Here's the Mike Holmgren transcript from this morning.

(On remembering his first training camp nine years ago…) “Sure. Yeah, I really do. You know how excited you are and how excited I was to start a new adventure, you know. It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years. It has been honestly the same for me every year, the start of training camp. I was telling the coaches yesterday in our meeting that it’s this time of the year and getting all the players in here and getting going again and anticipating a great season, that’s always very exciting. And it has been for me and that’s why I’ve been able to do it for a long time, you know, so it’s good.”

(On topics covered in his brief meetings with the players and staff…) “Well I think, I had it yesterday with the players, and the day before with my staff, and, you know, you have the normal administrative stuff that you go through every year, that they kind of nod through. But then when it comes to talking about them and our expectation level and what I expect from every facet of our football team, reminded them of a few things that happened last year that maybe hurt us and things that I think are very correctable. The hope that every team probably listens to in every building in the country prior to the season. Those types of things. And in a very realistic approach, we’ve been close the last couple years and haven’t been able to finish the deal, so I believe we have a good football team. And now, it’s up to all of us to really work very, very hard and do the best job we can do as coaches and players. And that’s really the speech. And without getting into other things I can’t really talk about, they’re a very responsive group. I like how they started practice today and they’ll work hard. They want to do well.”

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Here’s some observations on some of the main story lines heading into training camp.

Young receiver corps still muddled – Ben Obamanu, Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne, Joel Filani and Jordan Kent all looked good catching the ball, and no one distinguished themselves during the first practice. Most got some run with the first team during 7-on-7 passing drills.

Kent, who hasn’t played receiver for very long, now looks a lot smoother at the position, and not like an athlete trying to play receiver. With Seattle’s inexperience at tight end and John Carlson currently holding out, whoever emerges as the third and fourth receiver could have an impact on the Seattle offense early in the season.

“We have a talented group of guys,” Veteran receiver Bobby Engram said. “It’s true they don’t have a lot of game experience, but I do feel somebody is going to step up and make plays. Obviously me and Nate, being more veteran guys, we have to take the lead. But we can’t go out there and put everything on our shoulders.”

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The Lawrence Jackson era began this morning, and by all accounts the 6-foot-4, 271-pound defensive end looked like he can contribute immediately to a team looking to add depth at defensive end.

“He’s a really good player and we’re counting on him,” Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren said. “He’s one of the young guys we have a role for and we expect to play right way. So had he missed (practices), and had it been a prolonged thing, that would have hurt him.”

Added Jackson on his first day of practice: “It went pretty well. I was surprised I was able to jump in and get going like I did. But there’s always more work to be done. Maybe if you ask me after the second practice I’ll give you more work that I need to do.”

Jackson said he's been in town since Tuesday, ready to report when the deal was completed. Jackson bought a home five minutes from the team’s new practice facility in Renton, and also purchased his dream car, a Cadillac Escalade, to replace a 1996 clunker he described as on its last legs.

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The column out of me today will be about this being Holmgren's last round-up. He joked about it a little after practice, saying he had to have a little talk with himself about not getting too emotional or too nostalgic. He conceded he'd probably have some issues with that toward the end of the season.

Now, on to the team. Seeing first-round pick Lawrence Jackson on the field was a positive. When asked about tight end John Carlson not being at practice, he gave his usual response. Rookies can't afford to miss time. That's especially true of a kid who's expected to be the opening-day starter.

The usual suspects were on the sideline: Tubbs, Branch, Herring and Plackemeier.

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According to the Associated Press, Lawrence Jackson signed a five-year, 11.25 million deal with a 6.1 million signing bonus.

Seattle also signed free agent wide receiver Bryan Gilmore, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers.

The Seattle Seahawks announced this morning that first round pick defensive end Lawrence Jackson signed a multi-year deal, and is on the practice field this morning. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Defensive tackle and fullback Owen Schmitt also have signed multi-year deals, giving the Seahawks six of its seven draft picks signed heading into camp.

Second round draft pick John Carlson remains unsigned. To make room for the moves, the Seahawks released defensive tackle Kevin Brown, fullback Dan Curran and safety Mike Green.

I'll post an updated roster after the first practice.

Here's a link to the Seahawks roster heading into camp. I'll have more around noon.

It’s here.

The much-anticipated day has finally arrived, as the Seattle Seahawks begin training camp today in Mike Holmgren’s final year at the helm.

And since I don’t have a team to cover anymore with the Sonics now headed to Oklahoma City, I’ll be holding down the fort for the next couple days until Frank Hughes arrives from a much-needed vacation on Monday.

Of course, I’ll have plenty of help, with TNT veteran columnist Dave Boling around to show me the ropes.

Here are the some of the issues I’ll be keeping track of and reporting on throughout the day. And if there are other things you would like to know or are interested in, post them in the comments section and I’ll make sure to get to them in the next couple days.

The Bobby Engram update – The veteran receiver who is unhappy with his contract status is expected to grudgingly show up for camp today. We’ll have a report on how he looks and what his expectations are heading into camp.

Green receivers – With D.J. Hackett gone and Deion Branch on the PUP list, the Seahawks will be looking for a receiver or two to emerge out of a group of young receivers that includes Logan Payne, Ben Obomanu, Courtney Taylor and Jordan Kent to fill the void.

Offensive line woes – The addition of free agent Mike Wahle should help shore up some of the issues here, with Rob Sims now moving to the right side of the line. But there’s no doubt the Seahawks need to be a better rushing team to add balance to Seattle’s offensive attack, and Shaun Alexander is not around to blame anymore.

Those squirrelly kickers – Usually the most eccentric players on the field, the Seahawks will look for the most consistent kicker to emerge from a competition between free agent signing Olindo Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu to replace the departed Josh Brown. We’ll keep daily tabs on how the competition is going.

Run stuffers needed – With Marcus Tubbs beginning camp on the PUP list, the Seahawks will count on a rotation of high-energy defensive tackles who lack the size Tubbs brings to the table. Do the Hawks have enough depth here? And will Tubbs be healthy enough to make a contribution this season?

Boling highlights the Seahawks’ main issues heading into the first day of training camp.

While the Seahawks are still working to reach agreements with first round pick Lawrence Jackson and second rounder John Carlson, the San Francisco 49ers have signed their top pick, defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer.

Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin said he will play out the remaining three years of his contract but is done negotiating a new deal and plans on leaving the organization once he fulfills his contract.

St. Louis Rams anchor at left tackle Orlando Pace has been cleared to practice after having off-season shoulder surgery.

But running back Stephen Jackson may be holding out of training camp.

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