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With the Fourth Overall Pick in the NFL Draft, Seattle Selects Aaron Curry

You can't knock a team for picking the best rated player in the entire draft. Linebacker is not a building block position, but there's more to selecting a pick than getting the most valuable player. Curry has very little chance to bust and that's huge. He not only has very little chance to bust, he has an excellent chance to be a perennial All-Pro. Seattle wants to assemble a great defense, and is oddly doing it from the linebacker out.

Here's the really exciting thing about Curry, he's an incredible fit with what Seattle already has. He's the tall, fast coverage linebacker Hill could never be and Peterson no longer was. He won't have to rush the quarterback in Seattle, that's Hill's job. Should he develop he has that kind of shutdown coverage capability no linebacker has ever had.

Seattle selected the best overall talent, and though I'm not fond of selecting a linebacker so early, it just puts that much more pressure on Seattle adding those building block players throughout the draft. With mixed feelings, but still some excitement, I will say this for sure: Seattle fans will not regret Seattle drafting Aaron Curry, and as the seasons pass and he asserts himself as one of the best linebackers in the NFL, he will be beloved and maybe even legendary. Now, will the team be any good?

Here's my take on Curry:

Positives: He's the best prospect in the draft. Curry is the consensus best linebacker in a strong linebacker class. If he were a running back, his Speed Score would compare to Ronnie Brown. He was productive at Wake Forest, performed well in individual drills at the combine, gives a good interview, is terrifically athletic and punches every criterion one could want in a prospect. If Seattle selects him they will have effectively escaped the loser's curse, drafting a safe prospect with exceptional talent that should contribute for the life of his contract. Curry might be modestly overpaid, but short of calamity, that's about as bad as I can see things working out for the team that drafts Curry.

Negatives: The history of first in class linebackers is not sterling. Excepting rush linebackers, a position so apart it might as well be defensive end, the best first in class linebacker in recent history is Patrick Willis. The 49ers defense barely budged his rookie season, and though after five consecutive seasons of dismal play it moved towards mediocre in 2008, that could be Willis, Nate Clements, Justin Smith, Takeo Spikes, the ouster of Mike Nolan, the ouster of Alex Smith and JT O'Sullivan, the appointment of Mike Singletary, all of the above, regression towards the mean, or all the above. However you slice it, Willis has not been transformative in the way Albert Haynesworth, DeMarcus Ware or Jared Allen have been.

Comment 92 comments  |  1 recs  | 

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This guy should be huge

2/3 of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Marcus Trufant.

by Chickadee on Apr 25, 2009 1:45 PM PDT reply actions  

I like this pick

in an ideal world the best talent available is somewhere else- DE, or DT, or OL.

but…why settle for a worse player elsewhere, just to stay away from linebacker?

by Will Kier on Apr 25, 2009 1:47 PM PDT reply actions  

..................

Good for Curry.

NEEDS MORE FREEDOM!

by Scruffy Lefty on Apr 25, 2009 1:47 PM PDT reply actions  

We HAD a downright ferocious LB'ing corps

and we went 4-12

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 25, 2009 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions  

We just need a FS now

It’ll work!

2/3 of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Marcus Trufant.

by Chickadee on Apr 25, 2009 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions  

I agree, in principle

but Seattle didn’t go 4-12 because its linebackers. So the correlation isn’t really that significant other than to say that a great linebacker corps does not make a great team or even great defense.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions  

Well, at least I got the "in principle" :)

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 25, 2009 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions  

Rec'd

and ditto

2/3 of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Marcus Trufant.

by Chickadee on Apr 25, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions  

I rec'd Brian

not that you dont deserve it

2/3 of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Marcus Trufant.

by Chickadee on Apr 25, 2009 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions  

I like the coverage vs. blitzing part of your writeup.

Though anticlimactic, Curry is a stud. Welcome aboard. I hope we resign Hill.

by Misfit74 on Apr 25, 2009 1:47 PM PDT reply actions  

agreed

that’s why I’m excited, because it’s a dual threat

a two for one deal I say

2/3 of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Marcus Trufant.

by Chickadee on Apr 25, 2009 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions  

We had Lofa, Hill and JP a year ago.

What did that get us?

Basically we used our #4 pick to get younger at one position. That’s it. And that’s not even doing anything about Hill’s contract situation.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 1:48 PM PDT reply actions   1 recs

Well, yes, that trio didn't make the team

but it was exceptionally talented and gave the team a chance at an elite defense.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions  

A chance, yes, but why not just keep it as it is and improve in other spots?

Is Curry that much better than JP? JP was healthy and could have been re-structured for a late-career contract.

I just don’t see a whole lot of upside here. Curry could be a truly exceptional linebacker, but I don’t see a net team improvement as much as we would have had from a franchise QB in Sanchez, Crabtree, an OT, or ESPECIALLY a trade down.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions  

It's not the same net improvement

but it’s safe, and given the huge financial risk, that’s significant.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions  

Was JP a financial risk?

