Eric D. Williams took over the Seahawks beat and Seahawks Insider blog in December. Williams has covered the Seahawks, Sonics and high school sports for The News Tribune since joining the paper in 2006. Eric lives in Tacoma with his wife and two children.
Tacoma News Tribune columnist Dave Boling also contributes to the Seahawks Insider blog.
- All
- Answers to your questions (511)
- Audio Files (358)
- Awards and honors (79)
- Brock Huard Analysis (22)
- Coaching Decisions (38)
- Coaching Staff (77)
- Flashbacks (7)
- Former Players (78)
- Front office (40)
- Paul Allen (6)
- Game Coverage (1229)
- Injuries (537)
- Interviews (64)
- Media Issues (33)
- Mike Holmgren press conferences (87)
- Minicamps (116)
- Miscellaneous (238)
- National Seahawks Coverage (67)
- NFL Draft (265)
- 2006 Seahawks Draft (37)
- 2007 Seahawks Draft (72)
- Draft-pick Signings (18)
- Mock drafts (16)
- Rob Rang Analysis (43)
- Scouting combine (36)
- NFL Europe (7)
- NFL free agency (363)
- Cuts and waivers (73)
- Character Issues (23)
- Restricted free agents (RFAs) (15)
- Street free agents (71)
- Tryouts (40)
- Unrestricted free agents (UFAs) (99)
- Cuts and waivers (73)
- NFL Meetings (39)
- Notes from practice (189)
- Off the field (137)
- Charitable endeavors (32)
- Legal system (61)
- Offbeat Stuff (51)
- Officiating (71)
- Opponents (152)
- Playoff picture (20)
- Predictions (41)
- Quotes (182)
- Matt Hasselbeck (18)
- Mike Holmgren (32)
- Shaun Alexander (13)
- Radio Shows (41)
- Roster Analysis (58)
- Schedules and calendars (40)
- Seahawks Insider (301)
- Blog News (282)
- Programming Note (223)
- Stadium/facilities (13)
- Stats, etc. (124)
- Excel Downloads (106)
- Draft-related files (9)
- Seahawks Roster (78)
- Statistics (97)
- Excel Downloads (106)
- Trades and potential trades (71)
- Training Camp (182)
- 2006 Training Camp (137)
- 2007 Training Camp (141)
- Video (8)
- Xs and Os (39)
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| << < | > >> | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
- July 2009 (1)
- June 2009 (29)
- May 2009 (32)
- April 2009 (89)
- March 2009 (56)
- February 2009 (63)
- January 2009 (51)
- December 2008 (151)
- November 2008 (191)
- October 2008 (203)
- September 2008 (164)
- August 2008 (175)
- More...
Seattle team president and general manager Tim Ruskell took questions from reporters this afternoon at the team's practice facility. Ruskell was honest in addressing a wide range of topics during the 45-minute conversation. I'll offer a couple of tidbits here and follow up later with the full transcription of the conversation.
Ruskell said keeping Leroy Hill is a high priority, and will consider all options in keeping the free agent linebacker, including the franchise tag.
Ruskell characterized the transition from last season to next season as more of a tweaking than an overhaul, and believes Seattle has the majority of the talent in place to compete for an NFL title. Like Holmgren, he said the main reason for the team's slide in 2008 was the rash of injuries the Seahawks experienced. However, he said during exit interviews that the players said they also share the blame for the team's demise, and understand that injuries weren't the only issue.
But Ruskell believes with an attitude change and renewed enthusiasm, along with an infusion of young talent, Seattle could be right in the thick of things again, similar to what happened with Miami and Atlanta this season.
Matt Hasselbeck is the team's quarterback, and they are not considering trading him. They liked what Seneca Wallace did as well, and would like to keep them both. But Hasselbeck is the guy.
Olindo Mare will be back in 2009. But Brandon Coutu may be as well. Ruskell said they kept Coutu around as security because of how well he performed during the preseason and because of Mare's recent injury history. But they were more than happy with Mare's performance. However, they wanted to protect their draft pick in Coutu.
Ruskell said the only coaching change they had so far is the Greg Knapp hiring, and that the process could play out through the end of January. The rest of the assistant coaches are being considered, except for assistant special teams coach John Jamison and tight ends coach Jim Lind, who both retired.
Offensive line coach Mike Solari will be back, Ruskell said. And offensive coordinator Gil Haskell may be considered for another assistant coaching position, or as a consultant.
Ruskell said the team's scouting department has been infused with energy by having the No 4 overall pick. Usually those guys are looking at players who they will pick later in the draft, but now they get a chance to evaluate some of the top players. Ruskell said he'd rather be drafting 32nd overall, because that means you've won the Super Bowl.
On his strategy, he said all options are open for the No. 4 pick, but that he doesn't necessarily like drafting offensive lineman that early because he believes he can get a talented guy later in the draft and the success of an offensive line has more to do with the cohesion of the entire group. He pointed to guys like Ray Willis, Rob Sims and Mansfield Wrotto, all guys Seattle drafted in the fourth round.
Ruskell said he believes the team has above-average talent at offensive line and good depth after watching the backup perform admirably at the end of the season, further strengthened the idea the team might look elsewhere with the No. 4 pick.
He also said he doesn't want to get caught in the same predicament the team experienced this season with the rash of injuries the team experienced at receiver and not having enough depth at the position.
Ruskell said bringing in Keary Colbert might have been a desperate move to shore up the receiving corps and maybe was unfair to Colbert to bring in him and expect him to perform at a high level. However, he believes if the Seahawks want to they can get back another pick for the 5th rounder they lost in the trade to Denver, and that second-day picks are easier to make deals for.
