Wednesday cyber surfing: On Lynch, and the Combine
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 22:
Mike Sando at ESPN.com weighs in on Marshawn Lynch’s contract situation in his “Leading Questions” in the NFC West: “Yes, the Seahawks want to bring back Lynch. His physical running style gives them an edge Seattle cannot realistically get from another back in 2012. There have been no hard reasons to get a deal done quickly, however. Seattle can name Lynch its franchise player, an appealing alternative for teams wary of how long running backs will hold up physically. Lynch has until March 13 before becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. His next long-term deal could be his final one. He’ll want to get more than what Seattle would pay him in guaranteed money as a franchise player over the next couple seasons.”
Also at ESPN.com, Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. weighs in on the top three needs for each team in the NFC. It’s an “Insiders” feature, which requires registration and a fee. But here’s what he lists as No. 1 for the Seahawks and, no, it’s not a QB: “Defensive end: Chris Clemons had another solid season as a pass-rusher with 11 sacks, but the Seahawks will look to find a dynamic pass-rushing end to complement him. They have taken three defensive ends in the first five rounds over the past five seasons with mixed results.”
With all NFL roads leading to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, Bruce Feldman at CBSSports.com has a list of which players might put on the most-freakish shows for the assembled masses. At No. 1? RG3: “The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner (also known as Baylor QB Robert Griffin III) proved over the past year he’s a lot more than just a guy who happens to have World Class speed as a hurdler. RG3′s exploits as a college QB are now well-documented. Griffin not only blossomed as a quarterback, often doing his damage as a pocket passer but he also has filled out quite a bit since coming to Waco and is a solid 6-2, 220. However, he still has wheels like few others at any position. QBs, especially ones with arms like Griffin has, almost never run sub-4.6s in Indy, RG3 should blow that away. Earlier this week RG3 told Dan Patrick there’s a possibility he will go sub-4.4. Given his track credentials, it’ll be surprising if he doesn’t.”
The Combine also prompted another mock draft by NFLDraftScout.com’s Rob Rang at CBSSports.com, but he sticks with a familiar pick for the Seahawks – Penn State DT Devon Still: Many expect the Seahawks to consider a quarterback to compete with incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson with this selection but in beating the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens last year, and matching up well with division champion San Francisco, the club may not be willing to reach to fill a perceived need. Don’t be surprised if Seattle instead turns its attention to a bounty of talented defensive linemen likely to be selected in the top 15. Still, a 6-4, 310-pound defensive tackle, showed his talent and despite all of the distractions in Happy Valley last year, was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year. Still could help inside at defensive tackle as well as provide the Seahawks with some flexibility at the five technique defensive end position should incumbent starter Red Bryant be heavily pursued in free agency.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we take a look at Pete Carroll’s desire to get faster on defense and also improve the pass rush: “When you look at it, we really like our guys, but we need to get faster on defense,” Carroll said when asked about the unit that ranked No. 9 in the league last season. “As big as we are, we need to get faster. So I’d like to see us add more speed in the linebacker corps.”
Tuesday cyber surfing: Heading to the Combine
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 21, and was over the long weekend:
With the Seahawks scouts and coaches heading to Indianapolis this week for the Scouting Combine to examine draft-eligible players, Pat Kirwan at CBSSports.com has a mock draft that includes this pick for the Seahawks: “Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC: The Seahawks may be moving around in the first round if quarterback is still an issue. If they settle it in free agency with the likes of Matt Flynn they can stay put and take a versatile pass rusher like Perry. Pete Carroll knows him well and his measurable at the combine will shoot him up draft boards.”
Also at CBSSports.com, Pete Prisco has the Seahawks addressing the other side of the ball in his mock: “Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: “Marshawn Lynch is a free agent, and this explosive back would be a nice replacement.”
Tom Pauline at SI.com provides his Top 50 players entering the combine, you-know-who is No. 1: “(Stanford QB Andrew) Luck has been the top NFL prospect in the nation for almost two years and nothing has changed. He’ll be the first player selected in the draft and the Indianapolis Colts will barely notice the bump in the road as they transition from the Peyton Manning era.”
