Starting center Chris Spencer's health is a key variable for Seattle heading into the upcoming season. He underwent surgery on both shoulders this offseason. The team feared Spencer might need another shoulder operation (before a doctor determined otherwise). Without Spencer, Chris Gray would become the only obviously viable option at center. Depth would be stretched thin. Gray would not be an option at right guard. The team would be more dependent on Floyd Womack staying healthy and Ray Willis developing into a starter.

To answer your question, there were times when Spencer blasted defenders out of there, no question. My 2006 play-by-play breakdowns show Shaun Alexander's longest runs covering 33, 21, 18, 18 and 18 yards. My notes on the 21-yarder (vs. Green Bay) are as follows: "Left side, cuts back right side, into the clear, gets block, #65 great block."

Spencer wasn't perfect last season. His inexperience hurt at times. But in terms of athletic ability, by all accounts he gives Seattle a starter with considerable potential. We should also remember that he spent part of last season out of position at guard. He has yet to play a full season at center.

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The 49ers' top personnel man, Scot McCloughan, says his current offensive line is better, one through 10, than the Seattle lines he helped put together during his tenure with the Seahawks. "From one to 10, this is the best offensive line I've been around," McCloughan told USA Today. "And I was in Seattle when they had Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson."

Of course, offensive lines aren't ultimately measured by their talent from one through 10. Lines are measured by how well the starting five function together. By that measure, the Seahawks' line of 2005 holds up well. That line helped Seattle produce 361 first downs and nearly 2,500 yards rushing, with 24 total sacks and a 98.2 passer rating for Matt Hasselbeck, and an MVP season by Shaun Alexander.

Seattle kept nine offensive linemen heading into the 2005 season: Walter Jones, Steve Hutchinson, Robbie Tobeck, Chris Gray, Floyd Womack, Sean Locklear, Chris Spencer, Ray Willis and Wayne Hunter.

The 49ers' current offensive linemen, listed by the league: Larry Allen, Eric Heitmann, David Baas, Justin Smiley, Nick Steitz, Tony Wragge, Harvey Dahl, Patrick Estes, Kwame Harris, Jonas Jennings, Adam Snyder and Tavares Washington.

The 49ers' offensive line was certainly better than the Seahawks' defense last season, one reason Frank Gore ran almost at will during stretches of two San Francisco victories. As for McCloughan, we should note that he was already in San Francisco when the Seahawks fielded that 2005 line, although the starters were players he had been around previously.

The Seahawks open their final 2007 minicamp Monday. This one features daily Monday-through-Thursday practices over a two-week period (June 4-7 and June 11-14). It's a voluntary camp. The 2006 June camp featured:

• Seattle receiving its NFC title rings;
• Floyd Womack missing time with a sore triceps;
• CEO Tod Leiweke announcing a cap on season-ticket sales;
• Marcus Trufant looking forward to an injury-free season;
• Mike Holmgren talking about how the team still wouldn't mind adding a veteran quarterback, and noting that David Greene needs to improve;
• Bobby Engram asking for a fair shot at a starting job;
• Michael Boulware missing valuable time; and ...
• Darrell Jackson making a surprise appearance.

What has changed? Womack is back and healthy -- for now. Trufant is still looking for that breakthrough season, and optimistic about Jim Mora's addition. Holmgren still wouldn't mind adding a veteran backup QB. Greene is still under pressure to improve. Boulware is again recovering from surgery. And Darrell Jackson? I'm thinking we won't see him this time.

Matt Hasselbeck is a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback when given good protection (and when healthy). He has proven that in recent seasons. Other times, notably last season, inconsistent protection has led to injuries and inconsistent play. I see merit in Trent Dilfer's assessment: People talk a lot about confidence, but being comfortable is the key. Hasselbeck can be very accurate and effective when he is comfortable. His decision making can suffer when those conditions are not met (Mike Holmgren was specifically concerned about some of the decisions Hasselbeck made during the divisional playoff loss in Chicago, a point of emphasis heading into this season).

Backup Seneca Wallace completed better than 60 percent of his passes in three of four starts last season. He tossed more touchdowns than interceptions in three of those starts. Wallace had more rushing yards (121) in those four starts than Hasselbeck had in 12 starts (110). But Wallace's starting record was 2-2 and his final start was also his least effective one, a three-interception performance at San Francisco. Wallace is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2007 season.

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With former Hawks DT Sam Adams making some free-agent visits, I thought back to some of his more memorable moments in Seattle. Very few players in league history could match Adams' combination of size and quickness. Based solely on talent, he really could have been a Hall of Fame player, in my estimation.

One play stands out in my memory. The Seahawks were playing the Bills in the Kingdome during the 1999 season. Adams timed one pass rush so perfectly that he sacked Doug Flutie before the QB could fully retreat from center. I remember a picture showing Adams taking down Flutie before the wide receiver had come off the line of scrimmage. The photo showed the receiver, split wide left, still looking back at the ball as if to time his release, and Adams was already making the sack. The linemen were still pretty much in their stances. There weren't many quarterbacks as quick as Flutie, which made the feat even more impressive.

The chicken is marinating and my wife plans to make the best guacamole in the world. Not a bad way to head into Memorial Day, or our latest roster analysis. We break down the running backs today.

The big question is whether Shaun Alexander can bounce back from his first injury-shortened season. He turns 30 in August, a bad number for most running backs. But when we assess the nature of his foot injury -- a cracked bone, not damage to a joint -- we probably aren't looking at anything chronic.

We should also note that Alexander, never one to take much punishment, has fewer than 2,200 career regular-season touches. Walter Payton had about 4,300. Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk had more than 3,500. Ricky Watters had about 3,100. Edgerrin James has roughly 2,900. Alexander has relatively low miles, in other words. He should get back into the 1,200-yard and 15-touchdown range with a little help from his offensive line.

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Using an elaborate formula, Pro Football Reference ranks ex-Hawk Steve Largent third on its list of best wide receivers whose careers started in 1970 or later.

I would not let statistics determine which players were best at a given position. But when you look at the PFR list, it's difficult to argue with the top four: Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Largent and Torry Holt. Of those four, all but Largent played with an MVP quarterback (although Dave Krieg did rank among the NFL's top 10 in passing yards, touchdown passes and completed passes when he retired).

Let's take a moment to acknowledge the type of good humor we appreciate here at Seahawks Insider. One reader says he's "really holding out hope" for Bennie Joppru to become a productive tight end after a long history of injuries. Another reader wonders if he's also holding out hope for Chris Davis and Jeb Huckuba. That's what we like: One reader using humor in raising a fair counterpoint, without attacking the other reader personally. Now let me get back to that DeShone Myles feature.

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Seattle signed quarterback Ryan Leaf five years ago this week. "There is no risk involved here for the club," coach and then-GM Mike Holmgren said at the time. "He is a young man who wants to prove himself and prove to everyone that he can play football. He loves this area and we are willing to give him a shot at it."

Trent Dilfer was the Seahawks' starting QB at the time. Matt Hasselbeck was the No. 2 guy and coming off a difficult first season as a starter. Leaf, having been cast off by San Diego, Tampa Bay and Dallas, joined Seattle rookies Jeff Kelly and Ryan Van Dyke in the running for the third-string position. The competition lasted two months. Leaf, worn out mentally and battling a chronic wrist injury, retired that July.

Holmgren knew going in that the odds of developing Leaf were long. "There was a time that I thought I could coach anybody and everybody and I was the guy," Holmgren said. "That is not how it works."

The Seahawks signed another veteran backup, Mark Rypien, not long after Leaf retired. He didn't last long, either. Seattle has become more selective in adding veteran backups for the third spot. The team has tried to sign a few -- Brad Johnson and David Carr come to mind -- but those guys found better opportunities elsewhere.

Jerramy Stevens, Itula Mili and Ryan Hannam were Seattle's tight ends during Super Bowl XL. Less than 16 months later, none is with the Seahawks and only Stevens remains in the league, at least for now.

Had the Seahawks managed to land Daniel Graham in free agency, all presumably would have considered the position upgraded. The Hawks signed Marcus Pollard instead. They consider him an upgrade as well, and perhaps they are right. But there is also this: Seattle's current tight ends combined for 16 regular-season receptions last season. Pollard had 12 of them. Top backup Will Heller had four. The other tight ends battling for roster spots own a combined six regular-season appearances, all by Bennie Joppru last season.

