Seattle Seahawks Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Four Teams Work Out DB Will Blackmon

April 23rd, 2018 at 11:24am CST by Zach Links

Veteran defensive back Will Blackmon worked out for the Seahawks, Browns, Colts, and Falcons recently, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Blackmon will turn 34 in October, but he impressed in his workouts and Garafolo gets the sense that he’ll land with a team after the draft.

Blackmon appeared in 30 out of 32 possible appearances for the Redskins between 2015 and 2016, including 16 starts, but missed Washington’s final cut in 2017. Blackmon auditioned for the Colts in November, but did not sign with a team last season.

The veteran offers experience at both safety and cornerback. Blackmon played almost exclusively at corner between 2013 and 2015, but shifted to safety in ’16 when the Redskins added Josh Norman. The move to safety suited him well as he earned his best marks ever from Pro Football Focus. PFF placed him as the 32nd in the league at the position in that season, ahead of notables like Shawn Williams, Bradley McDougald, and T.J. Ward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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R2 Pick Could Get Earl Thomas Deal Done?

April 22nd, 2018 at 7:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite the Seahawks expecting Earl Thomas not to hold out, they still have him on the trade block, John Clayton of ESPN said during a radio appearance with KESN in Dallas (via the Dallas Morning News). Clayton added that the Seahawks would likely be willing to move their three-time All-Pro safety for less than a first-round pick, indicating they would probably trade Thomas for a package featuring second- and fourth-round selections and perhaps something in the 2019 draft. Clayton indicates the Cardinals could use a free safety but that the Seahawks were not going to trade Thomas to an NFC West team. The Cowboys moving Byron Jones to cornerback would open a spot there, and Thomas was vocal about being receptive to a Dallas deal, and they strike Clayton as the top suitor for the 28-year-old defender’s services.

Pete Carroll said this week the door wasn’t closed between the Seahawks and Colin Kaepernick, but Clayton said this partnership will be unlikely. The longtime ESPN reporter added the Seahawks did work out Kaepernick last year when he visited but did not offer him a contract because Carroll exited the interview with the impression the former 49er still wanted to be an NFL starter rather than a backup.

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Might This Be The Year Seahawks Stay Put In 1st Round?

April 22nd, 2018 at 2:24pm CST by Ryan Posner

The Seahawks have proven to be the wild cards of the NFL Draft under general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll. One of their constants, though, has been the move to trade back in the first round to collect a higher volume of picks.

ESPN’s Brady Henderson looks into the team’s history of trading back and wonders if this may be the year it decides to stay put. The Seahawks hold the No. 18 overall pick in the draft.

As it stands, the Seahawks don’t have a pick in the second or third rounds of the upcoming draft. They’ve never had fewer than two picks through the first three rounds under Schneider and Carroll.

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NFC West Notes: ‘Hawks, Thomas, Kaep

April 20th, 2018 at 12:45pm CST by Zach Links

Seahawks GM John Schneider says he has not talked to Earl Thomas‘ representatives since the combine, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. However, Schneider added that is not unusual. Despite his name being floated in trade rumors this offseason, the GM says that he hopes to have Thomas on the roster when the season begins.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll went on the record to say that the team is still considering Colin Kaepernick, despite cancelling a workout with him earlier this month. “The discussion and the opportunity is still open,” Carroll said on KJR, via Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune (Twitter link). Reportedly, the Seahawks are hesitant about signing Kaepernick since he will not commit to standing for the anthem in 2018.
Before signing with the Cardinals, cornerback Marcus Williams drew interest from the Vikings, Dolphins, and Bills, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets. Williams starred at Hopkins High School in Minnesota, so he would have been looking at a homecoming with the Vikings.
Running back Todd Gurley says he understands the Rams‘ priority to get a new deal done with Aaron Donald before worrying about his own contract.
49ers linebacker Reuben Foster is still facing quite a bit of legal trouble, but he did have a misdemeanor charge dropped on Thursday.

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Dwight Freeney Retires From NFL

April 19th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Zach Links

Dwight Freeney is calling it a career. After 16 seasons in the NFL, Freeney will sign a one-day contract with Indianapolis to retire as a member of the Colts.

