January 24, 2013; Honolulu, HI, USA; NFC quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks (3) claps during practice for the 2013 Pro Bowl at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Given that outside of the Matt Flynn trade it’s pretty quiet around here, I thought I would embark on something of a thought experiment to help pass the time. It’s often said that, “every man has his price” and that saying got me thinking, what is Russell Wilson’s price? More specifically, what price would the Seahawks accept to part with Russell Wilson? Not that I would want him to leave, I’m just curious if it would be even remotely possible to trade for him. Wilson is immensely valuable because he is 24, he costs nothing, and he is already a top 10 quarterback in the NFL. I can’t recall when an asset of that caliber has ever been made available which is what makes it such an interesting thought experiment (at least as far as I’m concerned).

The first place to start would be what the Redskins paid for the 2^nd overall pick in the 2012 draft that they knew was going to be Robert Griffin III. In order to obtain that pick, the Redskins traded the Rams the 6^th overall pick and 38^th overall pick in 2012 as well as first round picks in 2013 and 2014. That’s quite the bounty and an interesting starting point but there is absolutely no way Schneider would trade Wilson for a similar package.

Although RGIII was clearly something special, at the time of that trade he had never taken a snap in the NFL let alone performed at an elite level. Russell Wilson has performed at an elite level in the NFL and even won a playoff game in his rookie season. How much more value does Wilson have now than Griffin ? I’d say to start you could add two second round picks to the mix to make it an even three 1^st  rounders and 2^nd rounders. John Schneider is now listening but he’s not really paying attention. So a quarterback desperate team decides they’ll do one more year of forking over their high draft picks, now is trading Wilson worth thinking about? Now we’re talking about four 1st rounders and four 2^nd rounders.  Is that enough?

Given that an unprecedented draft bounty is being discussed, the Seahawks would have to seriously consider it. Russell Wilson is a franchise player but with that many picks Seattle could create a dynasty. The problem is that they are going for it this year and as a result need some kind of quarterback in return. Pete Carroll believes in the point-guard role player quarterback so conceivably that he wouldn’t think this fictional quarterback needs to be particularly good for his team to succeed, merely good enough.  If we look at teams drafting near the top of the draft we can put together these ridiculous hypothetical packages including quarterbacks that might be able to manage games for the 2013 Seahawks, in Pete Carrolls view.

#1: Jaguars offer 2^nd overall and 33^rd overall picks in 2013 and 1^st and 2^nd round picks in 2014,2015 and 2016 as well as QB Chad Henne or Blaine Gabbert.

This is an interesting thought because the picks this year are so high but neither quarterbacks are good enough that the Seahawks could be confident in winning in 2013, unless Carroll somehow unleashed Gabbert’s latent potential. However, if Schneider didn’t think Henne or Gabbert was the answer he could draft Geno Smith 2^nd overall. If you really liked Geno Smith then this deal would be worth considering, but it is such a monumental risk for both sides that of course it would never happen.

#2: Bills offer 8^th overall and 41^st overall picks in 2013 and 1^st and 2^nd round picks in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as well as QB Tarvaris Jackson.

The picks aren’t nearly as good but there is familiarity with Jackson who could likely win with this Seahawks team behind them. The likely inability to get Geno Smith as well as Buffalo’s potential to make a quick turnaround with a quality quarterback and make the future picks less desirable makes this a no-go for John Schneider. If you squinted hard enough (like dangerously hard) you could see the Bills making this offer given their desperation to bring Ralph Wilson a Super Bowl.

#3 Jets offer 9^th and 39^th overall picks in 2013 and 1^st and 2^nd round picks in 2014, 2015, and 2016 as well as QB Mark Sanchez

Very similar to the Bills deal, and including another QB that Pete Carroll is familiar with in Mark Sanchez. Sanchez is likely worse than Jackson, and while you could argue he has more upside, I wouldn’t. Schneider says no and I don’t think the Jets could get away with attempting something this bold in that market.

