Huard explains what next phase of Seahawks’ offseason looks like
Apr 1, 2024, 11:26 AM
Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider during a Feb. 1, 2024 press conference. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the league began free agency just three weeks ago, but that can feel like a lifetime in the NFL offseason – especially since the NFL Draft is bearing down on teams at the same time.
Seahawks 2024 Offseason Tracker: Free agency moves, trade and more
Free agency opened on March 11, and the first round of the NFL Draft is set Thursday, April 25, meaning the Hawks are basically smack dab in the middle of it all now.
The Seahawks have added some notable names via free agency and trade, including linebackers Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, quarterback Sam Howell and a trio of offensive linemen. With some of those holes filled and scouting for the draft underway, what is this time in the calendar about?
On Monday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, FOX football analyst and former NFL quarterback Brock Huard shed some light on the subject.
“As we sit here April 1, what is the next phase of the offseason now for the Seahawks?” asked Huard’s co-host, Mike Salk. “What do they do now?”
Responded Huard: “It is a lot of visits … but it’s also ‘We’ve got to get to know these prospects and see where they fit into our plans.’ And we know this from past years, it’s not just maybe for this season but for years to come, and maybe they’re (going to be) undrafted guys that get cut in some other places. So you’re very particular about those, and then you’re also bringing in some of these third-wave vets that you’re looking at to fill these needs.”
Huard added that new head coach Mike Macdonald and his staff are just now getting to know the team’s scouts ahead of the draft.
“It is still a busy time in these three weeks, and oh by the way, you also get your scouts in house now. So all your scouts that have been spread around the country, they’re at the combine, they’re doing all their work, and now these man hours start to just pile up.”
On last week’s John Schneider Show, the Seahawks general manager/president of football operations touched on that.
“Excited to have the scouts back in here with the new coaching staff and to be able to get together as a group,” Schneider told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob. “Now that they’ve been able to get settled, they’ll get caught up on on some of the draft prospects as well.”
Huard related it to how wide the scope is for a front office in baseball with farm systems, major league rosters and scouting throughout the year.
“Just think about all these different moving parts,” he said. “… There is a lot of personnel in place, and then now when you finally get them all in the building – and oh by the way, this might be the first time that Mike Macdonald looks and sits around a table with these scouts … We know how important that time is, that facetime is, that personal time in the building together. So they’re going to crank it up because three weeks from this Thursday is that NFL Draft. Now with the calendar turning to April, these things happen and come at you pretty darn fast.”
Listen to the full Blue 88 segment from Monday’s Brock and Salk in the player near the top of this post or in the final segment of the podcast at this link.
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