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Another week has come and gone in the NFL world, which, if I’m correct, means we’re one week closer to the season beginning! I’m no genius, but I believe this statement to be true. But hey, if you love low guarantees and one-year contracts then you’re going to LOVE this week in review! Let’s get started, shall we?
Home Cookin’
Great content as always here at Field Gulls this week, here are some highlights!
Jason Barr posted a really cool article on everyone’s favorite retiree, Marshawn Lynch (sorry Grandma) and you can find that right here.
Danny poses the question of whether or not the Seahawks have gotten better this offseason, and you can find out if the answer is yes by clicking right here.
Another really great article posted by Evan Hill can be found right here. In short, Seattle’s going to kick some ass next year.
Lastly, while Kenny and Rob took the week off from 3000 NFL Mock Draft, Real in the Field (Gulls) kept right at it. This week they’re joined by Chris, who you may remember from SeahawksAddicts.com, or from Twitter (@30AcreFortress) or that one really weird photo he tweeted once of Robert Turbin with his big biceps as his legs. The guys talk about football sort of, and other really random stuff. Watch Virtuosity.
Seahawks Stuff
The Seattle Seahawks brought back Chris Clemons on Friday, agreeing to terms with the defensive end. Clemons, 34, played for Jacksonville the last two seasons after spending four years in Seattle. After posting eleven sacks or more in each of his first three seasons in Seattle, Clemons had just eleven sacks total in his two years playing for Gus Bradley in Jacksonville.
Last week head coach Pete Carroll told media they were hopeful Thomas Rawls would be ready for training camp, and on Thursday Rawls backed that up by saying at a Friends of Scouting luncheon that he expects to start running soon. Rawls also had a completely awesome answer about the transition from the NCAA to the NFL:
@FieldGulls I was there today, he had a few awesome statements. He also said this about the transition to the NFL: pic.twitter.com/ebL7Y6Xxmf
— VincentVanIke (@vincentvanike) April 1, 2016
Russell Okung wrote a beautiful letter to the city of Seattle and Seahawks fans on Wednesday, published in the Seattle Times. Okung has been widely regarded as a smart, genuine person during his time in Seattle and it comes through in his letter. If you haven’t already, go give it a read. I’ll wait.
Dates for offseason activities for all teams was announced Friday, and the Seahawks return to work on April 18th. The 18th begins a two-week window for strength and conditioning training as well as rehabilitation. OTA’s come shortly after, with the dates being May 23-24, 26th, 31st and June 1st, 3rd, 6-7 and the 9th. Finally, Minicamp will get underway on June 14th going until the 16th.
Crappy Quarterback Corner
Brandon Weeden re-signed with the Texans on Friday, agreeing to a two-year, four million dollar deal. Weeden’s signing signals the end of Brian Hoyer’s time in Houston, with Hoyer expected to be released barring a trade.
Despite Colin Kaepernick’s 11.9 million dollar salary becoming fully guaranteed this week, his future in San Francisco continues to be a mystery. While just last week it was looking more likely he would remain a 49er for 2016, Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that Denver general manager John Elway met with Kaepernick this week to further discuss a potential move to the Broncos.
SKILL Positions, You Say!?!
Miami’s search for a running back continued this week as they brought back former draft pick Daniel Thomas and signed former Ram Isaiah Pead to a contract. Pead played in just two games last season after missing all of 2014 with a torn ACL.
Still in Miami, Arian Foster visited the team this week. Foster is still rehabbing a torn Achilles and any deal would likely come when he is further along in his recovery. After whiffing on Chris Johnson and CJ Anderson in free agency, a one-year contract for way too much money for Foster in Miami seems inevitable.
Former Patriot and Jet Stevan Ridley signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions on Friday. Ridley, who’s best season came in 2012 with the Patriots when he posted 1263 yards and twelve touchdowns, comes to Detroit after an invisible 2015. Active for just eight games in New York, Ridley posted a poor 2.5 yards per carry and couldn’t break into the Chris Ivory/Bilal Powell rotation.