No other teams in the top 10 fit the criteria for creating such a package: Browns (no 2^nd round pick in 2013), Eagles (have both Michael Vick and Nick Foles), Lions (Matt Stafford), Chiefs (traded for Alex Smith), Raiders (traded for Matt Flynn), Cardinals (traded for Carson Palmer), and Titans (giving Jake Locker a chance).

All in all what we’ve learned here is probably nothing. It’s pretty clear that Russell Wilson is not on the trading block, nor should he be. What I find interesting is that even the starting place for this hypothetical is fairly ridiculous. Trading for Wilson would require the kind of bounty no team would be willing to give because it would be betting it all on one player who could get injured or regress. With that in mind, it seems clear that Wilson is an illiquid asset. It’s kind of cool to think that the Seahawks’ franchise player is so talented and such a good contract value that you actually could not trade him. A counter intuitive thought that is also comforting somehow. Not that it takes a 1,000 words for Seahawks fans to know that the team is in good hands at quarterback. To conclude I will do what Russell Wilson would do and simply say “Go Hawks.”

While I originally started looking for just Seahawks plays, it seemed that no matter what I searched for, one play was always included, even though it had nothing to do with the Seahawks.

That play: The Mark Sanchez Butt Fumble.

I’ve seen this play a very large number of times over the past couple months, and it simply never gets old. I simply makes me laugh every time. With that in mind, I though it would be wrong not to post it here and share it with all of you.

I should add, that if anyone can explain to me some remotely plausible explanation on why Sanchez ran right into the hind end of his teammate I’d be very happy to hear it. I know it was a broken play and he was just running because there was no other option, but that doesn’t explain why he thought he could run through another person like they weren’t there. Last I checked, he doesn’t have that super power.

Here it is in .gif format, Funny Or Die.

Oct 21, 2012; Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA; New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) hands off the ball to running back Shonn Greene (23) during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Shonn Greene is an under rated runner, but he’s not used well by the Jets offense. Most of his carries are through the A gaps (between the center and guard); at least twice as many carries there as any other gap. While A gap runs tend to get a couple of yards reliably, it’s also the toughest gap to run through for big gains. It shows up in his stats. He’s averages just over 2 yards per rush in the A gaps, but right at 5 yards per rush in the B gaps (between the guard and offensive tackle). By forcing the runs in the center so often, the Jets are actually hurting their own offensive potential.

The passing game is as bad as advertised. Mark Sanchez has been a mess all season, but he also has very little little to work with. Losing Santonio Holmes means that the Jets have very little to work with on the outside. Rookie Stephen Hill should be good with time, but he’s suffering from the usual rookie WR problems.

Watching the game tape, I was quite surprised by Jeremy Kerley. The 5-9 receiver has a bit of Wes Welker in him, and will offer the Seahawks big challenge to try and cover. Perhaps this was why Walter Thurmond was activated early off the PUP list this week.

The offensive line remains the strength of the Jets offense. Nick Mangold is easily one of the best centers in the NFL, but he is currently hobbled by an ankle injury. There should be some concern for Jets fans with the injury. He simply didn’t look the same last week.

Defensively, the Jets aren’t as good as they think they are. Muhammad Wilkerson has been very good, and Quintin Coples is proving to be a very good compliment on the defensive line. Antonio Cromartie has played well, and he has to with Revis out for the year. Mike Devito, the 3rd member of the D line, is also having a good year.

The problem for the Jets is that the the rest of the defense is a collection of players who lack talent or are severely underperforming. The Jets coaches are forced to scheme up pressure and coverages to make up for the fact that individual players aren’t getting it done. When the schemes work, they win (or lose close games to good teams like the Patriots). When the schemes fail, they get get blown out.

