Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thursday

Links!

Aaron Donald, Brandin Cooks among undersized combine stars - NFL.com
Aaron Donald might not look like a prototypical defensive tackle -- but he's still a beast. Daniel Jeremiah picks out five combine standouts who might be undersized but should not be undervalued.

NFL salary cap, contract restructures, extensions easily misunderstood | The MMQB with Peter King
In the year-round coverage of the NFL, there is no topic more misunderstood than the salary cap. Cap room, cap numbers and cap consequences often aren’t what they appear to be, and at times alleged “smart” cap management is merely salvaging the present to complicate the future.

Harvin has the touch: A look at his 10 plays | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
Here are basic but eye-popping numbers: Percy Harvin had 10 touches last season and gained 245 yards. Let’s take a look:

NFL teams don't decide positions for franchise tags - NFL.com
When an NFL player is franchise-tagged, his team sends a letter to the league, but the letter does not officially designate that a player is franchised at a specific position.

Louis Riddick, NFL - ESPN
ESPN NFL Insider Louis Riddick talks about Johnny Manziel's potential, the perception of Jadeveon Clowney, what the Texans should do with the No. 1 pick in the draft and more.

NFL Seahawks' Quarterback Russell Wilson - Businessweek
Charlie Rose speaks with Russell Wilson. He is the Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks.

2014 Combine performance: Defensive front seven | National Football Post
How did the D-line and linebackers stack up?

Peshek: Sack Study 1.0 - Out Of The Box - Rotoworld.com
Greg Peshek outlines how nine prospects achieved their sack totals, providing metrics and context for each.

Davis: Lewan might be top OT after combine; give Sam mulligan - NFL.com
Charles Davis says Taylor Lewan and AJ McCarron helped themselves at NFL Scouting Combine, but Michael Sam is among the prospects who competed that still have something to prove.

Davis: Lewan might be top OT after combine; give Sam mulligan - NFL.com
Charles Davis says Taylor Lewan and AJ McCarron helped themselves at NFL Scouting Combine, but Michael Sam is among the prospects who competed that still have something to prove.

25 things we learned from the NFL Scouting Combine - NFL.com
A total of 335 pro prospects paraded through Indianapolis during the six-day NFL Scouting Combine. Tuned in for the duration, here are 25 things we learned during the all-important event.

2014 NFL Mock Drafts - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com
2014 NFL mock drafts by CBSSports.com and NFLDraftScout.com, including pick-by-pick analysis by NFL Draft experts Rob Rang, Dane Brugler, Pete Prisco and Pat Kirwan.

Carmen Policy on solving the 49ers’ tempest: “This really has to be done with a psychological and almost psychiatric precision” – Talking Points
Didn’t know that Carmen Policy had already appeared on KNBR before I got a hold of him for a phone interview just now, so I apologize if this is covering some of the same territory…

2014 NFL Draft: What comes next for clubs after combine? - CBSSports.com
Players moving up, second-round gems and making sense of draft vs. free agency are all tasks facing NFL clubs after the scouting combine.

49ers hate Harbaugh because he's cocky? OK, how bout a good reason? - CBSSports.com
The 49ers aren't sure they want to keep Jim Harbaugh. One of the best coaches in football, maybe the very best coach in football, but the 49ers apparently picked up the phone last month and listened to the Cleveland Browns discuss a trade for him. The truth behind that situation remains murky and probably always will, but what's clear is this: Harbaugh's contract is expiring after the 2015 season, and he wants an extension, and the 49ers aren't sure they want to give him what he wants. Because they aren't sure they want to keep Jim Harbaugh.

Paul George, Richard Sherman Talk Defense - Indy Cornrows
Known for his outspoken nature, Richard Sherman took to Twitter to voice his appreciation for the Pacers' defensive dominance. Perhaps, when it comes to stifling defense it really does take one to know one.

Seahawks star football players join the fight to save UberX in Seattle - GeekWire
First Macklemore, now the Seahawks. One day after Macklemore, a world famous rapper and Seattle native, used his social media accounts, it looks like some Seahawks wide receivers feel the same way.

Post-combine mock draft (two rounds): 26th February | Seahawks Draft Blog
Lot's of changes as you'd expect after the combine. I've also added a second round. Scroll down for some thoughts on the key moves, including Seattle's pick

Browner to file suit; hopes to overturn NFL suspension
"The bigger issue is, why does the NFL care?" Schaffer said. "Everybody made a mistake. He didn't get notice and whatever, whatever, whatever. Why do you want to suspend this guy? What's the benefit? It happened in 2006 – eight years ago!" The NFL declined to comment.

