Pete Carroll, John Schneider Embracing Second Chance to Reload Seahawks

RENTON, WA - Amid increasing speculation about their respective futures, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider went into their annual end of season meeting with owner Jody Allen ready to pitch an unconventional plan to get the franchise back on track.

The plan? Following a dreadful 7-10 season that culminated with a last place finish in the NFC West, Seattle's brain trust proposed what had been viewed by many as the unthinkable: trading away star quarterback Russell Wilson.

While dealing the best quarterback in franchise history typically steers a front office and coaching staff closer to getting fired than contending for championships, Allen listened attentively as Carroll and Schneider disclosed their reasons for wanting to execute the bold move. Harkening back to when they built the foundation of their two Super Bowl teams in 2013 and 2014, they wanted to recoup draft capital and cap space to help infuse the roster with youth and accelerate an oncoming rebuild.

Behind the scenes, Wilson and his camp were actively exploring other options. The nine-time Pro Bowler's growing discontent spawned by numerous factors helped sell the idea of shipping him out of town, especially with him having two years left under contract and likely never having higher value on the market.

Maintaining confidence in Carroll and Schneider to lead the organization back in the right direction, Allen gave them her blessing, setting the stage for last week's blockbuster trade that sent Wilson to the Broncos for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, and a trio of veteran players.

Understanding the move to jettison one of the most popular players in franchise history would be met with skepticism, anger, and other emotions by those who follow the team, Carroll and Schneider told reporters on Wednesday that the deal never could have happened without Allen's support. Now, they believe the organization has the resources at their disposal necessary to facilitate a quick reboot that results in sustained success.

"She supported us, challenged us, demanded that we were sure in what we were doing and could account for all of the thoughts, the background, and all of the work that we needed to do to put this together," Carroll said. "But when it came right down to it, she said, ‘I see what this is doing to you guys. John, you’re back in your wheelhouse, Pete, you are back in your wheelhouse.’ She stayed, knowing that we have so many opportunities to work, deal, wheel our creative approach to what we do, and make really positive things happen."

While anyone watching the press conference on Wednesday couldn't have been blamed for checking out at times as Carroll rambled on for nearly 15 minutes before fielding questions, his soliloquy wasn't without valuable insight into what he believes Seattle must do to recapture its winning ways. Even by his usual standards, his energy, enthusiasm, and overall excitement for starting anew with a fresh slate was palpable.

During his opening remarks, Carroll referenced numerous players who benefited from a second chance joining the Seahawks. Among those, functioning like an insurance salesman on too much caffeine, he talked about Marshawn Lynch's turn for stardom after getting out of Buffalo, safety Quandre Diggs leaving a bad situation in Detroit to become a two-time Pro Bowler, and safety Jamal Adams escaping a sour situation in New York as examples among others.

On the flip side, he mentioned Wilson's desire for a second chance being fulfilled in Denver, wishing the quarterback well as he continues his NFL journey elsewhere.

In a way, Allen has granted Carroll and Schneider their own second chance after Seattle endured its worst season in nearly 15 years. The architects of the franchise's only Super Bowl winner have quite the mess to clean up after several years of poor drafting and free agency mishaps, but working in tandem, they have shown in the past they can overhaul a roster and jump back into contention quickly.

Citing a conversation he once had with legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, Carroll stressed the importance of a coach sticking to his/her philosophy and why doing so was critical to the Seahawks making the most of this transitional opportunity in front of them. Throughout the press conference, he doubled down on this notion, starting with a renewed emphasis on competition in all phases.

Comparing the departure of Wilson and All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner to when star players left the college ranks while he was at USC, Carroll said the Seahawks must "keep marching" and stay steadfast in their roster-constructing approach acquiring and developing young talent.

“We’ve got to make this the most competitive roster in the NFL and that’s what we’re out to do, all the way through the ranks," Carroll declared. "That means you’re going to get young, but we’re going to mix it with a group of experienced players as well as we already have. That’s the chemistry we have to create.”