Monday was the first day teams could designate franchise players, and Jason La Canfora at NFL.com looks the possible candidates around the league, including the Seahawks’ Marshawn Lynch: “The Seahawks are deep in talks with running back Marshawn Lynch on a long-term deal, which could well be completed before the March 5 deadline. If that somehow falls apart, the Seahawks are prepared to tag Lynch, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com provides some notes on teams wanting/needing to use their franchise tag: “Teams have until July 16 to sign their franchise players to long-term contracts. The date is usually July 15, but it is the 16th this year because the 15th falls on a Sunday. Past that date, teams can sign their franchise players only to one-year deals. They cannot reach extensions until after their final regular-season games.”
Phillip Daniels, who led the Seahawks in sacks in 1999, has been named director of player development for the Washington Redskins. The team’s website has the story: “I’m really looking forward to helping our players and team win, on and off the field,” Daniels said.
Here at Seahawks.com, we check in with Walter Thurmond, the third-year cornerback who is rehabbing from his second surgery in a 25-month period: “To play cornerback in the NFL, it is necessary to have a short memory. Because dwelling on just being beaten on one play will only increase the chances that you also get beat on the next play. This indispensable trait has served Walter Thurmond well, off the field as well as on. ‘You hear the old adage about the DB with a short memory, Walter carries that consistently to other aspects of his life, obviously,’ said Kris Richard, the Seahawks’ former cornerback who now coaches the defensive backs on Pete Carroll’s staff. ‘He’s not going to allow a negative outlook to impede his rehabilitation, which is a really good sign. That’s kind of what makes him a special person and a special player.’ “
John Czarnecki at FoxSports.com has his 10 biggest offseason moves to this point, and checking in at No. 1 is the total makeover by the Rams: “St. Louis landed the most qualified free-agent head coach, Jeff Fisher, who didn’t want to wait another year to see if a job in Chicago or Washington would open. Fisher reached the playoffs six of his last 12 seasons with the Tennessee/Houston franchise. He also has major clout on the competition committee and league-wide respect among his peers. Fisher drew interest from the Colts and Chargers, but he believes quarterback Sam Bradford can be great. Fisher has assembled an all-star coaching staff that includes Dave McGinnis, Gregg Williams, Paul Boudreau and Brian Schottenheimer.”
Thursday cyber surfing: The draft, and QBs
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 16:
NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock addressed this year’s draft class in a lengthy conference call on Wednesday and here at Seahawks.com we focus on the passers that quarterback-needy teams will be focusing on at the NFL Scouting Combine next week: Mayock on Boise State’s Kellen Moore: “He looks like he’s 11-years old. He’s this baby-faced assassin. What I think he does better than any other quarterback in the entire draft is he anticipates throws to receivers who are open. And that’s something a lot of quarterbacks don’t get until their fourth or fifth year in the NFL. Part of it is because he doesn’t have a big arm. He’s had to adapt probably since grade school in learning how to throw people open. He won’t get drafted high. But he’s a winner and his anticipation skills at that position are tremendous.”
Eric Williams at the News Tribune also was on the call, and provides Mayock’s assessment of Tarvaris Jackson, the Seahawks’ incumbent starter, as well as Ryan Tannehill, Mayock’s No. 3-rated college QB behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. Mayock on Jackson: ““I like him. He’s developed to a certain point, but I think that position needs to be upgraded. And I don’t mind T-Jack competing for the position, but I think you either have to get a free agent in there or you have to draft somebody.” Mayock on Tannehill: “He’s got everything you want. He’s got size. He’s got arm strength. He’s a really good athlete. All you have to do is look at his tape as a wide receiver two years ago. He’s a big, strong fast kick with a really good arm. Now, what I don’t like about him is that he waits for routes to develop before he throws the football – in other words he lacks anticipation.”