The Kansas City Chiefs did something pretty interesting this week, re-signing running backs Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West to identical contracts. West and Ware did a good job keeping Kansas City afloat after Jamaal Charles went down injured, and perhaps even made Kansas City’s offense more balanced. The two-year contracts worth up to 9.6 million dollars have reportedly left Knile Davis out in the cold, as Ian Rapoport reported the Chiefs are working on a trade for the running back.
Former 49er/Bronco/mark on Kam Chancellor’s shoulder Vernon Davis found a new home this week, signing a one-year contract in Washington. Washington general manager Scott McCloughan will be familiar with Davis from his time in San Francisco, but Davis will be in tough to make the team with Jordan Reed and Niles Paul still ahead of him at the tight end spot.
Cincinnati began to replace departed receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu on Thursday, signing former Patriot Brandon LaFell to a contract. While he endured a dreadful 2015 season, LaFell did find himself to be useful for an undermanned Patriots offense in 2014 when he posted 953 yards and seven touchdowns. Still just 29, LaFell could carve out a nice role for himself behind AJ Green and Tyler Eifert in Cincinnati’s offense.
Green Bay signed former Titan and Ram Jared Cook to a one-year deal this week. Cook will replace the oft-injured Andrew Quarless in Green Bay after Quarless wasn’t resigned by the team. Despite doing little to justify his lofty deal in St. Louis, Cook fills a position of need in Green Bay and has a great opportunity in front of him now playing with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers.
The Rest
Nick Fairley has found a new home, signing yet another prove it deal, this time in New Orleans. Fairley’s one-year contract can be worth up to five million dollars, with a base salary of three million. He will fill a massive position of need in the middle of New Orleans’ defense, and if he can finally produce up to expectation could be in line for a decent pay day next summer.
The Carolina Panthers signed former Eagle and Steeler Brandon Boykin to a one-year deal on Monday. Boykin played well in his early days in Philadelphia as a nickel corner and the signing frees up Bene’ Benwikere to move outside opposite of Josh Norman.
After being released by Cleveland last month, Karlos Dansby claimed he bet the Bengals were "licking their chops right now." And, after a couple of weeks, he was proven correct as the Bengals did indeed sign the linebacker to a contract. The veteran provides good insurance to a linebacker corps that will be depleted in the first three weeks while crazy man Vontaze Burfict serves a suspension.
Journeyman offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz found a new home this week, signing in Detroit on Wednesday after a visit with the Steelers earlier in the week. Schwartz never could get healthy in New York after signing a big money deal with the Giants but should provide Detroit some solid depth and versatility on the offensive line. If you’re not familiar with Schwartz, I highly recommend listening to his podcast, the Block ‘Em Up podcast. Great insight into a position many fans struggle to get a good understanding of.
The man they call Pot Roast has been brought to New England to replace a man who presumably has eaten many pot roasts. Terrance Knighton signed a one-year, 4.5 million dollar deal with the Patriots this week after the Pats couldn’t reach an agreement with Nick Fairley.
Lastly, a bit of sad news relative to the Northwest. Former Oregon Duck Ifo Ekpre-Olomu was released by the Browns on Saturday. Ekpre-Olomu was a likely first round pick heading into the 2015 draft until a devastating knee injury ended his college career. Unable to hit the field at all this season, it’s safe to assume whether or not this is the end of the line for the cornerback.
Recommendation Station
Nothing like a little Temple of the Dog on a sunny Saturday in the Pacific Northwest! That was my album of choice for writing this sucker, and it holds up every damn time.
As for a book, do yourself a favor and pick up Gary Myers’ new book Brady vs Manning if you haven’t already. Myers is a terrific story teller and it’s a great look at the now defunct rivalry.
That’s it for this week’s review! I hope you enjoyed the brisk catch up of the wild world that is the NFL. Talk to you all next week and Go Hawks!