Schneider agreed, indicating the Seahawks needed to get back to the tried and proven formula that helped them build a dominant contender shortly after he arrived alongside Carroll back in 2010. Having a total of eight draft picks after the Wilson trade, including three in the first 41 selections, along with four picks in the first two rounds in 2023, will certainly aid efforts to accomplish that goal of getting back to their "core philosophy."

“It’s enormous. When we made the Jamal [Adams] trade, you’re talking about COVID years, two really funky years, to be able to get the ninth pick, be able to get to No. 40 and No. 41 for us was big," Schneider added. "Especially in this draft. We’re going to pick eight times. It’s really big, especially next year when the majority of the cap space comes into effect with Russell’s [Wilson] contract, and then the draft capital next year with the two first round picks and two second round picks. Four picks in the first two rounds.”

Along with preaching competition everywhere from the front office to the coaching staff to the players themselves, Carroll also reaffirmed what he's looking for from the quarterback position entering the post-Wilson era. Not surprisingly, he emphasized protecting the football and facilitating the offense, with his job description defining a game manager more than anything else.

"What we need in our offense is the same thing we’ve always needed, whether it was Carson Palmer or Russell Wilson; we need a point guard," Carroll explained. "Need a guy that plays the game and moves the football around to the guys that are open. Does all of the things that manages the game so that we can play great football, because we are going to win with defense, we are going to win with how we play on special teams, we are going to run the football to help the whole thing fit together. That’s never changed, it’s never been the philosophy that we’ve needed to alter other than continue to grow and make it dynamic and present and current."

If there's one sole reason why Wilson's relationship with the Seahawks became strained to the point of no return, Carroll's old school ideology didn't mesh with the star quarterback, who views himself as one of the best at his craft and wants to "cook" as a high-volume passer. Though they managed to make things work for a long time despite these well-documented issues, the two clearly didn't see eye-to-eye in this regard, which played a decisive role in their divorce.

Discussing possible replacement options, Carroll and Schneider spoke glowingly of Drew Lock, who was acquired as part of the Wilson trade from the Broncos. The fourth-year quarterback out of Missouri struggled during his final two seasons in the Mile High City, but both men suggested coaching changes had a significant impact on his waning performance after playing well as a rookie in 2019.

When asked if he believed Seattle could compete for a championship with Lock under center, while Carroll also mentioned free agent Geno Smith and former Washington standout Jacob Eason as possible starters and the door was kept open to explore other quarterback options, his response suggests the organization views Lock as a legitimate candidate to succeed Wilson.

“If he plays like he did early on I think we’ve got a shot," Carroll replied. "You go back to his first year when he was balling as a rookie, when he was 4-1, his third-down numbers were terrific. Taking care of the football really well. For whatever reason… the coordinator left after that time, times changed for him, and he didn’t play to that same level... John [Schneider] stayed with it and followed him all the way through his career, and we’ve watched it happen. We think he’s still that guy and so we’ll see."

Of course, that's a big if among many other big question marks that the Seahawks will be counting on to go their way if they plan on being competitive in 2022 and beyond. Whether it's Lock, Smith, a rookie quarterback, or someone else, they have to find a capable starter who can at least carry out the role as Carroll visions it. As for Schneider, after a rough stretch of drafting in recent years, he has to capitalize on the picks received in return from the Broncos and find star talent to bolster the roster for the present and future.

If Carroll and Schneider can't make those two things happen, Allen's decision to put her faith in them rather than Wilson likely won't be rewarded. This time next year, a new regime could be taking the reins as a result and a long rebuild could be on tap.

But on the heels of what they both deemed a "historic" trade, Carroll and Schneider remain bullish on the future of the Seahawks and are eager to prove once again they are the right men for the job with a great opportunity at their fingertips. Whether they succeed or fail, both seem hell bent on orchestrating this reload their own way by returning to their roots.