What does it mean? The team will presumably monitor the waiver wire for backup tight ends who might become available. The health of Hannam's knee, which he has been rehabbing, could determine whether he becomes an option here or anywhere. But Pollard is the starter almost no matter what. The Hawks are banking on him enjoying a revival at age 35, and Heller filling in gaps as needed.

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Editor & Publisher announced winners of its annual EPpy Awards. We appreciate being named "Best Media-Affiliated Sports Blog" for a second time.

Quite a few people share ownership in this award. Editors at The News Tribune have encouraged us to embrace the Web and not fear it, so we start with them. We also congratulate an Interactive Media department featuring Bill Hunter, Mark Briggs, Laura Gentry, Jeff Hendrickson, Karen Moats and Mike Bednarczyk.

A special thanks to Jeff for his work on the media player, which is one of the best I've seen (and heard). Mark gets a nod for suggesting we start this blog in April 2005.

Congrats, also, to 2007 EPpy finalists SportsJustice and The LoHud Yankees Blog. There are more quality blogs every year. I make time to monitor those with RSS feeds, including Access Vikings, Reiss' Pieces, The Point After, Instant 49ers, Mark Maske's NFL Insider and the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel Dolphins blog. Please let me know of others with RSS feeds.

Former longtime NFL kicker Steve Christie has some interesting things to say about Bruce DeHaven, the Seahawks' new special-teams coach. DeHaven and Christie were together with the Bills. I caught up with Christie during Super Bowl week. Among other things, Christie said he thought DeHaven's talents had been wasted in Dallas. We alluded to that at that time. I'll make available the full audio here.

Did you hear about the Steelers coach who forwarded porn to NFL brass, their secretaries and commissioner Roger Goodell? The league is understandably upset about such a clear and blatant violation of its new policy limiting online pornographic videos to 45 seconds in duration. Hopefully we'll get an official statement from new league spokesman Clinton Portis.

Injuries at the receiver position will test the Seahawks more now than when Darrell Jackson was catching passes for the team. Bobby Engram has had health and injury problems in recent seasons. D.J. Hackett has occasionally been slowed by injuries even though he hasn't missed long stretches. Nate Burleson has yet to win a starting job. Being high on Ben Obomanu is different from being comfortable with him playing extensively.

That is a bit of a glass-half-empty perspective, but not necessarily an unrealistic one. Seattle needs Deion Branch to play like the $39 million receiver he became when the Seahawks acquired him from New England. Team president Tim Ruskell has said, repeatedly, that Branch is also valued for what he brings to the locker room. This offense also needs a No. 1 receiver. Hackett played like one when given a chance last season. He has the physical tools. But with 73 catches on his resume, Hackett has more potential than production.

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The Seahawks' NBA counterparts have claimed the No. 2 overall choice in the 2007 draft. Kevin Durant is the player the Sonics are expected to select, after Portland most likely takes Greg Oden first overall.

What does the second overall choice mean to Seattle? Not much for the Seahawks. The team has held that choice three times without landing a Pro Bowl player.

• In 1976, the Seahawks used the pick for Notre Dame defensive lineman Steve Niehaus, whose career was shortened by injuries.
• In 1977, the Hawks traded the second overall pick to Dallas for choices that became Steve August, Tom Lynch and Terry Beeson. The Cowboys drafted Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett. August, Lynch and Beeson combined to start 205 games for Seattle. The Hawks later traded Lynch for the pick that became Pete Metzelaars. They traded August for the pick that became ... N.C. Central corner Arnold Brown, who lasted two games.
• In 1993, Seattle drafted Rick Mirer after New England took Drew Bledsoe first overall.

The last seven No. 2 overall picks in the NBA: LaMarcus Aldridge, Marvin Williams, Emeka Okafor, Darko Milicic, Jay Williams, Tyson Chandler and Stromile Swift. This year's NBA draft is considered stronger than most, with those top two picks considered franchise players.

Thanks to the reader who claimed that "most people on the current roster were brought in by (Mike) Holmgren" ... even though that's not quite the case. The subject is very much worth our attention. In fact, I've turned our 33-category roster into a 34-category roster as a result of this reader's contention. We now have a column showing "Ruskell Era" or "Holmgren Era" or even "Mueller Era" to connect players to the regimes that brought them aboard.

Holmgren was not general manager in 2003 and 2004, the final two years before Tim Ruskell became president, but his right-hand man at the time, Ted Thompson, was largely in charge of the draft. And Holmgren remained a driving force in the team's personnel decisions. Former vice president Randy Mueller, now GM in Miami, was instrumental in acquiring Mack Strong, Walter Jones and Chris Gray.

Now, on to the results of our analysis. The scorecard, counting players with NFL Europe exemptions: Ruskell 73 players, Holmgren 16 players , Mueller three players. A wide disparity was expected given that Ruskell was in charge of turning the 53-man roster into an 80-man roster, plus exemptions.

We also see that Ruskell has largely remade the starting lineup in two years with the team. Twelve of 22 starters are "Ruskell Era" players. Six are Holmgren guys. Three are Mueller guys, all on the offensive side. This is increasingly Ruskell's team, although Mueller and Holmgren brought aboard the three most important offensive players: Walter Jones, Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck. The departures of Darrell Jackson and Jerramy Stevens accelerated the shift to Ruskell's players.

One of our readers hints at a good point: beware training-camp stories suggesting this unit or that unit is feeling great about itselt and ready for a breakout season. The Hawks have appeared confident and enthused about their prospects on defense heading into recent seasons, but the defense hasn't threatened the top 10 as long as I've been covering the team. While all know yardage-based rankings are overrated, we also know that very good defenses tend to produce high rankings.

Take Baltimore's defense. All can agree it's been one of the NFL's best in recent years. Its yardage-based rankings, starting in 2006 and moving to 2000: 1, 5, 6, 3, 22, 2 and 2. Seattle's yardage-based rankings in those same years: 19, t-16, 26, 19, 28, 20 and 31. No contest.

Seattle's 2005 defense was more effective than its No. 20 ranking would suggest, particularly late in the season. At that time, we noted that recent Super Bowl teams tended to rank very well in red-zone touchdown percentage, and the 2005 Hawks were second in that category (but 28th last season).

By definition (the rankings we cited), the Seahawks are mediocre defensively until they prove otherwise, not until people write stories about optimistic outlooks in June or August. Are there reasons Seattle should feel better about its defense in 2007? Definitely. The safety position finally appears sound. Will the defense play consistently well in 2007? We know where the burden of proof lies.

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While Hawks coach Mike Holmgren has opened up the right side of the line to competition, the money says Sean Locklear will again emerge as the starting right tackle. The team tendered Locklear to a first-round draft choice as a restricted free agent, jacking up his salary to $1.85 million. Ray Willis still has a shot at winning that job, or the right-guard job, depending on how he plays this summer.

The Seahawks will want to sign Locklear to a long-term contract if he affirms their one-year investment with a strong performance in 2007. Willis, still playing under the rookie deal he signed as a fourth-round choice in 2005, would provide a cheaper alternative in 2008 if Locklear leaves in free agency. Tom Ashworth is another option at right tackle. The team tried him at guard last offseason, but he was not comfortable there. Floyd Womack was once the favorite to start at right tackle (2005), but we'll want to see whether all the injuries have compromised his ability to play that position. He might be more relevant at right guard. The team has talked about Chris Gray and Womack sharing time there. Womack is under contract for one season at $1.2 million.

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One of the blogs I monitor has a few thoughts on the NFL's new policy that severely limits fans' options for accessing video and audio online. Terry Heaton of Audience Research & Development writes, in part: "The assumption you’re making is that if anybody wants access to your world, they must come through you. This is contrary to the cultural disruption that’s underway, and I think you’re underestimating it."

He adds, "Moreover, a second assumption is that if media companies want access to your fans, they’ll also have to come through you. This is probably the bigger of the two assumptions, because you believe that limiting access to eyeballs has value. This is called scarcity economics, and it just doesn’t work online."

We'll strike a balance between covering this issue and beating it into the ground. I wanted to pass along this perspective because it's from someone with considerable experience in the industry.

A few staffers over at SI.com recently ranked starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Matt Hasselbeck was ninth. Their top eight: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Donovan McNabb, Ben Roethlisberger and Marc Bulger.

There are a few ways to put together these types of lists. Are you looking for a guy to lead a pro-style offense for one game? Are you looking for a guy to build around for years to come? Are you looking for the guy who has had the best career to this point? It's hard to argue against Manning or Brady under any of those criteria. I might not put so much trust in Rivers and Roethlisberger this early in their careers, particularly given some of the difficulties Roethlisberger has encountered recently.