The problem that I see, from a Seahawk’s viewpoint, is that the coaches coming up with these schemes are good at what they do. They find ways to bring pressure in a way that lets a guy come in free, without rushing more than 5 guys. They sell an all-out 8 man blitz then drop everyone off and only bring 2. It works, it’s effective, and it’s tough on young QBs and young offensive linemen.

For starters, many fans really wanted the Seahawks to select Quinton Coples when the Seahawks picked Bruce Irvin back in April. At the time, I didn’t think Coples fit the Seahawks scheme, and watching the film of him playing so far this season, I still don’t think so.

In this defense, Coples would be 5-technique DE in the base defense, and a 3-technique against the pass. That means he’d basically be a lesser version of Red Bryant against the run, and then move inside to Alan Branch’s spot vs the pass. Since the Seahawks had already re-signed Bryan and signed Jason Jones to be the inside pass rusher, the pick would have made no sense. Coples really does belong in a 3-4 defense like that one that the Jets utilize.

Plus, in that case, the Seahawks would still need a situational pass rusher. Bruce Irvin would likely have been taken by the Jets one pick later as many reports have said they were planning on doing.

The other player that Seahawk fans have been upset about passing over was Mark Sanchez. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard or read someone ranting about how the Seahawks passed on Sachez in favor of Aaron Curry, I’d probably be in the same tax bracket as Paul Allen.

Curry was an absolute bust, so people being unhappy with his selection is natural. The Seahawks QB situation has been a concern since 2008 as well, so I understand the connection. The problem is that Sanchez has been just as big of a bust as Curry. The general public is just now realizing what has been apparent to scouts for years now, Mark Sanchez isn’t an NFL starter. Picking Sanchez over Curry would not have made the Seahawks better.

The problem with that connection is that it completely misses the quality players in the draft that were also available at the time and would have actually made a difference for the Seahawks. Players like BJ Raji, Brian Cushing, or Brian Orakpo were also available and would have been good draft value where the Seahawks were picking.

For the record, I was high on the Aaron Curry pick. He was a freakish athlete for his position (still is, in spite his knee problems). Drafting Curry was supposed to be drafting Brian Urlacher. In a year when there was very little top shelf talent, how could you not support that? Well, besides to complete lack of football instincts thing, and the poor tackling, and the horrible attitude.

The Curry debacle was actually a good thing for me. It was that mistake that pushed me over the edge, and convinced me that I needed to learn how to evaluate players as a scout. Had Curry not been a bust, I probably would still be in the dark in terms of my ability to evaluate players. So at least some good came from him being so very bad.

1) From an outsider’s perspective, the Jets QB situation is an absolute mess. Is it any better as a Jet’s fan? Can Sanchez still be the guy long term?

The situation is a mess, in part because of how it has divided the fan base. Any move that Mark Sanchez makes is scrutinized even more than in the past, if you can believe that. He is scrutinized enough as the starting QB in the biggest media market in the world, now add Tim Tebow as his backup, and it is nuts. You have the Tim Tebow fanbase that thinks everything is going to change if Tebow comes in the game. You have the other side that feels Mark Sanchez can get it done with the right pieces. Personally, I am on the side that Mark Sanchez can be the guy. The front office has done Mark Sanchez no favors in putting this offense together, and it has shown. You can’t argue that Mark Sanchez has not played well, and until he does, the situation will remain messy. Rex Ryan is not making the move to Tebow, so it will remain a crazy situation.

2) What makes this defense tick? Can it possibly stop Marshawn Lynch?

This defense has been about as big of an enigma as I have seen. Sometimes they are world beaters, sometimes they play like pee-wee leaguers. For most of this season, the Jets defense has looked old and slow. They have improved as of late, giving young players a chance such as Quinton Coples and Demario Davis. They played well against Pittsburgh against the run, and played well for most of the Buffalo Bills game. Can they stop Marshawn Lynch? Yes, they can. Will they? I am not so sure.

3) A Lot of Seahawks Fans wanted Quinton Coples last April. What has been your impression of him so far? Is he going to end up being worth the high draft pick?

