The Seattle Seahawks are undergoing a major transition in 2018. Much of the old guard that made them a contender since 2012 have already departed.
Michael Bennett was traded to Philadelphia. Kam Chancellor is contemplating retirement due to a bad neck. Richard Sherman was cut loose and signed in San Francisco. Even Earl Thomas has been surrounded by trade rumors. It’s clearer than ever that the Seahawks are in the midst of a rebuilding process. Not a full scale one, mind you. More like an attempt to do so on the fly.
In order to pull such a thing off, they need to start securing players wherever possible who can plug the holes being left behind. Given the array of big trades they’ve made the past few years though, that’s proving difficult. They don’t have a lot of cap space to go after notable free agents and several of their high drafts picks are gone as well.
This means they have to find creative ways to get a top talent who fits what they like to do. Undrafted free agency is certainly an avenue they love to use, but now another may be coming into play. That’s the NFL supplemental draft. Usually, it’s a waste of time, but every once in a while there’s a player or two worth looking into. One, in particular, should have their full attention.
Adonis Alexander should have Seattle Seahawks brass’ intrigued
One consistent trend that has stuck out regarding this Seahawks era is they love big corners. Sherman was the poster child for that at 6’3. So anytime a big-body guy shows up on the national radar, Seattle is the first team people look to. That’s why Adonis Alexander from Virginia Tech is such a notable name. He fits the exact dimensions of what they like and odds are he could be had cheap in the supplemental draft. Could Seattle pounce?
"“In a league where it’s hard to find 6-foot corners with solid cover skills and tackling ability, scouts will give a big corner with a few off-field blemishes plenty of chances to prove his worth as a pro. That’s one of the reasons why Alexander is likely to come off the board as a mid-round selection in this year’s supplemental draft. Looking at his game on tape, it is easy to fall in love with his size, length and press-man skills.Alexander smothers receivers at the line of scrimmage with his aggressive shadow technique, while also displaying good instincts and ball skills. He routinely pins receivers to the sideline with the ball in the air to minimize the target area for the quarterback on downfield throws. In addition, Alexander will use his superior length to swat away 50-50 balls in critical situations.”"
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Part of winning at this sort of thing is being able to take risks. The Seahawks landed Sherman in the 5th round despite questions about his speed. That worked out just fine. Alexander is an academic issue. This doesn’t mean he’s dumb, merely that his style of learning isn’t like others. If the Seahawks are willing to be patient, his is the sort of talent that can blossom into a truly good player. It will be interesting to see what they do.