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Seattle Seahawks News & Rumors

Seahawks Sign Three Picks, Finalize Draft Class

July 26th, 2022 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks entered the day with three unsigned draft picks, but they finished signing all of their rooks today. The team announced that they’ve signed second-round linebacker Boye Mafe, second-round running back Kenneth Walker III, and fourth-round defensive back Coby Bryant.

Mafe was selected with the No. 40 pick following a standout career at Minnesota. That includes a 2021 campaign where he compiled 26 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors. In Seattle, he should temporarily provide some depth behind the projected starting linebacker trio of Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, and Uchenna Nwosu.

Walker had a breakout season at Michigan in 2021, finishing with 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. That performance earned him a long list of awards, and the Seahawks ended up using the No. 41 pick on him, making Walker the second RB off the draft board. With Chris Carson retiring, the rookie will immediately see a role on Seattle’s offense alongside running back Rashaad Penny.

Bryant earned the Jim Thorpe award as college football’s top defensive back in 2021 after finishing with 34 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended in 14 games with Cincinnati. The Seahawks used the No. 109 pick on him, and he’ll provide some depth at cornerback.

With the signing, the Seahawks have signed their entire draft class:

Round 1: No. 9 (from Broncos) Charles Cross, OT (Mississippi State) (signed)
Round 2: No. 40 (from Broncos) Boye Mafe, DE (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 2: No. 41 Kenneth Walker III, RB (Michigan State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 72 Abraham Lucas, OT (Washington State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 109 (from Jets) Coby Bryant, CB (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5: No. 153 Tariq Woolen, CB (Texas-San Antonio) (signed)
Round 5: No. 158 (from Dolphins through Patriots and Chiefs): Tyreke Smith, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 229 Bo Melton, WR (Rutgers) (signed)
Round 7: No. 233 (from Vikings through Chiefs): Dareke Young, WR (Lenoir-Rhyne) (signed)

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22

July 26th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

D.K. Metcalf Reports To Training Camp

July 26th, 2022 at 6:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the few minicamp no-shows this year, D.K. Metcalf is part of the glut of high-profile receivers going into contract years. Metcalf took care of one piece of business Tuesday, returning to work.

The fourth-year wideout reported to training camp, Brady Henderson and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com note (on Twitter). Metcalf only incurred a fine in the $90K range for missing minicamp. Players are fined $40K per day for training camp absences.

Still, the CBA’s crackdown on holdouts — a measure which also includes, after barely a week’s worth of absences, stripping a year of service time toward free agency — has left the door open to the “hold-in” tactic. Metcalf could follow Jamal Adams and Duane Brown‘s lead by not working out with his teammates once at practices. Adams staged his “hold-in” last year but returned to the field after receiving a then-safety-record contract extension. Metcalf is not expected to receive a record-setting wideout deal, but it would not surprise if he followed Adams’ path and watched workouts.

Metcalf’s decision to skip minicamp surprised some in the organization, but both Metcalf and Pete Carroll have expressed optimism about an extension being finalized. Though, this process is not expected to be wrapped up early in camp. Late last month, a report emerged indicating a Metcalf deal “hardly seemed like a slam dunk.” GM John Schneider noted earlier this offseason how much the new wide receiver market — one that now features Metcalf college teammate and fellow 2019 Day 2 draftee A.J. Brown attached to a $25MM-per-year deal — has changed the game for teams. The new market, which also has seen 2019 Day 2 pick Terry McLaurin sign a $23MM-per-year deal, has put the Seahawks to a rather key decision.

How the post-Russell Wilson Seahawks, a team that used one of the more run-oriented attacks before Wilson’s exit, proceed here will be one of the top storylines to follow between now and Week 1.

Seahawks RB Chris Carson Retires

July 26th, 2022 at 2:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this offseason, it came out that Chris Carson‘s playing days may very well be over. Today, that fear has been confirmed, as Carson is retiring from the NFL at the age of 27 (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). 

Carson was limited to just four games this season as a result of a neck injury. It was the latest in a long list of issues preventing him from playing a full season in any of his five NFL seasons, all spent in Seattle. In June, head coach Pete Carroll indicated that the injury severely threated Carson’s ability to play again.

As Rapoport notes, the Seahawks are officially releasing Carson (who has one non-void year remaining on his contract) with a failed physical designation. Doing so will allow him to receive injury protection benefits, just as they have done previously with the likes of Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor. While that news will certainly help Carson financially, today is nevertheless the unfortunate end of his NFL career.