They put Jeff Garcia in the No. 18 spot, but I would take him in a one-game situation over quite a few others. I would have ranked Hasselbeck higher a year ago. Like McNabb, he's coming off an injury-shortened season with something to prove.

NFL Network is honoring former Seahawks QB Jim Zorn among the 10 most mobile quarterbacks in NFL history (program runs Wednesday at 9 p.m. EDT). Others on the list: Fran Tarkenton, Bobby Douglass, Roger Staubach, John Elway, Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, Doug Flutie, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick.

There are distinctions to be made. Young, Vick and Cunningham qualify as virtual running backs at the QB position. Flutie would be in a similar category except that he lacked the size to take on defenders. Of course, that was the thing. He didn't need to take on defenders because they could not find him. Unbelievable elusiveness. Injuries have turned McNabb into a more conventional player, but he still managed to exceed 200 yards rushing across 10 games last season.

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We received quite a bit of feedback about the new NFL policy all but preventing sites such as this one from uploading audio and video taken at NFL facilities. My initial analysis of this policy explained how this policy could have unintended consequences benefiting readers. It's a given that this policy robs fans of choices.

We uploaded extensive audio to this site so that readers could listen to interviews in full and make their own decisions about what coaches, players and front-office people meant. The league lacks the resources, instincts and motivation to be where independent reporters will be when gathering these interviews. Oh, the league will be there for some of them. But can readers trust the league to provide the same unedited, unfiltered content that an independent outlet would provide? Should readers be forced to trust the league on this?

This policy is not necessarily permanent. The league could be trying to take control of this issue in the short term. We'll have to see how it plays out.

Now, on to your questions …

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Linebackers active for Seattle in the team's final game before Tim Ruskell took over as Seahawks president: starters Isaiah Kacyvenski, Niko Koutouvides and Chad Brown, plus backups Solomon Bates and Orlando Huff. Other linebackers associated with the team that day: Tracy White (inactive), Anthony Simmons (injured reserve) and D.D. Lewis (IR). That was the season Seattle failed to force a punt during a blowout loss to the Jets.

The defense has suffered a few embarrassments since then, but the linebackers usually haven't been the problem. Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson went to the Pro Bowl after last season. Leroy Hill finished strong after a disappointing season defined by injuries and a role change that didn't seem to suit him. Hill was healthier and more comfortable late in the season, one reason he led the team in tackles during the playoffs. If Hill picks up where he left off, the Seahawks figure to have one of the NFL's very best groups of starting linebackers.

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We've generally broken down Seattle's unrestricted and restricted free agents separately, but this chart puts them together. We see the players Seattle signed from other teams, plus the free agents who re-signed with Seattle, plus the Seattle free agents that signed elsewhere, plus the two who remain unsigned.

Josh Brown remains the team's franchise player. Teams had from Feb. 8 until Feb. 22 to name franchise players. Teams have until July 14 to sign franchise players to multiyear deals. If Brown doesn't have a long-term deal by then, he'll be bound to the one-year, $2.078 million franchise tender, which he has already signed. If that happens, Brown would not be able to sign another contract until Seattle plays its final regular-season game.

The five players listed directly beneath Brown in our chart were restricted free agents who played for Seattle last season. Each has signed the restricted tender. Each is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in March 2008. Each is free to sign a long-term deal with the Seahawks.

The four main unrestricted free agents signed from other teams are counting about $5.5 million against the cap in 2007, compared to $9.2 million for QB Matt Hasselbeck. Of course, Deon Grant's cap figure swells past $7.5 million next season. With big contracts, it's usually a matter of when, not if, the big money shows up on the cap.

Cory Bergman, director of digital media for KING5.com and NWCN.com, calls the NFL's new restrictions on digital Web media a "huge blow" for TV sites. "Our only competitive advantage in sports coverage is video, and now the NFL has essentially yanked it," he writes on his blog, lostremote.

I still think information drives media Web sites, but perhaps that's just me. I'm looking over my laptop at an HD monitor playing a concert in digital surround. Waiting for a smaller, degraded image to load over a DSL connection that hasn't gotten appreciably faster in five years really doesn't strike me as progress.

The Seahawks are carrying 15 defensive linemen, including one NFL Europe exemption. They have kept 10 defensive linemen on two of the last three initial cutdowns to 53 players (2006 and 2004). They kept eight in 2005, nine in 2003 and nine in 2002. The five-year average is 9.2.

Barring a serious injury or unforeseen issue, the following eight defensive linemen should be expected to make the team this season: ends Darryl Tapp, Bryce Fisher, Baraka Atkins and Patrick Kerney, and tackles Marcus Tubbs, Chuck Darby, Brandon Mebane and Rocky Bernard. Mebane was a third-round pick, Atkins a fourth-rounder. Neither has played, but team president Tim Ruskell said he assumes rookies taken in the first four rounds make the team.

Craig Terrill, Russell Davis and Brandon Green would be leading candidates for those final two spots, assuming the team keeps 10 defensive linemen again this season. Terrill was hoping for a multiyear deal, but the Hawks gave him the minimum restricted tender (one year at $850,000). Davis' contract pays $1.1 million in 2007, with another $400,000 in bonus proration. Terrill and Davis are tackles. Green, signed to a one-year deal with $510,000 in salary and $40,000 in bonus money, is an end from the Rams.

Davis turned 32 in March. The NFL credited him with 30 tackles in 13 games last season, with a career-high three sacks. Terrill, 27 next month, has been part of the DT rotation for the last two seasons, but he predates Ruskell in Seattle (relevant only because personnel people tend to favor their own guys). The NFL credited Terrill with 14 tackles in 11 games last season, with a career-high three sacks (all against Oakland). Green had 19 tackles in 13 games for the Rams, with half a sack (after getting three in 2005).

With the NFL banning independent Web sites from carrying more than 45 seconds of audio/video content at a time, it's natural to wonder if the league will censor unflattering content from its own site. We noted in April that NFL.com ran a press release instead of a news story when pushing back its China game until at least 2009. The league was presumably sensitive to Chinese officials in its handling of the story.

And yet NFL.com carries quite a few "negative" stories, including this one about the latest Bengals arrest. The site also includes stories about the Michael Vick dogfighting case, including this congressional dispatch urging commissioner Roger Goodell to "act swiftly and forcefully" if the player were involved.

Which got me to thinking: Are the Falcons tracking the Vick case on their site? They are not. Today there were a couple of front-page items on Vick's involvement with charities (1, 2). Which is not to suggest that the site takes a pass on the subject. Run the word "dogfighting" through the Falcons' site search and one might come away with the impression that the illegal pastime remains common in the (NFC) South.

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The NFL under commissioner Roger Goodell has taken steps to improve media access to league personnel. A recently adopted access policy requires teams to make available coaches, players and front-office people at regular intervals. The league has also relaxed its policy on sideline TV crews.

Now comes a policy headed in the other direction. This one seeks to monopolize league-oriented audio and video content on the Web. The league is limiting sites such as this one to 45 seconds of league audio and video per day, with no archiving beyond 24 hours. The league wants fans to visit only league Web sites for audio and video featuring players, coaches and other league personnel. Like many policies, this one will have unintended consequences.

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The Seahawks are carrying 16 defensive backs, counting one NFL Europe exemption. They have kept seven or eight on the initial 53-man roster since Tim Ruskell became team president. The number appears related to the number of receivers. If the Hawks keep more than five receivers, they tend to keep fewer than eight defensive backs. That has been the pattern over the last four seasons.

We know that Deion Branch, D.J. Hackett, Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson will almost certainly earn roster spots at receiver. Ben Obomanu would be a favorite for a fifth spot. It's unclear whether the team will keep a sixth receiver. Rookies Jordan Kent and Courtney Taylor will try to make that decision a difficult one.

Back to the defensive backs. We should expect Kelly Jennings, Marcus Trufant, Josh Wilson and Jordan Babineaux to earn roster spots as cornerbacks (Babineaux can play safety, but we'll consider him a cornerback here). Safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell will also earn roster spots. We can reasonably expect safeties Mike Green and Michael Boulware to earn spots, although both are coming off injuries and Boulware struggled last season. Those eight players appear most likely to earn roster spots in the secondary, but Babineaux's versatility could allow Seattle to keep seven.