Speaking of Tannehill, Rob Rang and Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com debate his merits – and status – in this piece for CBSSports.com: Says Rang: “There are four primary physical characteristics NFL scouts are looking for when projecting college QBs to the next level: size, arm strength, accuracy and mobility. Tannehill could earn first-round grades from clubs in all four categories, making him the logical third quarterback to be selected. He may have a stronger arm than Luck, the presumed No. 1 overall pick, and at 6-feet-4, 222 pounds, he’s far closer to the prototype frame than the 6-2, 220-pound Griffin. It is a fifth trait in which Tannehill rates significantly below Luck and Griffin. This makes him a high-stakes gamble for the first round. That fifth skill is anticipation, the most underrated element to forecasting quarterback success in the NFL.”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times explains that the Seahawks won’t have their fifth-round pick in this year’s draft as part of the trade for Marshawn Lynch in 2010: “The Seahawks gave up their fourth-round pick in 2011, and Buffalo will also receive Seattle’s fifth-round pick this year to complete the deal. It was a conditional choice that elevated from a sixth-round selection to a fifth-round selection based upon playing time, according to the Buffalo Bills’ official Web site.”
The New York Daily News has the word on former Seahawks draft choice Mike Teel becoming the QB coach at Wagner College, whose nickname also happens to be the Seahawks: “Teel, who led Rutgers to three bowl victories during his college career, served as the quarterbacks coach at Division III Kean University last season when the Cougars posted a 10-2 record and were ranked No. 10 in the country in D3Football.com’s final poll.”
Brian McIntyre at ESPN.com takes a look at the offseason needs for each of the teams in the NFC West. It’s an “Insiders” feature and requires registration and a fee to view the entire article, but he’s a snippet of what he has the say about the Seahawks: “Since taking over in 2010, Pete Carroll and John Schneider have done a good job of retooling the Seattle defense. The Seahawks’ defense ranked 29th with a DVOA of 15.0 percent in 2010, a figure that improved to minus-3.1 percent in 2011, good enough to rank in the Top 10. (Like points allowed or yards allowed, defensive DVOA is better when it is lower.) The secondary has been completely overhauled, and it placed three players in the 2011 Pro Bowl.”
Also at ESPN.com, Mel Kiper has his second mock draft. It’s also an “Insider” feature, but here’s who he has the Seahawks selecting: “Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: Some see the Seahawks looking at a QB this high, but the value doesn’t make a lot of sense for me just yet. On the defensive side of the ball, the big need is help for the pass rush. Ingram has enough size to hold up in the 4-3, and will provide an upgrade. The Seattle defense is really fast, and could become dynamic if it can generate more pressure on opposing passers. If (Boston College LB Luke) Kuechly is still here, I can also see that pick, but the development of K.J. Wright makes Ingram a good target.” Kiper has Kuechly going to the Chiefs at the pick just before the Seahawks, but who picks 11th and who picks 12th will be determined by a coin flip at the NFL Scouting Combine next week.
As for the give-us-this-day-our-daily-Peyton-Manning item, Don Banks at SI.com reports that the Colts’ iconic QB had a fourth procedure on his troublesome neck: “In addition, league sources say Manning’s neck has potentially developed bone spurs just above the point where his latest fusion surgery took place in early September, and the Colts organization is under the belief that it is nearly inevitable Manning will at some point require further surgery, and possibly another fusion procedure, even if he does successfully return to the field in 2012. It’s unclear how any potential long-term neck issues will impact Manning’s decision to attempt a resumption of his NFL playing career later this year.”
Wednesday cyber surfing: Staff additions
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 15:
Remember Marquand Manuel? One of the unexpected stars of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run in 2005 is back as the new assistant special teams coach on Pete Carroll’s staff and we’ve got the story at Seahawks.com: “In 2005, Marquand Manuel stepped in and helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl. Now, the former free safety is stepping in as the assistant special teams coach on Pete Carroll’s staff. Manuel replaces Jeff Ulbrich, who left to become the special teams/linebackers coach at UCLA. The club also announced four other moves Tuesday: Keith Carter has been added as an offensive quality control coach; Rocky Seto’s title has been changed to defensive passing game coordinator; John Glenn has been hired as a coaching assistant/special teams; and Kenechi Udeze will be a coaching intern/defensive line.”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times and Eric Williams at the News Tribune also have the word on the additions to Carroll’s staff.
