Tag: john schneider

Combine results indicate strong class of offensive tackles

Offensive tackles had a strong performance at the NFL combine, while tight ends did not. This is good news for the Seattle Seahawks.

The 2020 NFL combine gave the Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the league a chance to see many of their draft targets compared to their peers over the past two weeks.

Often what comes out of the combine is a better overall sense of each positional group, and the depth (or lack thereof) of talent in the upcoming draft class.

For a Seahawks team that needs help at a handful of positions, this combine helped them evaluate which positions they should look to upgrade via the draft, and which other ones they should focus their attention on free agency or the trade market.

Fortunately for Seattle, the combine actually did more to confirm their previous suspicions. The tight end group, collectively, had a really poor showing at the combine – further confirming the team’s decision to sign veteran Greg Olsen as opposed to using draft capital to supplement Will Dissly.

Perhaps the position group that did the most to boost their overall stock was the offensive tackles, another area of need for this team with the pending free agencies of both Germain Ifedi and George Fant.

Many of the best tackles in this draft class are expected to go early in the first round, making them unlikely targets for Seattle. However, a flurry of instant starters available in the draft could help drive down the price of both Fant and Ifedi on the open market – which might clear room for one or both of them to return to the Emerald City.

There’s also a possibility that the team finds someone they like at No. 27 overall, or decides to package some picks to trade up for one of the studs in this draft class – like Mekhi Becton or Tristan Wirfs.

Seahawks fans should feel good about John Schneider and Pete Carroll’s instincts, as the Olsen signing looks even better in hindsight and the team’s ability to upgrade at offensive tackle, or at least bring back some familiar faces, looks even stronger following the combine.

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Will Dissly switches to No. 89 to honor former Seahawk Doug Baldwin

Seattle Seahawks tight end Will Dissly is switching to No. 89 this season, in honor of Doug Baldwin.

When the Seattle Seahawks signed veteran free agent Greg Olsen to a one-year deal, he and Will Dissly needed to work something out. Olsen has been wearing the No. 88 since 2011, his first year with the Panthers, while Dissly wore 88 his first two seasons in Seattle.

Fortunately, the two struck a deal where Olsen will donate money to a charity of Dissly’s choice in exchange for his old number back, an exchange that John Schneider called “pretty cool”.

Now, Dissly ended the suspense by announcing on his Instagram that he will be wearing No. 89 next season, giving a shout out to former teammate Doug Baldwin – who last wore the number for the Seahawks in 2018.

Some had hoped Dissly would go back to his old number at UW, 98, but NFL rules prohibit receivers or tight ends from wearing a number in the 90’s.

So instead, Dissly will take over a number with a lot of history in Seattle. Baldwin wore No. 89 from 2012-2018 after wearing No. 15 his rookie season.

Baldwin took over the mantle from Brian Blades, who wore No. 89 from 1988-1998, an 11-year career that saw him make a Pro Bowl in 1989 and rack up over 7,500 receiving yards – second in team history behind Steve Largent. Baldwin is third.

Dissly is on track to return from his achilles injury in time to begin the 2020 season, and he plans to do the No. 89 justice with another strong, hopefully healthy, campaign.

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Seahawks GM John Schneider states secondary needs improvement

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider stated in his 2020 NFL Combine press conference that the secondary needs improvement.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider has expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of his defensive backfield heading into the 2020 season.

In his press conference at the 2020 NFL Combine, Schneider told reporters that he would be truthful in his assessment of the secondary and stated that the unit must improve to take the team as a whole to the next level.

“I think just like every position, you’re constantly looking to tweak it and figure out how you get better,” Schneider said. “Whether it’s a strong safety, free safety—obviously we want to get better. If I told you we were satisfied with the performance, I’d be lying. We all need to get better.”

However, he stated that rookie Ugo Amadi played well when pressed into active duty in the nickel corner slot.

“Ugo [Amadi] did a nice job when he got out there,” Schneider said. “We didn’t play a ton of nickel last year. You’ve got to look at the nickel position like a starter, right? Detroit got [Justin] Coleman, gave him a nice contract, he did a great job for them again. But we need to keep preparing along the way.”

The Seahawks’ secondary is certainly not as daunting as it was in years past and they finished No. 15 in pass defense DVOA last year. However, free agency and the draft still await and the Seahawks have plenty of opportunities to improve the secondary.

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Seahawks center Justin Britt’s ACL recovery appears to be on track

Seattle Seahawks center Justin Britt’s appears to be on track for a successful recovery from the ACL tear he sustained Week 8 last season.

The Seahawks lost starting center Justin Britt last year to an ACL tear he sustained Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons, effectively ending his season. Britt was just one of a number of Seattle players to suffer a serious injury in 2019.

