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Thursday, May 31st, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 06:55:16 am
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.
Categories: Answers to your questions
• 20 comments
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 12:14:50 pm
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.
Categories: Opponents
• 35 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 08:42:44 am
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:
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.
Categories: Minicamps
• 22 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 04:35:46 am
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. Tuesday, May 29th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:19:03 am
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. Monday, May 28th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 06:00:06 am
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.
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 64 comments
Sunday, May 27th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 08:40:57 am
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).
Categories: Former Players
• 17 comments
Saturday, May 26th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:34:04 am
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.
Categories: Answers to your questions
• 19 comments
Friday, May 25th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 04:59:00 pm
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.
Categories: Flashbacks
• 13 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 06:14:02 am
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.
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 25 comments
Thursday, May 24th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 06:45:39 pm
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.
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:09:35 am
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.
Posted by Mike Sando @ 04:27:00 am
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. Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 12:14:04 pm
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.
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 35 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 04:50:50 am
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.
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.
Categories: NFL Draft
• 21 comments
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 12:24:03 pm
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.
Posted by Mike Sando @ 04:04:44 am
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.
Categories: Answers to your questions
• 39 comments
Monday, May 21st, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:09:39 pm
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.
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 21 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 03:46:04 pm
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.
Categories: Media Issues
• 8 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 01:01:23 pm
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.
Categories: Miscellaneous
• 25 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 09:39:54 am
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.
Posted by Mike Sando @ 05:03:58 am
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 … Sunday, May 20th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 08:43:30 am
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.
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 21 comments
Saturday, May 19th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 12:58:14 pm
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.
Posted by Mike Sando @ 09:52:52 am
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.
Categories: Media Issues
• 14 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 06:51:42 am
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).
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 17 comments
Friday, May 18th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 10:27:54 pm
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.
Categories: Off the field, Charitable endeavors, Legal system, Offbeat Stuff, Media Issues
• 7 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:45:15 am
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.
Categories: Media Issues
• 54 comments
Thursday, May 17th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 09:19:18 am
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.
Categories: Roster Analysis
• 48 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:33:20 am
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.
Categories: Offbeat Stuff
• 3 comments
Wednesday, May 16th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 11:50:46 pm
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."
Posted by Mike Sando @ 08:05:59 am
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. Tuesday, May 15th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 06:07:06 pm
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.
Categories: NFL Draft
• 21 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 01:36:37 pm
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.
Categories: NFL Europe
• 11 comments
Posted by Mike Sando @ 12:04:10 pm
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.
Categories: Former Players
• 20 comments
Monday, May 14th, 2007
Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:23:30 pm
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.
Categories: Answers to your questions
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Posted by Mike Sando @ 07:34:32 am
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.
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 Har |
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. 
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. 
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.
Thanks to the reader who 
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.
Linebackers active for Seattle in the team's 
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.
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.
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 