The Associated Press has the word on Jim Zorn remaining with the Chiefs as their quarterbacks coach, despite the Seahawks’ original QB being passed over for the offensive coordinator position in KC: “Brian Daboll was hired recently to run the offense, which led many to question whether Zorn would be back. He was retained along with assistant head coach Maurice Carthon, tight ends coach Bernie Parmalee, strength coach Mike Clark, wide receivers coach Nick Sirianni and virtually the entire defensive staff.”
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com has updated his mock draft at CBSSports.com, but has the Seahawks making a familiar selection: “Devon Still, DT, Penn State: Many expect the Seahawks to consider a quarterback to compete with incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson with this selection but in beating the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens last year, and matching up well with division champion San Francisco, the club may not be willing to reach to fill a perceived need. Don’t be surprised if Seattle instead turns its attention to a bounty of talented defensive linemen likely to be selected in the top 15. Still, a 6-4, 310-pound defensive tackle, showed his talent and despite all of the distractions in Happy Valley last year, was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year. Still could help inside at defensive tackle as well as provide the Seahawks with some flexibility at the five technique defensive end position should incumbent starter Red Bryant be heavily pursued in free agency.”
Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com also has a mock draft at CBSSports.com and sticks with a defensive lineman for the Seahawks. But not the same one as Rang: “Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina: The Seahawks will be looking for a pass-rushing defensive end this offseason and Coples falling would be the ideal scenario for Seattle. Coples has the ability to be as good as he wants, but questions about his passion and work ethic have raised flags, especially after a subpar senior season in Chapel Hill. Coples’ natural skills set and pro upside will force NFL teams to do their due diligence and homework before they invest a top-12 pick in him.”
As for the give-us-this-day-our-daily-Peyton-Manning item, Jim Corbett at USA Today looks at a half-dozen landing spots for the Colts’ iconic QB, including the Seahawks: “The situation: Inconsistent Tarvaris Jackson is the incumbent, with Charlie Whitehurst the backup. Why it would work: Manning could consider the NFC West the path of least resistance to the Super Bowl by comparison to the NFC East and AFC East. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell worked with Favre with Green Bay and the Minnesota Vikings and would tailor the offense to Manning. Why it wouldn’t work: Coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider have gone young, so much so that Manning might feel more like he’s reliving his past with the University of Tennessee than his NFL prime with the Super Bowl-winning 2006 Colts.”
Speaking of Manning, as well as Randy Moss, John McGrath at the News Tribune says the Seahawks need to just say no to aging stars: “Whatever the score, wherever they stood in the standings, the Hawks almost always exerted a 60-minute effort. Moss still is blessed with transcendent ability – even (Cris) Carter acknowledges as much – but the last thing the 2012 Seahawks need is key a player with a “quit mechanism” that’s huge. Furthermore, (Pete) Carroll and general manager John Schneider have displayed a vision in their retooling of a roster that’s been turned over from established veterans to younger guys with hungry hearts. It’s a vision that precludes the presence of Moss and another veteran guaranteed enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, Peyton Manning.”
Speaking of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Peter King at SI.com wades into the growing conversation about the selection committee that gathers annually on the Saturday before the Super Bowl to determine that year’s class for the Hall. King has been on the committee for 20 years, I was on it for only two – but can relate to his concerns. In the Tuesday edition of his “Monday Morning Quarterback,” King addresses one emailer who pooh-poohs the selection this year of former Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy: “Does it matter to you that (Chris) Doleman has 39 more sacks/forced fumbles/recovered fumbles in his career than Michael Strahan, and had a 15-sack season at age 37? Or that Kennedy was the Defensive Player of the Year on a 2-14 team, and two noted coaches have told me he is the toughest linemen their interior line had to block, ever?” Atta boy, Peter. As Tom Petty would put it, “Well I won’t back down; no I won’t back down.”