The five-year veteran, who signed a two-year deal worth $10.4MM in March 2021, will still collect $2MM from the Seahawks via injury protection, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets. The Seahawks will be hit with $1.2MM of that cost on their 2022 salary cap.

Then, earlier this month, Carson expressed his intentions of working to get back on the field in spite of the long odds. “I see myself playing until I feel like stopping,” he said. “My mindset is never to give up, so I’m staying positive like I said, and [will] continue to fight and get back onto the field.”

The former seventh-round pick took on the No. 1 role in his second season, and held onto it until the neck injury. He topped 1,100 rushing yards in 2018 and 2019, providing the offense with a consistent, quality presence. Overall, he amassed 4,306 scrimmage yards and 31 total touchdowns in 49 career games.

Seattle added youth at the position in recent years, drafting Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas. Most recently, they added Kenneth Walker this past April, further signaling that Carson’s days may have been numbered. That trio, along with Rashaad Penny, will look to fill the void left by Carson’s absence.

NFL Workouts: 7/25/22

July 25th, 2022 at 9:25pm CST by Ely Allen

As players are moved to the PUP and NFI lists and rosters are starting to take shape for the start of training camps, many players are searching for opportunities to make a team.

Here’s the list of players who have received workouts or taken visits today and this past weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New England

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

 

49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo “Progressing Well” From Shoulder Surgery

July 19th, 2022 at 10:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Jimmy Garoppolo continues to take positive steps forward as he recovers from his shoulder surgery. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the quarterback recently got a thumbs up from Dr. Neal ElAttrache during a checkup, and it seems like the veteran is “progressing well.”

[RELATED: Browns Unlikely To Pursue Jimmy Garoppolo?]

Per Rapoport, the 49ers are thrilled with where Garoppolo is from a physical standpoint. The expectation continues to be that the QB will be able to make his return to the field in mid-August, and Rapoport hints that the player’s return could quickly lead to a trade out of San Francisco.

We heard recently that Garoppolo had resumed throwing, and Rapoport provided some details on his rehab process. The QB’s focus isn’t on “making one deep” pass attempt; instead, Garoppolo is focused on “making many [passes] in a row” as he attempts to build up for actual game action. Per Rapoport, the belief is that the player’s cuff will end up stronger than it was before the injury. Garoppolo originally injured his shoulder during the team’s Divisional Round win over the Cowboys. The surgery ultimately kept him out of mandatory minicamp.

It sounds like the 49ers are not counting on Garoppolo to be ready for the start of training camp. That means 2021 third-overall pick Trey Lance won’t have to look over his shoulder as he guides the first-team offense through the early parts of camp. It sounds like Garoppolo won’t even get a legitimate look from the 49ers before he’s shipped out via trade, but at the very least, the veteran’s current status eliminates any semblance of a QB competition.

Still, a Garoppolo trade is easier said than done, especially with the majority of his potential suitors now out of the picture. The Browns and Seahawks have most recently been connected to the 30-year-old, but if those squads have legitimate interest, they’d likely wait out their chances and see if Garoppolo ends up hitting free agency. The player’s shoulder somewhat complicates a potential release, but no matter the end result, his return to practice will mark the beginning of the end for Garoppolo in San Francisco.

NFC West Rumors: Wagner, Walker, Eskridge, Lenoir

July 17th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Seattle made headlines earlier this year when they made the decision to release career-Seahawk Bobby Wagner. The 32-year-old linebacker may have seen the writing on the wall after the team traded away quarterback Russell Wilson, but, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, Wagner didn’t want to leave Seattle.

The Seahawks released their star linebacker in order to avoid his $20.35MM cap hit in the 2022 NFL season. Wagner understood that but, reportedly, wanted to stick around. The sting of having to leave his home of the last ten years was softened a bit by two factors: the unfortunate way that the franchise handled the news and the eventual conclusion that he would return to his old home of California.

Wagner claimed he heard the news from “so many other people” and had to reach out to head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider to confirm. Carroll and Schneider have since admitted that they regret the way the news was handled.

On returning home, Wagner said, “I didn’t want to leave Seattle. But if I was going to leave Seattle, home was the next-best thing for me and so being able to be home, like I’m at peace with the situation.”

