Good afternoon, 12s.
Here's a look at what's "out there" for today - Monday, March 28 - about your Seattle Seahawks:
GM John Schneider Joins The John Clayton Show
Seahawks Executive VP/General Manager John Schneider joined 710 ESPN Seattle's John Clayton Show over the weekend to discuss NFL free agency, offseason challenges, the state of the offensive line, the running back situation, the upcoming NFL Draft, and more.
Here's a few notes and quotes from Schneider's segment with Clayton, the full audio of which is embedded for you above, with Schneider's comments starting around the 25-minute mark:
- Given the key re-signings and additions the Seahawks have made in free agency, Schneider feels the team is "very close" to being at what Clayton called a "Super Bowl level": "I think it's very close. I think there's a lot of young, talented players that people aren't truly familiar with yet, too. I think there's a lot of guys that have great upside. Obviously, we feel like there's a number of things we need to take care of still, we always feel like that. It never ends. We never feel like we have all the answers or have everything figured out, but just our core group of guys I think is very strong."
- The free-agent process went "smoothly": "I think we're still in the process to a certain extent, so to look back on it I think it went as smoothly as it could go when you're constantly negotiating. We had 17 guys who were unrestricted free agents, so this early period of free agency it was a little difficult because we had so many guys and we're trying to spread the love as much as we possibly can and sometimes you're able to do it and sometimes you're not. Again, my least favorite part of doing this is seeing those guys leave. But also you have to be very excited about the role players that we were able to sign, [Bradley] Sowell and [J'Marcus] Webb, [Sealver Siliga] is back at nose tackle, so I think we're able to help ourselves out there knowing, like you said, that we know we're going to lose players, and we talk at the end of the year when I sit down with all the unrestricted free agents and I say, 'This is all good, we're going to be hugging at some point. Either we're hugging because you got generational wealth somewhere, or we're hugging because we were able to fit you in here.'"
- The offseason's biggest challenge is "making everybody feel appreciated": "I think the biggest challenge is just constantly making everybody feel appreciated. We have a salary cap system and there's only so much room to go around. We don't get bonuses or anything like that for being under the cap, so we just have to be as responsible as we can and try to keep as many players as we possibly can and make sure we're trying to do right by the players."
- Bradley Sowell and J'Marcus Webb will compete for starting spots on Seattle's offensive line: "We're not playing tomorrow, but the way we look at it right now before the draft is that Bradley and [Garry] Gilliam would compete on the left side, and Webb we're going to line him up at right tackle, so his length, he's really done a nice job this last year. Coach [Mike] Tice did a great job with him in Oakland. I know Tom [Cable] is really excited to work with him, too. And then we're going to be continuing to take our way through free agency here a little bit with the offensive line, and obviously the draft."
- What the running back position will look like without Marshawn Lynch: "With Marshawn, obviously he's been our workhouse. He helped change our culture here and helped us become a little bit of that bully, if you will. Thomas [Rawls] is a hard-charging back. Christine's [Michael] back in the mix, he did a really nice job when he came back. He really focused in and did a lot of great things there toward the end of the season. We know we're going to have some other guys in the mix there as well."
- This is a good draft for offensive linemen: "It looks like it. Every draft is different and there's just different shelves of players all the way through the draft. This year, there doesn't really seem to be as many drop-offs, if you will, at the offensive line. So yeah, it looks like a good group."
Instagram Of The Day
For entertainment purposes, we're turning our usual "Tweet of the Day" into an "Instagram of the Day," and it's one that comes from Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who shares a short video of a footrace between him and wide receiver Tyler Lockett.
More From Around The Web
Here at Seahawks.com, digital media reporter John Boyle recaps a high school coaches forum held recently at Seahawks headquarters.
Bob Condotta at the Seattle Times writes about what's going on with the Seahawks' backup quarterback spot.
Larry Stone at the Seattle Times comments on the Seahawks' offensive line.
Brady Henderson at 710Sports.com recaps a recent radio conversation with offensive lineman Bradley Sowell.
And Sheil Kapadia at ESPN.com outlines why the relationship between head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider has served the Seahawks so well.
