I don’t know if Milroe will ever be good, but I still think it was a good pick. The Hawks have probably drafted too few QBs over the years and he was a classic low risk possible high reward pick.
My preference would be either more plays for him, or none. One every other game doesn’t give him a chance to get any feel for the game. He can even be on field with Darnold as possible receiver, blocker, wildcat, etc.
Don't want to say anything negative about Jalen Milroe, or the pick which I pretty much love as a totally worthwhile shot at a lottery ticket which the Seahawks have not done enough of at the QB position, and the headline of the article is a genuine question based on the question asked of his useage on Sundays. Simply as it reads, "Should Jalen be inactive?" is the question, and not a statement. If the Seahawks run a play for Milroe in Week 6, that's perfectly fine. I can see how it would result in a big gain at some point.
All that being said, because we don't have to talk about him very often I think it's easy to forget how bad he was at Alabama just a year ago. Was he "bad" in the sense that he should have never been on the field in college? No, he started at Alabama. By definition that means you're a very special football player. Unfortunately a lot of elite "football players" who were the best ballers in the history of their school or their disctrict or even their state, can't play quarterback above the HS or college levels. Just using Tim Tebow as the most famous example. Historically great college football player, historically terrible NFL quarterback.
Milroe's game could improve from today to 2027 enough for him to be a starting QB. That's all well and good. But I think it's worth a short reminder how bad he was as a passer in college and historically one of the least accurate college QBs in the history of the draft. And then you might say, "Well, how good is Alabama for a QB though? And how good is Kalen DeBoer for an Alabama QB?? Maybe that's the problem!" Hey maybe.
But Milroe was a second-year starter who really struggled in 2024. Now Ty Simpson replaces him after an offeseason competition against 2 or 3 other QBs after 3 years on the bench and he's one of the Heisman frontrunners. In games against Florida state, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Vanderbilt, Simpson has 10 touchdowns and 1 INT. He is completing 70% of his passes and he only has one interception on the year. With much of the same in place, a much less regarded QB prospect has vastly outplayed Milroe to this point.
All of that is a longwinded way of saying that we can't stop tempering our expectations of Jalen Milroe just because he's on the bench. The idea that he's going to later down the line come into a game and be a hero (and I'm ALL FOR THAT) is still as crazy as Salk asking Mike Macdonald if Darnold's job was in danger after one tepid practice with the team. The fact is that even if you call a pass for Milroe and the receiver is wide open, he still might miss it. He missed Kenneth Walker and he was 3 feet away from him.
No disrespect to Milroe or the draft pick at all, and I'm excited to see his growth and where it goes from here. On the sides of where I lean, I'm going to stick with "he still needs to do a lot of work to prove that he belongs behind a center in the NFL". Even for one play.
This is where I am at as well. So far, Milroe's play has been a liability versus benefit. If Milroe was a credible passing theater I could possibly see some upside, but I am not seeing it at this point. Right now, I feel he is just killing the rhythm of the offense. I could be wrong.
My opinion is it is better to spend time developing his fundamentals and maybe let him in for a few series for mop up duty. I really like Milroe as a person and hope he develops into a good player. I would like to see him on this team long term.
This is easy for me...Milroe not ready yet. He is our emergency quarterback that we develop over time and with more reps he will continue to develop if his confidence isn't crushed by using him the current way.
Milroe can provide a great function as a decoy, special play person as he’s doing. It forces a team to spend some prep time on his package… I might have him come in as a receiver, then go no-huddle the next play with Darnold leaving and a receiver coming in… no time to really adjust, then have Milroe work a specialty package. It is a great idea and forces them to WASTE TIME preparing for it even if you don’t come back to it
I guess I just think that if I'm an NFL defensive coordinator and the Seahawks pull off Darnold and put in Jalen Milroe and I haven't spent any time preparing for it during the week...I'm perfectly okay with that. At this time, with no prep for Milroe, I don't see him as a bigger threat than any play with Sam Darnold.
How many DCs weekly gameplan vs a possible wildcat formation? 0. They address it early on in camp in regards to what the plan is if they ever see it. Done.
Love the analytics answer! Thanks for the take on it, and I agree. It's so vogue right now to try to make very subjective, contingent decisions seem like simple math. I think you hit the nail on the head, Kenneth.