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a couple out of Wagner’s former home in Washington:

  • Seattle utilized a second-round pick to bring in one of the draft’s top running back prospects, Kenneth Walker III, and they don’t intend to let that use of draft capital sit on the bench. For a number of reasons, Walker figures to factor heavily into the Seahawks’ running backs rotation in 2022, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson. With Wilson’s departure, and the lack of a star quarterback to step in for him, Seattle will likely rely a little more heavily on the run game. If incumbent starter Chris Carson‘s health keeps him from returning to the field (or even the roster), the team will have to lean on Rashaad Penny. Penny has missed time with injury, too, though, and, whether Penny “misses more times and/or…the Seahawks manage his touches to prevent overwork,” Walker should benefit from increased opportunities to contribute.
  • The Seahawks are set to return their top-three receivers from last year in Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Freddie Swain. According to Henderson, though, second-year receiver D’Wayne Eskridge could be the X-factor in Seattle’s receivers room next season. The former second-round pick has had a slow start to his career due to a number of injuries. His rookie season was marred by a toe injury and concussion, and Carroll has opined about time he missed this offseason with hamstring issues. If Eskridge can get healthy and show the talent that made him a second-round pick, he can combine with Lockett and Metcalf to provide a strong receiving corps for quarterbacks Drew Lock and Geno Smith.
  • We’ve talked a couple of times now about the 49ers’ position battle at nickel cornerback. Multiple sources have pinned Darqueze Dennard against rookie fifth-round pick Samuel Womack for the starting job with the possibility that starting outside corner Emmanuel Moseley may slide inside on nickel-formations if Dennard or Womack fail to seize the role. Someone we haven’t mentioned, though, who can’t be ruled out, is last year’s fifth-round pick Deommodore Lenoir, according to Cam Inman of The Mercury News. When he was drafted, many viewed Lenoir as the “heir apparent” to K’Waun Williams, who left for Denver in free agency this offseason, creating the vacant nickel position up for grabs now. Currently, Dennard, Womack, or Moseley are still the favorites to win the job, but Lenoir still has the potential to swoop in and take the crown he was drafted to grow into.

Jimmy Garoppolo On Seahawks’ Radar

July 11th, 2022 at 1:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks held off on trading for Baker Mayfield, and despite increased scrutiny, the Drew Lock-vs.-Geno Smith competition continues to look like the team’s post-Russell Wilson plan. But the other QB that looms on the trade block is at least on Seattle’s radar.

Jimmy Garoppolo has generated internal discussions among Seahawks brass, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who adds the team has gone through film of how the four-plus-year 49ers starter would fit (video link). While the Seahawks did not blink as the Panthers finalized their Mayfield trade, a Garoppolo-to-Seattle scenario appears in play.

Although it would be rather reckless if the Seahawks didn’t give Garoppolo a thorough look, given their quarterback situation, Pete Carroll said earlier this offseason he did not expect his team to make a second quarterback trade. Carroll’s QB-related words were not exactly indicative of the team’s plans with Wilson, but the Seahawks have stuck to their guns regarding the search for his successor. Mayfield-Seattle connections were repeatedly shot down, and the NFC West team is now a few weeks away from its Smith-Lock contest going into training camp.

Intra-divisional trades are rare, and not many quarterbacks have been exchanged by division rivals — Drew Bledsoe (2002) and Donovan McNabb (2010) being modern-era exceptions — but Fowler points to the Seahawks potentially waiting out the 49ers on their Garoppolo call. Unless an injury wrecks a team’s QB situation, the 49ers do not have many options with Garoppolo. His $24.2MM salary becomes guaranteed by Week 1, and although a Monday-morning report indicated the expectation is the 49ers will find a trade partner this month, teams may be willing to test San Francisco’s patience. Considering the Seahawks’ patience on the Mayfield front, it is not too difficult to see them standing pat with the Lock-Smith setup and waiting for Garoppolo to hit free agency.

That plan would not give the 30-year-old passer much time to digest the Seahawks’ playbook, and it would open the door to a stealth suitor swooping in. The Browns, who added more than $8MM to their league-leading cap-space figure with their Mayfield trade, could be in play if the imminent Deshaun Watson suspension does cover all of 2022. (Per results in the latest PFR poll, the Garoppolo-to-Cleveland scenario is quite live.) Garoppolo (two top-15 QBR marks in the past three years) would likely be an upgrade on what Seattle has, providing a chance for him to build up his 2023 free agency stock.

The 49ers will let Garoppolo’s camp negotiate his contract with other teams, but going from $24.2MM to where teams would want the QB’s 2022 compensation to land might be a long bridge. Holding more than $16MM in cap space (compared to the 49ers’ $4.9MM), the Seahawks sit in the top 10 for available funds. But they surely will not be interested in paying Garoppolo nearly as much as he is currently set to make.