He didn’t get a lot of reps early in the season, after playing well in the preseason, so it was hard to get a read on him early. Of late, however, the Jets have been giving him more and more reps, and he looks very good. He is quick off of the ball, and makes his presence felt. He appears to be the guy that will be worth the high pick and then some.

4) What do the Seahawks have to do to win this game?

The Jets have been uncharacteristically bad against the run on defense. Rex Ryan defenses are typically at or near the top of the league against the run, and this team is near the bottom. For the Seahawks to win this game, they are going to need a heavy dose of Marshawn Lynch. The Jets have actually been pretty good defending the pass, despite the loss of Revis. If they try to air it out against the Jets, they won’t be successful. The Seahawks offensive line will have to win the battle upfront and dominate the run game.

5) How do you think this game will unfold? Include a prediction for the final score.

I am going to have to hedge a little bit on this. Don’t be offended, I hedge this question every week. This game is going to come down to Marshawn Lynch against the Jets front seven. If Marshawn Lynch runs wild against the Jets defense, the game will get out of hand. We could be looking at a 31-14 type of game in favor of the Seahawks. The Jets will have to throw the ball a lot to get back in the game, and it will get ugly. If the Jets can keep Lynch down to a reasonable number, the Jets will have a chance. One thing Rex Ryan’s teams do is play well against rookie quarterbacks. If the run game doesn’t go off for the Seahawks, the Jets could win a 24-17 type of game.

June 12, 2012; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) and New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) during New York Jets Minicamp at the Atlantic Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

With the NFC East complete, our tour around the NFL stays in New York for the AFC East contenders, the New York Jets. I’m often very hard on the Jets because I don’t like their talk first, self-hyping, machismo infused way of doing things. But make no mistake, if they can get themselves focussed on football, there’s enough talent there do some damage in the AFC.

Biggest Team Need Heading Into Offseason: Pass Rush, Safety

Key Free Agents Retained: Bryan Thomas, Aaron Maybin(restricted free agent)

Key Player Additions: Yeremiah Bell

Key Players Leaving: Jim Leonhard, Plaxico Burress

Quick Thoughts on Draft: The Jets had a great draft.  The Jets needed a pass rusher and safety help desperately, and they achieved those goals.  I think whoever called the Jets draft a failure doesn’t know what they were watching.

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The hardest part of the schedule is clearly the first quarter.  If they can get through that, the schedule isn’t that bad.

Most Interesting Roster Battle: Mark Sanchez v Tim Tebow, no other battle is even that interesting

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Increased speed on defense.  They got younger and faster with Quinton Coples, Demario Davis, Josh Bush, and Antonio Allen, and it’s a great sign.

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: The right tackle position.  It still leaves a lot to be desired, and that competition will be very important in camp.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: How will the quarterback situation play out?

2012 Prediction: If Mark Sanchez steps up and plays well 11-12 wins is possible, if not, and Tebowmania takes over, 4-12

As I indicated at the top of this article, the success of the Jets will have less to do with their talent and more to do with their ability to get past the distractions. Head Coach Rex Ryan, whome I believe is the source of most of the team’s problems in that regard, promised that the team would avoid the off-field drama this year. Unfortunately, they then traded for drama magnet Tim Tebow, so clearly it was an empty promise.

Ok, it’s not that bad. It just feels like it be because of the fact that we’re force-fed that aspect of the Jets by the national media. The truth is that Rex Ryan, while obnoxious, really knows defense. That knowledge combined with above average talent on the defensive side of the ball, and you have a recipe for a team that can win a lot of games.

It will all depend on the offense. The O-line isn’t as strong as it was a couple seasons ago when they were in the AFC championships game, but it’s not bad either. As Alan said, the success of this team rests on the shoulder of Mark Sanchez. If he can’t show enough improvement to keep Tebow off the field, then this team will once against not live up to it’s talent level.

