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

[mrt144]

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

Don't even ask. And why would you want to trade him?

He is still very vital and basically uninjured his whole career.

I've always had a nagging feeling that all things considered, he's a luxury at LB. Good player, good teammate but consumes more in salary than perhaps the team can sustain. I know, I know, it's weird and out of nowhere but I am just turning over every rock looking for grubs here.

 

[Seahawkville]

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

Don't even ask. And why would you want to trade him?

He is still very vital and basically uninjured his whole career.

I've always had a nagging feeling that all things considered, he's a luxury at LB. Good player, good teammate but consumes more in salary than perhaps the team can sustain. I know, I know, it's weird and out of nowhere but I am just turning over every rock looking for grubs here.

Al good, but he is a guy that doesn't have an injury history outside of bumps and bruises and is a fantastic and also very under rated player. He isn't included in all the controversy or running to the Dallas locker room. He's a solid team player and this is a guy that deserves a 3rd contract. As much as I've enjoyed Earl, he struck the wrong chord with me.

 

[TwistedHusky]

I think we need to determine what the goal is.

Is the goal to win a SB? I am doubtful that given what we have to work with and what our coaching predilections are - that is even a reasonable goal.

Is the goal to be a good competitive team for years to come (think Steelers), then we need to make decisions based on that.

The problem we likely have is that you won't be able to get from goal #2 to goal #1 easily. Because we aren't going to a SB with this team unless we change focus and make the driving force for wins be the offense and great QB play we have, vs the defense.

Can Wilson lead this team to a SB on his back if we give him the resources and a more specifically tailored tactical and strategic plan? Because Pete has his preferences and I do not think they align with OFFENSE FIRST. So it feels like Wilson, under Pete, will likely not reach that upper echelon in being able to carry a team consistently.

But Pete, has a pretty good track record of keeping this team pretty damned good despite a number of giant gaps that would sink other teams. And we don't know for sure that Wilson unfettered could do all the great things he does in the 4th consistently for 4 quarters as the primary driver.

I don't think trading our expensive players is going to change much. Maybe a great creative offensive mind could get us over the hump but it doesn't seem like we went that direction. And since Pete relies on great athletes to make his defense win games for us - I am doubtful trading or releasing those same great athletes will put us back on track for doing well in the playoffs. Though filling some gaps might at least get us BACK into the playoffs again.

This does not even cover the reality that our GM hasn't done that tremendous a job since Scott left anyway. We have been milking the fruits of those drafts that were half a decade ago. Our drafts have been spotty since (and not because of our 'depth') and FA moves have ranged from puzzling to moderately successful. Since this GM has to make whatever new acquisitions to fill spots we trade or release players from - I am not entirely confident in the ability to fill with comparable results.

But if we do nothing and just sit on our aging players we turn into what happened to the Ravens. Ideally we are shooting for something like what the Steelers or Saints did. The idea this team can jettison key players, reload, and become SB contender again though like some NFC version of the Patriots - that sounds like a pipe dream.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Here's a much tamer version.

Seahawks cut the following players -

Cliff Avril
Michael Bennett
Jeremy Lane
Jon Ryan

From those cuts, the Seahawks would have $30,173,861 in cap room.

With the current draft picks, that'll eat $5,995,471, plus keeping, say $5M for in season signings due to injury, you could expect Seattle to have around $19,178,390 in cap space to sign free agents.

With the cuts the roster sits at 42 players. However, assuming that 5 of the 8 drafted players make the team, that puts the roster up to 47. Add in 2 UDFA's and you're up to 49. That leaves 4 players needed for the 53 man roster. Ala free agency.

I expect them to draft 2 RB's (one early and one late) as they only have 3 on the roster currently. Worringly they only have 2 DE's as well, however I expect some of the RFA's to be back as well as at least 1 draft choice and 1 free agency signing.

Some points of note -

Frank Clark could well be in for an extension this off season, they're allowed to extend him as of a couple of weeks ago. That will hurt the cap as his current 2018 number is $1,187,527.

Sheldon Richardson is 100% gone unless the team makes some jaw dropping cuts or trades. Same applies to Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson.

If Earl does get an extension, I cannot figure a way to make his cap hit not go up by at least $2M (making the contract realistic, anyway). His current 2018 number is $10,400,000.

The kicker situation can be very cheaply resolved via a late round draft pick or an undrafted free agent.

If Jon Ryan does get cut, again the position can be managed via a late rounder or UDFA, very cheaply.

The current roster has glaring holes at RB, TE, DE, G and OLB.

I think it's unrealistic (unless drastic personnel changes are made) to expect the team to address all the needs effectively given the cap numbers available to them and their draft capital.

I can absolutely imagine, if they play this relatively conservatively, that it is a two year plan to get back on track and they will, ultimately, have to accept glaring holes at one or two positions next season as they're not in a position to be able to address every problem.

Either way, they absolutely need to hit on several draft picks this April to stay competitive.

I can live with those moves.
Is that salary number figured with Jimmy and Sheldon being gone via FA???

....and yes hitting on the draft is essential, they cannot take McDowell type risks in this draft.

 

[Seahawkville]

Jon Ryan is still a very good punter in spite of a few ghastly games last year.

I'm firmly in the keep him camp.

The kicking game has been puh-shawed by this F.O. and it has cost the Hawks big time.

