As we all know, it's a crap shoot.....

[TriCitySam]

2020 draft picks that teams have declined to pick up 5th year option (and a couple days to go):

Chase Young - Rd 1, #2
Jeff Okudah - Rd 1, #3
Isiah Simmons - Rd 1, #8
CJ Henderson - Rd 1, #9
Javon Kinlaw - Rd 1, #14
K'Lavon Chaisson - Rd 1, #20
Kenneth Murray - Rd 1, #23
Cesar Ruiz - Rd 1, #24
Patrick McQueen - Rd 1, #28

[RiverDog]

2020 draft picks that teams have declined to pick up 5th year option (and a couple days to go):

Chase Young - Rd 1, #2
Jeff Okudah - Rd 1, #3
Isiah Simmons - Rd 1, #8
CJ Henderson - Rd 1, #9
Javon Kinlaw - Rd 1, #14
K'Lavon Chaisson - Rd 1, #20
Kenneth Murray - Rd 1, #23
Cesar Ruiz - Rd 1, #24
Patrick McQueen - Rd 1, #28

We haven't picked up the 5th year option on any of our first-round picks since the clause was inserted into the CBA in 2011. We're the only team never to have exercised it, and it looks like we won't be picking up Jordyn Brooks' 5th year this season, either:

Shortly after the Cardinals declined Isaiah Simmons‘ fifth-year option, one of their NFC West rivals will do the same with their 2020 linebacker investment. The Seahawks are not exercising Jordyn Brooks‘ option, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2023/ ... ear-option

To be fair, there were 4 years where we didn't have a first round pick due to trades. But with our failing to pick up Brooks' contract, we've had 6 first round draft picks that we had the opportunity to extend yet failed to do so. That doesn't speak well to our drafting.

[Hawktawk]

Much like Penney Brooks entered his fifth year injury plagued . Had he been healthy he’d have been picked up. Thankfully we were able to still win some games with this awful terrible roster

[obiken]

CBob, River, Bucky Brooks was on and there are people in the media that know, and everyone else, he knows! However, what he said made sense, that PC and JS what to take more off Geno's plate and that is why all the RB's and extra weapons. Even if last year was an aberration and not the norm, and I think it was, Seattle should be a really good team.

[tarlhawk]

We haven't picked up the 5th year option on any of our first-round picks since the clause was inserted into the CBA in 2011. We're the only team never to have exercised it, and it looks like we won't be picking up Jordyn Brooks' 5th year this season, either:

To be fair, there were 4 years where we didn't have a first round pick due to trades. But with our failing to pick up Brooks' contract, we've had 6 first round draft picks that we had the opportunity to extend yet failed to do so. That doesn't speak well to our drafting.

5th year options are "handcuffs" to most teams since once executed/signed the entire 5th year becomes fully guaranteed and binding...so whenever injuries surface before a 5th year option (Penny/Brooks/)...player gets traded (Frank Clark)...or fails to live up to potential (Carpenter/Irvin/Ifedi/Collier) the GM will opt out. Noah Fant wasn't drafted by us...but we chose to pick up his 5th year option following the RW trade that made that possible.

[NorthHawk]

With Brooks, 2 things are in play - as said, injury but also the Cap hit and how little room we will have next year.

Of the current list, both Chase Young and Jevon Kinlaw are also struggling to return from injuries and Okudah can’t be granted the option because he was traded.

I’m not familiar with the others, but injuries might be factors for some and others just might not be worth it.

[RiverDog]

We haven't picked up the 5th year option on any of our first-round picks since the clause was inserted into the CBA in 2011. We're the only team never to have exercised it, and it looks like we won't be picking up Jordyn Brooks' 5th year this season, either:

To be fair, there were 4 years where we didn't have a first round pick due to trades. But with our failing to pick up Brooks' contract, we've had 6 first round draft picks that we had the opportunity to extend yet failed to do so. That doesn't speak well to our drafting.

5th year options are "handcuffs" to most teams since once executed/signed the entire 5th year becomes fully guaranteed and binding...so whenever injuries surface before a 5th year option (Penny/Brooks/)...player gets traded (Frank Clark)...or fails to live up to potential (Carpenter/Irvin/Ifedi/Collier) the GM will opt out. Noah Fant wasn't drafted by us...but we chose to pick up his 5th year option following the RW trade that made that possible.

Fant wasn't a player we drafted, and Clark wasn't a first-round pick subject to the 5th year option, so bringing them up is completely irrelevant to my point, ie that the fact that we are the only team that has yet to pick up a 5th year option on a player we drafted doesn't speak well for us.

