Moore: Six pieces of draft advice for Seahawks GM John Schneider

Last month I wrote a story and gave some random advice on the air to Seahawks general manager John Schneider before the start of free agency. That night I got a text from Schneider that said: “Thanks for the advice, bud,” followed by the emoji that’s laughing so hard it’s crying.

Seahawks Draft: What do you want them to do and what they do need?

So the Seahawks’ GM was busting my chops and basically saying he got a kick out of the advice but would never take it in a million years.

The way I look at it – at least I got his attention. So maybe he’ll see this post too. And maybe this time, he’ll listen.

Six things I’d like to see John Schneider consider next week:

1) Let Jadeveon Clowney go. As talented as he is, Clowney was part of a Seahawks defense that ranked 26th in the league. As good as he is against the run, the Seahawks still allowed 4.8 yards per carry, one of the worst marks in the league. More and more analysts are talking about his inconsistency, and there were signs of that before he suffered his core injury against the 49ers midway through the season. Then there’s the injury history and the lack of sacks. Not worth the price tag he wants.

2) Trade a first-round pick and one of two second-rounders to Jacksonville for Yannick Ngakoue. Think that’s too much to give up? Maybe you’re right, but that’s what it might take to get the Jaguars’ pass-rushing, play-making menace. Jacksonville got two first-rounders from the Rams for Jalen Ramsey last year. With second-rounders, you never know what you’re gonna get. It could turn out to be the next DK Metcalf or it could turn out to be the next Malik McDowell or Christine Michael. Heck, with the Seahawks and first-rounders, you don’t know what you’re gonna get either. Based on what he’s shown in his first four years, Ngakoue rates as a sure thing. With Ngakoue, Bruce Irvin, Benson Mayowa, Jarran Reed and Rasheem Green, along with Quinton Dunbar dramatically improving the secondary, the Seahawks could have a pass rush in the top half of the league in 2020.

3) If Schneider doesn’t make the Ngakoue trade, look to trade up, not down, or stay at No. 27 and pick a player. Everyone likes to rave about Schneider magically turning a top pick into several picks when he trades down, and then we gush over the quantity and quality of players. But I’m pretty much over that. How about not being cute this year and just picking the player you think is the best of the bunch that’s available to you at No. 27? Oh wait, I know, you still think you can get that player at No. 33 and get added picks from the team you traded with. Sounds great in theory, but what if that player you’ve zeroed in on gets picked at No. 29? Oh wait, I know, you don’t tell reporters about him, you tell them that the guy you got at 33 was actually the guy you wanted at 27 when he really wasn’t. Depth is great. So is looking toward the future. But 31-year-old Russell Wilson isn’t going to be in his prime forever. Increase your odds of finding superstars he wants by picking higher in the draft, not lower.

4) Take an offensive tackle or a wide receiver with your first pick. Analysts say those are the most loaded positions in the draft. Duane Brown will be 35 when the 2020 season starts. A replacement will likely be needed for him in 2021. Or how about someone to compete with free-agent acquisition Brandon Shell, who looks like a short-term solution at right tackle? The Seahawks don’t really need a receiver, but if you added another speedster from the deep group in this draft, maybe you could rely on simply beating opponents in high-scoring games since the defense has been on a downward slide for the last two years. Is the best defense a great offense?

5) Hey John, if you don’t like suggestion No. 4, how about using every pick on defensive players? I heard Mike Salk mention this a few weeks ago, and I like the idea of this for two reasons. 1) The offense is fine as is. I mean, maybe you could add an offensive lineman, but the defense is the side of the ball that really needs to be addressed if you’re ever gonna get back to the Super Bowl. And you could certainly make the case for adding a running back in the draft, but I’d rather see them get a veteran in free agency like Davonta Freeman or Carlos Hyde as insurance for Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny returning from injuries. 2) More importantly, Mike’s my boss, and I’m a suck-up who’s endorsing his opinion because I’m trying to do whatever I can to increase my dwindling chances of keeping this job for a few more years.

6) Don’t draft a receiver in the fourth round! I don’t care if he flushes the first five things on this list down the toilet as long as he takes my advice on this one. Schneider has drafted four receivers in the fourth round, and they’ve all washed out or fallen well short of expectations – Kris Durham, Chris Harper, Kevin Norwood and Gary Jennings. It will be doubly difficult for Schneider to listen to me because it’s a deep wide-receiver draft, and he has two picks in the fourth round. But if he refuses to acknowledge the fourth-round receiver jinx in Seattle and picks another one, I’ll be the one sending him the laughing emoji this time.

Follow 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jim Moore on Twitter.

More from Moore: Seahawks signing Iupati could be good for Clowney, bad for Britt