The Blair Walsh contract details are good news

I was just looking over the contract details, which were announced by ESPN last week, and it's a highly team-friendly deal.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/seattle-seah ... alsh-9996/

* No guaranteed money. His $300k bonus doesn't even kick in until Week 1. This means Walsh will have to win the job (and make the 53-man roster in Week 1) in order to get paid. If Walsh fails to win the job and is released before Week 1, there is zero cap hit. Meaning, there was zero risk in signing him.

* The $1.1 million salary is well below the $2.5-4.5 million market rate of most veteran kickers. Walsh is only 27 years old and a former Pro Bowler. A change of scenery could do him good. Many players have responded well to Carroll's ethos of positivism, competition, and self actualization.

* Since the team has in no way committed to Walsh as its starting kicker, the Seahawks could choose to bring in young competition and then pick whomever they want. Maybe they have their eyes on the top rookie kicker in this draft: ASU's Zane Gonzalez (unanimous All-American in 2016, 23/25 FGs with 6 made from 50+ yards).

* Looked at in this way, the Walsh contract may simply be an insurance plan. If Gonzalez is off the board, they could even sign an undrafted free agent kicker (perhaps Memphis kicker Jake Elliott will be available), take him for a test spin in training camp, and fall back on Walsh if need be.

While Hauschka struggled mightily last season, his ability to flawlessly execute onside kicks will be sorely missed

I expect another kicker in Training camp for competition. Probably UDFA, but someone. Anything else would be positively un-Pete-like.

That is the only type of contract that makes sense for Walsh. We will most definitely have competition, otherwise they might as well have guaranteed a portion of his contract. Competition is really the only thing that could reasonably keep him off the roster week 1.

Given that his contract is far less than Hauschka's would have been, and any rookie brought in (be it through the draft or UDFA) will also have a low cap number, this saves us a bit of cap space that can go towards upgrades at other positions.

I have always like Hauschka, but he had a rough year, and the drop of is negligible from what we got last year to what we can get for less money this year (IMO). This move may not improve our kicking game, but it leaves open the ability to spend a little more money to improve in other areas of need (like the OLine)

Jerhawk":1ljwqjyr said:

While Hauschka struggled mightily last season, his ability to flawlessly execute onside kicks will be sorely missed

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Not arguing that Seattle should keep Hauschka but it seems many think we got rid of Steven because he had a bad year (not necessarily this poster). Hauschka had the 5th highest percentage in field goals made in 2016. He had the second to lowest in extra points made percentage. Seattle replaced him by signing a kicker with the lowest percentage of extra points made in 2016. Hauschka struggled with extra points but making FGs, no.

This was 99% a cap move. I think even if Hauschka made all of his extra points, Seattle still moves on because of his contract.

seahawkfreak":2sm7cl77 said:

Jerhawk":2sm7cl77 said:

While Hauschka struggled mightily last season, his ability to flawlessly execute onside kicks will be sorely missed

Click to expand...

Not arguing that Seattle should keep Hauschka but it seems many think we got rid of Steven because he had a bad year (not necessarily this poster). Hauschka had the 5th highest percentage in field goals made in 2016. He had the second to lowest in extra points made percentage. Seattle replaced him by signing a kicker with the lowest percentage of extra points made in 2016. Hauschka struggled with extra points but making FGs, no.

This was 99% a cap move. I think even if Hauschka made all of his extra points, Seattle still moves on because of his contract.

Click to expand...

I'll take that argument on. But I only if you'll take the position that if Hauschka makes all extra points AND THE ARIZONA FG, Seattle still moves on.

I just don't think we change kickers if he hits all of the above. Perfection is one thing, but having the worst extra point kicker in the league goes really far against Pete's philosophy, which in case you haven't noticed, puts points at an extreme premium and isn't about running up huge numbers offensively. Likewise, I'm certain we would pay for a reliable kicker like Hausch, mainly to keep the formula going, but even Walsh is a slight decline from Hausch, the money saved goes a long way towards at least one FA signing. Let alone I really believe there is only one place Walsh could have landed that could resurrect his career and mindset. And now he's here. The guy was dynamite at one point in time and literally could turn into one of the league's best, especially considering he is already accustomed to kicking in cold, inclimate weather via the nfc north opponents.

Optimus25":35xa1pcm said:

seahawkfreak":35xa1pcm said:

Jerhawk":35xa1pcm said:

While Hauschka struggled mightily last season, his ability to flawlessly execute onside kicks will be sorely missed

Click to expand...

Not arguing that Seattle should keep Hauschka but it seems many think we got rid of Steven because he had a bad year (not necessarily this poster). Hauschka had the 5th highest percentage in field goals made in 2016. He had the second to lowest in extra points made percentage. Seattle replaced him by signing a kicker with the lowest percentage of extra points made in 2016. Hauschka struggled with extra points but making FGs, no.

This was 99% a cap move. I think even if Hauschka made all of his extra points, Seattle still moves on because of his contract.

Click to expand...

I'll take that argument on. But I only if you'll take the position that if Hauschka makes all extra points AND THE ARIZONA FG, Seattle still moves on.