There are various reasons why teams don't pick up options, and yes, injuries do factor in, and we've had two major ones with Penny and Brooks. But we're not the only team that has suffered injuries to their #1 draft pick that caused them not to pick up their options, and over time, the injury factor tends to wash out. Plus, when you compare the injury rate by position and note that running back is at the top of the list, it shouldn't be a huge shock that our first-round pick turned out to be a hospital ward resident. Other teams aren't drafting running backs in the first round due at least in part to the risk of injury. It's not like we're being snake bit. We know the risks.

In the case of Penny, it was likely a combination of his injuries and lack of performance that caused us not to pick up his option. Even when he was healthy, he never played well enough to start until Carson got hurt. To a lesser extent, the same is true with Brooks. Would we have picked up his option if he were completely healthy? We'll never know.

[RiverDog]

Much like Penney Brooks entered his fifth year injury plagued . Had he been healthy he’d have been picked up. Thankfully we were able to still win some games with this awful terrible roster

You don't know that we would have picked up Brooks' option if he was healthy. It's complete speculation. If Brooks had played well enough to have been named to a Pro Bowl, would we have picked up his option? Would we have if he was a finalist for DPOY?

As I mentioned above, our decision not to pick up Brooks' option was most likely a combination of several factors: Injury status and what we could expect performance wise based on his play for the past 3 years along with what we'd have to pay him and how that fit in with our salary cap limitations. I seriously doubt that his current health was the sole reason. Same with Penny.

[tarlhawk]

5th year options are a tool for a GM to have control over exposing a first round selection (who blossoms) to free agency. I see the lack of doing it as an observation...not a reflection of a GM's ability to draft. Ownership holds onto good GM's and since John Schneider has been kept since his arrival in 2010 is a bit more telling than any respected opinion outside of ownership...its like saying a GM's draft success is based on if a GM who fails to strike gold in the first round can't draft well even though he maintains a strong draft base resulting in a high rate of winning seasons. Draft positioning for obtaining busts increases the further you get away from selecting in the top ten.

[RiverDog]

5th year options are a tool for a GM to have control over exposing a first round selection (who blossoms) to free agency. I see the lack of doing it as an observation...not a reflection of a GM's ability to draft. Ownership holds onto good GM's and since John Schneider has been kept since his arrival in 2010 is a bit more telling than any respected opinion outside of ownership...its like saying a GM's draft success is based on if a GM who fails to strike gold in the first round can't draft well even though he maintains a strong draft base resulting in a high rate of winning seasons. Draft positioning for obtaining busts increases the further you get away from selecting in the top ten.

I can understand that take, and you're right, being the only team not to have picked up a 5th year option doesn't necessarily speak poorly about our drafting. But it doesn't negate my point, that our being the only team not to have picked up a 5th year option does not speak well for our drafting. Both statements can be true.

[NorthHawk]

Although there are a few considerations regarding using the 5th year option, the biggest reason teams use it is to retain a player on a cheaper salary than a new contract would command for a year.
But what it also does is open the players options for Free Agency or being Tagged. So if a team really wants to keep a 1st round pick they will usually use the 5th year option. If they're not sure about that player, usually they won't.
So how many 1st round picks are given the 5th year option is a reflection of how well the team has drafted, and if there are no 5th year options exercised over a long period of time, it does in fact bring into question the drafting success.
I would also add 2nd contracts to this discussion as well. These past two drafts look promising but we haven't given 2nd contracts to many or maybe any players in about 6 years not including 1 year prove it deals like with Penny.

[RiverDog]

Although there are a few considerations regarding using the 5th year option, the biggest reason teams use it is to retain a player on a cheaper salary than a new contract would command for a year.
But what it also does is open the players options for Free Agency or being Tagged. So if a team really wants to keep a 1st round pick they will usually use the 5th year option. If they're not sure about that player, usually they won't.
So how many 1st round picks are given the 5th year option is a reflection of how well the team has drafted, and if there are no 5th year options exercised over a long period of time, it does in fact bring into question the drafting success.
I would also add 2nd contracts to this discussion as well. These past two drafts look promising but we haven't given 2nd contracts to many or maybe any players in about 6 years not including 1 year prove it deals like with Penny.

Metcalf got a 2nd contract, but you're right, we haven't given very many. I don't know how we compares with other teams around the league.

[NorthHawk]

From the 2013 to the 2017 Draft we selected 58 players and 7 got 2nd contracts. So only 12% got 2nd contracts.
I did that calculation a few years ago so I don't know how it went for the 2018 draft onward but probably similar.
These last 2 drafts look like they might change that trend barring coaching changes or serious injury.

Coaching changes can bring about not exercising the 5th year option as well if a player doesn't suit what the new coach wants to do. I'm thinking of a CB who is great in Zone but not as good in Man Defense and the team goes to a 3-4 Defense like us where the CB is on an island a lot of the time. Or they change an Offense and the type of receivers on the team don't really fit the new model.