Don’t panic!! Combination of injured secondary and weak pass rush (they go together)… No pressure on Mayfield whose good receivers ran free..PANIC if we don’t do anything about it, don’t address it… It is fixable
One play a game is not enough for Milroe to learn anything, nor for us to learn anything about him. M Dugar suggested that until he throws a few strikes the D knows it’s a run. Especially on fourth and short. Either use him enough to get the rhythm of the game or sit him. Tho zi do see value in making opponents gameplan for thst one play.,,
Thank you for the answer on stats, and what you use. I may have access to Next Gen stats. Does it come with NFL+ premium? (I have that, but haven’t found the stats) Is it available on the NFL+ app?
You mention Hendrickson as a possibility. What about Max Crosby? I heard Rob Staton suggest him for the Hawks. I looked up his age, he’s 28, so younger than Hendrickson, and perhaps better against the run. He might cost more, but he’s under contract longer, I believe. I think we could offer Mafe or Chenna and a draft pick. I think it would take a solid player and a draft pick. The Raiders could be sellers if they lose again this weekend.
Side note. Posted about Hendrickson and BR second ranked tradeable player. Another on their top 10 list, tad cheaper, former first rounder, Kayvon Thibodeaux. Jaelan Phillips of the Dolphins playing on his 5th year option. But Hendrickson the deeper jobs (younger JLaw).
MM will take the entirety of the Milroe stunts and use it when least expected, as in: We REALLY need a boost right now. As it stands, I doubt anybody is dedicating any attention to countering anything he might bring. Yawn/stretch. Cool. Effectively lulled to sleep. The kid is good. Damn good. And now he is motivated to succeed or die trying. We can be certain the Guys are behind him, especially if it includes Ouzts.
Grant nailed it. Yes SJ, Milroe is being sent out for his .75 plays because eventually there will be 11 guys in the box. They will then do that play action, Cooper Kupp deep downfield, wide open by a country mile, TD from Milroe. OCs run plays to setup other plays. Grant beat me to it. Just watch. Play action Cooper Kupp. 60 yards down field. Boom
That's fine, but I don't think that there's much proof that you needed to run an RPO or three straight runs up the middle in order for that to happen. If it can be predicted on a message board, it can be predicted by the 49ers.
I know that. I was being facetious. I even used your stat about number of plays and picked the slowest receiver possibly in the NFL, as the deep ball recipient. Just a little levity. Defending Milroe and JS for the pick, but not the usage.
Are you suggesting that Kyle Shanahan knows more about offensive football strategy than your readers? Absurd!
You make a lot of really good points in your response to my original question/statement. I have to agree that putting Milroe out there to setup some future trick play is probably unnecessary. Maybe it's more about seeing how defenses react to the simple stuff to help KK refine his Milroe package playbook. I don't know. There has got to be some good reason for putting him out there and I'm trying to stubbornly counter the anti-Milroe vibe. I also don't really understand what they're trying to accomplish with these plays right now, but I'm hopeful that some good magic is brewing in the Milroe caldron. No experiment is worth giving up a turnover, but that's a low-risk pitch to a RB that probably worked 99 out of 100 times in practice. Still, a fumble on game day is a huge disappointment, especially in a game that you lost by 3 points. I'm not going to complain if Milroe spends the rest of the year as the emergency QB, but I'm still excited to see what happens if he's active on game-days.
It's ridiculous to me that some Seahawks fans (not you) are ready to trade/cut Milroe at this point in his career. That's just as much of an overreaction as fans suggesting he might start over Darnold during training camp.
Why is Milroe even on tha active roster taking up a spot? Maybe in 3 or 4 years, he might be good enough to be a back up QB.
I would like to know who we passed up to draft him? He sucked at Alabama! Thats hard to do with all the talent on that team. It seems to me that a lot of NFL teams are trying to find the next Lamar Jackson and failing. Lamar is one if a kind. The Hawks don't need to make the same mistake. Most so called " dual threat QBs " in college are good running backs playing QB. In the NFL, you need great passers who can run if needed. Outside of Jackson, the history of " dual threat " QBs in the NFL is a litany of failute.
Really? Years ago you say same about Darnold or Geno? Or GB with Love staying on active roster even though Rodgers wasn’t gone? Milroe was a freebie pick. Cost Seattle nothing. If he doesn’t grow with quality coaching so be it. He cost nothing. Let me learn. A ton of NFL players were just ok in college and took a bit of time to become good to decent in the NFL.
Saying he cost nothing is not true. He cost whatever else the Seahawks could have done with that pick used on him. Is his benefit more than than that cost? Maybe, but the cost wasn't zero. Please people stop saying he was free or cost nothing... It just isn't true!
