It wouldn't surprise me if Nick does retire. If he isn't planning on retiring, he should have accepted whatever offer the Seahawks made, as I don't think he'll get much more than league minimum as a 35 year old special teams player. Since he wasn't released in the initial wave, they must have given him a reduced salary offer, otherwise why the delay?
I would be quite happy if the Seahawks sat out the first few days of free agency. If 2024 is to be a formative year, don't spend to the cap, and let whatever you don't spend rollover into 2025, when the time might be better to be a bit more aggressive.
The more I look at this draft, the more I can see John trading down in the 1st round. Maybe multiple times. There are some really solid prospects in the 30 thru 100 range, that I'm not sure are much of a drop off from what will be there from 15 to 30. Offensive Tackle would be the exception, as that seems to drop off precipitously after the first round. But safety, d-line, centre/guard, and WR have depth especially. QB is the only reason I would see John stick and pick, if his guy is there. The draft will be really interesting.
First - congrats on the predictions. 2nd putting the pieces together I suspect John made an offer to Nick for something close to the veteran’s minimum and Nick turned him down. Lockett on the other hand new contract is likely better than what he would get from another team in the league if released. It is a deep draft for receivers but I doubt the Seahawks will be focused on receivers. Third it looks like the Seahawks picked a good year to release safeties because the free agent market is getting flooded with them.
Ken, I look forward to your emails every day and appreciate your insights!You are the foremost authority on the Hawks and I trust your opinion more than any other writer out there. Thanks for shooting straight with us less involved fans!
Posted just after this came out, and not surprising “According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, "Wagner is expected to test the market, and it's currently viewed as unlikely that he returns to the Seahawks."”. Definitely expected Bellore to be gone. Frankly surprised by them keeping Dee even if “cheap”. But he’s young and fast so one last prove it season as a returner.
Your "I've written a Seahawks newsletter every day for the last 5 years" article has been pinned up there for a week. I think everyone has read it now. Maybe you replace it? Thanks for all your articles and hard work. Although I am not sure if we have seen a Clark post recently?
I didn't even know anyone was checking the front page! haha. I pinned it for anybody who was coming to Seaside Joe for the first time, but thank you for reminding me as I would have definitely (did) forgotten.
I have nothing against Nick as a person, i'm sure he's lovely. However as a football player, i could not fathom why Pete loved him so much, or why we were paying him so much. This move makes me far more happy than the cuts of big money busts like Adams or the lost case of Diggs or the farewell to Uncle Will. Goddamn this feels good, we are truly in a new era of 'Hawks football and i cannot be more excited!
Actually for multiple reasons Nick was appreciated. First the respect for the 3rd element of the game. Bellore was very good and blocking and tackling (Adams could’ve learned from him). Second, depth. Carroll liked extra DBs extra DLine. By keeping versatile Bellore at backup LB and FB, he could keep other players. One of the key reasons Hawks for more than years only retained 2 QBs. Why waste bench space.
Staton is having a cow over supposed negligence that left Schneider with almost no cap room prior to the cuts. My take is that almost every team sooner or later winds up having to make cuts, and that in the event Seattle didn’t cut anyone they wanted to retain. Admittedly, that every team winds up in this boat sooner or later is supposition on my part. Seaside, what do you think about this?
The amount top performing players get paid compared to the middle of the pack plus teams tendencies to give contracts where pay escalates drastically over the last couple of seasons of their duration seems to almost guarantee most teams will have to do this at some point.
I can see why MM might be interested in Williams who has shown some positional flexibility along the DL. I noted SSJ's stats on run D before/after Williams was added and there was not much change, but put him on the field with everyone healthy in MM's scheme and it could be a much different story. Williams' "want to" was apparant when he was on the field.
Now, maybe his "want to" won't be as apparent regarding his money in contract negotiations... hoping it is a "want to stay" at a fair price, and not a "want to get the biggest bag in the league"
Yeah, I agree. "Interested in signing him" does not (hopefully) mean "at any cost." The problem is that with the cap going up by more than the expected amount all the FAs are likely seeing $$$.
Yep. So, now is the time for JS to be disciplined and stick to his valuations for the players... there are a lot of "it would be nice to have him"s that he needs to make fair offers to. That way, he can hold a bit in the pocket if he feels like he can land a difference maker for a little more. Now, idk who exactly that would be in FA, though. Maybe Frankie Luvu or a couple of other guys that SSJ targeted recently in his articles.
It kinda surprised me that JS wants to continue the Eskridge Exgerience at any cost (and who knows, he may not make the roster), and the Lockett restructure *and salary guarantee* was a bit surprising also, but maybe Grubb's scheme will be able to make the most of Lockett. JSN and DK will clearly be the primary targets and when you look at the salary Lockett is getting for a WR3 it seems like an overpay to me.
Maybe not an overpay for a WR2, though? Idk. His salary is already on the books, now his cap hit is way lower. So, I don't have a huge problem with it, especially now that we are about to lose all 3 TEs.
Yeah, I was suprised by the Dee (that's what she said), but idk where his body is now. Maybe it took him this long to really put his injuries behind him, and his test #s look better than they have? We'll see. I, like you i'm sure, was expecting him to cut Dee and go WR in the draft once or twice, at least. Maybe he sees him as more valuable with the new proposed kickoff rules pushing more returns?
Can we officially declare SSJ/KA the Nostradamus of Seahawks contract actions yet?
Bravo, Kenneth!
