Seahawks Sign Julius Jones

by John Morgan on Mar 7, 2008 6:08 PM PST

Well Shaun's out. Likely Morris too. Morris'll fetch a pick, even if only a 7th rounder. Alexander is either going to be taken by a sucker GM looking for a proven veteran for something absurd like a 4th round pick or be cut. I don't see a ton of middle ground. Any team with a halfway decent scouting department is going to look at the tape see Shaun's spent and balk at taking on his salary much less offering remuneration. It would be wrong to say he doesn't have value, though, there's Bill Bavasi's in the NFL too.

I'll run a scouting report on Jones tomorrow.

Update: 4 years, 3 million annually. Cheap, but not draft pick cheap. Still don't understand this move. I honestly think Holmgren might be the impetus. I could see him being enamored with Jones ever since he ran a scorched earth campaign on Qwest in 2004.

Update II: One thing that we know is good about this move, Seattle will be using a committee next season. That's a big step forward for team long stuck in the Feature Back Era.

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Meh

I don't think Morris should go just yet.

Shaun is definitely out, but Morris still is like a plan B if Jones fails.

Didn't Morris also return kicks?

Juck Fosh Brown

by SSreporters on Mar 7, 2008 6:16 PM PST reply actions

He did return kicks

but he hasn't done it in 5 years, and if I'm not mistaken he was pretty bad.

I think they could still keep Morris, but if they draft a running back in the 6th or 7th Morris is likely gone. Shaun will probably get cut and I could see Morris being traded after the pre-season, much like Boulware last season.

by MFAN on Mar 7, 2008 6:20 PM PST up reply actions

here in the contract

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3282689

Seems like a pretty good deal. I'll take Jones for only 3 mil a year.

by MFAN on Mar 7, 2008 6:18 PM PST reply actions

I don't like this

I feel Morris earned a spot on this year's team, and I wouldn't have minded one more year of Shaun. The Duckett signing, I can understand, but I think that Jones is not filling a need. I'd rather have signed D.J. Hackett than Jones. And what if we draft a guy, especially if we get an early one? How many backs will we have on the roster? I imagine that David Kirtman will eventually be cut, and Duckett will be the back-up FB, just to save roster spots. You're not going to have more than 5 backs, maybe 6. Weaver, Jones, Duckett, draft pick, Morris/Shaun?

I just don't see the need Julius Jones fills.

by UW Alex on Mar 7, 2008 6:19 PM PST reply actions

The only way this makes sense...

to me is if TR is planning to get a back to start, or share a substantial portion of the load,in the draft. We already know Jones isn't very good but sounds like he's reasonably inexpensive.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Mar 7, 2008 6:44 PM PST reply actions

oh, and...

so much for my Shaun Alexander jerseys.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Mar 7, 2008 6:48 PM PST up reply actions

None of this

makes sense. Anyone feeling something building on the horizon? If this was the NBA I'd be screaming trade from the rooftops, but since it's the NFL I'm just very confused.

by Nate Dogg on Mar 7, 2008 6:48 PM PST reply actions

Hey John

think you could take a look at the differences in cap between cutting Weaver and cutting Morris? I'd be really surprised to see them let Morris go after being decent behind a bad line, and the team has never seemed as happy with Weaver as the fans have. Is it possible that it's Weaver out, likely Shaun next and Mo is safe for now?

by Nate Dogg on Mar 7, 2008 7:02 PM PST up reply actions

Weaver won't get cut

they wouldn't have tendered him at a 2nd round pick if they planned on letting him go. I'm pretty sure the Hawks FO are big fans of Weaver.

by MFAN on Mar 7, 2008 7:08 PM PST up reply actions

Weaver's safe.

The coaching staff does not like Morris as evidenced by his use last season. Holmgren and company see him as a scatback and little else. Jones is a cutback rusher not unlike a younger Shaun Alexander, that might be his allure. Like I said, I'm not going to judge further until I really sit down and break this dude down.

by John Morgan on Mar 7, 2008 7:11 PM PST up reply actions

Not a big fan of this.

Duckett I can see, he's been fairly productive as a power rusher. Isn't Jones just a slightly better Shaun Alexander? If that's the case, I'd rather have a Morris/Duckett/Weaver tandem....but even with Jones being below average at the very least we're still better than we were last year as far as the running game....

by BrettJMiller on Mar 8, 2008 12:45 AM PST reply actions

Paul Allen

has clearly created some kind of mad scientist laboratory where he has found a way to merge multiple human beings into one physical entity. He plans on combining the Seahawks running backs into a monstrosity against nature, thereby winning the SuperBowl.

It is the only plausible explanation.

by Snuffleupagus on Mar 8, 2008 7:48 AM PST reply actions

If this is the price

for Holmgren not treating Shaun like the big horse, I can live with it. I don't think it's ideal, but Ruskell isn't building an abstraction here, he's building a team made up of real people, and he has to build the roster in such a way that the coaches will use it in the way in which he designed it to be used. If signing Julius means we get a true committee rather than 20+ carries for SA and TJ rotting on the bench . . . well, like I said, I can live with that.

Keep Morris; if we can get anything for SA, it will be the biggest miracle of that sort in Seattle since the Vin Baker trade.

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 8, 2008 8:29 AM PST reply actions

Technically

it was Stump Mitchell treating SA like the big horse since he calls in the RB substitution.

Coach Owens = Scruffy's spell check

by Scruffy Lefty on Mar 8, 2008 9:48 AM PST up reply actions

That was last year

Stump's gone. This would be for next year.

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 8, 2008 1:53 PM PST up reply actions

Who says that Holmgren would really ride

Alexander this year?

Coach Owens = Scruffy's spell check

by Scruffy Lefty on Mar 8, 2008 8:39 PM PST up reply actions

Who says he wouldn't?

All I say is, Ruskell has a better feel for that than anyone.

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 9, 2008 5:19 AM PST up reply actions

Considering

Holmgren pretty much came out and said Alexander was a sub par RB this offseason. I would of been pretty surprised if Alexander was deemed the workhorse

Coach Owens = Scruffy's spell check

by Scruffy Lefty on Mar 9, 2008 9:11 AM PST up reply actions

Also

do we know how much is guaranteed?

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 8, 2008 8:32 AM PST reply actions

Huh

This one is weird. I agree with John: the Hawks staff must not think much of Morris. It seemed to me that Morris and Duckett would have complemented each other nicely. Apparently Jones adds something to the mix that I'm not seeing.

In a way, this is all consistent with one theory as to why the Hawks stuck with Shaun against all factual evidence last year: they thought Morris sucked even worse than Shaun. More precisely, perhaps they thought Morris did not have the stamina to be a primary back. I recall two years ago, when Shaun was out for half the season or some such and Morris WAS the feature back, Holmgren saying something about Morris being a small guy who gets beat up.

I trust that there's a method to Ruskell's approach here. Meanwhile, the WR situation is troubling, if not dire:

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/2008/03/07/deion_branch_update_1

by jeager on Mar 8, 2008 9:27 AM PST reply actions

Huh

So I wasn't to drunk to comprehend things last night and this really happen.

I don't hate the move. But I'm with everyone else that this doesn't bring much more than a Morris/Duckett combo would.

Also I now believe that the Hawks are going to target a WR with there 1st or 2nd pick. And with Michigan's former offensive coordinator now on board our coaching staff I wouldn't be surprised if that WR was Mario Manningham.

Coach Owens = Scruffy's spell check

by Scruffy Lefty on Mar 8, 2008 9:47 AM PST reply actions