THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Mocking the Seahawks draft options, or close to it

The NFL draft is right around the corner.

OK …

It actually begins on April 27.

To the Seahawks and their legion of devotees throughout the Northwest, however, that draft might as well be starting tonight.

Certainly, heated discussion is already steaming along.

Why?

Simple.

The 'Hawks had a far better 2022 than expected, six rookies wound up starting, and they seemed to find a hidden jewel at quarterback.

However …

Getting slapped around three times by the 49ers proved to Pete Carroll and everyone else that Seattle has some serious ground to gain on the division winners.

Worse than that, the Seahawks utter inability to stop anyone’s running game cost them five or six needless losses

Here’s the good news …

Seattle has a massive chance to beef up the roster this off season, with plenty of cap money available for free agents and four picks in the first two rounds of the draft — including No. 5 overall as a result of that theft they foisted on Denver.

IF WE’RE trying to be logical here, we’d take things in the order they’re going to occur.

That would start with negotiating a deal with Geno Smith (or shocking everyone by letting him walk, and saving a one-season tariff of roughly $32 million to use elsewhere).

After that comes the free agent marketplace, which begins March 15 — and the Seahawks figure to be like kids in a candy story at that fiesta.

Remember, I said, “If we’re trying to be logical …”

Well …

To hell with that.

Everyone is scribbling up mock drafts already, including Carroll and GM Pete Schneider.

And all the rest of us, naturally.

So, let’s takes some guesses …

Basically, everything will flow from whatever the Seahawks do with that No. 5 slot in the first round.

You would assume that Seattle selects the biggest, toughest, most terrifying defensive lineman at that spot.

The problem is that almost every evaluator believes there are two superstars that meet the description — edge Will Anderson Jr. of Alabama and Georgia tackle Jalen Carter.

Unfortunately …

If things go to form, both will be gone in the top four.

It’s assumed that the Bears are going to trade the No. 1 choice (likely to the Colts, who will take QB Bryce Young).

After that, Houston grabs Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, Arizona takes Anderson and the Bears — now at No. 4 — swoop up Carter.

Maybe it won’t play out like that, but rest assured on two things: Young will be the first player picked, and neither of the stud defenders (Anderson and Carter) are going to be in the same universe when Seattle goes on the clock.

This actually puts the draft right into Schneider’s wheelhouse, meaning that the Seahawks can trade DOWN.

I’ve talked to three scouts about how this could play out.

One was coy about Schneider’s plans, but the other two thought that he would find a trade partner in Carolina — with the Panthers hoping to get a QB and anxious to snag Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.

IN THAT scenario, the Seahawks would pick at No. 9 — free to select the third defensive lineman available, Texas Tech all-purpose defensive beast Tyree Wilson.

Here's the projection on that choice from draft guru Dane Brugler of The Athletic …

“At 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds with almost 36-inch arms, Wilson is a big, powerful athlete who can be disruptive from various alignments along the defensive line.”

Carroll’s post-season media session made it clear that he’d like someone like Wilson (or several of them). “Picture the really hot defenses around the league,’’ Carroll said.

“There’s players on that front that make a difference, and they distract you from everything else that is going on.

“The Aaron Donald effect is so obvious. With the Rams, he made everybody better because he was so hard to deal with.

“Well, (Nick) Bosa is one of those kinds of guys (for the 49ers), and then (Arik) Armstead is another one. In some way, shape or form, you’ve got to have guys that are factors that affect the opponent in big ways.”

Quick note to file away: Armstead could be a cap casualty with the 49ers, who have so many stars now that they won’t be able to keep them all under the cap.

Teams have ways to fiddle with cap numbers, but San Francisco is REALLY up against the wall, and the 30-year-old Armstead carries a cap hit of $24.3 million.

If he were released after June 1, the 49ers could save $16.7 million in cap space.

ALL THIS lovely conjecture could come to nothing, obviously.

But maybe not.

Some pieces of our little puzzle are simple facts: The Seahawks must decide if Smith is their QB, even at a serious cost; next, it’s a no-brainer that they HAVE to acquire defensive linemen and linebackers to address their greatest weakness; and finally, they do have picks at Nos. 5 and 20 in the first round (and two more choices in the second round) to use as ammunition.

As for the quarterback situation, Carroll may have been laying out bread crumbs just for giggles, but he offered two totally contradictory hints.

“We’ve got our guy,” Carroll said about the QB discussion.

Later, though, he hedged.

“If we didn’t have a quarterback that functioned really well, it might be a little bit different,’’ Carroll said. “But the quarterbacks in this draft are extraordinary players, and you don’t get opportunities like this.”

Neither do columnists who want to keep guessing about the draft for three months.

Maybe …

Keep Geno AND draft a young quarterback?

Stroud almost certainly will be available at No. 5.

Opinions are free, folks.

Go for it.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”