Where does that leave Kelly Herndon? He's rehabbing from an ankle injury. The team's decision to use a second-round pick on Wilson makes things tougher. The Hawks haven't kept more than eight defensive backs since 2003, the only time under Mike Holmgren that Seattle has kept only four receivers on the initial 53-man cutdown. It's too early to say how the DB position will settle out, but we can look at the roster and narrow down the likely possibilities.

Look, it can be flat-out slow this time of year. We could analyze third-down conversion rates across time zones, or we could take a couple minutes to enjoy a laugh. Thanks to The Onion for its recent satirical offerings on Brett Favre and Michael Vick.

They have Favre demanding a trade ... to the '96 Packers: "I know Ron Wolf would have my back. If, say, our number-one receiver gets knocked out for the season in Week 7, I believe Wolf would go right after a great veteran free agent, like maybe Andre Rison, to give us an edge in the playoffs."

And then they have the ever-serious Bob Costas improbably lamenting the decline of dogfighting while placing himself on Vick's property. Wicked stuff.

Ex-Hawk Jerramy Stevens has spoken to reporters for the first time since his March arrest on DUI and marijuana charges. The St. Petersburg Times notes that the NFL has not yet decided whether Steves will face league-ordered discipline.

"It was a huge eye-opener," Stevens told reporters in Tampa, where he is practicing with the Bucs. "It had been a long time since I'd had an incident. So, it was obviously a huge slipup. But that's what it was: a slipup. I made a lifestyle change years back. So, I'm not trying to minimize the mistake, but it was a misstep. I think the Bucs realize that and they realize that I'm a quality guy and a quality player. I know that, too. I'm just trying to let everybody else know that."

One of our readers indeed has a good memory. Then-Hawks VP Ted Thompson did indicate on draft day 2002 that second-round choices Anton Palepoi and Maurice Morris might have been available later in the draft. I also recall one of the NFL's top defensive-minded head coaches saying in private that he thought Palepoi would be a double-digit sack guy in the right system. The UNLV staff, featuring John Robinson and others with NFL experience, also thought Palepoi would be a good player.

We should note that Palepoi wasn't the only college defensive lineman who flamed out in the Seahawks' defense during those years. Seattle had this idea at the time that top defenses should have 300-plus-pounders across the board, able to line up man-for-man. This was the Reggie White Theory, which worked very well when Reggie White was one of those 300-plus-pounders.

The Hawks beefed up Lamar King to 315 pounds and he could not stay healthy or get off the ball. They beefed up Palepoi. They converted Antonio Cochran from tackle to end. They watched Michael Sinclair go from the NFL sack leader under Dennis Erickson to being just a guy (there were other issues here, notably a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis). The scheme wasn't necessarily to blame, but it's logical to think some of those players might have been better in other systems.

I'll include some of Ted Thompson's comments from draft day 2002 as perspective. Those are below.

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This has been a relatively decent month-long period for the Seahawks' beleaguered 2002 draft class. Four of the team's first five picks that year have found their way into the news recently, with three of them even resurfacing on 80-man rosters.

Oakland started things off by signing 2002 Seahawks third-rounder Kris Richard about three weeks ago. Then came Tampa Bay's controversial decision to sign 2002 first-rounder Jerramy Stevens. Even 2002 fourth-rounder Terreal Bierra briefly became a topic, albeit for wondering why NFL teams have stopped calling.

None of these developments could prepare us for Anton Palepoi's return to the league as a member of the New Orleans Saints. Palepoi, like Richard, has not played in a regular-season NFL game since appearing briefly in 2005. Bierria has been out since 2004. Of the 10 players Seattle drafted that year, Rocky Bernard is the lone starter. The others: Stevens, Maurice Morris, Palepoi, Richard, Bierria, Ryan Hannam, Matt Hill, Craig Jarrett and Jeff Kelly.

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I keep getting NFL Europe updates showing how Seattle's allocated players are faring, only to realize that these players almost never make an impact in the NFL itself.

The Hawks have allocated 83 players to NFL Europe since 1995. Of the 55 allocated since 2002, Alain Kashama and Jason Willis are the only ones to play in regular-season games for Seattle. Each played in one game.

A few of Seattle's early NFL Europe players made an impact, but Jon Kitna and James Logan remain the only ones to start games for the Seahawks. Kitna started 33. Logan, valued mostly on special teams, started four. The Hawks' 2007 allocations included Dennis Davis, Travis Lulay, Lynn McGruder, Jason Murphy and Tony Robinson.

Brett Favre has distanced himself from reports suggesting he sought out of Green Bay following the Packers' failure to acquire Randy Moss. News of Favre's apparent wishes left him vulnerable to a backlash.

Two recurring questions: Can the Packers become a contending team in 2007? Can Favre still play at a high level?

Most agree that the Packers are going nowhere this season, just as Carolina was going nowhere in 2003 and New England was going nowhere in 2001 and Atlanta was going nowhere in 1998. Like those teams, these Packers are a flawed group coming off a non-winning season. As for QBs at 37? Think back to the 1997 Seahawks. Warren Moon was 40 years old and coming off a seven-TD, nine-INT season in which he played only eight games. His 1997 stats: 25 TDs and 16 INTs for the NFL's third-ranked offense.

That's the thing about the NFL. There are never any surprises. Everyone knows everything in advance. Some even have strong opinions in advance.

Sam Adams has been around forever, breaking into the league with Seattle in 1994, but he's still "only" 33 years old. Hawks coach and then-GM Mike Holmgren took some heat for choosing not to re-sign Adams back in early 2000. Holmgren was looking to start fresh with his own personnel. Adams later played in Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl, while Seattle's run defense struggled more often than not.

Adams is a free agent again, having been released by Cincinnati. Would the Hawks bring back Adams now? Not likely. Seattle has passed on him before, and the team has gone with smaller defensive linemen (Adams has played in the 350-plus-pound range lately). The Hawks also used a third-round pick on a defensive tackle last month. Adams might need to prove he can keep his weight under control before any team looks at him seriously.

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Outgoing Packers chairman and CEO Bob Harlan details his hiring of Ted Thompson from the Seahawks in this excerpt from his book. The Packers had formally decided to pursue Thompson on Oct. 19, 2004, months before the news became public. Bob Whitsitt, then the Hawks' president, was so quick in granting the Packers permission to speak with Thompson that Harlan suspected ulterior motives: specifically that Whitsitt might be trying to undermine Mike Holmgren by facilitating the departure of a top ally.

"Within 45 minutes of sending the fax to Whitsitt, I did get permission to talk to Ted, which was very surprising. Sometimes it can take a day or two for that to happen. I've heard a lot of rumors about that. One of them was that Whitsitt thought letting one of Mike's best people go might have been a way for him to get back at him." -- Outgoing Packers chairman and CEO Bob Harlan

The Seahawks fired Whitsitt while Thompson was on his way to Green Bay. The Holmgren-Whitsitt divide is old news around here, but these details are interesting. In fairness to Whitsitt, we should note that Harlan and Holmgren worked together for years in Green Bay. We would expect Harlan to sympathize with Holmgren.

Our recent discussion on Shawn Springs got me thinking about other top-10 picks in Seahawks history.

The team has drafted 14 players with picks one through 10. Six of these players represented Seattle in a Pro Bowl. Three were, at their best, as good as anyone in league history at their positions (Kenny Easley, Cortez Kennedy and Walter Jones). A few others, notably Steve Niehaus, Rick Mirer and Ray Roberts, fell short of expectations.

The Hawks traded away top-10 picks on six occasions. Teams used those choices for Tony Dorsett, Andre Carter, Chris Singleton, Bruce Matthews, Jamal Reynolds and Ray Agnew.

The Washington Post checks in with ex-Hawk Shawn Springs for a revealing feature touching on his hopes, fears and evolving relationship with his ailing father, Ron. Shawn Springs said he gets depressed talking about the Redksins (he's unsure if the team will bring him back at age 32, and tired of being mediocre). But his father's deteriorating health is obviously a primary concern.

The Seahawks watched Springs leave in free agency after the 2003 season. Seattle has won three consecutive division titles, plus an NFC championship game, since Springs landed a $10 million signing bonus from Washington. Seattle also beat the Redskins in a playoff game. Washington has won 21 regular-season games and one playoff game in three seasons with Springs. Seattle has won 31 regular-season games and three playoff games during that time.

