Youth Movement Hits Pacific Northwest
by ROORshock | 8 years ago | 2 Comments
The Legion of Boom is no more.
After narrowly missing the playoffs, the Seahawks front office made the surprising decision to trade star middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Earl Thomas this past offseason, two elite players who have personified Seattle’s defense over the past decade. In an effort to get younger, the team had already moved on from cornerback Richard Sherman, a player once thought to be the one of the best at his position. While players such as defensive end Michael Bennett and hard hitting safety turned linebacker Kam Chancellor still remain, this latest move leaves little doubt that the Seahawks have begun a complete rebuilding phase. After missing the postseason for the third straight season, the front office hinted at big changes for the offseason. When asked for comment, the GM issued thefollowing statement: “While there is no questioning the impact these two players had on the field, we saw an opportunity to get significant return via the trade market, while getting younger on the defensive side of the ball.” The Seahawks traded Wagner and Thomas, along with a 3rd round pick, to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the 2nd overall pick in the draft, which they used to select 21 year old linebacker Keyshawn Bierria out of the University of Georgia. Bierria, who was voted MVP of the senior bowl and was seen as a “can’t miss” prospect, gives Seattle a level of versatility on the outside that they had previously been lacking. At 6’5” 260 lbs., he possesses enough size and burst to rush the passer and stop the run, while still having enough speed to drop back into coverage. While they will no doubt feel the loss of Wagner in the middle, Bierria’stalent level and star potential help explain why Seattle was willing to pull off such a risky trade.
After bolstering the defense, the Seahawks elected to use their next two picks on the offensive side of the ball, selecting RB Royce Freeman out of Oregon and WR Zay Jones out of East Carolina. A household name at the collegiate level, Freeman could make an immediate impact in his rookie season and provides clarity to a log jammed backfield. Could we see a shift back towards the kind of offense that this team was built on? Freeman could give the Seahawks its first franchise runningbacksince Marshawn Lynch. As for Jones, he crept his way up draft boards and could end up being a steal after being selected in the second round. A fantastic athlete, Jones is a complete receiver who will likely slide in opposite speedster Tyler Lockett this season after the departure of longtime Seahawks Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse.
Seattle also made a flurry of undrafted free agent signings, further reinforcing their commitment to the youth movement. While it is unlikely this team will be an immediate contender with so many raw prospects, needless to say they have certainly raised some eyebrows and provided reason for optimism to a disappointed fan base.