Today brought people coming to his defense. First a couple offensive linemen, and then the team owner spoke out on behalf of Sanchez. Normally you’d think that was a good thing, but in this case I don’t really think it is. The Owner’s “He’s the first to arrive and last to leave” defense is already being disputed. People coming to his defense might want to stick to the truth, otherwise it only makes thing worse.

Sanchez is now the center of a divided locker room. The Jets front office must now make changes before next season, or face a year in which the off field squabbles hurt the performance on the field. A divided locker room can only lead to bad things for the franchise.

(more…)

By now you’ve already read all about John Schneider’s Green Bay background and trade down philosophy. I wont spend much time on that here since it’s already well known and well documented. The one thing I would add on this topic is that there’s no reason why he’d  want to give up on this philosophy now. The last 2 drafts have seen Schneider draft pro-bowl level talent late in the draft. Moving back in the first round and getting more picks can only be a good thing when Schneider is the one drafting the players, and he knows it.

The other reason why I don’t see the Seahawks targeting RG3 is that he isn’t the type of quarterback the Seahawks want. Now, before you roll your eyes and point your web browser to another site, let me explain what I mean.  (more…)

Current Pros:

Charlie Whitehurst – Lets face it. I think we’ve all see quite enough of Charlie. I think the Seahawks like what he was physically, and hoped they could teach him the mental aspect of the game. Clearly they were wrong, and I think everyone involved will be happy to see him go away.

Matt Cassel – Cassel lost his job because of injury, but he ultimately lost his job because he wasn’t a franchise QB and the Chiefs want to look into finding someone that is. Orton is the guy in KC as of right now, so Cassel will soon be looking for a new home. He’s nothing more than a league average QB, kinda like Jackson.

Mark Sanchez – It’s rumored that the Jets could make him available and then try and get Peyton Manning from the Colts. While I don’t buy that rumor, I also don’t want to see Sanchez in Seattle. He’s a horribly overrated player who can be really bad at times, and rarely does much to help his team win.

Draft Prospects:  (more…)

Last year, Aaron Curry reported to training camp eight days late. Curry, like Okung, was penciled in as an immediate starter following his top-ten selection in the NFL draft.

And like Okung, Curry’s selection in the first round couldn’t have been at a worse position.

Following Curry’s selection at fourth overall, the New York Jets picked quarterback Mark Sanchez. In June of 2009, Sanchez agreed to a five-year deal worth around $50.5 million with $28 million in guarantees.

Because Curry was drafted ahead of Sanchez, his representatives thought it would be appropriate for him to receive a larger contract.

Quarterbacks, however, always make more money than other positions on the football field. Sanchez received a larger contract than Tyson Jackson, the third overall pick last season. Matt Ryan of Atlanta signed the largest rookie contract of any player in 2008 despite being chosen third overall.

Sanchez was selected one spot after Aaron Curry, which created a dilemma for both sides during negotiations. A perfect storm led to Curry’s absence.

This season, the Seattle Seahawks face a similar dilemma with rookie Russell Okung.

Prior to the Seahawks selecting Okung, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Eric Berry fifth overall. Berry recently signed a six-year, $60 million deal that includes $34 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid safety in NFL history.

Not bad for a rookie who has never played a down in the league, huh? Okung’s representatives want more.

Despite being chosen one spot later than Berry, Okung wants more compensation. Peter Schaffer, Okung’s agent, is probably thinking that a premier, franchise left tackle should always earn more than a defensive back.

In most cases, he is correct. But the Seattle Seahawks are unlikely to budge and would prefer a slotted salary (Okung earns more than players picked after him but less than those picked before).

In addition to putting a premium on particular positions, there is also a problem with contract length.

Just like the perfect storm that led to Curry’s absence, Okung’s situation seems to be unusually coincidental.

Three of the five players picked in front of Okung have signed six-year deals; the players chosen after Okung have signed five-year deals. Okung is conveniently stuck in the middle.