Monday cyber surfing: Baldwin doesn’t want to be ‘slotted’
Good morning. Here’s what “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Feb. 13, and was over the weekend:
Eric Williams at the News Tribune checks in with Doug Baldwin, after the Seahawks’ leading receiver last season did a live chat on the paper’s website last week: “Baldwin’s production in 2011 secured his spot as Seattle’s slot receiver. But Baldwin wants to be considered a compete receiver. And in order to do that, Baldwin has to make plays from the perimeter of the offense as well. ‘They say that I’m the slot guy, but every year they’re bringing somebody in to try to take your job – that’s the upper management’s job,’ he said. ‘So my job is to make sure that whoever they bring in doesn’t have a chance. That’s why I’m here, to be honest with you. I want to be known as the greatest receiver who ever played the game, and it’s going to be hard to do that strictly out of the slot.’ ”
Elliott Harrison has made his way to the Seahawks in his “Exit Interview” series at NFL.com. As for “what went right,” Harrison offers: “More than you might think. Despite getting off to a horrid start, the Seahawks outscored their opponents 321-315. Not a huge margin, but certainly not bad for a football team that many fans feel is a lot worse than it really is. Pete Carroll’s group rallied from a 2-6 start to go 5-3 down the stretch. In fact, they were 7-7 and still alive in the playoff chase before losing to a talented 49ers team and a red hot Cardinals club (which won seven of its last nine). A significant cause for the turnaround was the motivated play of Marshawn Lynch, and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s increased willingness to feed him the rock. After only getting 97 carries in the first half of the season, Lynch toted the ball 188 times down the back half – 23.5 attempts per game.”
Also at NFL.com, in honor of the Grammy’s, Adam Rank gives his thoughts on the musical mascot for each NFL team. For the Seahawks, that’s Soundgarden: “This is another one where I’m not even sure the band even likes football. When you think of Seattle music, Soundgarden comes first for me.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we connect the past, the present and the future. The past? Cortez Kennedy and some surprising stats he put up during his Hall of Fame career: “If there was a statistic that stood out for Kennedy during that do-it-all (1992) season, it was his 14 sacks. But scratch a little deeper and there also were 14 other tackles for losses – giving him a franchise-record 28 when coupled with the sacks – as well as 13 other tackles for no gain. So on 41 of his career-high 93 tackles – or 44 percent of those plays – the ball carrier never cracked the line of scrimmage.”
As for the present and future, the team made another “good get” by re-signing tackle Breno Giacomini before he could become an unrestricted free agent: “One of the cornerstones to Carroll’s coaching philosophy is “Always compete,” and in re-signing Giacomini the Seahawks now have a competitive situation at right tackle – which was not case when they selected (James) Carpenter with the 25th pick overall in the NFL Draft last year. Retaining Giacomini also provides insurance in case Carpenter is not completely recovered from his knee injury when the OTA sessions start in May and the team holds its only mandatory minicamp in June.”
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com has updated his “Big Board” at CBSSports.com. Not surprisingly, he still had Stanford QB Andrew Luck ranked No. 1: “Put simply, Luck is worth the hype. It isn’t just that he has all the physical traits to be the No. 1 overall pick. His intelligence, anticipation and poise are phenomenal. Say what you will about Robert Griffin III’s upside, Luck is as close to a sure thing as it gets in the NFL Draft.”
As for the give-us-this-day-our-daily-Peyton-Manning item, Ashley Fox at ESPN.com has an intriguing read on the Colts’ iconic QB and what his future might hold: “Peyton wants what he wants. This isn’t exactly breaking news. Manning doesn’t like surprises. He isn’t going to work around other people’s mistakes. He is inflexible and hard-headed and type triple-A. Those aren’t knocks on Peyton. He is who he is, and those qualities have made him the NFL’s MVP four times in his career. At age 35, Peyton Manning isn’t going to change. Not now. Not for anybody. He is used to running an offense he wants to run, to calling plays, to dictating practice. He has been in charge of the Colts for so long, he knows no other way.”
