Seahawks Sign CFL Star Ricky Foley

by John Morgan on Feb 13, 2010 7:38 AM PST

Hat tip to B.B.Finnegan for linking this. Often times a Field Gulls member's fanpost coincides with me finding the news for myself, but not this time. The Seattle Seahawks signing Ricky Foley is news to me. I had never heard of the guy.

Let's talk about expectations. What does Foley bring other than a lot of extraneous u's? He was a CFL rookie at 24 and served as a situational pass rusher his first three seasons with the BC Lions. That is not promising. Foley will be a 28 year old NFL rookie. He is 6'2", 245 according to Wikipedia. So he's 3-4 outside linebacker sized and outside linebacker would seemingly be his best fit in the NFL. Seattle already has this player and his name is Nick Reed and he is glorious. Foley is a bit quicker than Reed and might be able to contribute more on special teams, and barring something legendary in the preseason, special teams is likely how Foley will earn a roster spot. And by legendary, I mean legendary. It would be typical for Foley to play well in the preseason, polished pass rushers typically do, but it wouldn't tell us much about how he will stand up against NFL competition.

I can't tell you much more about the guy. Maybe one of our resident CFL aficionados can. A highlight package appears below. I can tell you that this move confuses me. Seattle does not need an undersized pass rusher without a position. Even if Seattle were entertaining a 3-4, it has no shortage of pass rushing linebackers. Moves like this always worry me a bit, not because there's anything wrong with signing a free agent, but because signing a free agent like Foley doesn't make much sense and makes me wonder what exactly the front office is thinking.

Seattle also signed two long snappers, Patrick MacDonald and Matt Overton. Seattle had its long snapper situation solved until Kevin Houser suffered a collapsed lung. The Seahawks now have four long snappers under contract, including soon to be 40 year old Jeff Robinson. All I can say to MacDonald and Overton is: Buy life insurance.

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Continuity

We’re simply signing a superfluity of DLs so we can slowly lose them to other teams over the course of the season, as we did last year. The lower-quality the talent, the less it will hurt when they go to our rivals.

by dagraham on Feb 13, 2010 8:10 AM PST reply actions

After seeing the video

Admittedly, it’s not a lot to go on, but this footage shows me a guy who’s got good instincts (mix of savvy and strength on his rushes, seems to pick good angles), good motor, decent hops, knows how to strip the ball, and apparently has good hands. Given how bad our special teams have been, I think he stands a decent chance of leaping to the head of the class on the Seahawks’ ST. Nice to have a guy like that when it comes time to kick onsides.

by dagraham on Feb 13, 2010 8:26 AM PST reply actions

Going to be 28? jeez

Probably just training camp fodder. Looks like in addition to the Pats, the Rams, Jets and Eagles were also looking at him. Sooo, either he chose the Seahawks (less likely) or nobody else bit (more likely).

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Lions+star+Ricky+Foley+closes+contract+offer/2538295/story.html

by B.B.Finnegan on Feb 13, 2010 9:20 AM PST reply actions

Prep for the season

Looks like Carrol and Co are adding speed rushers to test our o-line during camps. Just extra bodies needed to be beaten up during training camp.

by SeahawkSammy on Feb 13, 2010 9:21 AM PST reply actions

exactly

the more speed rushers competing in camp the better, even if few of them make the team. In addition, if Nick Reed ends up being part of Carroll’s plans on defense, there is no one else to fill that role if Reed gets injured. Carroll has talked about improving the team’s speed, and that starts in practice. At least guys like this will be fun to watch when they open up camp in August.

"Football players are temperamental. That's 90 percent temper and 10 percent mental." - Doug Plank

by Stevo's on Feb 13, 2010 9:55 AM PST up reply actions

Just a good story.

If he makes the team, then great he will be a backup and a special teams guy this year. If he gets cut then the team at least gave him a look and maybe he can make another team. Either way good for him to at least get a shot at making an NFL team (but I wouldn’t hold my breath).

From his college highlights he looked ok, to bad there aren’t some good CFL highlights on him.

by JustinWF on Feb 13, 2010 9:30 AM PST reply actions

That highlight video confuses the shit out of me.

It’s like some kind of bizarro football.

by DJ C-Raig on Feb 13, 2010 10:13 AM PST reply actions

I think he'll get destroyed.

by Anticitizen_One on Feb 13, 2010 10:39 AM PST reply actions

I don't think the signing was based on need.

Just a process of adding depth in case fecal matter hit the fan.

Talents that I covet:

Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, Mike Iupati, Golden Tate, Earl Thomas, and Freddie Barnes

by Carl Shinyama on Feb 13, 2010 10:59 AM PST reply actions

Alright, I live in Canada and watch a lot of the CFL

Specfically the Lions and Argos. There’s not a lot to say about Foley, broke out this year but isn’t anywhere close to the league that Cameron Wake is in. Wake found a niche as a quality pass rusher with the Dolphins, but that’s in a 3-4. I expect very little out of Foley.

by SPENCEMAN on Feb 13, 2010 11:05 AM PST reply actions

Cameron Wake made a difference for the Dolphins.

by Misfit74 on Feb 13, 2010 11:13 AM PST reply actions

I had not heard of him either, until today.

I see he was tied for the CFL league in sacks and he was awarded the CFL’s top Canadian award. I’m not sure how either of those translate to the NFL, but they sound pretty good. Kind of feels like a Ruskell signing.

I'm gonna go calm submissive on your ass.

by Dukeshire on Feb 13, 2010 11:13 AM PST reply actions