Seahawks CB Brandon Browner questions NFL drug policy
"The idea of missing a Super Bowl is what's kept me up at night," Schaffer said. "Brandon won't say it because he's way too humble and much too much of team player. But that's the thing that bothers me most. They're taking away something you can't buy."

The 2014 Draft All-Overrated Team: Vanderbilt WR Jordan Matthews
Jordan Matthews’ production in the SEC opened eyes, and his combine performance drew even more attention to Jerry Rice’s second cousin. Statistical models love Matthews numbers and level of competition, and his measureables make him look like a candidate to be a #1 receiver in the NFL. Any examination of his games will reveal that is not the caliber of talent at wide receiver to be a the primary threat in an NFL passing attack.

Seahawks' roster becoming even more difficult to crack
The Seahawks’ 2013 draft class made a marginal impact on the most successful season in franchise history because of the talent and depth already on the roster. So the 2014 draft class will find itself in a similar situation.

Scout’s Eye: A Few Surprises Among The Combine DB’s
I don’t want to sound like a “Back in the Day” guy, but there was a time where the defensive back workout at the Combine was not the last group we evaluated -- that honor went to the tight ends.

Bucky's Big Board 2.0: Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack rise up - NFL.com
On the heels of a strong performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, Pitt DT Aaron Donald made the biggest jump up Bucky Brooks' updated Big Board. See which prospects fill out the rest of the list.

Browns have no comment on images of Lombardi with Browns materials | ProFootballTalk
Several of you noticed during Monday’s coverage of the Scouting Combine images of former Browns G.M. Michael Lombardi looking at paperwork containing a large image of the Browns logo while working with his new employer, the New England Patriots.

Walter Jones: ‘It’s Just Been A Great Year For Me’ « CBS Seattle
All in all, it’s been a pretty good couple of weeks for Walter Jones.

Regional combine comes to VMAC on March 22-23
Not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine? It doesn’t have to prevent you from earning a spot on an NFL roster, as Seahawks defensive end Benson Mayowa showed with his performance at a regional combine last year.

Brandon Browner fighting to become a free agent - 710sports.com
Brandon Browner is fighting for his NFL future whether or not that future includes the Seahawks.

Further review: Lynch (2007) vs. Sankey (2014) | Sportspress Northwest
After emerging from their respective NFL combine experiences, Marshawn Lynch (2007) and Bishop Sankey (2014) had remarkably similar statistical comparables.

So what happened to those Seahawks roster moves? | HeraldNet.com - Seattle Sidelines
On Friday, multiple news outlets reported that the Seahawks were going to release Sidney Rice, and later that afternoon the receiver even said his goodbyes on Twitter, writing, “The number #12 will remain on the left side of my chest no matter what! Grateful for the opportunity to share so many special moments w yall.”

Chasing Branden Albert Would Be a Huge Mistake for the Arizona Cardinals
Is this the year the Arizona Cardinals finally solidify the left tackle position? That’s the goal. After five straight seasons of horrific play from Levi Brown, Nate Potter and Bradley Sowell, it sounds like Arizona’s front office is all in on protecting quarterback Carson Palmer’s blindside.

Andrew Luck would endorse Jonathan Martin to Colts - NFL.com
The NFL future of Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin remains uncertain. He'd have the support of Stanford teammate Andrew Luck if the Indianapolis Colts were to come calling.

Jason Peters agrees to deal with Philadelphia Eagles - NFL.com
Jason Peters returned from a torn Achilles in 2013 and showed he still was an elite left tackle. The Philadelphia Eagles recognized his efforts with a four-year contract extension, they announced Wednesday.

Report: WR Riley Cooper close to new deal with Eagles - CBSSports.com
The Eagles and wide receiver Riley Cooper are reportedly close to a multi-year deal that will keep the 26-year-old in Philadelphia.

Browns release LB D'Qwell Jackson - CBSSports.com
D'Qwell Jackson was released by Cleveland on Wednesday.

Russell Wilson wants to own an NFL or MLB team; 'maybe even both' - CBSSports.com
Russell Wilson said this week that he wants to own an MLB or NFL team one day. And "maybe even both."

2014 NFL Draft: Top 50 Draft Board 2.0 - CBSSports.com
There are some minor tweaks to the updated top-50 draft board, but nothing major and no changes in my top-10

Notes from Indianapolis: Part IV | National Football Post
The corners took center stage on the final day of workouts.