Freeney entered the league as the No. 11 pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Since then, he has racked up seven Pro Bowl nods, three first-team All-Pro selections, and a Super Bowl ring.

Freeney, 38, will be best remembered for his time in blue and white, where he amassed 107. 5 sacks across eleven seasons. All in all, he has 125.5 career sacks to his credit, tying him for 17th all-time in NFL history.

The Colts averaged 11 wins per year during Freeney’s run with the Colts and had 11 sacks in his 22 playoff games with the team. Many thought the Colts were reaching when they selected Freeney in ’02, but he turned out to be the perfect fit for first-year head coach Tony Dungy.

“Bill [Polian] had seen Dwight and thought he was exactly the guy I had been talking about,” Dungy said of Freeney. “We’re sitting at No. 11 in the first round and people looked at his size and thought it was too high to draft him. Bill, to his credit, said, ‘If this is going to be the big piece of the puzzle, let’s not worry about where we take Dwight and what other people think. Let’s get the guy who is going to be the perfect piece.’ Dwight was the straw that stirred the drink.”

The Syracuse product played in three Super Bowls — two with the Colts, one with the Falcons — and started in 19 postseason games. All seven of Freeney’s double-digit sack seasons came with the Colts.

Following his Colts run, which ran through the 2012 season, Freeney played with five more teams. His most notable post-Indianapolis season came with the 2015 Cardinals, for whom he registered eight sacks and helped to the NFC title game despite being an off-the-bench edge rusher. He recorded three sacks in each of the past two seasons, playing in Atlanta, Seattle and Detroit. Prior to Arizona, Freeney spent two seasons in San Diego.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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NFL Draft Rumors: Bengals, Ragnow, Browns

April 19th, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Zach Links

It increasingly sounds like Arkansas center/guard Frank Ragnow has a good chance to be drafted in Round 1, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com hears. The Bengals got a last minute meeting in with Ragnow and it’s possible that they could consider him with the No. 21 overall pick. Pelissero wonders if we could be in for a run on interior linemen towards the back of the first round, with guys like Ragnow, Iowa center James Daniels, Georgia guard Isaiah Wynn and Ohio State center Billy Price (despite his partially torn pec) coming off of the board sooner than expected.

“Those guys are just safe. They’re steady. The bust factor is very low on those guys,” an AFC executive said. “Maybe they’re not the sexiest picks, but worst-case scenario, you’re going to end up with a solid player who can step in and contribute pretty early.”

Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:

Most people believe the Browns are zeroed in on a quarterback, but GM John Dorsey isn’t publicly ruling out Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 1 overall (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Of course, draft season is full of smokescreens, so we shouldn’t necessarily take Dorsey’s comments at face value. In all likelihood, the Browns will be selecting their QB of the future with the top pick while considering other players at No. 4.
Draft visits are officially over, but the Seahawks are still doing their homework. On Thursday night, they’ll dine with Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea, Rapoport tweets. The Seahawks pick at No. 18, so they may have to trade up if they want him. It will be interesting to see if they go in that direction since they have opted to trade down in recent drafts.

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Seahawks Interested In Ra’Shede Hageman

April 18th, 2018 at 6:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks have expressed interest in former Falcons defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link).

Hageman is a former second-round pick and is still just 27 years old, but he hasn’t been heard from since being cut by Atlanta last September. After being arrested on domestic violence charges in 2016, Hageman was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list prior to the 2017 campaign. The Falcons subsequently waived Hageman, and he was then handed a six-week suspension by the NFL, a ban which he fulfilled as a free agent.

Based on talent alone, it’s perhaps not surprising that Hageman would be given a second chance. The Falcons clearly had high hopes for Hageman after using the 37th overall selection in the 2014 draft on the ex-Minnesota standout, and the club’s coaching staff was reportedly enamored with his progress as recently as last offseason.

All told, Hageman appeared in 44 of Atlanta’s 48 regular-season games and combined for 15 starts during his three-year tenure with the club. The majority of his work came in 2015, when he tallied career highs in starts (11), defensive snaps (419) and tackles (27).

