25 Comments

I think Lock is going to be okay. The rookie RB is going to be special and the defense will be better. 24 pts. per game, 11-6 record. Wild Card (why not?).

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Well I think Pete Carroll will be hoping that Lock truly outplays Geno, over the next few months. Lock will need that time. If Geno starts and plays the season we are looking at 6 and 11. If Lock clearly understans the offense and he starts, we could go 9 and 8. This is predicated on a defense that finishes 15 th or better. I will also add I think Seattle already has their future center in Lewis if they so choose. I think Blythe is a good player who was up against a star rookie center. In a case like that you are always going to start the rookie. From everything I have read about Abe Lucas he will do fine. Not forgetting the fact the Curan showed talent in run blocking. If Lucas has an injury or is slow to develop, you can always give him help, in the form of Will Dizzly or Noha Fant chips before he runs his pattern.

Just to finish on Lock if he does win the starting job, Pete Carroll will fill him with self confidence. Lock can run and run well, he is not the scrambler Wilson was, few are, I am reaching back for this comparison, but the only scrambler i can remember, that compared to Wilson is Fran Tarkington. If I could caution Pete Carroll on anything it would be don't get Lock so worried about turnovers he freezes. I am trying to be optimistic because Lock is not Russell Wilson, but he can run well and he does throw a good long ball. One area there maybe an improvement is the short to intermediate passes over the middle. It's just a theory but I think Russ had a hard time seeing some of those patterns was due to his height or lack there of. I always felt with Russ under center, he could over come adversity and pull a victory out of thin air.

Ken I really enjoyed your column today because after this draft, I feel we will be contending almost certainly no later than next year. Victoria Chris

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I don't know enough about the teams in the division or on the rest of the schedule to predict a specific number of wins but the 'Hawks will be better than they were last year. What I'm really hoping for is a historic implosion by Denver.

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I like this plan. QB and C next year. Maybe start tinkering with the D-line. I'm hoping for 7-10 this year with less than 7 wins being disappointing and anything more than 7 being a bonus. We've got some nice pieces and should not fear anybody. Expect growing pains but respect the process!

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L tack L e is USUALLY the priority un L ess a short out of nowhere scramb L ing QB beats out a L ong time Hawk and a trade AGAIN creating a 5 hockey stick (o) L ine change . THEN it is RT ! ( L ucas )

L ouisiana L afayette L efty L evi L ewis. L o L ( vs L ock )

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I wish him well.

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Hated reading this

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That is a great question. When I was writing before, in my mind both offense and defense were at the same level with their growth expectations, because of all the expected personnel changes. I'm hoping the offense can shine sooner than later because that's where the excitement will come from the most. But, I think the 'D' will have more impact at first, which in turn will give the offense more opportunity to gain the needed reps together for their growth. Ha Ha, this is just hope upon hope and my excitement for seeing this 'new' Seahawk team of ours perform.

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People might be sleeping on the defense.

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I like the QB being a player on the team and not the whole team/focus. Most QBs at the pro level put in the right situation can win. Lock has the skill set to be successful, but we're not sure about the winning mindset. That's what sets the good ones apart. Can they make that one or two plays at crunch time.

That's why 3rd down efficiency is important because it shows a QB (or defense that can get off the field) having important wins throughout the game. I recall somewhere hearing Lock did pretty good at that (?). I don't remember Wilson being that great in that category.

If the line allows Lock room to be 'comfortable,' he can win, especially because he'll be working off play action and a solid running game giving manageable 2nd and 3rd down doable yardage.

Two good-to-great sack masters can equal a great QB as well.

There's more than one way to win.

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*I interpret the Lock video as Waldron saying (and meaning) that “there is something to work with” using body language that conveyed “but let’s temper our expectations.”

*PCJS were never going to use the centerpiece of the RW trade on an RT, either at #9 or by trading down. If the temptation was there, this may be one time when they decided that dealing with the fallout wasn’t worth it.

*There’s a decent chance that Jackson won’t make it out of training camp. He was nothing special; Ray Roberts says that he didn’t see the same player last year as he saw on tape the year before.

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Agreed. I think they really did like him coming out of college, and he would have been the top pick in this year's draft; and, he has 3 years experience already!

