What is Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider thinking? Let's throw out any assumption that head coach Mike Macdonald is in charge of roster moves. He isn't When Pete Carroll was fired as head coach this past offseason, Schneider took over final control of all roster decisions. Macdonald is there to coach the team. Schneider's job is to build the roster.
Schneider has clearly made some mistakes since Carroll was fired. The team let all-time great linebacker Bobby Wagner walk away in free agency, and Seattle signed Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker to help replace him. Baker has since been traded and Dodson was released on Monday. The inside linebackers will now likely be Ernest Jones IV and rookie Tyrice Knight.
Even more potentially damning about Schneider's personnel decisions is that the team decided to sign N'Keal Harry to the practice squad on Monday. Harry was a first-round bust as a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, and was so inept as a receiver that he was moved to tight end. He hasn't lasted anywhere as TE anywhere either.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider signing N'Keal Harry to the practice squad seems ridiculous
Since 2020, Harry has a total of 19 catches, and had zero in 2023. He does have any this year, either, because no team wanted to give him a chance to play. Sure, Harry was only signed to the practice squad, but he is only taking a spot there from a more worthy player.
Harry being signed might imply tight end Noah Fant's groin injury is worse than first thought. In theory, Seattle needs a tight end who can catch passes consistently other than Fant if Fant cannot play. AJ Barner has been decent in that aspect, but no other Seattle tight end has shown they can do anything. The problem is that neither has Harry.
Even as a wide receiver he was bad. He cannot block. He can't be relied upon as a receiver either. What was the point of wasting even one dollar on him?
Maybe John Schneider is learning that Pete Carroll made the roster decisions look easier than they were. Schneider made a bunch of trades in the preseason and the first part of the year and none have truly worked out. Most of his free agent signings haven't either. Maybe Seattle should bring Carroll back as the general manager and the team should release Schneider.