Day 3 Draft thread

[D-train]

A rare good piece by Calkins:

RENTON — There’s a team that plays about a thousand miles south of Seattle that nearly knocked the Seahawks out of the playoffs last year. This team was the Super Bowl champions’ biggest threat last season and, maybe, the biggest obstacle in their quest to repeat next season.

But this team also did something astonishing Thursday night.

With the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Rams select Ty Simpson, quarterback, Alabama.

This has easily been the biggest surprise of a draft that has now completed its first three rounds. The Super Bowl-contending Rams, who went all-in during free-agency, used their opening pick on a quarterback despite having a reigning NFL MVP in Matthew Stafford behind center.

So what does this have to do with the Seahawks? It’s simple: They don’t make picks like that anymore. They have been productively predictable — boring in the best possible way.

Let’s look at this year’s draft so far. A month and a half after losing running back Kenneth Walker III to free agency, the Seahawks selected running back Jadarian Price with the 32nd pick Thursday. A month and a half after losing safety Coby Bryant to free agency, the Seahawks selected safety Bud Clark with the 64th pick Friday. And a month and a half after losing cornerback Riq Woolen to free agency, the Seahawks selected cornerback Julian Neal with the 99th pick Friday.

The Rams are generating ink. The Seahawks are just fine with chalk. This isn’t new — and fans should be happy about this.

Seriously, when’s the last time you went “wait … the Seahawks picked who?!?!” It was probably back in 2021, when they used the 56th pick (their first in that draft) on receiver D’Wayne Eskridge despite already having DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the roster. What they needed that year was a lineman, and seven picks later, the Chiefs drafted center Creed Humphrey, who has since made four Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro teams.

Obviously, if the rest of the league knew that Humphrey was going to have that level of success, he would have gone higher. But he was sitting right there for a Seahawks team that was weak up front. Seemed like a classic case of overthinking. That doesn’t seem to happen anymore.

In 2022, the Seahawks chose left tackle Charles Cross first, linebacker Boye Mafe second and Walker third — all needs. In 2023, they selected cornerback Devon Witherspoon and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with their first two picks — also needs. In 2024, defensive lineman Byron Murphy went to the Seahawks with the 16th pick, and last year, guard Grey Zabel went to them in the first round and defensive back Nick Emmanwori in the second. Every player mentioned filled a need, and every player mentioned was integral to last season’s Super Bowl crown.



Obviously, nobody knows how any of this year’s picks are going to end up impacting the team. Whiffs happen no matter who’s in charge, but Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s track record has been close to impeccable lately. Going the simple route has been a key reason why.

“I know the mistakes that I’ve made personally in the past and what that looks like, and we’ve learned from those things and don’t want to repeat it,” Schneider said Friday.

That was a general statement from the GM, not a response to a specific question about past picks. But it speaks to the evolution of his and his staff’s approach to the draft. The easy pick is often the best pick. And there’s something to be said about having the discipline to not go too far off-script.

This doesn’t mean that need is always going to supersede talent when it comes to who Seattle selects. If the brass thinks adding a player to an already stacked position room is going to help the team, they’ll do it. But as Schneider said of this year’s draft so far: “We’re really excited, just to be able to have that balance of best player/team need.”

The Seahawks aren’t slated to pick again until the sixth round Saturday, but that’s OK. They are returning the core of a championship-winning team and may very well have plugged their most conspicuous holes.

They aren’t creating chatter, they’re cementing a window. Boredom in the draft room in April is what leads to bedlam in the streets in February.

A defense of the Rams picking Simpson, it really was their biggest need, even looking at next season. Stafford is 38, he could get injured. The Rams really don't have weaknesses. I'm the last guy to call McVay dumb

The Rams don't have any pressing needs on their 2026 roster. They used their own first-round pick to trade for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. You can make a strong case that they don't need anything more than they might need a quarterback a year from now, if Stafford decides to retire. This is clearly a quarterback about whom Rams coach Sean McVay has conviction, and the team obviously trusts McVay when it comes to his QB evaluation

lol McVay made the pick??? He was blatantly pissed off about the pick. GM Snead made the pick and he is Friends with Simpson's father and advised him to enter the draft.

[D-train]

Drafting Dunker would have shown more desperation don't you think? You seemed unhappy they didn't. They are going to need a replacement. I wouldn't expect Bradford to get an extension

I see you answered my question here. I agree.

[D-train]

Probably shouldn't underestimate Stevens. It's interesting they had him on for a 30 visit and get him that late in the draft

The decision to move up and draft Stephens was an easy one for John Schneider and company, who were surprised he was still available at that point and took their chance to draft him.

"It was too big of a gap and too much talent there," Schneider said. "Beau came on a 30 visit. Really cool

Your issue with names is quite something. You literally post a quote with his name spelled correctly and still spell it wrong. lol

[Donn Beach]

They like Bradford. I keep saying this. I also think there's evidence he is better than the anti-hype.

He played nearly every snap on a team that won the SB but they are desperate to get rid of him, go figure

This is his last season on his rookie deal. Do you think they resign him after letting the four walk that they let walk last month?

He doesn't get re-signed. But at this point he's delivering snaps at a low cost. Bring Stevens in and prepare him or even if he does beat him out. They aren't investing a lot in a replacement.