Scott Crichton enters 2014 NFL draft motivated by family | Audibles - SI.com
One of the great things about the scouting combine is the opportunity to get to know draft prospects in a series of 15-minute bursts. Most of the time, you don’t get anything more than a thumbnail sketch, unless there’s a narrative prelude that sets the tone, as it was this year with Michael Sam. But once in a great while, a young man will sit down at a table at the combine with a handful of reporters and blow us all away with his genuine drive to succeed … for all the right reasons.

Listen To The Steve Sandmeyer Show -Wednesday, February 26th « CBS Seattle
Steve, Bill & Jason talk with WSU’s head basketballcoach Ken Bone, Wichita State basketball’s color analyst Dave Dahl, and Seattle Seahawks’ defensive end Greg Scruggs.

2014 NFL Mock Draft 5.0: Greg Robinson goes No. 2 to St. Louis Rams | Audibles - SI.com
This will not be a draft where the talent suddenly plummets after Round 2, or even after Day 2. There are definite starters to be had in the mid-rounds — players like Keith McGill, C.J. Fiedorowicz, Ja’Wuan James, Donte Moncrief and A.J. McCarron did not make the cut here, in Audibles’ first two-round mock of the season. All could climb into the top two rounds eventually, and they plus dozens of others ought to be able to compete for jobs in camp.

Ron Jaworski's take on Johnny Manziel reveals oddities in pre-draft analysis process | Audibles - SI.com
Every pre-draft process is filled with uncertainty, but there’s one thing we know beyond a doubt: At some point in every year, a well-known analyst will say something about a marquee prospect that has people up in arms and lighting up the social media universe.

Counting down the top NFL free agents of 2014, from 100-51 | The MMQB with Peter King
100. M.D. Jennings FS, Green Bay (Age 26) Didn’t look the part of a starter last season when given an opportunity. Packers may not tender him at $1.4 million, but he’s flashed some talent. Best fit: Eagles. They need help at safety, and a change of scenery might help him. 99.

Shutdown Corner Offseason Blueprints: Arizona Cardinals | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports
From Yahoo Sports: After the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII, all 32 teams officially entered the offseason and started plotting how they could position themselves for a shot at Super Bowl XLIX. Shutdown Corner will look at the offseason blueprint for each … Continue reading →

Predictions in Review: AFC South — FootballPerspective.com
During the 2013 offseason, I wrote 32 articles under the RPO 2013 tag. In my Predictions in Review series, I review those preview articles with the benefit of hindsight. Previously, I reviewed the AFC West and the NFC West. Today, the AFC South, beginning with a straightforward case in Tennessee.

NFL Combine 2014: Day 6 Notebook
The latest NFL news, rumors, scores, schedules, predictions, picks against the spread, free agent updates, power rankings, mock drafts and more

2014 NFL Draft: Wyoming QB Brett Smith Sees Beyond the Doubters
As a draft analyst, one of the last quarterbacks on my list to scout was Wyoming junior Brett Smith.

Lance Zierlein's NFL 2014 Mock Draft 1.0 | The Sideline View
Will the Texans go with Jadeveon Clowney after he blazed his 40-yard dash at the Combine? Or are they dead-set on the Quarterback position?

Advanced NFL Stats: What Is Football Analytics?
Analytics in football is one of the hot topics in recent years. What began as a hobby for guys like me has turned into a serious and growing field. It's been gaining attention in the media, and now teams themselves have begun to pay attention, many of which have hired analysts to help provide insight to decision makers.

2014 NFL combine: 10 takeaways from Indianapolis - CBSSports.com
The 2014 NFL combine concluded Tuesday. Looking for a broader scope of the biggest stories from Indianapolis? Here are 10 takeaways you need to get caught up.

2014 NFL Draft: Aaron Lynch Scouting Report
Lynch is a terror off the edge. He consistently puts himself in a position to win off the snap with his immediate reaction to the snap and quickness off the line of scrimmage and up into his stance. Often times, such quickness is overwhelming. Although he does not win by attacking lineman’s frames, Lynch sports an array of finesse moves, like spins, swims, and such, as well as consistently showing impressive bend around the edge. Around the arch, Lynch’s speed is efficient. If he forces the quarterback to scramble, Lynch has the closing speed to ensure the sack. Without a doubt, speed rushing is Lynch’s most useful asset.