It’s the slowest a part of the NFL offseason, so why not dive into the historical past books and shudder at among the worst free agent signings the Seattle Seahawks have ever made?
Traded gamers don’t depend, and undrafted free agent rookies additionally don’t qualify.
Within the Pete Carroll period, Seattle has had large residence runs within the type of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, and it appears like Uchenna Nwosu could also be one other gem. On the draw back, most of the whiffs had been on guys who basically had been jettisoned from the league instantly after their failed Seahawks stint. Matt Flynn clearly was not an excellent signing however Russell Wilson’s presence prevented potential catastrophe from occurring, so I’ll depart him off for now. Eddie Lacy, Robert Gallery, Ziggy Ansah, J’Marcus Webb, Bradley Sowell, and Luke Joeckel had been notably evident disasterclasses for the way ineffective they had been. B.J. Finney and Ahkello Witherspoon didn’t even play a sport right here however no less than they’d commerce worth!
It’s actually exhausting to not single out Cary Williams because the worst FA acquisition underneath Carroll. Byron Maxwell obtained paid by the Philadelphia Eagles (turning into one in every of their worst FA signings ever), and the Seahawks opted to signal Williams on a 3-year, $18 million contract. Apart from a gap day scoop and rating for a landing in opposition to the St. Louis Rams, Williams was dangerous, dangerous, dangerous. He was a schematic misfit and it was a horrid displaying in opposition to the Blaine Gabbert led San Francisco 49ers that resulted in his benching and eventual launch. Williams by no means performed one other sport within the NFL.
My fandom goes again to the Mike Holmgren/Tim Ruskell years, and, effectively… I solely have one definitive reply. Whereas Ruskell made some sensible strikes to get Julian Peterson and Patrick Kerney, he had just a few duds. TJ Houshmandzadeh may be a preferred alternative amongst others given his 5-year, $40 million contract ended after one season, however I feel he additionally joined the crew throughout Matt Hasselbeck’s decline and that damage your entire offense.
Numero uno for me is free security Brian Russell, whom Ruskell inked to a 5-year, $25 million contract recent off two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He was finest recognized for recording 9 interceptions within the 2003 season with the Minnesota Vikings. With Ken Hamlin gone, Russell was the Hamlin alternative. It was a disastrous transfer outlined by poor angles, poor tackling, and numerous memes within the olden days of Subject Gulls. This was John Morgan’s write-up of his 2008 campaign:
Outlook: Damaging utility is the operative phrase there. Russell is performed to scale back the best quantity of hurt, neglecting the truth that a crew can forestall scoring passes with out being a profitable go protection. Russell generally stops a 30 yard play from going for 50 and the rating. That leaves the opposing crew within the purple zone with a brand new set of downs. In 2007, Seattle parlayed that technique into an unbelievable mixture of a excessive variety of opposing go makes an attempt, a under common variety of yards allowed, however the league’s finest landing’s allowed*. On the time, I accepted it because the hallmark of a bend however don’t break protection, however I’ve develop into ever extra skeptical of the bend however don’t break phenomenon. Seattle flexed the opposite method in 2008, permitting extra relative makes an attempt – an awfully excessive variety of go makes an attempt for a 4-12 crew – the worst go yards in soccer, and the 27th ranked landing passes allowed.
Opponents offered compelling proof that neither the technique nor Russell work. Seattle allowed ten landing passes of ten or fewer yards. Proving the Seahawks couldn’t cede discipline place after which toughen within the purple zone. It additionally allowed ten touchdowns of 20 or extra yards. Proving that as a deep cowl security, Russell wasn’t masking shit.
Seattle didn’t draft a security till the seventh and Courtney Greene is a challenge Seattle hopes to develop. Jamar Adams hasn’t obtained a lot pub. Nevertheless cringeworthy, Russell is the presumptive and nearly uncontested starter at free security. Seattle may mitigate that some by making Russell only a security. That’s, a canopy 2 security and subsequently not actually a robust or free security. It completely should keep away from placing Russell on an island and hoping his savvy and discipline marshalship overcomes his damaged wheels, dangerous compass, horrible approach and leather-helmet athleticism.
Russell was launched earlier than the 2009 season, after which Justin Forsett ran over him when Seattle blew out the Jacksonville Jaguars in one of many few highlights of Jim Mora’s tenure. We have now spent almost each subsequent season with an entire lot of Earl Thomas and Quandre Diggs taking part in at a excessive stage on the free security place.
Now it’s your flip! Keep in mind that these should be free agent signings and never draft picks or trades! Who’s the worst of the worst Seahawks FAs?
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