Seahawks Blog - Seattle Seahawks Central Blog

Seahawks Boot 12th Man for Standing

2011-09-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

In an unreported story, the Seattle Seahawks actually kicked out fans sitting in Row Z, Section 111, in the fourth quarter of the Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Their only offense? Standing and cheering. I thought this was the team with the best fans in the NFL. The Seahawks response - sit down and shut up.

Row Z is the handicap accessible row, but the field personnel say that fans in those seats must sit down the entire game as to not block the view of those in the club seats behind them (even though the club seats are several feet back and up from the handicap accessible row). In defense of the club seat fans, there is a gentleman in the first row of the club section immediately behind the fans that were kicked out that was livid with the stadium personnel. The cops actually stepped in and defended the fans against the terrible stadium staff.

An official complaint has been made by me to the Seahawks organization with the request for a formal apology to those fans and a refund for their Week 3 tickets. I've also requested that the Seahawks change the policy of catering to the club seat fans and keep this a real football city. Either that or let's fly the 12th man flag at half mast, unretire the #12 and move the team to L.A.

Right now, I'm a disgusted Seahawks fan that will not be renewing my season tickets. I encourage all to join me. Pictured up and to the right: Martha, the crazy usher that throws fans out for standing...in the 4th quarter...of a one score game...on third down. Disgusting. She would not let me take a picture of her badge when I told her I wanted to file a formal complaint with the Seahawks for her kicking out the two fans in the next section over.

You'll find me this Sunday, in section 112, row Z, standing and cheering all game long. Seahawks, go ahead and try to kick me out. I've read my ticket, I know the rules and my wife's a lawyer. If any fans have been kicking out of a Seahawks game for cheering, please contact me. If this was more than a one-time occurrence, then we're bringing this fight to the doorstep of 12 Seahawks Way, Renton, WA 98056.

Safety Situtation

2009-09-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

If we are to believe Peter King and the NFL network reports (and I am incline to do so), then Brian Russell is out and Lawyer Milloy and Courtney Green are in. That still leaves the question of whether or not CJ Wallace will stick, or if Marcus Trufant will begin the year on the PUP, and Jordan Babineaux will be asked to fill in at corner if he is needed before Trufant is eligible to return.

2009 Seahawks 53-man roster

2009-09-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

Final prediction for the 2009 Seahawks 53-man roster. This will likely be off by a player or two, but I couldn't leave either Courtney Taylor or Ben Obomanu off the list at WR. The same goes for Michael Bennett and Nick Reed on the DL. DT Craig Terrill probably makes the team, but I couldn't bring myself to leave off any of those any of those four. Let's hope Ruskell and company agree.

OT Kyle Williams is safe for now, but could lose his spot to a veteran from another team, if someone is cut or a team is willing to make a trade for K Brandon Coutu.

Note: After seeing Peter King's comment regarding Tim Ruskell keeping the entire draft class, I have to assume that SS Courtney Greene will make the team. That could be at the cost of SS CJ Wallace. However, it's equally likely that Marcus Trufant will begin the year on the PUP, and Jordan Babineaux will be asked to fill in at corner if he is needed before Trufant is eligible to return.

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Mike Teel
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, Edgerrin James, Justin Forsett, Owen Schmitt, Justin Griffith
WR (6) – TJ Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Deon Butler, Deion Branch, Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu
TE (3) - John Carlson, John Owens, Cameron Morah
OT (4) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Ray Willis, Kyle Williams
G/C (5) - Max Unger, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Steve Vallos, Mansfield Wrotto

Defense (24)
DE (5) - Cory Redding, Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Nick Reed
DT (4) - Colin Cole, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Michael Bennett (DT/DE)
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Aaron Curry, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Will Herring, David Hawthorne, Lance Laury
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Ken Lucas, Josh Wilson, Kelly Jennings

Special Teams (3)
K (1) - Olindo Mare
P (1) - Jon Ryan
LS (1) - Kevin Houser

Other contenders:
DT Craig Terrill
K Brandon Coutu
DE Baraka Atkins
WR Logan Payne

Seahawks 53-Man Roster

2009-09-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

The annual Seahawks 53-man roster analysis makes a late debut this year, but it guaranteed to on point.

Offense (22)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Mike Teel
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, Edgerrin James, Justin Forsett, Owen Schmitt, Justin Griffith
WR (4) – TJ Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Deon Butler, Deion Branch
TE (2) - John Carlson, John Owens
OT (3) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Ray Willis
G/C (5) - Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mansfield Wrotto, Steve Vallos, Max Unger

Defense (22)
DE (4) - Cory Redding, Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson,
DT (3) - Colin Cole, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Aaron Curry, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Will Herring, David Hawthorne, Lance Laury
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Ken Lucas, Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson

Special Teams (3)
K (1) - Olindo Mare or Brandon Coutu
P (1) - Jon Ryan
LS (1) - Kevin Houser

Possibles (6):
WR Courtney Taylor, OT Kyle Williams, TE Cameron Morah, OG Brian De La Puente, DE Nick Reed, DT Craig Terrill

Thursday Night Battles for Roster Spots:
TE - Cameron Morah, Joe Newton (1 of 2)
DT - Craig Terrill, Michael Bennett (1 of 2, Terrill has edge)
OL - Kyle Williams, Brian De La Puente (1/2 of 2, Williams has edge)
DE/WR - Nick Reed, Baraka Atkins, Courtney Taylor, Jordan Kent, Ben Obomanu (2/3 of 5, Reed and Taylor have edge)

FanIQ.com Mock Draft

2009-04-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

FanIQ.com Mock Draft
1. Detroit Lions - Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
2. St Louis Rams - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
3. Kansas City Chiefs - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

4. Seahawks - On the Clock...
A few months ago, the Seattle Seahawks biggest needs were at wide receiver and defensive tackle. The team somewhat addressed those needs by signing the free agent wide receiver – T.J. Houshmandzadeh – and adding defensive tackles Colin Cole (in free agency) and Cory Redding (in exchange for Julian Peterson). However, wide receiver and defensive tackle are still positions that need work. The loss of Peterson leaves the Seahawks with a new hole at outside linebacker. Julius Jones leaves something to be desired at running back, and the aging offensive line needs to be revamped. The Seahawks also need help at safety, but there probably isn’t a first round talent in this year’s draft class, let alone someone worthy of a Top 5 pick.

If LB Aaron Curry, OT Jason Smith, and OT Eugene Monroe are taken with the first three picks (as they are in this mock draft), the Seahawks will likely trade this pick. Jason Smith won’t last, but the Seahawks would take either Curry or Monroe if they were available. I believe the Seahawks will end up with one of those two players. After that, there isn’t a good choice. WR Michael Crabtree or OT Andre Smith would be possibilities, but the team could trade down to get one of them and either could be a bust. DT B.J. Raji is the best available player on a pure need basis for the Seahawks.

Given the picks in this mock draft, I’m taking QB Matt Stafford as the fourth pick. There isn’t enough value to use the #4 pick on anyone else left on the board. There are multiple teams that would be willing to trade up to get Stafford (or possibly QB Mark Sanchez) at this spot. The Seahawks would then move down in the first round and take Raji, Crabtree or Andre Smith, while picking up an additional second round pick. If there isn’t a willing trade partner, the Seahawks could do worse than keeping Stafford for themselves as the future face of the franchise.

Seahawks path to the playoffs

2008-11-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

The games are almost hard to watch, and it will be difficult to dig deep and find some enthusiasm at Qwest Field this coming Sunday. If the Seahawks lose, they will drop to 2-8, which will put them 5 games back from Arizona Cardinals with 6 games to play. A loss next week and it's time to start talking about the 2009 NFL Draft.

While I don't expect the Seahawks to make the playoffs, there is still a less-than-impossible path to winning the division. The Seahawks must take both remaining games from the Cardinals. That would put the Seahawks at 4 wins the Cardinals at 5 losses. The Seahawks would then need to win two more games than the Cardinals do in the 5 remaining games each team plays (not against each other). The Cardinals are certainly capable of going 2-3 or even 1-4, and the Seahawks could squeak out a win against New England or Washington. The rest of the opponents are all very beatable. I don't think all of that is going to happen, but it remains possible.

A win against the Dolphins last week and a loss by Arizona to San Francisco last night would have made a huge difference. The inexcusable loss to San Francisco and the improbable win by Arizona against the Cowboys was another difference maker. A few plays going the other way in those games and we would have the 4-5 Seahawks and 4-5 Cardinals tied at the top of the NFC West.

Go Seahawks, Go Rams

2008-11-02T08:28:00.001-08:00

The Seahawks have a good chance to end up only 1 game back from the division lead. Wins by the Rams and Seahawks today wouldn't be shocking - both teams are home underdogs, which are always dangerous to bet against.

Donnie Avery and company should thrash the Cardinals secondary. The question is whether or not the Rams can contain the Cardinals receivers. Look for Warner to turn it over 3+ times in a return to St. Louis.

The Seahawks are banged up, but at home. Mike Holmgren will manage to handle his disciple Andy Reid - especially after Leroy Hill knocks Westbrook out of the game early with a big hit.

NFC West
Cardinals 4-4
Seahawks 3-5
Rams 3-5
49ers 2-6

Real Seahawks Fans Wanted

2008-10-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

The team isn't in that bad of shape. The Seahawks may not make the playoffs, but it is hard to believe they will be worse than the 1992 season, when they went 2-14 (1-7 at home). The bigger question is will the fair weather fans stick around when things get rough.

Right now, a real Seahawks fan thinks the defense sucks, Trufant is overpaid, the offense is in shambles, but believes the team has a shot tonight to beat Tampa Bay, get a win next week at SF, and then beat the Eagles at home to climb back to 4-4. Then The Seahawks can take the Dolphins on the road and will be 5-4 when they face the Cardinals at home with a chance to take the division lead. And sure, they might stumble and lose one of those games, but as long as it isn't against the Cardinals, the Hawks would be in pretty good shape at 5-5 with 6 games to go.

I am not saying that I think that will happen as an unbiased observer because I am not. I am a Seahawks fan. A real Seahawks fan. I will bitch and moan, decry the coaching staff, boo the sorry ass defense when they stink it up at home, but I will be there making enough noise that my voice is scratchy on Monday when the Hawks defense is trying to get a stop on third down, even if they are down 24-3.

This isn't going to be a pretty season, and the team might miss the playoffs, but remember, they are not out of it until they are mathematically out of it...at least to a real fan.

Branch & Engram In, Burress Out

2008-10-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

In an odd twist, the Seahawks might be in a better wide receiver situation than the New York Giants when the two teams face off in Week 5. Both teams are coming off byes, and Seahawks fans will get their first dose of Deion Branch since last season, and Bobby Engram will take the field for the first time since training camp.

The Giants will be without star wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who despite injuries has played in 56 of 57 games since he joined the Giants in 2005 (including 6 playoff games). Burress has scored 32 touchdowns during that time. Deion Branch has missed 11 games since joining the Seahawks in 2006, and has found the endzone only 8 times in 27 games.

Seahawks 55-man 53-man roster

2008-08-31T19:57:00.000-07:00

52 of my 53 made the Seahawks roster. I assumed the team would go with Owen Schmitt over David Kirtman, but I am not as comfortable as the Seahawks with giving him a roster spot he didn't earn. The front office chose to go with potential.

The Seahawks ended up with 55 players due to the suspensions of Jordan Babineaux and Rocky Bernard, which bought Brandon Coutu and Justin Forsett one more week on the active roster. Forsett should eventually land as the eighth member of the practice squad (not counting international exemption Samuel Gutekunst).

Of the players already named to the practice squad, OG Pat Murray was the only player not on my list. Hard to believe he is still around after poor performances and penalties during the preseason. The Seahawks are also rolling the dice with only 6 LBs on the active roster and none on the practice squad. Tim Ruskell is hoping Will Herring will be ready can come in after Week 6, but has a few of his former players on speed dial just in case.

Offense (27)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (6) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, Owen Schmitt, Justin Forsett
WR (6) - Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Courtney Taylor, Jordan Kent, Logan Payne
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack, Steve Vallos

Defense (24)
DE (5) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Jason Babin, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Howard Green
LB (6) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, David Hawthorne
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Kevin Hobbs

Special Teams (4)
K - Olindo Mare, Brandon Coutu
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Jeff Robinson

Practice Squad (8)
WR Michael Bumpus
TE Joe Newton
OL Kyle Williams
OG Pat Murray
S Jamar Adams
DT Kevin Brown
CB Marquis Floyd
OT Samuel Gutekunst

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Final Roster Analysis: Seahawks 53-Man Roster

2008-08-30T07:47:00.001-07:00

Seahawks 53-Man Roster Prediction

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, David Kirtman
WR (6) - Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Courtney Taylor, Jordan Kent, Logan Payne
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack, Steve Vallos

Defense (24)
DE (5) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Jason Babin, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Howard Green
LB (6) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, David Hawthorne
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Kevin Hobbs

Special Teams (3)
K - Olindo Mare
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Jeff Robinson

+ DT Larry Tripplett if Deion Branch starts the season on the PUP List

Practice Squad (9)
OT Samuel Gutekunst
RB Justin Forsett
FB Owen Schmitt
WR Michael Bumpus
TE Joe Newton
OL Kyle Williams
LB Dallas Sartz
S Jamar Adams
DT Kevin Brown
CB Marquis Floyd

Gutekunst is an international player exemption. One of the other guys obviously can't make it (most likely Floyd or Williams) unless Forsett gets picked up off waivers by another team.

Definitive Roster Analysis

2008-08-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

Battles tonight are:
- David Kirtman and Owen Schmitt (Kirtman is in the lead, Schmitt will be given every opportunity to earn this spot)
- Justin Forsett, Jordan Kent, and Logan Payne (all 3 could make it if Deion Branch ends up on PUP list to start the season, but unless something dramatic happens tonight, Forsett or Payne is headed to the practice squad)
- Baraka Atkins and Jason Babin (Babin is in the lead)
- Olindo Mare and Brandon Coutu

Offense (27)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5-6) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, David Kirtman/Owen Schmit, (Justin Forsett)
WR (5-7) - Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, (Jordan Kent/Logan Payne)
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack, Steve Vallos

Defense (23)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins/Jason Babin
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Howard Green
LB (6) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, David Hawthorne
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Kevin Hobbs

Special Teams (3)
K - Brandon Coutu/Olindo Mare
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Jeff Robinson

Bobby Engram out 6-8 weeks, Marcus Tubbs released

2008-08-11T21:39:00.001-07:00

Bobby Engram cracked a bone in his shoulder and will miss 6-8 weeks, which probably translates to the first four games of the season (the Seahawks have a bye in Week 4). That isn't a major concern and might not even result in an extra receiver on the roster.

The Seahawks will typically have 4 active receivers on game days. The concern will be the health of Logan Payne and Courtney Taylor as August 30th approaches. As long as they are ready to play, then the Week 1 actives will be...
Nate Burleson, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne

Branch will miss the first couple of games, Bobby will miss the first month or so. Seneca Wallace would be available in an emergency situation, and Jordan Kent and Michael Bumpus can beMarcus Tubbs called up from the practice squad.

The Marcus Tubbs release shouldn't be a surprise. His career has been unofficially over for nearly a full year. The battle for the final DT spot is between Howard Green, Larry Tripplett, and Chris Cooper. Green was on the team last year, isn't sidelined with an injury, and has been playing well in practice and the preseason. He has the clear lead in that race.

Seahawks roster shaping up

2008-08-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Injuries and effort have earned Steve Vallos, Howard Green, and David Hawthorne roster spots. The losses of Chris Gray and Wesley Mallard made room for Vallos and Hawthorne, and both are seizing the opportunity. Howard Green was always in the mix for the final DT spot, but due to injuries, he has really been competing against himself. He has been playing very well and made the team last year.

The running back situation is getting more muddled. Owen Schmitt hasn't yet overcome David Kirtman to earn his spot, but he's slowly starting that push. He has shown some flashes with the ball in his hands, but his blocking needs to improve in a hurry. Justin Forsett continues to make flashy plays albeit against 3rd stringers a la Marquis Weeks of pre-seasons past. He might play his way onto the roster as the 6th RB or find a way to steal a spot over Kirtman and Schmitt, or maybe from another position (that is highly unlikely).

T.J. Duckett put the ball on the ground twice against the Vikings, but he isn't going anywhere. He isn't a fumbler, so those plays were flukes more than anything, and his lack of success up the middle has more to do with the offensive line than anything else. If he starts do line-up at fullback, we could see Forsett make the team and Schmitt land on the practice squad.

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver
WR (6) - Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack, Steve Vallos

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Howard Green
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring, David Hawthorne
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Kevin Hobbs

Special Teams (3)
K - Brandon Coutu
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Tyler Schmitt

Practice Squad (9)
RB - Justin Forsett
WR - Jordan Kent
WR - Michael Bumpus
TE - Joe Newton
OT - Kyle Williams
OT - Samuel Gutekunst
OL - Ben Claxton
DL - Nu'u Tafisi
DB - Jamar Adams

Seahawks Scrimmage - Offensive Line (inc. TE)

2008-08-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

TE
John Carlson appears to be the real deal and should play a huge role this year, both blocking and receiving. He knows how to get open, runs clean routes, makes grabs, and is a good blocker. All of the reasons the Seahawks traded up to draft him. The only concern are limitations due to his lack of speed, which is hard to gauge without the starting LBs out there. Will Heller didn't stand out, but they did use some 2 TE sets. Putzier was sidelined.

Offensive Line
This is the biggest concern for 2008 and beyond. Walter Jones and Sean Locklear offer stability on the outside for now. Floyd Womack looked solid filling in at LT for Walt (although injuries are always a concern).

The concern since Steve Hutchinson left has been the interior. Mike Wahle only looked OK, but he will be fine. The concern is at C and RG, and depth on the interior (especially with the litany of injuries). Steve Vallos has been doing a decent job at center, but if he has to play, then you can forget about running up the middle.

The Seahawks probably need a better option behind Chris Spencer, and it is hard to think that Ben Claxton is the answer, but maybe. Mansfield Wrotto actually blocks well from the center spot, although the exchanges aren't always clean. Spencer's injuries make this a pressing concern.

Wrotto and Ray Willis provide solid depth on the right side, but Rob Sims is the reason for concern. He is a marginal starter and should be fighting off Ray Willis for a starting job. Wrotto would be a decent fill-in, but he isn't ready to start. The problem with starting Ray Willis at RG is that it leaves the Seahawks without a reserve RT. He could always slide over if one of the starting tackles gets injured.

Things will have to sort themselves out with Chris Gray's retirement, but the Seahawks really need a guy that can backup Chris Spencer and play guard if needed. Ben Claxton and Steve Vallos aren't great options for that role. Wrotto has the ability to be that guy in the future, but he isn't ready yet.

Seahawks Scrimmage - QBs and WRs

2008-08-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

QBs
Matt Hasselbeck hardly payed and Seneca Wallace looked about like normal - decent, but more of an athlete than a passer.

Charlie Frye was the QB worth noticing. Frye looked good, and like a real QB. That is impressive given what he was working with, but not surprising. He was a starter in Cleveland with a weak supporting cast. He is ready to play if need, so we will see Seneca Wallace doing a lot more than holding a clipboard.

WRs
As with Justin Forsett, too much has been made of Jordan Kent's performance. He beat Omare Lowe on a deep route at the end of the scrimmage and caught a beautifully thrown ball from Charlie Frye. Michael Bumpus had a better scrimmage and made a better play on his catch at the goalline of the north endzone.

Kent was lost throughout the scrimmage to that point, never getting open, running the wrong routes, and often getting singled out by the QB and coaches after plays to tell him what he was doing wrong. His speed is still exciting, but beating Lowe on a deep route isn't something that earns a roster spot. He wasn't even one of the guys practicing punt returns.

It was a shame Courtney Taylor was held out, but he, Ben Obomanu, and Logan Payne are the second unit. Payne and Obomanu looked like real NFL receivers and found the soft spots and holes in the defense to get open and make catches. Kent will get his chances will Payne sidelined due to his ribs, but don't expect anything to change.

Deion Branch was at practicing catch balls on one knee and standing on one foot, while the coaching staff pushed him in the back. It looked like Holmgren's comments about him being ready at the start of the season aren't too far off. I still think Week 2 or 3 is more realistic. He did lay down on the turf in some pain for about a minute when catching balls on one knee, but seemed OK after.

Chris Gray retires...

2008-08-04T16:47:00.001-07:00

Bad news for the Seahawks. Good news for Steve Vallos (unless they go out and get a true center to serve as a backup - I can't imagine Ben Claxton is the answer, but maybe).

Seahawks Scrimmage - Backfield

2008-08-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, the general public got there first look at the 2008 version of the Seattle Seahawks. The scrimmage was heavily focused on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string with a number of starters sidelined with minor injuries or just held out to avoid injury. Even so, the scrimmage yielded some important observations. We'll start with the backfield.

Backfield
Predictably, more was made of Justin Forsett's performance than was warranted. He did look good, but it was against a bunch of guys that won't be making the team. It's a lot easier to run away from Chris Cooper, David Hawthorne and Jamar Adams than NFL regulars. Marquis Weeks had nice scrimmages and preseason games in the past.

Don't get me wrong, Forsett would be a solid #3 RB if there weren't 3 better guys on the team. There just isn't room for 4 HBs on an NFL roster. He is the best practice squad back the Seahawks have had in years.

David Kirtman and Owen Schmitt were noticeably lackluster. Kirtman looked like the better blocker and was on the field much more and played with the guys further up the depth chart. There is still time for that to change, but I wouldn't recommended buying one of the #35 jerseys that are in the Seahawks Pro Shop just yet. If it gets close, Schmitt might make the team as a PR and fan relations move. That is one of the most interesting battles to watch. Anyone still pushing the idea that Schmitt will be cutting into Weaver's playing time by midseason?

I floated this as one of the possible albeit unlikely scenarios a month or so ago, but it is looking a little more reasonable at this point: Justin Forsett makes the team and Kirtman and Schmitt don't. I still don't think that will happen, but that is Forsett's only chance (other than an injury). In that scenario T.J. Duckett would serve as the backup FB.

Duckett had an excellent scrimmage and showed exactly why Tim Ruskell brought him in. And it isn't to play fullback (Duckett didn't line up there once). Maybe Mike Holmgren can figure it out now. Anyone still pushing the idea that Duckett is going to be cut or traded? Duckett will likely end the season with more touches than Maurice Morris (unless Julius Jones misses significant time).

Seahawks Training Camp Opens

2008-07-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

The first three days of Seahawks training are complete. There haven't been any major developments yet, but a few noteworthy events took place that already begin to address some outstanding questions coming out of the last minicamp

TBD: Will health concerns keep either Mike Green or C.J. Wallace from making the squad? Is there room for Kevin Hobbs?

Answer: Yes to both. The Seahawks released S Mike Green because he wasn't able to stay healthy. Green also had only one year at $1.3 million left on his contract, making him less attractive from a financial and development stand point than C.J. Wallace or Kevin Hobbs. Green's release is a positive signal for both of those players. Jordan Babineaux is basically the #3 safety and will continue to come in as part of the nickel package (I think of him as a third safety in that personnel grouping). Hobbs now figures to make the team as the #4 corner, behind Josh Wilson. And C.J. Wallace appears to have put his health struggles behind him and he will be the 4th safety. Hobbs could still be a numbers causality if injury concerns force the Seahawks to keep 10 offensive linemen.

TBD: Will Deion Branch be healthy enough to be on the active roster on August 30th?

Answer: That question remains unanswered, although it appears very likely that he will be ready enough to avoid staying on the PUP list, and would just be one of the 8 inactive players for the first few weeks of the season. Bobby Engram reported to camp, which helps make that an easier decision to make. I was ready to call the "young receiver" race back on May 5th, and the reality of that situation should be more apparent to everyone now. Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne in that order. Those guys are making the team. Jordan Kent is not.

TBD: Who else makes the team, if anyone? Marcus Tubbs, Larry Tripplett, Howard Green, and Chris Cooper are all worth mentioning.

Answer: Howard Green is currently working alongside Craig Terrill with the second unit. That could easily change as camp moves forward and is what to watch for to determine the Seahawks thinking. Tripplett and Red Bryant are with the third unit for the time being.

TBD: Is the coaching staff comfortable enough with Charlie Frye to allow Seneca Wallace a more expanded role at receiver or as a return man?

Answer: That question is still entirely open. However, it isn't as important with Bobby Engram reporting to camp and the receiver position solidifying. Wallace isn't as needed at receiver as he might have otherwise been. It would still be nice to see Charlie Frye make some solid strides and to see Seneca Wallace make some athletic plays.

TBD: Can Floyd Womack stay healthy enough to make the team? Given the health issues across the board on the offensive line, this might be a year the Seahawks keep 10 guys.

Answer: He better. And with the other injuries (most notably the latest to Chris Gray), the Seahawks going with 10 offensive linemen is looking more and more likely. I originally assumed that last spot would come from the wide receiver position by axing Jordan Kent. However, If Deion Branch isn't on the PUP list at the start of the season, then that spot needs to come from another position because Branch replaces Kent in the numbers count. It could come down to Kevin Hobbs vs. Steve Vallos for the final roster spot. The other possibility would be a scenario where the Seahawks keep only 8 defensive linemen. Marcus Tubbs, Larry Tripplett, Howard Green, and Chris Cooper would all find themselves left off the final 53-man roster.

Updating the Roster as Training Camp Begins

2008-07-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

My roster prediction needs updating for the first time since it first appeared this season on 5/2.

Kevin Hobbs replaces Mike Green for the 8th DB spot, and Deion Branch moves from the PUP list to the 53-man squad bumping Jordan Kent to the practice squad. There are injuries along the offensive line and open questions at DT, kicker, and now punter. Those situations are still unchanged or unresolved at this time, and don't yet warrant any changes. And for completeness, I will point out once again that Owen Schmitt still has to take David Kirtman's job from him.

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, Owen Schmitt
WR (6) - Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Larry Tripplett
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring, Wesley Mallard
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Jordan Babineaux, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Kevin Hobbs

Special Teams (3)
K - Brandon Coutu
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Tyler Schmitt

PUP List
DT - Marcus Tubbs

Seahawks Practice Squad

2008-06-16T13:16:00.001-07:00

Practice Squad (8)
We know that OT Samuel Gutekunst will be the 9th player as part of the International Practice Squad Program. He doesn't count towards the 8 player limit.

Ignoring Gutekunst, there is a basic formula to the make up of the practice squad that holds pretty true. It does depend a little hon how many at each position make the active roster. The Seahawks will likely keep the following number of players at these positions between the active roster and practice squads:
QB - 3
RB - 6
WR - 7
TE - 4
OL - 11
DL - 10
LB - 8
DB - 9

That adds up to 61 if you include the specialists (53 active roster, 8 practice squad). You normally end up with something like the 6th RB, 7th WR, 4th TE, 9th and 10th OL, 10th DL, 8th LB, and 9th DB on the practice squad. That will shift a little depending on health at specific positions and whether or not an extra guy makes the active roster at a given position (e.g. a 9th DB on the active roster might mean no DBs on the practice squad).

The majority of the practice squad will most likely be made up from guys on the following list: RB Justin Forsett, FB Owen Schmitt, WR Jordan Kent, TE Joe Newton, OT Kyle Williams, OG Steve Vallos, DE Nu'u Tafisi, LB Matt Castelo, and S Kelin Johnson.

