Change in Seattle

Richard Sherman released by Seattle Seahawks

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000920383/article/richard-sherman-released-by-seattle-seahawks

Richard Sherman’s marvelous and memorable run in Seattle is over.

Sherman told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero he has been released by the Seahawks after seven seasons in the Pacific Northwest. Sherman’s departure opens up $11 million in salary-cap space for the roster-churning ‘Hawks.

During an interview with KIRO-FM’s Gee Scott on Friday, Sherman said, “We’ve had conversations and they’ve told me that they’re going to allow me to go into free agency.”

But they want me to understand that the door’s open for me to return. They’re just trying to do what they need to do to clear up space and give me and them the best chance at free agency, and I’ve got to appreciate and respect that.”

NFL Network’s Michael Silver also noted Wednesday on NFL Total Access that Sherman’s official departure would come before the weekend.

Coach Pete Carroll said at last week’s NFL Scouting Combine there was “nothing specific” to report on the concept of trading Sherman. He’s not an easy player to move right now, set to turn 30 later this month and coming off a ruptured Achilles that forced him to miss the final seven games of the season.

Sherman also underwent a recent operation to clean up his left Achilles, but the three-time All-Pro expects to be back on the field come June.

Whether or not he returns to Seattle boils down to his market, but the Seahawks are clearly open to moving on from one of the team’s most celebrated defenders. Along with cutting Sherman, Seattle shipped defensive lineman Michael Bennett to the Eagles and could be without injured pass-rusher Cliff Avril and safety Kam Chancellor — another reminder the team’s vaunted Legion of Boom is all but history.

Sherman’s celebrated run in Seattle was nothing short of stunning, powerful and captivating.

The four-time Pro Bowler still leads the league with 32 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2011 as a fifth-round draft pick. Sherman also stands above the rest in passes defensed (99) and completion percentage allowed (47.4) during that span (min. 300 targets), per NFL Research.

The passes defensed mark stands out because Sherman spent games at a time with quarterbacks simply avoiding him in coverage. If he’s not the same player he was a few seasons ago, receivers still fear his next-level ability to wipe away pass-catchers from the game plan.

Off the field, Sherman was equally colorful, curious and outspoken, quickly morphing into one of the league’s biggest stars on a team that encouraged him to be himself.

If he doesn’t return at a discount, Sherman immediately becomes one of the most impactful Seahawks in team history. Not an easy figure for fans to say farewell to.

Reaction to Seahawks moves has been a bit over the top

Reaction to Seahawks moves has been a bit over the top

The Seahawks are clearly making serious changes this off-season. It’s just as clear that a lot of fans aren’t one bit happy about this. Chill.

Call it rebuilding if you like. Call it retooling if you’re a bit more generous. And if you’re feeling really grumpy, you might call it total annihilation. No matter what you call it, the Seahawks are making major changes going into 2018.

Naturally the reaction in social media has been all over the map. Many people have been supportive of the tough decisions facing the Seahawks. And on the other hand, some have been, oh, less than supportive.

This tweet is one of my favorites of those critical statements.

Fire John,he’s a clown, and your rich owner doesn’t know anything bout football. dismantling a great team cause they missed the playoffs once in 5 yrs.sad to c and I’m a lifelong Steeler fan. Feeling for u 12’s

— Roloff1 (@RoloffH) March 10, 2018

First, I appreciate this person’s sentiment. Clearly a fan of football in general, as the “dismantling” of the Seahawks bothers them even though they are a fan of the Steelers. We appreciate your concern. But I have to take exception with the particulars of these comments. Not just these, of course, but it’s a classic representation of what I’ve seen.
You do know you’re criticizing the guys who built the team, right?

John Schneider and Pete Carroll are the “clowns’ that assembled this great team. As the writer made clear, they aren’t a fan of the Seahawks. I’ll give this person a pass because of that. Maybe they really didn’t know that those two drafted Paul Richardson. Or signed the brilliant Doug Baldwin as an undrafted free agent. Or found Richard Sherman in the fifth round. Let’s just leave it at this: if John Schneider is a clown, he’s also the part-time ringmaster, along with Pete Carroll.

The rich owner may not know anything about football. He does, but for the sake of argument, let’s just agree he doesn’t. At least he knows this much: he knows to hire people that do know a lot about football. You know, the people that built the team that made the playoffs five straight years. The ones that signed the talent that made it to two Super Bowls and won one. Those clowns.
The Seahawks aren’t moving players because they lost

Finally, the Seahawks are not dismantling the team because they missed the playoffs for the first time in five years. That’s why they dismantled the coaching staff, and no, I’m not kidding. As for the team, it’s all about money. Money the Seahawks didn’t have, precisely because it takes a lot of money to keep all that great talent. Releasing Richard Sherman and other moves have more than doubled the salary cap space for Seattle. This is exactly the kind of move needed to keep players like Earl Thomas. As great as Richard Sherman is, he’s easier to replace than Thomas.

The NFL is a young man’s game, as Michael Bennett alluded to in January. It takes money to get new players, to get younger. Money you create buy moving older established players. These weren’t easy moves. And they might not have all been the right ones. But they had almost no ability to improve the team without making some serious decisions. Now, they have the chance to – well, I’ll go with retool.

zn wrote:

Reaction to Seahawks moves has been a bit over the top

I would hate it if I was a Seahawks fan, too, but they are right to turn the page. These are expensive players who are getting up there in years, and who have been seriously injured.

Time to reload around Wilson, and rebuild the D. That’s Salary Cap reality.

JackPMiller wrote:

Why not give it a shot?

Jack, it’s very safe to bet that the Rams thought of that and that if there were a trade possibility they looked into it.

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