I've been waiting for this one since the O version. It did not disappoint. Busy last several days and I'm behind on SSJ articles, but this was the one I was hoping for! I'll comment more when I get caught up. Missing 4 days of this Substack is like Lucille Ball working the chocolate factory assembly lime!
Looking at the defensive needs is just depressing. One offense the obvious needs is IOL and the medium term need is QB. Even with those needs - the expectation is the offense will be average. One can squint and see with a hit on an interior offensive lineman and a return to good health of Cross and Abrams the development of Bradford to low average replacement level and decent play out of the winner of the center battle a top 5 offense primed for a new QB to succeed in 2025. On defense they were one of the worst defenses in the NFL and have one year rentals all over the place. It is difficult to see how the defense improved personnel wise. Based on all of that, it is easy to see the Kenneth’s progression of from offensive tackle, to defensive player to yikes the Seahawks have got to trade down and hit on their picks.
How much will new coaches get out of current players...? We may be looking at this defense very differently in 6-7 months. If Mac can get the most out of the guys we already have then we could be better off than many might think.
I'm still weary about most of our defense. I might be a little harder on Riq, J Reed, Nwosu and Dre Jones not to mention Taylor and most of our reserves. If our starters go down, I am scared to death to see our backups take the lead (One reason I am advocating taking a RB at some point. If K9 goes down, we are not the same team - and I love Charbonnet, but he's no K9). If Spoon goes down...our CB group scares me a little. If any LB goes down, I don't like the options behind them as much. If our SS goes down we are looking at Coby Bryant? Big Cat goes down....oh boy. See where I'm going with this?
We don't need backups, we need game changing difference makers regardless of where they play (minus specialists) IMO, the best way to get this is to draft fewer players and draft higher rather than lower, but we'll see what happens.
I have been thinking about different ways to think about players. For example, you've probably seen articles trying to identify who might be a potential All Pro or Pro Bowler or whatnot. What about this...who would you really not like to see the Rams draft? or the Niners? I saw a mock where Penix went to the Rams and I got so mad thinking about Penix potentially scorching us for a decade. SO.. now I am fixated on who I would hate to see go the Rams or Niners.
I have also been more focused on combinations of players and what that might look like. It's fun to think about what different OL and DL and CB and EDGE or DE combos could be created to make headaches for others.
Great article, I was looking forward to this one. It's a good way to really examine the team and try to assess the draft and what may happen.
“Woolen was benched…” for something like one series before the coaches got cold feet. Riq was not the biggest problem on the 2023 defense by any stretch of the imagination.
Seems Big Morris was showing a lot of promise before he was injured out. I expect we will see some impressive effort in this sophomore year, especially knowing Mack has already coached him. My concern is with Woolen and why he had such a down year after impressing us as a rookie. That Pete reluctantly benched him doesn't speak well for why he got so shy and slow. Let's hope the coaching change is what was needed.
I think they want Verse at #16, but they don't think he'll be there.
Whoever they pick at DB should clue us in on their plans for Spoon. If they get a nickel/safety guy early (DeJean/Sainristil) we're gonna see Spoon outside and a lot less Brown/Jackson. If they get a guy like Wiggins, then maybe Spoon just gets to redefine the position and value of what a slot CB can do. I'll be a bit shocked if they pick an outside CB early. I say this with an unwavering faith in Woolen as a solid CB, at worst.
The final result of my reading this article is that we will draft OL, maybe after a trade down. Maybe they fall in love with a DB, and maybe they crowd up the Edge room, but a T/G makes more sense when taking into account the actual players. Then the deep, deeeeeeep, tackles in this draft makes it more likely we will take one of them from a value standpoint. But guessing is a crap shoot. More so this year than in recent years. Good luck trying to guess.
I wonder if using # of DL currently on the roster may be working against our attempts to predict the picks. We need better run defense, 💯! Seems like JS saying "BPA" should steer us away from specific positions, but maybe not away from team areas of improvement needed. I can totally see us going DL or Edge if they think a prospect there who could be special. I really think we could draft those 2 spots (or 2DL) and end up with just an overall badass front 7 that MM can scheme behind. If someone isn't good enough to make the team, then so be it.
We have enough players to field a team at every position. It now comes down to whom we can add that will give MM the ability to improve the most in those deficient areas (run def, pass rush, 3rd down efficiency, DB, OL, & TE are the ones I see in the order of how I see them) vs. which guy has the best chance of being a star, regardless of position.
On the DL we have yet to see Mike Morris, MICH alum, on the field yet but MM will know what to do with him assuming he is ready to go. If DeJean gets drafted it will be because MM wants him to be a safety. Jerrick Reed I think has got very good potential as a FS if he is healthy also. Overall I think the biggest need going into the draft is to find a stud ILB to develop while the rentals play this year. Unless JS acquires more draft capital I don't see Junior Colson being available in range for the Seahawks to draft him (late second).
Think we have to lay off corners and DL, just because of who's already on the roster and under contract. But yeah, safety and LB for sure we should bolster -- I like Cole Bishop, Payton Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper, Junior Colson and Calen Bullock. If we could get 3 of these 5 (with trade-downs), I'd be very happy (am assuming Cooper DeJean isn't possible if we trade down and have an oppty to get Graham Barton with our first pick, wherever it is)
I've been waiting for this one since the O version. It did not disappoint. Busy last several days and I'm behind on SSJ articles, but this was the one I was hoping for! I'll comment more when I get caught up. Missing 4 days of this Substack is like Lucille Ball working the chocolate factory assembly lime!