Real Seahawks Roster Analysis

2008-06-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

I've posted the same Seahawks 53-man roster prediction twice (on 5/2 and 6/4), and I didn't see anything in the two minicamps that convinced me enough to make any changes just yet. As noted previously, CB Kevin Hobbs is the one player I didn't include that is making the biggest push to earn a roster spot. It also looks like Olindo Mare is winning the kicker battle, but that should be expected at this point.

A series of posts went through the roster position-by-position, but lets take a look at what we know for sure and what is left to be decided during training camp.

Offense
Quarterbacks (2-3)
Locks: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
TDB: Is the coaching staff comfortable enough with Charlie Frye to allow Seneca Wallace a more expanded role at receiver or as a return man? As of right now, the answer to that question is no. By the end of training camp, things could be different. Jordan Kent might be the player most directly affected.

Backfield (5-6)
Locks: Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver
TDB: Can David Kirtman hold off Owen Schmitt and keep the backup fullback job? Can Justin Forsett make a big enough impact on special teams to earn a roster spot? The answer to both of those questions is probably no. However, it is important to realize that Schmitt has to take Kirtman's spot, not the other way around. As for Forsett, keeping a 4th halfback doesn't usually make a lot of sense.

Receivers (5-7)
Locks: Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
TBD: Will Deion Branch be healthy enough to be on the active roster on August 30th? That doesn't mean he has to be ready to play in Week 1, but rather ready enough to be valuable over the first six weeks. That being said, it looks like he will most likely land on the PUP. That has a big impact when it comes to crunching the numbers at several positions.

Logan Payne looks like a safe bet to be the sixth receiver (counting Deion Branch). I have Jordan Kent as the last player making the 53-man squad. That is mainly due to Branch's injury, Bobby Engram's holdout, and uncertainty about Charlie Frye. If those concerns sort themselves out, then Kent will be headed back to the practice squad to make room for a 9th DB, a 10th offensive or defensive linemen, or possibly even a 6th RB.

Tight Ends (3)
Locks: John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
TBD: Who will start? Or does that even matter? We can expect to see more two tight end sets, and all three tight ends should get a decent amount of action. Putzier is probably the most likely to see the least amount of playing time this year.

Offensive Line (9-10)
Locks: Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Mike Wahle, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto
TBD: Can Floyd Womack stay healthy enough to make the team? He is a lock unless his minor injury concerns turn into something major before August 30th. Given the health issues across the board on the offensive line, this might be a year the Seahawks keep 10 guys. Right now, Kyle Williams is that 10th guy, and Steve Vallos is the 11th. It will probably take an injury (to one of the 9 guys ahead of them) for either of them to jump from the practice squad to the active roster. Otherwise, it will depend on if another position can sacrifice a spot.

Defense
Defensive Ends (4-5)
Locks: Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins
TBD: How does Lawrence Jackson fit into the rotation? Jackson is probably a better first and second down DE and Tapp is a better third down DE. I would expect Jackson to eventually play more at DE in running situations, and Tapp more in passing situations. Jackson is also going to see time at DT when the Seahawks are looking to put a lot of pressure on the passer. Will a 5th DE make the team? I doubt it, which isn't good news for Jason Babin or Chris Cooper.

Defensive Tackles (4-6)
Locks: Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill
TBD: Who else makes the team, if anyone? Marcus Tubbs, Larry Tripplett, Howard Green, and Chris Cooper are all worth mentioning. It's hard to think Tubbs will be ready to contribute at the start of the season, if at all this year. I put him on the PUP list by default. I don't think Chris Cooper will get much of an opportunity to line-up at DT during training camp. Injuries will play a major role here, but I think it really comes down to Larry Tripplett vs. Howard Green for one spot. That will be decided during training camp, but I think Tripplett is the better player and better fit for this defense.

Linebackers (7)
Locks: Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring
TBD: I think Wesley Mallard is a lock as well, but just to keep it interesting, I am going to at least mention Matt Castelo as someone with an outside chance to make the team. I think he has a good chance to land on the practice squad.

Defensive Backs (7-9)
Locks: Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux, Deon Grant, Brian Russell
TBD: Will health concerns keep either Mike Green or C.J. Wallace from making the squad? Is there room for Kevin Hobbs? Those two questions are directly related and might also depend on what happens at other positions. Hobbs is still on the outside looking in until things clear up, but it feels like one way or another he is going to make it impossible for the Seahawks to cut him. Kelin Johnson doesn't look up to the task of making a run at the roster, but he could land on the practice squad. Jamar Adams speed, or lack thereof is a major issue, and he'll have trouble making the practice squad.

Special Teams (3)
Locks: Tyler Schmitt
TBD: Will Ryan Plackemeier's torn pectoral muscle heal in time for the start of the season? The Seahawks will be signing a veteran any day now as an insurance policy, which means Plackemeier is no longer a lock to make the team. Brandon Coutu still has some time to make his case that he is as good as Olindo Mare, but if everything remains as is, then it will be Mare that makes the team. If Mare can comeback fully from his injury, then he is the favorite. That should be fun to watch during the preseason games. Pay attention to both kick-offs and field goals.

Minicamp Notes

2008-06-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

1) Offensive Line - With Floyd Womack out, the Seahawks finally went to the strategy of moving Sean Locklear over to left tackle. That allowed Ray Willis to get some time at right tackle with the starting unit. Kyle Williams worked at right tackle with the second unit. Williams is clearly the fourth tackle on the depth chart when Womack is out. That will be the story to watch in camp, Womack vs. Williams, and health will be a major factor.

2) C. J. Wallace - C.J. Wallace will be an interesting player to watch. He has a few things working against him (recovering from a knee injury and a recent appendectomy), but his job looks safe for now. The absence of Mike Green and C.J. Wallace has left the door open for another safety to challenge for a roster spot. It doesn't appear anyone has designs on walking through it.

It has been CB Kevin Hobbs stepping it up in practice. Right now, it looks like Hobbs is the only challenger for the 8th DB spot, and Jordan Babineaux's versatility makes that a possibility. Babs has been playing safety with the second unit with Hobbs at corner. If the Seahawks sign a veteran safety, then Hobbs shouldn't feel too confident. If Mike Doss was healthy enough to play, he would probably be on the roster by now.

3) Seneca Wallace - Wallace was returning punts the other day, but don't get too excited. Wallace isn't so much competing with Charlie Frye to be the backup QB, as Frye is really competing with himself to prove he would be adequate if both Matt Hasselbeck and Wallace were out. If Frye can earn the confidence of the coaching staff, then that will mean more Seneca Wallace on the field in 2008. It also might mean another year on the practice squad for Jordan Kent.

Seahawks 53-man roster

2008-06-04T18:09:00.001-07:00

Jordan Kent is starting to make the kind of strides he needs to in order to make the team. Although I noted him as a longshot in my receiver analysis, he might be working himself onto the fringe of the roster. I've had him as making the opening day roster based on my assumption that Deion Branch will start the season on the PUP list. If that doesn't happen, then I still seem him as facing rather long odds. Kevin Hobbs is also beginning to look like he might challenge for a DB spot. That will be quite a challenge with Jordan Babineaux moving to CB on a full-time basis.

It is probably time to update the Seahawks 53-man roster that was posted here on May 2nd prior to the first minicamp: Seahawks 53-man Roster (as of 5/2).

I didn't actually make any changes, although C.J. Wallace certainly has a few things working against him. At this point, I see Kevin Hobbs, Jamar Adams, Howard Green, David Kirtman, Kyle Williams, and Olindo Mare as the most likely of the omitted players to make a run at the roster.

Kevin Hobbs and Jamar Adams will be pushing Mike Green and C.J. Wallace. Howard Green is in a head-to-head battle with Larry Tripplett. David Kirtman is trying to hold off Owen Schmitt. Kyle Williams is the injury contingency plan at tackle, and Olindo Mare is in a heads-up battle with Brandon Coutou.

The practice squad guesswork will be included in the next installment, which should come out sometime between the end of minicamp and training camp.

Seahawks 53-man roster (as of 6/4)

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, Owen Schmitt
WR (6) - Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne, Jordan Kent
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Larry Tripplett
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring, Wesley Mallard
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Brandon Coutu
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Tyler Schmitt

PUP List
WR - Deion Branch
DT - Marcus Tubbs

Is Justin Forsett Fast?

2008-06-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

Not for the NFL.

Weaknesses: Marginal size limits his NFL upside. He lacks the bulk to carry the fulltime load in the NFL and he doesn't have much room on his short frame to get bigger. Struggles to push the pile and is not very effective in short-yardage and/or goal line situations (see: 2nd quarter vs. Oregon in 2006). Runs low and hard but doesn't have enough power to run over most defenders. Is quicker than fast. Gets tracked down from behind too frequently. His marginal size is also a problem in pass protection. He struggles to anchor versus bigger oncoming linebackers and he becomes a matchup problem when in the game on certain play-calls, as a result. - Scouts, Inc.

I'm not trying to be down on the kid, but he ran a 4.549 at his Pro Day after skipping it at the combine. That is bad news for an undersized speed back. I just don't think he has much of a chance to make it in the NFL unless he turns out to be a dynamo on coverage units. Even then, the Seahawks don't normally keep more than 5 running backs (that includes Josh Scobey in the count when he was with the Seahawks).

Matt Hasselbeck on Minicamp

2008-06-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

(On practicing at Husky Stadium…) “I thought it was great. Mike Holmgren said it best, ‘practice was a sloppy start.’ He said, ‘Guys this was not in the plan but sometimes stuff happens and sometimes you go out there and you play a game and you’ve got a blizzard and you just have to deal with it and adjust, or it’s raining or whatever.’ He made that analogy and I thought it was a good one and your focus has to be the same. You can’t be thinking about that or make excuses. You just have to adjust and improvise and do the best you can.”

(On the young receivers...) “They’re working really hard. We are asking a lot of them. We’re moving them around and having them play at different positions but I think they’ve done a nice job. They are all great guys and they’re having a lot of fun with Coach Gilbertson coaching them. Each day it seems like one guy will stand out but we have a long camp here and then we have training camp and then we have preseason games, so there’s a lot of time. All in all I think it’s a great opportunity for these guys. I would say that they are doing the best to take advantage of it.”

(On the new running backs…) We have a new offensive line coach with some new wrinkles. We have a new assistant offensive line coach with some new wrinkles and a new running backs coach. It’s just all brand new right now. There is a lot of change but I think in the end it will make us tougher to defend.”

(On the change with coaches and players…) “There are all kinds of changes. There is no monotony right now, especially in our room, everything’s new. We have a lot of new coaches, we have a lot of new players and Mike’s (Holmgren) been very creative. He’s allowed his coaches to be creative and said, ‘Lets try some new wrinkles, lets try some of the old plays we’ve run from new formations, new people.’ Our running backs are even running the pass routes right now so there’s a lot of change.”
=> Read more!:

(On being able to participate in minicamp…) “It is way more fun getting to play football.”

(On the NBA finals…) “I’m making a prediction. I’m thinking Celtics in three. (laughter) That’s how good they are. They’re so much better than the Lakers. That’s my prediction. Write it down.”

(On John Carlson…) “He really hasn’t been taking too many snaps. I don’t think he’s been in there with me. I can’t remember him being in there with me. Mostly it’s been Will Heller and Jeb (Putzier). From what I’ve read he’s a smart guy and I’m sure he’ll pick things up and he’ll be in there. We’ll give him an opportunity to get in there with the ones. To be honest, I don’t think I can give you an answer yet.”

(On Carlson coming into the league and starting…) “He’s here a lot. I see him when I get here in the morning. He’s got a playbook and when I’m leaving he’s still here. He’s definitely doing double time and trying to get ready, trying to get up to speed. He has a great opportunity and he’s learning from some of the best coaches in this game and he’s also learning from some guys that have been around in Jeb and Will. We would like him to help out this year, if he can.”

(On the team chemistry…) “I think it’s pretty early but there are some real positive signs. Our offensive line has definitely come together and that’s a huge start. We have good guys in the running back room, competing for one football. At the same time we have guys in the wide receiver room competing for a spot on the team. It has been good healthy competition but I think we have the right ingredients so far.”

(On Hasselbeck playing in this minicamp…) “I think it’s nice. I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. That’s part of the reason why we’re not freaking out that Walt (Jones) isn’t out there, Chris Spencer’s not out there, Bobby Engram’s not out there. It’s definitely easier if you’re able to be out here and get these reps and have this time. If you’re not, if you’re Deion Branch, you just have to do what you can do and when your time comes to be healthy enough to play you have to do the best that you can but I’m happy to be out there.”

(On the young receivers being in minicamp…) “I think that’s huge, for those guys to get the reps with our first group. That is rare. Whether it’s young receivers or young tight ends, it doesn’t really matter. If you’re out there getting coached by your position coach and getting reps with the starters, it’s just a great opportunity to learn.”

(On Coach (Bill) Lazor…) “He’s great. He’s a real smart guy. He’s around my age but you wouldn’t know it. He’s real serious, much more mature than I, which isn’t that hard but I think he is going to be a great coach. I would not be surprised at all if he’s a head coach in this league very soon. He’s got the ingredients for what you look for in that and he’s already up to speed on offense. It’s not like we have to explain anything to him. He’s put the work in, he’s put the time in. He is very, very accurate with the information he gives and it’s nice. It makes it a lot of fun and it makes it easier to learn.”

(On Coach Holmgren and the receivers…) “He’s always been involved in the passing game. We have a lot of young, raw talented wide receivers right now and really all they need is some of that experience and they need some of that savvy and that is probably what he is doing, just trying to help that along a little bit.”

(On Nate (Burleson) being the only true veteran receiver…) “Nate’s awesome. I love Nate. He usually does a lot of things by example. We know what Nate can do. Nate can score. Get the ball in his hands and he’s going to score for you. He’s going to make plays. I think we are giving everybody else an opportunity to showcase what they can do. I know that if we are trying to absolutely win every time, we would put Nate somewhere and get him the ball and let him do his thing. He has been great.”

(On Hasselbeck’s relationship with Coach (Jim) Mora…) “We probably talk trash to each other a little bit because he is on defense. He initiates that. I probably see his wife at the club more than I see him at swim lessons.”

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Provided Courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks Public Relations Department.
Seahawks Media Site Transcripts.

Lessons from Minicamp

2008-06-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Although today was a short session, we learned a few important things as Seahawks minicamp opened (or at least had them confirmed). It's worth reading the Offensive Minicamp Preview from last Monday.

1) Courtney Taylor is going to start at flanker in Week One. Although, I said that over a month ago in my analysis of Seahawks Wide Receivers, it should now be more apparent to everyone. Logan Payne is lining up in the slot, while Jordan Kent is working at split end. Obomanu will continue to play every position.

Flanker: Deion Branch, Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu/Logan Payne
Split End: Nate Burleson, Ben Obomanu, Jordan Kent
Slot: Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne

2) Mansfield Wrotto is a guard, Ray Willis is a tackle. Wrotto is a safe bet to make the roster. Willis may get some work at guard, but he is primarily a backup tackle. The conversation now turns to whether Floyd Womack can remain healthy. If not, then Kyle Williams is looking to take his roster spot. The Seahawks Offensive Line picture has a little more clarity, but depth and health are huge concerns. The Seahawks could be in trouble, but Kyle Williams and Steve Vallos are decent options in a doomsday injury scenario.

3) Leonard Weaver is the starting fullback. Again, this was noted about a month ago when we took a look at the Seahawks Running Backs, but now Mike Holmgren said the same publicly, so maybe more people will listen. David Kirtman and Owen Schmitt will be battling for the backup fullback job throughout training camp. Kirtman has a better chance than people give him credit for, but I still think Schmitt wins out for the roster spot.

4) Baraka Atkins is a lock to make the roster. I don't know if this was ever really in doubt, but the separation from the top 4 and the rest of the group is quite clear. I was a little weak in my Seahawks defensive line analysis the other day and gave more credit to the challengers than I should have. Jason Babin and Chris Cooper are longshots to make the team. The competition at DT is real though (Cooper is running 3rd in that battle behind Howard Green and Larry Tripplett).

Mincamp with Mike Holmgren: Day One

2008-06-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Here are Mike Holmgren's comments. Check out the Seahawks Blog main page for actual analysis.

Minicamp Transcript (6/2) - Mike Holmgren

(On the rookies at camp…) “We really try and push them a little bit to what they’re learning so they don’t come into training camp blind about anything. My challenge to them this morning was that everyday as individuals you get better. The rookies will spin because we’re throwing a lot of stuff at them but some of those guys we’re hoping for a contribution this year so that’s how we have to do it.”

(On Hasselbeck’s health…) “He is healthy. He’s feeling pretty good, I think and he’s had a good offseason, he’s here and running those workouts. He and Lofa (Tatupu) run the workouts for us when we can’t be out on the field, so I think he’s feeling comfortable. He’s feeling good. We’re adding some new things and we add as much as we can add that he’ll retain and function well.”

(On the new coaches…) “They’re doing a great job, they really are. I’m very impressed. First of all, they work hard and then they’re excellent guys and then they communicate well which is the most important thing probably, to communicate well with their position groups. They have learned our stuff quickly. That’s a learning curve too for them and then they’ve added a little wrinkle here and there, and I like it. So, that’s going well.”

(On how different this offseason has been compared to past offseasons…) “I don’t think it’s been any really different than any offseasons we’ve had before. There is always a chance you have a contract thing and that’s why we’ve got that thing with Bobby (Engram), there’s always a chance that a good guy gets jammed up a little bit and that’s what happened with Lofa. And you guys know him, he’s a good guy. So, I would say the offseason is pretty much the way it always is.”
=> Read more!:

(On Tatupu and his recent problem…) “You guys know him he’s a really fine guy. I always say ‘but for the grace of God go aye’, you know I mean and I think if we all looked at our own things that we do and how many times you’ve been driving to fast and didn’t get caught, things like that. You know stuff happens and its life and he has felt very, very bad about it. He is a good man. He is a leader of this football team and people that know him know that and so he learned from this. It will never happen again and now we move on.”

(On what Coach Holmgren said to Tatupu…) “I didn’t have to say a whole lot, he knew. He’s that type of young man. He felt bad and he knows what his role is on this football team and like I said I didn’t have to say anything. He felt horrible.”

(On the decision on the starting running back…) “We probably won’t make that decision right until late. We’ll go into training camp. You know Mo (Morris) and Julius (Jones) are going to carry the ball a good portion of the time. Leonard’s (Weaver) going to be our starting fullback. The one I have to figure out a little bit is how we are going to use Duckett.”

(On the backfield and how it will be used…) “I think the backfield we kind of know how we’re going to use it. We have to figure out how we are going to use it for T.J. This is no different than it always is, you know, with offseason surgeries and stuff. Rarely do you have all your offensive linemen. They are learning the plays and it’s new for them like it is for Julius. I got it pretty well set in my mind except for a couple of positions. We just have to figure out how we are going to use them.”

(On if Nate Burleson’s role will change with special teams…) “That’s another one. That’s one of those things like I just mentioned. I would say that we are going to have to see how that goes. He’s a valuable special teams player and he’s good for us, but if he is our starting split end I might have to reevaluate that. Then I have to see if someone can do what he did. We are working on that.”

(On Rob Sims being back for this camp…) “I don’t think so. But he is coming along just fine. He’s on schedule. He’s not ahead of schedule.”

(On when Deion Branch will be on the field again…) “No, we will make a decision right up around opening game.”

(On the biggest differences from the Super Bowl team in 2005…) “Well, I think we had such a good, productive offensive line that year. Then you lose Tobeck and Hutchinson. Then you substitute young players, so you’re going to have a change there. You’ll have good young players, but young players. You’re going to have some change there. Walter (Jones) was a little nicked up the last couple years so that’s going to have some effect. Maybe the biggest one is that Shaun (Alexander) was hurt. Both years he got hurt. You put all that together and you kind of get what you get.”

(On Walter Jones’ health…) “He’s fine. He’s coming along fine.”

(On the young wide receivers…) “My thing there is I think we are talented but we are awful young. We really are young, and inexperienced so I’m paying particular attention to those kids. They’ll have to play. I want to make sure and make the right decision.”

(On Deion Branch and his role…) “It’s a tough one, because we don’t know. Right now I’m not thinking much about him yet. I’ve got to get my mindset going on those other guys. Deion when he’s ready and he can play, he’ll play and we’ll be fine. Until that time, if I go in thinking that I’m going to have him at a certain time, that’s a big disappointment, so I’m kind of looking at it the other way. Then when he’s ready to go he’ll tell me and that’s the other thing to consider, is that you have an injury of any kind with any player and they look at the medical book and it says this is a 4-6 week injury, this is this and this is this, well guys heal differently, for starters. No one knows. We need him and we hope he comes back as quickly as he can.”

(On how much Branch will practice at camp when he comes back…) “It is hard to come back and go 100% right away but you can point to other athletes who have come back. To answer your question, yes we hope he comes back soon, but some guys go longer. When a guy comes off an injury though, we won’t put him on the field until he says to push him in practice time so the rest of his leg gets strong. The injury could be fine, but then because of the injury he’s not as strong as he should be and those types of things. So now you have holes to work out. So that’s what they talk about when that injury takes longer. He’s doing fine. He’s right on track. They’re please with is progress.”

(On how much of a read Coach Holmgren gets in a mini camp on the young guys, especially the receivers…) “You can see whether or not you have pads on, the receivers have to do what they do. You can see how they catch, how they run routes, how they retain the information, those things. You can evaluate those guys pretty well even in a mini camp, maybe more so than say a guard or a defensive tackle and those kinds of things where the pads really separate the men from the boys on that deal.”

(On whether Coach Holmgren will work all the young receivers at the flanker position…) “No probably not, no.”

(On where the young receivers will play…) “I think right now I think Courtney Taylor working at Z, Jordan Kent’s at X, Logan’s at Z, I think. In fairness to the receivers, we’re going to stick them some place and have them learn instead of having them learn three positions. We’re going to try that and see how it works out.”

(On the move of Keith Gilbertson to receivers coach…) “He’s a pain (laughs). No, he’s doing great. When I asked him, he was a little reluctant at first to be honest with you. I said, ‘Good coaches are good coaches’. He’s a good communicator, he’s a good teacher. He’s been an offensive coordinator. I have no reluctance. He’s doing it and he’s doing a great job.”

(On whether Coach Gilbertson thought Coach Holmgren was kidding about being the receivers coach…) “Well he kind of looked at me. Maybe for the first 5 seconds, then I was kind of looking at him like, ‘I’m not kidding.’”

(On if changing his philosophy because the receivers are so young…) “Well, I think so. That’s one of the reasons and I think they have to be good right away. There’s a learning curve involved certainly but I want to try and speed it up if I can do it, now if I can do it and I think the best way to do that is to have them learn and get comfortable with doing one thing right now.”

(On how Tripplett will fit in…) “He’s a good young guy. He is a hard working guy. We have to see. It’s one of those things. It’s way too early to tell. We have a pretty good group of defensive lineman now and we just have to see. It’s hard to tell at mini camps. You have to wait until you put the pads on for offensive and defensive linemen.”

(On what Coach Holmgren has at running back…) “I think we know how Mo (Morris) is going to play. He will play well. I know what he can do he’s been with us a long time. Leonard (Weaver), came on last year and got better as the season went on and I need him too. I hope he continues going. He should. He’s a good player, physically talented enough. Julius, I don’t know as well but he appears to have good quickness, good hands, the right guy. I don’t see any downside to him. I think that will work out fine. Like I said, I just have to work out and then Kirtman is with us. I have to kind of work out how we’re going to use Duckett. That is really the question, as to how we’re going to use a player.”

(On how to use Duckett…) “Is he a fullback, is he a halfback, do I use him on short yardage and who comes out of the game if I do that. It’s all that kind of stuff.”

(On whether or not Morris and Julius are guys you can just leave in the game…) “No, they’re in the game. I don’t think I will have to plan around them. Mo absolutely not, and Julius I don’t think so. I just haven’t been with him enough.”

(On how that changes things for Coach Holmgren…) “It makes it easier. With the few seconds you have to really make an intelligent call, you don’t have to think so much about protections, who’s in the game, the type of route you call. If you don’t have a guy that can do all those things, absolutely it’s my responsibility to try and do that to help the team. If you don’t have to, it’s easier. It’s easier to call the play and go.”

(On patience with kickers…) “I think you do, particularly if you draft one. If you draft one you’re going to make a financial commitment right away. You should never draft a kicker, unless you think he’s pretty good. I’ve told you guys this story about Ryan Longwell. In Green Bay, we drafted a kicker very, very high. He got hurt, so we brought in this guy. I didn’t even know his name. He stood in front of me and the first kick he kicked, he hit our left tackle right in the head with the ball, and the second one hit our tight end right in the butt. It didn’t get more than 3 feet off the ground. I turned around and no one would look at me. It was Ryan Longwell and he has been one of the great kickers of the league forever. He just had a rough day. It was his first day, he was nervous, and he was a great kicker. I’ve learned patience over the years. I’m a little more patient than I used to be.”

Seattle Seahawks Blog
Provided Courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks Public Relations Department.
Seahawks Media Site Transcripts.

First Line of Defense

2008-06-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Defensive Line

We'll get to Pro Bowler Patrick Kerney and first-round pick Lawrence Jackson, but stopping the run is the first priority.

The Seahawks gave up 102.8 rushing yards per game in 2007, down nearly 20% from the 126.8 yards per game they gave up in 2006. That was quite an accomplishment without Marcus Tubbs, especially with the lack of a running game to control clock and keep the other team off the field. It wasn't the 94.4 per game the Seahawks gave up in 2005, but the team didn't have luxury of sitting on big leads last year.

The reason for the re-found success in stopping the run was by-and-large the play of the defensive line. Patrick Kerney's ability to get to the passer allowed the linebackers to stay at home and make tackles, but the biggest difference maker was Brandon Mebane. Mebane started the final 10 games of the season, and during that stretch the Seahawks only allowed 94.5 yards per game on the ground. That is on par with the 2005 numbers.

The run defense should get some additional help in the form of Red Bryant. He is a big 1-technique defensive tackle that can plug up the middle. While new is often seen as better by the fan base, it would be a sign of bad things if we see too much of Big Red this year. If he is starting, then it means Brandon Mebane is injured.

The Seahawks defense is built on having one DT that can put pressure on the passer and one run-stopper (unless they are facing an obvious running or passing situation): Rocky Bernard and Brandon Mebane, Craig Terrill/Larry Tripplett and Red Bryant. The Seahawks will keep 9 (possibly 10) defensive linemen, and the competition for the final 2-3 spots is going to get heated.
=> Read more!:

The defensive ends are probably set. Patrick Kerney is poised to return to the Pro Bowl, Darryl Tapp is really coming into his own, and the addition of first-round pick Lawrence Jackson is going to keep both of those guys fresh to keep the pressure on opposing QBs. Jackson is a complete defensive end in the mold of Michael Strahan or Alex Brown. He can play the pass or the run. He'll eventually find his way to the starting line-up, and Darryl Tapp is probably best used as a situation pass-rusher. Kerney, Jackson, and Tapp together on third-and-long will lead to quite a few sacks.

Baraka Atkins is the presumed 4th DE, and that is a pretty safe presumption. It's possible the Seahawks could go another route, but Atkins appears to be developing as expected. The Seahawks will keep at least 4 DEs and 4 DTs, and up to 1 more more at each position. The most likely scenario is 4 DEs and 5 DTs.