Correct. The point of the “cost” is that it was not our pick anyway. Before the trades we didn’t have the extra picks. Thus, it was an opportunity that did not “cost” us one of our original end of season pick slots. End of year no extra pick available. Trade for a player we didn’t want to pay netted the pick. Geno let go, not traded, no pick. Thus, cost nothing. Every pick is as you note, but we had the pick to allow the opportunity to take a player who may eventually help. And, not a whole lot of 3rd and later picks have long careers anyway.
I swear to God, Mike MacDonald is making Klint call at least one Milroe play each game just to make the next weeks d-coordinator waste a whole bunch of practice time. To my untrained eye, he does not look explosive on the plays they've called for him. Tentative as hell. He's got to rip it when he gets in there. Full speed. He's not worth the active roster spot the way they are using him.
I like Crosby over Hendrickson. $5M in dead money for the Raiders next year is all, so easily movable, and I like his all around game better. If the Raiders lose to the Titans all bets are off.
There are eye, then stats people, and then there are stats, and then eye people. I'm an eye first, then stats person. The stat that matters most is win-loss record. We're 3-2 and could easily be 5-0, but woulda', shoulda', coulda' stuff is fools gold. In true Parcells fashion, you are what your record says you are.
Imagine Crosby playing with a group of guys in serious contention for a Super Bowl berth. He's obviously a guy thankful for The Job. Let's see how he does with some hopes and dreams within reach. My hat's off for his level of play with none of that. Whatever he brings, it will be contagious.
Joe, off topic. Any chance the Hawks would have interest in the Browns RG? Would he be way too pricy next year?
I don’t know if Milroe will ever be good, but I still think it was a good pick. The Hawks have probably drafted too few QBs over the years and he was a classic low risk possible high reward pick.
My preference would be either more plays for him, or none. One every other game doesn’t give him a chance to get any feel for the game. He can even be on field with Darnold as possible receiver, blocker, wildcat, etc.
Whack-O plays last weekend. Follow the links at the beginning of the story, No-E in the highlights again .
https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/1083985/jaguars-upset-chiefs-behind-2-hilarious-plays-on-monday-night-football
Don't want to say anything negative about Jalen Milroe, or the pick which I pretty much love as a totally worthwhile shot at a lottery ticket which the Seahawks have not done enough of at the QB position, and the headline of the article is a genuine question based on the question asked of his useage on Sundays. Simply as it reads, "Should Jalen be inactive?" is the question, and not a statement. If the Seahawks run a play for Milroe in Week 6, that's perfectly fine. I can see how it would result in a big gain at some point.
All that being said, because we don't have to talk about him very often I think it's easy to forget how bad he was at Alabama just a year ago. Was he "bad" in the sense that he should have never been on the field in college? No, he started at Alabama. By definition that means you're a very special football player. Unfortunately a lot of elite "football players" who were the best ballers in the history of their school or their disctrict or even their state, can't play quarterback above the HS or college levels. Just using Tim Tebow as the most famous example. Historically great college football player, historically terrible NFL quarterback.
Milroe's game could improve from today to 2027 enough for him to be a starting QB. That's all well and good. But I think it's worth a short reminder how bad he was as a passer in college and historically one of the least accurate college QBs in the history of the draft. And then you might say, "Well, how good is Alabama for a QB though? And how good is Kalen DeBoer for an Alabama QB?? Maybe that's the problem!" Hey maybe.
But Milroe was a second-year starter who really struggled in 2024. Now Ty Simpson replaces him after an offeseason competition against 2 or 3 other QBs after 3 years on the bench and he's one of the Heisman frontrunners. In games against Florida state, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Vanderbilt, Simpson has 10 touchdowns and 1 INT. He is completing 70% of his passes and he only has one interception on the year. With much of the same in place, a much less regarded QB prospect has vastly outplayed Milroe to this point.
All of that is a longwinded way of saying that we can't stop tempering our expectations of Jalen Milroe just because he's on the bench. The idea that he's going to later down the line come into a game and be a hero (and I'm ALL FOR THAT) is still as crazy as Salk asking Mike Macdonald if Darnold's job was in danger after one tepid practice with the team. The fact is that even if you call a pass for Milroe and the receiver is wide open, he still might miss it. He missed Kenneth Walker and he was 3 feet away from him.
