Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Tuesday

Reading for you.

How to determine the appropriate salary cap values for veterans: Part I
How much money *should* Tom Brady be paid? What are the appropriate cap figures for Tony Romo and Darrelle Revis? This series looks to derive the appropriate salary cap value for each player in the NFL.

Acquisition of Matt Flynn harkens back to a better time for Oakland Raiders - Inside Bay Area
The Raiders' decision to trade for Seattle quarterback Matt Flynn and replace Carson Palmer on Monday is similar to a move made in 1999 when the club opted to part ways with Jeff George in favor of free agent Rich Gannon. Like Palmer, George was a gifted passer whose statistical accomplishments were more impressive than his won-loss record.

On what Seahawks get back for Matt Flynn - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Seattle already has 10 choices in the 2013 draft. For trading purposes, the 2014 fifth-rounder Seattle is receiving would equate to a sixth-rounder this year. The 2015 conditional pick will presumably hinge on how well Flynn performs. Oakland has only seven picks this year, none in the second or fifth rounds. The team wanted a quarterback without giving up picks in the 2013 draft.

NFL Free-Agency Report: Leverage Is King - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
There's one enormous misconception that keeps cropping up this NFL offseason in the reaction to surprising personnel decisions. In terms of evaluating how much a particular player is worth (to his team or another), one little tidbit matters more than anything else: Past performance, future performance, personality, and name value all fall by the wayside to this most essential bargaining chip. It explains both the Tony Romo deal from this past weekend and Carson Palmer's desperate attempt to flee the East Bay. In the NFL, leverage is everything.

NFL draft prospects face difficult stay or go decisions in college - NFL.com
The goal was to look at how premier underclassmen returning to school can hurt or help themselves with an extra season of college football. The backdrop was Matt Barkley's situation. Little did I know, it really shouldn't have been.

Seahawks get another chance to strike fifth-round gold - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
The Seahawks won't see any immediate benefits from the two draft picks they're receiving in exchange for quarterback Matt Flynn, but one of them will give Seattle another chance to find a gem in the fifth round.

Seattle Seahawks trade Matt Flynn to Oakland Raiders - NFL.com
The Seattle Seahawks traded quarterback Matt Flynn to the Oakland Raiders on Monday in exchange for a pair of draft picks. With Flynn on board, the Raiders now shift their focus to trading Carson Palmer.

Matt Flynn ready for an opportunity, Dennis Allen says - NFL.com
Matt Flynn has waited five years for his chance to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. During a Monday conference call, Raiders coach Dennis Allen made it sound like that time finally has come.

Shawn Williams « Seahawks Draft Blog
I don’t think it’s much of a coincidence that Seattle has approached Kam Chancellor about an extension a month before the 2013 draft. Doing so gives the front office either a chance to sign him to an extension, or get a preview of what might be a difficult, drawn out contract discussion. In the event that talks are not fruitful (and so far, the two sides seem far apart), it would make sense for Seattle to consider a strong safety prospect in this draft, particularly if one of good value falls to them.

Colt McCoy traded from Cleveland Browns to 49ers - NFL.com
It appears the Cleveland Browns finally have figured out what they want to do with Colt McCoy. The backup quarterback was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.

Cold Hard Facts - Podcasts - MyNorthwest.com
The Professor goes over the final details of the Matt Flynn trade as well as which team came out ahead (0:35). Clayton speculates on the chances of a quarterback being drafted in the top ten (3:45). He also addresses the latest report that the Seahawks are interested in bringing in quarterback Tyler Thigpen or Matt Leinart to replace Flynn (13:01).

Where 49ers stand after adding Colt McCoy - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Colt McCoy's addition to the San Francisco 49ers via trade from the Cleveland Browns gives the team additional young depth behind Colin Kaepernick, and at an affordable price.

Retaining starters and free agent activity: Part 4 | National Football Post
In this week’s update, DRAFTMETRICS changes it up a bit and focuses on the number of starters either retained or acquired rather than on the number of games started.

QB shuffle heats up with Flynn and (potential) Palmer moves - CBSSports.com
Oakland has been a black hole for QBs, and now Matt Flynn gets his shot to right the Raiders' ship while Carson Palmer appears headed to Arizona. Jason La Canfora says the QB shuffling isn't done yet.

2013 RSP: Download Now! | The Rookie Scouting Portfolio
Standing at 1290 pages and covering 175 skill prospects, the 2013 Rookie Scouting Portfolio is now available for download at http://www.mattwaldman.com. Because a post-draft addendum is now a regular part of the RSP purchase, it has allowed me the luxury to weigh my rankings less on draft stock and more on talent until we see how opportunity knocks. Many of the climbers and fallers in my pre-draft rankings surprised me. I look forward to sharing more of my thoughts about these players and the the process in the coming weeks.