Plus, he's working with Fant with whom he already has timing, and the cupboard isn't bare. There's a running game, nice receivers, a good coordinator--and hopefully a solid offensive line, with a new coordinator there.

I don't think there's a 'rebuild' mentality at the VMac

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Gotta go with Russ. Might be a better year than we expect?

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I am excited to watch our new Seahawks team! First half of the season will exhibit growing pains with flashes of promise. The second half we should see the growth taking place and we will end up with confidence for the future. Thus: 7&9

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That would be great. I also hope we don't just lay down in the division, but get some cool wins like we did last year (swept the 9ners, stepped on the Cards when they were down in their house!)

What do you see with the bigger learning curve, offense or defense?

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This write up and the Twitter cut-up showed Lock's possibilites and strengths. I'd appreciate a follow-up piece that explains why he failed in Denver. A QB is responsible for a three to four game swing in the season record. If the Hawks can get close to average QB play then it's probably a 8-9 or 9-8 record but if Lock/Smith are below average NFL starters then it's likely a 6-11 season. If Russ was still here and the offseason changes were the same this could be 12-5 team. Russ would get us into the playoffs but likely not much beyond. Frankly, I was kinda done with the prima-donna act and I'm excited about the rebuild.

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It’s going to be a long wait until training camp and this is a daily newsletter, so the Lock write ups are coming eventually. It would still be a historical change of scenery if Lock makes people cross off QB as a need in 2023. Historical. And if his ceiling is Kirk cousins or Derek carr, no thank you.

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I accept the argument that between COVID, Lock faced unique challenges that a change of scene might address. Given the 2022 draft class, it’s worth finding out.

I’m with Seaside re the ceiling. Some think that Carroll will take a warm body at QB as long as it doesn’t throw interceptions. But Carroll’s model QB, which he has said many times, is Bart Starr, and Starr is an HOFer. Also, despite the relative focus on the run, Carroll is not stuck in the 70s—his offenses pass much more than Mike Holmgren’s did. Anyway, you can’t consistently go deep into the playoffs without a top-flight QB. I doubt this comes as a surprise to Pete Carroll.

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And let's not forget that fans still have to WATCH football games and frankly, this sport is most fun when you have a GREAT quarterback. Not a good one surrounded by good players. You want to be good and maybe get 2-3 playoff wins over 10 years, go find yourself a Derek Carr. You want to enjoy Sundays, call sick to work, bury yourself in excitement over what happens next week or next season... then you need a Russ or a Mahomes or an Allen. While settle for mediocrity--this is your ENTERTAINMENT!

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But Ken, if you have a tough defense with a run identity offense, is a QB focal point really needed to be entertaining football?

I remember the '92 Huskies where I couldn't wait for the defense to take the field.

The championship Hawks' identity was more Marshawn and LOB than Russell.

And what if Drew gets with DK and is closer to Hebert or HurrieBurrows than Carr/Tannehill.

I know I'm reaching, but in sports stuff can happen...that's why we watch.

But I don't think Lock's career is determined yet.

I'll be willing by games 6-8 to say that's who he is though

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I encourage you to want what you want!

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I just remember Goff game , never throwing deep , ball out quickly on third step consuming clock. Burrows the same way . Plays designed to be quick and protect the QB. Wilson rarely released on the 3rd step ( usually pulling it down ) without much feel post snap for the short middle routes. Moon, outlet or scramble. Fun to watch eats little clock then CLEO shows up!

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Maybe Lock can be that guy. Foles was just released, and he came into Seattle last year and did just that as the Bears beat the Hawks/Wilson in the snow

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If Lock can be Cousins or Carr, it would mean less pressure to start the 2023-drafted QB too soon. A good bridge QB is a nice thing to have.

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I'm not saying I expect Lock to be the answer, I just want to understand how much of a chance he was given and what the coaching was like during his stay in Denver. I wonder if you'd say the same thing about Derek Carr if he were under the tutelege of Kyle Shanahan for the last five years. Coaching matters and systems matter. Kurt Warner wasn't a blueblood QB but he was in an innovative system that fit is talents and was surrounded by great talent. I think teams get caught up in wanting a superstar QB at the expense of building a team. Murray, Jackson, Wilson, Rogers... are they team players?

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