With the combine in the books and free agency less than a week away, what are the Seahawks going to do?

No, they’re not signing that big name

There’s been a fair bit of talk about making a ‘splash’. Recently fans and media have been discussing the possibility of adding Landon Collins.

I’m afraid it’s highly unlikely.

With Frank Clark receiving a $17m franchise tag, Seattle’s available cap space is down to $33m in 2019.

Fourteen teams, including the Rams, have more cap space than the Seahawks.

The Seahawks only have only 47 players contracted for 2019. Only two teams in the entire league have fewer contracted players for next season — the Rams and the Jets. New York has $99m in cap space to rectify that issue. Seattle has $33m.

They need to fill out their roster. This means re-signing their reasonably long list of free agents or replacing them. Any available cap space will evaporate quickly.

In comparison, the Dallas Cowboys have $28m in free cap space ($5m less than the Seahawks). However, they have 59 contracted players for 2019. That’s 12 more than the Seahawks. So they have less work to do to fill out their roster with a similar amount of money to spend.

If the Seahawks were to sign Landon Collins at about $10-12m a year, they’d be left with between $16-22m in cap space to fill out the bulk of their roster. That’s simply not realistic — especially when you factor in the several million that needs to be saved for injured reserve and the practise squad.

But this is unacceptable! They’re supposed to be contending this year!

Championships are rarely won and lost in free agency. When they are won, it’s often because teams found value. The 2013 season is a great example. Signing Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril to bargain contracts was a masterstroke. Six years on it’s still fairly unbelievable how they managed to pull it off.

When you run through the list of top free agents in 2018 according to NFL.com, many of the big names failed to deliver. Kirk Cousins was ranked at #1 but the Vikings failed to make the playoffs after spending big on the QB. Did the Chiefs get any value for their big splurge on Sammy Watkins? What about the Jaguars and Andrew Norwell, the Broncos and Case Keenum, the Jets and Trumaine Johnson, the Titans and Malcolm Butler, the Cardinals and Sam Bradford or the Giants and Nate Solder?

Did any of these moves push anyone over the top? Despite the major investment?

Seattle’s best veteran additions in the Pete Carroll era have been the understated or ‘value’ moves. Acquiring Marshawn Lynch for practically nothing. Signing Bennett and Avril to prove it deals. Plucking Bradley McDougald from the Buccaneers. Trading for Chris Clemons. Finding Brandon Browner from the CFL. Adding Tony McDaniel. Seeing an opportunity when Zach Miller lingered on the market a little too long.

Their worst moves have been bold, expensive additions like Percy Harvin and Jimmy Graham. Seattle gained plaudits and hype for those two trades. Neither panned out.

So what’s going to happen then?

They’ll probably be calculated and look for value. Fill some holes so that you can complete the roster in the draft. Continue to build.

If there’s an opportunity to repeat the Bennett and Avril heist of 2013 they’ll no doubt take it. We’ll find out next week how the market shapes up.

What are the priorities?

The combine revealed this is not a deep class at linebacker. With Devin White and Devin Bush likely to leave the board early in round one, the options are severely limited. There are players you might be willing to add later on, such as West Virginia’s David Long. Tony Pauline reported at the Shrine Game that they have interest in Buffalo’s Khalil Hodge. But there wasn’t an obvious rookie starter at the combine short of White and Bush.

They have to address this position one way or another in free agency. They might feel a bit more pressure to re-sign K.J. Wright. Whether he stays in Seattle or not is down to how much he’s offered elsewhere. It’s a shame Mychal Kendricks’ legal situation is yet to be resolved. If he was free to continue his career, they could solve this problem quite quickly. If neither player is an option they might have to look at other veterans. This is a key off-season problem that needs to be solved before the draft.

Try and find an EDGE in free agency

I say ‘try’ because this could be a fruitless exercise. Pass rushers get paid. Frank Clark will earn $17m for 2019 alone. A few years ago we all shuddered at the Giants paying Olivier Vernon $17m a year. Now it’s the norm.

Despite this being a much vaunted defensive line draft, it’s also quite top-heavy at EDGE. Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Rashan Gary and Clelin Ferrell aren’t going to be in range for the Seahawks. The combine made it far less likely that Montez Sweat and Brian Burns will be there. After that, you’re looking at players like Christian Miller and D’Andre Walker and it’s difficult to project their draft range.