👏👍😀
Maybe once a year I'll do a "Joestradamus" article for all that will happen in the next 12 months
It wouldn't surprise me if Nick does retire. If he isn't planning on retiring, he should have accepted whatever offer the Seahawks made, as I don't think he'll get much more than league minimum as a 35 year old special teams player. Since he wasn't released in the initial wave, they must have given him a reduced salary offer, otherwise why the delay?
I would be quite happy if the Seahawks sat out the first few days of free agency. If 2024 is to be a formative year, don't spend to the cap, and let whatever you don't spend rollover into 2025, when the time might be better to be a bit more aggressive.
The more I look at this draft, the more I can see John trading down in the 1st round. Maybe multiple times. There are some really solid prospects in the 30 thru 100 range, that I'm not sure are much of a drop off from what will be there from 15 to 30. Offensive Tackle would be the exception, as that seems to drop off precipitously after the first round. But safety, d-line, centre/guard, and WR have depth especially. QB is the only reason I would see John stick and pick, if his guy is there. The draft will be really interesting.
First - congrats on the predictions. 2nd putting the pieces together I suspect John made an offer to Nick for something close to the veteran’s minimum and Nick turned him down. Lockett on the other hand new contract is likely better than what he would get from another team in the league if released. It is a deep draft for receivers but I doubt the Seahawks will be focused on receivers. Third it looks like the Seahawks picked a good year to release safeties because the free agent market is getting flooded with them.
I see Dee getting cut after 1 week of trading camp after his first hang nail injury. Him and Collier are the 1 worst recent picks ever
2 worst picks and training camp
I liked "trading camp"...maybe that will be the NFL's next innovation to drive off-season interest. 😉
Ken, I look forward to your emails every day and appreciate your insights!You are the foremost authority on the Hawks and I trust your opinion more than any other writer out there. Thanks for shooting straight with us less involved fans!
Thanks, Brendan!
Ooooohhhhh. Giveaway??!!
Sounds exciting.
Posted just after this came out, and not surprising “According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, "Wagner is expected to test the market, and it's currently viewed as unlikely that he returns to the Seahawks."”. Definitely expected Bellore to be gone. Frankly surprised by them keeping Dee even if “cheap”. But he’s young and fast so one last prove it season as a returner.
Your "I've written a Seahawks newsletter every day for the last 5 years" article has been pinned up there for a week. I think everyone has read it now. Maybe you replace it? Thanks for all your articles and hard work. Although I am not sure if we have seen a Clark post recently?
I didn't even know anyone was checking the front page! haha. I pinned it for anybody who was coming to Seaside Joe for the first time, but thank you for reminding me as I would have definitely (did) forgotten.
YYEEEEESSSSS!!!!!
I have nothing against Nick as a person, i'm sure he's lovely. However as a football player, i could not fathom why Pete loved him so much, or why we were paying him so much. This move makes me far more happy than the cuts of big money busts like Adams or the lost case of Diggs or the farewell to Uncle Will. Goddamn this feels good, we are truly in a new era of 'Hawks football and i cannot be more excited!
Actually for multiple reasons Nick was appreciated. First the respect for the 3rd element of the game. Bellore was very good and blocking and tackling (Adams could’ve learned from him). Second, depth. Carroll liked extra DBs extra DLine. By keeping versatile Bellore at backup LB and FB, he could keep other players. One of the key reasons Hawks for more than years only retained 2 QBs. Why waste bench space.
Staton is having a cow over supposed negligence that left Schneider with almost no cap room prior to the cuts. My take is that almost every team sooner or later winds up having to make cuts, and that in the event Seattle didn’t cut anyone they wanted to retain. Admittedly, that every team winds up in this boat sooner or later is supposition on my part. Seaside, what do you think about this?
The amount top performing players get paid compared to the middle of the pack plus teams tendencies to give contracts where pay escalates drastically over the last couple of seasons of their duration seems to almost guarantee most teams will have to do this at some point.
I can see why MM might be interested in Williams who has shown some positional flexibility along the DL. I noted SSJ's stats on run D before/after Williams was added and there was not much change, but put him on the field with everyone healthy in MM's scheme and it could be a much different story. Williams' "want to" was apparant when he was on the field.
Now, maybe his "want to" won't be as apparent regarding his money in contract negotiations... hoping it is a "want to stay" at a fair price, and not a "want to get the biggest bag in the league"
Yeah, I agree. "Interested in signing him" does not (hopefully) mean "at any cost." The problem is that with the cap going up by more than the expected amount all the FAs are likely seeing $$$.
Yep. So, now is the time for JS to be disciplined and stick to his valuations for the players... there are a lot of "it would be nice to have him"s that he needs to make fair offers to. That way, he can hold a bit in the pocket if he feels like he can land a difference maker for a little more. Now, idk who exactly that would be in FA, though. Maybe Frankie Luvu or a couple of other guys that SSJ targeted recently in his articles.
It kinda surprised me that JS wants to continue the Eskridge Exgerience at any cost (and who knows, he may not make the roster), and the Lockett restructure *and salary guarantee* was a bit surprising also, but maybe Grubb's scheme will be able to make the most of Lockett. JSN and DK will clearly be the primary targets and when you look at the salary Lockett is getting for a WR3 it seems like an overpay to me.
Maybe not an overpay for a WR2, though? Idk. His salary is already on the books, now his cap hit is way lower. So, I don't have a huge problem with it, especially now that we are about to lose all 3 TEs.
Yeah, I was suprised by the Dee (that's what she said), but idk where his body is now. Maybe it took him this long to really put his injuries behind him, and his test #s look better than they have? We'll see. I, like you i'm sure, was expecting him to cut Dee and go WR in the draft once or twice, at least. Maybe he sees him as more valuable with the new proposed kickoff rules pushing more returns?