[Donn Beach]

A rare good piece by Calkins:

A defense of the Rams picking Simpson, it really was their biggest need, even looking at next season. Stafford is 38, he could get injured. The Rams really don't have weaknesses. I'm the last guy to call McVay dumb

The Rams don't have any pressing needs on their 2026 roster. They used their own first-round pick to trade for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. You can make a strong case that they don't need anything more than they might need a quarterback a year from now, if Stafford decides to retire. This is clearly a quarterback about whom Rams coach Sean McVay has conviction, and the team obviously trusts McVay when it comes to his QB evaluation

lol McVay made the pick??? He was blatantly pissed off about the pick. GM Snead made the pick and he is Friends with Simpson's father and advised him to enter the draft.

McVay responding

"For any of the questions or misunderstandings just based on my demeanor or disposition last night, I did want to get that out of the way. This is my buddy right here," McVay said with a smile as he reached out to general manager Les Snead.

"That was brought to my attention because I got so many texts. That was never my intended way to be able to come off, but sometimes I can be a little grumpy

Asked what he was grumpy about

Well, there were other things that had nothing to do with that, which that’s normal life,"

"The main thing was, I couldn’t be more excited about being able to add him, but also understanding how much I love Matthew Stafford, how respectful you want to always be and to the way things can be interpreted. The demeanor would’ve been stoic by nature because you are excited, but by no means — it is Matthew’s football team

He does come off as a guy that can appear grumpy. I doubt there's any real conflict. They don't strike me as an organization that operates that way. There is a pretty strange dynamic in terms of Stafford. I can see McVay not wanting to seem to excited about the pick. I'm confident Simpson is the guy he wants as his qb going into the future. It's ridiculous thinking Snead is going to force Simpson on him

[D-train]

McVays anguish during the end of our last two games with them was so sweet. lol And them trying to get the rule changed that got us the crazy two point conversion was so weak and hilarious. I never had strong feelings about the Rams before this season but I am now with Michael, love to see those guys squirm and cry. Despise Puka too.

The fact that Simpson was a BU to Milroe doesn't have me too worried about the post Stafford Rams era. lol

[Donn Beach]

McVays anguish during the end of our last two games with them was so sweet. lol And them trying to get the rule changed that got us the crazy two point conversion was so weak and hilarious. I never had strong feelings about the Rams before this season but I am now with Michael, love to see those guys squirm and cry. Despise Puka too.

The fact that Simpson was a BU to Milroe doesn't have me too worried about the post Stafford Rams era. lol

Yeah, I'm digging the hell out of this. I've said it before. The rest of the league really doesn't concern me, it's the Rams. It really is the ultimate rivalry, I guess the 49ers before was pretty good until they began kicking our asses lol. And I'm worried about the Rams. I'm not confident at all. I was going to say, drafting Simpson kinda reminded me of drafting Milroe. That's the thing, I don't see where you can point at a clear weakness that the Rams ignored drafting him. The last thing I am is a Rams expert but they seem like a very complete team.

[Donn Beach]

Seaside Joes three takeaways from the draft. He makes a big deal of taking Price first. It's a real commitment to his being the game one starter. The, you can find guys stuff was a smoke screen. It's interesting too the next rb didn't go until like the 4th round? And it was some guy I hadn't heard mentioned. The draft supported Price and Love being the top prospects.

He brings up defensive back becoming a replaceable position in MM defense. It's interesting in terms of the guys they have allowed to walk and the number of ones drafted. That it's a function of MM genius, and 180 degrees from PC. Remember the legion of boom DBack contracts.

And the same with edge. I've commented before that MM doesn't seem to require the sort of edge talent other teams are willing to pay a premium for. JS passed on a number of edge prospects.

https://www.seasidejoe.com/p/3-things-t ... d-us-about

[D-train]

McVays anguish during the end of our last two games with them was so sweet. lol And them trying to get the rule changed that got us the crazy two point conversion was so weak and hilarious. I never had strong feelings about the Rams before this season but I am now with Michael, love to see those guys squirm and cry. Despise Puka too.

The fact that Simpson was a BU to Milroe doesn't have me too worried about the post Stafford Rams era. lol

Yeah, I'm digging the hell out of this. I've said it before. The rest of the league really doesn't concern me, it's the Rams. It really is the ultimate rivalry, I guess the 49ers before was pretty good until they began kicking our asses lol. And I'm worried about the Rams. I'm not confident at all. I was going to say, drafting Simpson kinda reminded me of drafting Milroe. That's the thing, I don't see where you can point at a clear weakness that the Rams ignored drafting him. The last thing I am is a Rams expert but they seem like a very complete team.

The Simpson pick was massively criticized by most experts and they identified several win now choices that would have filled immediate needs. If they didn't have holes they would have been in the Super Bowl.

https://www.google.com/search?q=who+sho ... PEP9L204Qg

[D-train]

Seaside Joes three takeaways from the draft. He makes a big deal of taking Price first. It's a real commitment to his being the game one starter. The, you can find guys stuff was a smoke screen. It's interesting too the next rb didn't go until like the 4th round? And it was some guy I hadn't heard mentioned. The draft supported Price and Love being the top prospects.

He brings up defensive back becoming a replaceable position in MM defense. It's interesting in terms of the guys they have allowed to walk and the number of ones drafted. That it's a function of MM genius, and 180 degrees from PC. Remember the legion of boom DBack contracts.

And the same with edge. I've commented before that MM doesn't seem to require the sort of edge talent other teams are willing to pay a premium for. JS passed on a number of edge prospects.

https://www.seasidejoe.com/p/3-things-t ... d-us-about

I forgot to mention in this post that Zach and Walker both had PFF grades in the high 80s, Wilson was at 64 and Holani has 25 career carries for a 3.3 average and McIntosh is coming off a ACL and the other RBs drafted will be lucky to be in the 50s.