On the Horn - Trade deadline looming...

[Sharkonabicycle]

SEA-DAL Grades: Seahawks clamp down in defensive battle

This is the comments at Pro Football Focus. Maybe their view is spot on and maybe it isn't. I do not know.
An excerpt and I left in a couple of other views they had as they appear accurate.
Seattle Seahawks
– CB Richard Sherman (+5.3) got plenty of time against Dallas’ returning star, Dez Bryant, and saw significant snaps on both sides of the field for the third time this season to ensure the matchup the Seahawks wanted. Bryant was targeted five times with Sherman over him. One was caught for a 15-yard gain and a first down, but of the four others, Sherman knocked away three. He added one more pass defense for good measure, and walked away with his top coverage grade to this point in the season.

– LG Justin Britt (+3.8) may be settling into his spot in the interior. After opening the season with six consecutive negative game grades, the second-year former right tackle has found his way to back-to-back positives. This game saw him earn strong grades protecting the QB (+1.2) and blocking for the run (+2.9), something he did only twice last season—in Week 1 and then in the Super Bowl.

– Russell Wilson (+0.7) faltered at points in this game, but his rushing grade picked up some of the slack that his showing as a passer left short. On six runs Wilson picked up 32 yards, and most importantly, a pair of critical first-down conversions on the team’s drive for the go-ahead score. Despite being strong through the air when going after the middle of the field (12-of-13 for 141 yards and one touchdown), Wilson was less so when targeting the right side; and when he went left, he completed just one-of-six throws and put up the ball that Greg Hardy (+6.4) batted and intercepted.

Top performers:

CB Richard Sherman (+5.3)
LB K.J. Wright (+3.7)
LG Justin Britt (+3.8)
HB Marshawn Lynch (+2.2)
RG J. R. Sweezy (+2.2)

Hey, I even mentioned (in this thread or another) Britt/Sweezy played well against Dallas. One game doesn't sum the season up but it was encouraging to see them finally mount a decent game. Around the time of the Cincy game Britt was one of the worst starting LGs in the league. Glad he's improving.... but let's see more of it first.

 

[WizardHawk]

Crabtree said there were lots of phone calls going on and there were some reports that Seattle had a deal they were trying to work on, but obviously nothing got done. The problem was we had the least amount of cap space to work with in the league at something near 750k. The next lowest was around 2m.

 

[Uhsplit]

Next year's cap looks pretty good IIRC.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Next year's cap looks pretty good IIRC.

Probably. I see Okung gone and who knows with Lynch. Those two are about $17M this year if I remember right. Lynch is still earning but Okung is a waste. Mediocre talent these days, WAY too injury prone. Lynch will be 30 and Seattle likely has another playoff run in the making this season with 5/8 remaining games at home and the defense finally starting to adapt to Richards and getting healthy.

 

[WizardHawk]

Mebain is off the books as well. Or at least his current contract. But that's the problem isn't it? Take money off and you have to replace them and those off their contracts are going to want to get paid more to stay. They have a lot of money already tied up in that defense. How much more can they spend on that unit without leaving the offense entirely bare? The Colts, Browns, Jets, and Texans are the only teams in the league that pay more for their defensive units than we do. How are all of those teams doing these days? What part of their game is weak?

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Mebain is off the books as well. Or at least his current contract. But that's the problem isn't it? Take money off and you have to replace them and those off their contracts are going to want to get paid more to stay. They have a lot of money already tied up in that defense. How much more can they spend on that unit without leaving the offense entirely bare? The Colts, Browns, Jets, and Texans are the only teams in the league that pay more for their defensive units than we do. How are all of those teams doing these days? What part of their game is weak?

This is a good point. Seattle is playing a dangerous game.... heavy defense in an offensively officiated and driven game. That said, some of our higher priced players in Mebane and Okung are contributing minimally this season. Time to let those guys go. Okung is IMO the biggest waste on this team. Constant false starts, sub positive grade according to PFF, and constantly injured. Biggest waste of cash on this team. I'd love to cut him and replace his payroll with extensions to Irvin/Bennett. Chancellor can take a fucking hike as far as I'm concerned. Zero productivity this season from him and already blew two wins this season solely on HIS performance. I wish we'd just trade him. Easiest 4-3 cover 3 defensive job ever.

