Category: Seahawks

How Baker Mayfield can be a top-tier quarterback — in the right offense

Baker Mayfield will have another NFL team in 2022 and beyond. Here’s how that team can turn Mayfield back into the top-tier quarterback he was in 2020.

In 2022, the Cleveland Browns went all-in on a bet that could hamper the franchise for a good long time. When they traded first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as the 104th overall pick in 2022, a third-round pick in 2023, and a fourth-pick in 2024 for a 2024 sixth-round pick and former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson… well, it’s a franchise-defining move, but what that means, we have no idea. Watson’s NFL disciplinary hearing in the wake of a torrent of sexual assault lawsuits (many of which have been settled) happens this upcoming Tuesday, and word is that the league will be aiming for a suspension that lasts at least the entire 2022 season, if not indefinitely.

So, that’s a lot for a guy who will play for you… who knows when. In the interim, the Browns have completely alienated Baker Mayfield, the quarterback they selected with the first overall pick in the 2028 draft out of Oklahoma. The likelihood of Mayfield playing for the Browns in 2022 and beyond is somewhere between null and void; should Watson be out of the equation, backup Jacoby Brissett is the likely starter. The Browns have not traded Mayfield yet. The hangup there seems to be the amount of salary the trading team would be willing to take on. Mayfield is set to make a guaranteed $18.858 million in 2022, the final year of his rookie contract, and he’ll obviously want a new contract in his new home. The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks have been tagged as the most likely destinations.

Setting aside the mess the Browns have put themselves in with Watson and his new, fully-guaranteed, $230 million contract that goes through the 2026 season, there’s the specific issue of Mayfield’s future as a starting quarterback, and where he fits best. After two NFL seasons in which he showed some promise and a lot of exasperating plays, Mayfield enjoyed a watershed season in 2020 — including the postseason, he completed 349 of 557 passes for 4,030 yards, 2,376 air yards, 30 touchdowns, nine interceptions, an ANY/A of 6.9, a passer rating of 95.7. an EPA of 49.17, and a Positive Play Rate of 49.0%. This put him in at least the top half of the NFL’s starting quarterbacks in every category, though he was in an offense that didn’t always play to his strengths.

The follow-up season, which got the Browns headed down that fractious Watson path, was not nearly as productive. Mayfield worked through a ton of injuries and more dysfunction in the passing game, completing 253 of 418 passes for 3,010 yards, 1,571 air yards, 17 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, an ANY/A of 5.4, a passer rating of 83.1, an EPA of -59.03, and a Positive Play Rate of 43.2. Mayfield had gone from top-half to bottom-third in one season, and though it wasn’t all his fault (given the injuries, it wasn’t mostly his fault), but we are left with the realities of things.

So, with that in mind, and with the goal to give an honest picture of what Mayfield can offer another team, we’re going to look far more at Mayfield’s 2020 season, assume his 2021 was a negative outlier based on injury, and project things forward from there.

How can a new NFL team help Baker Mayfield become the best possible version of himself? We have a few thoughts.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise indicated). 

Arrest warrant issued for former NFL star Earl Thomas

Forner Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens DB Earl Thomas is the subject of an arrest warrant. On April 27, Magistrate George Thomas signed a warrant charging Thomas with a third-degree felony for allegedly violating the protective order two or …

Forner Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens DB Earl Thomas is the subject of an arrest warrant.

On April 27, Magistrate George Thomas signed a warrant charging Thomas with a third-degree felony for allegedly violating the protective order two or more times within 12 months.

Thomas has said he hoped to return to the NFL for the 2022 season. He has not been on a team since preseason of 2020 with the Ravens.

Per USA Today:

Trey Dolezal, an Austin lawyer and sports agent who represents Thomas in an ongoing divorce, said he left a message for Thomas to let him know about the arrest warrant. He said the warrant stems from Thomas reaching out to his wife to see their children.

“They were consciously and collectively working together to see his kids,” Dolezal said. “I don’t really understand how he could be in violation by working together to visit with his children.”

Thomas was a seven-time Pro Bowler, three-time first-team All-Pro, and Super Bowl champion before derailing his career. He was released by the Ravens in August of 2020 after a preseason incident that saw him punch teammate Chuck Clark.

What do the Seahawks think they’re getting in Drew Lock?

