Seahawks fans: If you go to bed tonight without a new player added to the roster, don’t lose sleep over it. It might be the best in the long run.
But looking at the history of such transactions might scare you into some nightmares.
In the past week, general manager John Schneider put the Seahawks’ No. 25 pick on Craigslist and eBay, and we’ll know by tonight if he got any good bidders.
He seems eager to find a team with which he may swap No. 25 for more picks later in the draft.
It definitely would drain the excitement out of draft-night parties since today’s action includes only the first round, and it would leave the Hawks without new meat until Friday’s second round.
But for a team in need of youth and depth at so many positions, the logic is valid. Sometimes logic doesn’t apply in the draft. Especially for the Seahawks.
We can not hold Schneider or coach Pete Carroll responsible for the draft decisions of executives past. Their efforts during last year’s draft drew high grades. But, as Schneider said, with the Seahawks enjoying two picks in the first 14, his sons could have scored hits.
But at 25? “Yeah, 25 is challenging but it makes it that much more fun as well,” Schneider said.
Carroll liked the way the team could dictate its path with the early picks last year, “... but (25) is a huge pick, when that time comes (the) decisions to be made are enormous,” he said.
No kidding. He’s not over-dramatizing the possible fallout. Greater insight into the options in recent drafts when they have opted to trade down could have changed the course of the franchise.
In 2008, they likewise held No. 25. They traded down three spots with Dallas. Dallas used 25 to draft Pro Bowl cornerback Michael Jenkins, while the Hawks took USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson, who ended up being traded after two underproductive seasons.
For the privilege, the Hawks picked up fifth- and seventh-rounders, who likewise became unproductive players: fullback Owen Schmitt and kicker Brandon Coutu.
Once they were down to 28, the Hawks picked Jackson instead of available players DeSean Jackson and Ray Rice, who are Pro Bowl talents. The Hawks would be immeasurably different had they drafted the right Jackson – receiver DeSean rather than Lawrence.
The year before that, they traded their first-rounder to New England for receiver Deion Branch. The Patriots used the No. 24 pick to draft Brandon Meriweather, a two-time Pro Bowl safety. Branch did very little in Seattle and eventually was sent back to New England for a fourth-round pick.
In 2005, they traded back from No. 23 to 26 to get center Chris Spencer. Spencer has seen a great deal of action for the Hawks, but the Packers used the No. 24 pick for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who led them to a Super Bowl title.
Hmmm ... Chris Spencer or Aaron Rodgers?
Spencer also was taken ahead of future Pro Bowlers Roddy White and Logan Mankins. And the player they got with their extra pick was tackle Ray Willis, who’s been mostly a backup.
The 2002 move was a classic. Holding the No. 20 pick, the Hawks traded down to 28 with Green Bay and got Washington tight end Jerramy Stevens. With No. 20, the Packers drafted Pro Bowl receiver Javon Walker. Perhaps more painful was the fact that between 20 and 28, teams drafted multiple-Pro Bowl defensive backs Ed Reed and Lito Sheppard.
Stevens ended up being an off-field headache. The added insult of this trade was that the pick they got from Green Bay was a second-rounder they used on UNLV defensive end Anton Palepoi. Many of you will ask: Anton Palepoi ... who’s he?
My point exactly.
Dave Boling: 253-597-8440 dave.boling@thenewstribune.com
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