Commentary: Schneider’s legacy will be defined by moves after unexpected trades of Geno, DK

Sequels might never be as good as the original, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be more important. Thus is the case of John Schneider, who is, for the second straight year, at a crossroads that just might define his legacy even more than hiring his head coach. 

The Seahawks were turned upside-down this week with the surprising trade of DK Metcalf to the Steelers for a second-round pick and the even-more surprising trade of Geno Smith to the Raiders for a third-round pick. It ran counter to all the off-season rhetoric we’d heard up to the NFL Combine, where expectations were all about having both key pieces back, along with a brand new offensive coordinator.

Now, they have a coordinator, but for now, not much of an offense. 

Which means it’s now up to Schneider to sell an entire fanbase on Plan B, Plan C or Plan D – with less leeway than he’s had in the past. 

Schneider himself admitted how bad he’s felt for the fans, not making the playoffs two straight years. Which means he understands the pressure to not only get back to the postseason, but also build a championship caliber team. And whether or not he believed he could do so with Geno and DK is now irrelevant, compared to the moves he’s about to make. 

Think about it: John Schneider now has a ton of salary cap space and five picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft.  It’s as blank a canvas as he’s ever going to get. 

But in an era of instant gratification and recency bias, how much patience will the fanbase – and most importantly, ownership - have with this unexpected new direction?

I’ll be the first to admit that it might be unfair to judge a GM on a couple decisions after he’s made hundreds, if not thousands, of them over the last 15 years. But that’s the business. And you compound that with the fact that he’s been THE man in charge for more than a year without Pete Carroll making any final calls, and the onus falls on Schneider and Schneider alone. 

It’s not an enviable position – but that’s the reality. 

And it’s in these moments where, as a fan, the only option is to put faith in a guy whose entire career has prepared for the decisions ahead. 

Frankly, I don’t know whether it will all work out. My head’s still spinning from all the moves. But from the outside looking in, we can either panic, or look at it as an unexpected opportunity to start from scratch on offense with a new coordinator, with a defense that’s likely going to keep you in every game. (Dare I say it’s like the Mariners with their pitching staff but questions at the plate… )

So John, Godspeed. We wish you the best. 

You thought hiring Mike Macdonald would be the move that defined your career. Instead, the ones you face one year later, in my opinion, will overshadow any you’ve made before.