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Matt Hasselbeck has been working with a "throwing" rehab expert in Arizona, according to his latest blog entry. The QB said he's spending most of his time in Seattle this offseason. He's in Bellevue tonight for a Boys & Girls Club auction.

Twenty-three days, actually, but close enough. The Hawks' next camp is expected to run June 4-7 and June 11-14, when the offseason conditioning program ends. Then we'll have roughly six weeks before the expected start of training camp.

Rod Gardner is the only first-round draft choice to have a tryout with the Seahawks since we started tracking tryouts April 20, 2006. Nineteen current Seattle players had tryouts. None is a starter. Five were designated for NFL Europe, which means they probably won't win roster spots. Of the 19, Derek Rackley probably has the best shot at earning a roster spot. I've counted 98 tryouts overall during that time. The chart shows how many of those were drafted by a certain round. Note that 56 were undrafted. This is about what we should expect.

I have counted 10 "visits" during this time. Higher-profile players make visits. Lower-profile players get tryouts. Four current players visited the team since April 20, 2006: Deon Grant, Brian Russell, Marcus Pollard and Patrick Kerney. Other visitors included: Cooper Carlisle, David Carr, Kris Dielman, Daniel Graham and Sean Mahan.

Teams routinely bring in players for tryouts to keep abreast of available talent should injuries create a need during the season. They'll often bring in a few players at a given position on Tuesdays (during the season). Most of the time they won't sign any of them. Note: Our 33-category roster, updated today, lists all tryouts and visits.

Getting Matt Hasselbeck healthy has been a priority for the Seahawks this offseason. KEEPING him healthy will be the challenge in 2007, one reason coach Mike Holmgren has opened up the right side of the line for competition. A few telling stats relating to pass protection: Counting regular season and playoffs, Hasselbeck has a 25-6 starting record when he is sacked zero or one times. The record is 25-27 when he is sacked between two and five times. The record is 0-4 when he is sacked six or seven times. See also: 2001-2006 Matt Hasselbeck Stats.

The Seahawks made it through their postdraft camp without losing key players or draft choices to injury. Consider it a small victory for the Hawks given news that Pittsburgh's top two draft choices suffered (apparently minor) injuries. Now, on to your questions. ...

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Hawks coach Mike Holmgren has never launched into a tirade while addressing reporters, at least not one I've seen, but he occasionally gets a bit exasperated at questions touching on issues he finds baffling. That was the case as minicamp broke and someone asked about Shaun Alexander's foot. To review, Alexander had suggested lightheartedly that he might have the foot evaluated following camp to see if there's still a small crack. Either way, the foot isn't considered to be a problem, and Alexander practiced without restriction.

Here was some classic Holmgren: "He is not going to have it looked at. No one is going to have it looked at. I haven’t looked at it, he hasn’t looked at it, no one has looked at it. I don’t know why he said what he said. I don’t know why whoever wrote it, wrote it. I just don’t get it, but he is fine. We X-rayed it after the season was over. How long has it been? You saw him running out here, he is running all over the place. That is a non-story, honest to goodness. There is nothing wrong with Shaun Alexander."

So, coach, could you clarify: Is there any chance Alexander's foot could be a problem in 2007?

I dropped by the KING-TV studios this afternoon to tape a segment with Paul Silvi. That is airing tonight on Northwest Cable News at 9:30, 11:30 and 12:30, and at 10:30 on KONG. Or you can click on the image at right to play the clip directly from NWCN's Web site.

Paul and I discussed Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck, Mike Holmgren's plans for the offensive line and what impact the new safeties are having.

Free-agent offensive lineman Dave Kadela visited the Hawks this week. The 29-year-old from Virginia Tech has played in two NFL games during stints with Atlanta, Jacksonville and Carolina. ...

ESPN.com's John Clayton filed this report from Seahawks minicamp this week.

On a side note, congrats to John for his recent selection as 2007 winner of the McCann Award, given annually by the Professionall Football Writers of America for distinguished service. He will be recognized this summer at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This award is voted on by peers. John is past president of the PFWA and my predecessor here at The News Tribune. ...

Updating previous reports (1, 2, 3, 4), the NFL Network has lost a recent court battle with cable provider Comcast. Cable providers want to offer NFL Network as part of sports-tier programming, which carry premiums. The league wants its programming carried on basic cable. Providers say this isn't feasible because the league charges providers a considerable fee to carry its programming. Quite a few veiwers couldn't watch NFL Network games at all last season.

QB Matt Hasselbeck's left shoulder has healed sufficiently for him to begin working out with the rest of the team Monday. That includes lifting weights. Hasselbeck was previously rehabbing in a separate team-established program. He participated extensively in the postdraft minicamp that ended today. He could be cleared for full participation in the camp that opens June 4. If not, look for him to be cleared for training camp.

Also Monday, the league plans to unveil a Times Square billboard featuring Hasselbeck and his brother Tim holding a photo of their father, Don. The billboard promotes a father-oriented contest in which fans can win prizes from the NFL's corporate partners. The contest's Web site goes live Monday (update: it's live as of Saturday morning).

Note: We don't run free ads for league contests, of course, but this one seems to reflect a higher profile for Hasselbeck than what we might have seen a few years back. Tim Hasselbeck's profile is already up there thanks to his wife's prominence, as reflected by their recent attendance at a White House dinner.

We've got a partial Matt Hasselbeck interview transcript below.

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Coach Mike Holmgren is putting the right side of the offensive line on alert. He doesn't want anyone getting comfortable. He wants Ray Willis to feel as though a great summer could vault him into the starting lineup. He wants Sean Locklear to know nothing is handed to anyone. He knows injury concerns could force the team to shuffle the line anyway. He wants to see how guys play at different positions.

Holmgren's comments today also put an end to speculation that Sean Locklear might one day move to guard, a position he played in college. That largely imagined possibility has been a recurring theme among fans looking for ways Seattle might improve the line, particularly since guard has become more of a concern in the post-Hutchinson era. Now we can say it definitively: Sean Locklear is a tackle. There are no plans to play him at guard.

Willis has been considered a prototypical tackle. The team likes him enough to try him at guard. Doing so does not weaken another position because he hasn't been in the starting lineup. It now appears as though there is an increasingly good chance of Willis emerging as a starter on the right side. Some of this could be impacted by Chris Spencer's health. Holmgren said he's encouraged that Spencer will be able to play this season despite shoulder issues.

We know Spencer starts at center if he's available. We know Walter Jones starts at left tackle. We know Rob Sims probably starts at left guard. Chris Gray, Floyd Womack and Willis are options at right guard. Locklear, Willis, Womack and Tom Ashworth are options at right tackle. In the past, the Seahawks have appeared reluctant to mix up their offensive line. Now that they've lost the continuity that made the 2005 line so effective, there's a lot less risk, and potentially more potential, in trying new combinations. And there's a better chance, in theory, that the best combination will find its way onto the field.

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The Seahawks have finished their final practice of this postdraft minicamp. Coach Mike Holmgren said they are opening up the right side of the offensive line for competition. I specifically asked what that meant for Sean Locklear, who has been penciled in as the starting right tackle (and given the first-round tender as a restricted free agent).

Holmgren said nothing has changed in terms of how the team views Locklear, but he did indicate that Ray Willis could wind up starting at right tackle. The team has June minicamps and training camp to figure out a lineup. But this was the first time we've heard Holmgren talk about anyone other than Locklear at right tackle. Holmgren liked what he saw from Willis this week. Willis worked quite a bit at right guard because Chris Gray was filling in for Chris Spencer at center. Floyd Womack is also a candidate on the right side.

We now must strongly consider Willis as an option at guard or tackle on the right side. Holmgren also said he doesn't think Locklear is suited to play guard. I'll have a few more specifics once I can transcribe the interview.

There are two kinds of contract numbers: technically correct ones, and real ones. The deal Nate Burleson signed with Seattle last year was technically for seven years and $49 million. The real numbers were four years and $14.5 million. He was never going to get the final three years and $34.5 million unless the Vikings matched the offer, thereby triggering poison pills that would have forced Minnesota to guarantee the full value.

The Vikings did not match. Burleson and the Seahawks revisited his deal this offseason. They made the technical numbers match the real numbers. Burleson signed a new deal that runs through the 2009 season, with a voidable year in 2010. "I knew there would be a point in my career here as a Seahawk when I would adjust my deal," he said. "There was a lot of back-end dollars I knew I wasn't going to see and they knew I wasn't going to see," Burleson said. "I'm a low-controversy guy, so if you ask me to do something and obviously it wasn't changing where I stood financially with this organization, I was OK with it."

