Category: Breaking

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll talks about center competition

One of the most interesting position battles for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason will be up front and “center” (buh dum tis!)

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One of the most interesting position battles for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason will be up front and “center” (buh dum tis!). It is no secret the Seahawks have to get better in the interior of their offensive line, and it starts with the center.

Former NFL center Austin Blythe held the position last year and it was not exactly up to par, especially when facing the likes of the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle brought in Evan Brown from Detroit, and drafted Olu Oluwatimi from Michigan this spring. They also have in-house Joey Hunt as well.

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron recently spoke about the position and how they’re a long ways from finalizing anything. When asked, head coach Pete Carroll seemed to echo the sentiment of Waldron in this regard. From John Boyle at Seahawks.com:

“Evan has come in here and commanded the leadership with the experience—he has more experience than Olu’s got—so we’ll see how it all works out. Joey is an experienced football player too, so we have a really good spot. We’re just going to let it happen and see what happens, see how it goes. We’re not going to set any timelines on it or anything like that, it’ll work itself off, but Olu has done a nice job jumping in. He’s a bright kid and it shows up and he gets it, he’s confident. You could see him playing.”

We truly are a ways out from anything even remotely close to being settled. The calendar just turned to June, and there are two newcomers – a rookie and a free agent – who are learning Waldron’s system. Not to mention getting in-sync with fellow linemen and quarterback Geno Smith

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Ken Walker says he’s keeping in touch with Rashaad Penny

Injuries really prevented Penny’s career in Seattle from breaking out like it should.

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Perhaps one of the most hard-done-by players in recent memory for the Seattle Seahawks was former running back Rashaad Penny. Originally the No. 27 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Penny was supposed to help kickstart a Seahawks ground attack which finished dead last in the 2017 season.

Unfortunately, injuries really prevented his career in Seattle from breaking out like it should. Every time it seemed like he was going to realize his full potential – like rushing for 495 yards in the final three games of the 2021 season – it was always met with a debilitating injury.

As a result, the Seahawks and Penny finally parted ways during the offseason. Penny signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, while Seattle picked a pair of running backs in the 2023 NFL draft.

While Penny might be gone, the Seahawks’ young stud in the backfield, Kenneth Walker III, is still staying in contact with Penny.

Here’s hoping Penny can find success in his new NFL home…

…except for Week 15, of course.

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Seahawks all time record vs AFC West teams

Seattle joined the NFL in 1976 but from 1977 until 2001, the Seahawks were an AFC West team.

Right before the 2023 NFL draft, we at Seahawks Wire were going through the record books to see how Seattle has fared against every other team in the league, division by division.

Currently, we have completed all the teams in in the NFC. You can see how the Seahawks have done versus the NFC North, South, East and of course, the West. With the NFC out of the way, it is time to look at the AFC.

Seattle joined the NFL in 1976 but from 1977 until 2001, the Seahawks were an AFC West team. So why not start there? Here is how Seattle has done against their old division rivals.

Seahawks QB Geno Smith says he looks at everyone as competition

The West Virginia standout isn’t letting new money get in the way of his motivation. 

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith may have gotten quite the contract extension this offseason, but the West Virginia standout isn’t letting new money get in the way of his motivation.

Smith has routinely talked about keeping the “chip on his shoulder” all offseason, and has shared workout videos online. Smith is taking head coach Pete Carrol’s message of “always compete” to heart, and fans are sure to enjoy hearing their starting quarterback has not lost his hunger amidst newfound fame.

Smith discussed this mantra at length, specifically how he sees competition among his own position. Per Bob Condotta at the Seattle Times:

“It’s the NFL… There’s a draft every year. There are players out there, guys out there working hard. That’s why I’ve got to work hard. I’ve got to be better than those guys, and I look at everyone as competition. There’s a lot of great rookies that are coming out of the draft, and I think they are all deserving. So if we would have picked one, I would have given him my all just as would I do to any teammate. It really didn’t matter to me. I love competition, so I’ll compete with everybody.”

Smith may be going into the offseason as a presumptive starter, but he will have to stave off Drew Lock, whom the team re-signed and has always had an interest in, as well as undrafted free agent rookie Holten Ahlers from East Carolina.

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Seahawks’ 5 biggest games for 2023

We already know what No. 1 will be…

Alright 12’s, it is officially time to start the clock for the 2023 season. Free agency has come and gone, we’re through the draft, and now the official schedule for the Seattle Seahawks has been released.

As fans can start circling the calendar (and checking their pocketbooks) to determine which games stand out, I figured it was time we do so at Seahawks Wire as well.

Seattle is coming off a surprisingly resurgent 2022 where they won nine games and made it to the playoffs. But make no mistake: the Seahawks have their sights set much higher than simply qualifying for the postseason.

However, in order to help get to where they want to go, they’ll have to prove it in these five biggest games for them this year.

Seahawks will travel the most miles in NFL… again

Good way to get those air miles points

The official 2023 NFL schedule release is tomorrow, May 11th but fans of the Seattle Seahawks already know one thing: they will have to watch their team travel… a lot.

