6:12 PM
Pete Carroll doesn't believe a "restart" is necessary as the Seattle Seahawks wind down their worst season in more than a decade.
"I think that we have to restart this whole thing and create a new philosophy and a new approach and all that," he said. I don't think so. I think we have what we need. We have to continue to grow and progress, we have to support it better, and we have to build on them. There is no standing still, but there is the foundation for doing things.
When asked a general question about the team's future on his weekly radio show, Carroll volunteered that thought. After the Seattle Seahawks fell to 5-10 with a 25-24 home loss to the Chicago Bears, he sidestepped a question about a possible rebuild, saying his focus was on this week.
They were eliminated from playoff contention and ended up in a last-place finish in the West. It's the first time since 1996 that the Seahawks will finish last in their division, and it's only the third time in 12 seasons that they have not made the playoffs.
They were assured of their first losing season since 2011. Their 10 losses are their most since Jim Mora went 5-11 in 2009. The 2010 hires of Schneider and Carroll led to a reset of their football operations. The most significant changes came in the year of 2018? The core members of the Super Bowl defense, including Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett, were lost to injury or were retooled.
The Seahawks were very optimistic about their level of talent going into this season, according to the final say on personnel matters. He said that the offensive line has been fine and hasn't been a problem. He said the rest of the West is very loaded and the Seahawks are up against it. They've gone 3-6 in divisional games.
Their two Pro Bowl selections are the lowest in the division. Russell Wilson missed three games with a broken finger, and strong safety Jamal Adams was lost for the season with a labrum tear.
The 49ers have five Pro Bowlers this year, while the Rams and Cardinals have four each.
"We like what we've got, but you've got to admire what the other teams have and acknowledge the fact that they've got some great players over there, too," he said.
Jody Allen has been the team's defacto owner since her brother Paul passed away, and she was asked if she has signed off on the idea that a restart isn't needed.
"We've been on the same page about everything since she took over."
Schneider is under contract through the 2027 draft and each signing an extension within the last 14 months.
Because of the Adams trade, the Seahawks don't have a first-round pick in 2022.
Among the key players who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this year are, among others, quarterback Russell Wilson, tight end Gerald Everett, left tackle Duane Brown, center Ethan Pocic, and right tackle Brandon Shell.
Wilson's future is in question after he voiced his frustration last year, leading to trade talks between the Bears and the Seahawks. Wilson wants to stay in Seattle. The cap charge for next season is $20.35 million, which is why the Pro Bowl player is signed through 2022.
Wilson's absence and inconsistent accuracy are some of the reasons why Seattle's offense is 20th in points per game. Their defense is seventh best in points allowed.
In noting the difficulties the team has had in figuring out Wilson's recent struggles, the coach said he doesn't believe the system is the issue, and that the quarterback doesn't feel like he's hurt.
"But the results are a little bit different, and I think that there's a factor in there, some that we have to deal with, and we really don't have control of like that," he said.
On the radio show, he was asked if he was confident about the future of the team.
He said we have to continue to build. We need to get better and keep bringing in players that can help us. We have to get healthy again and we will see how that goes. Russ has to deal with what most players wouldn't have dealt with, so we need to see how he bounces back. He will be great again. He's going to be a great player. I don't think it shows right now, but I think he's going to do that because he has it in him.
We build around those factors and the pluses that we can generate. We have contracts and a lot of free agents. We'll figure that out later but there are a lot of questions and things we have to figure out. It's not the right time. It's not a good time to look at that. There's a lot to look at and there's a lot of positives.