Even if that 4th DE spot is up for grabs and the Seahawks keep 10 defensive linemen, that only leaves at most 3 spots for Baraka Atkins, Howard Green, Larry Tripplett, Chris Cooper, and Jason Babin to fight over (and that's also assuming Marcus Tubbs doesn't figure into the mix at all).

Atkins, Babin, and Cooper are fighting for the 4th and possibly 5th DE spots. Green, Tripplett, and Cooper are left to fight for the 5th DT spot, if the team even keeps that many.

Making a few assumptions and simplifying things, it really boils down to Baraka Atkins vs. Jason Babin for the 4th DE spot with Atkins holding a huge advantage in that competition heading into training camp. And Larry Tripplett vs. Howard Green for the 5th DT spot with Tripplett the favorite to win that battle.

Chris Cooper's best chance to make the team is if the Seahawks decide to keep 10 defensive linemen. Some people might point to his versatility as an advantage to be a swing 5th DE/5th DT that would allow the team to keep 9 defensive linemen and cover all their bases. However, it more than likely really means he isn't quite good enough at either position to stick.

Starters: Patrick Kerney, Brandon Mebane, Rocky Bernard, Darryl Tapp
Locks: Lawrence Jackson, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill
Looking safe: Baraka Atkins
Battling: Larry Tripplett, Howard Green
Longer odds: Chris Cooper, Jason Babin
PUP List: Marcus Tubbs

Seahawks Secondary

2008-05-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Defensive Backs

The full set of "position watch"-es should be complete by the start of minicamp. That means the secondary (in this post), then the defensive line and specialists will be addressed by Monday.

If it were two years ago, then we would be discussing whether or not the Seahawks should sign Ty Law. The fact that we aren't sifting through the free agent pool is a good sign. The Seahawks have spent a lot on the secondary in the past two years in the form of draft picks on Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson, free agents contracts for Deon Grant and Brian Russell, and contract extensions for Jordan Babineaux and Marcus Trufant.

That isn't the most impressive or flashy group, but those six guys form a solid foundation for a decent secondary. Grant and Russell are really the key players. They aren't superstars, but they provide a safety net to keep the rest of the defense from giving up big plays. Ken Hamlin went to the Pro Bowl last year, but Tim Ruskell doesn't regret letting him go one bit.

Jennings is coming into his own, although he had some pretty atrocious games last year. Is he a permanent starter in the NFL? That has yet to be determined. 2008 is the year he will either prove he belongs as a starter or become a nickel corner. Josh Wilson's status is less certain, but injuries did slow his progression last year. Remember, he was able to shutdown Calvin Johnson in college. Wilson is only being asked to be a kick returner and the 4th CB. He at least has that covered.
=> Read more!:

Did Trufant deserve his big contract? I am as hard on the guy as anyone, but I think so. I'm not even certain Tru deserved to go to the Pro Bowl, but he firmly entrenched himself as the #1 CB in Seattle; and his positive impact on the community and in the locker room is worth the money from a total business perspective, if not from a pure on-the-field football standpoint.

The question marks begin when you look beyond the corners and starting safeties. Mike Green's lisfranc injury from the 2006 preseason will always be a question mark. He has struggled a bit with injuries since his arrival in Seattle, but Green is still a very good safety. Unless the injuries have really caught up with him, he is good enough to start at either free or strong safety for most NFL teams. Injuries are the only concern with Green.

The same can be said of C.J. Wallace. Wallace was good enough that the Seahawks decided to trade Michael Boulware prior to cutdown day last year. That might not be saying much given Boulware didn't start a single game for the Houston Texans and only made a total of 7 tackles. Wallace is a decent player, but he is clearly a guy on the fringe of the Seahawks roster. His knee injury in 2007 could be the reason he doesn't make the squad.

Wallace, a free agent rookie a year ago, will be pitted directly against free agent rookie Jamar Adams. Adams started 33 games at Michigan. If he had run a faster 40-yard dash at the combine, then he might have been a first day draft pick. Adams is also a proven special teams contributor, which can often decides these competitions. Wallace has a clear advantage after making the Seahawks roster a year ago, but this battle is one to watch during training camp. Adams and Wallace could conceivably both make the team if Mike Green is too limited by his injuries.

If neither Wallace nor Adams prove worthy of a roster spot, the Seahawks could always keep CB Kevin Hobbs on the roster because of Jordan Babineaux's ability to play either CB or S. That should be seen as an unlikely scenario because Hobbs adds little value. A 7 DB scenario is probably more plausible than Hobbs making the roster. I feel bad writing that because Hobbs is a good player and a good guy, but he probably isn't good enough to make it as a full-time NFL player.

Starters: Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Deon Grant, Brian Russell
Locks: Jordan Babineaux, Josh Wilson
Looking safe: Mike Green
Battling: C.J. Wallace, Jamar Adams
Longshot: Kevin Hobbs

Seahawks Linebackers

2008-05-28T21:28:00.001-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Linebackers

It isn't a secret that the Seahawks have one of the top groups of starting linebackers in the NFL. Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu are perennial Pro Bowlers, and Leroy Hill is nearly as talented. If Hill could avoid the nagging injuries, then he would put pressure on voters to send all three to Honolulu. John Marshall should utilize Hill more on blitzes and drop Tatupu and Peterson in coverage (because they are better and to keep offenses guessing).

The depth of the unit is a little more in question. The loss of Kevin Bentley is a bigger deal than the loss of Niko Koutouvides in terms of the defense, especially given the concerns over Hill's ability to stay healthy. The return of D.D. Lewis more than makes up for that. The question to be answered is the overall impact on special teams. Wesley Mallard is a good special teams player and a decent reserve linebacker.
=> Read more!:

The Seahawks targeted a few linebackers in the draft, but none were around when it came time to pull the trigger, otherwise Xavier Adibi might well have been a Seahawk. The availability of Red Bryant in the fourth round also threw a wrench into the works. Alvin Bowen would have been a consideration in the fifth if he lasted. Wesly Mallard was the contingency plan, and was promptly signed after the draft. He should fill the void.

There really won't be much competition for roster spots, although Matt Castelo is the darkhouse. Castelo will probably wind up on the practice squad, but he has as good of a chance as any undrafted free agent to make the team.

Depth should be alright for 2008, but the lack of a potential starter on the bench means huge leverage for Leroy Hill come contract time. If Hill can stay healthy this year, then he will cash in as he will be the Seahawks #1 priority to re-sign in free agency, although they might not be able to afford to spend anymore on the LB corps.

Starters: Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill
Locks: D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring
Looking safe: Wesly Mallard
Longshot: Matt Castelo

Minicamp Watch: Seahawks Offense

2008-05-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks will begin the minicamp traditionally called "passing camp" on June 2nd. Here are 5 things to look for on offense during those two weeks. What are you watching for?

1) Running Backs. Minicamp is a great time to experiment with running back formations. Julius Jones will get most of the work as the feature back with Maurice Morris backing him up. It will be interesting to see how T.J. Duckett works into the mix. Are he and Morris going to be 2a and 2b? Will he be lining up with Jones in split-back sets? Will he be in there in single-back sets? Duckett is really the wildcard to watch. And Duckett's role will impact Leonard Weaver as well.

As the season progresses, I see Jones and Duckett as the 1-2 punch, Morris becoming more of a scatback, and Weaver playing the traditional fullback role as well as getting some action in single-back sets on 3rd-and-short (5 yards or less). Fans are excited about newcomer Owen Schmitt, but he likely won't make much of an impact besides on special teams and as the backup fullback in case Weaver gets injured.

2) Wide Receivers. Bobby Engram will probably sit out this camp, so Nate Burleson will be given his chance to shine (or flop). Burleson caught 6 of his 9 TD receptions in the final nine games of the season. This will be Burleson's sixth NFL season, but he won't celebrate his 27th birthday until near the end of training camp. With D.J. Hackett gone and Deion Branch injured, Burleson should be poised for a breakout year. After Burleson, Courtney Taylor and Ben Obomanu are the two main players to watch. Those three should comprise the first unit in 3-WR sets (Taylor at flanker, Obomanu in the slot, and Burleson at split end). Logan Payne will also get a fair amount of work in the slot. Engram's absence might actually give the team more confidence for life after Bobby. 2008 is almost certainly his final season in Seattle.

3) Quarterbacks. How will the backup reps divide between Charlie Frye and Seneca Wallace? The #3 QB doesn't usually get much work with the starters or even the second unit. Frye might find himself tossing the ball to Logan Payne, Jordan Kent, and Anthony Russo. Or we could see Frye getting an equal amount of reps as Seneca Wallace. Wallace might even be the recipient of some Frye passes.
=> Read more!:

4) Offensive Line. The starters are set, but there is a good chance Walter Jones, Chris Spencer, and Rob Sims will sit out all or most of minicamp. That means LT, C, and RG need to be replaced. Floyd Womack should get the work at LT and Chris Gray at C. If that is the case, then Womack should be considered a lock to make the team. It does leave a few possibilities at RG, which might illuminate the offensive line situation. Ray Willis should be back at practice and might take the reps at RG. But where does that leave Mansfield Wrotto? It would be surprising if Wrotto doesn't make the team, but a permanent move to guard for Willis would be a strong signal the Seahawks are considering keeping T Kyle Williams over G Mansfield Wrotto.

The other option would be to move Steve Vallos into the starting line-up at C with Chris Gray at RG. If the reserves are RG Ray Willis and RT Kyle Williams, then Wrotto is really in trouble. If the reserves are RG Wrotto and and RT Ray Willis, then Williams is the longshot to make the team. There is still a lot of time for things to be decided, but the formations the team uses will telegraph their current intentions.

5) Tight Ends. The Seahawks list the tight ends as Will Heller, Jeb Putzier, and John Carlson on the depth chart. Fans probably expect that order to reverse by the start of the season, but that isn't guaranteed. The Seahawks could show a lot more two-tight end sets to compensate for the situation at WR and improve the running game. If that is the case, then Heller might be in there for a majority of the snaps (a la Billy Bajema in San Francisco) with Putzier and Carlson splitting time. It may take a half season for Carlson to eclipse Putzier in terms of playing time. All three should get a decent amount of playing time this year.

Seahawks Roster: Offense

2008-05-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

QB (3)
Starter: Matt Hasselbeck
Locks: Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye

RB (5)
Starters: HB Julius Jones, FB Leonard Weaver
Locks: HB Maurice Morris, HB T.J. Duckett
Looking safe: FB Owen Schmitt
Fighting chance: FB David Kirtman
Longshots: FB Dan Curran, HB Justin Forsett

WR (6)
Starters: Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram
Locks: Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
Looking safe: Logan Payne
Insurance Policy: Seneca Wallace
Longshot: Jordan Kent

TE (3)
Starter: John Carlson
Locks: Jeb Putzier, Will Heller

OL (9)
Starters: LT Walter Jones, LG Mike Wahle, C Chris Spencer, RG Rob Sims, RT Sean Locklear
Locks: G/C Chris Gray, T/G Floyd Womack, T/G Ray Willis, G Mansfield Wrotto
Next in line: T Kyle Williams

Seahawks Tight Ends: Complete Players

2008-05-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Tight Ends

The Seahawks made a seemingly strange move when they traded away their third round pick to jump 17 spots (from 55 to 38) and grab John Carlson. Many people had Carlson pegged to go at 56 to the Green Bay Packers. Mock drafts are certainly not a reliable source to evaluate a player or the intentions of real NFL teams, but it was a bit of a head scratcher.

What it did reveal, is that the Seahawks really felt strongly about John Carlson. And it isn't like they somehow missed Carlson's 40-time on the scouting report. It just isn't important to how the Seahawks plan to use him. Carlson is more of a classic tight end. He isn't the in-vogue vertical threat, but rather a complete tight end that can block and catch. Vernon Davis can't do either very well, but he sure can get downfield.

In Mike Holmgren's offense, the tight end doesn't need to run vertical routes. Given the struggles of the offensive line, the tight end needs to be able to block effectively, find the soft spots in zones, and catch the ball when it gets to him. Carlson is perfect for that. Jeb Putzier and Will Heller are of the same mold. Heller is a little bit taller and bigger, but the three guys have the same style of play. These guys won't be glamorous, but they will get the job done.

It really gives the Seahawks the option of going with a two tight end set with multiple options. They can run to either side with confidence in the run blocking of the tight end, they can keep both guys in to pass-block, they can send either guy out on a short pattern, or they can send both guys out and open things up for the receivers. This group of tight ends won't be making the highlight reel, but they will help the entire offense run better.

Starter: John Carlson
Locks: Jeb Putzier, Will Heller

Seahawks Offensive Line Reorganzied

2008-05-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Offensive Line (Part 2 of 2)

The Seahawks offensive line will likely only have one change in terms of overall personnel from last year. Enter Mike Wahle, Exit Tom Ashworth. That one change has huge implications for how the entire unit will function. Also, Mike Solari takes over for Bill Laveroni, and hopefully Mike Holmgren doesn't stick his nose in too much and mess things up.

Mike Wahle was the best free agent guard available this side of Alan Faneca. There were a handful of good tackles that were either franchised or re-signed with their own teams, but after Faneca, Mike Wahle is the best offensive linemen in the NFL that switched teams. Mike Wahle is the answer to the question that has been asked since March 2006. How are the Seahawks going to replace Steve Hutchinson?

Wahle isn't some ordinary veteran. He gives the Seahawks a very good chance to have a Pro Bowl left-side again. Walt & Wahle are going to like playing next to each other. And that will improve the rest of the line as well. Rob Sims wasn't ready to fill Steve Hutchinson's shoes last year, just as Womack wasn't the year before. Now he can move over to right guard where things won't be nearly as tough.

Getting Chris Gray out of the starting line-up is very important. Even though his output has been declining, the reason he shouldn't start isn't because he isn't good enough. Chris Gray is the ideal reserve interior offensive linemen. You can count on him to be ready to come in at left guard, right guard, or center and play well for a few weeks while someone else gets healthy or even for the rest of the season. At this point in his career, he will benefit greatly from avoiding the weekly wear and tear all season. So, he will be at his best when he is asked to play.

Floyd Womack is also a good backup player. He can play either tackle or guard, and is best kept as a backup plan because of his injury history. Now that the offensive line is more appropriately balanced (it had been very tackle heavy), Womack can spend his time preparing to be the reserve tackle.
=> Read more!:

Through some experiments that lacked direction or follow through, Ray Willis has quietly developed into a younger version of Womack. A versatile reserve lineman that can play guard or tackle. His size is alluring, but don't be confused. Willis is incapable of playing left tackle in the NFL, but he should have the right side of the line covered. And that leaves Mansfield Wrotto. He is capable of being a decent reserve, but is probably a year away from being ready to serve as the first line of defense at guard.

Chris Spencer might even benefit the most from the changes. He doesn't have to worry about blown assignments to his left. Things on the right side could be trickier, but if Rob Sims is struggling with assignments, then Chris Gray is waiting in the wings to step in and at least execute properly. Wahle and Gray are also good examples for Sims, Wrotto, and Spencer to learn from.

Although they are capable of playing on the inside, Womack and Willis will primarily function as the reserve tackles. Kyle Williams is a hard working player that will likely land on the practice squad for another season, but he'll be on the active roster if any of the 9 guys in front of him get injured enough to warrant placing them on IR. Or if one of the guys currently slated to fill a reserve role (i.e., Floyd Womack) suffers an injury during training camp. That could be a window for Williams.

Starters: LT Walter Jones, LG Mike Wahle, C Chris Spencer, RG Rob Sims, RT Sean Locklear
Locks: G/C Chris Gray, T/G Floyd Womack, T/G Ray Willis, G Mansfield Wrotto
Next in line: T Kyle Williams

Back to Football: Offensive Line

2008-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Offensive Line (Part 1 of 2)

In 2008, the overall performance of the Seahawks offensive (aw-fen-siv) line was offensive (uh-fen-siv) at times. LG Rob Sims struggled during his first season as a starter, and Chris Spencer was less than stellar in his first full season at center, after moving around between guard and center in 2006. Chris Gray looked old, not a surprise given that he is (at least for a football player). Walter Jones and Sean Locklear performed adequately, but not anywhere near as well as they did in 2005 or even 2006. The problems on the interior certainly make things a lot more difficult on the tackles.

At first glance, it looks like the Seahawks didn't do much to address these issues. They are once again putting their faith in the two young guys on the interior, but the team has at least made a few minor moves to provide more stability. The types of moves that really should have been made as soon as Steve Hutchinson left town. It remains to be seen if Mike Solari will take a wise approach in putting together a plan that makes sense. All indications are that his coaching philosophy is exactly what the Seahawks need, from both a development and cohesive standpoint.

Bill Laveroni stumbled through the last two offseasons with no vision for the future, or plan for how the line would adjust to injury scenarios. In the NFL, that is the name of the game because an injury along the offensive line is inevitable. Laveroni is an easy scapegoat, but shouldn't the blame really be on Mike Holmgren. If coaching was a problem on the offensive line, then the head coach should be responsible. Especially when he was making the key (bad) decisions. It's hard to say how much input Laveroni really had.

The team made some serious errors with shuffling Chris Spencer around, wasted time trying Tom Ashworth at guard, tried to replace Steve Hutchinson with the oft-injured Floyd Womack, left Chris Gray in the starting line-up too long, and didn't capitalize on the ability of Ray Willis. It would be easy to say hindsight is 20/20, but the errors made were obvious at the time and pointed out on this blog and elsewhere.

The last two offseasons have been torturous as the Seahawks failed to put together or execute an offensive line strategy that made sense. Let's hope this offseason is different. Later today, we will turn our attention to the future and examine who the Seahawks have and how they can best utilize and capitalize on the skills and abilities of this unit in 2008.

Lofa Tatupu Driving McDrunk

2008-05-13T12:58:00.001-07:00

Lofa Tatupu, fresh off signing his $42 million deal and finishing mini-camp, was arrested on suspicion of DUI in a McDonald's parking lot. According to police reports, Tatupu blew a 0.155/0.158 at the station, nearly two hours after he was arrested. Disappointing. Because he is a well-liked player and Pro Bowler, Seahawks fans will be quick to forgive and make excuses. That is the wrong approach. Whether you are critical on third down, or even a generally good guy off-the-field, there really isn't a good explanation for drunk driving. At least he didn't kill anyone.

Finally Three QBs

2008-05-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Quarterbacks

The Seahawks finally have three real quarterbacks. Matt Hasselbeck is in the prime of his career, and probably has several strong seasons ahead of him. His challenge this year will be to adjust to all of the changes. He will be handing off to different backs, throwing to two new tight ends, and dealing with receivers he has less rapport with. Matt has proven he can handle those things, so I don't expect it to be too much of a problem. It might mean he gets slightly less time off than usual during training camp and the preaseason. I expect him to go back to the Pro Bowl.

Now that Charlie Frye is on-board, the Seahawks have a bridge to the future. He will be a free agent at the end of 2008, so this is an important year for the Seahawks and Frye to size each other up. Frye would at least compete for the starting job with most NFL teams (except teams with starters that get Pro Bowl consideration), so he will be looking for at least a guaranteed back-up job in 2009. That is what he will be looking for from the Seahawks. And the Seahawks would like him to show enough that they feel comfortable paying him to be that guy. It will depend completely on his performance this season.

Seneca Wallace is probably safe as the #2 QB as long as Mike Holmgren is around. He probably doesn't want to break in a new QB to his system if Hasselbeck goes down. He might even continue to be be just as reticent when it comes to using Wallace is any other capacity. Again, it will depend on the comfort level of Holmgren with Frye.
=> Read more!:

Wallace has never really been the post-Hasselbeck plan for the future. Frye might be. Charlie Frye is a year younger, 5 inches taller, and has started 15 more games than Seneca Wallace. He could end up being the bridge between Hasselbeck and the as-yet-undrafted QB of the future. If Frye doesn't work out, then the Seahawks will need to either draft a 3rd/4th round QB or sign/trade for someone similar to Frye next offseason (e.g., Kyle Boller, Chris Simms).

If Frye earns the confidence of Tim Ruskell and Jim Mora to assume the #2 spot by the end of the season, then look for him to be re-signed and Seneca Wallace to be used all over the field in 2009. Frye will only re-sign if he is confident he is the first option after Hasselbeck and won't have to fight Wallace for the back-up job. For this season Wallace is probably #2a and Frye #2b.

Starter: Matt Hasselbeck
Locks: Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye

Tomorrow: Seahawks Offensive Line Analysis

Crowded Backfield

2008-05-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Running Backs

There is probably more turnover in the backfield that any other spot on the Seahawks roster. The Seahawks started last year with the following five backs:

RB Shaun Alexander, RB Maurice Morris, RB Alvin Pearman, FB Mack Strong, FB Leonard Weaver

And by Week 5, both Pearman and Strong were on injured reserve.

The 2008 version of the Seahawks presents an almost entirely different cast of characters, and a roster situation that many fans are completely misconstruing. At this point, there are as many as 8 running backs with a realistic chance to make the team. However, that list could easily be cut down to 6 guys depending on how liberally you want to apply the term realistic:

RB Julius Jones, RB Maurice Morris, RB T.J. Duckett, RB Justin Forsett, FB Leonard Weaver, FB David Kirtman, FB Owen Schmitt, FB Dan Curran

Those 6 (or 8) guys are fighting for 5 roster spots. Julius Jones, Maurice Morris, T.J. Duckett, and Leonard Weaver are guaranteed to take up 5 of those spots as long as they remain healthy. And it really comes down to a battle between David Kirtman and Owen Schmitt for the backup fullback job.

For whatever reasons, a good percentage of the 12th man has it in their heads that Morris is vulnerable to being cut and/or Weaver will be lucky to end up in a time-share situation with Schmitt at fullback. That is just nonsense. Morris and Weaver are the only two backs remaining that were on the active roster for all of 2007. Stability counts for something. David Kirtman is also a little bit of a forgotten man. Those three have spent a combined 11 seasons with the organization. That is 11 more than the rest of the running backs combined.
=> Read more!:

At tailback, Julius Jones was brought in to be the game-breaker, and he should be considered the "starter". Duckett will serve as thunder to Jones' lightning, but he isn't just a power back. He has the skills to fight for a full-time starting gig in the right offense (unfortunately for him, this isn't it).

Morris might start training camp in a time-share situation, but Jones will pick up more and more of the load as time goes on. The size of his role will depend on if Jones can stay healthy, and how fast he picks up the offense and jells with the rest of the unit. Morris will eventually land in his usual role of backup plan and third down back. Just because he isn't likely to emerge as the starter doesn't mean he is going anywhere.

And then there is Justin Forsett. Don't get me wrong, Forsett is one of the better #4 HB the Seahawks have had in training camp in a awhile. He just isn't fast enough to get regular action in the NFL as a speed back, and that is all he is. If one of the three halfbacks ahead of his goes down in the preaseason, then he stands a decent chance to make the team, instead of forcing the Seahawks to go get someone else. That's about it; unless he somehow gets a lot faster in the next two months than he has been able to show so far (maybe his game speed is great).

At fullback, the situation is pretty simple. Forget all the hoopla about Owen Schmitt. I hope he does well, I hope he makes it to multiple Pro Bowls in his career, I love his attitude and character, I plan to buy an Owen Schmitt jersey someday. Let's get that out of the way. However, he is still a fifth round fullback fighting to earn a roster spot over David Kirtman. And Dan Curran might even make it a three man race, although I doubt that.

Schmitt has the clear edge on Kirtman because of his size, but he will need to show he can be a solid special teams player if he is going to earn that spot. Schmitt could struggle with his blocking one on one against regular NFL linebackers, and it remains to be seen if his receiving skills will translate to the NFL passing game. This isn't college or a Country Road in West Virginia, Mountain Mommas. This is the NFL and things are many very good college players don't make it. That being said, I think Schmitt will easily get the better of Kirtman when it is all said and done.

Leonard Weaver is a very strong runner, an excellent run blocker, and a very good receiver. I suspect he has and will continue to focus most of his attention on continuing to improve his pass-blocking, and he already made big strides in that area last year. He was on the short list lat year for Pro Bowl consideration, and now he is going to move into a time-share situation with an unproven, late-round rookie? Ask yourself if that makes sense. You can like Owen Schmitt, but the coronation that is taking place right now is premature and a little foolish. If you don't believe me, then go ask Owen Schmitt.

Starters: HB Julius Jones, FB Leonard Weaver
Locks: HB Maurice Morris, HB T.J. Duckett
Looking safe: FB Owen Schmitt
Fighting chance: FB David Kirtman
Longshots: FB Dan Curran, HB Justin Forsett

Up Next: Quarterbacks and Offensive Line

Bobby Engram: Earned a Raise?

2008-05-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

Bobby Engram is understandably upset. Any 35-year-old NFL player in the final year of his contract wants more money, especially after the best year of his career. Engram is now officially the Rod Tidwell of the Seattle Seahawks..."Show Me the Money." Engram and the Seahawks will work this out, so it shouldn't be too much of a concern, but it is worth taking a look at further than the gut reaction of "pay the man, he earned it."

NFL players get paid based on projected future output. When Engram signed his two-year extension, he had just finished a season that left him unable to play for a stretch of ten weeks in the middle of the season for non-football related health reasons. I don't recall him giving the team money back for time missed. Something to think about.

Last year Engram overperformed based on his salary. The year before he underperformed. Unfortunately for Bobby, what matters most is how you perform in a contract year. If Engram thought he was going to play as well as he did last year, then he should have signed a one-year contract and cashed in this year, but he didn't and he didn't.

The problem with wanting to renegotiate up after better than expected performance is that no player ever wants to renegotiate down after worse than expected performance. Signing a contract is making a calculated risk.

Engram is now in a position to try and squeeze some more money out of the Seahawks. The fans like him, he is coming off the best year of his career, and Deion Branch is out with an injury. He is exploiting a situation favorable to him, and he should. That is what the Seahawks were able to do a year ago. However, any negotiations need to be based on projected future performance, rather than some form of back payment for last year.

Is it reasonable to expect Bobby Engram to have the second 1,000 yard receiving season of his 12 year career in 2008? Will he even play in 2009? What is the risk that the 35-year-old will miss time with injuries or thyroid problems? Those are the questions to ponder in determining if he "deserves" a new contract. He will want more guaranteed money because he knows this might be his last season. If Engram thinks he is going to have a great 2008, then he should get paid well as a free agent next year, right?

Engram has some leverage, but not much. He will likely get a contact extension with a decently high base salary for future years, but only a modest increase for this year (or alternatively some guaranteed money for future years).

Tomorrow: Seahawks Running Back Analysis

Not so Wide Open or Up for Grabs

2008-05-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Position Watch: Wide Receivers

The Seahawks wide receiver situation has been deemed "wide open" or "up for grabs" by many. It seems the temptation for puns is just to great. The fact of the matter is that the wide receiver outlook is actually pretty rigid with a minimal chance of anything unexpected happening. That might not generate a lot of interest or make someone want to read a column, but it is the reality of the situation.

The Seahawks aren't like many teams that simply have two starting receivers. In Mike Holmgren's offense there is a flanker, slot, and split end that should all be considered starters. And depending on who is in rhythm or not, the reserve receivers will see regular action. They will also alter plays and formations depending on match-ups and put players into different positions (e.g. they might put Burleson into the slot with Engram at split end in the redzone against the Rams).