The Seahawks could do with a partner for Frank Clark. In the past they were able to rotate Bennett, Avril and Clark. Before that it was Bennett, Avril and Clemons. Hopefully Rasheem Green can take a step forward and develop into a productive inside/out rusher. Jacob Martin also provides an option. They still need more. Upgrading Dion Jordan seems necessary. That project hasn’t delivered so far.

Is there a pass rusher out there they can get on a reasonable, prove-it year deal? I was hoping Anthony Barr might be that man but everything points to him getting a significant offer.

What is the kicker market like?

There was the Blair Walsh project. Then there was Sebastian Janikowski. For a team so determined to play games tight, a good kicker is extremely important.

In fairness to the Seahawks, there haven’t been lots of kickers reaching the market. They more or less played the hand they were dealt. Steven Hauschka picked a bad year in 2016 to miss a ton of extra points, a crucial field goal in Arizona and turn the Seahawks off giving him a pricey long extension.

This year, Stephen Gostkowski will reach the open market. It seems likely he’ll re-sign in New England, just for less than the near $5m he would’ve received on the franchise tag. He can talk to other teams though. Matt Bryant was recently released by the Falcons and intends to continue playing. Cody Parkey was cut by the Bears. Jason Myers, who was with the Seahawks in training camp last year, is also a free agent.

Will they spend a bit of money to try and find a solution for a few years? Or will they continue their recent approach and give Sam Ficken a chance to win the job against some yet unknown competition (possibly a rookie or veteran).

Keep the band together

We’ve started talking about additions but the clear #1 priority is to try and retain several important free agents. Wright or Kendricks fall into that category. Pete Carroll has talked up the importance of keeping J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker. Justin Coleman has had two solid years in Seattle. They’d probably like to find agreements with restricted free agents George Fant, Quinton Jefferson, Joey Hunt and J.D. McKissic. Jordan Simmons, Shalom Luani, Akeem King, David Moore and Austin Calitro are among their exclusive rights free agents. Ideally Mike Davis returns as RB3.

The two guards are likely key. For once the O-line was settled in 2018 and helped create the personality of the team. Finding a solution at linebacker is also important. If they address both of these situations — and potentially add an EDGE — they won’t have too many holes going into the draft.

That will enable them to turn to the other big dilemma this off-season — dealing with the big four. Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Frank Clark and Jarran Reed are all core players. They’re all free agents after the 2019 season. Extensions are needed.

How exactly would this set up the draft?

Assuming they trade down and end up with 7-8 picks instead of four, they can tap into the depth of this class. With 18 receivers running a 4.4 or faster at the combine, they’ll be able to identify a wide out at some point (whether that’s a bigger target or another sudden, smaller receiver). It’s a good looking tight end class from the second round onwards so there’s a good chance they’ll add one.

They can bring in a defensive tackle or another inside/out type. There are athletic offensive linemen who will be available later on to add some depth/competition. With so many long/tall cornerbacks, they’ll certainly be able to draft at least one. It also feels likely after Monday’s outstanding workout that they’ll tap into the safety class. I think they might select a safety to replace Justin Coleman — especially given so many of them ran well in the forty. Could USC’s Marvell Tell be added as a possible corner convert or a nickel given his fantastic length (+33 inch arms) and incredible agility (4.01 short shuttle, 6.63 three cone)?

Of course there’s also the quarterback position, depending on the state of talks with Russell Wilson.

For more on possible targets from the combine, read our review article from Monday.

And finally some thoughts on Trysten Hill

Time to start looking at some of the players who impressed at the combine, starting with the UCF defensive tackle. After watching a superb session of drills (plus exceptional testing in the broad, vertical and short shuttle) — he was the first player I wanted to have a proper look at.

His tape didn’t disappoint.

Hill is consistently the first to react off the snap. He has a small tendency to lean into offensive lineman and can probably clean up his technique at times. It’s still effective though. He gets low, uses his arms well and frequently drives his blocker backwards. He’s adept at keeping clean and often retains a free arm to make a play at the ball carrier.

On one snap in a dominating performance against Memphis he delivered a violent one-handed left jab to a lineman’s chest and drove him three yards into the backfield. He extended his arm sufficiently to stay clean and then disengaged to the ball-carrier.

On another play against Memphis he moved across the line sensing a run to the left. He kept his eyes downfield and read the play and found a lane inside. A pulling tight end tried to come across and seal off his path to the RB. He just threw him off and dropped the running back for a five-yard loss.