The Seahawks got Broncos quarterback Drew Lock in the Russell Wilson trade. Based on the tape, Lock is no Wilson replacement. Why did this happen?

When it comes to the Seattle Seahawks in their post-Russell Wilson universe, it’s all about what Pete Carroll and John Schneider get out of the draft picks and players they have from the trade. The Denver Broncos gave up two first-round picks (2022 and 2023), two second-round picks (2022 and 2023), a 2022 fifth-round pick, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris, tight end Noah Fant, and quarterback Drew Lock for Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick.

On its face, and considering how poorly the Seahawks have drafted over the last half-decade (avert your eyes), this trade would seem to favor the Broncos to a massive degree. If Denver believed it was just a quarterback away from a Super Bowl possibility (and that may be so), then acquiring Wilson allows the Broncos to possibly do what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did two seasons ago, and the Los Angeles Rams did last season — win the Super Bowl with a better-than-average roster, and the new star quarterback as the final piece. It’s not fool-proof, but you can understand why the Broncos went all-in here.

For the Seahawks, the Wilson (and the release of linebacker Bobby Wagner) means that it’s all about the rebuild. Whether Carroll and Schneider should be handed this rebuild, since they created the need for it in the first place? That’s a relevant debate, and it starts with Lock’s place in this trade.

Should Pete Carroll and John Schneider be trusted with the rebuild they created?

The Broncos selected Lock with the 42nd overall pick in the 2019 draft. That franchise was in the middle of a comical series of failures at the quarterback position after Peyton Manning’s retirement — the primary reason the Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since Manning’s retirement. Over three seasons, Lock completed 59.3% of his passes for 4,740 yards, 25 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, a career passer rating of 79.3, and a career ANY/A of 5.57. In 2020, his one full season as an NFL starter, Lock threw 16 touchdown passes, and led the league with 15 interceptions. This was one reason Denver brought Teddy Bridgewater in via trade with the Carolina Panthers before the 2021 season, and Lock’s role was subsequently reduced.

The Broncos moved on from head coach Vic Fangio after the 2021 season, replacing him with Nathaniel Hackett, and Hackett’s new staff. That new staff’s evaluation of Lock didn’t take long.

“The quarterback position is the leader of this organization in a sense,” new Broncos offensive coordinator Justin Outten, who was a coaching intern with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, and an offensive assistant in 2017 and 2018, said in late February of the ideal quarterback room when Denver’s new coaching hired were announced — starting with head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

“They’re the guy that you have to lean on. It doesn’t matter if you’re on offense or defense or special teams. As far as the quarterback room itself, it’s got to be a supportive group. You’re working together. Being with [Falcons QB] Matt Ryan in Atlanta and having [Falcons QB] Matt Schaub as his counterpart, they would test each other every single day. Now, Matt Schaub knew that was his responsibility to make sure Matt Ryan was right each and every day of practice. It was just a collaborative situation, no different than the coaching style right now.

“Getting into the quarterback room with [Packers QB] Aaron [Rodgers] and his counterparts in there [Outten was also Green Bay’s tight ends coach from 2019-2021]. They were keeping each accountable, making sure things were light during the middle of season and keeping each other fresh. It was also a collaborative situation where they would shoot ideas off each other. I think that’s really important. It’s not just, this guy’s getting more reps than I am, so I’m just going to pout and do this. It should be: how can we make each other better? Having competitions within practice. They’ll take five minutes and throw a ball in a net 50 yards away. Keeping it competitive and having one up on each other, that’s the fun part of being in any room. It’s the competitive nature, while still being able to work together for the common good of the team, which is exciting.

“As far as [QB] Drew [Lock], he’s got a powerful arm. He’s done a really good job as far as using his legs and being an athlete. As far as that, I want to see how he fits in the system a little bit more once he gets the playbook under him, and then we’ll go from there.”

Clearly, the new Broncos staff did its due diligence on Lock and deemed him entirely fungible when the Wilson trade swung through. And based on Lock’s tape, that’s a reasonable conclusion. We have not yet heard the Seahawks’ reasoning for acquiring Lock. All we can do is to review his performance, and wonder.

So, what do the Seahawks have in Drew Lock, and why was he part of this trade in the first place? Based on the tape, Seattle got a plus backup at best.