And for a look around the league, there’s Peter King’s “Monday Morning Quarterback” at SI.com.
On this date: Carroll compiles staff
A look at the memorable moments in Seahawks history that occurred on Feb. 4:
1990: Dave Krieg completes 15 of 23 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown, but the NFC wins the Pro Bowl 27-21. Jerry Gray, a cornerback for the Rams who would go on to coach the Seahawks’ defensive backs in 2010, is named MVP after returning an interception 51 yards for a TD and also registering seven tackles. Rufus Porter (two tackles) and Brian Blades (one reception) also represent the Seahawks in the game.
1996: Chris Warren leads the NFC with 43 rushing yards, but the NFC wins the Pro Bowl 20-13.
1998: Jim Johnson is named linebackers coach on Dennis Erickson’s staff. Johnson remains for only one season before becoming the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, but his impact on the Seahawks’ defense is apparent even after he leaves.
2010: First-year coach Pete Carroll announces his staff: Jeremy Bates (offensive coordinator), Gus Bradley (defensive coordinator), Brian Schneider (special teams coordinator), Kippy Brown (wide receivers), Luke Butkus (quality control/offensive line), Dave Canales (quality control/offense), Chris Carlisle (head strength and conditioning), Jedd Fisch (quarterbacks), Mondray Gee (assistant strength and conditioning), Alex Gibbs (offensive line), Jerry Gray (defensive backs), Kris Richard (assistant defensive backs), Rocky Seto (quality control/defense), Sherman Smith (running backs), Jeff Ulbrich (assistant special teams), Art Valero (assistant offensive line) and Jamie Yancher (assistant strength and conditioning).
Tuesday cyber surfing: Chancellor, Browner to the Pro Bowl
Pete Carroll watches practice at the Senior Bowl (Photo by Ed "Spider" Cahill)
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Jan. 24:
Kam Chancellor and Brandon Browner were added to the NFC Pro Bowl team on Monday night, and we’ve got the word on that here at Seahawks.com: “Chancellor is replacing Dashon Goldson, while Browner is taking over for Carlos Rogers. Each of the 49ers’ players has decided not to play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl because of an injury, and Chancellor and Browner were the first alternates for the team at their positions in balloting of players, coaches and fans.”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times, via a report from KING-TV’s Chris Egan, says that former Seahawks QB Jon Kitna will become the football coach at Tacoma’s Lincoln High School, his alma mater: “Kitna, 39, attended Lincoln before going on to play at Central Washington. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 1996 and spent the season on Seattle’s practice squad. He played for the Barcelona Dragons of the World League in 1997 before making the Seahawks team in 1997. He played four seasons for the Seahawks, appearing in 39 games. He also went on to play for Cincinnati and Detroit before spending the past three seasons with Dallas.”
Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com has some early impressions of the activity at the Senior Bowl, which is where you’ll find Seahawks GM John Schneider, coach Pete Carroll and their staffs this week: “It might seem silly to think that lasting impressions can be made on scouts when athletes strut on stage for the weigh-ins prior to various all-star games but talent evaluators can take a lot from the height, weight, hand size, arm length, and general build of the athletes.”
Quarterback is one of the positions on the Seahawks’ to-get list and Mike Mayock at NFL.com gives you a look – literally – at his Top 10 prospects in this photo gallery.
For another look at a conference championship weekend that deserves a second look, there’s Peter King’s “Monday Morning Quarterback” at SI.com, which includes this we-already-knew-that item on the NFC West rival 49ers: “Justin Smith. Ray McDonald. NaVorro Bowman. Patrick Willis. They’re just too good to be going home. “What a defense,” Eli Manning told me at his locker. “They create so many problems on every snap.”
