Okung’s potential impact on Seahawks draft day trades and other random notes

Okung’s deal could affect draft day trades, and other random thoughts about the upcoming draft.

Sometimes we just need to think out loud and get our thoughts out there so they can be fully processed. Here are some of my random draft thoughts for you to enjoy:

• Seattle is not trading for Joe Thomas and we should be perfectly happy with that. Look, Thomas is a great left tackle and all, but he’s aging and won’t improve the overall play of the offensive line enough to warrant the draft capital a trade would require. It’s not like the offensive line is one piece away from being amazing. Slight improvement across the interior of the line will go a lot further than a large improvement on one edge. I think most grading systems are overly harsh on ZBS offensive lines anyway – top 5 rushing attack 4 years in a row has to mean something.

• Could Okung’s free agency flop impact draft day trades? Schneider is not afraid to make trades before or during the draft and I’m sure he’ll make some moves again this year. After Okung’s underwhelming free agent deal, Seattle is only projected to get two compensatory picks next season. Initial reports on Okung’s deal had many thinking he’d net a 3^rd or 4^th round comp pick for Seattle, but instead he’s likely canceled out by the Webb contract. Perhaps Schneider tries to net a 2017 draft pick out of someone during a trade back scenario.

• When will Seattle draft their first offensive tackle? Many fans and mock drafts say the first round, but its never that simple. The draft is a delicate balance of need and value which Schneider usually manages well compared to his GM counterparts. The really good offensive tackles tend to go in the top 10 so value becomes a real question at pick 26. An old article at PFF asserts that an offensive tackle taken in the first round but outside of the top 10 is basically a 50-50 crapshoot to even be average in his rookie year. This lends credence to the idea of going defensive line or interior offensive line with the 26^th pick and then draft your 50-50 project in the second round (or later).

• In my first mock I had Seattle trade back from 26 to the early second round and select defensive lineman Chris Jones out of Mississippi State. After his recent arrest maybe Seattle could instead get him with their second pick.

• Seattle coaches reportedly spent a lot of time with Connor McGovern at Mizzou’s pro day, including some drills at center. It’d be pretty easy to imagine Seattle grabbing him earlier than most draft pundits slot him. Maybe even in the second round like previous Mizzou offensive lineman Justin Britt?

• Cornerback or Safety? In the PCJS era, the Seahawks have always grabbed a defensive back in round five or six; sometimes a corner and sometimes a safety. With such depth at corner right now (Sherman, Lane, Shead, Burley, Simon, Smith, Farmer, Seisey, Jean-Baptiste, and Reed) perhaps they go after a backup free safety or swing safety/corner this time? I haven’t seen his arm length but Kalan Reed from Southern Miss looks fun:

• I think Seattle will pick an OL and a DL with their first two picks, but I cannot decide in what order. Certainly whatever happens before they pick will influence this, but I flip-flop seemingly every day on which order I think they should go. Of those I think will be available, I tend to be more attracted to the defensive linemen at 26 then the offensive linemen.

• With Frank Clark dropping weight to help fill some of the Bruce Irvin role, it’s extremely likely Seattle will take an inside-out type defensive lineman with one of their first two picks.

• I love Mike Thomas out of Southern Miss and sent the wideout to Seattle late in day three in my first mock, but I don’t know if he’ll last that long anymore. Maybe round 4?