That's the thing. Burleson will make no less money even though he wiped out the final two years of this deal. The Hawks would have reworked the deal or released Burleson before the inflated back-end money came due. Now they won't have to do either. Burleson received a $4 million signing bonus and $1.25 million base salary last season. He gets $2.75 million in salary this season, followed by $3.25 million in 2008, 2009 and the voidable 2010 season.

Jim Mora's first interview as Seahawks secondary coach was a long time coming. I had expected him to be available at a press conference shortly after his hiring. However, it soon became clear that Mora intended to ease into his new job. In speaking with him today, I was struck by his easygoing demeanor and sense of humor, even when the questions dealt with serious topics, such as factors contributing to his demise as Falcons coach. He did not come off as stiff or rehearsed. Minicamps provide a relaxed setting. This season should be a little refreshing for him in that most of the pressure will fall on someone else. He went through a tough couple years in Atlanta. Now he gets to coach without worrying about being the point man.

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Thanks to the reader who passed along news about ex-Hawk Dave Brown going into the College Football Hall of Fame (story here). Dave was one of the best cornerbacks in Seahawks history, of course. I did not cover him as a player. I did attempt to cover him in some pickup basketball games at Eastern Washington University, where he was still pretty formidable athletically into his 40s (this would have been in 1998, my first year on the beat).

Here's what Brown's former teammate, Steve Raible, said about Dave for the book we wrote a few years ago: "Dave Brown is the kind of player you build franchises around. He wasn’t the flashiest and didn’t get all the headlines, but Dave was the type who taught younger players how to be great football players and how to be great teammates. We were lucky to have him. ... Dave worked harder than anyone I can recall. He was always in better shape, always studied more film, always did whatever it took to separate himself. Dave could be cocky, and you have to be to play that position well. But he could also back it up.

"Over the years, no matter how many different players they brought in on the other side, there was always Dave Brown there playing cornerback for the Seahawks. Not many teams are blessed with a Dave Brown in the secondary from Day One. We were, and that’s one reason we finished above .500 in our third and fourth seasons."

Jeffri Chadiha, newly hired by ESPN.com, makes a case that New England erred in trading Deion Branch to Seattle. He thinks the Pats will pay a price for not retaining good younger players. That won't stop a lot of people from installing New England as the top team in 2007.

I've had a chance to transcribe our interview with Seahawks secondary coach Jim Mora this afternoon. That is below.

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New secondary coach Jim Mora spoke with reporters for the first time since taking this job in January. We asked a range of questions, including a few about the infamous KJR interview that contributed to his demise as Falcons coach. Mora initially acted as though he had no idea the interview had made headlines, drawing laughs. He then accepted responsibility for using poor judgment in suggesting, whether in jest or not, that he would like to become head coach at Washington. Mora said he has spoken with Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham more than once since the interview. I'll have additional details shortly.

Some might consider it refreshing if, just once, an NFL franchise player acknowledged his good fortune instead of lamenting the system, no matter how legitimate the complaint. Hawks kicker Josh Brown is taking that approach. As he put it yesterday, "Where else am I going to go at the age of 28 and somebody is going to guarantee me $2 million? Nowhere."

Shaun Alexander, speaking at the 2006 press conference announcing his new long-term deal, saw his situation differently. "I have always been told that I would make more money not playing football than playing football," he said. "To me it's kind of like, 'Well, I've still got stuff to do (on the field) and that's just kind of how I feel." Alexander has earned about $17 million since March 2006. Slightly above what the average 29-year-old commands.

Made it through another round of questions on topics ranging from Justin Smiley to Keyshawn Johnson to third-and-1 rushing to why NFL teams sign undrafted free agents to two-year deals. Here goes ...

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A couple of people across the state in Spokane still admit to knowing me from my days working over there. KXLY's Dennis Patchin and Julie Scott are two of them. They were nice enough to pass along audio from our conversation this afternoon. We analyzed the overreaction to Shaun Alexander's comments about his formerly injured and possibly still-imperfect foot, in addition to the situations at tight end and safety. We finished by discussing what I considered to be one of the Hawks' primary areas for concern in 2007.

Seahawks center Chris Spencer has met with Dr. James Andrews, the surgeon who repaired his shoulders this offseason. Dr. Andrews determined that a followup procedure is not necessary at this time, meaning Spencer will proceed with his rehab. We do not yet have a precise timetable for his return, but the assumption would be that he'll be ready to go for training camp.

This is very welcome news for the Seahawks, who are counting on Spencer to start. Surgery would have sidelined Spencer for months, threatening his availability for the regular season while forcing Chris Gray to move from right guard to center. If Spencer is available, Gray and Floyd Womack could even share time at right guard, restoring some depth up front.

Deciding against surgery does not necessarily mean Spencer's rehab will produce the desired results. It won't necessarily make the pain go away. He still must overcome (or fight through) the problems that led him to seek a followup exam.

The changes Seattle made in the secondary, specifically at safety, seem pretty dramatic here at the postdraft minicamp. Brian Russell picked off two passes in practice today, one from Matt Hasselbeck and another from Seneca Wallace. He had his hands on a couple others. Russell had nine interceptions for the Vikings in 2003, but only four in two seasons with the Browns.

We can't read too much into minicamp practices -- or what someone does in Cleveland, for that matter -- but Russell and Deon Grant appear quite active back there.

New secondary coach Jim Mora is also very vocal and prominent in his coaching style. We'll monitor that area of the team as closely as any this season. Also, rookie Josh Wilson was impressive enough when he was here to suggest he'll be in the mix for a starting job at right corner. It's not every year that Mike Holmgren uses the term "playmaker" to describe a rookie after three days of May practices.

I'm still not quite sure how the Seahawks could lose twice to the 49ers and still win the NFC West by two games last season, but it happened. The Hawks might need at least a split in that series to win the division this season, assuming the 49ers are as improved as advertised. That will be tough if the 49ers keep running the ball so effectively against Seattle.

We noted last season that Seattle's offensive shortcomings helped the 49ers establish their ground game. Whatever the case, the Hawks won't want to keep padding Frank Gore's stats.

As the chart shows, the Seahawks allowed 23 runs of at least 17 yards last season, 10 of them to the 49ers. One of those 10 was on a fake punt. Seven were Gore runs up the middle or to the left side. We saw tight ends clearing out defensive ends. We saw linebackers overpursuing, or lining up in a way that seemed to invite a cutback. We saw safeties taking poor angles. Mostly we saw Gore and the 49ers having their way with the Hawks. League-wide note: The Hawks allowed 17 carries of 20-plus yards last season, tied with St. Louis for second-most in the league. San Francisco allowed five. Arizona allowed nine.

Seattle responded by overhauling its secondary, particularly the safety position, before drafting a defensive tackle (Brandon Mebane) in the third round. The Hawks also need to get Marcus Tubbs healthy. He is looking trim by 330-pound DT standards, and the team says he's on pace to return from knee surgery by training camp. Since drafting Tubbs in 2004, the Seahawks have allowed 42 fewer rushing yards per game and 0.99 fewer yards per carry when he plays. He did not play against the 49ers last season.

With Shaun Alexander sizing up the NFC West yesterday (1, 2), now might be a good time to check in with the team that swept Seattle in division play last season. Matt Maiocco, 49ers beat writer for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, recently answered questions about the team during a 90-minute session. Transcript here. An excerpt: "I think the 49ers will be much improved, but it might not necessarily show in the win column. If I were to take a guess right now, I'd say 9-7."

Shaun Alexander has heard the news that Arizona and San Francisco have gained ground on Seattle in the NFC West. His response? "They needed to," he quipped before breaking into laughter. "When you win the division three years in a row, it says enough. I think it's going to be a challenge this year, but challenges are good. We've never been a team that wants to hope that someone else plays bad. We don't care what anybody is doing. We want to go out and do what we do best, and that takes care of itself."

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QB Derek Devine, K Tyler Jones, RB Joe Rubin and LB Marcus Rucker signed two-year deals with the Seahawks. Each had been in camp on a tryout basis. I'll update this entry with a new roster once the information is inputted. LS Matt Overton was also in for a tryout, but the Hawks did not sign him. The team has two other snappers in Derek Rackley and Thomas Gafford.

