Seattle, WA

Salk: The Seattle Seahawks' perfect fit in draft isn't who you think

Published

2 years ago

April 17, 2024

Press Room

Salk: The Seattle Seahawks' perfect fit in draft isn't who you think

It’s obvious what the Seattle Seahawks should do in the NFL Draft: they should improve their offensive line.

What style of lineman fits new Seahawks OC Grubb’s scheme?

Everyone knows it, too, which is why UW Huskies tackle/guard Troy Fautanu is going to them more at No. 16 in mock drafts than any other player. He’d be an incredible fit and of course that is what they should do next Thursday.

After all, we have all been beating the drum for improved line play for quite some time. It has been an issue in Seattle for nearly a decade and it takes a significant investment to improve. The more I watch, the more I’m convinced that line play is more important than system and scheme. Any attempt to run a consistent offense without competent play up front is an exercise in futility.

So they should draft Fautanu. If he comes right in and starts at guard, he will make them better immediately. And if either Charles Cross leaves in free agency or Abe Lucas’s knee keeps him from sustained success, Fautanu can move to tackle. He brings an element of nastiness, advanced technique and a familiarity with the offense under new Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who was UW’s OC the past two years. And after years of Fautanu playing on Montlake, he already knows the area. He’s perfect.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The Seahawks need offensive line help and the ideal offensive lineman should be available to them when they pick at 16. This is the ultimate no-brainer.

Except …

There are other directions they could go. What if Fautanu gets picked before 16? What if they decide they need more picks and they need to trade back? What if defensive head coach like Mike Macdonald wants to improve his defense? And if that’s the case, of course they should draft a defensive lineman like Texas’ Byron Murphy. He’d be their version of what Macdonald had with Justin Madubuike in Baltimore, and players like that make everyone’s job easier around them.

So this easy. Either Fautanu or Murphy. Right?

Except …

Don’t they kind of need a quarterback? I mean, this is a draft that might have six potential franchise-changing options and the Seahawks could find their quarterback of the future. Next year’s draft class is not nearly as promising and you would hope not to be near the top of the draft again. So if UW’s Michael Penix Jr. is there, how could you not take him? Especially if Seahawks general manager/president of football operations John Schneider really believes that he is a special player that could change their future.

Nothing is more important than a franchise quarterback and I have a tremendous amount of faith in Schneider to identify his future leader. So if he loves Penix (or even Oregon’s Bo Nix), I am 100% on board and excited about the future.

So there you go. My public stance on the draft is easy. Draft Fautanu… or maybe Murphy. And if you fall in love with one of the quarterbacks, then take your chance and go big!

Except …

I have a secret. I want Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse.

On paper, the Seahawks don’t have the same kind of need for Verse that they would for Fautanu. Uchenna Nwosu is returning. Boye Mafe could be on the verge of developing into a real weapon. They used a second-round pick on Derick Hall and brought back Darrell Taylor. Plus, last year’s shiny free-agent addition Dre Jones can play outside. And there is a legitimate argument that none of those players have been utilized properly given the issues the Seahawks have had with their coaching staff the last few years.

On the other hand, they have a grand total of one Pro Bowl season among them, and it was as an alternate (Nwosu in 2022). Hall showed nothing as a rookie and Taylor is back on a minimum deal after severely disappointing last season. Yes, they have the position filled. But is it filled well?

Edge rusher may not be the Seahawks’ biggest need, but it is so valuable that I would throw that need right out the window. Verse is a freak athlete who is known to play with great motor and ferocious competitiveness.

Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic described some of his strengths as:

• “Never feels like he is out of the play, because of outstanding hustle and effort.”

• “Plays with emotion.”

• “Has a strong support system built on hard work (added 40 pounds of muscle during the pandemic to move to the defensive line).”

• “Great teammate and quickly created a legacy in Tallahassee (before he transferred to FSU, he reached out to their defensive linemen to make sure they knew he wasn’t coming to steal their jobs).”

I highlighted these parts of Brugler’s draft profile on Verse because those are intangibles that this Seahawks team needs more of right now.

Verse is exactly the kind of player the Seahawks have been missing for quite some time. A true, top-tier pass rusher that deserves to be drafted in the first round and could change their defense both by setting an edge and by getting to the passer. And that comes with no concerns about his desire, competitiveness, or work ethic? With no concerns about his speed, strength or body type? With no concerns that he hasn’t done it at the highest level or been the beneficiary of other players getting the lion share of the attention?

There are some positions that should be off limits for the Seahawks in the first round this year. They absolutely do not need to spend more significant resources at receiver, running back, cornerback or safety. If they do, we should have a serious conversation about what is going on with this roster. The needs up front on both sides of that ball are obvious, and the possibility of adding a true franchise quarterback would obviously trump any other option.