If it lets me. Idk how to upload a pic
This is a good read..... https://www.seahawks.com/news/leadership-lessons-coaching-philosophies-shared-by-new-seahawks-coach-mike-macdonald. If this team looks anything like what he describes, I am all in.
*Gerard Way voice*
I'M NOT OKKKKAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY
Defensively , another big guy on the line and more LB's- On O ,everybody knows what they need , I would think.
Looking at the defensive needs is just depressing. One offense the obvious needs is IOL and the medium term need is QB. Even with those needs - the expectation is the offense will be average. One can squint and see with a hit on an interior offensive lineman and a return to good health of Cross and Abrams the development of Bradford to low average replacement level and decent play out of the winner of the center battle a top 5 offense primed for a new QB to succeed in 2025. On defense they were one of the worst defenses in the NFL and have one year rentals all over the place. It is difficult to see how the defense improved personnel wise. Based on all of that, it is easy to see the Kenneth’s progression of from offensive tackle, to defensive player to yikes the Seahawks have got to trade down and hit on their picks.
How much will new coaches get out of current players...? We may be looking at this defense very differently in 6-7 months. If Mac can get the most out of the guys we already have then we could be better off than many might think.
I'm still weary about most of our defense. I might be a little harder on Riq, J Reed, Nwosu and Dre Jones not to mention Taylor and most of our reserves. If our starters go down, I am scared to death to see our backups take the lead (One reason I am advocating taking a RB at some point. If K9 goes down, we are not the same team - and I love Charbonnet, but he's no K9). If Spoon goes down...our CB group scares me a little. If any LB goes down, I don't like the options behind them as much. If our SS goes down we are looking at Coby Bryant? Big Cat goes down....oh boy. See where I'm going with this?
We don't need backups, we need game changing difference makers regardless of where they play (minus specialists) IMO, the best way to get this is to draft fewer players and draft higher rather than lower, but we'll see what happens.
I have been thinking about different ways to think about players. For example, you've probably seen articles trying to identify who might be a potential All Pro or Pro Bowler or whatnot. What about this...who would you really not like to see the Rams draft? or the Niners? I saw a mock where Penix went to the Rams and I got so mad thinking about Penix potentially scorching us for a decade. SO.. now I am fixated on who I would hate to see go the Rams or Niners.
I have also been more focused on combinations of players and what that might look like. It's fun to think about what different OL and DL and CB and EDGE or DE combos could be created to make headaches for others.
Great article, I was looking forward to this one. It's a good way to really examine the team and try to assess the draft and what may happen.
“Woolen was benched…” for something like one series before the coaches got cold feet. Riq was not the biggest problem on the 2023 defense by any stretch of the imagination.
Seems Big Morris was showing a lot of promise before he was injured out. I expect we will see some impressive effort in this sophomore year, especially knowing Mack has already coached him. My concern is with Woolen and why he had such a down year after impressing us as a rookie. That Pete reluctantly benched him doesn't speak well for why he got so shy and slow. Let's hope the coaching change is what was needed.
I think they want Verse at #16, but they don't think he'll be there.
Whoever they pick at DB should clue us in on their plans for Spoon. If they get a nickel/safety guy early (DeJean/Sainristil) we're gonna see Spoon outside and a lot less Brown/Jackson. If they get a guy like Wiggins, then maybe Spoon just gets to redefine the position and value of what a slot CB can do. I'll be a bit shocked if they pick an outside CB early. I say this with an unwavering faith in Woolen as a solid CB, at worst.
Congrats Mr. McFamous!
Yay Shaymus!
The final result of my reading this article is that we will draft OL, maybe after a trade down. Maybe they fall in love with a DB, and maybe they crowd up the Edge room, but a T/G makes more sense when taking into account the actual players. Then the deep, deeeeeeep, tackles in this draft makes it more likely we will take one of them from a value standpoint. But guessing is a crap shoot. More so this year than in recent years. Good luck trying to guess.
I wonder if using # of DL currently on the roster may be working against our attempts to predict the picks. We need better run defense, 💯! Seems like JS saying "BPA" should steer us away from specific positions, but maybe not away from team areas of improvement needed. I can totally see us going DL or Edge if they think a prospect there who could be special. I really think we could draft those 2 spots (or 2DL) and end up with just an overall badass front 7 that MM can scheme behind. If someone isn't good enough to make the team, then so be it.
We have enough players to field a team at every position. It now comes down to whom we can add that will give MM the ability to improve the most in those deficient areas (run def, pass rush, 3rd down efficiency, DB, OL, & TE are the ones I see in the order of how I see them) vs. which guy has the best chance of being a star, regardless of position.
Man, I'm excited about the glasses! How to I contact you directly? Is there an email address I can write to?
Congrats Shamus!
Thanks to Seaside Jay. I hope your fingers are ok. Maybe a shouted manicure is in order for her Joe?
On the DL we have yet to see Mike Morris, MICH alum, on the field yet but MM will know what to do with him assuming he is ready to go. If DeJean gets drafted it will be because MM wants him to be a safety. Jerrick Reed I think has got very good potential as a FS if he is healthy also. Overall I think the biggest need going into the draft is to find a stud ILB to develop while the rentals play this year. Unless JS acquires more draft capital I don't see Junior Colson being available in range for the Seahawks to draft him (late second).
Think we have to lay off corners and DL, just because of who's already on the roster and under contract. But yeah, safety and LB for sure we should bolster -- I like Cole Bishop, Payton Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper, Junior Colson and Calen Bullock. If we could get 3 of these 5 (with trade-downs), I'd be very happy (am assuming Cooper DeJean isn't possible if we trade down and have an oppty to get Graham Barton with our first pick, wherever it is)