Latest news with #TrenchWarfare
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Should the Seahawks sign free-agent guard Shaq Mason?
The Seattle Seahawks finally agreed to terms with free-agent cornerback Shaquill Griffin on Wednesday. Griffin had long been rumored to reunite with the Seahawks this offseason. General manager John Schneider officially closed that deal. By doing so, Schneider proved he's open to considering veteran upgrades to the roster before training camp opens. One potentially intriguing option is free-agent guard Shaq Mason. Brandon Thorn, creator of Trench Warfare and offensive line play enthusiast, recently highlighted how effective Mason still is at this point in his career. Mason played 931 snaps at right guard for the Houston Texans last season. The experienced blocker earned a stellar pass-blocking grade of 65.2 from Pro Football Focus. Mason would have easily been Seattle's best performing interior offensive lineman last season. The real question here is how much faith Schneider possesses in the ongoing positional battle at right guard. Anthony Bradford and Christian Haynes are competing for that spot for a second consecutive offseason. Neither player maximized that opportunity last season. The Seahawks are banking on another year of experience, paired with new position coach John Benton, to better develop Bradford and Haynes. If Schneider and Mike Macdonald run out of patience with Bradford and Haynes, they should strongly consider adding Mason via a one-year deal. The Seahawks are in a competitive window, having added veterans like Griffin, Cooper Kupp, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Sam Darnold via free agency. Mason would be an upgrade at right guard, but the Seahawks appear invested in Haynes and Bradford (for now).
USA Today
23-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Draft prospect draws comparison to star Vikings player
The 2025 NFL Draft is still more than two months away, but we're starting to get into the thick of prospect analysis. Draft analysts are getting into the 'meat-and-potatoes' so to speak of their film analysis, and with that comes comparisons. For most analysts, NFL Draft comps serve to give the general public an idea of what sort of player a prospect is. Comps aren't necessarily meant to be a 1-for-1 situation where an analyst is saying 'This prospect is going to be 'insert player name' here', but more to give an idea of build, skill, and stylistic similarities. Recently, PFF NFL Draft analyst Trevor Sikkema gave some player comparisons for the top 20 prospects on PFF's Big Board. Their #12 prospect, Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, has drawn some pretty lofty comparisons. Sikkema, with the help of offensive line guru Brandon Thorn, compares Simmons to Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. Sikkema had this to say about Simmons in his analysis: '…I saw a lot of potential in his movement skills and foot speed in pass protection to play tackle well in the league. Then he looked like one of the best offensive linemen in the country before suffering a knee injury five games into 2024. I saw this comparison from Brandon Thorn of Trench Warfare and I loved it. Darrisaw plays with more natural power, but both he and Simmons have this loaded, powerful, low stance pre-snap that allows them to be incredibly explosive in pass protection and when run blocking…' The Vikings desperately need to get better in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and have limited NFL Draft capital with which to do so. They're going to have to do a lot of the heavy lifting in this year's free agency period. Lucky for them, there should be a good number of quality offensive linemen available in free agency. Minnesota won't likely be looking to improve their tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft, so Simmons doesn't figure to be in the cards for the Vikings. If he is as good as Darrisaw, he likely won't be on the board when the Vikings come on the clock, anyway.