I know what the Seahawks should do. That is obvious. And no one should criticize for a moment if they go in any of those directions. But secretly, I’ll be watching next week and hoping for Jared Verse. Don’t tell anyone.

More Seattle Seahawks draft coverage

• Final AP Mock NFL Draft: Edge with local tie to Seattle Seahawks?
• Rost: With Seattle Seahawks’ top draft pick, expect the unexpected
• Brock Huard’s Seahawks Draft Profile: Utah’s complete safety
• Huard reacts to Seahawks GM’s comments on drafting QB
• Wyman highlights UW Huskies LB as Seattle Seahawks draft target

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Seattle, WA

Paul Arriola, Pedro de la Vega and the Seattle Sounders return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Published

11 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Paul Arriola, Pedro de la Vega and the Seattle Sounders return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Forgotten. Absent. Inconsistently healthy. Weights of expectation.

These heroes offered glimpses and scenes of their greatness in 2025.

Paul Arriola, X Man

Paul Arriola gave us a glimpse of his former greatness before his injury. Once a DP, once the highest value transfer within MLS, once recruited to skip MLS entirely for what was at the time a much better league, Arriola’s all comps contributions per 90 would compare to wingback style players Jordi Alba and the now-gone Ali Ahmed.

Arriola slides right in that space, with his 0.57. Now, a discerning reader such as yourself will imagine small sample sizes and opponent quality. You would be correct. But Paul also put up similar numbers in MLS in 2018, 2021 and 2022. His time in MLS as a whole is .40/90 (in the realm of last season’s Christian Espinoza).

Defining Arriola’s role is always going to be hard. He’s played as many wide roles as exist in the modern game. With Seattle, he could be a left or right winger in a four-front if they choose to run a 3-2-4-1, or a wingback in a 3-4-2-1 or a conventional winger in a 4-2-3-1. No matter his role, he’s been strong. His calls to the US National Team ran every year from age 20-27, when he put up better numbers there than he did in league play. He’s now 30.

Pedro de la Vega, the injury saga

Sounders fans know how bright Pedro can burn. So do, Lanus fans, Argentina fans, Cruz Azul fans, Santos Laguna fans, Tijuana fans, Puebla, Galaxy, Inter Messi and a smattering of other MLS teams. The Leagues Cup player of the year and wonder goal nominee is absolutely thrilling, when available.

Lanus, Argentina and Seattle also know his history of injuries. Injuries are why he’s in Seattle.

PdlV only played 41% of available minutes in all competitions. A healthy winger of his quality should be around 66% or so. His absolutely stellar all comps performance of 0.72 is on par with Hany Mukhtar, at 20th in MLS play. Pedro is ahead of Diego Rossi, Djordje Mihailovic, and Dejan Joveljić.

When you think about how the Seattle Sounders will make up ground for the inevitable decline of Danny Musovski the names Arriola and de la Vega should be bandied about.

They weren’t merely better than the people who replaced them on the Sounders – they’re better than the majority of high-profile players in the league.

In 2025 Craig Waibel raised the floor and the peak. Injuries gave us only a few glimpses of that peak.

2026 is when the multi-competition heroic Sounders can once again show their prowess and why their presence as a top tier club is eternal.

Use our affiliate links to support your bloggers when buying merch and tickets.

Catching up on Sounder at Heart

Here’s what you missed on the site this week.

Sounders

Next match: Sunday, February 22, 2026 v. the Colorado Rapids | 6 p.m. PT | Apple TV/FS1

Reign

Schedule to come next week.

Defiance

Schedule to come.

Looking back at the news

Everything else you need to know

Remembering ‘the Mia way.’ Family, teammates honor UW goalie Mia Hamant (KUOW)
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US actions in Venezuela put the 2026 World Cup in disgraceful company (The Guardian)
Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay to take West Brom job (Twin Cities)
Meghann Burke on why the NWSLPA opposes the High Impact Player rule (Full times on Spotify)
KC Current hire ex-USMNT star Armas as coach (ESPN)
USWNT to face Argentina, Canada, Columbia in 2026 SheBelieves Cup (Stars & Stripes FC)
Suwon FC Women Re-Sign South Korea’s Top Female Footballer Ji So-yun (Chosun Daily)
Man admits racist abuse of footballer Jess Carter (BBC)
X Didn’t Fix Grok’s ‘Undressing’ Problem. It Just Makes People Pay for It (Wired)

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Seattle, WA

Here’s why the Blue Angels in Seattle on Monday

Published

23 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Here’s why the Blue Angels in Seattle on Monday

SEATTLE – Known for their high-flying skills above the skies during air shows, the Blue Angels will be in Seattle once again on Monday.

But with Seafair not until the summer, many are wondering why the Navy pilots are in the Emerald City ahead of schedule.

Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets are flying The Diamond Roll (four planes in formation), doing a 360-degree roll as one unit, flying at 400 mph over Lake Washington for the Seafair weekend in Seattle. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Keep reading to find out why the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are in Seattle on Jan. 12.

Why are the Blue Angels in Seattle now?

The Blue Angels returned to Seattle on Monday to begin preseason planning for the 2026 Boeing Seafair Air Show.

Pilots will assess airshow locations, scouting the skies and getting familiar with the landscape ahead of the Seafair Weekend Festival, when they perform in three separate air shows. Their visit brings the iconic Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornets to the city, the aircraft pilots use during the air show.

Blue Angels pilots plan to stay in Seattle until Tuesday, coordinating with Seafair event organizers. Last year, only two Blue Angels pilots were in Seattle for preseason planning, instead of the entire squadron.

When are the Blue Angels coming back to Seattle?

The Blue Angels will fly back to western Washington for the 2026 Boeing Seafair Air Show, on Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 2, 2026.

They’ll also be in town for two practice runs on Thursday, July 30.

When is the 2026 Seafair Air Show?

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will perform in three air shows throughout Seafair weekend. They’re happening each afternoon on July 31 through Aug. 2 on Lake Washington and at Genesee Park.

The multi-day Seafair Weekend Festival also includes the Apollo Mechanical Cup Hydroplane Races, along with live entertainment, food and drinks, and family-friendly activities. Tickets for the festival go on sale in February.

Who are the Blue Angels?

The Blue Angels is a team of elite Navy flight demonstrators, showcasing their aviation skills in high-speed, precision aerobatic performances.

They perform in air shows across the U.S. each year, with the goal of inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country, displaying the teamwork and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Formed in 1946, this year marks the 80th year of the Blue Angels. They take pride in performing for audiences both at home and abroad, showcasing the excitement, precision, and power of Naval aviation.

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Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

The Source: Information in this story came from U.S. Navy Blue Angels, Seafair, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle Seahawks land 2 players on list of potential salary cap cuts in 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Seattle Seahawks land 2 players on list of potential salary cap cuts in 2026

No matter how the playoffs go for the Seatte Seahawks, general manager John Schneider and his team are looking at a very busy offseason ahead.

In addition to their usual preparations for the 2026 NFL draft, Seattle has a ton of important players who are about to become unrestricted free agents. That list includes special teams superstar Rashid Shaheed, running back Ken Walker and defensive standouts Boye Mafe, Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant.

It’s going to be really difficult to keep that entire group together, even with a lot of cap space projected to be open in 2026. The Seahawks may have to create room with some salary cap casualties after the season is over.

On that note, Over the Cap has listed a pair of Seattle players as potential cap casualties. Let’s review both of them.

OLB Uchenna Nwosu

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) dives for a touchdown against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) in the second half at Lumen Field. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Coming in at No. 46 on OTC’s list is veteran edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu, who has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit just over $20 million. Nwosu has been valuable when he’s on the field but he’s also missed a ton of time due to injuries and it will be difficult to justify his cap hit with so many other players to pay.

Seattle can save a little over $11.5 million if they cut Nwosu, before June 1 or after. However, they would also take on a dead money hit north of $8.5 million, which takes a lot of the flavor out of those cap savings.

In 45 games with the Seahawks, Nwosu has tallied 19.5 sacks, 52 QB hits, 24 tackles for a loss, five forced fumbles and eight pass breakups.

That’s a lot of good production across the board as an all-around defender, but he’ll turn 30 years old before next season is over and there are a lot of mouths to feed for Mike Macdonald’s defense.

Over the Cap projects there’s a 58.5% chance that the Seahawks will wind up cutting him. Our best guess is that will be the case, especially if they want to pursue someone like Maxx Crosby on the trade market.

K Jason Myers

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks place kicker Jason Myers (5) kicks a field goal against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Levi’s Stadium. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The only other Seahawks player who made the list (at No. 77) was placekicker Jason Myers, where the team has an interesting choice to make.

Myers has been around since the 2019 season and he’s come through for them more often than not. In 117 games he’s converted 200 of 232 field goal attempts, coming out to 86.2%. On extra point attempts he’s gone 292/307 for 95.1%.

Those are very solid numbers for an NFL kicker, and when you have a solid option at this position you don’t mess with it.

Another factor working in Myers’ favor is that Seattle really can’t save all that much money by cutting him. According to OTC’s numbers the Seahawks would create $5.1 million in cap room by cutting him, with a dead money hit of $1,875,000.

Five million might get Seattle a decent backup for their interior offensive line, or another contributor to Mike Macdonald’s defense. It’s not enough to really move the needle for this roster, though.

OTC gives it a 52.5% chance that Myers will get cut, but we don’t see that happening. If they want to lower his cap hit, the Seahawks can create a little over $3 million for 2026 with an extension. That’s the only move they should be looking to make at this spot.