Because that’s really what we’ve done is replace JP with Curry. And if we’ve done it to potentially replace Hill I’ll be really displeased.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions  

Peterson is a freak, right

but he’s also soon to be 31. It’s one thing to say Peterson should or could defy the age curve, but it’s another to bank on it. Also, there is a decent chance that Curry just blows Peterson away. He’s really that talented. You never, ever see so much consensus that a linebacker is the player in a draft. Curry is special, that’s for sure.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions  

best

and remove “so much”, just “consensus”.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions  

Yep, I'll agree that Curry certainly is a money player.

He could very well be an all-pro. But so will Sanchez and Crabtree in my opinion, and we have greater needs at those spots.

I seem to remember you being very, very high on keeping JP when there was trade talk some six months ago.

I would say that the risk that Curry isn’t that game-changing LB at 4 is just as good as any risk that Sanchez or Crabtree present, when you consider we already had a great trio of LB’s already.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 2:09 PM PDT up reply actions  

I wanted Seattle to keep Peterson

assuming it was Peterson or Hill. The team decided on Hill. I was worried the team would continue to play Hill like a weakside linebacker, playing the short zone and chasing tight end and slot receivers. With this pick, Hill is now for sure the new Peterson, and Curry the new Hill. That’s super-exciting.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions  

So we're going to keep all three?

Oh God, financial suicide. All of Lofa, Hill and Curry’s contracts will hit astronomical levels within a couple of years. Talk about all your eggs in one basket.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions  

Right, how much money are we willing to put in the LB position?

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 25, 2009 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions  

I assume we will keep all three

After that, I don’t know. I hope Seattle figures out a way to restructure their contracts. Perhaps knock one guy’s cap hit down one year, and knock another guy’s cap hit down the next year.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions  

Haha, good luck TR.

Especially considering Hill is in a contract year and will probably amass a zillion tackles, earning him a lot of FA attention.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions  

Yes,

this is so absurdly ridiculous that we’re back in the exact same position as we were with Peterson.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:23 PM PDT up reply actions  

Incorrect assumption

Does this change your view of the pick at all?

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 26, 2009 12:11 AM PDT up reply actions  

"here is a decent chance that Curry just blows Peterson away. "

I’ll bet this is wrong.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:22 PM PDT up reply actions  

Peterson didn't really have a good year last year.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Apr 25, 2009 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions  

I don't see how you can't blame the coaching for that.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions  

I'm not blaming the coaching, and don't see how you could have inferred that from my post.

Peterson is in his decline, and old. Curry probably won’t be a Peterson level contributor this year, but it’s not impossible that he could be better.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Apr 26, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions  

How else to you get a young stud qb WITHOUT it being a huge financial risk?

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 25, 2009 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions   1 recs

Right, use blind stinking luck to draft Tom Brady

Let’s go that route. I want to go to there.

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 26, 2009 12:12 AM PDT up reply actions  

Thank you for this

"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture

by Eegah on Apr 25, 2009 1:51 PM PDT up reply actions  

This leaves me wondering

if Curry will be able to disguise some of our failings in pass coverage. Or at least make them harder to exploit, if teams actually become worried about throwing over the middle on us because of him.

by Fear on Apr 25, 2009 1:51 PM PDT reply actions  

If we take a safety round two

Our D should be elite

OHPLEASE

OHPLEASE

OHPLEASE

OHPLEASE

2/3 of the world is covered by water. The rest is covered by Marcus Trufant.

by Chickadee on Apr 25, 2009 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions  

we took a o-lineman

we traded for the bears’s second. but gave them a 3rd and 4th. we took Max Unger OL. from Oregon I think

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 7:39 PM PDT up reply actions  

Wow.

I am so happy about this pick. I wanted him while we had JP, and I even said it was a possibility of trading JP and getting Curry in the draft. I’m ecstatic!

by SoCalHawksFan on Apr 25, 2009 1:54 PM PDT reply actions  

Raji will make more of an impact

Remember everyone saying Peterson was the best player at an unimportant position? Can Curry pull that off?

by blackhalobender on Apr 25, 2009 2:17 PM PDT reply actions  

BJ Raji is an overrated sack of shit.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Apr 25, 2009 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions  

Heh, too true

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions  

OMG ANOTHER GIANT WR to cover

Hoe is curry going to help against Boldin Fitz and Crabtree?

by blackhalobender on Apr 25, 2009 2:24 PM PDT reply actions  

we should get ken lucas

signing lucas to a 1 or 2 year deal would be nice. he’s aggressive and is a tall corner at 6’1. would be able to defend fitz and crabs really nice. only thing is he might get us penalized for illegal contacts, interefences, or face masks when in coverage

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions  

He's also been awful the last two seasons.

I want to sign him just because of his height and for the depth, but it would be erroneous to assume he’s the answer to Fitzgerald, Boldin, and now Crabtree.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions  

John - can you provide the link to your Aaron Curry breakdown post?

i just tried searching under “aaron curry” and it did not show up. thanks!

by glennergy on Apr 25, 2009 3:19 PM PDT reply actions  

Done

And thanks for the suggestion.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions  

For everyone's complaining about Curry....

