I’m officially on vacation, but I volunteered to jump in on occasion because the cult is suffering obvious withdrawal symptoms. You deserve more, but at the least, I’m an expensive part-time temp. And it should be slow these days. Put it this way: Until we get a new cook in the kitchen, maybe I can sustain you with some light snacks. I don’t do spreadsheets or podcasts, but I’ve covered the Hawks as a beat-guy or columnist for the last 18 years. My job is subjective analysis, and I’m not in a position to work around-the-clock on this, but I’ll keep my ear to the ground for what limited news should arise. We’ll have somebody on-board soon … please bear with us.

On the topic of signing Erik Meyer, the former Eastern Washington quarterback … here’s a story out of the Whittier Daily News on his return from NFL Europa, where he threw 13 touchdowns and six interceptions for the Cologne Centurions:

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/sports/ci_6199767

I think the most telling fact in the article was Meyer’s completion percentage of 68.6, an NFL Europa record (breaking Jake Delhomme’s mark of 67.4). Meyer is 6-1, 210, a little small (unless he’s standing next to Seneca Wallace). EWU coach Paul Wulff likened him to Jeff Garcia and Drew Brees. It’s not a strain to pinpoint a few differences, of course, but the message is that Meyer’s size should not be considered a sole limiting factor.

At the least, Meyer can be a “camp arm” getting another chance to audition for a team (he was cut by Cincinnati last season). At best, he should be viewed as a challenge for No. 3 quarterback David Greene, entering his third season. Greene looked serviceable in two preseason games last year (7-11, 53 yards vs. Dallas, and 13-19, 144 yards vs. Oakland). His four years as a starter at Georgia, with 42 wins, led the Hawks to take him with a third-round draft pick in 2005. Greene obviously proved himself as a “gamer” in college.

But that third quarterback spot on the roster seems best used as a place where a player who may have starter potential can ripen. Here’s what I see from the sidelines in practices: Greene is not a consistently precise passer. Even if it’s little tosses to flaring backs, the ball is sometimes delivered in a spot where the back has to break stride to make the catch. One of the most impressive things about watching Matt Hasselbeck practice is his focus on delivering every pass … even in warm-ups and drills … to a place where it’s easy to catch. Greene doesn’t always show that degree of focus.

Staffs take considerable comfort in having a No. 3 guy around that they know can at least get the team in the right formation, take snaps, hand the ball off, and get them through the last quarter of a game in case disaster hits the first two quarterbacks. Greene has that going for him, as well as some roster leverage as a third-round pick. Whether it’s Meyer or somebody else putting on the pressure, anybody who’s been a No. 3 quarterback for several seasons and hasn’t threatened to move up the depth chart needs to hear the clock ticking.