On this date: Cable, Bevell hired
A look at a memorable moment in Seahawks history that occurred on Jan. 18:
2011: Tom Cable (assistant head coach/offensive line), Darrell Bevell (offensive coordinator) and Todd Wash (defensive line) are added to Pete Carroll’s staff, while Kris Richard (defensive backs) and Rocky Seto (assistant defensive backs) are promoted to new posts. Also, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates is relieved of his duties after one season with the team.
Wednesday cyber surfing: No news is good news
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Jan. 18:
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times wonders what he has missed the past two weeks, and answers his own query: Not much. Offers O’Neil: “For the first time since 2001, Seattle was not either a) in the playoffs, or b) making a significant front-office move. Seriously, go back, look it up. After the 2002 season, Mike Holmgren got defrocked of GM responsibilities. In 2003 through 2007, the Seahawks were in the postseason. After 2008, the Seahawks completed the world’s most ham-handed head-coaching transition from Holmgren to Jim Mora and after the following season, Pete Carroll was brought in as the Seahawks’ effectively hit the reset button. This has been a most uneventful offseason so far.”
Chris Clemons didn’t make Matt Williamson’s list at ESPN.com of the Top 5 pass-rushers in the league, but the Seahawks’ Leo end did get honorable mention.
Bucky Brooks at NFL.com ranks his Top 50 players for the April NFL Draft, including QBs at No. 1 (Andrew Luck) and No. 3 (Robert Griffin III) and a familiar running back at No. 50: “Chris Polk, Washington. Crafty runner with a workmanlike game that is built for the pros. He excels between the tackles, but is an underrated receiver capable of staying on the field as a three-down weapon.”
Also at NFL.com, Jamie Dukes breaks down his needs for each of the 32 teams and has this to say about the Seahawks: “Pied Piper Pete Carroll picked a pair of pickled quarterbacks. Though Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst haven’t been awful, their games have worms. See the above comments on serviceable quarterbacks (Kyle Orton and Matt Cassel are serviceable quarters in KC, but serviceable only wins Super Bowls once a millennium). Jamie’s Judgment: Find a franchise quarterback, wide receiver or cornerback.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we check in with rookies K.J. Wright and Ricardo Lockette, who had some flattering things to say about the 12th MAN crowd at CenturyLink Field after experiencing what they had been told about: “ ‘I loved it,’ Wright said as the players were cleaning out their cubicles in the locker room at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on Jan. 2. ‘Guys had told me about this crowd, but I wasn’t expecting this at all. This crowd has been amazing. It’s a blessing to play for this team because we get to play in front of that crowd.’ ”
There’s also a dandy video of Marshawn Lynch’s greatest hits from the 2011 season, as well as a blog item on the playoff success of the four NFC West teams that might surprise you: “Since 2004, the division the Seahawks share with the 49ers, Cardinals and Rams has won at least one playoff game in each of the eight postseasons – including the Seahawks from 2005-07 and again in 2010. No other division in the NFC can make that claim.”
The division-rival Rams have a new coach – Jeff Fisher – and Mike Sando at ESPN.com offers his first impressions from the introductory news conference including this one on Fisher’s immediate goal: “Fisher pointed to becoming competitive within the NFC West as his top priority. The Rams were 0-6 in the division this season. Fisher said he would field a “disciplined, tough, physical football team” that can win in the division. He wants to field a team that runs the ball, protects the quarterback and forces turnovers.” Welcome to the club, and the division, Jeff.
Tuesday cyber surfing: NFC West rivalries; Post-Draft Grades
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Jan. 17, and was “out there” while we combined a few vacation days with the long weekend:
Dave Boling at the News Tribune looks at the budding rivalries in the NFC West, as the 49ers have advanced to the NFC Championship Game: “Before the Seahawks were shifted from the AFC West to the NFC West in 2002, rivalries with Denver and the Oakland Raiders were historic – but had fallen from currency because Seattle had so rarely contended. The NFC West looked even less welcoming at the time, with St. Louis coming off two Super Bowl appearances in the previous three seasons, while San Francisco had a 12-4 record in 2001. But in the subsequent 10 seasons, the Seahawks dominated with five division titles and five seasons above .500. Remarkably, the other three divisional teams combined for just five plus-.500 seasons in that span. No wonder it’s taken time for rivalries to ripen. There was more guilt by association than bragging rights involved.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com looks at how the 49ers’ defense has put a hurt on opposing running backs this season, and the accompanying chart shows just how impressive Marshawn Lynch’s 107-yard, one-TD effort against San Francisco in Week 16 really was: “(The Saints’ Pierre) Thomas became the seventh starting running back to leave a game against the 49ers after suffering an injury.”