No disrespect to Milroe or the draft pick at all, and I'm excited to see his growth and where it goes from here. On the sides of where I lean, I'm going to stick with "he still needs to do a lot of work to prove that he belongs behind a center in the NFL". Even for one play.
This is where I am at as well. So far, Milroe's play has been a liability versus benefit. If Milroe was a credible passing theater I could possibly see some upside, but I am not seeing it at this point. Right now, I feel he is just killing the rhythm of the offense. I could be wrong.
My opinion is it is better to spend time developing his fundamentals and maybe let him in for a few series for mop up duty. I really like Milroe as a person and hope he develops into a good player. I would like to see him on this team long term.
Side note...I would Def support a maxx Crosby deal...heck yeah...especially if we can offload some played out records from our roster.
Maxx Crosby is my number 1 get however, unfortunately, I don't think there is any possibility the Raiders trade their most popular player.
This is easy for me...Milroe not ready yet. He is our emergency quarterback that we develop over time and with more reps he will continue to develop if his confidence isn't crushed by using him the current way.
Milroe can provide a great function as a decoy, special play person as he’s doing. It forces a team to spend some prep time on his package… I might have him come in as a receiver, then go no-huddle the next play with Darnold leaving and a receiver coming in… no time to really adjust, then have Milroe work a specialty package. It is a great idea and forces them to WASTE TIME preparing for it even if you don’t come back to it
I guess I just think that if I'm an NFL defensive coordinator and the Seahawks pull off Darnold and put in Jalen Milroe and I haven't spent any time preparing for it during the week...I'm perfectly okay with that. At this time, with no prep for Milroe, I don't see him as a bigger threat than any play with Sam Darnold.
💯
How many DCs weekly gameplan vs a possible wildcat formation? 0. They address it early on in camp in regards to what the plan is if they ever see it. Done.
Love the analytics answer! Thanks for the take on it, and I agree. It's so vogue right now to try to make very subjective, contingent decisions seem like simple math. I think you hit the nail on the head, Kenneth.
Thank you!
Don’t panic!! Combination of injured secondary and weak pass rush (they go together)… No pressure on Mayfield whose good receivers ran free..PANIC if we don’t do anything about it, don’t address it… It is fixable
One play a game is not enough for Milroe to learn anything, nor for us to learn anything about him. M Dugar suggested that until he throws a few strikes the D knows it’s a run. Especially on fourth and short. Either use him enough to get the rhythm of the game or sit him. Tho zi do see value in making opponents gameplan for thst one play.,,
Thank you for the answer on stats, and what you use. I may have access to Next Gen stats. Does it come with NFL+ premium? (I have that, but haven’t found the stats) Is it available on the NFL+ app?
You mention Hendrickson as a possibility. What about Max Crosby? I heard Rob Staton suggest him for the Hawks. I looked up his age, he’s 28, so younger than Hendrickson, and perhaps better against the run. He might cost more, but he’s under contract longer, I believe. I think we could offer Mafe or Chenna and a draft pick. I think it would take a solid player and a draft pick. The Raiders could be sellers if they lose again this weekend.
If you have NFL+, you have next gen stats!
You get a few next gen stats for free.
Thanks, do far I’ve only been using it for the all 22 and to watch game replays. I’ll take a look at the stats section
Side note. Posted about Hendrickson and BR second ranked tradeable player. Another on their top 10 list, tad cheaper, former first rounder, Kayvon Thibodeaux. Jaelan Phillips of the Dolphins playing on his 5th year option. But Hendrickson the deeper jobs (younger JLaw).
MM will take the entirety of the Milroe stunts and use it when least expected, as in: We REALLY need a boost right now. As it stands, I doubt anybody is dedicating any attention to countering anything he might bring. Yawn/stretch. Cool. Effectively lulled to sleep. The kid is good. Damn good. And now he is motivated to succeed or die trying. We can be certain the Guys are behind him, especially if it includes Ouzts.
Grant nailed it. Yes SJ, Milroe is being sent out for his .75 plays because eventually there will be 11 guys in the box. They will then do that play action, Cooper Kupp deep downfield, wide open by a country mile, TD from Milroe. OCs run plays to setup other plays. Grant beat me to it. Just watch. Play action Cooper Kupp. 60 yards down field. Boom
That's fine, but I don't think that there's much proof that you needed to run an RPO or three straight runs up the middle in order for that to happen. If it can be predicted on a message board, it can be predicted by the 49ers.
