2014-05-04



I'm back!! Here are some links.

Earl Thomas Gets Paid - Barking Carnival
Breaking down Earl's new deal and his value to the league's best defense. Duane Akina may be gone, but the DBU Money Wall lives on.

Opposite View - Three Questions With Sounder At Heart - Brotherly Game
This week we chat with Dave Clark of Sounder at Heart, SBN's Seattle Sounders blog, and find out what to expect from the top team in the West.

The Notebook: Dee Ford is no 'blind dog in a meat market' - SBNation.com
The Auburn defensive end once claimed to be the best pass rusher in the draft. Retired NFL defensive end Stephen White heads to the film room for a little fact checking.

McGinn’s scouts share insider info on the WR’s and OT’s | Seahawks Draft Blog
Bob McGinn at the Journal Sentinel is one of best connected journalists in the business — and a great follow if you love the draft. If anonymous scouting quotes are your thing, McGinn’s articles on the draft will feel like nirvana.

Bob McGinn - Bob McGinn’s draft series: Offensive Linemen - Auburn tackle Greg Robinson stands out in talented lineman class
Devotees of magnificent offensive line play have been waiting patiently since 1997 for the next franchise tackle to be drafted.

Sherman, Seahawks still talking | ProFootballTalk
As the Seahawks prepare for the 2014 draft, they also prepare to lock up cornerback Richard Sherman long beyond 2014.

Doug Baldwin stays with Seahawks at RFA deadline - NFL.com
Doug Baldwin has yet to sign his second-round tender with the Seattle Seahawks. On Friday, the deadline passed for the wide receiver to sign an offer sheet with another team.

Chad Morton lands in Seattle as assistant special-teams coach | ProFootballTalk
The Seahawks have added an assistant coach who’ll have a little extra incentive to prepare for the first game of the 2014 regular season.

2014 NFL draft: Baltimore Ravens’ formula for compensatory picks | The MMQB with Peter King
Since compensatory picks were instituted in 1994, the Baltimore Ravens have received a leauge-high 41. No matter how many good players walk in free agency, this is where general manager Ozzie Newsome is willing to gamble

Seahawks announce coaching staff changes | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
The Seahawks today announced a few changes to their coaching staff. You can read the details in the press release below:

O'Brien Schofield announces return to Seahawks - NFL.com
O'Brien Schofield is back with the Seattle Seahawks. The linebacker was headed to the Giants in March, but the deal could not be finalized due to questions about his physical.

Is Terrelle Pryor more than a backup QB for the Seahawks? | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
At this point, no, according to GM John Schneider, who was happy to pick up the Oakland quarterback in exchange for Seattle’s seventh-round draft pick.

Seahawks sign cornerback A.J. Jefferson | ProFootballTalk
With the big money the Seahawks are giving and will give to their secondary, they need some cheaper parts to fill in the blanks. They've apparently found one in A.J. Jefferson. According to a tweet from his agent Ken Sarnoff, Jefferson has signed with the Seahawks.

Kevin Norwood could be a consolation prize for Seattle | Seahawks Draft Blog
I still believe seven receivers will go in the first round:

Do Seahawks have designs on building blocks in NFL Draft?
The Seahawks could go in just about any direction with the 32nd pick in the first round of the NFL Draft next Thursday, including addressing the losses of two starting offensive linemen in free agency.

Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas: 'My work speaks for itself'
Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas stops by "NFL Total Access" to discuss his new contract extension and how his team can become the next NFL dynasty.

Earl Thomas Contract Extension Press Conference
Earl Thomas talks with the media following the signing of his contract extension with the Seahawks that will keep him in Seattle.

Picking up Aldon Smith option wise football move - ESPN
The only thing wrong about the San Francisco 49ers committing nearly $10 million to Aldon Smith is the timing.

Steve Keim's draft process eliminates emotion - ESPN
When the Arizona Cardinals began preparing for next week’s NFL draft a year ago, the process mirrored that of making a guest list for a wedding.

