldn’t be against Sherm coming back next year. I’m in two minds. We all know what Pete and co can do at DB, maybe they strike on another corner and we’ll be set at the position for a good few years with Griffin on the other side.

His play has never been about his speed, it’s been about his football smarts which aren’t going to deteriorate with age.

You might not have a choice.

IMO your 2nd round trade value is probably being very optimistic. If we couldn't get a first rounder for Sherman last off season fully healthy with two full years left on his deal..............why do you think we can get a 2nd rounder for him now coming off a major achilles rupture?

My point is I'm fine with keeping Sherman for his final year if there's no serious trade offers and we can stock up on picks by trading Earl and Bennett.

 

[original poster]

Yeah I wouldn’t be against Sherm coming back next year. I’m in two minds. We all know what Pete and co can do at DB, maybe they strike on another corner and we’ll be set at the position for a good few years with Griffin on the other side.

His play has never been about his speed, it’s been about his football smarts which aren’t going to deteriorate with age.

You might not have a choice.

IMO your 2nd round trade value is probably being very optimistic. If we couldn't get a first rounder for Sherman last off season fully healthy with two full years left on his deal..............why do you think we can get a 2nd rounder for him now coming off a major achilles rupture?

My point is I'm fine with keeping Sherman for his final year if there's no serious trade offers and we can stock up on picks by trading Earl and Bennett.

We don’t know that teams didn’t offer a first rounder last off season.

I agree though that a second rounder for him may be optimistic, it also may be totally possible. Wouldn’t be the first time a team has made the wrong call would it?

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Yeah I wouldn’t be against Sherm coming back next year. I’m in two minds. We all know what Pete and co can do at DB, maybe they strike on another corner and we’ll be set at the position for a good few years with Griffin on the other side.

His play has never been about his speed, it’s been about his football smarts which aren’t going to deteriorate with age.

You might not have a choice.

IMO your 2nd round trade value is probably being very optimistic. If we couldn't get a first rounder for Sherman last off season fully healthy with two full years left on his deal..............why do you think we can get a 2nd rounder for him now coming off a major achilles rupture?

My point is I'm fine with keeping Sherman for his final year if there's no serious trade offers and we can stock up on picks by trading Earl and Bennett.

We don’t know that teams didn’t offer a first rounder last off season.

I agree though that a second rounder for him may be optimistic, it also may be totally possible. Wouldn’t be the first time a team has made the wrong call would it?

Of course we don't know for sure, but just about everything out there said that was the asking price for Sherman was indeed a first rounder, or some said multiple picks.

Bottom line, I think with the failure of guys like Maxwell, and to a lesser degree Browner, Thurmond, etc........the word is out that this is very much a system defense that it's players have a hard time once leaving Seattle.

I think Earl transcends that, but Sherman might not.

 

[Northwest Seahawk]

I want a legit star type player like a Vita Vea and one will be there. This is not the year to trade down . This is the year to cash in on a star player a transformative player like an Earl Thomas . How many second and third round picks is a 22 year old Sherman or {Earl Thomas a first round pick} worth just as an example . Exactly a ton of them. We haven't struck gold on a player in the 2nd round on down in years .

 

[original poster]

I want a legit star type player like a Vita Vea and one will be there. This is not the year to trade down . This is the year to cash in on a star player a transformative player like an Earl Thomas . How many second and third round picks is a 22 year old Sherman or {Earl Thomas a first round pick} worth just as an example . Exactly a ton of them. We haven't struck gold on a player in the 2nd round on down in years .

I'd agree if we had 2nd and 3rd round picks but as it stands, now way they miss out on all the talent on day 2.

 

[Optimus25]

Those are all reasonable, but are we half-rebuilding or something? Either keep it together or blow the damn thing up. Purgatory is the worst place to be in sports; I'm already dealing with that as a Detroit Pistons fan, I don't want my football team to do that too.

He puts Earl, Sherm, Bennett, and Avril on the chopping block.

Are you suggesting Russ too or something?

 

[massari]

Might possibly trade Bennett post June 1st (for a 2019 pick) since there would be more cap savings/less dead money.

Wonder if the Raiders can afford Sherman under the cap for the 11th pick in the 3rd round? Seems like a good match for Sherman to play opposite of Gareon Conley in his home town. Don't think I'd trade him for anything less than that and wait to see how he looks in training camp before making the decision whether to cut him or not.

Earl Thomas to the Cowboys for pick #19 seems perfect.

Trade:

Sherman
Thomas
Bennett
Britt

Release:

Lane
Avril
Ryan

Retire:

Kam ray:

 

[randomation]

McDowell and Pocic are these weird 'potential' superstars that never actually have done anything.

Remember the guy that used to hold that title was Tanner McEvoy. (Who I still think would have been a better safety than receiver)

Be careful what you wish for. McD doesn't exactly have amazing video either.

Pocic has some potential but the chance of him being more than an average starter isn't great.

For a town with bad traffic, grey weather and more than its share of rain....we sure are an optimistic bunch sometimes.

There is one part of this I agree with for sure we should have kept Tanner at Safety.

 

[massari]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TheBucsWire/status/958434426039410689[/tweet]
3rd from the Bucs for Bennett would be perfect. May even settle for a 4th if a certain guy is still on the board.

 

[Sports Hernia]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TheBucsWire/status/958434426039410689[/tweet]
3rd from the Bucs for Bennett would be perfect. May even settle for a 4th if a certain guy is still on the board.

Finally a decent trade proposal. I’d trade Bennett for a 3rd.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Might possibly trade Bennett post June 1st (for a 2019 pick) since there would be more cap savings/less dead money.

Wonder if the Raiders can afford Sherman under the cap for the 11th pick in the 3rd round? Seems like a good match for Sherman to play opposite of Gareon Conley in his home town. Don't think I'd trade him for anything less than that and wait to see how he looks in training camp before making the decision whether to cut him or not.

Earl Thomas to the Cowboys for pick #19 seems perfect.

Trade:

Sherman
Thomas
Bennett
Britt

Release:

Lane
Avril
Ryan

Retire:

Kam ray:

LOL.
Are you trying to turn them into a last place team???? I’m glad you are not the GM.