The ninth-year veteran has not endured a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery. He remains on track to resuming throwing this month.

Seahawks TEs Poised For More Prominent Role?

July 9th, 2022 at 3:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks will have a much different look on offense in 2022 in the absence of Russell Wilson. While the team does still have two accomplished pass-catchers on the perimeter, the tight end group could be in line for a more featured role in 2022. 

ESPN’s Brady Henderson cites that unit – rather than any one member of it – as Seattle’s offensive breakout candidate. The team’s TE usage generally ranked mid-pack at best during Wilson’s tenure at the helm, with the exception of Jimmy Graham‘s three-year stint in the Emerald City. With either Drew Lock or Geno Smith under center for at least the immediate future, though, more targets could be funnelled toward the middle of the field.

The primary beneficiary of such an offensive shift would be Noah Fant. Part of the package Seattle received from Denver in the Wilson trade, the 24-year-old has flashed potential during his first three seasons in the NFL, but fallen short of expectations given his draft stock. The No. 20 pick in his class (which, as Henderson notes, took him off the board right before Seattle would have selected him), Fant acknowledged the possibility for greater production after the trade.

“I’m kind of stuck at that high-600 [yards] ceiling, and I’ve got to break through that” he said. “I think I have every opportunity to do that in Seattle, and I’m excited to get to work to do that.”

More attention on the TE position could also see Will Dissly playing a more prominent role. The former fourth-rounder has put up consistent number during his four years with the Seahawks, earning him a three-year, $24MM deal in free agency to remain with the team. His blocking ability will always give him a path to playing time in the team’s run-heavy offense, but even a slight uptick in targets could lead to positive results for the offense. The same could be true of 2020 draftee Colby Parkinson, whom head coach Pete Carroll spoke highly of as part of his general optimism surrounding the group.

“We’ve got a lot of flexibility with these guys, and they’re going to be a big part of what we’re doing,” he said. It remains to be seen how the unit will mesh with a new QB and wideouts Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf, but a large workload could be in store.

Panthers HC, GM Wanted Baker Mayfield At Team’s Minicamp

July 8th, 2022 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns and Panthers engaged in trade talks for Baker Mayfield for nearly three months, and although the expected result finally emerged this week, Matt Rhule and Carolina GM Scott Fitterer wanted it to happen sooner.

Prior to Mayfield accepting a $3.5MM pay cut, with the possibility of recouping that money through incentives, the Panthers wanted the fifth-year quarterback to reduce his fully guaranteed salary by $7MM, Joe Person and Zac Jackson of The Athletic report (subscription required). Although this component of the trade caused a delay, both Rhule and Fitterer wanted this trade to be completed before the Panthers reported for minicamp.

Mayfield arriving ahead of Carolina’s minicamp would have given him more time to begin learning new OC Ben McAdoo‘s playbook, and the four-year Browns starter being at Panther minicamp obviously would have begun his competition with Sam Darnold earlier. Panthers owner David Tepper, however, was determined not to overpay for a “depressed asset,” with Person and Jackson adding the fifth-year Panthers owner being “dug in” led to Mayfield remaining with the Browns during minicamp time.

Mayfield recently expressed frustration the Browns did not trade him ahead of minicamp, but it is now known he was aware of the situation involving the Panthers when making those comments. The Browns are covering $10.5MM of his salary; the former Heisman winner is on the Panthers’ payroll at $4.86MM. While it should be expected Mayfield prevails in his upcoming competition with Darnold, the latter has a several-month head start in McAdoo’s offense — including on-field work at OTAs and minicamp. Mayfield has shown far more than Darnold on the field, and while that might win out, the timing of this trade did not do the newcomer any favors.

Carolina’s hopes at a $7MM pay cut became a non-starter for Mayfield, but Person and Jackson note the quarterback’s agent and Panthers VP of football administration Samir Suleiman worked out the $3.5MM incentive package. That made the 27-year-old passer more amenable to reducing the fully guaranteed $18.9MM salary.

The Browns initially sought a Day 2 pick for Mayfield — an asking price similar to the 49ers’ early Jimmy Garoppolo goal — and did hold talks with other teams about the quarterback, but the Panthers were the only serious suitor. The Colts, whom Mayfield eyed after the Browns entered the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, quickly landed Matt Ryan. The Seahawks did not make a “real trade inquiry,” per The Athletic.

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