The Seahawks would obviously prefer a six-year deal, but that means Okung would have to put off free agency for one more year. A longer deal would obviously warrant more guaranteed money.

Ndamukong Suh, drafted second overall, recently signed a five-year deal with the Detroit Lions. This won’t help the Seahawks add another year on Okung’s contract, but it may lead to him reporting to camp sooner.

I’m hopeful Okung and the Seahawks can come to terms soon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he misses more time in camp. At this point, it would be great to see the Seahawks get something done by the end of this week.

Until then, I suppose we can look forward to watching more of Mansfield Wrotto at left tackle.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
Follow 12th Man Rising

Even though I’ll watch the Super Bowl and probably share my thoughts about the game at some point, I’m ready for the offseason to begin. Moving forward, the next steps for the Seattle Seahawks are free agency and the NFL Draft.

The NFL Draft is always fun to discuss; it is an annual opportunity to obtain future playmakers and offers hope to unsuccessful franchises. This year will be especially interesting for Seahawks fans since Seattle holds three selections in the top forty.

After nine wins in two seasons, the Seahawks are obviously in desperate need of help. There are several needs – offensive line, defensive line, safety, and running back, to name a few – and the Seahawks must find ways to address most of them this offseason. In my opinion, the Seahawks are still at least a couple years away from competing, but this offseason offers a great opportunity to add a few missing pieces.

Several fans want Seattle to draft a quarterback of the future; this year’s class headlines players such as Jimmy Clausen, Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, and several other big-name collegiate quarterbacks. With the conclusion of Matt Hasselbeck’s career in Seattle looming, Seattle needs to find a player who can take over in the near future.

Others want the Seahawks to address a glaring need for an offensive playmaker. C.J. Spiller is an electric player – think about a poor man’s Chris Johnson – with blazing speed and playmaking ability who could develop into a star in the National Football League. Seattle would be foolish to pass up on this year’s Percy Harvin, wouldn’t they?

In my opinion, the Seahawks have more pressing needs to address before they acquire a “quarterback of the future” or a sexy offensive player.  I’ve never been a proponent for drafting by need, but the Seahawks have to get better in the trenches. The development of a young quarterback or running back would be delayed without at least a competent offensive line up front.

With quarterbacks, confidence is huge. Despite obvious physical talent, a young signal-caller may never develop into anything more than a marginal starter without a good foundation around him. There are always exceptions to any rule, but I’m not ready to splurge for the next Mark Sanchez or Matt Ryan with our current roster.

Running backs are a luxury in the National Football League. They have a short shelf life; typically, a running back will wear down after excessive carries. Think about the 300-plus-carries rule or how many running backs flop after their 30^th birthday. Youth is wasted on the young, and a lot of running backs in the NFL wear down before they’re even able to get started. And more so than quarterbacks, running backs are a product of the offensive line blocking for them. Even the most talented back will have trouble running where there aren’t any holes to run through.

To summarize everything, my preference would be for Seattle to focus on the offensive and defensive lines before committing millions to a skill position. Of course, if C.J. Spiller becomes the next great running back and we pass on him I’ll be sick to my stomach, but every situation is different. Just like Mark Sanchez, who wouldn’t have been nearly successful if the Seahawks drafted him instead of the New York Jets.

Looking forward, this offseason should be interesting. I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts on the upcoming draft and free agency; what direction would you like the Seahawks to go?

They haven’t made it this far throwing the ball all over the field. They don’t have an All-Pro quarterback. Hell, they don’t even have much of a home-field advantage.

The New York Jets win football games in the trenches. Their offensive line is great, the defense is impenetrable, and they move the football on the ground. The Jets are playing the purest form of football.

How refreshing is it to watch an offensive line that overwhelms opposing defenders? The Jets know how to build an offensive line: invest a few high draft picks (D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold), bring in a couple key free agents (Alan Faneca, Damien Woody), and let them grow as a unit.