But after successful reconstructive surgery, Britt has been rehabbing diligently and seems on track for a timely return.

“He’s doing great,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said Tuesday at the combine. “Yeah, he’s doing a really good job. You know, my office is right above the weight room so I heard him in there the other day throwing weights around and listening to Metallica, or whatever he was listening to in there. He’s doing a great job. That’s an unfortunate thing for him, you know.

“But Joey (Hunt) came in and played real well and (Ethan) Pocic can play there, as well.”

Britt has been posting his workout updates on his social media accounts and appears to be on schedule in his recovery efforts.

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John Schneider agrees with Russell Wilson, also wants more superstars

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider told reporters at the combine he agrees with Russell Wilson and also wants more superstars.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson wasn’t shy during one of his interviews this year during Super Bowl week. Wilson wants more superstars on the team.

“I think we need a couple more,” Wilson told ESPN during a Pro Bowl interview. “I think we need a couple more. Jadeveon is a big-time guy that we would love to get back on our football team. He was so good in the locker room. He brought so many just havoc plays to the field. Hopefully, we can get a few other players there on the defense. Then also on offense, we have a great offense, but I think we can always add more pieces.”

Many questioned Wilson’s comments at the time but Seahawks general manager John Schneider stands by his quarterback.

“I agree,” Schneider said Tuesday during his combine press conference. “We all want superstars. We all want great players. I think Pete (Carroll) would say the same thing. I stay awake at night, my gut churns all the time thinking about how we can improve in every aspect of our football operation. We’re doing it non-stop, and we have been ever since we walked in the doors here, and we’ll keep it rolling.”

The Seahawks will have plenty of potential superstars to scout this week in Indianapolis ahead of April’s draft. Free agency is also right around the corner and Schneider undoubtedly has a few players he could court to Seattle.

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Pete Carroll on Jadeveon Clowney: ‘We’re trying to get it done’

Pete Carroll and John Schneider reiterated the Seattle Seahawks desire to bring back Jadeveon Clowney, but will his price tag be too much?

The Seattle Seahawks had a disastrously bad season getting to the quarterback last year, a big part of the team’s late season struggles and eventual loss to the Packers in the NFC divisional round.

This team absolutely needs to improve in that area if they want to stay competitive in the NFC, and the easiest place to start is to bring back star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who is entering free agency.

It’s no surprise that both coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, speaking to the media at the NFL combine, reiterated their desire to see him in a Seahawks uniform again this year.

“We’d love to have him back,” Schneider said. “I think he came in he loved the culture, loves the coaching staff, loves the chefs loves our equipment guys. He’s a really fun guy, he was a blast to be around and I hope we can continue that.”

Schneider wouldn’t comment on any current negotiations going on with Clowney and his representatives, with Carroll showing a bit more urgency in his remarks.

“We’re going to try,” Carroll said about bringing Clowney back. “We’re trying to get it done. He had a fantastic season. We’d love to have him back.”

I’m sure Schneider and Carroll mean it when they say they want Clowney back, but it all depends on the cost. And right now, it’s looking like that is going to be a very, very big number.

We know Clowney is looking for a market-setting contract, potentially even above the figures Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack earned. If that’s the case, Seattle may have a hard time fitting him onto a roster that is already paying Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner at or near the top value at their respective positions.

The team does have the cap room, so it’s not impossible, but it would severely limit their ability to sign other free agents and would hamper their long-term spending pretty significantly.

Whether that kind of spending is worth it for a guy like Clowney is up for debate, and is without a doubt the biggest decision facing Carroll, Schneider and the rest of the front office this offseason.

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John Schneider discusses L.J. Collier’s unlucky rookie season

Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider is excited about the versatility defensive end L.J. Collier will bring to this defense in Year 2.

Speaking to the media ahead of the 2020 NFL combine, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider discussed the injury-shortened rookie season that defensive end L.J. Collier – the team’s first round pick in 2019 – had last year.

Collier suffered an unusual ankle injury early in training camp last summer, which cost him the entire preseason as well as a portion of the regular season. By the time he was healthy, he was so far behind developmentally that he rarely had any impact in game situations, often getting placed on the inactive list, despite a clean bill of health.

Even though his performance was disappointing, Schneider was just happy they were able to see Collier on the field at all in 2019.

“We were lucky that we had him,” Schneider said. “We thought we were going to lose him for the season that day. We’re lucky that we didn’t have to place him on IR. Obviously we’d have liked to have seen him make a little bit more of a dent, but his checkout meeting was awesome, he’s really excited about next year and what that brings.”

With one of the worst pass rushes in the league last year, the Seahawks have plenty of work to do to improve in that area in 2020. A second-year leap from Collier would go a long way toward improving that unit as a whole, especially with the added versatility he brings to the table.

