Seattle, WA
Richard Sherman right about what Seattle Seahawks need – kinda
We are eight weeks into this Seattle Seahawks season and it’s clear that they are missing something. Maybe a couple of somethings.
What happened to Seahawks’ homefield advantage at Lumen Field?
After racing out to that fast start (mostly against teams and quarterbacks not going much of anywhere this season), they have lost four of five games. And for the second time in three weeks, they find themselves in desperate need of a win to avoid going into meltdown mode.
While the Seahawks aren’t the most talented team in the league, they have enough on their roster to expect them to be competitive every week. Head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t questioning their effort level, and he said that there isn’t a problem with the scheme. But the team can’t run the ball and they can’t stop the run. So what is it?
It’s with that question in mind that Richard Sherman enters the chat.
“The Seattle Seahawks look like they need leadership on defense,” he said on his podcast this week in a moment of lucidity. “They need a veteran presence to stabilize this defense. Maybe a Pro Bowler, maybe an All-Pro linebacker who’s just played a lot of football. Just somebody that’s been there, that knows the team, that knows the city … Don’t get me started on the idiocracy that it is to watch Bobby Wagner walk away for the second time. Not the first time – second time!”
Oh well. What started as actual analysis turned out to be just a pitch for his old teammate.
Wagner was not necessarily the solution for what ails these Seahawks, but the comment does bring up one of the problems that hasn’t been discussed: they do need leadership.
That isn’t to say the team doesn’t have veterans. They do. Geno Smith and Tyler Lockett are both in their 30s and should be resources for younger players on the team. Same with Jarran Reed, Leonard Williams and others on the defensive side of the ball. But one thing those four have in common (along with every other player on the roster until the arrival of special teamer Josh Ross) is that they have never played for Mike Macdonald.
When Macdonald first arrived, we all wondered which coaches and players he would bring along with him. When he eschewed the tradition of hiring coaches from his previous locale, it came with an understandable rationale: he was looking for the best teachers rather than the ones with the most familiarity with his system.
It’s compelling logic, and proof that he isn’t beholden to the good ol’ boy culture that is too pervasive in the NFL. But maybe having someone else who “speaks his language” could have helped ease the transition and lessened the strain on the head coach himself. How much easier would it be to have others on staff with an understanding of the concepts that predate this past offseason?
While a coach with familiarity might have helped with the installation, the last few weeks make a case for Sherman’s observation that they needed more veteran leadership – though not necessarily for the reasons he may think.
Is the old Russell Wilson back? Brock Huard shares what he sees
Sherm is (as always) clouded by his dismissal from Seattle. He believes the team should have kept the entire band together forever. It’s a revisionist version of history that conveniently forgets the injuries, the decline, the salary cap, and the behavior that ultimately led to his exit and some of the others around him.
“There’s a standard set,” Sherm said of Wagner. “But people are so quick to move on. They’re quick to say, ‘Oh, the new thing’s the better thing.’ It’s not.”
Maybe he’s talking about his former teammate, but it sure sounds like he’s just talking about himself. Shocker.
And yet I do believe Macdonald would have been served to have more veteran leadership on his team, though not necessarily for the same reasons as Sherm. Just as coaches familiar with Macdonald’s system would be helpful to explain it to others in the building, so too would a player or two familiar with his culture. Sure, they could be a useful voice on the field to make sure the communication is on point, but even more importantly, they could testify as to the success of the scheme and culture. That might have been helpful at the start, but I would think it is even more important now, when things aren’t going as smoothly as possible and doubt could start to creep in.
While Wagner could certainly have provided leadership both on and off the field, he is also a direct link to the past. And with a new coach coming in trying to set his own culture, those constant reminders of the previous regime can lead to mixed messaging. Remember, this is the head coach that removed the basketball hoop from the meeting room and set about redecorating the halls to reinforce his philosophies rather than those of his predecessor.
Yes, Macdonald could have used a veteran presence. But that presence should have had familiarity with his system and culture. Someone who could translate the coaches’ words and reinforce the validity of his culture. Someone who could, for lack of a better word, proselytize his vision from a place of experience. Maybe the addition of Ross was a (small) step in that direction.
Macdonald said after Sunday’s loss to Buffalo that he would be trimming the playbook.
“I think you gotta start making some decisions on where to narrow it down. You can’t focus on everything,” he said. “So taking out the stuff that we feel like is kind of sunk costs at this point, maybe trying to trim that and then really focusing on and honing in on the stuff that we want to go excel at.”
Maybe less is more? Certainly that is the hope and it makes sense. But why is it necessary?
According to Macdonald, they haven’t “executed the things well enough and created the situations where we want to be able to get to everything. You have some things that would help schematically, but the answer at the end of the day isn’t the X’s and O’s. It’s really not.”
More: Macdonald on where Seahawks are at with schemes
While my initial read on that was to suggest that he was blaming the talent rather than the coaching, perhaps a clearer interpretation is that he needs players with more experience in the system to be able to everyone get deeper into the playbook.
Macdonald could use some help. He could use more veteran experience in the locker room and on the field. And he could use more familiarity with his system. I’m curious to see if and when that occurs.
Thanks, Sherm!
More on the Seattle Seahawks
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• How much is Geno Smith at fault for Seattle Seahawks’ woes?