So, making a lot of distinctions about who is at what receiver position becomes a little tedious and ultimately unimportant. That being said, let's take a look at where the roster stands.

Bobby Engram is firmly entrenched as the starting slot receiver. Nate Burleson is expected to start at split end. And Deion Branch is the starting flanker when healthy. Those three should be thought of as the "starting receivers". Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor are both very capable, will clearly make the team, and will push Branch and Burleson for playing time. The amount of action they get will be largely dependent on the health of Branch and the consistency of Burleson, both of which are concerns. Taylor will probably start at flanker in Week One with the potential to put up big numbers in Branch's absence. Obomanu will probably rotate in at the slot and split end. Again, somewhat unimportant distinctions.

That means 4 or 5 roster spots are taken by receivers, depending on if Deion Branch is active or on the PUP list. That leaves anywhere from 0-2 spots for additional receivers. Given the injury to Branch, 0 is extremely unlikely to start the season, so it is really a question of if 1 or 2 more receivers will make the team, and it comes down to a choice between Logan Payne and Jordan Kent.
=> Read more!:

Logan Payne is ready to play in the NFL right now. Jordan Kent isn't. Payne would also bring some stability if called upon because he can be counted on to run the correct routes and catch the ball when it gets to him. His speed isn't great, but he is the type of guy that can thrive in the slot. He can also make an impact on special teams coverage and blocking units. Kent is the better athlete, but he is unpolished and doesn't yet have a high Football IQ. That isn't the kind of player the Seahawks would need if it comes down to playing the 6th or 7th WR on the depth chart.

It would take some pretty dramatic development by Jordan Kent to overcome Logan Payne for a roster spot if the team only keeps 5 receivers (not counting Branch). And it will take some substantial growth for the Seahawks to justify a 6th WR roster spot (in addition to Branch) for Kent with Seneca Wallace on the team.

Basically, Logan Payne has a really good chance of making the team if Deion Branch isn't ready to play in Week One. Otherwise, he really has to prove himself to earn an additional spot at the cost of depth at another position. Jordan Kent is in the same situation, but behind Payne, and it will take quite a bit for him to move ahead. His best chance to make the team is an injury to one of the five guys in front of him (seven if you count Deion Branch and Seneca Wallace).

Starters: Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram
Locks: Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
Insurance Policy: Seneca Wallace
Looking safe: Logan Payne
Longshot: Jordan Kent

Battles to Watch

2008-05-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

I will break down the Seahawks roster position by position over the coming week or two, but for now, let's take a look at the battles to watch for those precious roster spots. As I drill into the position by position analysis, we will take a look at battles for starting spots. For today, it is all about who is going to make the team.

Running Backs
Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, and Maurice Morris are all safe. Justin Forsett isn't that good, but he is good enough to make the team if someone else tears an ACL before the season starts. The more intriguing battle is at fullback. Owen Schmitt is a great player and a great person, but that doesn't mean he can unseat David Kirtman. Those two will push each other for a spot, but it is Kirtman's to lose. I'd bet on Schmitt to get the spot, but he will need to show he can contribute on special teams the way Kirtman has.
Key Battle: Schmitt vs. Kirtman, In the Lead: Kirtman, Favorite: Schmitt

Wide Receivers
Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, and Logan Payne are all going to make the team. That gives the Seahawks six solid receivers with Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, and Bobby Engram. The battle to watch is Jordan Kent vs. himself. I am going to assume Deion Branch's injury will require a 7th receiver. If Kent doesn't show the necessary growth, then he won't make the team regardless of Branch's health. In that case, Seneca Wallace becomes the 6th receiver until Branch returns.
Key Battle: Kent vs. Nobody, In the Lead: Nobody Favorite: Nobody

Offensive Line
Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mark Wahle, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto all have spots locked up, but injuries could play a big role. Wahle, Gray, and Willis are all players to watch on that front. Floyd Womack is in a familiar position: stay healthy and make the team, get injured and you're done. He is a good player and can serve as a backup at tackle and guard. Kyle Williams is the one hurt most by the re-signing of Womack, and I don't think he can beat him out if Pork chop stays healthy. If a tackle gets seriously injured, then Williams makes the team. If an interior player goes down, then Steve Vallos gets a spot.
Key Battle: Womack vs. Williams vs. Vallos In the Lead: Womack, Favorite: Womack

Defensive Line
As with the offensive line, 8 players have spots sewn up: Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins, Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill. The final spot could go in a number of directions. DT Larry Tripplett is probably the most talented player. DT Howard Green is also very capable player. DE/DT Chris Cooper gives the team some versatility and is a high effort, high character guy (remember, he made the team as the 10th defensive lineman in 2006 because of a superb camp where he lined up almost exclusively at DT). And DE/LB Jason Babin has the ability to give them another option by filling multiple roles.
Key Battle: Tripplett vs. Green vs. Cooper vs. Babin, In the Lead: Green, Favorite: Tripplett

Linebackers
The top 6 are solid with Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, and Will Herring. One spot is up for grabs, and recent addition Wesly Mallard was signed to be that guy. He is a Ruston Webster player. D.D. Lewis will fill the roles of both Niko Koutouvides and Kevin Bentley as the first guy off the bench at MLB and OLB, respectively. That means the remaining guys need to step it up on special teams and be prepared to play on the outside. Mallard fits the bill, but Jason Babin could potentially figure in. The decision has basically been made to go with Mallard. If he doesn't work out, then it really means the Seahawks need to sign a free agent.
Key Battle: Mallard vs. Free Agent vs. Babin, In the Lead: Mallard Favorite: Mallard

Kickers
It's Olindo Mare vs. Brandon Coutu. This battle will really be a toss up. Mare has the advantage as the veteran, but his career might be over. Both guys have big legs with some accuracy problems. Coutu is consistent inside 40 yards, really good on kickoffs, and has the leg to give himself a chance on any long field goal. If he can show even decent accuracy on kicks over 40, then he will easily take Mare's spot.
Key Battle: Mare vs. Coutu, In the Lead: Mare Favorite: Coutu

QBs, TEs, and DBs
These guys are all safe if they are healthy: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, and Charlie Frye; John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, and Will Heller; Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace, Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, and Jordan Babineaux. Nobody else will really challenge for a spot. Kevin Hobbs makes the team if any of the other guys can't go (Green and Wallace are somewhat vulnerable if the impact from past injuries limits their performance). If a CB spot opens up it's Hobbs. If a safety spot opens up, then Babineaux plays there and Hobbs fills the CB spot vacated by Babs.

Updating the Roster as Minicamp Begins

2008-05-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks re-signed OL Floyd Womack. He doesn't have a roster spot guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination, but he has a lot of value due to his experience in the league at both tackle and guard. He will be the favorite to beat out Kyle Williams for the final offensive line spot as long as he can remain healthy through minicamps, training camp and the preseason, which is a big question mark.

DT Larry Tripplett shouldn't have too much trouble making the roster, and if he does, he will give the Seahawks some needed stability and durability at the position. It seems crazy to me to think DT Marcus Tubbs is going to play this season unless he makes a mid-season appearance off the PUP list. Even without Tubbs, the Seahawks have a solid group up the middle with Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill. The final spot will likely end up as a battle between Tripplett, DT Howard Green and DE/DT Chris Cooper. Howard and Cooper are both solid players, and are capable of contributing if someone else gets injured.

The lack of depth at LB is still somewhat alarming, or I just don't know enough about Mallards. An NFL roster can't survive with only 6 LBs - just look at what the Cincinnati Bengals went through last year. No offense to the rest of the guys trying to make the team, but there doesn't appear to be another NFL-ready LB on the team outside of the usual suspects: Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring. At this point, I would have to assume the options are: 1) Hope one of the unheralded players steps up, 2) Sign a salary cap casualty or 3) Keep Jason Babin to fill-in at OLB if needed. The smart money right now is probably on recently added Wesly Mallard, even though his first name is missing an "e" and his last name is waterfowl.

It wouldn't be too surprising if the Seahawks started the season with Jordan Kent and Logan Payne on the active roster, and Deion Branch on the PUP list. Kent needs to show a lot more than he did last summer if he wants to make the team. Last offseason, conspiracy theorists speculated Kent wasn't used much, so he would remain hidden and not get snatched off the practice squad. The truth is that he just wasn't ready for the NFL...not even the preseason-NFL. Logan Payne is much more NFL ready. Kent has huge potential, but I only see him making the opening day active oster if Deion Branch isn't on it.

The two minicamps probably won't help sort things out very much. Once training camp starts, things will start getting a lot clearer.

Best Guess Roster as of 5/2:

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, Owen Schmitt
WR (6) - Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne, Jordan Kent
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mike Wahle, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Larry Tripplett
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring, Wesley Mallard
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Brandon Coutu
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Tyler Schmitt

PUP List
WR - Deion Branch
DT - Marcus Tubbs

Tomorrow: Key Battles to Watch

Where Seahawks Stand Post-Draft

2008-04-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks biggest need remaining is LB, not in terms of quality at the position, but simply depth to fill out the roster. The team only has 6 LBs (not counting the two college free agents that just signed). Unless one of those two can make an impact, the team will need to sign an additional player, or potentially keep Jason Babin as an DE/LB.

It looks like OT Kyle Williams will stick on the active roster, given that the team didn't draft an offensive lineman. The offensive line has its question marks, but the situation is what it is. The young guys should be improving, but the older guys are getting older and are on the decline at varying degrees.

The Seahawks didn't even take a flier on a WR at the end of the draft, which gives some indication as to the team's thinking on the readiness of Jordan Kent or the ability of Logan Payne, especially with the injury to Deion Branch.

Rough cut at how the roster is shaping up:

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver, Owen Schmitt
WR (6) - Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne
TE (3) - John Carlson, Jeb Putzier, Will Heller
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Mark Wahle, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto, Kyle Williams

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Brandon Mebane, Red Bryant, Craig Terrill, Howard Green
LB (7) - Lofa Tatupu , Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, D.D. Lewis, Lance Laury, Will Herring, Jason Babin (DE/LB)
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux (FS/CB)

Special Teams (3)
K - Brandon Coutu
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Tyler Schmitt

Support Seahawks Central by Supporting MS Walk

2008-04-09T10:28:00.001-07:00

If you want to support this site and a good cause, then please Donate to MS Walk. I will be walking on April 12th with my fiance's co-worker, who has Multiple Sclerosis.

The money goes to help a good cause and I ask that anyone wishing to support this site to make a donation (even as small as $5). Any donation is tax deductible.

Re-Launch Next Month

2008-03-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

In an effort to provide more consistent and reliable coverage, Seattle Seahawks Central will relaunch with coverage of the Seahawks offseason next month. The site will be updated regularly from April through the beginning of September with a focus on the offseason: nfl draft, free agency, trades, roster moves, training camp, etc. There is enough garbage out there in the media during the regular season, and instead of contributing to that, I will use focus my time & energy on going to and watching the games once the season rolls around. Stay tuned...

It's Simple: Just Win

2007-10-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

There isn't much to say about the Seahawks last performance worth remembering. The 0-6 St. Louis Rams come to town, and the Seahawks must win this game or the season could be lost. At 3-4, the Seahawks would still be in the hunt for the division statistically. However, it would be hard to imagine a team losing 3 straight, including one to these Rams, and then circling the wagons. To continue the clichés, it would be more likely that the wheels would fall off.

The Rams aren't just 0-6. They are the lowest scoring team in the NFL with 12.2 points per game. And they are also allowing a 7th worst 26.5 points per game. That is simply awful. Losing at home to those Rams would be embarrassing, demoralizing, and revealing of just how bad this team might be.

I don't think that happens. I think the Seahawks use this game to springboard back into the mix of the top teams in the NFC. The Cardinals will probably lose at Washington with Tim Rattay behind center, so the Seahawks would also be alone in first place in the division going into the bye, and I doubt the 49ers win two in a row, so they will still be alone in first place coming out of the bye.

The Seahawks have the players to win. They just need to play well, and the coaches need to put them in the best position to win. We could debate Xs and Os, or what players need to do what, but the bottom line is that they just need to win.

Seahaws-Saints Preview

2007-10-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

The Saints haven't been able to win a game all year, and that should continue on Sunday night. The Seahawks are without their top two wide receivers (Deion Branch and DJ Hackett). Don't worry. Courtney Taylor and Ben Obomanu are very good, and the team still has Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson.

The key is Matt Hasselbeck getting the ball to the open receiver. He is better than he played last week and should be able to get right at Qwest in front of the home crowd. If the Saints keep 8 in the box, then Hasselbeck should have easy pickings; he just needs to execute. The Saints really have a choice between shutting down the pass or the run. I assume they will go the route of the rest of the opponents so far and commit the safeties to stopping Shaun Alexander.

The Seahawks can counter some of that by using draws. A draw is basically the opposite of a play-action pass, and it can divert some of the pressure from the secondary away from the run game. Mack Strong is retired, but he will give the team and crowd a big emotional lift before the kickoff. And it may seem crass to say this, but Leonard Weaver is a better run blocker than Strong has been this year. Old Mack just wasn't the same in that department this season. The concern for Weaver is pass protection.

The Saints offense has been terrible this year, after being so good last season. They are still capable of getting it together, but Deuce McAllister would have been the player to scare the Seahawks. The quick defense should be well-suited to deal with Reggie Bush. Marcus Trufant needs to show he can cover his man without help sometimes. The safeties can't let Bush break the long one if he gets to the second level, so Trufant can't have help all game. The Truf is that Trufant hasn't been very good lately.

The front four needs to get more consistent pressure, but John Marshall needs to learn that you blitz on third-and-long to force a quick, short pass that doesn't go 17 yards for a first down. Doesn't he know that? Has he ever watched a football game before? I'm just saying. Blitz on third-and-long. Don't blitz on third-and-two.

Roster Moves

2007-10-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

Injuries and poor performance have prompted the Seahawks to make a few roster moves.

LS Derek Rackley was released for poor performance, and replaced with LS Boone Stutz. This is the second time in as many years that Rackley has been let go in favor of Stutz. It happened in Atlanta last year before the start of the season.

T Kyle Williams earned a spot on the practice squad when T/G Ray Willis went down with a knee injury. He should keep his place at least until Willis returns.

The Seahawks lost FB Mack Strong and RB Alvin Pearman for the season. The team will now lean heavily on FB Leonard Weaver. Weaver is a decent runner and run-blocker. The concern is his pass protection. That is probably the motivation behind adding 35-year-old Fred McCrary, instead of someone like Josh Parry.

CB Kevin Hobbs has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster with Josh Wilson nursing an ankle injury. As soon as Wilson is healthy, Hobbs should be back on the practice squad (likely at the cost of LB Cameron Jensen).

When Hobbs goes back to the practice squad, the Seahawks should look to add another running back that can contribute on special teams and get some carries if need be.

Seahawks at Steelers Recap

2007-10-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

What happened in Pittsburgh? It was a disaster. The team lost Mack Strong for the season (and his career) and was completely embarrassed on the field. The defense played well in the first half, but blew it by allowing a long drive at the start of the second half. Can't blame that on being tired.

Marcus Trufant had a terrible game. He has fallen down a few times this year because he was trying to adjust after getting out of position. The result has been touchdowns for the other team. Trufant plays at a Pro Bowl level sometimes, but he needs to be able to cover Health Miller one-on-one if he wants to be a starter in the NFL.

Shaun Alexander is catching a lot of flack from fans, but he isn't the problem. Opposing defenses have decided to flood the box and focus on the run. The same thing is happening to Larry Johnson, Frank Gore, and LaDanian Tomlinson. Don't look now, but Shaun Alexander has more yards and a higher ypc average than all of them, even after his 11 carry, 25 yard performance.

The problem with the Seahawks offense is two-fold. First, the offensive line needs to do a better job with their run-blocking assignments. You can't open holes with extra defenders if you aren't even blocking the correct defensive linemen. Second, if defenses are going to bail out on pass coverage and bring the safeties up to the line of scrimmage, then Matt Hasselbeck needs to hit the open receivers.

If any single person deserves the blame for the loss in Pittsburgh, it is Matt Hasselbeck. Defenses are daring him to beat them, and he either can or can't. He couldn't against the Steelers. Hasselbeck is getting the Damon Huard/Brodie Croyle, Alex Smith/Trent Dilfer, and Philip Rivers treatment. He is better than those players and needs to show it for the team to win.

It's all my fault

2007-10-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

I am the reason why the Seahawks have two losses. The evidence? I was out of the state for both of the losses, and unable to post anything leading up to the games, or watch them live. I actually left Cannon Beach at 7am last Sunday to drive back and catch the game in Tacoma (where it was being TiVo-ed for me, so I didn't have to make it all the way back to Kirkland). I missed the Arizona game completely and watched it just before the Cincinnati game.

Don't fear. I will be around for the rest of the games with previews on Thursdays and recaps on Mondays with additional information at times throughout the week. My travel schedule has calmed down, and I have some more free time to spend here. Unfortunately, sometimes my fiance, family (my sister's wedding) and jobs that I get paid for have to come first.

News Seahawks Forum

2007-10-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

A new Seahawks Forum has been created called NWSportsTalk.com. It promises to be a better forum than the one filled with morans (including the moderators) over at the Seattle Times (the misspelling of morons is intentional for anyone unfamiliar with that forum).

NWSportsTalk.com is your place to talk about Pacific Northwest Sports with other people across the northwest and the world! The forum is open to any type of sports talk. Seahawks, Sonics, Mariners, Blazers, Huskies, Cougars, Ducks, Beavers, Broncos, they are all here! Also talk about high school sports as well!

Seahawks-49ers

2007-09-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

Winning on the road within the division is never easy. Even in 2005, when the Seahawks went 6-0 in the division, they barely held on to beat a Ken Dorsey led 49ers team, 27-25. That being said, the Seahawks should handle their business on Sunday.

Alex Smith is atrocious. He wasn't very good last year with 5 more turnovers than touchdowns, and he is already -2 in that department through 2 games. He seems to be able to throw about as many touchdowns as interceptions (a big improvement over his rookie year), but that isn't any big achievement and he still manages to lose fumbles on a regular basis. Losing his tight end (Vernon Davis is out with a sprained MCL) will hurt him even more. The Seahawks defense should be able to crowd the box, stuff Frank Gore, and force Alex Smith to beat them. Don't worry, he can't.

The Seahawks will likely face a lot of nickel. That is actually a good personnel grouping for the 49ers. They can get Keith Lewis in the game with Mark Roman and Michael Lewis. The 49ers will run a 3-3-5. The problem with that is the safeties are suited to play the run. Even though it will be essentially a nickel package for much of the game, the Seahawks should be able to pass against that defense. If Holmgren allows Branch and Burleson to run deep routes, then Hasselbeck is looking at a 3-TD game.

Nate Clements is good against the run. Lewis and Lewis, and Roman are as well. So look for the wideouts to stretch the defense. Nolan will probably adjust, and Alexander should go for 100 yards in the second half alone. If Mike Holmgren is worth his salt as an offensive guru, the 'Hawks should have no problem finding paydirt at least 4 times. The 49ers will play a nickel that is strong against the run. Answer: pass. Then they will play 3 CBs and over pursue the pass. Solution: run Alexander or Strong on draws.

I normally hate the way Holmgren relies on the draw, but that play alone should eat up plenty of yards and go for at least one TD on Sunday.

I'm Alive

2007-09-26T16:16:00.001-07:00

Sorry to anyone that has been checking here regularly just to see the same old posts. I was out of town from September 12th until September 22nd, and I didn't think it was the best idea to publicize that ahead of time.

I was back in time to go to the Bengals game, and I have been catching up on other responsibilities the last 3 days. I will weigh in tomorrow with some general thoughts on the last two weeks, and then the upcoming game against the 49ers.

I have mixed feelings about the Seahawks season so far, but I am still confident they will win the division and make a run at the Super Bowl. If they lose to a putrid 49ers team, then that outlook might change, depending on the circumstances.

Trader Tim

2007-09-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks have traded DE Bryce Fisher to Mike Reinfeldt and the Tennessee Titans for a draft pick. In a separate move, the Seahawks acquired QB Charlie Frye from the Cleveland Browns for a draft pick.

Fisher lost his starting spot to Darryl Tapp, and the Seahawks recently added DE Jason Babin, as well as DT Ellis Wyms (who can play on the outside as well). $2.4 million is a lot of money to pay an aging defensive end that is slipping down the depth chart. Fisher is scheduled to make a total of $5 million over the next two years (including this season).

Charlie Frye's numbers are not representative of how well he has played for a terrible Cleveland team. Frye is only in his third year, but has already started 19 games. He gives the Seahawks a legitimate 3rd QB. The roster finally looks normal with 9 defensive linemen and 3 quarterbacks.

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Charlie Frye
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Alvin Pearman, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver
WR (6) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins, Jason Babin
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane, Ellis Wyms, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
MLB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2007-09-09T06:56:00.001-07:00

Imagine an older, less talented Seahawks team, and you basically get the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There is more to it than that, but it is a pretty fair statement. The Seahawks are lucky to play the Bucs in Week 1. Tampa Bay is likely to get better as the year goes on.

When Tampa Bay has the ball:
The key to the Seahawks home opener is the Tampa Bay offensive line. In 2005, an unremarkable group played consistently for them. Last year, that group fell apart. Jeff Garcia could be a nice addition for the Bucs, but only if he has time to throw. He failed in Cleveland and Detroit because, among other reasons, the offensive lines were terrible. Garcia succeeded with the Eagles because he was able to stay off his back.

Tampa Bay will start their first two picks from each of the last two drafts. Three of those are on the offensive line (LG Arron Sears, RG Davin Joseph, RT Jeremy Trueblood). The Bucs also have a new starter at left tackle (Luke Petitgout). Petitgout is coming off a broken leg and was slowed this offseason with back trouble. That unit could eventually be pretty good this season, but it would be a stretch to think they will come out of the gates hitting on all cylinders.

Garcia will look for Joey Galloway often. Even at age 35, Galloway is one of the fastest players in the NFL on Sundays. Jon Gruden will run a lot of quick slants to give Garcia an outlet if the offensive line breaks down. Galloway has the wheels to turns those five yard passes into 50 yard touchdowns. The rest of the Bucs receivers are big and slow. Maurice Stovall will probably start, but David Boston and Michael Clayton are more talented and quicker.

Tampa needs to keep it a low-scoring affair and play from ahead, or else they will struggle with the pass rush and Garcia might not finish the game. The offensive line will again be key in opening holes for Cadillac Williams. The Seahawks defensive line should be good enough to allow the linebackers to hit the gaps and plug the holes. Williams isn’t a big threat to the outside, but the Seahawks can’t get sucked up on a run blitz. He can still take off-tackle left to the house.

Note: Jon Gruden says Jerramy Stevens will play.

When Seattle has the ball:
The Tampa Bay defense is old, but it is getting better and younger in spots. DE Simeon Rice and DT Ellis Wyms are gone. DE Gaines Adams is a very nice player, but he probably isn’t going to be better than Simeon Rice in his first NFL game.

The linebacking corps should also be improved with former Pro Bowlers Cato June and Jeremiah Trotter on the team. Trotter might not make much of an impact. He is probably ready to play physically, but he isn’t ready to quarterback the defense from the middle linebacker position. He has been with the team for about a week.

Shaun Alexander should be able to run up the middle of that defense without too much trouble. Getting to the outside will be more difficult. The Seahawks will be able to run the ball with some success, but the short passing game will be key. Cato June has a knack for slipping back into coverage and getting picks. He has 8 interceptions over the last two years, which is a lot for a linebacker. Rhonde Barber is also a ballhawk, and he hides in coverage. If the Seahawks establish the run and complete a few short passes early, then Matt Hasselbeck should be able to hit a few homeruns off play action.

Only the Washington Redskins allowed more passing touchdowns than Tampa Bay last year. Rhonde Barber is overrated. He gets interceptions and makes big hits and tackles, but he isn’t the greatest cover guy. The rest of the secondary is worse. If the offensive line can give Hasselbeck time to throw, then he should rack up a really nice game. Three touchdowns is very achievable.

Week 1 Picks

2007-09-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (-3). Texans to win. Texans to cover.
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills (+3). Broncos to win. Broncos to cover.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (+5). Steelers to win. Browns to cover.
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-7). Jaguars to win. Titans to cover.
Carolina Panthers at St.Louis Rams (-1.5). Rams to win. Rams to cover.
Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers (+3). Eagles to win. Eagles to cover.
Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings (-3). Vikings to win. Vikings to cover.
Miami Dolphins at Washington Redskins (-3). Dolphins to win.
New England Patriots at New York Jets (+6). Jets to win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks (-6). Seahawks to win. Seahawks to cover.
Chicago Bears at San Diego Chargers (-6.5). Chargers to win. Bears to cover.
Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders (-2.5). Lions to win.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-6). Cowboys to win. Cowboys to cover.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5). Bengals to win. Bengals to cover.
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-3). Cardinals to win.

Week 1 Picks: Thursday Edition

2007-09-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts (-6). Colts to win. Colts to cover.

Updated Rosters

2007-09-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Current versions of the full Seahawks 34-Category Roster and the easy-to-print Seahawks Numerical Roster are available. The rosters include all of the latest roster moves (cuts and trades) and current injuries.

First Look: Ellis Wyms

2007-09-02T23:02:00.001-07:00

Scouting report according to Scouts, Inc:

Ellis Wyms, left, and Chuck Darby.
Photo: Jim Damaske/St. Petersburg Times.
Wyms is very active, intelligent and fairly athletic. He is versatile enough to play some end in certain situations. He comes off the ball low and very quickly. He takes good angles and plays hard. He can change directions smoothly in space and close on elusive running backs. He is a decent interior pass rusher. He delivers some pop on impact, can unload his hips and has some explosive qualities as a tackler. But Wyms is undersized and prone to wearing down. He is a productive wave tackle and short-yardage end, but he won't hold up to an every-down pounding. He crumbles against double teams. He isn't an athletic, quick-twitch playmaker who can move to end full time. His durability is a major concern with Wyms now as well, as he has only played all 16 games just once in his career.

Scott Audette/Associated Press

The Seahawks signed DT Ellis Wyms in response to the loss of Marcus Tubbs. The Seahawks released DT Russell Davis to make room. That means the team is still carrying only 5 DTs, as well as 5 DEs with the addition of DE Jason Babin.

Ellis Wims has played in 66 games with 9 starts in his six year NFL career, including 8 starts in 13 games last year. Wims finished the year with 5 sacks and 30 tackles. Wyms was scheduled to make $3.9 million this season with Tampa Bay. His agreement with Seattle has not been disclosed, but it is for one year, and will be considerably less.

Russell Davis had $800,000 remaining on his signing bonus which will be a cap hit this year. The team does not have to pay Davis his $1.1 million salary.

Practice Squad

2007-09-02T17:18:00.001-07:00

LB Cameron Jensen, FB David Kirtman, TE Joe Newton, OG Steve Vallos, DE Nu'u Tafisi, CB Kevin Hobbs, WR Logan Payne, WR Jordan Kent

It looks like my first take (before the release of David Greene) was dead-on:

LB Cameron Jensen, FB David Kirtman, TE Joe Newton, OG Steve Vallos, DE Nu'u Tafisi, CB Kevin Hobbs, C Pat Ross, WR Logan Payne

I think the first six are pretty solid. Pat Ross might not make it depending on the severity of his injury. If he doesn't then I would expect it to come down to WR Joe Fernandez, WR Jordan Kent, or OT Kyle Williams.