Should Pete Carroll and John Schneider be trusted with the rebuild they created?

Pete Carroll and John Schneider have forced the Seahawks into a serious rebuild. Why are they the ones entrusted with the architecture?

“Well, we expect to play with Bobby. We love playing with Bobby. He’s been a great player, another great season. At this time of year, there’s a lot of guys that are in the position where we got to figure out where everybody fits together, and Bobby’s been such a steady part of it. We’d love to be able to play with him, so we’ll work towards that. If we can do that, we’ll do it.”

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said that at the scouting combine last week when asked about the team’s future with linebacker Bobby Wagner, the eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro who was drafted in 2012, the same year in which the Seahawks got Russell Wilson.

Now, with Wilson traded to the Broncos in the same day it was revealed that Wagner will be released, Carroll and general manager John Schneider are the only major players left from the team that won Super Bowl XLVIII over those Broncos on February 2, 2014,

It doesn’t take long for even a great team to fall from grace, and the Seahawks have done just that over the last few seasons. Bad trades (Jimmy Graham, Jamal Adams) and a truly execrable series of drafts over the last five years leave Carroll and Schneider in the lurch. The eternally optimistic Carroll will no doubt paint this as a new vista and a golden opportunity to rebuild, but in truth, this resembles what Carroll and Schneider had to blow up when they took over in 2010, and the mistakes of former general manager Tim Ruskell had to be addressed.

At that time, the Seahawks were mostly bereft of talent because Ruskell did not know how to build a team. Now, Carroll and Schneider are entrusted to correct their own errors, and there have been a lot of them in recent years.

The Wagner release, first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, will save the team $16.6 million in 2022 cap, and gives them the opportunity to be bold in free agency. But again, the missteps performed by Carroll and Schneider make it tough to believe that the same guys who burned this near-dynasty to the ground should be the ones who can return it to greatness.

The Seahawks now have precious little elite talent at any position. Wilson and Wagner are clearly out. Left tackle Duane Brown and safety Quandre Diggs are upcoming free agents. You could argue that in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, Seattle has one of the NFL’s most dynamic receiver duos, but outside of that, there isn’t much to go on when it comes to tentpoles you need to build a championship team. The offensive and defensive lines are average at best. The linebacker group without Wagner, and with 2020 first-round pick Jordyn Brooks now in charge, has serious question marks. The secondary is a problem if Diggs isn’t resigned, and help isn’t acquired at cornerback.

Clearly, with the players and draft picks Seattle got in the Wilson trade, and the free cap space presented with Wagner’s release, the Seahawks have the tools to construct another championship team. The question is, can Carroll and Schneider be the architects, when they were the demolition crew?

Generally speaking, the answer though NFL history has been, “No.”

Former Chief, Cowboy Junior Siavii dies in prison at 43

Former NFL defensive lineman Junior Siavii was found dead in prison at 43

Junior Siavii, a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004 out of Oregon died in a Kansas prison on Thursday.

Siavii,  43, died in Leavenworth prison where he was awaiting trial. He was found unresponsive in the afternoon, treated by prison staff, and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Siavii played for the Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks in his NFL career. The defensive lineman was the 36th overall pick out of college in 2004.

Per Kansascity.com:

On Dec. 17, Siavii was moved to the medium-security prison in Leavenworth, which has recently been the site of many prisoner transfers following the end of a federal contract with a nearby private facility run by CoreCivic.

Siavii has been held under federal detention orders since 2019. Siavii was arrested in August 2019 on suspicion of illegal firearms possession during a struggle with police officers in Independence.

A criminal indictment later named Siavii as being part of a methamphetamine drug trafficking conspiracy in the Western District of Missouri. He was charged alongside eight other co-defendants.

Siavii labeled himself “unblockable” upon being chosen by the Chiefs. His NFL career was nondescript at best. He played in 2004 and ’05 for KC. He totaled 15 tackles as a Chief. Siavii had one sack as a 26-year-old rookie.

In 2006, he kept suffering from knee injuries and was placed on the physically unable to perform list, before being waived on September 2. He eventually needed microfracture surgery on his right knee,

He then missed four years of NFL before resurfacing with the Dallas Cowboys in 2009 and starting six games for Seattle in 2010.

Jody Gomez-USA TODAY Sports

He was in on 11 tackles as a Cowboy and 30 for Seattle.