Update: New roster here

Shaun Alexander has earned roughly $30 million in seven NFL seasons, by my estimation (about $7.5 million in his rookie contract, another roughly $6.3 million as a franchise player, plus about $17 million in bonuses and salary under his current deal). Roger Clemens will reportedly earn $28 million for the season in Major League Baseball (he gets a prorated portion, but still). Wow.

Only two NFL players gained more receiving yardage than Joey Galloway when they were 34 and 35 years old, according to this Pro Football Reference analysis. For all the numbers Galloway has put up since leaving Seattle, he continues to help the Hawks more than any NFL team.

In addition to putting up good numbers as a receiver and return man in Seattle, Galloway also fetched two first-round draft choices in a trade. Seattle used one of those choices to select former league MVP and three-time Pro Bowl choice Shaun Alexander. The Hawks traded the other first-round choice to the 49ers for picks that became Koren Robinson, Heath Evans and Dennis Norman (while the 49ers emerged with Andre Carter and Menson Holloway).

The questions have been piling up, and formatting them with hyperlinks can be a chore, so the geek within created a simple macro to streamline the process, all while transferring his rather extensive collection of boxing matches and NBA playoff games from VHS to DVD (wife rolling eyes as she reads this, and she does read the blog). What can I say? Some things are best done after everyone else in the house has turned in for the night. Now, on to the questions ...

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Ray Willis is working at right guard in this minicamp. He was drafted as a right tackle, but the Seahawks like Sean Locklear at that position. Moving players from guard to tackle, or vice versa, does not always produce desired results. Last season, Tom Ashworth was clearly more comfortable at right tackle. Willis is getting his turn now.

Said Holmgren: "My feeling is Ray is a good football player. We have to be prepared. I would like to figure out a way to get him on the field somehow. He is a big, strong, man; little cranky streak to him. We are looking at him at guard. We know he can play tackle. He is a natural tackle, but that is why we played him at guard. I did watch him a little more than some of the guys. He did fine in there. We will see."

The famously balding Matt Hasselbeck wore a long blonde wig for an NFL Network interview today. The hair issue has become fodder for teammates this week after the team brought in long-maned former Marshall QB Derek Devine for a tryout. Devine looks like he could be on vocals somewhere. Hasselbeck has gone with the shaved look to avoid the horseshoe effect.

Second-round CB Josh Wilson and free-agent WR Joe Fernandez were among those players who caught Mike Holmgren's attention in a positive way during the first three days of minicamp. The coach said he also liked the way fourth-round DE Baraka Atkins moved and functioned in general.

Seahawks C Chris Spencer is scheduled to meet with Dr. James Andrews, noted surgeon, for further consultation on a problematic shoulder. Andrews performed the first surgery, which went well, according to coach Mike Holmgren. But pain has persisted, so they want to find out if there is additional damage, or another way to rehab. The plan is for Spencer to rehab for a week before they determine whether another surgery is needed. That was the word from Holmgren following practice this morning. Surgery could put Spencer on the sideline for several months, perhaps into the regular season, but it's too early to know whether this is headed in that direction.

You'll want to read Dave Boling's column Sunday morning. He covered for me in Kirkland today and filed a column packed with observations. Third-round DT Brandon Mebane was a guy who caught his eye. It's early, of course, but first impressions can be telling. Mebane reminded Dave of Chuck Darby, only bigger. The Hawks need all the run-stuffing defensive tackles they can find. Those guys tend to wear down at times during the season, and with Marcus Tubbs coming off surgery, depth will be important. I'll be back out at practice Sunday morning at 9:30. There is only one session. We'll speak with Mike Holmgren afterward. Note: DB Tim Mixon failed his physical, so the team brought back Kevin Hobbs. I'll update the roster.

Fullback Leonard Weaver has a chance to earn significant regular-season playing time in 2007. He's been one of the team's more impressive preseason performers, not bad for a former undrafted free agent and converted tight end, but not what anyone strives for, either. The Seahawks ended his 2006 season early by placing Weaver on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain suffered in the final exhibition game. Weaver estimated that his ankle was healed by about Week 11. Mack Strong remains the starting fullback, but the Hawks would like to limit his reps this season. Might that equate to a third-down role for Weaver? He doesn't know at this point, but he did explain how he made it through that injury-shortened season (including the stint he spent as a high school assistant coach).

The Seahawks entered this offseason hoping to reestablish continuity on their offensive line. They wanted Chris Spencer and Rob Sims to build on a strong finish to 2006. Now they're hoping Spencer doesn't need another surgery on his shoulder. Coach Mike Holmgren said he thinks Spencer can avoid surgery. But if doctors find significant damage in there -- say, a torn rotator cuff -- Spencer could miss more than just training camp. That would be a worst-case scenario.

Back in 2005, the Super Bowl season, Seattle used one combination on its offensive line (not counting the final regular-season game, when the Hawks rested Walter Jones). Last season, the team used eight combinations. Big difference. For more on the line situation, check out this audio analysis.

Every so often we'll put into perspective the Seahawks' current roster composition. Today we look at the roster Seattle brought into this minicamp, comparing it to: how past 53-man rosters looked on the final training-camp cutdown, and how the roster looked in August 2006.

This helps determine how many players might be vulnerable at a particular position.

Note that the safety/cornerback numbers vary depending on where players are listed. Jordan Babineaux has played both positions. Is he a safety? Is he a corner? Is he both? An injury rehab is keeping him off the field for this camp. In the end, he'll be available to play just about any position in the secondary.

The Seahawks have two practices today, one this morning and another in the afternoon. Dave Boling will be there on my behalf. I'll be back out there Sunday through Thursday, when camp breaks. The mandatory portion of camp concludes with one practice Sunday. The voluntary camp for veterans picks up Monday. I'll check back throughout the day.

The Seahawks have finished their afternoon practice. We spoke with Matt Hasselbeck afterward. He had some interesting things to say about a couple of ex-teammates, Darrell Jackson and Jerramy Stevens. On Stevens: "He was a great teammate. He worked hard for me all the time. I really appreciated the effort that he gave and even the selflessness that he had. He was in a situation where he was back and forth starting and not starting with Itula Mili. All of his problems stemmed from one thing and that was alcohol. If you take alcohol out of the equation, he was the perfect teammate and a great kid. My hope for him is that he is able to put those problems behind him and have a successful career."

By the way, Seahawks DB Jordan Babineaux did sign his one-year tender as a restricted free agent, according to the Seahawks. This was a matter of when, not if.

Quite a few things are different out here at Seahawks minicamp. Coaches sometimes experiment with combinations, so we won't read too much into anything at this early stage. But here are a few observations from the first practice:

Ray Willis is working at right guard with the starting offensive line because usual starter Chris Gray is at center, working in place of the injured Chris Spencer. ...

Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett are working as the starting receivers. Nate Burleson is more comfortable and at ease now that he isn't protecting a thumb injury. ...

Matt Hasselbeck threw in individual drills. He was a little "rusty" according to coach Mike Holmgren. ...

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The Seahawks have finished their first minicamp practice of the day. Chris Spencer did not practice. He has experienced soreness during his rehab from shoulder surgery. Coach Mike Holmgren said he hopes Spencer will not need surgery, and he thinks Spencer can avoid surgery, but they cannot be sure. Chris Gray worked at center today, as expected.

Others who did not practice: Tom Ashworth, Steve Morley, Michael Boulware, Marcus Tubbs, Kelly Herndon, Jordan Babineaux, Mike Green, Eric Taylor and Floyd Womack. All but Womack are rehabbing injuries. Womack was excused for a family obligation. Newly signed DE Patrick Kerney, rehabbing a pectoral injury, was limited in practice. Matt Hasselbeck did some throwing but did not participate in team drills.

We've made quite a few updates to our 33-category roster since arriving at Seahawks headquarters for minicamp this morning. A few players have changed numbers. Jordan Kent is the new Darrell Jackson, at least in terms of jersey number (82). This roster shows every player who has been on the team, visited the team or had a tryout since April 20, 2006, plus summary information.

Note: Jordan Babineaux is listed on the roster because he has signed a waiver in lieu of his restricted tender. The Seahawks indicated their restricted guys were expected to sign around April 20. Babineaux has yet to sign his tender. He would prefer to sign a multiyear deal, but he plans to sign the restricted tender if that does not happen. Restricted free agents usually play out the one-year tender.

Five players are here for tryouts during minicamps: Tyler Jones, a kicker from Boise State; Derek Devine, quarterback from Marshall; Joe Rubin, running back from Portland State (and Foss High School in Tacoma); Marcus Rucker, linebacker from Rice; and Matt Overton, snapper from Western Washington.