 

[original poster]

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

Don't even ask. And why would you want to trade him?

He is still very vital and basically uninjured his whole career.

I think it’s easy to underestimate just how valuable our linebackers are. The amount of field they cover isn’t normal, it’s nothing short of amazing. Absolutely the unsung heroes of this defense.

We’ve had such strong linebacker play for so long now, it’s come to be expected and ‘the norm’.

I think both Bobby and K.J. will be Seahawks for a long, long time.

 

[original poster]

Sports Hernia - yes they’re contracts aren’t built into those figures as there isn’t a contract for either of them in 2018 :2thumbs:

Twisted Husky - I don’t have time to respond to your post with the time that it deserves. I will, though :2thumbs:

 

[mrt144]

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

Don't even ask. And why would you want to trade him?

He is still very vital and basically uninjured his whole career.

I think it’s easy to underestimate just how valuable our linebackers are. The amount of field they cover isn’t normal, it’s nothing short of amazing. Absolutely the unsung heroes of this defense.

We’ve had such strong linebacker play for so long now, it’s come to be expected and ‘the norm’.

I think both Bobby and K.J. will be Seahawks for a long, long time.

Isn't this part of the overall problem with the Hawks defense right now? So many good to great players underperforming as a whole?

 

[Seahawkville]

You don't try to fix what isn't broken. Hawks have strength at LB with KJ and BW. We need to draft LB this year however.

 

[original poster]

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

Don't even ask. And why would you want to trade him?

He is still very vital and basically uninjured his whole career.

I think it’s easy to underestimate just how valuable our linebackers are. The amount of field they cover isn’t normal, it’s nothing short of amazing. Absolutely the unsung heroes of this defense.

We’ve had such strong linebacker play for so long now, it’s come to be expected and ‘the norm’.

I think both Bobby and K.J. will be Seahawks for a long, long time.

Isn't this part of the overall problem with the Hawks defense right now? So many good to great players underperforming as a whole?

If you look at it from a unit stand point (DL, LB, DB) I wouldn’t even entertain an argument that the LB’ers are under performing. At least not at sam and mike. Bobby is by far the best MLB in the league and KJ is a phenomenal player in his own right.

I’d entertain the argument for the front and back end, but not the linebackers.

 

[jammerhawk]

Hard to replace Bennett easily, just giving him away is a foolish move.

 

[original poster]

His trade value is effectively non existent now as well, nobody will give up anything if they're confident they can sign him as a free agent.

Hell, maybe he's even planning on retiring.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Hard to replace Bennett easily, just giving him away is a foolish move.

But nobody is concerned with replacing him anymore. Everyone's just caught "get us under the cap!" fever.

 

[original poster]

Hard to replace Bennett easily, just giving him away is a foolish move.

But nobody is concerned with replacing him anymore. Everyone's just caught "get us under the cap!" fever.

It's early February.

We have free agency next month and the draft the month after to replace him.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Hard to replace Bennett easily, just giving him away is a foolish move.

But nobody is concerned with replacing him anymore. Everyone's just caught "get us under the cap!" fever.

It's early February.

We have free agency next month and the draft the month after to replace him.

With a tight cap and no second- or third-round picks?

Here's that bizarre "draft fixes everything" thing again. i'd rather try to fix DL with this draft than WR or TE, but still.

 

[original poster]

Hard to replace Bennett easily, just giving him away is a foolish move.

But nobody is concerned with replacing him anymore. Everyone's just caught "get us under the cap!" fever.

It's early February.

We have free agency next month and the draft the month after to replace him.

With a tight cap and no second- or third-round picks?

Here's that bizarre "draft fixes everything" thing again. i'd rather try to fix DL with this draft than WR or TE, but still.

Teams are built through the draft, but you already know that.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

But nobody is concerned with replacing him anymore. Everyone's just caught "get us under the cap!" fever.

It's early February.

We have free agency next month and the draft the month after to replace him.

With a tight cap and no second- or third-round picks?

Here's that bizarre "draft fixes everything" thing again. i'd rather try to fix DL with this draft than WR or TE, but still.

Teams are built through the draft, but you already know that.

Teams are built through early picks. Are you not going to acknowledge that this is a difficult year to pull that off?

 

[original poster]

It's early February.

We have free agency next month and the draft the month after to replace him.

With a tight cap and no second- or third-round picks?

Here's that bizarre "draft fixes everything" thing again. i'd rather try to fix DL with this draft than WR or TE, but still.

Teams are built through the draft, but you already know that.

Teams are built through early picks. Are you not going to acknowledge that this is a difficult year to pull that off?

No, I think we will be just fine on the DL without Bennett or Cliff.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

With a tight cap and no second- or third-round picks?

Here's that bizarre "draft fixes everything" thing again. i'd rather try to fix DL with this draft than WR or TE, but still.

Teams are built through the draft, but you already know that.

Teams are built through early picks. Are you not going to acknowledge that this is a difficult year to pull that off?

No, I think we will be just fine on the DL without Bennett or Cliff.

How do you figure that?

 

[mrt144]

Teams are built through the draft, but you already know that.

Teams are built through early picks. Are you not going to acknowledge that this is a difficult year to pull that off?

No, I think we will be just fine on the DL without Bennett or Cliff.

How do you figure that?

Maybe we should be doing a cost ratioed measure of fine. Will the DL be 'fine' for the cap consumption?