 

 

Seahawks’ Rasheem Green returns blocked Washington PAT for 2 points

The rare blocked PAT that became two points for Seattle after a return by Rasheem Green

Washington had momentum after scoring a late touchdown in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football.

All the WFT needed for a 10-7 lead was a Joey Slye PAT.

Not so fast. The Seahawks blocked the PAT and Rasheem Green corraled it and took off for the other end zone.

For the second time in NFL 2021, a team had its extra point blocked.

The two points were added to Seattle’s score and the game went to the half with the atypical score of 9-9.

Seahawks’ Russell Wilson cleared to play against Packers

Good news for the Seattle Seahawks. Russell Wilson’s finger has healed and he will play against Green Bay

The Seattle Seahawks got some good news after their bye week.

On Monday, Russell Wilson and his broken finger were cleared to play in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers.

Now that Wilson has received the green light, the question remains whether Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers will clear COVID-19 protocols and be able to play in the game.

Wilson injured his finger against the Los Angeles Rams in a Thursday night game. These are the first games Wilson has missed in his career.

When the injury occurred, Dr. Shin spoke about the prognosis.

In a statement, Dr. Shin said, “Russell Wilson injured his right middle finger during last night’s game versus the Rams. He sustained two injuries to the finger: an extensor tendon rupture (mallet finger) and a comminuted fracture-dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint. He had successful surgery today in Los Angeles by hand specialist Dr. Steven Shin at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan Jobe Surgery Center to repair both injuries. He will start therapy this weekend and it is highly anticipated that he will return to play later this season.”

Shin added, “Based on what I saw today, I am fully confident Russell will return to the NFL this season and play at the same world-class level that fans have come to expect of one of the game’s very best quarterbacks.”

 

Seahawks with touchdown return of Jaguars’ attempted onside kick

The Jaguars’ onside kick attempt backfired in a big way

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ string of good fortune ends with a victory over the Miami Dolphins and a bye.

They were picked apart by Geno Smith and didn’t score until there were less than two minutes to go in Sunday’s game at Seattle.

Urban Meyer decided to go for an onside kick and did that backfire.

Watch as Travis Homer picks up the ball and takes it 44 yards to the end zone for a TD that made it 31-7 after the PAT.

This is bad but nowhere near as bad as what happened to Northwestern in the 2005 Sun Bowl.

The Wildcats attempted a pair of onside kicks against the Bruins and both went into the hands of Brandon Breazell, who scored a pair of touchdowns.

Bizarre sequence to end regulation sends Seahawks-Steelers to overtime

How and why did the Seahawks-Steelers game wind up in overtime?

The Seattle Seahawks game at the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the more confusing finishes to regulation of any NFL game in any year.

The Seahawks, trailing 20-17, had the ball and were driving with time running out in the fourth quarter.

Geno Smith hit DK Metcalf with a pass along the sideline. As the wide receiver was hit, he fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Freddie Swain.

As the clocked ticked away, and a Steeler tried to tug at Swain’s jersey, he raced the ball to the official, who placed it as Seattle desperately tried to clock it to set up a game-tying, field-goal attempt.

Smith clocked the ball as the clock appeared to strike three zeroes. However, the officials said the previous play was under review for whether Metcalf caught the pass.

That made no sense because Metcalf had run for a few yards after grabbing it and then fumbling it.

The review took place, the officials called it a reception and said 3 seconds were left.

The clock started on the ref’s whistle. Smith clocked the ball again, setting up Jason Myers.

The kicker nailed the 43-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game at 20 and force OT.

Seahawks’ Gerald Everett rumbles through Steelers’ defense

Gerald Everett of the Seahawks with a bruising rumble through the Pittsburgh defense

After a silent first half, the Seattle Seahawks’ offense has come to life in the third quarter Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Having scored on their most recent drive, the Seahawks found the end zone, again, to cut the deficit to 17-14.

A large chunk of the 6-play, 60-yard scoring drive came when Geno Smith found tight end Gerald Everett.

The former Los Angeles Ram wasn’t about to let anyone in Black and Gold stop him.

He rumbled through the Pittsburgh defense for 41 yards, setting Seattle up at the Pittsburgh 2.

Smith found Will Dissly for the final yard to bring Seattle within three.