Mel Kiper at ESPN.com has revisited his post-draft grades, and the Seahawks improved from a D-plus to a B-minus. There’s no link because it’s an “Insider” feature, but here’s what he had to say about the Seahawks: “In the grades file, I wrote: “By passing on Andy Dalton, the clear impression is that Seattle has other plans at quarterback. … I hope the Seahawks have better plans at quarterback than they did in terms of adding value here.” Look, Tarvaris Jackson could be the answer, but I don’t think anybody is ready to say he or she is 100 percent sold on that idea after a 7-9 season. And while James Carpenter became the starter on the right side, I just wasn’t in love with the value. He got injured after Week 9. John Moffitt also started but also was injured. So early on, I still see questions. However, the draft actually gains momentum from there. The emergence of No. 99 overall pick K.J. Wright was big, and allowed the Seahawks to move Aaron Curry to Oakland and recoup at least an ounce of value. In a loaded fifth round, Richard Sherman has emerged as a total steal and, along with former CFL star Brandon Browner and a pair of fantastic safeties, has made the Seattle secondary one of the best in the NFL in a really short period. It gets pretty quiet after that, mostly because I’m not allowed to factor in fabulous UFA signing Doug Baldwin. Regardless, a D-plus draft in terms of value got a lot better, although if Carpenter and Moffitt don’t become a solid right side, the Hawks have nothing to show for the early rounds. And the quarterback question is perhaps even bigger now, because there’s enough talent elsewhere to compete.”
At Seahawks.com, we concluded our three-part series with the coordinators by taking looks at the special teams with Brian Schneider and the defense with Gus Bradley.
On the special teams: “The board does not lie. Just outside the main entrance to the Seahawks’ locker room hangs Brian Schneider’s impossible-to-miss performance board for his special teams units. Each week, the special teams coordinator grades his group in 12 categories, with a Seahawks logo being placed in the box if the goal has been achieved. For the just-completed 2011 season, the logos run from a high of 11 (three times) to a low of three. Is there a better indication of just how inconsistent Schneider’s units were? When they were good, as against the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants and St. Louis Rams with those 11-logo performances, they were very good. But when they weren’t so good, as in the three-logo outing in the season opener against the 49ers in San Francisco and a four-logo game against the Cincinnati Bengals, well, the special teams’ efforts were not special enough to help the Seahawks win. ‘We really started off shaky,’ Schneider said. ‘We were young and then we had a bunch of injuries in those first couple games, so it just took us three or four games to find our rhythm. But we kept doing what we believe in and we kept talking about playing with 100 percent effort. So I was pleased with how we just kept fighting throughout the season.”
On the defense: “Where to begin with just how good the Seahawks defense was during the 2011 season? Where all the roads to improvement converged: At the unit’s No. 9 ranking in average yards allowed. The Seahawks last ranked among the Top 10 in the NFL in 1997, and had done it only five other times in franchise history (1984, 1990-92 and ’97). And, they did it with first-year starters at strong safety (Kam Chancellor), cornerback (Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman), strongside linebacker (K.J. Wright) and defensive tackle (Alan Branch); and second-year starters at free safety (Earl Thomas) and the ends (Chris Clemons and Red Bryant). That in itself is reason enough to believe the defense will only be better in 2012. ‘There are so many positive things to look toward when you think of how young this team was and how much natural jump occurred between Year One and Year Two for the first-year guys,’ coach Pete Carroll said.
There’s also a video report on Marcus Trufant’s visit to present an area elementary school with a check for $7,000.