Unfortunately, under Tim Ruskell’s watch, the Seattle Seahawks failed to maintain a competent offensive line. The Seahawks nearly ignored the position in the draft and failed to build depth, acquired ineffective free agents (Mike Wahle), and  never experienced any sort of continuity due to injuries.

Remember when the Seahawks had a dominant offensive line? Their strategy wasn’t so different than New York’s; Seattle invested a few high draft picks (Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson), signed talented free agents (Robbie Tobeck, Chris Gray), and started the same five players every Sunday.

With a great offensive line, the New York Jets are able to impose their will on opposing defenses. With a successful running game, the Jets control the clock and wear down defenders.  They’re a good football team with a rookie starting at quarterback.

If Mark Sanchez played for the Seahawks, he’d probably be on injured reserve by now.

Fortunately for Sanchez, there aren’t any expectations; he just has to avoid mistakes. He isn’t required to throw the football around the field, and most of his passes aren’t very complicated – a majority of his attempts are short throws off play-fakes and/or bootlegs.

If we tried that with a rookie quarterback in Seattle, we’d be no better than the St. Louis Rams. We’re not good enough offensively to insert a rookie quarterback and expect wins, so don’t chase Matt Hasselbeck out of town just yet.

The offense is going to take awhile to rebuild, but what about the defense? Will Seattle’s defense ever be great like New York’s?

I know, the Seahawks don’t have a dominant cornerback (like Darrelle Revis), and their defensive line is underachieving at best. But if the right personnel decisions are made, can the Seahawks finally shut down opposing offenses?

I’m cautiously optimistic; the Seahawks have several talented athletes on that side of the ball, and a few new components could drastically change the competency of the defense. Whether it is a lack of talent or a deficient scheme, the Seahawks are unable to rush the passer. The defensive backs appear overmatched, and the linemen appear overpowered.

Hopefully, Pete Carroll and company can identify those weaknesses and improve a 5-11 football team.

The Jets are an obvious underdog, but extremely underrated in my opinion. Their style of smash-mouth, ground-and-pound football is refreshing and enjoyable to watch. Hopefully, the Seahawks can return to prominence in the trenches and find success if the playoffs again.

Until then, I’ll admit: I’m envious of the four teams competing for an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl.

Shortly after the players finished warming up and moved into position-specific drills, it was announced that a new player, number fifty-nine, would be joining the session.

Seattle fans, obviously aware that number fifty-nine belongs to rookie linebacker Aaron Curry, responded with approval, immediately providing an extended applause. This meant that Curry had come to terms with the club and ended his week-long absence from training camp.

While Curry jogged across the field to join his fellow linebackers, fans applauded and cheered with excitement. Everyone was ecstatic after finding out Curry had signed a contract, and I was unfortunately limited by training camp policies enforced by the Seahawks – video taping, live streaming and blogging during practice is strictly prohibited.

Since the breaking news at training camp, it has been reported that Curry’s deal is a six-year contract worth $60 million, including $34 million in guarantees. I think it is obvious that the Seahawks paid more than they had wanted, but it was necessary to get Curry into camp. Teams selecting in the top-five of the NFL Draft will have to pay that price annually, unless the league reforms rookie salaries.

Fortunately, I don’t expect Seattle to be selecting in the top-five anytime soon, unless the Denver Broncos are absolutely terrible this season.

Tyson Jackson, the player selected before Curry, signed a five-year deal worth $57 million, including $31 million guaranteed. Mark Sanchez, the quarterback selected after Curry, signed a five-year deal worth $50.5 million, including $28 million guaranteed.

Maybe the deal that Curry signed wasn’t so bad after all, considering where he was selected.

After 24 hours of intense negotiations, the Chiefs signed their first-round draft choice, defensive end Tyson Jackson of Louisiana State.