The motor never stops. He works and works to the whistle in a way I haven’t seen from another defensive tackle in this class. If it’s an inside run, he’s busting a gut to get to the ball carrier. On one play stretched to the outside he sprinted from one side of the field to the other to make a play on the ball carrier. He never sits on a block to rest or take a snap off. He’s always working, always hustling.

There’s evidence of a spin move, bull rush, quickness off the snap and burst. He extends his arms on contact and drives linemen backwards. He doesn’t just stay connected and win with power. He’s slippery — so when he wins with the initial move you see him time and time again disengage and break to the ball. A lot of defensive tackles can win with power/leverage early in the snap and drive a blocker backwards. The best can convert power to speed, get off the block and make a TFL. That’s testament to his athleticism and his hand placement that he manages it.

Hill ran the third quickest 10-yard split by a defensive tackle at the combine (1.74) and this shows up. Florida Atlantic — who started the game double teaming him — blew a protection and had three guys blocking his defensive tackle partner, allowing Hill a free run to the backfield. He covers ground so quickly. In that Florida Atlantic game he had a couple of missed opportunities, highlighting one area where he can improve. When he got into the backfield he was at 100mph and ended up missing the tackle. A little bit more control and patience in that situation could’ve led to a TFL.

It’d be fair to question whether his playing style (which is all-out attack) will lend itself to consistent gap-discipline. He’s an attack-dog. For that reason, he might be best served acting as part of a decent rotation. His approach is so aggressive and all-action, I’m not sure he’ll be content managing a gap to get to second and long.

There are some supposed character concerns. When Scott Frost departed for Nebraska, Hill’s role was massively reduced. He only started once in 2018 and when watching three UCF games it was incredible how little he played. He didn’t really get on the field against Memphis — the conference Championship game — until UCF had conceded 21 points. He then proceeded to be the best player on the defense for the rest of the game.

Lance Zierlein’s report contains the following quote from a NFC area scout:

“One thing that pops up is that he’s really opinionated about a lot of things. Big talker. He wasn’t always fun to coach so you have to keep that in mind if you bring him into your room.”

Clearly there was a disconnect between the new regime and Hill in 2018. So is it just a clash? A bad fit? With the right coaches, can he start and excel? While the Seahawks always love a challenge — 2018 was also an opportunity to re-establish a team first mentality.

Watching his interviews, there’s nothing obviously concerning. He speaks well:

Jim Nagy posted this tweet during the combine:

Three years ago, coaches on Scott Frost’s UCF staff told me @trystenhill9 was the best player on the team…AS A TRUE FRESHMAN! That team also had Shaquill and Shaquem, Tre’Quan Smith, and Jordan Akins. How did this kid not start for UCF this year?! Looks great at the Combine. pic.twitter.com/pmXNIi43iu — Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 3, 2019

Hill put on a fantastic show during drills. His movement, agility and change of direction was highly impressive:

UCF's Trysten Hill moves so well cc @_John_Shipley pic.twitter.com/iHgINeHa2W — Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) March 3, 2019

More Trysten Hill pic.twitter.com/C2TVkIJrJ5 — Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) March 3, 2019

Not shown in those three videos is a drill that emphasises change of direction, a drop and then a sprint round a cone. He was effortless in his movement and then pulled off a handbrake turn to manoeuvre the cone. I’m not sure anyone boosted their stock as much as Hill during the on-field drills in Indianapolis.

He ticks a lot of boxes for the Seahawks. They’ve never drafted a defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms. He has 33 3/8 inch arms. They’ve consistency drafted defensive linemen with excellent short shuttle times. He ran a 4.38. Rasheem Green ran a 4.39 last year at 275lbs. Hill beat that time at 308lbs.

He’s also highly explosive and jumped a 9-7 broad. Nick Bosa managed a 9-8 broad and Ed Oliver (10-0) and Renell Wren (9-10) were the only defensive tackles who beat him. His vertical jump — 35 inches — was only an inch away from Oliver’s attempt (36 inches).

Essentially he’s a comparable athlete in terms of explosive traits to Ed Oliver, despite weighing a good 20-30lbs more. He’s considerably more agile in terms of the short shuttle than several wide receivers including Riley Ridley (4.58), N’Keal Harry (4.53), Hakeem Butler (4.48), Deebo Samuel (4.48) and D.K. Metcalf (4.50).

In a loaded defensive line draft, Trysten Hill is clearly one of the best available. I’m not sure how concerned teams are with the character. If he’s there in round three, I’d seriously consider drafting him.

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!