• Huard: A troubling Seahawks stat sticks out after loss to Bills
• Check-In: Mike Macdonald’s 4-4 Seahawks hard to pin down
• Disastrous goal-line gaffes doom Seattle Seahawks in ugly loss
Seattle, WA
Outreach groups respond to the reported relocation cycle of Ballard’s homeless population
SEATTLE — As people voice concerns about an encampment in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, outreach groups are detailing their efforts and fighting back against encampment removals.
The outreach group We Heart Seattle said it checks on the people in an encampment of at least 20 people weekly to offer water, snacks, personal hygiene items, and access to treatment.
RELATED | Ballard encampment grows after city removes nearby site along Burke-Gilman Trail
The group told KOMO it believes more can be done at the city level, from policy to housing, to get the homeless connected with shelter and services.
A woman working at the Fred Meyer off NW 45th Street and 9th Avenue captured video of a fire near tents at an encampment across the street. A day later, off camera, she told KOMO News she worries about the safety of the people living in the tents and Ballard neighbors, in addition to concerns about alleged open-air drug use at the encampment.
“We became homeless because of certain situations, and we turned to drugs, and unfortunately, addiction comes next, you know?” Crystal Rawlings told KOMO News. She has set up her tent on multiple streets in Ballard, and said she’s approaching one year of being opioid-free.
She believes there’s been more city outreach since the start of the new mayoral administration to connect people living on the streets with services, but knows there’s not enough transitional housing for everyone who needs or wants it.
She and the Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger urge the city to stop encampment removals that push this group to another block.
RELATED | City removes Ballard encampment as neighboring businesses raise housing concerns
“We’re not abominations. We’re not obstructions, and we’re not trash, so stop sweeping us,” Rawlings stated.
The city is still aiming to reach Mayor Katie Wilson’s goal of adding 1,000 new units of shelter in 2026 and recently opened a tiny home village in nearby Interbay, but fell short of the goal of 500 new units by June.
Andrea Suarez with We Heart Seattle estimates at least 20 people living on the street keep getting moved around Ballard, from behind the Albert Lee store to Leary Avenue to NW 45th Street behind the Fred Meyer.
“This encampment has people that’ve been homeless for more than five years. We know their names and faces. They’re still here. They’re still stuck in late-phase addiction, frankly because it’s permitted,” Suarez explained.
RELATED | Viral makeshift homeless shelter with chimney dismantled by Seattle city crews
She believes a camping ban on city sidewalks would help encourage more people to accept shelter, and help stop the cycle of moving people without
“It is an underserved community. I think it is unfair,” Suarez added. “We’ve tried to balance between enablement and really giving people a hand up, but without the teeth and backup for the work of outreach workers, it starts to feel futile, and that’s why we get burned out.”
The mayor’s office was working to send data about its homeless response in Ballard as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger estimates there have been nine Ballard-area encampment removals so far this year.
SEATTLE – Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington. Eastern and central Washington will reach near 100F with high fire danger. The coast and north interior will be cooler, only in the 60s to 70s.
Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington.
Fire Weather Watch
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds. Lightning strikes could create new fire starts and, with very dry conditions in place, any new fire could spread quickly.
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds.
What’s next:
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and a chance of thunderstorms. The heaviest showers will be in the morning hours and will turn more scattered into the evening hours.
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and chance of thunderstorms.
Looking Ahead:
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine. We will start to see highs reach the upper 80s to low 90s by early next week.
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine.
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After so many disappointing seasons with the interior offensive line, the Seattle Seahawks made a commitment last offseason to improve the unit. They started one big step at a time by drafting North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel in the first round, 18th overall pick, of the 2025 NFL Draft. This one was one of the last steps for the Seahawks to create one of the most productive offenses in the NFL.
Zabel wasn’t perfect in his rookie season, but he was good enough to validate the decision to draft him in the first round, and he showed improvement. Zabel is already a favorite among some Seahawks fans and some media outlets as they love his determination and spirit. It was a big jump from the FCS collegiate level to the NFL and this season, he has a chance to show why he might be a top-half-of-the-league guard.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Higher?
The Seahawks wanted a determined workhorse when looking for a guard. That’s exactly what they got in Zabel. Last season, he appeared in 1,051 snaps, which is only 10 fewer snaps than right tackle Abraham Lucas, who had the most offensive snaps. Zabel got better as the season progressed. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 81.5 and a run-block grade of 81.2 in Week 14 through the NFC Championship Game.
There were times last season when he looked like a monster against several defenders. He was pushing some defenders completely out of the way on pulling plays and even ran to defenders after the pass-catcher caught the ball. This is the mentality the Seahawks expect him to have going into his second season in the league. He has more experience and the complete trust of the team to be a franchise player on par with Lucas and left tackle Charles Cross. If he continues to improve, he will be another steal for the Seahawks.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Lower?
There were times last season when he didn’t quite catch up to the learning curve of the NFL. Zabel allowed two sacks, four hits and 24 pressures in 2025. The Seahawks expect those numbers to decrease significantly as he is experienced and capable of playing at an efficient level. While Zabel is impressive, he might not be the best player the Seahawks have selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. That honor belongs to slot cornerback Nick Emmanwori, who is stepping up to be the steal of the draft.
Zabel is easily one of the best second-year players and is one of the top offensive linemen, but there are players behind him because they haven’t proven to be consistently explosive for the Seahawks. There is going to be even more pressure on him this upcoming season. The Seahawks hired a more run-friendly coach in Brian Fleury as offensive coordinator. His ranking at the end of the season might be much better if he improves, or worse if he fails to reach expectations.
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