That almost certainly means the Seahawks will make some other move to bring in a third QB. The team could even be dangling David Greene until a spot opens back up on the roster or a QB suffers an injury.

First Look: Alvin Pearman

2007-09-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Scouting report according to Scouts, Inc:.

Reuters Photo
Pearman is athletic and runs with good body control and balance. He is competitive and tough. His running style is more quick than fast. He has the vision and instincts to set up his blocks. He is at his best on draws and stretch plays, weaving through traffic and finding a run lane. He is a skilled receiver with good hands. He excels on screens and short dump-offs. He is an aggressive pass blocker who will step up and explode into defenders. He has return ability on both kickoffs and punts. But Pearman is a little small and needs a seam to be productive. He has the lateral quickness to avoid but lacks the speed to separate from defenders in space. He has speed to turn the corner but lacks home run ability. He has trouble matching up as a blocker against bigger defenders.

Pearman was acquired and David Greene was released.

The new new Roster

2007-09-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

Offense (25)
QB (2) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Alvin Pearman, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver
WR (6) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (25)
DE (5) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins, Jason Babin
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
MLB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

The Seahawks remedied the 4 runningbacks by adding Alvin Pearman, at the cost of David Greene. I guess that makes Brian Russell the emergency QB for the time being.

More on Jason Babin

2007-09-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

Scouting report from Scouts, Inc.

Photo: Billy Calzada
Babin has good speed, quickness and a nonstop motor. He has some functional strength and flashes the ability to stack and hold the point of attack. He is relentless in pursuit and chases down plenty of plays from the back side. He is a strong tackler. He relies on speed and quickness as a pass rusher. He has an explosive first step off the edge and can bend and close on quarterbacks. He has the active hands to reduce his blocking surface and the quickness to get on the edge of a blocker. But Babin lacks ideal power, athleticism and technique. He has struggled in his conversion from a college defensive end. He often has seemed uncertain when reacting to blocking patterns. He struggles to set the edge against outside runs. He has trouble disengaging from blocks. He has limited pass-rush countermoves and needs more refinement. He is a straight-line coverage player who has marginal lateral quickness and change-of-direction skills. He doesn't play with a lot of awareness or recognition in zones.

He may benefit quite a bit moving from 3-4 OLB back to 4-3 DE.

Seahawks 53-man Roster

2007-09-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

Offense (25)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
HB/FB (4) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver
WR (6) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (25)
DE (5) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins, Jason Babin
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
MLB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

It appears the trade of Michael Boulware for Jason Babin led to the team keeping 5 defensive ends. It also gave C.J. Wallace a spot on the roster, and he will fill Josh Parry's role on special teams (as oppossed to Herring's as I had guessed), allowing the team to go with only 4 running backs. 52 of 53 ain't bad.

My guess for the practice squad is:
LB Cameron Jensen, FB David Kirtman, TE Joe Newton, OG Steve Vallos, DE Nu'u Tafisi, CB Kevin Hobbs, C Pat Ross, WR Logan Payne

I think the first six are pretty solid. Pat Ross might not make it depending on the severity of his injury. If he doesn't then I would expect it to come down to WR Joe Fernandez, WR Jordan Kent, or OT Kyle Williams. Kent or Fernandez could also easily be on there instead of Payne.

Players cuts: CB Omowale Dada, QB Derek Devine, WR Joe Fernandez, DE Brandon Green, DT Marcus Green, CB DeJuan Groce, CB Kevin Hobbs, CB Pete Hunter, LB Cameron Jensen, WR Jordan Kent, FB David Kirtman, TE Joe Newton, FB Josh Parry, WR Logan Payne, C Pat Ross, TE Leonard Stephens, DE Nu'u Tafisi, DT Eric Taylor, G Steve Vallos, RB Marquis Weeks, T Kyle Williams (Marcus Tubbs was placed on IR).

Michael Boulware traded

2007-09-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Texans trade Babin to Seattle for Boulware By John McClain:

Injuries forced general manager Rick Smith and coach Gary Kubiak to be in the market to acquire a veteran safety, and Saturday afternoon, they traded defensive end Jason Babin to Seattle for strong safety Michael Boulware.

Babin, a first-round pick in 2004, had two sacks in preseason and a team-leading five in 2006. The Seahawks want him to improve their pass rush.

Boulware, a second-round pick in 2004, started 10 games last season, including two in the playoffs. The Texans want him to upgrade a position vacated when Glenn Earl suffered a season-ending foot injury early in camp and currently manned by Jason Simmons, who is more valuable as a backup.

This move was likely in response to the excellent play of C.J. Wallace. Boulware had too much value just to cut, so the Seahawks got something in return. It looks like C.J. Wallace will make the team, and that could mean no Courtney Taylor. Or more likely the writing is on the wall for Craig Terrill or Will Herring. Wallace can fill Herring's role on special teams.

Someone commented below that Josh Parry was cut. Perhaps that person knows Parry. If that is true, then I would imagine his spot went to Marquis Weeks or David Kirtman. I would lean toward Kirtman, but he is practice squad eligible, so that could swing things in favor of Weeks.

A final guess:
Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, Marquis Weeks
WR (6) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (24)
DE (5) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins, Jason Babin
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (4) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury
MLB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, C.J. Wallace
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

Final Roster Breakdown

2007-08-31T13:09:00.000-07:00

Update: Marcus Tubbs is out for the year with a torn ACL per Clare Farnsworth.

Andy Rogers/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

It is a little hard to make sense of the roster given the untimely injury to Marcus Tubbs, as well as a few other injuries. With Tubbs out for the year, it frees up a roster spot for Courtney Taylor, C.J. Wallace, or Marquis Weeks. My best guess is that spot goes to Courtney Taylor, but that isn't certain by any means.

The other players with the greatest uncertainty are Josh Parry, Will Herring, and Michael Boulware. Parry could lose his spot to either David Kirtman or Marquis Weeks. I am sticking with Parry because I believe his contributions on specials teams are more valuable than what Weeks brings to the offense. I give him the slight edge on Kirtman because of his ability at fullback and his experience, plus Kirtman can be put on the practice squad.

Will Herring is the linebacker most in danger of losing his roster spot. If he does, then he could land on the practice squad. If the team does go with only 6 LBs with Herring and Jensen both on the practice squad, then that extra spot goes to Courtney Taylor, C.J. Wallace, or Marquis Weeks. Combined with the injury to Tubbs, that means two of those players would make the team. I'll guess Taylor and Wallace in that scenario.

It is hard to imagine that Michael Boulware doesn't have a spot on the roster. It is possible that C.J. Wallace has earned that spot. The injury to Boulware makes it even more complicated to sort out. More likely would be that Wallace gets a spot because of the injury to Tubbs and/or at the expense of Will Herring.

So, it really comes down to the 53 players listed below with the chance that C.J. Wallace or Marquis Weeks might make the roster, and Will Herring, Josh Parry, or Michael Boulware might not. David Kirtman is the other player in consideration, but only for Josh Parry's spot. And I expect David Greene to be replaced as soon they can acquire someone better.

Offense (26)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, Josh Parry
WR (6) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack
=> Read more!:

Defense (24)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins
DT (5) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
MLB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, Michael Boulware
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

Given that roster, here is a guess at the practice squad. Obviously a space opens up if C.J. Wallace or David Kirtman get elevated to the active roster at the cost of a non-practice squad eligible player. I am assuming the injury to Pat Ross will land him on IR, or at least cost him his practice squad spot for the time being.

Practice Squad:
S C.J. Wallace, LB Cameron Jensen, FB David Kirtman, TE Joe Newton, OG Steve Vallos, DE Nu'u Tafisi, CB Kevin Hobbs, WR Logan Payne

The following players are the other legitimate options for the practice squad:
WR Joe Fernandez, WR Jordan Kent, OT Kyle Williams (Fernandez or Kent would probably only make in place of, rather than in addition to Logan Payne)

Just Missed (not PS-eligble):
RB Marquis Weeks, CB Pete Hunter

Raiders vs. Seahawks redux

2007-08-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

This game was kind of a mess with a hodge-podge of backups on the field all game, and a few unsettling injuries. It looks like Marcus Tubbs and Pat Ross suffered the only serious injuries. Josh Wilson and Chris Spencer should be fine for the opener.

AP Photo/John Froschauer

In addition to the items below, the outstanding play of C.J. Wallace obviously stood out. It is hard to know if he did enough to bump Michael Boulware from the roster, especially with Boulware sitting out with a strained hamstring. Probably not, but maybe. Wallace made a lot of great plays. He was also responsible for the back-to-back receptions that led to Oakland's only offensive touchdown. Regardless, it is going to be hard to cut C.J. Wallace. He definitely has a spot on at least the practice squad, and he will make the team if they can figure out a way to work the numbers.

(This is a follow-up to What to Watch For: Raiders vs. Seahawks)
1) Seneca Wallace

AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey

Seneca Wallace played almost the entire game, and he struggled again. For those keeping score, Wallace has played a little under six full halves of football this preseason and has six turnovers. Not good. It capped a mediocre preseason for Wallace: 40 of 73 (54.8%) for 543 yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions (75.3 rating), and 3 lost fumbles. He has also been sacked 5 times. Some of Wallace's struggles can be explained away by throwing to young receivers and playing behind some suspect play on the offensive line. However, it is those young receivers he has looked best throwing to in the second half of the San Diego and Minnesota games.

2) Linebackers
Niko Koutouvides assured everyone that his place on the Seahawks roster is completely secure. Cameron Jensen also had a nice showing, and that makes him a lock for the practice squad. The strong showing for Jensen could be bad news for Will Herring. It could allow the Seahawks to put Will Herring and Cameron Jensen on the practice squad, and only keep 6 linebackers on the active roster, and not worry too much if another team picks up Herring. Herring's contributions on special teams can't be ignored, which probably still earn him a roster spot.

3) Craig Terrill and Russell Davis
Craig Terrill made a nice stop on 4th-and-1 early in the game. Russell Davis pressured the quarterback a few times and played a big role in stuffing the run. He has had an excellent preseason. Both players should make the team, even if Marcus Tubbs isn't placed on IR. The assumption is that Tubbs will miss the season, but if he doesn't and is going to miss a month or so, then the Seahawks will carry 6 DTs for the foreseeable future.

4) Josh Wilson and the 5th CB
Josh Wilson didn't have a great night. He was flattened by two stiff-arms trying to make open-field tackles. His coverage was only mediocre. It looks like he will have to improve to get much playing time. Jordan Babineaux is expected to be ready for the season and play in the nickel. Wilson also injured his hip, but should be available for the season opener. Pete Hunter looks like the 5th best CB. He made some nice plays. Unfortunately, there isn't room for 5 CBs on the roster and he isn't eligible for the practice squad. He will be the first person the Seahawks call if they need an extra CB at some point during the season, assuming he doesn’t sign with another team.
=> Read more!:
5) Tight Ends
Ben Joppru didn't play, but I assume that means he has the #3 spot locked up, and they were just resting his hip. Leonard Stephens may have played himself right off the practice squad with 3 penalties. Joe Newton made some nice blocks and a nice catch. It was probably enough to earn him a spot on the practice squad ahead of Stephens.

6) Wide Receiver Battles
Nate Burleson will likely have his name announced with the starting lineup on September 9th. D.J. Hackett will still get on the field, and whoever is making more plays will get more playing time. That is how it will be all season, but you can’t ignore how great Burleson has looked.

Courtney Taylor showed a little of why I have been so high on him despite his injury. It would be hard to give him a roster spot, but Mike Holmgren would probably prefer to keep six receivers. The minor injury to Ben Obomanu and the assumed roster spot opened up by the injury to Marcus Tubbs might make that a possibility.

Joe Fernandez had a great game. He may have moved ahead of Logan Payne on the depth chart. He did only have one catch though, and was returning kicks because Obomanu was injured. It still comes down to Payne, Fernandez, and Jordan Kent for the final spot. Payne has been the most consistent throughout camp. Fernandez showed a lot of heart last night, and that he could contribute as a return man. Kent is tall and fast, but can't catch, and makes too many mistakes. There might not be a space for any of them, even on the practice squad. The injury to Pat Ross might have cleared a spot.

7) Fullbacks

AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey

Leonard Weaver locked up his spot as the backup fullback and #3 primary ball carrier. It is unclear what that means for Marquis Weeks, Josh Parry, and David Kirtman. Josh Parry and David Kirtman rarely lines up on offense, but their primary role with the team is going to be on special teams. They both play well there. Parry can also play fullback just fine and the team knows that. He probably gets the nod over Kirtman, especially because they can stash Kirtman on the practice squad again. Weeks has been a solid runner again this preseason, but he doesn't do much on special teams. You can't give a roster spot to a guy if he is only going to be the fourth option as a primary ball carrier.

8) Derek Devine and David Greene
I had a feeling the Seahawks weren't seriously considering Derek Devine as the #3 QB, and that should now be obvious to everyone. It doesn't look like they are even considering a scenario where they keep Devine on the practice squad and only go with two on the active roster. For better or worse, David Greene is the third string QB until the Seahawks can acquire someone better.

They have tried with Kelly Holcomb and Mark Brunell. It seems likely that Greene will make the final cut, but then get released in favor of someone cut from another team if no trade happens today. It would risky to cut Greene before they were assured of getting someone else. They could dangle Greene on waivers, assuming nobody else wants him, and then scoop him back up if nothing better opens up. That might be too risky.

What to Watch For: Raiders vs. Seahawks

2007-08-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

Current versions of the easy-to-print Seahawks Numerical Roster (split into offense and defense) and the full Seahawks 35-Category Roster (now including practice squad eligibility) are available, and include the latest roster moves and current injuries.

1) Seneca Wallace

Dan DeLong/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Seneca Wallace (15) has been getting a lot of reps this week in practice, so we should expect to see a large dose of him on Thursday night. Wallace has had an up-and-down preseason. In his two appearances in the first half he is a combined 8 of 20 (40%) for 140 yards with 1 interception, and no touchdowns. That gives him a passer rating of 44.8, which doesn’t even take into account his 3 lost fumbles. In his two second half appearances, he is a combined 20 of 27 (74%) for 222 yards with 2 touchdowns and no turnovers (123.8 passer rating). Wallace will likely play most of the first half against the Raiders, and it gives him a chance to put together a good half against the starters on a pretty solid defense.

2) Linebackers
Julian Peterson (sore knee) will not play, and it is likely Leroy Hill (hamstring) will sit out or only play sparingly. That means a lot of time for the other linebackers. There has been a lot of fuss about Mike Holmgren saying he envisions the team keeping 6 linebackers, but I still don't believe him. If that does turn out to be the case, it will be Lance Laury (50), Will Herring (54), or Niko Koutouvides (53) that gets left off the Seahawks opening day roster.

3) Craig Terrill and Russell Davis
I would believe Mike Holmgren if he said the team was only going to keep 5 DTs. That is going to be a difficult decision, and it comes down to Craig Terrill (93) and Russell Davis (95) for the final spot. The team appears fairly certain to keep only 4 DEs, so 6 DTs is a possibility. That is basically what they did last year when they kept Chris Cooper as the 10th defensive lineman. Although he is listed as a DE, he lined up at DT almost exclusively during training camp. But Cooper only stayed on the roster until September 23rd. The uncertain status of Marcus Tubbs might cause the team to go with 6 DTs for at least the first part of the year, and longer if injuries provide an open roster spot. Marcus Tubbs, Chuck Darby and Rocky Bernard will not see much action, giving these guys a chance to battle it out.

4) Josh Wilson and the 5th CB
Josh Wilson (26) could take another big step forward on Thursday night. He will start opposite Marcus Trufant (23) with Kelly Jennings (bruised leg out. Chances are, Wilson will start at some point during this season, so this is a great chance for him to show he is up to the task.

Kelly Jennings and Jordan Babineaux should be ready when the regular season begins. That would mean the team does not need to carry a 5th CB. It still isn’t a bad idea to watch how the team uses Kevin Hobbs (32), Pete Hunter (29), and DeJuan Groce (35). Hobbs has typically been the last one off the bench in that group, but he might have earned more playing time with solid play lately (in practice and against the Vikings). If the team is certain about the readiness of Jennings and Babineaux, then Hobbs could get an extended look because he figures to be competing for a spot on the practice squad.
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5) Tight Ends
Will Heller (85) will be back in action for the first time in quite awhile. Ben Joppru (47) has the #3 job locked up as long as he doesn’t get injured. Leonard Stephens (89) could’ve had something to say about that, but he is just back from his ankle injury and missed too much time. That would have been an interesting battle to watch. However, this is the first time they will both be on the field, since halfway through the intrasquad scrimmage on August 4th. Both looked good when the other was out.

Stephens should have another year of practice squad eligibility, which would give the team a solid backup plan if Joppru’s penchant for injuries returns. Joe Newton (46) has a chance to make the practice squad if Stephens is somehow ineligible, or Newton shows enough that the team thinks going with a younger player that can spend two or three years on the practice squad is a better idea. The amount of playing time (and their performance while in there) of Newton and Stephens should offer some insight into that.

6) Wide Receiver Battles
Nate Burleson (81) and D.J. Hackett (18) are still battling for the starting split end spot. It is somewhat irrelevant because they will both play a lot, and whoever is making more plays will get more playing time. Hackett shined earlier in training camp, Burleson has been great as of late. They have both been solid all camp.

The real battle is for 6th and 7th on the depth chart. The Seahawks will probably keep a total of 7 receivers between the active roster and the practice squad. Courtney Taylor (86) and Logan Payne (19) look like the two guys most likely to get those last two spots. Joe Fernandez (17) has also played well at times, but hasn't looked as sharp lately, and he is only 5'10", 165 lbs. Jordan Kent (82) is the worst receiver left on the roster, but he still has a shot at a practice squad spot. Kent makes sense as a long-term project, but more importantly, he gives the defense someone big and fast to practice against. That function might make him more appealing than Logan Payne or Joe Fernandez. It is unlikely Ben Obomanu will play, so all of these guys should get more playing time.

7) Fullbacks
Leonard Weaver (43) has struggled with a few things lately, but his spot on the team should be safe. He just might not have as expansive of a role as the team once envisioned. The more interesting battle could be between Josh Parry (49) and David Kirtman (34). Weaver has been getting so many reps that we really haven’t seen much of either of them on offense. They both play on all of the special teams units, and Kirtman has been playing well as of late. Marquis Weeks (30) could also earn a spot as the 3rd HB. That seems unlikely because he is not as good on special teams as Parry or Kirtman, he isn't a blocking dynamo, and he would be the fourth option as a ball carrier behind Leonard Weaver.

8) Derek Devine and David Greene
If the Seahawks are seriously considering Derek Devine for a spot on the roster, then he should play a full half. Devine (5) has to show that he not only has the physical tools, but that he can lead a team. It is pretty tough to do that in one quarter. David Greene (11) might start the second half. If that is the case, then we might not see Devine at all until the very end of the game for a pass or two and a couple of handoffs. It really depends on how Greene plays. I am certain the Seahawks would like to have someone more reliable than David Greene as the #3 QB. I am not certain if they think Derek Devine has any chance to be that guy, this year.

Switching Gears

2007-08-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

August will be over by the end of the week. There are 11 days between today and Sunday, September 9th, when the Seahawks host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start the regular season. And the NFL season kicks off a week from Thursday.

What does that mean? It means it is time to switch gears from roster minutia to things that matter a lot more than if someone gets cut, makes the practice squad, or winds up as the 9th DB on the active roster. That kind of speculation keeps Seahawks fans occupied leading up to the season, but the real thing is almost here and the players that are actually going to play are more important. Mike Holmgren and the coaching staff always think about those things more than anything else.

Can Matt Hasselbeck bounce back to 2005 form and avoid bad decisions? Are his shoulder and knee ready to take the beating of an entire regular season? These questions are a lot more important than whether David Greene or Derek Devine will be the emergency quarterback.

I'll provide a preview of the Seahawks-Raiders similar to the previews for the rest of the preseason games, as well as some post game comments on Friday. I will also take one last stab at predicting the 53-man roster on Friday night. The game might offer some more clues or even complicate things. It got murky last year when Leonard Weaver and Mike Green were injured right before the final cutdown.

After that, I'll turn my attention to what the team needs to do to be successful this season, and more immediately, what they need to do to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Updated Rosters

2007-08-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

Current versions of the easy-to-print Seahawks Numerical Roster and the full Seahawks 35-Category Roster are available, and include the latest roster moves and current injuries.

The numerical roster is now split into offense on one side with defense and special teams on the other.

The 35-category roster now includes the additional category of practice squad eligibility. Ben Joppru is listed as being eligible. It is unclear if Joppru actually meets the criteria of "free agent players who were on the Active List for fewer than nine regular season games during their only Accrued Season(s)." He has never appeared on the Active List for more than nine games, but he may not be considered a free agent because he was on the Seahawks roster for 5 games last year (which constitutes a credited season, but not an accrued season).

C.J. Wallace

2007-08-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

It was initially reported here, and elsewhere, that C.J. Wallace was one of the 12 players released. That is not the case. The 12th player released was QB Erik Meyer. The mix-up appears to be that C.J. Wallace was told that he wasn't likely to make the 53-man roster, but was one of the players they were considering for the practice squad. I am not sure if I should believe that explanation (as I was told it is partially conjecture), but at least it makes sense why several people thought he was released, and it also matches up with why it was reported that C.J. Wallace appeared solemn yesterday. He might also just be dealing with a personal issue and it gave people the wrong impression.

Best Guess Roster

2007-08-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

Given the developments in the gave against the Minnesota Vikings, and the latest round of cuts, below is an updated best guess on the final 53-man roster. The only thing that changed from the last installment was some minor shuffling on the potential practice squad guys.

Offense (25)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, Josh Parry
WR (5) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (25)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins
DT (6) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Marcus Tubbs, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
ILB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Michael Boulware, Mike Green
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

Practice Squad:
FB David Kirtman, WR Courtney Taylor, TE Leonard Stephens, C Pat Ross, OG Steve Vallos, DE Nu'u Tafisi, CB Kevin Hobbs, S C.J. Wallace

First Cuts

2007-08-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

These are the 11 players that were not at practice on Monday and are assumed to be cut:

RB A.J. Harris
WR Chris Jones
WR Robert Ortiz
TE Andy Stokes
C Austin King
OG Jason Murphy
OT Jonathan Alston

LB Marcus Rucker
CB Dennis Davis
S Patrick Ghee

K Kurt Smith

No real surprises there. Maybe Chris Jones, only because he played so early in the last game, but maybe they are just giving him a shot at making another roster. I kind of forgot about Jonathan Alston. He had been marginalized in practice and the games since Floyd Womack was back and playing LT, and Ray Willis moved back to tackle with Walter Jones out.

I am also a little surprised that the team is still carrying 8 DTs at this point. At this time last year they were already down to the 5 that made the final roster, including Marcus Tubbs and Russell Davis who were both not at 100%. DE Chris Cooper was lining up at DT in practice, but including him, that only made 6 DTs at this time last year.

It remains to be seen if Harris getting cut provides us any information. I said, "If the team does cut Harris on Tuesday, then it might be a signal that they have decided to go with Marquis Weeks over Josh Parry. Or it could just mean they don't think Harris is even good enough for the practice squad." I am currently leaning toward the latter. I would be less surprised to see David Kirtman beat out Parry. He has been picking it up on special teams recently.

Second-ary Guessing

2007-08-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks secondary is understandably a big point of interest after some suspect play last year. The injuries to Jordan Babineaux, and potentially Kelly Jennings, only intensify the intrigue. The severity of those injuries will have a lot to do with the decisions the Seahawks make on September 1st.

If everyone was healthy, then the situation is pretty straightforward. The team would keep these four cornerbacks and four safeties:

CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, Michael Boulware

There has been some speculation that Michael Boulware could be in jeopardy of losing his roster spot to C.J. Wallace. Don’t bet on it. Boulware didn’t look that great against Minnesota, but he did come in and play as the nickel LB with the starters. Wallace is an alright player, and better than alright on special teams, but he isn’t so valuable that he couldn’t be stashed on the practice squad.

If it looks like Jennings and Babineaux won’t be ready for the opener, then the team will be forced to keep 5 CBs, at least until one of them comes back. However, that 5th guy might not play very much, except on special teams. In that case, it could be Wallace that makes the team over a 5th CB, but I doubt it.

Let’s take a look at what the starting secondary might look like without Jennings and Babineaux:
CB1 Marcus Trufant, CB2 Josh Wilson, FS Brian Russell, and SS Deon Grant

No big surprises there. Now let’s take a look at what the nickel package might look like without Jennings and Babineaux:
CB1 Marcus Trufant, CB2 Josh Wilson, CB3 Deon Grant, FS Brian Russell, and SS Mike Green, NLB Michael Boulware.

Given the other options at corner (Pete Hunter, Kevin Hobbs, and DeJuan Groce), that seems like a better option for the Seahawks. Deon Grant is accustomed to lining up over the slot receiver in man-to-man coverage. He did that quite a bit in Jacksonville. Mike Green is also pretty solid against the pass. He may have had some trouble in coverage as a FS, but he would be a good coverage player for a SS. The same goes for Michael Boulware as the nickel linebacker. That is a pretty solid group of six defensive backs on the field in the nickel package.

I would feel differently if I thought more of Hunter, Hobbs, or Groce. Hunter and Groce appear capable of playing consistently mediocre. That is what you expect from an emergency fill-in. My money would be on Hunter winning that role if it looks like they need a 5th CB for a few weeks, but it could easily be Groce instead. I like Hobbs the best of the three, but he would likely make some really good plays and completely blow others. The consistency just isn’t there yet.

Chopping Block

2007-08-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks are at the current roster limit of 80 players and are carrying an additional 7 exempt players for a total of 87 guys. They need to cut 12 of them to get down to 75 on Tuesday (the exempt players start to count). The cuts themselves are fairly unimportant. Do you really care if they cut Cameron Jensen or Marcus Rucker on Tuesday or Saturday?

However, this first round of cuts could reveal some of what the team is thinking about the guys that remain on the roster. The team usually cuts one or two “unexpected” players to give them a chance to catch on with another team, and that might tell us that a bubble player at the same position has won a spot on the roster. It also gives us an idea of who we are likely to see on the practice squad.

The Seahawks also needs to field a team to play the Raiders on Thursday, while resting anyone important, so that figures into these cuts as well. Things haven't changed all that much in the past two weeks from my preliminary guess on first cuts:

QB Erik Meyer, RB A.J. Harris, WR Robert Ortiz, TE Ben Joppru, C Austin King, OG Jason Murphy, DT Eric Taylor, CB Dennis Davis, CB Wally Dada, K Kurt Smith, and P Kyle Stringer. And another WR (Chris Jones, Jordan Kent, or Joe Fernandez).

That guess was made when P Kyle Stringer was still on the team, and I had incorrectly assumed TE Ben Joppru would miss the rest of the preseason with his “serious” injuries. Other than that, there aren’t a lot of changes.
=> Read more!:

QB Erik Meyer, WR Robert Ortiz, C Austin King, OG Jason Murphy, DT Eric Taylor, CB Dennis Davis, CB Wally Dada, K Kurt Smith all still make my list. As does either WR Jordan Kent or WR Joe Fernandez, or maybe even both. I’ll add TE Andy Stokes, who essentially replaces P Kyle Stringer on the list. That gives me 10-11 players. The other players in danger would be S Patrick Ghee, LB Marcus Rucker, LB Cameron Jensen, and RB A.J. Harris (also on my preliminary list). DT Marcus Green had an undisclosed injury last week, and was then passed over in terms of playing time by DT Eric Taylor, so he might be on the chopping block as well.

