Seahawks Make Change At Running Backs Coach
Six Seahawks Had 2017 Base Salaries Become Guaranteed Saturday
- Six Seahawks players saw their 2017 base salaries become guaranteed on Saturday, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports. Those players form a major part of Seattle’s foundation: Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, Michael Bennett, and Jeremy Lane. As Condotta observes, the only player on that list about whom there might have been some intrigue is Lane, who signed a four-year, $23MM deal last offseason but who failed to meet expectations in 2016.
Seahawks Likely To Bring In Competition at Kicker
- Knowing the way the Seahawks operate, it stands to reason that they will bring in a young kicker to compete with new addition Blair Walsh, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. It’s quite unlikely that Steven Hauschka will be kept around for competition, however. Hauschka made $2.7MM last season and Walsh will probably earn something in the $1MM range, so it’s hard to see a scenario in which he would agree to fight for the job and accept a 50 percent-plus pay slash.
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Seahawks Sign Blair Walsh
The Seahawks have signed former Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, according to a league source who spoke with Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Stephen Hauschka is a free agent, so Walsh could be the man to replace him. 
[RELATED: Browns Claim Tyvis Powell From Seahawks]
Walsh and the Seahawks have some recent history together after he missed a game-winning field goal in the NFC Wild Card playoff matchup last year. Even though he badly missed that 27-yard chip shot, the Seahawks are intrigued by him and view him as their potential place kicker for 2017.
Last year, Walsh was cut by the Vikings in November and was unable to find work after that point. His 2016 season was rough, but he has a history of being a solid kicker. From 2012 through 2015, Walsh sank 85.2% of his field goal attempts, including going 6-of-8 from 50+ yards. In 2012, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and given First-Team All-Pro honors.
Browns Claim Tyvis Powell
The Browns announced they have claimed defensive back Tyvis Powell off waivers from the Seahawks. Powell, an Ohio native, is entering his second season out of Ohio State. 
The 6’2″, 211 pound athlete joined Seattle as an undrafted free agent last year. After that, Powell spent the entire regular season on the Seahawks’ active roster and made cameos in eight games. He didn’t see a ton of action, but he did notch three special-teams tackles. The Browns saw more film on him during his Ohio State days, when he appeared in 42 games and let the team in interceptions during his final season there.
Powell may or may not stick with the Browns roster, but he now has the distinction of being the first player claimed off of waivers in the 2017 offseason system.
2017 NFL Draft Order Set
With the Super Bowl in the rear view mirror, the offseason is officially underway for all 32 teams. We now have the complete draft order for the entire first round, with one exception which is noted below.
The Patriots, of course, will have the honor of having the last pick. The Falcons, after losing in heartbreaking fashion, will have the penultimate selection in the first round.
Here is the complete order, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (Twitter links):
1. Browns
2. 49ers
3. Bears
4. Jaguars
5. Titans
6. Jets
7. Chargers
8. Panthers
9. Bengals
10. Bills
11. Saints
12. Browns
13. Cardinals
T-14. Eagles (via the Vikings)
T-14. Colts (Note: The Vikings and Colts have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broke by coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 14 and the other team getting the No. 15 pick.)
16. Ravens
17. Redskins
18. Titans
19. Buccaneers
20. Broncos
21. Lions
22. Dolphins
23. Giants
24. Raiders
25. Texans
26. Seahawks
27. Chiefs
28. Cowboys
29. Packers
30. Steelers
31. Falcons
32. Patriots
Seahawks Will Not Be Heavily Penalized For Richard Sherman Incident
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Seahawks will not be heavily penalized, if they are penalized at all, for failing to disclose via injury report that cornerback Richard Sherman played the 2016 season with a significant MCL injury.
[RELATED: Luke Willson Turned Down Contract Offer]
After Seattle’s season came to an end in the divisional round of the playoffs, head coach Pete Carroll revealed that his star corner had battled the injury all season. But while Sherman appeared on the “did not participate in practice” report in 11 separate weeks, his absence was explained as “not injury-related” in 10 such weeks. The other week was officially chalked up to an ankle injury.
As such, the team was clearly in violation of league policy, and it might have lost a second-round pick as a result. Carroll might also have received a fine. Last September, of course, the league fined Carroll $200K and heavily punished the Seahawks – they received a $400K fine to go along with a loss of a a fifth-round pick and a week of OTAs – after they violated its rules regarding contact practices in the offseason.
But according to Rapoport (via Twitter), Sherman’s injury materials were provided to the league, even if the team was lax in reporting the injury to its opposition. As such, Rapoport believes the violation is not viewed as an egregious one, and the team may escape punishment entirely. The league’s inquiry into the matter is wrapping up, and an official decision will presumably be announced soon.
Luke Willson Turned Down Contract Offer
- The Seahawks made a contract offer to pending free agent tight end Luke Willson, but it wasn’t “extremely serious” and he “didn’t really respond to it,” the 27-year-old told KJR-AM 950 (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). Willson also revealed that, although his preference is to re-sign with the Seahawks, he’s “excited” about the chance to test the open market. While Willson hasn’t put up gaudy numbers in his four-year Seattle career (74 catches, 976 yards and seven touchdowns in 56 games), he could have a case for a significant payday. As Condotta notes, Willson has similar numbers to San Francisco’s Vance McDonald (64 receptions, 866 yards, seven TDs in 48 games), who landed an extension featuring $16MM in guarantees in December. The Seahawks already have one expensive tight end in Jimmy Graham, who’s due a $7.9MM salary next season.
John Schneider, Richard Sherman On Potential NFL Punishment
Of course, the league is also scrutinizing the Seahawks for a similar issue involving cornerback Richard Sherman. That could lead to the loss of a second-round pick for Seattle, whose general manager, John Schneider, told SiriusXM on Thursday that the club “didn’t do anything malicious at all” (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
Sherman, meanwhile, believes “it would be odd, out of the norm” for the Seahawks to receive punishment, and he doesn’t expect the league to discipline the Steelers. “Le’Veon said he’s got a groin (issue) for weeks, they’re going to get a warning,” he told Conor Orr of NFL.com. “Andrew (Luck) played with cracked ribs for a whole year (back in 2015). You see what I’m saying?”
Rocky Seto Leaving Seahawks For Ministry
- Longtime Pete Carroll confidant Rocky Seto is leaving the Seahawks in order to pursue a career in the ministry, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes. Seto, Seattle’s assistant head coach/defense, has coached alongside Carroll dating back to the early 2000s at USC.