This morning we unveil our first positional roster analysis for the 2007 season. This is a rough, rough draft. We haven't even seen the draft choices practice, so much can change. In general, players taken in the top four rounds are going to earn roster spots. That's the approach Seattle takes into camp, according to team president Tim Ruskell. We'll update this roster analysis as new information becomes available. Things can change, and this first one certainly will. Here goes ...

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The Seahawks open their postdraft minicamp today and we might not recognize some of the combinations on the offensive line. The health of center Chris Spencer is something we'll monitor closely in the coming weeks. He had offseason shoulder surgeries. He is not yet ready to practice and his prognosis remains uncertain while they try to figure out if there is more damage than anticipated. Look for Chris Gray to man the center position in this camp. Floyd Womack is expected to miss the first few days while fulfilling a family commitment, which would further deplete line depth for this camp. And with Walter Jones coming off surgery, we'll have to see if he is a bit limited for this one. Backup right tackle Ray Willis could move around the line, perhaps playing left tackle and dabbling at guard as needed. Team president Tim Ruskell recently reiterated the team's belief in Willis as a potential starter (down the road). Perhaps Willis will have some opportunities elsewhere on the line.

Been out and about for a while, but now can pass along this: Josh Scobey signed with the Bills.

Scobey was one of the Seahawks' better special-teams players in recent seasons, but a shoulder injury ended his 2006 season early. The Bills have announced this.

This leaves DE Kemp Rasmussen and CB Jimmy Williams as the only 2006 Seahawks who remain unrestricted free agents.

Rasmussen spent last season on injured reserve. Williams is rehabbing from a severe knee injury. Free agency is basically over.

Scobey was phased out as a return specialist last season. Seattle has a couple of options for that job: Nate Burleson and Josh Wilson come to mind immediately.

Titans GM Mike Reinfeldt, Packers GM Ted Thompson and 49ers vice president Scot McCloughan worked together in Seattle's front office a few years ago. They went head-to-head against one another, and against Seattle's Tim Ruskell, in the draft over the weekend. I thought it would be fun to look at which players each drafted.

Ruskell was the only one to draft two defensive players on the first day, even though he had the fewest first-day picks. This might be interesting to consult in a couple of seasons. The chart reflects drafted players but not traded players (McCloughan sent a fourth-rounder to Seattle in the Darrell Jackson trade).

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has taken steps to change the NFL's image as a league that tolerates problem citizens as long as they are talented. Not everyone is convinced. Tampa Bay's recent signing of ex-Hawk Jerramy Stevens provides fuel for anyone who thinks the league talks a good game, but really doesn't care. "(Stevens) has assured us it's all in his past," Bucs GM Bruce Allen was quoted as saying. "Sometimes you have to give people a chance."

That sounded familiar, so I went back to my 2002 notes from the day Seattle drafted Stevens. He was described then as a talented player with a well-documented history of legal travails. "I know that college kids get jammed up every once in a while, and do things they regret," Mike Holmgren said then. "I really trust that everything is behind him. I know I’m giving him a clean slate, and I would hope that you guys could, too. Let him show us how he is going to handle this."

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What do former Hawk James McKnight and new draft choice Mansfield Wrotto have in common? The latter might not be here without the former.

McKnight came to the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1994. Tom Flores was the coach. McKnight, overlooked out of Liberty University, earned a roster spot in an upset. He stuck around a few years, but dropped several passes during the first few minicamp practices of the Mike Holmgren era. McKnight wasn't a Holmgren guy, so he was promptly traded to Dallas for a third-round choice in the 2000 draft.

Holmgren used that third-round choice to draft a Florida receiver. Darrell Jackson started for the next seven seasons. But with a new management team in place and Jackson unhappy with aspects of his contract, the Hawks shipped him to San Francisco for the fourth-round pick that became ... Mansfield Wrotto.

Whew. Just finished updating our 33-category Excel roster. I'm showing 88 players on the roster (draft picks have not signed, of course). Twenty-five were first-day draft picks. Thirty-six were undrafted free agents. Drafted starters were selected 81st overall on average (61st median). The starting offensive line averages 312 pounds (276 on defense, counting Bryce Fisher as a starter -- we give the nod to the vet). Eleven players are 30-plus and seven of these are starters (five offense). Age is starting to creep up on this offense just a bit. Offensive players who will be at least 30 in the season's first month, with and their projected ages: Chris Gray 37, Mack Strong 36, Marcus Pollard 35, Bobby Engram 34, Walter Jones 33, Matt Hasselbeck 32, Shaun Alexander 30.

I've had a chance to go back through my notes, and old stories, to create a clearer picture of exactly what Darrell Jackson didn't like about his contract with Seattle, leading to his eventual departure via trade.

To review, Jackson signed a six-year, $25 million deal with Seattle in early March 2004. We later found out he wasn't happy with the deal when he signed it, claiming that then-president Bob Whitsitt had offered one deal and then presented another one at signing. Jackson later said he signed the deal in part because his ailing father, who has since passed, wanted him to remain in Seattle. Tim Ruskell succeeded Whitsitt as president in early 2005, whereupon Jackson asked the new president to honor Whitsitt's alleged promises. Ruskell declined, Jackson vowed to do only what his contract requires (nothing more, such as voluntary camps and offseason programs), and eventually the situation led to a trade.

The story from Whitsitt's perspective went this way: Whitsitt had offered Jackson a deal before free agency. Whitsitt was trying to get Jackson to bypass the market. He said the deal would no longer be on the table if Jackson tested the market. Jackson visited the Detroit Lions when free agency opened. He was planning a trip to the Jets until they acquired Justin McCareins. Jackson then came back to Seattle. Whitsitt made another, lesser offer. Jackson signed the contract. The difference, as I recall, was around $2 million.

The story according to Jackson went like this: "We made a couple deals with Bob Whitsitt and he kind of shorted us when we went to sign the contract. ... I signed it because I love the Seahawks, I love the fans, I love being part of this organization. My father was ill and sick (dying of cancer) and he wanted me to stay with this team as long as I can, just stay with one team and be happy. I have a lot of respect for him, and my fans."

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Lots of loose ends to tie up after the draft. We'll have some updated draft- and roster-related information once I get through it. I was able to go through several hundred comments left on the blog in recent days. Which means we can answer some questions. ...

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Fox's John Czarnecki calls Jerramy Stevens a potential bargain for Tampa Bay, noting that the Panthers and Jets passed on the ex-Hawk despite recommendations from Mike Holmgren. The Seahawks scarcely considered bringing back Stevens after last season (the door was open only slightly). The door slammed shut with Stevens' recent troubles in Arizona.

The Seahawks announced Josh Brown's signing to a one-year deal. This is the one-year franchise tender worth $2.078 million. I hope to update this entry with comment from Brown's agent at some point here.

Seahawks kicker Josh Brown plans to sign his franchise tender today. I'll probably hear more once the contract is actually signed. This is the one-year, $2.078 million tender. Signing the deal means Brown will be there when Seattle holds its postdraft minicamp this weekend. The next step is working on a multiyear deal. He needed to sign the tender to get the long-term deal done. However, signing the tender doesn't mean a long-term deal is already worked out. This one seems to have been on the back burner a little bit while the team prepared for the draft. The franchise number is low enough for kickers that teams can comfortably carry the cap charge without feeling pressure to get a cap-friendly longer-term deal done.

Did you ever greet a person one way, only to realize you're speaking to someone else? It can happen to scouts at the combine, as UCLA kicker Justin Medlock -- not to be mistaken for UCLA defensive end Justin Hickman -- found out. The Daily Bruin quotes Medlock this way: "The funny thing was that I had an interview with the Seattle Seahawks and one of the scouts was like, 'How many sacks did you have?' And I was like 'Oh, I’m not Justin Hickman. I’m Justin Medlock.' ... Then they asked me like one question and they were like, 'All right, (that's enough).' It was kind of awkward and funny at the same time."

With veteran receiver Darrell Jackson gone, D.J. Hackett becomes the favorite to start opposite Deion Branch in the Seattle offense. Nate Burleson can't be written off, but he'll have to win the job this year. The Seahawks put him in the starting lineup last season and kept him there for a while. Hackett emerged as a more dynamic threat. Hackett caught 45 passes for 610 yards and four touchdowns. Burleson was bothered by a hand injury early and never got going as a receiver. He caught 18 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

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