Yet again, the Seattle Seahawks will lead the entire league with most miles traveled at 31,600. For a second straight year, Seattle will lead the NFL in this dubious category. Naturally, this news is not going unnoticed by those who will actually have to travel these miles.

Wide receiver Tyler Lockett is of course referencing last year’s trip to Munich, Germany against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2022, the Seahawks traveled 29,446 miles. Even without a visit across the pond, Seattle increase their total mileage.

Ultimately, this should not be all that surprising, especially when looking at a map of which cities have NFL franchises. Like with most sports, the Seattle-based team is always the most geographically isolated. The Emerald City, comparatively speaking, is a bit of an outpost when it comes to professional sports.

Seahawks decline LB Jordyn Brooks’ 5th year option

The Seahawks no longer owe Brooks a fully guaranteed $12.7 million for the 2024 season

Shortly after the 2023 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks made a move concerning one of their previous first round picks. On Monday it was reported the Seahawks were not going to pick up linebacker Jordyn Brooks’ fifth year option. Formerly the No. 27 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Brooks will now be going into a contract year.

Brooks has been a solid player in Seattle’s defense during his tenure in the Emerald City. In 2021, Brooks actually was 2nd in the NFL in total tackles with 184, surpassing his teammate Bobby Wagner. Brooks was also 6th in 2022 with 161, and would have likely finished higher if it weren’t for his ACL injury late in the season.

Seattle declining to pick up the fifth year option does make sense, however. By not picking it up, the Seahawks no longer owe Brooks a fully guaranteed $12.7 million for the 2024 season. Additionally, while Brooks is great at racking up the numbers, an argument can be made a lot of his tackles are “empty calories” for lack of a better phrase. Brooks is a solid player, but he wasn’t necessarily the difference maker in Bobby Wagner’s place last season when he was healthy.

Still, when he comes back for 2023 he will still make an impact alongside Wagner and Devin Bush. He could very likely wind up earning a second contract with the Seahawks when it’s all said and done.

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Vikings waive WR Thomas Hennigan on Tuesday

The #Vikings waived wide receiver Thomas Hennigan on Tuesday, bringing an end to his eight-month stint in Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings waived receiver Thomas Hennigan on Tuesday after hosting him on their roster for eight uneventful months. Hennigan signed with Minnesota just before the 2022 season started on August, 16th of last year, and did not have a chance to make an appearance for the Vikings after being placed on injured reserve shortly after.

News broke that he had been waived in a tweet that was posted to the team’s social media account after they announced that they had signed defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard.

Though unsurprising, this move has a chance to affect Minnesota’s depth at the receiver position, which is particularly thin after their release of veteran Adam Thielen last week. Whether Hennigan might be a candidate to re-sign before OTAs or training camp later in the offseason is, to this point, unknown, though he will likely look to secure work for himself with another team in the coming months.

All in all, the Vikings’ decision to waive Hennigan should prove to be inconsequential so long as he doesn’t put together a breakout season elsewhere in 2023.

Vikings agree to terms with former Packers DE Dean Lowry

The #Vikings came to terms with former #Packers defensive end Dean Lowry on Friday in a move that will bolster their defensive line in 2023

The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with former Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry on Friday, paving the way for the veteran lineman to bolster the team’s pass rush in 2023.

Lowry was originally selected by the Packers in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft and had played his entire career in Green Bay before signing with Minnesota. He played his college ball at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Economics.

A proven veteran, Lowry started 80 games in seven seasons with the Packers during a tenure that saw him secure 15.5 sacks, 34 quarterback hits, and an interception.
Whether he will start for the Vikings in 2023 is unknown at this time, though his $8.5 million contract will incentivize the team to get him on the field consistently, even if only in a rotational role. What is certain, though, is that this deal points to a concerted effort by Minnesota to improve their defense ahead of next season when they will look to push for serious playoff contention after the disappointing end to their latest campaign

Former Vikings WR Olabisi Johnson set to visit Patriots on Thursday

Johnson missed his last two seasons with the #Vikings due to injuries and is set to visit with the #Patriots in search of a fresh start

The Minnesota Vikings have suffered some major attrition in their receiving corps over the course of the offseason, losing beloved veteran Adam Thielen due to salary cap constraints earlier this week. Now they face the potential loss of receiver Olabisi Johnson, an up-and-coming wideout, to the Patriots in free agency.

Johnson originally signed with Minnesota as a seventh-round pick after the 2019 draft, and was reasonably productive as a rookie, hauling in 31 receptions for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns. He took a step back in 2020, starting in just three games, and missed both of the last two seasons due to knee injuries.

A native of Lakewood Colorado, Johnson played his college ball at Colorado State, setting a single-game receiving record for the Rams with 265 yards in a game against the University of Idaho in the 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Though his college accolades are impressive, the fact that he missed the last two seasons due to injury makes him a boom-or-bust prospect for any team interested in securing his talents for the 2023 season. His impressive rookie campaign will likely warrant his inclusion on a roster next season, but Johnson may need some time to reacclimate himself to the field after missing such a significant amount of time.