Nailing the NFL draft is a requirement if Seahawks want to stay on top | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
The Seahawks need to continue to replenish their roster with younger, cheap players, and specifically by continuing to hit big on picks in the draft.

Seahawks have many more hits than misses in drafts | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
The Seahawks have drafted 39 players under Schneider and Carroll. Of those, 21 were members of the 53-man active roster for the Super Bowl, with 12 starting, including five who have already been named to at least one Pro Bowl.

Seahawks decline Carpenter’s option, make other moves | Seattle Seahawks | The News Tribune
The Seattle Seahawks made a series of moves on Friday, most notably declining to exercise the fifth-year contract option for the 2015 season on guard James Carpenter.

Can the rest of NFC West use draft to close gap on Seahawks? | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
"We have a long way to go," St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher said. "I think we’re closing the gap a little bit. But every time you play a division game, you know what to expect. I think people make the case it’s extremely physical, extremely talented, outstanding quarterback play, and you’ve got the top defenses, you know, with respect to Arizona, Seattle, and San Francisco."

Reviewing Seattle's free agents | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
With the news today that O’Brien Schofield has re-signed with the Seahawks — Tweeting that he will come back on a one-year contract — it’s worth reviewing again each of Seattle’s unrestricted free agents.

Family tragedies fuel Seahawks running back Robert Turbin | Seattle Seahawks | The News Tribune
Sitting alone with both elbows on the table and hands folded, Robert Turbin waited. The Seattle Seahawks’ backup running back was a few feet away from cameramen standing on chairs. Reporters were pressed against each other, crammed into a back corner around a table that had a simply printed sign on it: "Marshawn Lynch."

Boling: Drive, long-term need likely to color Seahawks draft picks | Seattle Seahawks | The News Tribune
RENTON — Because the weeks leading up to the NFL draft are typically a time of high-stakes Liar’s Poker, in which misdirection is a common practice, Seahawks general manager John Schneider spoke in only vague terms about the team’s plans when he chatted with media Wednesday.

Seahawks draft notes: Of course Schneider wants to trade down - Seattle Seattle Seahawks | Examiner.com
Draft countdown: 1 week. Rounding up the latest draft rumors, analyzing the latest mock drafts and taking a look at other draft-related topics involving the Sea

Best Potential Trade-Up Scenarios in First Round of 2014 NFL Draft | Bleacher Report
The latest NFL news, rumors, scores, schedules, predictions, picks against the spread, free agent updates, power rankings, mock drafts and more

49ers Have Ammo to Trade Up, Who Should They Target in a Draft-Day Jump? | Bleacher Report
When you have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, as the San Francisco 49ers do, there’s no way 11 fresh faces make the 53-man roster. At best, it looks like five to six rookies will have a shot at making an impact in 2014.

NFL Draft smokescreens, draftable depth and tight-end breakdown - CBSSports.com
Let's cut through draft propaganda and see how deep some positions are and where the best tight ends can expect to be drafted.

Fifth-year option tracker - NFL.com
The San Francisco 49ers picked up the fifth-year option on pass rusher Aldon Smith hours before the deadline. Find out which other 2011 first-round draft picks were secured for an extra season.

2014 NFL Draft: Final Top-100 Draft board has Bridgewater No. 1 - CBSSports.com
With only days until the 2014 NFL Draft, the final draft board is ready with DE Jadeveon Clowney at No. 2 and a polarizing quarterback at the top spot

Colin Kaepernick: April incident changed my thinking - NFL.com
Colin Kaepernick saw his image tarnished due to his association with a hotel-room incident last month. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback says he learned a valuable lesson in the aftermath.

2014 NFL Mock Drafts - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com
2014 NFL mock drafts by CBSSports.com and NFLDraftScout.com, including pick-by-pick analysis by NFL Draft experts Rob Rang, Dane Brugler, Pete Prisco and Pat Kirwan.