Several sources last night indicated that the Chiefs had signed Jackson, but they were a little premature. This breaking news is excellent for the Seahawks, who’ve yet to agree with their first-round pick, linebacker Aaron Curry.

Tyson Jackson’s contract gives both sides a better idea of Aaron Curry’s true value, and should make the negotiation process a lot easier. With the third- and fifth-overall picks coming to terms with their respective teams, Curry’s value is pretty much determined. I would be surprised if Seattle isn’t able to get a deal done with Curry by the end of this weekend.

The details of Tyson Jackson’s contract have not been disclosed, but ESPN.com’s John Clayton was apparently told that the two sides had been “working on a deal worth $57 million over five years, with $31 million guaranteed.”

Mark Sanchez, who signed with the New York Jets last June and was selected one pick after Curry, agreed to a deal worth up o $60 million with $28 million guaranteed.

Quarterbacks, almost by default, receive more compensation than any position on the field. Every play the offense is on the field, the quarterback touches the ball – save for a few snaps out of the Wildcat formation. Games are won and lost by quarterbacks, and they’re some of the most recognizable players for each franchise.

Quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are apparently worth more than $100 million to their respective teams, and Matthew Stafford agreed to a 6-year contract worth $72 million with the Detroit Lions before ever taking a snap in the league.

In June, Mark Sanchez agreed to a five-year contract that includes $28 million dollars in guarantees, making Sanchez the highest-paid player in Jets history. The entire contract is worth $50.5 after incentives are added.

So Aaron Curry, who was drafted one slot before Sanchez and could’ve easily been the first player selected, is worthy of a contract greater than the fifth overall pick, right? Well, his agent most certainly thinks so.

But from Seattle’s perspective, Curry’s contract should not be greater than the one obtained by Sanchez. This is because Sanchez is a quarterback, and almost by default, good quarterbacks make a lot more money than good linebackers. It is difficult for Seattle to negotiate this angle, however, because Curry was drafted after Stafford and before Sanchez. The two other players drafted before Curry include Jason Smith, who agreed to a five-year contract that could be worth close to $62 million, and Tyson Jackson, who remains unsigned. Smith’s contract is also inflated, because franchise offensive tackles typically earn extremely large paydays as well – take Walter Jones, for example.

Although Curry is slotted between three players who’ve signed deals, they’re of positions that arguably command the largest salaries (quarterback and offensive tackle). The best thing that could happen that would likely strengthen Seattle’s negotiating power would be Tyson Jackson agreeing to a deal with the Chiefs. Jackson’s contract will definitely be a better barometer of what Curry is worth, and the Seahawks might hold out on Curry until this happens.

Of course, this strategy isn’t perfect and there is no guarantee that Tyson Jackson will sign a contract anytime soon. Both Seattle and Kansas City are hoping the other side gets a deal done first; if Seattle signs Curry, then Kansas City obtains leverage in negotiations, and vice versa. I’m sure that both teams have exchanged at least a couple of phone calls over the past week or so.

In an unusual set of unfortunate circumstances, Kansas City happens to be the franchise negotiating a rookie contract in front of Seattle. And the general manager of Kansas City is Scott Pioli, who is known to be a hard negotiator and maintains a closed-door policy on contract discussions.

So while it is extremely unfortunate that Aaron Curry is not signed and present in training camp, I don’t blame either side for not getting a deal done. In what could be considered a “perfect storm” that has led to Curry’s absence, Seattle doesn’t have much leverage and will likely overspend if they’re going to get a contract done sooner than later.

Most people will agree it is a business, but Curry is projected as an immediate starting linebacker for Seattle and needs to report to camp as soon as possible. Curry will not be able to make up missed time, and every practice missed may add to what is already a long learning curve in the NFL.

I’m hopeful that Curry agrees to a contract soon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he misses more time in camp. At this point, it would be great to see the Seahawks get something done by the end of this week. We’ll just have to hope the Chiefs make progress with Tyson Jackson.