I know that. I was being facetious. I even used your stat about number of plays and picked the slowest receiver possibly in the NFL, as the deep ball recipient. Just a little levity. Defending Milroe and JS for the pick, but not the usage.
Are you suggesting that Kyle Shanahan knows more about offensive football strategy than your readers? Absurd!
You make a lot of really good points in your response to my original question/statement. I have to agree that putting Milroe out there to setup some future trick play is probably unnecessary. Maybe it's more about seeing how defenses react to the simple stuff to help KK refine his Milroe package playbook. I don't know. There has got to be some good reason for putting him out there and I'm trying to stubbornly counter the anti-Milroe vibe. I also don't really understand what they're trying to accomplish with these plays right now, but I'm hopeful that some good magic is brewing in the Milroe caldron. No experiment is worth giving up a turnover, but that's a low-risk pitch to a RB that probably worked 99 out of 100 times in practice. Still, a fumble on game day is a huge disappointment, especially in a game that you lost by 3 points. I'm not going to complain if Milroe spends the rest of the year as the emergency QB, but I'm still excited to see what happens if he's active on game-days.
It's ridiculous to me that some Seahawks fans (not you) are ready to trade/cut Milroe at this point in his career. That's just as much of an overreaction as fans suggesting he might start over Darnold during training camp.
Exactly. Again with you on this one Grant. In addition, he was “free”. We got younger, cheaper at the position and free player essentially.
Why is Milroe even on tha active roster taking up a spot? Maybe in 3 or 4 years, he might be good enough to be a back up QB.
I would like to know who we passed up to draft him? He sucked at Alabama! Thats hard to do with all the talent on that team. It seems to me that a lot of NFL teams are trying to find the next Lamar Jackson and failing. Lamar is one if a kind. The Hawks don't need to make the same mistake. Most so called " dual threat QBs " in college are good running backs playing QB. In the NFL, you need great passers who can run if needed. Outside of Jackson, the history of " dual threat " QBs in the NFL is a litany of failute.
His Dad is a Marine. His Mom, Navy. He'll be good to go when the going gets gone.
Has to be on the 53 man roster. Yes can be made inactive/emergency QB, but has to be on 53. Goes to PS he gets poached.
Good@
Really? Years ago you say same about Darnold or Geno? Or GB with Love staying on active roster even though Rodgers wasn’t gone? Milroe was a freebie pick. Cost Seattle nothing. If he doesn’t grow with quality coaching so be it. He cost nothing. Let me learn. A ton of NFL players were just ok in college and took a bit of time to become good to decent in the NFL.
Saying he cost nothing is not true. He cost whatever else the Seahawks could have done with that pick used on him. Is his benefit more than than that cost? Maybe, but the cost wasn't zero. Please people stop saying he was free or cost nothing... It just isn't true!
Correct. The point of the “cost” is that it was not our pick anyway. Before the trades we didn’t have the extra picks. Thus, it was an opportunity that did not “cost” us one of our original end of season pick slots. End of year no extra pick available. Trade for a player we didn’t want to pay netted the pick. Geno let go, not traded, no pick. Thus, cost nothing. Every pick is as you note, but we had the pick to allow the opportunity to take a player who may eventually help. And, not a whole lot of 3rd and later picks have long careers anyway.
I swear to God, Mike MacDonald is making Klint call at least one Milroe play each game just to make the next weeks d-coordinator waste a whole bunch of practice time. To my untrained eye, he does not look explosive on the plays they've called for him. Tentative as hell. He's got to rip it when he gets in there. Full speed. He's not worth the active roster spot the way they are using him.
I like Crosby over Hendrickson. $5M in dead money for the Raiders next year is all, so easily movable, and I like his all around game better. If the Raiders lose to the Titans all bets are off.
There are eye, then stats people, and then there are stats, and then eye people. I'm an eye first, then stats person. The stat that matters most is win-loss record. We're 3-2 and could easily be 5-0, but woulda', shoulda', coulda' stuff is fools gold. In true Parcells fashion, you are what your record says you are.
I definitely got my eye and my stats on Maxx Crosby too
You, me and the 5 other teams with more cap space than the Seahawks, including SF.
Imagine Crosby playing with a group of guys in serious contention for a Super Bowl berth. He's obviously a guy thankful for The Job. Let's see how he does with some hopes and dreams within reach. My hat's off for his level of play with none of that. Whatever he brings, it will be contagious.
Why not a Milroe for Cosby trade?