“He’s a powerful rusher,” Schneider continued. “He’s got great hands, he can rush inside he can rush outside. Rush at the five, rush at the three. We’re excited.”

With Quinton Jefferson, Jadeveon Clowney, Jarran Reed and Al Woods all set to hit free agency, the Seahawks have a lot of holes to fill on the defensive front. Collier will almost certainly get a chance to play regularly next year – and his development will be a key story for this Seattle defense.

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Greg Olsen donates to charity in order to wear No. 88 for Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks tight end Greg Olsen is donating money to a charity of Will Dissly’s choice in order to obtain jersey No. 88 next year.

The recent acquisition of free agent Greg Olsen creates a formidable tight end combination for the Seattle Seahawks heading into the 2020 season.

However, it also created an immediate problem: Both Olsen and returner Will Dissly wear No. 88. It wasn’t a problem for long, however, as general manager John Schneider put the mystery to rest at the NFL combine.

“Greg’s gonna wear 88,” Schneider told reporters. “I guess they worked out a deal, the money is going to Dissly’s charity of choice. Which is pretty cool.”

88 has been worn by Will Dissly in each of the past two campaigns, but Olsen has been wearing it since he joined the Panthers in 2011, when Dissly was just 15 years old.

The fact that Olsen would choose to pay for the jersey number, rather than use his veteran status to obtain it, is a nice gesture and one that certainly helps endear him to his new teammates.

The fact that Dissly opted to have the money donated to a charity is even better, and will make the tight end group one of the most popular amongst teammates, and fans alike, heading into 2020.

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Will the Seahawks buck tradition and take a CB in the 1st round?

The Seattle Seahawks have not taken a cornerback in the first round of the NFL draft since 2006, but could this year be the year?

Death. Taxes. The Seattle Seahawks not taking a cornerback in the first round of the NFL draft.

That’s how it has felt at least in the John Schneider/Pete Carroll era, with the team choosing to bank on Carroll’s ability to develop lesser known players into stars, most famously Richard Sherman and Shaquill Griffin.

Carroll hasn’t just developed stars, he has worked his magic on players like Byron Maxwell, Jeremy Lane, Walter Thurmond and Justin Coleman as well – plenty of evidence to suggest this team can get by without using early draft capital or large sums of money to build their secondary.

The last time the Seahawks took a cornerback in the first round was Kelly Jennings back in 2006, when Schneider still worked for the Packers and Carroll was still coaching at USC.

However – it has been a theme for mock drafts to project a corner to Seattle at No. 27 overall this year, with Kristian Fulton of LSU, Trevon Diggs of Alabama and CJ Henderson of Florida the most common targets.

Is it simply a case of mock drafters being unaware of Seattle’s strategy, or is it the belief that the team will take a more direct approach at replacing Tre Flowers this year?

After all, the Legion of Boom was so good in their heyday that drafting corners at all was unnecessary; now, with Flowers struggling and the depth behind him nearly non-existent, it could be time to buck tradition and pony up for an immediate addition alongside Griffin in the new-look Seattle secondary.

Of the three frequently mocked to Seattle, Diggs has the requisite length (six-foot-two) and aggressive, physical nature that seems to speak to this team and their front office. He’s known for his work in press coverage and as a zone corner – which would fit right in with Carroll’s cover-3 scheme.

The Seahawks may not be ready to spend early draft capital on a cornerback, but if they are, Diggs is a great place to start.

Even the Legion of Boom started with Earl Thomas, a first round pick out of Texas. Perhaps Diggs – alongside Griffin, Quandre Diggs and (eventually) Marquise Blair will help form the next great secondary in Seattle.

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Seahawks hire pair of ex-Browns executives as NFL draft consultants

Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider hired two former Browns executives, Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith, to serve as draft consultants.

The Seattle Seahawks are getting ready for another busy, exciting NFL draft. With nine picks in tow and likely more to come as the team looks to wheel and deal, general manager John Schneider decided to bring in some reinforcements.

Schneider hired two former Browns executives, Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith, as consultants for the team during the draft process, which kicks off this week at the NFL combine.

Both Wolf and Highsmith spent the last two seasons with the Browns, with Wolf serving as the team’s assistant general manager while Highsmith was the vice president of player personnel.

Wolf worked alongside Schneider for eight years in Green Bay, from 2002-2009, before Schneider took the job with the Seahawks.

Highsmith joined Green Bay in 2012 and has worked with Wolf ever since, and the pair will once again reunite – this time alongside Schneider in Seattle.

Both Wolf and Highsmith are candidates to remain with the Seahawks long term, but for now they are just on to help the team evaluate NFL draft talent in an attempt to shore up their roster – particularly along the offensive and defensive lines.

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