Pete Carroll is certainly a loyal guy, and he believes in the coaches and players who work with him. While sometimes it is a fault, Carroll likes to hold on to people whom he thinks he can trust. This has happened a lot so far this year as many former Seattle Seahawks are now with the Las Vegas Raiders.
First, former Seattle quarterback Geno Smith landed in Vegas after the QB had requested a trade from Seattle. Seattle signed Sam Darnold to replace Smith, and Darnold had a better year than Smith in 2024, but the Raiders' new QB1 will make them better.
Now, former Seahawks offensive line project (and sixth-round 2021 draft pick) Stone Forsythe has signed with the Raiders. As 12s know, Forsythe should be no more than a backup with his new team, unless something has gone terribly wrong for Las Vegas at some point.
Former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Stone Forsythe lands with the Las Vegas Raiders
The 6'8" and nearly 310-pound tackle was supposed to be third-string in 2024 for Seattle, but after starter Abraham Lucas was slow to return from offseason knee surgery and free agent acquisition George Fant got injured in Week 1, Forsythe was suddenly an important part of the O-line.
Was he good? Not really. He allowed 35 total quarterback pressures in 298 pass-block snaps, and that certainly isn't good. Still, he was never expected to be in a position to have to stay week after week. In short spurts, he was fine.
In 2023, he was forced to play as well, but split his time between left tackle and right tackle. He was good as a run-blocker, but terrible in pass protection. The truth is that Stone Forsythe has the size to play in the NFL, but not the athleticism or strength.
Ultimately, this isn't about Forsythe's lack of high-end efficiency with the Seahawks. Instead, it is another example of how Pete Carroll simply won't quit on people. That is a decent trait as a football coach, but it is a tremendous one as a human being.
Many times, players feel that loyalty and want to do what they can to help Carroll succeed as well. That is the case with Seattle Seahawks trade bust Jamal Adams, who joined the Raiders in training camp and transitioned to inside linebacker. He is doing quite well at his new spot.
Stone Forsythe might not start much with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he does understand what Pete Carroll wants as far as the culture for his team. If nothing else, Forsythe should help with that.