Don’t forget that JP often graded out as Seattles least assignment correct defender… not just LB… but defender.

Hill moving back to his natural SSLB spot and Curry tremendous coverage ability at WSLB should be a net improvement.

Remember all the problems Seattle had in allowing 3rd down conversions?

Bring Your Game, Leave Your Name.

by iverson2169 on Apr 25, 2009 4:01 PM PDT reply actions  

Worse than Russell?

I smell bullshit.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions  

yes he will

in a big way. Assignment breakdown JP and coverage weak Hill for your underneath? Definitely affects what is called, where the safeties are placed and how they react to receivers entering those underneath zones. Traded for Hill blitzing more and Curry covering.

Our CB corps has tremendous depth. Three above average nicklebacks, just no true #2.

by jacobstevens on Apr 25, 2009 7:40 PM PDT up reply actions  

We may well regret this pick

if Crabtree turns into an elite WR for SF . . .

This does make me wonder, though, if Doug might be right and we might see Hill dealt in the next hour or so.

by The Ancient Mariner on Apr 25, 2009 4:12 PM PDT reply actions  

Apparently so.

I’d prefer to ditch Hill now for whatever we can get, but now it looks like we’ll have to wait until he signs the tender before moving him. So it won’t be for a draft pick this year…. and to be honest, I don’t think TR wants picks this year anyhow.

by djafrot on Apr 25, 2009 6:23 PM PDT up reply actions  

On of those rare, high-talent Seattle defensive picks

Curry is one of those rare defensive players that will make you go "ooohhhhh" with his ability. It reminds me of when we picked Easley (1981, 4th overall) and Tez (1990, 3rd overall.)

I’m gonna love this guy. Can the season start now? Please?

I vow to never post a cartoon picture of spurting diarrhea on a credible blog.

/dick joke

by Bloof on Apr 25, 2009 5:40 PM PDT reply actions  

curry's contract

how long and how much are the hwaks gonna pay curry?

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 6:22 PM PDT reply actions  

I don't think we'll get that information for a while.

They still have to go through negotiations and such.

Weez the juice!!

by Carl Shinyama on Apr 25, 2009 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions  

But if I had to put my fingers on a timetable...

I’d guess that we won’t learn what sort of deal that Curry would get until the middle of June or so…

Weez the juice!!

by Carl Shinyama on Apr 25, 2009 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions  

We shall see

McFadden got six years, $60 million, but only $26 million guaranteed.

by John Morgan on Apr 25, 2009 6:40 PM PDT up reply actions  

Of course, the whole NFL history thing is pretty much

unnecessary. With the way contracts are shooting up, there’s a new “highest paid xxxxx in NFL history” every year.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Apr 25, 2009 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions  

Still annoying though.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions  

Curry just turned 23 this month.

8 years younger than JP is no joke. We’re going to have to draft well and build for the future, because our team isn’t getting any younger.

If you told me this morning that we would end up with Aaron Curry, Max Unger, and Denver’s 2010 1st rounder, while losing our 3rd and 4th round picks, I would have slapped you in the face for saying something so ridiculous.

by PattyB on Apr 25, 2009 6:51 PM PDT reply actions  

Especially on offense.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:26 PM PDT up reply actions  

Come to think of it

I had curry today for lunch… it was a sign!

by aerozeppelin on Apr 25, 2009 6:51 PM PDT reply actions  

I don't know about you guys

But I am fucking happy.

Best LB in the draft, best Center in the draft and a first next year.

by SPENCEMAN on Apr 25, 2009 7:16 PM PDT reply actions  

Second, maybe third best center.

But easily the most versatile and a Northwest product, I’ll take it.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:26 PM PDT up reply actions  

I saw him rated first in a lot of places

And in my opinion he is the best. I’m allowed to have an opinion right?

by SPENCEMAN on Apr 25, 2009 7:40 PM PDT up reply actions  

Oh, that's fine. I like Unger the best anyway.

Just saying that the general consensus was that Mack was better as a true center, and maybe Eric Wood too (though I have no idea how the hell he was drafted in the first).

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Apr 25, 2009 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions  

our draft today

I think we did well taking curry and unger but we have no 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks only a 6th and three 7ths left

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 7:32 PM PDT up reply actions  

nope

we lost our fifth to denver in the keary colbert trade (who we cut later in the season) denver used that fifth in a trade for cutler

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions  

oh yeah forgot

we got that pick for the JP trade

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 7:44 PM PDT reply actions  

will curry be glenn dorsey?

i like the fact that we got curry at 4(and I have full confidence in this guy to be a good impact guy) but will he be one of those slumpers like glenn dorsey? Thoughts on the issue?

by hawkspwn123 on Apr 25, 2009 7:52 PM PDT reply actions  

Dorsey's only been a pro one year.

You gotta give him more time to develop before you can call him a slumper. Besides, I can’t name one other DL they have which is an indicator that they probably aren’t very good. Hence, Dorsey was probably double and maybe triple teamed all year.

by Tyopiod on Apr 25, 2009 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions  

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