Jaguars GM: Justin Blackmon playing in '14 unlikely - NFL.com
Will the Jaguars have suspended wide receiver Justin Blackmon this season? Jacksonville GM David Caldwell gave an update, and it wasn't promising for the former No. 5 overall pick.

Charlie Whitehurst stayed in log cabin at minicamp - NFL.com
Titans backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst seemed very much at home in Tennessee this week, telling reporters he spent his nights in a nearby log cabin during the team's three-day minicamp.

Draft tendencies | National Football Post
How does your team spend it's picks?

Draft top 5: Running Backs | National Football Post
Greg Gabriel's list of the top backfield prospects.

NFL prospect focus: Trai Turner | National Football Post
Greg Gabriel breaks down the LSU guard.

2014 NFL draft: 50 facts you need to know | Audibles - SI.com
The 2014 NFL draft is almost upon us -- have you been studying up? If not, it may be too late for you to put together scouting reports on this year’s prospects (don’t worry, we’ve got your back), but you can still sound like an expert when everyone gathers around the water cooler the Monday...

Florida DT Dominique Easley Q&A | National Football Post
Florida defensive tackle says he'll be full-go by training camp

Sources: E. Washington OLB-DE Anthony Larry worked out for Patriots, Eagles | National Football Post
Larry has had private workouts for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. He has drawn interest from the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, according to league sources.

Unwrapping the Draft | National Football Post
A longtime agent's take on 5 draft subplots.

Robert Griffin III OK with less read-option for Washington Redskins | Audibles - SI.com
The Washington Redskins have said that they plan on running less of the read-option in 2014 under new head coach Jay Gruden, which will force star quarterback Robert Griffin III to rely more on his arm and ability in the pocket than his legs.

Draft top 5: Defensive Tackles | National Football Post
In a strong class, these prospects stand above the rest.

Draft top 5: Defensive Ends | National Football Post
Greg Gabriel reviews the best pass rushers in the class.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2013 Broken Tackles: Offense
Let's continue posting some stats from the 2013 Football Outsiders game charting project. Tuesday, we took a look at broken tackles charged to defenders; today, we'll look at broken tackles for offensive players.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | 2013 Broken Tackles: Defense
After many hours spent checking and cleaning up our 2013 game charting data, it's now time to start filling up Football Outsiders with articles on our various stats from last season. We'll start today with a stat that comes directly from game charting, not from the standard play-by-play: broken tackles.

Kevin Williams weighs retirement against low-money deal | ProFootballTalk
For veteran defensive tackle Kevin Williams, the options are becoming more and more clear:  Play a 12th season for not much money, or call it quits. Williams recently told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the former Viking doesn't plan to play for peanuts.

Compensatory Draft Picks From 2003 to 2013 — FootballPerspective.com
Here’s a good story from Jenny Vrentas about compensatory draft picks in the NFL. The NFL provides extra picks to teams who lose more unrestricted free agents than they sign, and no team has manipulated the system quite like the […]

2014 NFL Draft: Wide receiver group is deep, but no instant impact | The MMQB with Peter King
The one thing all NFL executives have told the truth about during the runup to this draft is depth of the wide receiver class. Tall, short, playmaker, possession receiver—whatever your flavor, chances are you’ll find it in this year’s draft from the first round all the way through undrafted fr...

2014 NFL draft: Potential impact undrafted free agents - NFL - Don Banks - SI.com
In this age of non-stop, way-past-saturation coverage of the draft, the notion of unearthing a handful of true

2014 NFL draft team previews: What will Texans, Rams, more do? - NFL - Don Banks - SI.com

Is the 1st Round Option a Reason to Trade Up In the Draft - Over the Cap
Taking a break from our free agent reviews I wanted to look at the thought that teams with high 2nd round draft picks should be looking into moving into the backend of the 1st round due to the difference in option year prices, specifically at the quarterback position.

NFL Prospect Focus: Chris Borland and Jordan Tripp | National Football Post
Keep an eye on these two linebackers on draft day.

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