I assume they will keep at least one of the two linebackers (Rucker and Jensen) just to have bodies to play on Thursday. It is hard to say which one. Jensen has been ahead on the depth chart all camp, but Rucker played on Saturday. Maybe that was his one chance, but he seemed to play alright and was part of that goal line stand. He might have won the opportunity to play against Oakland, or maybe even a spot on the practice squad.

On the other hand, although I am sure Mike Holmgren didn’t have anyone specific in mind, he could have easily been talking about Rucker when he said, “We’ll have some tough decisions to make now starting this evening, because we have to release some fellows, and then we have to release some more next week. If that was their last play in a Seattle uniform, they can feel pretty good about it, because it was a good goal line stand.”

An idea that occurred to me just recently is that the team may elect to keep A.J. Harris on the practice squad. I don't really have an impression on him one way or another, but I still think the Seahawks are going to go with:

Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, and Josh Parry

Marquis Weeks is not practice squad eligible, and they would probably like to have a third true HB on the practice squad. The only guy that could be is A.J. Harris. If the team does cut Harris on Tuesday, then it might be a signal that they have decided to go with Marquis Weeks over Josh Parry. Or it could just mean they don't think Harris is even good enough for the practice squad.

If that is the case and the Seahawks not keep Weeks on the active roster, then Leonard Weaver would be the only other option at HB if Shaun Alexander and Maurice Morris were both injured. Weeks might also be available as a street free agent. He was on the active roster for just enough games last year that no other team can sign him to their practice squad either.

If I had to make a list of the guys most certain to be cut, it would be these nine:
QB Erik Meyer
WR Joe Fernandez
WR Robert Ortiz
TE Andy Stokes
C Austin King
OG Jason Murphy
CB Dennis Davis
CB Wally Dada
K Kurt Smith

The other three should come from:
RB A.J. Harris
RB Marquis Weeks
WR Jordan Kent
LB Marcus Rucker
LB Cameron Jensen
DE Brandon Green
DT Eric Taylor
DT Marcus Green
S Patrick Ghee

And I think it is quite likely that two of them will be a LB and a DT, assuming no surprises. I only list Marcus Green because of his apparent injury problems (which is the same reason why Eric Taylor doesn't show up with the first nine). And Weeks or Brandon Green could be released to give them time to catch on with another team.

Patrick Ghee seems like an alright player, but I think the team has enough safeties to play on Thursday without him. If they keep a safety on the practice squad, then it would probably be C.J. Wallace. Jordan Kent is on this list because he just isn't very good.

Note: QB Travis Lulay and DT Lynn McGruder could technically be included because they are on the exempt/NFLEL injured list. Neither have been in camp. I assume the team will cut both of those players as well. If they are still injured, then they will need to reach an injury settlement if that haven't done so already. Either way, these players will not count toward the 75 roster spots allowed.

Vikings vs. Seahawks redux

2007-08-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Matt Hasselbeck and the rest of the first team offense played well, especially Marcus Pollard. Shaun Alexander ran hard a few times and looks ready to go. The offensive line did a good job of keeping pressure off of Hasselbeck. Seneca Wallace also bounced back with a nice game, including a strike to emerging talent Ben Obomanu.

Baraka Atkins is where the team hoped he would be at this point in time when they drafted him. It didn’t look like he was progressing that fast during the first half of camp, but he kicked it up a notch and looks solid now.

Pete Hunter outplayed DeJuan Groce, if that is even relevant. Groce had the ball thrown at him quite a bit, and was getting beat. He would have looked bad if Brooks Bollinger could throw an accurate pass. Kevin Hobbs had his ups and downs, but he looks as good as or better than Groce and Hunter. He just isn’t as consistent.

If the team needs a 5th CB for a few games to start the season, then it would probably be Hunter, but Hobbs looks like a guy that would be more valuable in the long run. As long Kelly Jennings and Jordan Babineaux are good to go at the start of the season, then expect the team to go with 4 CBs and stash Hobbs on the practice squad.

(This is a follow-up to What to Watch For: Vikings vs. Seahawks)
1) Linebackers
Sorry, Mike Holmgren. I don’t believe you. Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Niko Koutouvides, Lance Laury, and Will Herring are all going to make the Seahawks active roster. I count seven. Herring missed a tackle, but had that interception in the endzone. He is too good to let go. Laury isn’t a starter-caliber LB, but he is a decent reserve and a good special teams player. The same goes for Koutouvides. And you really need 7 LBs on an NFL roster anyway. The only way a team would go with 6 LBs is if they didn’t have 7 guys talented enough to play in the NFL, and that isn’t the case in Seattle.

2) Darryl Tapp vs. Bryce Fisher
Darryl Tapp wasn’t nearly as effective going against Minnesota’s first-stringers as he has been against the backups on other teams. On the other hand, Bryce Fisher didn’t appear to benefit from playing against the second team guys, the way Tapp did in Green Bay and San Diego. This is a situation to watch, but Tapp and Fisher are both going to play a lot this year.

Tapp will get more snaps because he is a better situational pass-rusher, and whether or not he starts ahead of Fisher depends on his ability to play the run. The Seahawks are in good shape this year with the combination of the two opposite Patrick Kerney. The real question is if Tapp is going to take a big enough step forward to be a full-time starter in 2008 when Fisher might not be around, or be as good. Fisher’s contract runs through 2008, and he is scheduled to make $2.6 million next year.

3) Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson
Kelly Jennings played well while he was in there. It was Marcus Trufant getting all of the balls thrown in his direction. That is how Bobby Wade managed 5 catches for 85 yards. It isn’t time to hit the panic button, but Trufant needs to do more than just play tight coverage on completed passes. He also let the receiver get behind him to the outside on at least one play. That happened to Trufant too often last year, and it had nothing to do with the safeties. The one concern about Jennings is that he bruised his leg in this game. The MRI came back negative, so it sounds like he will still be ready to play against Tampa Bay.

Josh Wilson looked good returning kickoffs again. He didn’t fumble and didn’t make the cutbacks that Mike Holmgren said would eventually lead to fumbles. The starting kickoff return job still belongs to Nate Burleson, but Wilson looks like a great second option if Burleson is injured or injuries deplete the rest of the receiving corps. Wilson looks ready to be the nickel corner, and he should be able to step in and do an adequate job as a starter if Jennings can’t go.

4) Tight Ends
Bennie Joppru sealed his spot on the roster. Joppru came in the game almost immediately when the team when with a two-tight end set in the redzone during the second possession. He also played on basically all of the special teams units, and is the Seahawks emergency option at long snapper. Joe Newton continued to do nothing. Newton might have a spot on the practice squad if the team has given up on Leonard Stephens because of his injury, but even that doesn't seem too likely.

5) Wide Receiver Battles
Nate Burleson is really pushing D.J. Hackett to start at split end. Both players have had great camps, but Hackett started out as the starter, so he will probably retain that role for the time being. Burleson has been laying down some great blocks, which could swing things in his favor. His role as a return man doesn’t preclude him from starting, but it might influence a very close race. Burleson and Hackett will probably both start some games, and will be on the field at the same time in many of the 3-wide and 4-wide sets the Seahawks will frequently employ this year.

Courtney Taylor did not play, which means he doesn’t really have a chance to grab a roster spot. He still figures to be in the mix for a spot on the practice squad. That battle appears to be down to Taylor, Chris Jones, and Logan Payne. Surprisingly, Chris Jones was the 5th/6th receiver off the bench against the Vikings (he came in with Ben Obomanu). Jones has had a few nice practices after moving his way up the depth chart.

If the Seahawks keep only one receiver on the practice squad, then it would probably be Taylor, assuming he plays against the Raiders and looks like he is back to normal. It is hard to get a read on whether they would go with Jones or Payne as the second practice squad receiver, if there is one. Payne has been more consistent throughout camp, while Jones has really shined at times, but also disappeared at others. Jones first tried out with the team last November and was signed in January. His extra time with the team might give him an advantage.

6) Offensive Line
Floyd Womack did a good job at left tackle in the second half. It was enough to solidify his spot on the roster, assuming he doesn’t get hurt before the final cuts. If the team keeps another offensive lineman, then it would have to be as a 10th guy, and it would be C Pat Ross. However, he appears to be headed back to the practice squad for another season.

7) Running Backs
I don't think Leonard Weaver had such a bad game. You never want to get called for holding, but it was on a running play, which hasn’t been a problem for him. He actually dominated the guy he was blocking, but made the mistake of turning and pushing him down to the ground. It wasn't a true "hold" because he was getting beat in pass protection, which would have been more of a concern.

The fumble is inexcusable, but aren’t they all? He appeared to be pushing to make something happen after the illegal shift a few plays earlier. Marquis Weeks is notorious for lining up in the wrong place during the preseason and fumbling a lot, so it isn’t like Weaver is going to lose his spot to him on those grounds.

And a few nice runs by Marquis Weeks with less than three minutes to go against nobodies isn’t going to change my opinion of the running back situation. The team could always count on Weeks as the 3rd RB off the practice squad in the past, so maybe that changes because he is no longer eligible and he gets elevated to the active roster. But then again, they might just keep A.J. Harris in that role in case of injuries. He looks like an alright practice squad running back.

The Seahawks know what they have in Josh Parry, so that could be why he isn't getting that much playing time at fullback, especially when they need to spend some time vetting Leonard Weaver. Parry still plays a lot on all of the coverage and return units.

My best guess at this point in time is still that Weaver and Parry make the team, and I think they will probably stick A.J. Harris on the practice squad. I could even see them cutting Weeks on Tuesday so he has a chance to catch on with another team.

What to Watch For: Vikings vs. Seahawks

2007-08-25T11:49:00.001-07:00

Current versions of the easy-to-print Seahawks Numerical Roster and the full Seahawks 34-Category Roster are available, and include the latest roster moves and current injuries.

1) Linebackers
I’ll start off by saying I think the Seahawks will still keep 7 LBs, despite the sound byte from Mike Holmgren this week saying he envisions keeping six. That being said, it is at least worth watching. It will be Lance Laury (50), Will Herring (54), or Niko Koutouvides (53) that gets left off the roster if the Seahawks go with only 6 LBs. That few linebackers makes no sense though, especially with Julian Peterson nursing a sore knee, the injury problems that plague Leroy Hill, and the exceptional play of the three guys potentially on the chopping block.

2) Darryl Tapp vs. Bryce Fisher
I’ve been saying Darryl Tapp (55) would win the starting job from Bryce Fisher (94) by the end of September for months now. It looks like it might be by the end of August. It isn’t that important because no matter what happens, Tapp and Fisher (and the entire defensive line) were going to rotate quite a bit. And the Seahawks like to go with 3 DEs and move Fisher inside on third downs, so Tapp was also always going to be in there in third-down pass-rush situations. It just helps that it is also his forte.

The most interesting thing is that Darryl Tapp appears to be on his way to being a starting caliber DE, if he hasn’t already arrived. That is very important for the future with Patrick Kerney and Bryce Fisher already on the wrong side of 30. It would also be a relief to Seahawks fans to finally have some home grown talent at that trouble spot, which just so happens to be one of the five most important positions in football. When was the last time the Seahawks drafted a DE worth a stitch? I’ll save you some time: 1991, Michael Sinclair.

3) Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson
Kelly Jennings (21) has looked like a starting CB so far, but he should get an entire half to tune up and get ready for the regular season. The bigger concern is Josh Wilson (26). Now is the time he needs to prove he is ready to be the nickel corner, especially with Jordan Babineaux still not practicing. No more, "he has until the end of camp to develop." Camp is over.

4) Tight Ends
Joe Newton (46) has yet to show anything when playing at full speed. Leonard Stephens is going to miss this game with his lingering sprained ankle, which gives Bennie Joppru (47) a chance to secure a spot on the roster. Joppru just needs to avoid bad drops and fumbles (something he didn’t do against Green Bay), and stay healthy. It would take an injury or really poor effort from Joppru combined with Newton stepping up and showing something he hasn’t to this point for things to change at tight end. Will Heller (85) is back from his ankle injury, but expect his time to be limited.

5) Wide Receiver Battles
Nate Burleson (81) and D.J. Hackett (18) are in a battle for the starting split end spot. The smart money is on Hackett, even though Burleson has been playing well. The Seahawks will run a lot of 3-wide and 4-wide sets this year, so the real impact could be to the playing time of Bobby Engram (84), and that is a good thing. Engram is a great safety valve, but he isn’t going to be around forever. A progressive phasing out in favor of the younger receivers is ideal for the future.

The other battle is for the practice squad. Courtney Taylor (86) may play, and if he does, then he could really mix things up. Taylor has a chance to make the active roster if he can play well in two preseason games. However, keeping a 6th receiver at the cost of a linebacker or one of the defensive tackles doesn’t make much sense. Taylor should at least have a spot on the practice squad though.

That means that there might not even be a spot on the practice squad for another receiver. If there is one, then it comes down to Logan Payne (19), Joe Fernandez (17), Chris Jones (16), and Jordan Kent (82). Right now, Logan Payne is the only player that has shown enough to warrant consideration.

6) Offensive Line
It is put up or shut up time for Floyd Womack (77). He is either healthy or not. If he isn’t healthy, then he has to go. If he is, then he needs to be better right now than the other linemen fighting for a roster spot, or he has to go. Mike Holmgren can influence what Tim Ruskell does, and he better not waste his lobbying capital on Womack and forsake Craig Terrill. Womack needs to earn his roster spot, and we will see if he is up to it tonight.

With Ray Willis (74) starting at RT, it looks like C Pat Ross (60) would be Womack's biggest contender for the final offensive line spot. Womack’s return appears to be robbing Jonathan Alston (73) of the chance to show he can play LT as good or better than anyone else on the roster after Jones and Locklear.

7) Running Backs
There has been some reactionary fervor over the certainty at running back after some poor performances in Green Bay, but things are the same as they have been all camp. Obviously, Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, and Mack Strong have spots on the roster. And so does Leonard Weaver (43). It is really a question of if his poor pass blocking will limit the expansive role the team had envisioned for him. The concerns over Weaver’s blocking and some miscues by Marquis Weeks only solidified Josh Parry (49) as the final back on the roster.

2 QB or Not 2 QB

2007-08-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

I made a reference in the last post that the team could do something unorthodox, like keeping 2 QBs or 2 TEs to make room for Courtney Taylor. There has been a trend for a few NFL teams each year to go with only two quarterbacks on the active roster. A full 15% of NFL teams went with two quarterbacks in 2003: Buffalo, Denver, Indianapolis, San Diego, and Washington. Two more teams (Atlanta and Miami) waited out at least the first quarter of the season with only two healthy quarterbacks. Since then, I am aware of at least Dallas and Baltimore also going with only two quarterbacks during certain years. It isn't all that common, but it happens every year.

The Seahawks could do that this year, but they would need someone that could take snaps in an emergency. Safety Brian Russell played some QB in college, so he could do it in a pinch to close out a game if Matt Hasselbeck and Seneca Wallace were both knocked out in a single game.

That is what a team needs if they do go with 2 QBs. Dallas had WR Patrick Crayton as the emergency QB when they only went with 2 QBs in the past. I don't see Tim Ruskell as a 2-QB guy. However, I do think that would be more likely than the team keeping Derek Devine on the active roster.

I think the real danger David Greene is in isn't getting "beat out" for the final spot by Derek Devine, but rather "losing out" and proving he, like Devine, is also not worthy of a roster spot. If the Seahawks thinks Greene is on that level, then it would probably make the most sense to only go with 2 QBs, keep Devine on the practice squad, have Russell be the emergency 3rd QB, and free up a roster spot. I don't think that will happen, but it makes some sense depending on how Ruskell feels about Greene.

In 2003, the Redskins only went with two quarterbacks, and Vinny Cerrato, Vice President of Football Operations, said (as quoted by Len Pasquarelli):

Around the league, the typical No. 3 quarterback is a younger guy you are developing for down the road, and you hope you don't have to use him. Hey, you can get that younger guy the same number of snaps on the practice squad as you can on the (active) roster...if you've got a third quarterback on your practice squad, someone who was with you in camp, he's probably going to be of more immediate help anyway than some guy you just sign off the street. As long as you're backstopped by having a third guy on your practice squad, I don't see the danger of going with only two on the active roster.

So, there is a point of view where it makes sense to only keep 2 QBs. I am not sure I can really see Tim Ruskell adopting that point of view though. If he is going to do something out of the ordinary, then I find it more believable that he would opt for 2 TEs, and then try to stash 2 of the 3 guys fighting for that last spot on the practice squad. As noted before, I believe Bennie Joppru and Leonard Stephens are both (barely) still eligible.

Or the team could decided that Floyd Womack isn't worth a roster spot, but the offensive linemen that would take his place could safely be stashed on the practice squad. The Seahawks could potentially keep C Pat Ross and OT Jonathan Alston on the practice squad, and feel like they had their bases covered with respect to the offensive line.

What about Courtney Taylor?

2007-08-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

It looks like Courtney Taylor is going to play on Saturday, and that changes my perspective quite a bit. Taylor was the only receiver I ever saw as having a real chance to push the team to keep 6 receivers. If he can play in two preseason games, then he might be able to challenge for a roster spot even after missing all that time with injury.

If he doesn't play on Saturday, then he only has a couple of days of practice next week and the Raiders game to show his stuff. I stand by my previous statement that he looked as good as Ben Obomanu before he suffered that knee injury. If Taylor does end up winning a roster spot, then at whose expense does it come?

Do we believe Mike Holmgren when says he envisions keeping only six linebackers? If that is truly the case, then he must be envisioning keeping an "extra" guy at another position, and the most likely candidate appears to be Courtney Taylor as the sixth wide receiver.

However, it doesn't seem like getting rid of one of the linebackers makes sense to open up that spot. The more logical choice would be to go with only 5 DTs. I would like to see Courtney Taylor make the team, but I just don't see where that spot comes from. It seems like it would be from either Craig Terrill or Will Herring, and I don't find that too appealing.

Maybe the Seahawks end up doing something abnormal, like only going with 2 QBs or 2 TEs. Or they get rid of Floyd Womack, but keep Pat Ross and Jonathan Alston on the practice squad to make up for it. As bad as it sounds, an injury could also open up a roster spot.

Tying up Loose Ends

2007-08-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Despite some poor play, the Seahawks roster still appears to be headed in basically the same direction. The biggest change in the probably with the tight ends. I had penciled Leonard Stephens in for a roster spot when it looked like Bennie Joppru was going to be out for a long time. And Stephens was completely healthy. However, Joppru missed less than two weeks with his leg injuries, while Stephens and Will Heller remained sidelined for over two weeks with sprained ankles.

That not only opened the door for Joppru, but also gave Joe Newton a chance to get many more reps than he had been earning. Three tight ends presumably ahead of him were all out for an entire week at one point. Even so, Joe Newton still looks more like a practice squad candidate at this point.

The battle for the final tight end spot likely comes down to Joppru vs. Stephens. It looked that way back on August 4th during the Seahawks Scrimmage, until Joppru was forced out of the game and finished the day on crutches. Stephens started to solidify a lead in that race until he was slowed by an injury of his own on August 10th that has kept him out for going on two weeks. And Joppru's speedy recovery has given him a chance to catch Stephens and even move ahead of him. Injuries have definitely greatly influenced what is going on at tight end.

The most appealing scenario now appears to be keeping Joppru (a former 2nd round pick) on the active roster, and stashing Leonard Stephens on the practice squad if possible. If I am interpreting the new CBA correctly, Stephens is eligible for one more practice squad season. He was eligible for the practice squad last year, when means he meets the basic requirements to be practice squad eligible.

You are only allowed to be on a practice squad for two years, and he was previously on the practice squad in Detroit for a year as well. However, the new CBA includes the following clause: "An otherwise eligible player may be a practice squad player for a third season only if the Club by which he is employed that season has at least 53 players on its Active/Inactive List during the entire period of his employment."

Bennie Joppru also appears to be practice squad eligible. Although Joppru has several accrued seasons in the NFL, he has never been on the active list for more than five games in any of those seasons. The new CBA also allows for "free agent players who were on the Active List for fewer than nine regular season games during their only Accrued Season(s)" to be practice squad players. And Joppru didn't accrue a season with the Seahawks last year because he was only on the active roster for five regular season games. It takes six to earn an accrued season.

So, it appears that both Stephens and Joppru would be eligible for the practice squad, even if they are walking a fine line on along the eligibility requirements. A healthy Joppru would likely garner more interest from other teams because he is a former 2nd round draft pick that has just had terrible luck with injuries, while Stephens has always been a fringe player splitting time between practice squads and NFL Europe.

Injuries are going to continue to influence this situation, but Joppru appears to be headed for the active roster as long as he can stay healthy over the next eight days. Leonard Stephens is still out and won't play against the Vikings. That leaves him five days starting Monday to prove his case, assuming he is back at practice on the 27th. The team also has to get ready for the game against the Raiders on Thursday and training camp is over, so Stephens is looking at a max of three practices and the most meaningless preseason game as his only opportunities.

David Greene and Floyd Womack are still on shaky ground, especially after the Green Bay game, but it would still take quite a bit for anyone to take away their roster spots. Pat Ross probably has the best chance of grabbing a spot from Womack, but that wouldn't make any sense if he could be safely stashed on the practice squad.

Offense (25)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, Josh Parry
WR (5) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Bennie Joppru
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (25)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins
DT (6) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Marcus Tubbs, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
ILB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Michael Boulware, Mike Green
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

Practice Squad:
WR Courtney Taylor, WR Logan Payne, TE Leonard Stephens, C Pat Ross, OT Jonathan Alston, CB Kevin Hobbs, LB Cameron Jensen, S C.J. Wallace, DE Nu'u Tafisi

The practice squad list includes 9 players, one more than the 8 allowed, but these look like the guys most likely to wind up with this unit. Remember, one or more of them could potentially be signed by another team. You could also have a scenario where Courtney Taylor (or one of the others) makes the active roster in the place of someone that isn't practice squad eligible. Or you could have Taylor taking a spot away from Will Herring. Then it would be tough to know if Herring would clear waivers of not.

Seneca Wallace and the Future of QBs in Seattle

2007-08-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

The real Seneca Wallace contract numbers are finally available. It looks like the initial reports got a few things correct. The deal is an extension for 3 more years with $5.4 million in new money. It would normally be reported as a 4-year, $6.2 million deal, and Adam Shefter didn't get the signing bonus right, but he was right about the $400,000 roster bonus next March.

Contract Details
$1.6 million signing bonus
2007: $595,000
2008: $605,000 (+ $400,000 roster bonus due 3/15)
2009: $1.5 million
2010: $1.5 million

Salary Cap Numbers
2007: $995,000
2008: $1.405 million
2009: $1.9 million
2010: $1.9 million

Actual compensation if cut following each year
2007: An extra $1.4 million for nothing
2008: $2.4 million for one more year
2009: $3.9 million for two more years ($1.95 million per year)
2010: $5.4 million for three more years ($1.8 million per year)

Those numbers basically cement Seneca Wallace at the #2 QB in Seattle as long as he stays on the roster. The most important thing to look at is his actual compensation. You don't pay a guy $2 million a year to be a #3 QB. It also leaves the team with relatively little money to spend on another QB, and Matt Hasselbeck will probably get a new deal following the 2009 season.

If he is still performing at a high level, then I doubt Hasselbeck will want to play out the final year of his contract for $5.75 million, especially with the money Trent Green is getting this year. Hasselbeck will only be 33 in 2009. Trent Green is 37.

The door is still open to bring in another veteran quarterback because the Seahawks can now move Seneca Wallace to another position without worrying that it might discourage him from re-signing with team. Depending on how things shake out with the receivers, Wallace could become primarily a receiver, but also the third string quarterback.

That scenario would require several conditions to be met. First, the team would need to bring in someone capable of being a legitimate #2 QB. David Greene's upper limit appears to be as a #2b option, which would only free up Wallace to play a handful of plays at receiver or return a few punts. With a legitimate #2 that the Seahawks felt comfortable starting if they had to, then Wallace could move to receiver full-time.

That only makes sense on a roster that really needs another receiver. That could very well be the case if Bobby Engram retires and D.J. Hackett isn't re-signed. But Deion Branch and Nate Burleson are both young and locked up. Ben Obomanu is an emerging talent. I wouldn't count out Courtney Taylor as a contributor in 2008 either. And Engram might have another season after this one, even if it is as the #5 receiver.

So, all of that (and my crystal ball) tells me that the Seahawks will most likely go after another 3rd or 4th round QB in the draft. Maybe in 2008, but maybe not until 2009. It could be one more year of David Greene, especially if Hackett re-signs, Engram doesn't retire, or Courtney Taylor looks like Ben Obomanu, the sequel. Greene playing like he did last preseason instead of like he did against Green Bay wouldn't hurt either.

That leaves Seneca Wallace as the #2 QB behind Matt Hasselbeck until the team can draft a QB and develop that guy into a legitimate #2. Then Wallace could move to be a full-time receiver, while also holding down the #3 QB spot. If you assume Hasselbeck and Wallace stay with the Seahawks after 2010, then that could be a good situation for the next five or six years.

Fast forward to 2013. Once Hasselbeck retires, the young QB becomes the starter, and Wallace could always move back to the #2 QB spot, and would be an experienced veteran at that point. He would also be 33 years old and could extend his career several years as a backup QB.

If everything plays out like that, then I should start a psychic hotline. The specifics of what actually happens aren't that important, but those musings are illustrative of the options the Seahawks have on the table. The next QB to stick in Seattle will most likely be a 3rd or 4th rounder taken in 2008 or 2009. It doesn't make much sense to use a higher pick if the team feels Hasselbeck will be around for at least another 3 years, and too many things need to happen for it to make sense to bring in another #2 and move Wallace to receiver, at least until after 2008.

Defensive Line Rotation

2007-08-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

Clare Farnsworth at the Seattle PI reported some detailed and interesting information on the defensive line rotation in practice today that is exactly in line with what I discussed following the Seahawks-Packers game.

No. 1 line – Patrick Kerney, Rocky Bernard, Darby/Tubbs and Tapp.
No. 2 line – Atkins, Craig Terrill, Mebane and Fisher.
No. 3 line – Nu'u Tafisi, Eric Taylor, Russell Davis and Brandon Green.

Darryl Tapp worked with the first team ahead of Bryce Fisher. It looks like I might have been 10 days ahead of myself when I said I expected that to happen in September. I really meant by the end of September, and in a real game (not just in practice or the preseason). Even it if was just practice, it is a clear indication that we should expect to see Darryl Tapp starting at some point this season, and getting more snaps this year than Bryce Fisher. That is hardly news to anyone that has been reading this blog (or watching the team for that matter).

It also appears that Baraka Atkins has done enough to warrant moving ahead of Brandon Green on the depth chart. That is bad news for Brandon Green, and it doesn't look like he will make the team (although that shouldn't come as a surprise either). His only shot now is probably an injury, as Craig Terrill is back on the field and playing pretty well. Green is ostensibly 11th on the depth chart of defensive linemen, and the team isn't going to keep more than 10.

Brandon Mebane also made his way up the depth chart to get action with the second team defensive tackles. He was in there with Craig Terrill, and Russell Davis moved back to work with the third team. That isn't so significant, except that Mebane is getting his due.

