John Schneider, Pete Carroll and the Seahawks front office have been at the top of the NFL in recent seasons. Yes, they have written incredibly well. They have found diamonds in the rough in the later rounds of the NFL Draft. Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Malcolm Smith, JR Sweezy, Byron Maxwell, (undrafted rookies) Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse and Thomas Rawls have been a huge part of the Seattle Seahawks’ success. Although it is not the only reason.
One of the main reasons is that they are not afraid to walk away from players who have not played or who have become a distraction. Percy Harvin was a great acquisition. He was given a lot of money and a compensation comp to get it. He was clearly a distraction in the locker room and was disrupting the Seahawks’ offense. He was clear on and off the field (at least to the Seahawk staff). Then they traded him for nothing because he didn’t fit the Seahawk mold. It didn’t matter how much they invested or how much they would receive. Yeah, they screwed up, but they don’t care. They’re not going to hang on to a player who isn’t performing or giving 110%. Cary William is the latest example. They invested 3 years and 18 million in Williams. He never developed the technique that Carroll likes on his cornerbacks and Cary always went back to his old ways. The Seahawks’ defense had to make up for his poor play and created big gaps in the defensive secondary. The return of Jeremy Lane and the emergence of Deshawn Shead also had a lot to do with his departure. It didn’t work, so they move on. Many teams do not follow this method and it almost always leads to disaster. It also needs to be mentioned that Seahawks owner Paul Allen has given them the keys to the kingdom. They have the power to make the moves they need. Paul Allen leaves football matters to John Schneider and doesn’t meddle in roster moves. Sure, he can have an opinion on some decisions, but he lets them decide. Other teams envy the Seahawks’ front office, but they’re not as quick to make the right call, when it counts. This is not a problem for the Hawks’ front office and allows them to fill the need at the position faster. Either they promote from within (like Deshawn Shead) or they find a player off the lane who will perform better.
When the Seahawks move on from a player like Harvin and Williams, it also encourages another philosophy they love to implement: compete. When they cut ties with players that don’t work out, it sends a message. If you are not going to compete every day and contribute to their success, they will cut you. It doesn’t matter how much money is invested or how big the player acquisition is. It won’t last long if he isn’t dedicated or doesn’t do his job.
The Seahawks front office makes the tough decisions others won’t, they admit when they’re wrong. They motivate their boys. They keep the hunger and competitive nature alive in the players. It’s the formula an NFL football team needs to succeed, even if they have to admit they screwed up. It’s also why the Seahawks in 2016 have developed depth that can create the perfect storm.