The Seahawks, for their part, have been open to rostering players with off-field concerns, so a Hageman addition wouldn’t be a leap. Seattle’s interior defensive line is set to undergo a makeover this offseason, as Michael Bennett, Sheldon Richardson, and — in the near future — Malik McDowell are leaving the club while veterans Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen were added.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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NFL Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Key, Bills

April 18th, 2018 at 1:58pm CST by Zach Links

Wednesday marks the final day for NFL draft visits, and we have some notable ones to pass along. Here’s the latest NFL Draft news:

LSU linebacker/defensive end Arden Key worked out with the Cowboys on Tuesday and met with the Saints on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans is visiting the Bills and Texas tackle Connor Williams is visiting the Packers, Rapoport tweets.
The Patriots are hosting Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley on a pre-draft visit, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The Patriots aren’t known for taking receivers in the first round, but Ridley could be an exception as they look to rebuild that group. Ridley also visited the Bears on Tuesday.
Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore seems to be a firm first round prospect, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). For a while, Moore appeared to be a fringe first/second round type, so his stock is improving as the draft draws near. Moore met with the Bills, who pick No. 12 and 22, on Wednesday.
Ohio State center Billy Price will meet with the Seahawks, Alex Marvez of SiriusXM tweets. Price is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle he suffered during the bench press at the combine. The good news is that Price is expected to be ready in time for training camp.

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Minor NFL Transactions: 4/17/18

April 17th, 2018 at 5:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Signed: DB Tyson Graham, DT Garrison Smith, DT Justin Zimmer

Baltimore Ravens

Re-signed: WR Quincy Adeboyejo, RB Alex Collins, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, TE Vince Mayle, LB Patrick Onwuasor, OL Maurquice Shakir, OL Matt Skura (ERFA)

Buffalo Bills

Re-signed: TE Nick O’Leary, CB Lafayette Pitts, TE Logan Thomas, DE Eddie Yarbrough (ERFA)

Carolina Panthers

Re-signed: WR Damiere Byrd, OL Tyler Larsen, P Michael Palardy (ERFA)

Chicago Bears

Signed original round RFA tender: CB Bryce Callahan

Green Bay Packers

Re-signed: WR Geronimo Allison, CB Donatello Brown, QB Joe Callahan, WR Michael Clark; FB Joe Kerridge, G Justin McCray, T Adam Pankey, G Lucas Patrick, S Jermaine Whitehead (ERFA)

Los Angeles Rams

Re-signed: RB Malcolm Brown, K Sam Ficken, CB Troy Hill (ERFA)

New York Jets

Signed original-round RFA tender: S Rontez Miles, TE Neal Sterling

Seattle Seahawks

Re-signed: LB Paul Dawson
Re-signed: C Joey Hunt, DE Branden Jackson, LS Tyler Ott (ERFA)

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Seahawks' Earl Thomas Absent From Workouts

April 17th, 2018 at 1:30pm CST by Zach Links

Team workouts are voluntary at this stage of the offseason, but here’s a situation worth keeping an eye on in Seattle. Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was absent from the start of the team’s voluntary offseason workout program, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com writes. Thomas is entering his contract year and has indicated that he could consider a hold out if he doesn’t get a new contract. Thomas says that he wants to remain in Seattle, but the Seahawks – who have already moved on from Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett – say they’re willing to listen to offers on any player.
NFL teams may be concerned about the public relations backlash that would come with signing Colin Kaepernick, but at least one major shoe company is willing to align themselves with the polarizing quarterback. “We’re not in the business of activism, we’re in the business of sport, ” high-ranking Adidas executive Mark King said, adding that the company would “definitely” want to sign Kaepernick if he lands with an NFL team this year. “But allowing our athletes to tell their story, it’s really important to us.” It’s conceivable that the corporate world’s acceptance of the former 49ers QB could lead to teams giving more consideration to Kaepernick. For now, clubs remain skittish. The Seahawks cancelled a workout with Kaepernick earlier this month when he declined to say whether he’d continue kneeling for the anthem in 2018.

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