Top 5, Bottom 5
The Seattle Seahawks have made hundred of moves since both Pete Carroll and John Schneider took over as Head Coach and General Manager of the team. After seeing the 250-plus transactions in their first season with control of the team, fans were skeptical about this front office.
Three years later, the sentiment has changed.
In fact, the fans are so behind this duo of PCJS, they don’t bother questioning moves right off the bat anymore. It’s a wait and see situation now, and the fans have not been disappointed. The first two years of trial and error have lead to the current team that we have all come to know and love.
In 2010 and 2011, the Seahawks drafted a total of 18 players. 16 of those players are still on the team.
With all the success that has come to this team, there have also been some misses.
Worst 5 Transactions
5. One and Done
Prior to the 2011 season, the Seahawks acquired offensive lineman Robert Gallery via Free Agency. Gallery had just become free from Oakland when Seattle scooped him up. It seemed like a perfect idea, seeing how his previous head coach and position coach Tom Cable is now in Seattle.
Little did anyone know, he would not be nearly as impactful as everyone had hoped. After 1 season with the Robert Gallery experiment, Seattle cut ties and let him make his way to New England.
The Robert Gallery experiment lasted 1 season
4. White Noise
In April 2010, the Seahawks made a deal with the Tennessee Titans. The Seahawks would receive RB LenDale White, DT Kevin Vickerson, a 4th round pick (Walter Thurmond) and a 6th round pick (Anthony McCoy) in exchange for Seattle’s 4th and 6th round picks.
Seattle acquired 2 players and swapped their 2 picks with Tennessee’s essentially.
White was cut not long after the deal after showing that he thought he was safe playing for Carroll again after his years at USC.
Little did he know, Uncle Pete wasn’t messing around and got rid of him as soon as it was apparent that White loved cheeseburgers more than football. Vickerson was released before the season started, he was then picked up by Denver and ended up playing pretty well for them.
Then you have the 2 current roster guys in Thurmond and McCoy. I like Thurmond, but he has been injured for much of his time as a Seahawk.
And, well, we all know how I feel about Anthony McCoy.
3. Wilson Switches Nests
In late August of 2010, the Seahawks made a deal that irked the fan base and made them look pretty silly in the process. Opting to put their eggs in the basket of a defunct Kelly Jennings, the Seahawks sent CB Josh Wilson to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2011 5th round pick.
Not only was Seattle stuck with Jennings, but they had to see Wilson head to Baltimore and Washington and be somewhat successful. I realize our current roster takes a lot of the sting off of that now, but at the time it hurt.
Thinking of it now makes me shake my head again in disapproval.
Funny note – the 5th rounder Seattle got for Wilson was used on Richard Sherman.
2. No More Matt
Following the 2010 season, several key Seahawks players became free agents. One of the more notable guys on that list was fan favorite franchise QB Matt Hasselbeck. Given the situation the Seahawks were in at the time, re-signing Hasselbeck would’ve been the best possible option. In my opinion, at least.
Rumor has gone both ways in saying that Hasselbeck was already dead set on leaving with the flipside being that the Seahawks offered him a laughable contract. No matter which is correct, the Seahawks could’ve used him badly in the 2011 campaign.
I’m NOT knocking Tarvaris Jackson (I have been a stout supporter of TJack’s), but with Hasselbeck’s knowledge and leadership, I believe the team would’ve been better off re-signing their proven star.
1. Charlie Whitehurst
The Seahawks draft day deal to obtain Charlie Whitehurst had me yelling at my television. Some were excited about the move, but I was not…from the start. In fact, I remember sitting next to my dad, telling him how much I hated the move and how much I hated Whitehurst.
Laughing all the way to the bank. Highest paid clipboard holder...ever
Fast forward to now. I was right.
Moving DOWN 20 spots to draft a backup quarterback was an insane move. Yes, they essentially did it this season with Russell Wilson, but there’s one glaring difference…Wilson has talent.
Best 5 Transactions
5. Bring On Leon
In April of 2010, the Seahawks sent a 2010 5th round pick in exchange for RB Leon Washington and a 7th round pick. While Washington isn’t a starting RB in Seattle, he has still contributed more than any casual fan would be able to point out.
In fact, the 3 return touchdowns Washington scored in 2010 for Seattle were worth the deal alone. Washington remains as Seattle’s punt and kick returner and plays on third down situations.
He is a leader in the lockeroom.
4. DT For CC
Darryl Tapp was a fan favorite in Seattle, but that didn’t stop PCJS from shipping him to the Philadelphia Eagles. Although he is sorely missed by the fanbase, they have been more than happy with his trade counterpart, Chris Clemons.
Clemons has become the stout defensive end Seattle had hoped for (he has his own drinking game) and is still a cornerstone in the defense along with Red Bryant at the opposite end.
This season, Clemons will be taking newly drafted Bruce Irvin under his wing to help teach him the ways of the pass rusher.
They can eat quarterbacks together.
3. The Black Hole
On October 13th of last year, the Seahawks finally offloaded LB/paperweight Aaron Curry. They sent him to the Oakland Raiders for a 2012 7th round pick and a 4th or 5th round pick in 2013. That was a steal considering I’m sure many fans would have given him away for a jug of Gatorade.
He came in with high hopes being the 4th overall pick in his draft class and couldn’t live up to them. He complained of the pressure the franchise put on him, but going 4th overall, you should be expecting exactly that.
He has nothing to worry about now as he has been 86′d to the Black Hole in Oakland. I do wish him the best there and look forward to some free yards when the Seahawks take on the Raiders this season.
2. See Ya, Jennings!
In late August of 2011, the Seahawks shipped CB Kelly Jennings to the Cincinnati Bengals for DT Clinton McDonald. This was a huge weight off everyone in Seattle – the front office, the players and the fans. Yes, Jennings was a solid pick up at first.
Then he declined.
Quickly.
Beast Mode is in full effect in Seattle after PCJS made the move to get him from Buffalo
Anybody who stepped on the offensive side of the ball could’ve beat Jennings deep, including 350+ pound linemen. He couldn’t cover anyone with any skill to save his life and was quickly offloaded when it became more than apparent to the front office.
To our joy, he didn’t do anything in the 2011 season for the Bengals while McDonald actually produced and helped this Seahawks team over the course of the season. He’s in the mix on the D-line in 2012 too.
1. Marshawn Lynch
In October of 2010, the Seahawks made a deal with the Buffalo Bills to obtain Marshawn Lynch for a 2011 4th round draft pick and an undisclosed 2012 draft pick.
That 2012 draft pick turned out to be the Seahawks 5th rounder this year due to Lynch’s overwhelming production since his arrival in Seattle.
I think most will agree that this is the defining transaction in this regime so far, as the team’s offensive identity has centered on Lynch and the running game.
After coming off a Pro Bowl season last year, look for Beast Mode to improve on his already stellar body of work in Seattle.
Please note that these transactions, with the exception of one, deals with direct players and not hypotheticals. (I’m not going to mention trades for picks that were used on studs besides that one exception.)
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About Brandon Choate