I just don't think we change kickers if he hits all of the above. Perfection is one thing, but having the worst extra point kicker in the league goes really far against Pete's philosophy, which in case you haven't noticed, puts points at an extreme premium and isn't about running up huge numbers offensively. Likewise, I'm certain we would pay for a reliable kicker like Hausch, mainly to keep the formula going, but even Walsh is a slight decline from Hausch, the money saved goes a long way towards at least one FA signing. Let alone I really believe there is only one place Walsh could have landed that could resurrect his career and mindset. And now he's here. The guy was dynamite at one point in time and literally could turn into one of the league's best, especially considering he is already accustomed to kicking in cold, inclimate weather via the nfc north opponents.

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Hauschka hit 83% of his extra points. Blair Walsh made 79% so Hauschka wasn't the worst extra point kicker in the league. We just signed the worst.

Why is it that being in Seattle didn't help Hauschka's mindset this season but yet somehow it is supposed to miraculously change Walsh's "mindset" (I hope it will)? Walsh is on a downward trend and has had only one "dynamite" year which was his rookie, where he made over 90% of his FGs. Walsh is 4 years younger than Hauschka at 27 but 31 is not really that old for a kicker.

Both kickers have been on a down slope and Hauschka is not relatively old. This is about Hauschka not wanting to drop down from very high salary and Seattle found someone who would. I don't even think Walsh is going to be our kicker this year.

Walsh was one of the best kickers in the league before his meltdown. Lets hope he goes back to being what he used to be and he could end up being a steal.

wow, he is only 27?!!!

northseahawk":3aokd910 said:

wow, he is only 27?!!!

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Age is not a huge deal with kickers. George Blanda played until he was 48!

The fact that he's 27, imo, tells us alot. I think what his problem was psychological rather then physical. In terms of kicking age, Walsh hasn't even entered his prime.

I ultimately feel like Blairs struggles was accumaltive.

He put blame on himself after that high leverage playoff miss, probably felt a good deal of shame, guilt, and disappointment that could have added up into having a horrible off-season.

Then on top of that fans are unforgiving, they never let you forget, he was probably public enemy #1 in Minny 2016.

I also think that his teammates weren't forgiving as well. It's safe to say that kickers probably aren't the most respected in the locker-room, kind of being looked down upon by the "true" athletes. I think it was Steve Smith who made some comments to that effect last season.

ST specialist are pretty much invisible until they struggle. Yet, they tend to get the most love from female fan fare. Probably because kickers 1) are usually good looking 2) look like normal men.

Beside that point for someone like Hauschka it probably helped having Lynch as a "pal" in terms of respect. You dont eff with Lynch. And Ryan, he's probably one of the funniest guys in this league therefore well liked by teammates.

I don't know where Blair Walsh stood in the lockeroom , Walsh listed at 5'10, 170 is diminutive compared to Hauschka at 6'4, 210. So he was smaller, and "prettier" than Hauschka.

So I definately see Viking football players not being highly supportive of this small, pretty kicker that costed them a play-off win. I wouldn't say they bullied Walsh but they didn't forget and they likely didnt forgive if Richard Sherman is a testament on how football players think.

So for Walsh, he likely didnt have much support from the fans, and probably his teammates.

What it comes down to is coaching. Zimmer from what I've seen is an asshole. Not even a closet douchebag. A lot like Arians. They are both good to great coaches but in my opinion they don't know how to handle adversity with any class, diffuse conflict in a constructive way, and certainly not ones that build character positively. If they have the gall to publicly degrade players, I can't imagine what its like behind closed doors.

So for Walsh whose psyche was worsening with each mistake, each day in Minny where fans ripped him apart , and teammates possibly taking small jabs with back-handed comments (speculating), probably just got told to "man up" by Zimmer. Here's some superglue and duct-tape, fix yourself, and hold yourself together. Be a man. Do your job.

Enter Pete Carroll. He couldn't any more different than Zimmer. Carroll is a mental engineer. He'll take you apart, identify the problem, and try to put you back together better than before. It doesn't always work out (see Harvin) but he's definitely a coach that approaches psychological adversity with his players on a different level from what I've experienced.

Not saying Walsh will flourish in Seattle but if any coach can mend a player's pysche... Carroll is amongst the best of them.

Walsh is a solid kicker, probably equally as good as Hauscka in terms of career, save for Walsh did struggle in two seasons, this past year for obviously reasons, and in 2014, where he probably had issues adjusting to playing in outside elements in the first season at University of Minnesota.

I don't understand why I would write so much on Blair Walsh, it's the off-season.

But $1.1m is a bargain if Walsh can get back to his 2012, 2013, 2015 levels of consistency. I liked Hauschka but my number for him was in the $3-4m range. At their best, they are pretty similar.

The thing is though if Seahawks are going cheap to save cap, you would like to see at least 1 big splash free agency signing. Calais Campbell could be that guy.

Likely a 3T in a 4-3, but don't see why he couldn't play DE at times. Especially in jumbo packages. Campbell playing inside/out could free up Clark to transition much like Bruce Irvin did to get more snaps.

Just imagine Clark, Bennett, Campbell, Avril, and Wagner rushing the QB.

Vikings kicker Blair Walsh visits kids that sent him kind letters after missed field goal

Blair Walsh appreciates support he's received following missed kick

Mike Zimmer on Blair Walsh's missed FG: 'One play does not win or lose'

Walsh had support from Vikings fans and coach after missed kick.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll concerned about team's kicking woes

"We're not as sharp as we need to be," coach Pete Carroll said. "We're better than that. We're going to need all those points, and we didn't get it today."

Pete can get pissy at missed kicks too.