And that was with Marcus Tubbs rotating in for Chuck Darby with the first team. The rotation at defensive tackle is always going to be confusing. The Seahawks have three starter caliber players in Tubbs, Darby, and Rocky Bernard. And then it appears that Terrill, Mebane, and Davis are all second string caliber guys at this point. The problem is that gives you six guys for four spots.

The rotation during the season isn't that cut-and-dried. Terrill will likely come in mainly on third down, and Davis is a first and second down guy. Tubbs is also a first and second down player, and he will have his snaps limited, at least initially. The combination of Darby and Bernard isn't very tough against the run, so depending on the opponent, Mebane or Davis would work with the first team when Tubbs isn't healthy. And Brandon Mebane is proving so versatile that he can be counted on to be effective against the pass and the run.

DT Marcus Green sat out practice with an undisclosed injury. He was working ahead of even Brandon Mebane in the Chargers game. That changed against the Packers and he had dropped behind even Eric Taylor, at least in terms of playing time in that one game. When healthy, Marcus Green is probably the 12th best defensive linemen (7th DT) on the Seahawks. He is good enough to play in the NFL, but he has always needed two injuries to defensive tackles to make the roster.

(make that) 3 More Years for Seneca Wallace

2007-08-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

According to Adam Schefter of NFL Network, the Seahawks signed Seneca Wallace to a three-year, $5.4 million contract. However, according to Tim Ruskell, the deal is for four years, which means Shefter was wrong. The 3-year number must have referred to additional years, but we're going to assume the rest of the details were correct. So it amounts to a three-year, $4.6 million extension over the one year and $800,000 left on his contract.

This move still indicates that Seneca Wallace is fairly entrenched as the #2 QB, but it is less certain than if the extension was for only 2 more years. The contract calls for his base salary to jump to $2 million this season. That was essentially a $1.2 million signing bonus, but the Seahawks get to count that toward the 2007 cap, which is a big advantage because they have the room.

That means Wallace is scheduled to earn $3.4 million from 2008 through 2010 combined (not including his $1.2 million de facto signing bonus). Part of that is a $400,000 roster bonus that he will receive in March. The Seahawks could theoretically cut him before then, and would only be out the $1.2 million without any future salary cap penalties. That obviously isn't their plan, but this move is relatively low-risk.

I can't see another QB signing in Seattle with Seneca Wallace on the roster making $1.533 million per year (including his signing bonus) over the next three seasons. The Seahawks gave him the $1.2 million to lock him up for 3 more years. That is low-risk, especially with no salary cap implications, but that isn't money the Seahawks want to throw away.

If they could convince someone else to sign here (or made a trade), then I guess they could move Seneca Wallace to the #3, so maybe the cash was pay off money for him to accept that, or to put him in a position where he is forced to accept that.

Matt Hasselbeck is only making $16.75 million combined in 2008 and 2009, so the total QB budget could have room for another #2 QB salary. It will only be $20.15 million total over the next 3 years between Hasselbeck and Wallace. Although Hasselbeck's signing bonus counts $3.2 million per year in 2008 and 2009.

That still means that both of them combined will only count a total of $26.55 million against the cap from 2008 through 2010. An average cap figure of $8.85 million isn't all that much for both of them when other top QBs are getting $10 million a year. At the same time, it doesn't make any sense to give a quarterback a $1.2 million signing bonus, and a total of $4.6 million in new money, just to be a #3.

The team gets the benefit of counting $1.2 million in 2007 because he signed that extension now instead of as a free agent after his season, but they are really out an extra $1.533 million a year over the next three seasons assuming Wallace is on the roster. That makes him a relatively low paid #2, but it would make him one of the highest paid #3s in the NFL.

Seahawks vs. Packers redux

2007-08-20T20:49:00.001-07:00

Yes, there was more to learn from the Seahawks game in Green Bay than the fact that the tackles struggled in the absence of Walter Jones and Sean Locklear or that Seneca Wallace and David Greene looked like disasters at quarterback.

One thing that jumped out that I wasn’t really looking for was the play of the reserve linebackers. I wasn’t looking for it anymore because they had already proven themselves, but Will Herring, Kevin Bentley, and Lance Laury all continued to play well. It was also nice to see Niko Koutouvides in there and healthy. Maurice Morris was one of the few bright spots on offense, and Ben Obomanu continued to show why his spot on the roster isn’t in question.

(This is a follow-up to What to Watch For: Seahawks vs. Packers)
1) Josh Wilson and DeJuan Groce
Josh Wilson didn’t appear to be giving up as many plays as he did against San Diego. Wilson also atoned for his fumble last week by making quite a few solid plays in the return game, even if you exclude the returns brought back because of penalties. Nate Burleson will still return the kicks when the regular season begins, but Wilson will give them another option if Burleson gets injured or a rash of injuries hit the rest of the receiving corps and Burleson becomes too valuable to use in the return game.

DeJuan Groce didn’t appear until near the end of the third quarter, and he allowed Paul Thompson to complete three passes to David Clowney in his limited time in the game. It is going to take a lot more than that to warrant consideration as a 5th CB. Groce has only been with the team a short time, but he only has a short time to prove he is worth consideration for a roster spot.

2) The Offensive Line
Tackles Tom Ashworth, Ray Willis, Floyd Womack, and Kyle Williams all struggled. Seneca Wallace and David Greene faced constant pressure from both sides. If we learned one thing, it is that the Seahawks do not have a third option at left tackle. Jonathan Alston didn’t get much of a chance to play in this game, but he has looked better than Tom Ashworth and Floyd Womack did.

The line also struggled with a bunch of guys at new positions, in addition to Ashworth and Womack. Ray Willis started at RT and then moved to RG later in the game. Mansfield Wrotto played at RG, but he has been working almost exclusively at LG to this point. The reverse is true of Steve Vallos, who linep up at LG with the second team, but he has been playing RG with the third team.

The line rotation was basically directly connected to the quarterback:
1) Tom Ashworth-Rob Sims-Chris Spencer-Chris Gray-Ray Willis with Seneca Wallace
2) Floyd Womack-Steve Vallos-Pat Ross-Ray Willis-Kyle Williams with David Greene
(Mansfield Wrotto came in for Ray Willis at RG with just under 3 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter)
3) Jonathan Alston-Steve Vallos-Austin King-Mansfield Wrotto-Kyle Williams with Derek Devine

3) Defensive Tackles
Rocky Bernard and Chuck Darby started the game, but only played very briefly. Russell Davis and Craig Terrill came in almost immediately and played well into the third quarter. And then Brandon Mebane finally got some action on the defensive line, along with Eric Taylor, Nu’u Tafisi and Baraka Atkins. He played well, but that still puts him as the 5th DT on the depth chart, not including Marcus Tubbs. Marcus Green hardly played at all.

4) Baraka Atkins vs. Brandon Green
Brandon Green continues to play ahead of Baraka Atkins. Patrick Kerney and Bryce Fisher started, and then it was Darryl Tapp and Julian Peterson. Peterson only played briefly before giving way to Brandon Green. Baraka Atkins didn't come in until much later, but he did continue to show signs of improvement, and Green didn’t stand out, so he appears to be closing that gap. He is just still behind at this point.

The Seahawks appear to have at least 12 defensive linemen that are probably good enough to make an NFL roster, but they may keep as few as 9, and almost certainly no more than 10. That could be really unfortunate for Brandon Green and Marcus Green, who appear likely to be on the outside looking in. At least Marcus Green or even Nu’u Tafisi could land on the practice squad.

5) David Greene
David Greene was a disaster. We shouldn’t judge him too harshly on one preseason game, especially one where Seneca Wallace didn’t look any better. You could also argue that Greene turned in a better performance that Wallace’s 2 of 5, two turnover performance in the first half against San Diego. That being said, David Greene stunk it up. We have relatively little to judge him on, so one really bad game makes up a considerable portion of his resume.

The Seahawks committed to Greene as the #3 QB when they went to camp with Erik Meyer and Derek Devine as the only other options. If Greene looks bad in practice, then Devine looks atrocious. While we haven’t seen Seneca Wallace play badly enough to be in full panic mode, the poor play behind him should have us even more concerned about him. He needs to show he is going to be better than he was last year, not worse.

6) Joe Newton
Joe Newton is a complete non-factor on this team. Bennie Joppru might be currying some favor by being the only decent option after Marcus Pollard that is currently on the practice field, but he had at least one drop and a fumble. Leonard Stephens will likely be the #3 TE, but he does need to get back on the field sooner, rather than later.

7) Wide Receivers and the practice squad battle
Nate Burleson got to show a little flash of what he has been showing off in practice, and he gave an excellent sideline interview. How can you not like the guy?

Does anyone still think the Seahawks should be worried that Jordan Kent will be signed by another team? It will probably take at least one reception (one more than he currently has) to garner any interest from other teams, or to have a chance at the practice squad with Seattle. Logan Payne looked pretty decent again, and he has to be considered the front runner among the guys not getting consideration for an active roster spot. Fernandez didn’t help his cause by letting an on-target David Greene pass carom off his chest for an interception.

8) Leonard Weaver
Leonard Weaver did a solid job run blocking, but he was a disaster in pass protection. He still has a way to go in that department, which severely limits his appeal as a third down back. It didn’t help that the Packers were blitzing and the offensive line wasn’t even blocking their own guys, but he had a poor showing nonetheless. So did Marquis Weeks, with a penalty on special teams and a missed block that resulted in a sack and fumble. The combination of all of those things make Josh Parry’s case for a roster spot even stronger.

David Greene vs. Seneca Wallace

2007-08-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Seneca Wallace is clearly a better QB than David Greene at this point in time. Wallace also has a two-year head start in the league and with the Seahawks in this offense. Not to mention that Wallace gets many more reps in practice and playing time in the preseason, and finally got some real game experience last year. If the complaint is that David Greene isn't coming along fast enough, then Seneca Wallace should be ahead of where Greene will be in two years (assuming he gets as much practice time as Wallace has had in the past two years) to avoid the same ire. That is just something to think about if you are attacking David Greene.

The who's developing faster argument is immaterial to the Seahawks this season, and the priority has to be the development of Seneca Wallace. If Wallace needs more time to get right for this season, then by all means give it to him, even if it is at the cost of opportunities for David Greene. There is a decent chance we won't see Wallace this season, but there is almost no chance we will see Greene.

Wallace still looks a lot better than Greene, but that isn't saying too much when Greene looks so bad. No matter what the circumstances, Seneca Wallace needs to play better than he has in the last two games. How well he is prepared to play matters a lot more than how ready Greene is. And how bad David Greene would be if Matt Hasselbeck and Wallace get hurt doesn't matter if the Seahawks can't count on Seneca Wallace to get it done if Hasselbeck gets hurt.

I graded each pass play against Green Bay in terms of if there was significant pressure on the quarterback, and the play of the quarterback. The following point system was used to assign a value to each play:
+2 = completion with significant pressure
+1 = completion without pressure
+1 = dropped pass with pressure
+0 = incompletion or sack without turnover with pressure
+0 = dropped pass without pressure
-1 = incompletion without pressure
-2 = fumble, interception, dropped interception with pressure
-3 = fumble, interception, dropped interception without pressure

Seneca Wallace saw significant pressure on 7 of 21 (33%) plays, while Greene saw pressure on 6 of 19 plays (32%). Using the system above, Seneca Wallace scored a total of -6. David Greene scored a total of -5. We could argue the finer points of that scoring system, but the two quarterbacks were basically equally terrible. I played around with the values a little bit, and the two never differ by more than a point or two from each other. Greene was actually significantly better with pressure (+6 vs. -2), while Wallace was better without pressure (-11 vs. -4).

Seneca Wallace and David Greene both looked terrible, but Greene did just get his first half of football in a year and he had a backfield of A.J. Harris and David Kirtman in there with him, and an offensive line of:
Floyd Womack-Steve Vallos-Pat Ross-Ray Willis-Kyle Williams.

Vallos has been playing RG (barely), but moved to LG for the first time this game, and Womack was a disaster at LT in his first action back. Greene struggled a lot, but he wasn't any worse than Seneca Wallace was in his first half this preseason against the Chargers (with better guys around him and less pressure from the defense) or even much, if any, worse against the Packers. The Seneca Wallace interception against San Diego wasn't any prettier than Greene's first pick against Green Bay.

Maybe Greene will bounce back like Wallace did and play as well as he did last preseason if he is given another chance or maybe he won't. And it should be more important to get Seneca Wallace on track, so Greene might not even get any more chances to bounce back.

Seneca Wallace looked bad in San Diego in the first half, he redeemed himself a little in the second, and then he looked bad again against the Packers. I saw David Greene get sacked twice, but he held onto the ball. Wallace needs to do that. It wasn't just a problem against the Packers. Wallace now has 3 lost fumbles in 3 halves of football this preseason. And in his 4 starts last year, he had 5 fumbles and lost 3 of them. He also continues to fire the ball into the offensive line.

Those appear to be things you have to live with if Seneca Wallace is your QB. However, I am not going to ignore how well he played last year when he came in. He wasn't perfect, but he was adequate as a backup QB. I would like to see him be better than that, and I think he can, but right now he looks worse.

I also don't think we can ignore how well David Greene looked last preseason or in the scrimmage. He was a disaster against Green Bay, but he got thrown to the wolves. It would be a lot different if Wallace had been successful and then Greene came in and was a disaster. That wasn't the case. They were both train wrecks.

We shouldn't be making excuses for either of them. Yes, the offensive line played poorly. So what? You still need to hold onto the ball when you get sacked, and you can't force the ball into coverage. The prevailing attitude seems to be "Let's make excuses for Seneca Wallace, but not for David Greene." We shouldn't be making excuses for either of them, and we should care more about how bad Wallace looks because he might actually play.

What to Watch For: Seahawks vs. Packers

2007-08-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

Not a whole lot has changed from what we watched for in the Seahawks-Chargers game, but there are a few differences, and things are starting to get clearer. Updated versions of the easy-to-print Seahawks Numerical Roster and the full Seahawks 34-Category Roster are available, and include the latest roster moves and current injuries.

1) Josh Wilson and DeJuan Groce
The Seahawks are solid with Marcus Trufant and Kelly Jennings as the starters. Josh Wilson (26) didn’t have the best game against the Chargers, and much of the same happens in practice at times. He is still a guy that was taken toward the end of the second round, and is maturing into a nickel corner. That could be problematic if he isn’t ready by the start of the season and Jordan Babineaux is still out. Neither of those seem likely, but if both occur, then DeJuan Groce (35) has a chance to make the squad as the 5th CB, and that would almost certainly come at the expense of a DT. He will likely see his first action with the Seahawks tomorrow.

2) The Offensive Line
The absence of Walter Jones and Sean Locklear forces the hand of the coaching staff to make decisions on where players fit in. Check out the Injury Impact: Green Bay for details on what we might see. As noted previously, Floyd Womack (77) could play. It seems a little coincidental that he was back on the field as soon as it appeared the guys trying to take his spot were going to get a lot of playing time. Those guys are C Pat Ross (60), LT Jonathan Alston (73), and RT Kyle Williams (79).

Steve Vallos (69) could also benefit because the injuries are forcing Ray Willis (74) out of the RG spot he has been manning, but it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Floyd Womack at RG either. Or they could keep Rob Sims (67) at LG with the second unit, which has normally been Mansfield Wrotto (66), and move Wrotto over to RG. We'll just have to wait and see. Austin King (64) and Jason Murphy (63) aren’t worth paying attention to, but they might even get in to finish the game at C and LG.

3) Defensive Tackles
Marcus Tubbs was back at practice this week, but he isn’t ready to play, and isn’t traveling with the team. Craig Terrill (93) is also back, and looking to prove he has a spot on this roster. Terrill was working with the first team on his first day back (partially due to Rocky Bernard resting a sore knee).

That should make the rotation interesting for Brandon Mebane (92) who has been running with the third team, behind Marcus Green (98). I may have been a little harsh on Marcus Green and his chances of making the team. He is a good player, and is good enough to make the team. He is also the 7th DT on the depth chart, and the team might not even keep 6. His best shot is to convince the team they can go with only 5 DTs on the active roster and keep him on the practice squad.

If Bernard doesn’t play very much, then Mebane could move ahead of Marcus Green and work with the second team. Otherwise, he is likely still stuck behind Bernard (99), Chuck Darby (901, Russell Davis (95), and Craig Terrill (93).

4) Baraka Atkins vs. Brandon Green
Baraka Atkins (96) showed signs of life against the Chargers, but Brandon Green (70) is a legitimate threat to his roster spot. Atkins has been generally unimpressive, while Brandon Green has been playing well. But that will have to continue throughout the rest of the preseason and camp to cost the fourth-rounder a roster spot. It isn’t likely, but at some point Atkins needs to show he is a better choice. If not now, then at least that he will be in the future. Brandon Green also has a chance to convince the team that keeping 5 DEs is a better idea than 6 DTs. Baraka Atkins, Craig Terrill, and Brandon Green are likely fighting for the final 1 or 2 spots on the defensive line (with the likelihood of winning a spot in that order).

5) David Greene
Many people were surprised that David Greene didn’t play against the Chargers. Immediately after the game, I said, “I wouldn't be surprised if Holmgren decided it was a better idea to leave David Greene out tonight, and instead of giving him a few series at the end of a few games, he is going to give him an entire half or more in one of the next two games. That gives both Greene and Wallace the opportunity to get in rhythm or play through some kinks. Holmgren will probably say something along those lines if asked.” And it looks like that was spot on.

David Greene played well in the scrimmage and in the preseason last year, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he plays well tomorrow. It also wouldn’t be surprising if he initially struggled, as Seneca Wallace did, but settled down and played well once he got into rhythm. It would be hard for him to look worse than Wallace did in the first half (which he played almost entirely). David will have an opportunity in Greene Bay to silence his doubters (more below).

6) Joe Newton
This is another chance for Joe Newton (46) to show he has what it takes to win a roster spot. The door is wide open for him to make his move, but he still has to walk through it. He made a few nice catches in practice this week, but he really struggles at full speed. He ran the 40 about as fast as C Pat Ross (4.89 vs. 4.96). Newton should get a ton of playing time with Will Heller and Leonard Stephens not making the trip, but it is up to him to do something with it. It wouldn't be surprising to see him get outplayed by Bennie Joppru (47). It also wouldn't be surprising to see Joppru get re-injured.

7) Wide Receivers and the practice squad battle
Nate Burleson (81) and D.J. Hackett (18) have a chance to show the fans what they want to see. Those two continue to look good in practice. Otherwise, we are basically looking at a practice squad battle. Ben Obomanu (87) has made the team. I suppose Courtney Taylor or Logan Payne has a remote chance of making the roster, but that is not likely. Things might be different if Taylor was healthy, but he isn’t.

Logan Payne (19) is probably competing with Joe Fernandez (17), Chris Jones (16), and Jordan Kent (82) for a spot on the practice squad. And you can throw the injured Courtney Taylor into the mix as well, but we obviously won’t see on Saturday. Jordan Kent is probably last in that bunch right now, and really needs to breakout if he wants even a chance at a spot on the practice squad. People that think he is going to make the active roster or get signed by another team are seemingly abandoning all logic, and ignoring everything but his height and 40 time.

Why is everyone so worried that the 210th pick of the draft is going to be signed off the Seahawks practice squad to the active roster of another team? Especially when that means he wasn't in camp at all with that team, and he hasn't looked especially good at Seahawks camp or in the preaseason. His measurables might land him on the practice squad of another team if he isn’t good enough to make the Seahawks taxi squad.

8) Leonard Weaver
Leonard Weaver (43) gets another chance to show us his versatility. Let's try this again, "Expect to see him contribute on short-yardage, in the passing game, and do some nice things in single-back sets, as well as being the heir apparent to Mack Strong at fullback." He should be able to show us some of that with mostly the regulars on offense, as long as Seneca Wallace doesn’t turn the ball over twice again, or throw him some more uncatchable balls.

Opportunity in Greene Bay

2007-08-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

We should get a good look at David Greene during the second half against the Green Bay Packers. As long as Seneca Wallace doesn’t stink it up again in the first half, then David Greene should start the second half and play most of it. Eric Meyer and/or Derek Devine might sneak in there at the very end, especially if Greene is successful.

What should we expect to see from David Greene? Well, despite the prevailing sentiment that he is nothing but a failure, I would expect to see something at least approaching what he has shown the last three times he has been thrown into game scenarios.

In Greene’s two extended appearances in the preseason last year, he went 7 of 11 for 53 yards with no turnovers against the Cowboys, and then 13 of 19 for 144 yards with no turnovers against the Raiders. Completing 20 of 30 (67%) for 197 yards without turning the ball over is pretty impressive for someone that is supposedly such a failure.

Greene was also impressive during the Seahawks Scrimmage against the first team defense. He went 8 of 9 (89%) for 61 yards. His only incompletion came when Maurice Morris stepped in front of him as he threw, and his hand hit Morris’ helmet as he released the ball.

But David Greene doesn’t need to complete 89% of his passes to be successful on Saturday, or even 67%. He just needs to show he can run the offense, move the chains a little bit, and avoid making costly turnovers. He will only have a half to do that, but hopefully he does better than what we saw from Seneca Wallace.

Seneca Wallace finished 17 of 25 for 191 yards with a touchdown and two turnovers, but he didn’t look so impressive in his first half of work (the amount of time David Greene will get). In his first three possessions, Wallace went 0 of 2 with an interception and a fumble. By the end of the first half, he had managed to improve to 2 of 5 for 46 yards, and did not turn the ball over for a third time.

His numbers weren’t much better even if you want to include his first possession of the second half (he didn’t play the first possession of the game). He complete 3 passes for 10 yards, but one of them was a ricochet to Tom Ashworth for -2 yards. Wallace was able to work himself out of it after a rough start to finish with some pretty decent numbers, but Greene will not have that opportunity if he struggles. It would be yet another example of how limited David Greene has been in his opportunities to develop as a quarterback.

Greene might throw an ill-advised pass that gets picked off or make some bad throws if the piecemeal offensive line allows a lot of pressure, but I expect to see him out there leading the team and completing passes. Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne, Joe Fernandez, and Chris Jones should give him some pretty decent options, although he won’t necessarily have a reliable safety valve at tight end.

If Greene attempts 15 passes, then 8 or 9 completions for 90 yards would be a decent outing, especially if he can avoid turning the ball over and/or lead a scoring drive. Asking much more of him in his first half of play since last August with a bunch of backups wouldn't be fair. Although, we shouldn't be afraid to get down on him if he turns in a real stinker of a half like Seneca Wallace did.

And all of the David Greene haters out there shouldn't bother to point out that Seneca Wallace only looked bad against the starters in San Diego. The interception and fumble were entirely Wallace's fault and would have happened no matter who was in on defense. And the same is probably true of the pass batted at the line, and the weak attempt to hit Leonard Weaver in the flat. San Diego was also playing their second and third team defenders pretty early in that game.

Seahawks vs. Chargers redux

2007-08-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

In addition to the key points covered below, a few things stuck out, and they were mostly covered in the Quick Hits. Perhaps the most exciting thing was the show that Darryl Tapp put on. I have been saying this for some time, but expect Darryl Tapp to start at some point this season, sooner rather than later, and to play more snaps than Bryce Fisher this year, no matter how long it takes him to crack the starting line-up.

The other somewhat interesting thing was the DBs further down the depth chart. CB Kevin Hobbs showed up Pete Hunter, who turned in a disaster of a performance. Hobbs played well and looks like he will get a practice squad spot as long as the team only goes with 4 CBs on the active roster.

C.J. Wallace also appears to be ahead of Patrick Ghee on the depth chart at safety. Ghee was coming off an injury, so it remains to be seen if Wallace only climbed over him temporarily. It might be a case where the injury opened a door, and Wallace walked right through it. The interception was fairly meaningless, but it definitely didn't hurt his chances for a practice squad spot.

What We Saw: Seahawks vs. Chargers
(This is a follow-up to What to Watch For: Seahawks vs. Chargers)
1) Game readiness of Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson
Kelly Jennings looked like an NFL starter, so we saw at least half of what we wanted. Josh Wilson struggled somewhat, but what might have been perceived as poor play was also a consequence of the bootlegs the offense was running and the entire defense struggling to react correctly (as John Madden droned on about). Wilson didn’t always have the inside help he should have from safeties and/or linebackers. That being said, he showed that he still needs to show quite a bit of improvement by the start of the season.

2) The Offensive Line
The offensive line looked great. Chris Spencer and Rob Sims looked tough inside. Ray Willis played well at RG, but with the starting tackles sitting for all or most of the rest of the preseason, that experiment appears all but abandoned for the time being. Floyd Womack playing tackle appears to be its only possible saving grace.

Mansfield Wrotto continued to shed the “project” tag, as he appears ready to contribute now. Pat Ross held down the interior well. It was he and Wrotto that dominated the defense on Weeks’ waltz into the endzone, doing exactly what they had worked on in practice to account for the ILB in the 3-4. Jonathan Alston had the entire second half at LT, but he was basically decleated on one play, blew his assignment on another, was getting pushed around most of the time. Kyle Williams and Steve Vallos only got in for the last 10 minutes, but they played well.

3) Young, reserve defenders earning their roster spots
Brandon Mebane played alright, but didn’t really distinguish himself. He was running with Eric Taylor as the third set of DTs, behind Rocky Bernard & Chucky Darby, and Russell Davis & Marcus Green. We should expect Mebane to be ahead of Marcus Green, so that should change, but remember; Marcus Tubbs and Craig Terrill weren’t playing either. And Russell Davis looks like a beast. Expectations for Mebane’s impact appear to be getting way out ahead of him at this point.

Baraka Atkins started slow, but picked it up after awhile. He also found himself with the third team, behind Brandon Green (who played most of the 2nd quarter and started the 2nd half). Brandon Green played well and has a real chance at making the team (unlike Marcus Green). Atkins had some nice backside pursuit on the play where Kevin Bentley jumped offside. He also got the penetration that allowed Mebane to record his only tackle (assisted by Michael Boulware). Atkins still needs to improve, but he finally showed some signs that he will.

Lance Laury, and especially Will Herring confirmed they deserve roster spots as the 6th and 7th LBs. Herring was all over the field making plays, and even lined up as the MLB and played in the nickel. Laury showed again that he is a big hitter and has what it takes. The books are closed at linebacker.

4) Quarterback Depth
As I pointed out, “Seneca Wallace is still developing into an NFL quarterback.” And he showed us that his development isn’t complete. Wallace tends to press and panic. And when he does that, he makes mistakes; big ones. He ended up pulling it together and playing better in the second half, which was encouraging, but it was also against a bunch of nobodies. David Greene did not get into the game, in part because of Seneca Wallace’s struggles, and due to the possessions lost on turnovers (by Josh Wilson and two by Wallace).

5) Wide Receivers
Ben Obomanu turned his hold on the 5th receiver spot into a stranglehold. The Seahawks will keep five good receivers, and Obomanu will be one of them. Nate Burleson didn’t play very much, and neither he nor D.J. Hackett were able to show off what has been going on in practice. Logan Payne might have slipped a notch, but that dropped pass wasn’t his fault. Jordan Kent lived up to his billing as an also-ran, and was obviously outplayed by two other guys in that group: Chris Jones and Joe Fernandez. Jones is rising up on the depth chart, which probably puts Kent at 9th of the 10 healthy, participating receivers.