 

[JMR]

This is a good point. Seattle is playing a dangerous game.... heavy defense in an offensively officiated and driven game. That said, some of our higher priced players in Mebane and Okung are contributing minimally this season. Time to let those guys go. Okung is IMO the biggest waste on this team. Constant false starts, sub positive grade according to PFF, and constantly injured. Biggest waste of cash on this team. I'd love to cut him and replace his payroll with extensions to Irvin/Bennett. Chancellor can take a fucking hike as far as I'm concerned. Zero productivity this season from him and already blew two wins this season solely on HIS performance. I wish we'd just trade him. Easiest 4-3 cover 3 defensive job ever.

Zero productivity from Kam? You mean outside of the pick vs Carolina and the forced fumbled that saved the day vs Detroit? And the fact that he's played 6 games and the other team's O has not even scored a single TD in 4 of them? It seems like you are only able to measure on the extremes. Sherman "terrible" and Kam with "zero" productivity. Next time you're at Home Depot go the lighting aisle and check out this cool invention called the dimmer switch.

 

[Mariners_44]

This is a good point. Seattle is playing a dangerous game.... heavy defense in an offensively officiated and driven game. That said, some of our higher priced players in Mebane and Okung are contributing minimally this season. Time to let those guys go. Okung is IMO the biggest waste on this team. Constant false starts, sub positive grade according to PFF, and constantly injured. Biggest waste of cash on this team. I'd love to cut him and replace his payroll with extensions to Irvin/Bennett. Chancellor can take a fucking hike as far as I'm concerned. Zero productivity this season from him and already blew two wins this season solely on HIS performance. I wish we'd just trade him. Easiest 4-3 cover 3 defensive job ever.

I don't agree with his hold out, but dude, this is pure crazy! His presence alone changes the way routes are ran and plays are called, trading him would be a disservice to this defense. That should not happen!

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I don't agree with his hold out, but dude this is pure crazy! His presence alone changes the way routes are ran and plays are called, trading him would be a disservice to this defense. That should not happen!

Yah I prob. reacted a bit too heavily. I just hated that holdout so much it will always taint my image of Kam from here on out.

 

[blstoker]

Time to let those guys go. Okung is IMO the biggest waste on this team. Constant false starts, sub positive grade according to PFF, and constantly injured.

Constant false starts? What are you talking about? In 7 games, Okung has been called for 2 false starts this seasons. So, 2 false starts in 500 some odd snaps is considered constant? Hell, the entire offensive line has only had 7 false starts all season. There's been way too much complaining about our penalties for a team that is one of the 10 fewest penalized teams in the league this year.

 

[WizardHawk]

Constant false starts? What are you talking about? In 7 games, Okung has been called for 2 false starts this seasons. So, 2 false starts in 500 some odd snaps is considered constant? Hell, the entire offensive line has only had 7 false starts all season. There's been way too much complaining about our penalties for a team that is one of the 10 fewest penalized teams in the league this year.

The only penalties that get me hot are some of Bennett's and even those are the price you pay for his aggressive pass rushing. You just wish he'd learn from snap to snap and not have 4 of them in the same game.

Well those and personal fouls. Those are never acceptable.

Ok, and too many men on the field. That's never good either.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Constant false starts? What are you talking about? In 7 games, Okung has been called for 2 false starts this seasons. So, 2 false starts in 500 some odd snaps is considered constant? Hell, the entire offensive line has only had 7 false starts all season. There's been way too much complaining about our penalties for a team that is one of the 10 fewest penalized teams in the league this year.

The complaint of penalties isn't about the amount, it's the timing of the penalties.

 

[Anointed One]

Speaking of penalties, Brandon Browner has 15 so far this season!

 

[cdumler7]

Cap Space depends on how much the Cap goes up. Based on an estimated $150 million cap though Seattle is about middle of the pack when it comes to cap space with around $23.9 million in space. To me the bigger issue though is they only have 33 players under contract for next year. That is tied for fewest in the league with the Denver Broncos. So cap space is relevant to how many spots you need to fill. So that would mean you can average a little over $1 million spent on each new player coming in. Now the nice thing for Seattle is good chance they have something like 11 RFA or ERFA that can be signed for cheap. How many of those they actually want to bring back will be the question. They also have possibly 10-12 draft picks in this upcoming draft. Now mind you 5 of those are the 6th round or later so how many of those make the team is up in the air a bit too.