[RiverDog]

From the 2013 to the 2017 Draft we selected 58 players and 7 got 2nd contracts. So only 12% got 2nd contracts.
I did that calculation a few years ago so I don't know how it went for the 2018 draft onward but probably similar.
These last 2 drafts look like they might change that trend barring coaching changes or serious injury.

Coaching changes can bring about not exercising the 5th year option as well if a player doesn't suit what the new coach wants to do. I'm thinking of a CB who is great in Zone but not as good in Man Defense and the team goes to a 3-4 Defense like us where the CB is on an island a lot of the time. Or they change an Offense and the type of receivers on the team don't really fit the new model.

Good point about coaching changes affecting the exercising of the 5th year option. It's something that I hadn't thought of. But that should play in our favor as Pete is one of the longest tenured coaches in the league. It makes our situation look worse.

[Hawktawk]

Jesus H still at it I see . I wonder how we won a game with this awful talent . Dreadful Stupid no talent coach .
As for Penny 2 games before his huge knee injury he had 138 yards on 13 carries. Back to the pine then hurt on a cheap shot to the knee by a pussy DB that didn’t want to take him on .

He was plenty good enough to start and should have been starting by then other than Carson was very solid as well. But Carson wasnt worth a damn , injured himself every year at playoffs time .

Penny was plenty good enough to have been well worth a first rounder . And had he been healthy going into 2020 the whole story of Seattle and Penny would be different .

[RiverDog]

Jesus H still at it I see . I wonder how we won a game with this awful talent . Dreadful Stupid no talent coach .
As for Penny 2 games before his huge knee injury he had 138 yards on 13 carries. Back to the pine then hurt on a cheap shot to the knee by a pussy DB that didn’t want to take him on .

He was plenty good enough to start and should have been starting by then other than Carson was very solid as well. But Carson wasnt worth a damn , injured himself every year at playoffs time .

Penny was plenty good enough to have been well worth a first rounder . And had he been healthy going into 2020 the whole story of Seattle and Penny would be different .

You mock some of us for criticizing, in your words, a dreadful, stupid coach, yet in the same breath, you criticize the same dreadful, stupid coach for starting Carson over Penny?

And Carson wasn't worth a damn because he was always injured at playoff time? And how does that compare with Penny's playoff record? Let's see, Penny played in one playoff game in 2018 and had 4 carries for 29 yards. He played in 1 playoff game in 2019 but didn't have a single touch. He was injured and unavailable for our playoff games vs. the Rams in 2020 and the Niners last season. Carson played in the same two games but had 32 touches vs. Penny's 4. So how can you with a straight face criticize Carson because of his being injured during playoff time while trumpeting Penny?

Sounds like an argument between two guys over whose stepsister is uglier. They were both injured a lot, including during the playoffs. The big difference here is that, in addition to that when both were healthy that Carson was the better back, is we only spent a 7th round pick on Carson. We burned a #1 on Penny.

[NorthHawk]

I'm not so sure Carson was the better RB if both were healthy, but he was a better fit for what PC wanted to do on Offense at the time. In today's Offense, it might be the reverse if that option was presented.

[RiverDog]

I'm not so sure Carson was the better RB if both were healthy, but he was a better fit for what PC wanted to do on Offense at the time. In today's Offense, it might be the reverse if that option was presented.

I'm not so sure. In 2021, the same year we hired Shane Waldron as OC, we re-signed Carson to a two year $10M contract while declining Penny's option. Indeed, Carson started that season over a healthy Penny, so at least initially, Waldron's preferred back was Carson.

[NorthHawk]

The first year of Waldron was mostly running Peteball, not the current Offense, so I think that makes a difference.

[TriCitySam]

"To be fair, there were 4 years where we didn't have a first round pick due to trades. But with our failing to pick up Brooks' contract, we've had 6 first round draft picks that we had the opportunity to extend yet failed to do so. That doesn't speak well to our drafting."

Brooks was a very good pick, and as Carroll indicated they plan to have him here for a long time. It was a cap move, and the correct one. Now, is there a chance he doesn't come back from the injury? Sure. But that does not change the fact that it was a good pick on their part. He can play.

[RiverDog]

To be fair, there were 4 years where we didn't have a first round pick due to trades. But with our failing to pick up Brooks' contract, we've had 6 first round draft picks that we had the opportunity to extend yet failed to do so. That doesn't speak well to our drafting."

Brooks was a very good pick, and as Carroll indicated they plan to have him here for a long time. It was a cap move, and the correct one. Now, is there a chance he doesn't come back from the injury? Sure. But that does not change the fact that it was a good pick on their part. He can play.

Oh, I agree completely. However, all other teams have similar problems and dilemmas, so after a period of time, the injury and cap factors tend to wash out, making it harder to rationalize the fact that we're the only team never to have exercised a 5th year option.