Seattle PI Sports Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks appear to have addressed most of their immediate roster needs with their 11 picks in the NFL draft. Seattle began the draft with a slam-dunk pick, taking North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel with the 18th overall selection. Zabel has a chance to start immediately at left guard considering last year’s starter, Laken Tomlinson, is now with the Houston Texans. The Seahawks took two more offensive linemen later in the draft. They also added two wide receivers and quarterback Jalen Milroe of Alabama. And they hope they found a dynamic pass-catching tight end in Elijah Arroyo.

NFL draft picks can make an instant impact on a team’s immediate success. Jayden Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick last year, led the Washington Commanders to the NFC championship game. Cooper DeJean, a second-round selection, had a pick-6 against Patrick Mahomes in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl victory over Kansas City. Some rookies will need more time to develop. Caleb Williams, who was the No. 1 pick in 2024, had a tough start in Chicago and the Bears went 5-12 and fired their coach. The Raiders, Jaguars and Chiefs receive A's in the AP draft grades.

The Minnesota Vikings acquired quarterback Sam Howell in a trade with Seattle during the NFL draft. They swapped fifth-round picks with the Seahawks for a young backup for J.J. McCarthy who has starting experience. The Vikings sent the 142nd overall selection to the Seahawks for the 172nd pick. Howell passed for 3,946 yards in 2023 while starting all 17 games for the Washington Commanders. Howell led the league that season with 21 interceptions and 65 sacks for a team that went 4-13. The 2022 fifth-rounder is just 24 years old and joining a quarterback-friendly offense directed by coach Kevin O’Connell.

The Seattle Seahawks selected quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round of the NFL draft. He joins a quarterback room that also includes Sam Darnold, who was signed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal this offseason, as well as Drew Lock. Darnold figures to be the starter, but Milroe’s presence will only bring more intrigue to training camp for the reigning NFC West champions.

Shedeur Sanders was among the best available players remaining after his Round 1 snub and as the draft heads into its final four rounds Saturday, the former University of Colorado star is still waiting to hear his name called. Sanders' slide into Day 3 of the draft is surprising given that many draft analysts considered it a possibility that he'd be chosen first overall, an honor that went to Cam Ward instead. Four other quarterbacks have been drafted ahead of Sanders, who completed nearly 72% of his passes in Boulder but took 94 sacks.

The Tennessee Titans explored all their options with the No. 1 pick in the draft. They can’t pass up a shot at a potential franchise quarterback. If the Titans were going to trade the pick for more draft assets, a deal would’ve happened already. Coach Brian Callahan said “there is no price that you can put on those type of players if you think they’re that caliber of quarterback.” Miami’s Cam Ward has seemingly convinced the Titans he can be that guy. So, the real intrigue begins with the Cleveland Browns at No. 2. They need a franchise QB, too. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders will be available but two-way star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter are more likely to go there.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch often feels as though he’s entered a strange new scouting universe when he interviews an NFL draft prospect. Today’s players talk openly about agents and endorsement deals, and they’re not shy about describing journeys to three or four schools or playing for an equal number of head coaches. Lynch acknowledges today's college football landscape is a different world. The NFL teams scouting prospects are having to adjust to that.

ESPN is reporting that quarterback Geno Smith has agreed to two-year, $75 million extension with the Raiders. Smith’s new deal takes him through the 2027 season and includes $66.5 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN. The Raiders acquired Smith for a third-round pick from the Seattle Seahawks on March 7. He didn’t immediately come to terms on an extension. Smith had one year left on his contract. General manager John Spytek said at this week’s NFL meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, that he expected an agreement would be reached.

Former NFL player Richard Sherman is the latest sports figure whose home has been burglarized. The Super Bowl champion posted pictures and a video on social media asking if anyone recognized three armed intruders that broke into his house last weekend. Sherman was a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl defensive back from 2011 to 2021 with Seattle, San Francisco and Tampa Bay. He helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl in 2014. The FBI has warned sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes following a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent players.

Russell Wilson has agreed on a one-year contract with the New York Giants, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the signing hasn’t been finalized, said Wilson’s deal is worth up to $21 million with $10.5 million guaranteed. The Giants signed veteran Jameis Winston to a two-year contract last week and have the third pick in next month’s NFL draft. The 36-year-old Wilson joins his fourth team in five years.