6) Injuries
Basically none. Leonard Stephens played, but re-injured his ankle during the game. There were no new injuries, unless you count Josh Wilson’s sore heal, thought to be caused by his shoes. Stephens and Will Heller both have sprained ankles, which makes it tough to sort out the tight end situation. Joe Newton didn’t do anything with the opportunity against the Chargers, although he did seem to figure out how to put on his helmet.

7) Leonard Weaver
Weaver was a slight disappointment. He didn’t get a chance to showcase everything he can do. Seneca Wallace is partly to blame for that. He threw and fumbled away most of the opportunities Weaver had with the regulars.

Injury Impact: Green Bay

2007-08-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

The following players will not travel with the team to Green Bay: WR Courtney Taylor (knee), TE Will Heller (ankle), TE Leonard Stephens (ankle), LT Walter Jones (shoulder), RT Sean Locklear (knee), DT Marcus Tubbs (knee), LB Leroy Hill (hamstring), CB Jordan Babineaux (knee).

OG Floyd Womack and TE Bennie Joppru will make the trip, and so will C Pat Ross who did not take part in practice on Friday afternoon and had a brace on his hand. We could also get our first look at CB DeJuan Groce and TE Andy Stokes. And that means there is at least a chance that Womack will play. He worked at LT a little bit in practice, but if he plays, expect it to be at guard. The offensive line will be interesting to watch.

The starting line for the first quarter will be:
LT Tom Ashworth-LG Rob Sims-C Chris Spencer-RG Chris Gray-RT Ray Willis

And they will likely close the game with:
LT Jonathan Alston-LG Mansfield Wrotto-C Pat Ross-RG Steve Vallos-RT Kyle Williams

What happens in between takes a little guesswork:
Likely (at least somewhat): LG Rob Sims could stay in longer than Chris Spencer and Chris Gray. Tom Ashworth may move from LT to RT when Jonathan Alston comes into the game, before eventually giving way to Kyle Williams. Austin King could end up playing the final possession or two at center, instead of Pat Ross. If he does, then expect to see Jason Murphy at LG as well.
Possible: Mansfield Wrotto, who had been working exclusively at LG, could be also be used at RG. Floyd Womack may play at one of the guard positions or not at all.
Unlikely, but plausible: If they really want to confuse Ray Willis, then he might come in at RG in the second half.

For anyone that hates Floyd Womack and/or his injury problems (I assume I got most of you with that), take a look at the entirety of Bennie Joppru's career (below), and then ask yourself:
"Am I all that excited that Bennie Joppru might be back too early from his painful hip pointer and pulled thigh muscle injuries? And that he could make the team ahead of another TE that happens to be out with a sprained ankle?"

You might also better understand why I wrote him off after the scrimmage, especially given Mike Holmgren's comments.

The Illustrious NFL Career of Bennie Joppru
August 6, 2003: Suffered a pulled groin that was initially thought to keep him out a week, but he never returned and the injury ended up getting him placed on IR and he missed his entire rookie season.
2004 Season: Spent training camp and the first 6 weeks of 2004 on the PUP list and was then placed on IR again.
May 16, 2005: Tore his ACL in minicamp. He spent a third straight season on IR.
August 12, 2006: Finally healthy and managed to play in a preason game. In 3 preseason games he had 4 catches and made the roster
September 10, 2006: Was on the active roster for the Houston Texans, but didn't register a catch.
September 17, 2006: Appeared on the Texans inactive list for the next 3 weeks and was then released by the team during the bye week on October 9.
October 12, 2006: Signed to the Chicago Bears practice squad.
November 29, 2006: Signed by the Seahawks the active roster off of the Bears practice squad.

Clarifying the PUP List
The PUP list is one of the most confusing and least understood things in the NFL. I have outlined the basics below for anyone that wants a little clarity. Marcus Tubbs is no longer on the PUP list and has participated in practice. Floyd Womack was never on the PUP list (at least not this year). Nobody on the Seahawks roster can now go on the PUP list, not count toward the 53-man roster limit, and then come back after the first 6 weeks. PUP is no longer an option for any player, including Tubbs and Womack.

Here are the basics of how it works:
1) You can only place guys on the PUP list before training camp. They can't participate in camp, but they can rehab.
2) Once a guy participates in camp, then he can't go on the PUP list, even if he was on it before camp.
3) Players on the PUP list count toward the 80-man and 75-man roster limits.
4) If a player stays on the PUP list and never participates in camp, then the team can put him on the regular season PUP list. He must sit out the first 6 weeks, but he doesn't count toward the 53-man roster limit
5) The team has Weeks 6 through 8 to decided to either activate the player to the active roster (and has to release someone because he then counts against the 53), place him on IR, or release him.

Impact: Recent Moves

2007-08-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Move: Walter Jones and Sean Locklear sitting out
Impact: This move not only gives the backup tackles more work, but it reveals a lot about what the team is thinking. It is now obvious to everyone (although I said as much earlier) that if the two starting tackles were injured the Seahawks would go with Tom Ashworth at LT and slide Ray Willis over to RT, even if he was the starting RG. That tells us that only another interior lineman has a chance to challenge Floyd Womack for a roster spot, who also happens to be returning to the field.
Bottom Line: It is down to Floyd Womack and Pat Ross for the final OL spot

Move: Signed CB DeJuan Groce, Cut P Kyle Stringer
Impact: Dejaun Groce could potentially stick as the 5th CB. The reason behind it would be Jordan Babineaux's health and possible concerns over a lack of experience at the position, with Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson. However, the impact to the roster would likely be to the defensive line. Keeping a 5th CB would make it hard to keep 10 defensive lineman (the Seahawks kept 10 to start last season, but it was mainly because of guys coming off injuries, and Chris Cooper only lasted two weeks on the roster).
Bottom Line: If Jordan Babineaux isn't ready to go by the start of the year, then Craig Terrill could be out of a job (even though he just returned after being out with an injury).

Move: Signed TE Andy Stokes, Cut CB Gerard Ross, Injuries to tight ends
Impact: The Seahawks now have another body at TE with Leonard Stephens and Will Heller out with "tweaked" ankles and Bennie Joppru just coming back from what were thought to be serious injuries. Heller and Stephens shouldn't be out very long, but that leaves the team with Marcus Pollard, Joe Newton, and Andy Stokes as the only other options for the time being.
Bottom Line: Joe Newton will get plenty of chances to challenge Leonard Stephens for the final tight end spot, but he would need to make remarkable progress very quickly. Andy Stokes will be cut as soon as the others are healthy enough to fully participate.

Clarification: For those too lazy to read the comments, it appears that either Bennie Joppru's injuries are less serious than Mike Holmgren initially thought or I misinterpreted his vague and somewhat misleading comments in response to a question about the injuries sustained in the scrimmage and how long the players were expected to be out:

"Actually the fellas that were nicked up in the scrimmage – they came out better than we thought at the time," Holmgren said. "Ben is OK. The most serious injury, I guess is Joppru. He had a real painful hip pointer and he also pulled a muscle when he hurt his leg. Courtney has a knee injury and it would keep him out probably four weeks."

In either case, Mike Kahn at Seahawks.com reported on August 16th (just 11 days after Holmgren made those comments):

Joppru was out there for the afternoon practice on Wednesday (August 15th), and did some of the drills. Thursday morning he participated in full pads and he moved very well. He had hip-pointer and muscle strain that were very painful to start with – and the therapy provided by trainer Sam Ramsden and his staff has helped him heal rapidly. I noticed on Tuesday that Joppru was moving around pretty well.

They didn’t want to rush him, but they needed him back to take a good long look at him to see if he can help. He’s one of those guys – a second round draft choice from Michigan – who has never bee able to stay healthy long enough to prove whether he belongs in the NFL or not.

Frank Hughes at Seahawks Insider also reported that Bennie Joppru was "back in full pads and participating in full-contact drills."

And as noted in the comments, if Joppru can get out there and compete for a job, then things change considerably, although I would still give the upper hand to Leonard Stephens if he gets back on the field anytime soon. It is also worth noting that if Joppru's injuries really aren't a concern anymore, then Andy Stokes might find himself off the roster when either Heller or Stephens is able to fully participate in practice. It also remains to be seen if Joppru just knows that his only chance is to get out there and play through the pain.

Sando-style Roster Analyis

2007-08-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

I took the "Number kept" and "Average number kept since 2002" from an earlier post by Mike Sando. I left out the longshots that don't really have a chance for even the practice squad. (PS) designates eligibility for the practice squad, and in most cases those guys are not really being considered as a possibility for the active roster. I felt like being nice to some of the wide receivers and offensive linemen because it is hard to tell who really has a shot at the practice squad when there isn't that much difference between the 2nd longshot and the 4th longshot. (Seahawks 34-Category Roster)

Quarterback
Number kept last season: Three
Average number kept since 2002: Three
Locks: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace
Looking safe: David Greene

Running back
Number kept last season: Five
Average number kept since 2002: Five
Locks: Shaun Alexander, Mack Strong, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver
On the bubble: Josh Parry
Longer odds: Marquis Weeks, David Kirtman (PS)

Wide receiver
Number kept last season: Five
Average number kept since 2002: 5.4
Locks: Deion Branch, D.J. Hackett, Bobby Engram, Nate Burleson
Looking safe: Ben Obomanu
Longer odds: Logan Payne (PS), Joe Fernandez (PS), Chris Jones (PS), Courtney Taylor (PS), Jordan Kent (PS)

Tight end
Number kept last season: Three
Average number kept since 2002: Three
Locks: Marcus Pollard, Will Heller
Looking safe: Leonard Stephens
Longer odds: Joe Newton (PS)

Offensive line
Number kept last season: Nine
Average number kept since 2002: 8.8
Locks: Walter Jones, Rob Sims, Chris Spencer, Chris Gray, Sean Locklear, Tom Ashworth, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto
Looking safe: Floyd Womack
Longer odds: Pat Ross (PS), Jonathan Alston (PS), Steve Vallos (PS), Kyle Williams (PS)

Defensive line
Number kept last season: 10
Average number kept since 2002: 9.2
Locks: Darryl Tapp, Marcus Tubbs, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane, Bryce Fisher, Patrick Kerney, Rocky Bernard, Russell Davis
Looking safe: Baraka Atkins
In the hunt: Craig Terrill, Brandon Green

Linebackers
Number kept last season: Seven
Average number kept since 2002: 7.2
Locks: Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley
Looking safe: Niko Koutouvides, Lance Laury, Will Herring
Longer odds: Cameron Jenson (PS)

Cornerbacks
Number kept last season: Four
Average number kept since 2002: 4.4
Locks: Kelly Jennings, Marcus Trufant, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux
Longer odds: DeJuan Groce, Pete Hunter, Kevin Hobbs (PS)

Safeties
Number kept last season: Four
Average number kept since 2002: 3.8
Locks: Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Mike Green, Michael Boulware
Longer odds: C.J. Wallace (PS), Patrick Ghee (PS)

Specialists
Number kept last season: Three
Average number kept since 2002: Three
Locks: Josh Brown, Ryan Plackemeier
Looking safe: Derek Rackley

CB DeJuan Groce add, P Kyle Stringer Cut

2007-08-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

DeJuan Groce had re-signed as an unrestricted free agent with the New Orleans Saints, but was released on June 15th. He played in 12 games last year as a reserve and on special teams. He started 15 games in 2005, mainly due to injuries to the guys ahead of him.

Full Name: DeJuan Anthony Groce
Born: February 17, 1980
Garfield Heights, OH
Height: 5-10
Weight: 191 lbs.

Age: 27
Pos: CB
Experience: 5 years
College: Nebraska
Drafted: Year:2003 Round:4 Pick:10, Rams

Scouts, Inc. on DeJuan Groce:

Groce is a backup cornerback but was forced into the starting lineup for part of the 2006 season due to injuries. He is more of a special-teams player but has improved his cornerback skills. He is much better in zone coverage than man-to-man coverage, shows good transition from pass to run and shows good recognition. He has a burst coming out of his backpedal and good feel in underneath zones, has good ball skills and plays the ball well in flight. Groce shows good enough quickness to play over the slot receiver and is best suited to play as a nickel cornerback or help in dime coverage. He can get position with his feet, but he needs to become more of a playmaker. He struggles in man coverage when going up to fight for the jump ball, and this allows receivers to take the ball away from him. He needs to be more aggressive to the ball and not get out-muscled by bigger receivers in the middle of the field. Groce also needs to do a better job of breaking down and taking angles to the ball after the catch. His tackling in the open field is poor, and he is often outmaneuvered by quicker, faster opponents. He is quick but does not have top-end speed. Groce has value on special teams as a backup punt returner and reserve player, but overall he is best suited as a backup cornerback in the NFL. His lack of height and speed can expose him when he is out on the island in man-to-man situations.

I wouldn't read too much into the signing with respect to Kevin Hobbs and Pete Hunter. Kyle Stringer was never being seriously considered for the punting job. He was pretty expendable now that there will be less practices because of the preseason games.

The signing may, however, have something to do with Jordan Babineaux. If it looks like he isn't going to be ready by the start of the year, then they might need a 4th CB for a few games. Hobbs and Hunter were never going to be that guy. Groce might be.

Injury News
Ray Willis is working at starting right tackle with Locklear and Jones sitting out. Floyd Womack, Craig Terrill, Marcus Tubbs, Niko Koutouvides, and David Kirtman all returned to practice, but Womack did not participate very much. Tubbs wasn't participating fully either and they were out there in shorts, but he was pushing around Pat Ross in the individual pass-rush drill.

Leonard Stephens and Will Heller are still hobbled with ankle injuries, so new arrival Andy Stokes saw a little action. Josh Wilson sat out with a sore heel.

NFL Sunday Ticket at Qwest

2007-08-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks are one of four teams that will have NFL Sunday Ticket available at your seat this year. You can get a portable monitor for $24.95 per game, but it is only $79.95 for the season for season ticket holders. The package appears to be only 5 games because it does not include the Sunday night and Monday night games. That makes it $16 (roughly the cost of two beers per game), but you can share it with the guy next to you.

And it means you can watch all of the games around the league at your seat during pre-game, TV timeouts, halftime, and in between quarters. The package includes the broadcast of the home game, so you can watch the game while waiting in the beer or bathroom line, and never miss a play.

Units will be available at kiosks around the stadium, or you can reserve them on-line ahead of time at Seahawks.com. Single-game rentals must be returned at the end of each game, but season rentals do not have to be returned until after the final home game.

Seahawks Practice Report: LBs and DL

2007-08-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

This is a little late, but I still owe everyone a summary of how the linebackers and defensive line looked in the open practice. I linked to my summary posted elsewhere (which included all of this information) immediately after the practice, but I wanted to provide a concise report here. The Seahawks showed a lot the same things from practice in the first preseason game.

Linebackers
Will Herring looks pretty good. He was out there quite a bit, especially with Niko Koutouvides and Leroy Hill out. That also meant a lot of playing time for Kevin Bentley. He was playing OLB with the starters, and some MLB with the second team. He was also in there with Lofa Tatupu in the nickel. Will Herring lined up at MLB with the second unit when Bentley was at OLB with the first. Herring looks fast.

Bentley, Herring, and Lance Laury were clearly the top reserve linebackers, but Cameron Jensen did get a decent amount of work. However, it was almost certainly because Hill and Kouts weren't in there, and he was getting the reps with the 3rd team because everyone else had moved up the depth chart.

Defensive Line
Baraka Atkins was unimpressive. He looked alright, but nothing really to note. He did get sucked to the inside on a run, and then sealed off by the right tackle. The running back bounced to the outside where he should have been, and it would have been a 20-yard gain in a real game. I didn't see a whole lot out of Brandon Mebane either, but he has looked impressive in several other practices.

It is worth noting that DE Brandon Green was playing quite a bit. He was playing with the second team quite a bit. Nu'u Tafisi blew up Ray Willis on one play. It got some cheers from the defense on the sideline. He got Willis off balance and drove him into the backfield.

First Cuts and Practice Squad

2007-08-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

First Cuts
The Seahawks need to cut 12 guys to get down to 75, but it is hard to say exactly who will be let go. There will undoubtedly be surprises, which tend to be players that have earned the courtesy of giving them time to land with another team. And the Seahawks do need to keep a certain number of players available at each position for the final preseason game, which can sometimes make it look like they are keeping an inferior player on at the expense of a better one.

Preliminary guess on first cuts:
QB Erik Meyer, RB A.J. Harris, WR Robert Ortiz, TE Ben Joppru, C Austin King, OG Jason Murphy, DT Eric Taylor, CB Dennis Davis, CB Wally Dada, K Kurt Smith, and P Kyle Stringer. And another WR (Chris Jones, Jordan Kent, or Joe Fernandez).

They might also cut a safety over one of those two corners, but I don't know who it would be. I guess it could be Patrick Ghee, especially if he struggles again with his hamstring. The same goes for any other fringe guy (at any position) that gets dinged and misses practice in the next two weeks. If you can't play in the final preseason game and you aren't making the active roster or practice squad, then you get cut.

Seahawks Practice Squad
Since teams have been allowed to keep 8 guys (the last two years) on the practice squad, the Seahawks have gone with 5 offensive and 3 defensive players both years. And each year the group has included one player at each of these 7 positions: RB, WR, TE, OL, CB, LB, and DE. In 2006, the Seahawks used the eighth spot on a FB, and in 2005 they used it on a second OL.

Preliminary guess on practice squad:
WR Logan Payne, TE Joe Newton, C Pat Ross, OT Jonathan Alston, CB Kevin Hobbs, LB Cameron Jensen, S C.J. Wallace, DE Nu'u Tafisi

I left off WR Courtney Taylor, even though I prefer him to WR Logan Payne. It will be tough for Taylor to make it to the practice squad. I am not sure he will clear waivers and/or can beat out Payne for consideration while injured. They could always keep both receivers and lose one of the DBs (Wallace or Hobbs).

DT Marcus Green could be another option in favor of DE Nu'u Tafisi, especially if the team keeps DE Brandon Green over DT Craig Terrill on the active roster. If the team keeps a 5th CB on the active roster, the CB Kevin Hobbs could be replaced by another WR, maybe even Courtney Taylor.

WR Maurice Mann was the 5th receiver on the initial 53-man roster last year, but was released after just two days to make room for KR Willie Ponder. The following day, he was signed to the practice squad at the expense of CB Gerard Ross. That left the practice squad without a DB, but with 2 WRs (WR Ben Obomanu was already on the practice squad). Four days later, Mann was signed by Minnesota to the active roster, and CB Gerard Ross was re-signed to the practice squad. Ross was off and on the practice squad all year to make room for various players at other positions when injuries became an issue on the active roster.

Two Weeks Notice

2007-08-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Seahawks currently have 80 active roster players, plus 7 more with NFLEL exemptions for a total of 87 players. That number must be down to 75 by August 28th (exemptions no longer apply). And then another 22 will get the ax by September 1st.

Seahawks 34-Category Roster (updated to reflect the addition of TE Andy Stokes). Updated versions will be made available here on August 28th and September 1st as well.

This is also a good time to take another look at the most likely Seahawks 53-man Roster:

Offense (25)
QB (3) - Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene
HB/FB (5) - Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris, Mack Strong, Leonard Weaver, Josh Parry
WR (5) - Deion Branch, DJ Hackett, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, Ben Obomanu
TE (3) - Marcus Pollard, Will Heller, Leonard Stephens
OL (9) - Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Chris Gray, Ray Willis, Tom Ashworth, Mansfield Wrotto, Floyd Womack

Defense (25)
DE (4) - Patrick Kerney, Bryce Fisher, Darryl Tapp, Baraka Atkins
DT (6) - Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Marcus Tubbs, Brandon Mebane, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill
OLB (5) - Julian Peterson, Leroy Hill, Kevin Bentley, Lance Laury, Will Herring
ILB (2) - Lofa Tatupu, Niko Koutouvides
S (4) - Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Michael Boulware, Mike Green
CB (4) - Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Josh Wilson, Jordan Babineaux

Special Teams (3)
K - Josh Brown
P - Ryan Plackemeier
LS - Derek Rackley

No changes, but Marquis Weeks is trying to make it as hard as possible to keep Josh Parry on the roster. None of the young offensive linemen have shown enough yet to unseat Floyd Womack. Injuries could play a role at tight end. And DT Craig Terrill (injury) or DE Baraka Atkins (unimpressive play) could find themselves out of a job if DE Brandon Green continues to play well.

Knocking on the Door
Here are some of the players not included that have a slim chance to push for a roster spot or could potentially land on the practice squad (players in italics are not practice-squad eligible):

RB: Marquis Weeks
FB: David Kirtman
WR: Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne
TE: Joe Newton
OL: Pat Ross, Jonathan Alston, Kyle Williams, Steve Vallos
DE: Brandon Green
LB: Cameron Jensen
CB: Kevin Hobbs, Pete Hunter
S: C.J. Wallace, Patrick Ghee

Most of those guys should at least make it past the August 28th cuts, unless they get injured or the team has already made a decision and thinks the guy deserves a chance to latch on with another team. Players in italics are not practice-squad eligible.

Quick Hits

2007-08-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

I will have a detailed analysis of the game later tonight or tomorrow, but here are some quick hits of what we saw:

- Ben Obomanu has the #5 WR spot on lockdown. He looked as good or better than he has in practice. Logan Payne and Joe Fernandez are clearly way behind him, but way ahead of everyone else. Chris Jones earned some playing time by producing in practice and produced again when given a chance against San Diego. Jordan Kent is at best the 8th receiver on the depth chart (and that is leaving out the injured Courtney Taylor).

- Seneca Wallace struggled. I am not sure how much we should read into that, but it wouldn't have taken much for David Greene to have looked better, if he had gotten into the game. Wallace needs to be better than that.

- Russell Davis and Darryl Tapp looked exceptional. Davis helps ease concern over the health of Marcus Tubbs. Tapp looks like he will start by the end of the year and almost certainly play more snaps than Bryce Fisher. I was inclined to think that before, but he confirmed it tonight.

- Will Herring played well. They were even using him at MLB with Kevin Bentley and Lance Laury. That is a result of Niko Koutouvides being out, but it was interesting that it was Herring at MLB, instead of Bentley.

- C.J. Wallace got the pick at the end of the game, but more important for him was that he is clearly the #5 safety on the depth chart. Mike Green didn't play as long as Michael Boulware, and when he came out, it was Wallace that came in at free safety ahead of Patrick Ghee. If that is a practice squad battle, then Wallace is winning right now.

- Kevin Hobbs played as much or more (and better) than Pete Hunter. Neither looked that good, but we can put to rest any ideas of Pete Hunter beating out Jordan Babineaux, and maybe even rule out Hunter making the team. Hunter totally whiffed on a tackle. It was the kind of play that made you think Kelly Herndon was out there. Hobbs had a nice break-up and then wrapped up on a tackle toward the end of the game. He did have an interception go through his hands, but he was in great position on that play as well. Hobbs could also be competing with C.J. Wallace for a practice squad spot.

- Baraka Atkins was initially a disappointment, but came on late. Brandon Green played more toward the beginning of the game and looked pretty decent. Atkins managed to get some pressure on the quarterback a few times during the second half and wound up playing a pretty decent game.

- Ray Willis looked good at RG. Tom Ashworth played longer than I thought he would at RT. Mansfield Wrotto looks excellent. He is athletic, powerful, and fulfilled his assignment perfectly on the Marquis Weeks touchdown. It was exactly what they were working on in practice, so Bill Laveroni must be happy (more on that later).

- Jonathan Alston played the entire second half at LT, but he was totally demolished on the Obomanu touchdown (and was lucky it was a successful play) and missed an assignment on another play. Steve Vallos and Kyle Williams didn't play very much. However, when they were in there, the right side of the line played well. Williams sustained a nice block and they picked up a 3rd-and-1 right behind him.

Stephens and Stokes in Uniform

2007-08-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

According to Frank Hughes on Seahawks Insider:

"I am told that newly signed Andy Stokes is at the stadium, and that he is expected to get some playing time, though it is still unclear how much...Stokes, by the way, will be wearing No. 45."

"TE Leonard Stephens just emerged from the locker room and is in full uniform, and he doesn't appear to be limping so I assume he is playing."

What to Watch For: Seahawks vs. Chargers

2007-08-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

1) Game readiness of Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson
Kelly Jennings (21) needs to show he is ready to be a starting CB in the NFL. He played well last year and looks good so far in camp. And Josh Wilson (26) needs to show he can be an NFL nickel corner. Jennings should be close to being game-ready, while we should still expect Josh Wilson to be on his way up the learning curve. Wilson just needs to look like he is going to be ready by the start of the season.

2) The Offensive Line
The most important thing is starters Chris Spencer (65) and Rob Sims(67) working well together on the interior. After that, then the Ray Willis (74) at RG experiment is something to watch. And Mansfield Wrotto (66) needs to show whether or not he can be ready to play this year if called upon due to injuries. Jonathan Alston (73), Pat Ross (60), and Kyle Williams (79) will each get a chance to make their case that Floyd Womack (77) is expendable. Steve Vallos (69) probably won’t play as much as any of those other three, especially with Willis getting a lot of work at RG.

3) Young, reserve defenders earning their roster spots
Brandon Mebane (92) has looked good, and he needs to keep that up. It appears to be a question of how much playing time he will command, rather than if he will be able to contribute. But Baraka Atkins (96) still needs to show that is capable of making a solid contribution, and is a better option than Brandon Green (70). Lance Laury (50) and Will Herring (54) can prove they are worthy of being reserve linebackers in the NFL. Kevin Bentley (57) and Niko Koutouvides (53) have already done that. Cameron Jensen (44) is probably the biggest challenger to Laury and Herring for their spots.

4) Quarterback Depth
Seneca Wallace (15) is still developing into an NFL quarterback. He gained his first real game experience last year and can now build on that. David Greene (11) has a chance to show that he is more than just an adequate 3 QB. It isn’t a big concern for this year, but it would be a substantial positive if he could develop into more of a backup caliber QB. That could make Seneca Wallace and David Greene, 2a and 2b. That would free up Wallace to be used occasionally on offense and maybe special teams, and would be very promising for next year.

5) Wide Receivers
The top four wide receivers have been playing well, and it will be nice for anyone that hasn't seen them yet to get a first hand view of what everyone is talking about (especially with respect to Nate Burleson). Ben Obomanu (87) will try to keep his hold on the 5th receiver spot, while Logan Payne (19) will make his case that he deserves some consideration. Jordan Kent (82) is currently among the group of also-rans with Joe Fernandez (17), Robert Ortiz (14), and Chris Jones (16).

6) Injuries
Mike Green (42) has looked good in practice, but it remains to be seen just how close to 100% he is coming off the Lisfranc injury that sidelined him last season. And injuries to Will Heller (85) and possibly Leonard Stephens (89) could give Joe Newton (46) an opportunity to show something. He has done absolutely nothing to this point. And of course, we don't want to see any new injuries (knock wood), but need to pay attention to the ramifications of any injuries if they do happen.

7) Leonard Weaver
No concerns here, but why shouldn’t you watch Leonard Weaver (43) in the preseason? In addition to the chance to see a devastating Leonard Weaver stiff-arm (Watch: The Baptism), this preseason will give us an idea of just how expansive of a role Leonard Weaver is going to have in 2007. Expect to see him contribute on short-yardage, in the passing game, and do some nice things in single-back sets, as well as being the heir apparent to Mack Strong at fullback.