Ruskell also said he believes Seattle is in a good position financially, and will not be handcuffed to make the moves they want to, both in free agency and the draft, to improve the team during the offseason.
That's all for now. I'll have more later.
COMMENTS:
And I don't want to be an Atlanta or Miami... they were one and done in the play-offs. I had to rephrase that a little. We have more talent than either of those two teams did at this time last year.
You don't expect him to tip his hand do you? Ruskell likes to draft seniors from big schools in the first round, I wonder if he sticks with that strategy picking this high? That would be the likes of Aaron Curry (Wake Forest) Michael Oher (Ole Miss), Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio St), Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Brian Orakpo (Texas)
Don't believe a word of what any GM says at this time of year about the draft because they wouldn't tell anyone straight up what they were really going to do anyway. Most of what they say about the draft choice is misdirection and BS until the pick is actually made.
This could mean anything and reading between the lines is a mistake but I'd infer the same as you or conclude he really wants to take a T but others don't or he doesn't want to telegraph his intentions.
So far his Oline draft choices have been pretty awful so so I'd hope we fix the OLine with a FA or two.
My dream would be for us to trade down twice. We could end up with two more 2nd rounders and still pick ahead of last years 1st round about 20-23rd. A couple of role players are far better than a single "maybe stud".
That said, QB Sneak is right, picking today it would be Crabtree in blue and green.
It sounds like Ruskell really wants to resign Hill (which is good).
We brought that 3-4 guy in for an interview for the defensive coordinator position.
If you want an impact player in the draft, linebacker is usually the way to go.
We could run a 3-4 defense next year.
Hill was an ILB his fair share of time at Clemson, and I've always thought he'd make a good inside linebacker in a 3-4.
Ruskell could draft Aaron Curry and put him at OLB.
That would be a GOOD group of LBs with JP and Tatupu.
What would that mean for our DL? I don't know exactly.
3-4 DL aren't glamorous jobs - but we may have a few guys who would fit the bill.
Wherever you put Mebane, I see him being solid. I know he's not 350lbs, but I think he'd be a fine NT. Red Bryant would be a good 320lb role player at NT.
I do not see Lawrence Jackson as a future Osi Umenyiora, but I think he could develop into a solid DE in a 3-4. He's not undersized. Granted, he's not a 300lb brute either. DEs in 3-4 defenses aren't expected to get double digit sacks per year.
Just a thought, but this isn't anything I'm opposed to. That would be a great group of LBs.
I predict Matt to have another pro bowl year. And I don't mean a Favre (picked only cause you're popular) type pro bowl year.
It doesn't matter who you have as DBs in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense.
We have the LBs to excel in a 3-4 (by drafting Curry) or 4-3.
Tapp certainly wouldn't be a good fit as DE in a 3-4 though. Same for Kerney. But I think Mebane would be fine as a very good dirty work DE type or even a good job at DT. He stuffs plays and can get some penetration. If anything, I think he would make a better DL in a 3-4 than he would in a 4-3 and I already think he's a very good player.
I'm not saying I support it, I'm just saying that I wonder about it.
My day just got that much better after reading that from the man himself.
I can take a fresh breath of air now and watch the game tonight in peace.
Please win Oklahoma.
And Duke you're right (from earlier) I'm sick of these analysts on the Gator train. Did you see one of them put on the gator head? Ridiculous.
A GM is graded on how the team develops and improves. Since 05, we have steadily gone down hill. He brought in small players, old FA, and didn't put a fight to keep some our lineman. I don't know how one couldn't be critical of him. Of course "we" couldn't do better, we don't do it for a living. There are plenty of people in the NFL who do. Make comparisons to them and not the public.
I'm thrilled that we're keeping Solari. I consider him currently the most important member of Holmgren's staff left.
I agree with keeping Mare; he had an almost perfect season. But how long can we carry 2 kickers? It would be convenient for Coutu to be "injured" during spring training & placed in ir for all of 2007.
Glad they hope/plan to keep Hill. I'd also like to see Weaver stay, & while it's unlikely, we're so thin at WR that working something out with Engram would sure be nice.
Doesn't that just tell Hill his value is the average of the Top 5 salaries for LB's in the NFL?
I would have just held that thought to myself, unless he isn't really serious.
This way, he either gets another team to trade for Hill, or he gets one more year out of Hill (at a high price, but it's only 1 year.)
It's not a case where Hill had a knockout year that raised his value even higher than before (i.e. like Albert Haynesworth 2 years ago.) I'd say Hill had a solid year, but sub-par by his standards (just his fellow linebackers.) So that's I think this is principally a "we aren't letting him go for free" statement.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it was Holmgren and/or Ruskell having an interview several years back (at the Combine?) with Bob Costas(?) saying basically the same thing... "you can't believe a word GM's say at this time of year. They can't telegraph their hands to the other teams. The NFL is a small fraternity with 32 teams and it isn't that hard to know what each teams' needs are and what they're after, so we obfuscate (it was the word obfuscate that stuck in my mind) so as to get as much of an edge as possible."
As has been said above, it will be an interesting Free Agency again, and as has been said above, I still think the O line guys need help. I can't believe Ruskell said that about "O"linemen! "Just another Guard" again!?!?! Unreal!
Go Hawks!
This interview is alarming, because it shows me Ruskell is delusional. This team is miles away from a playoff run, much less a Super Bowl. And Michael Oher is better than Willis, Sims and Wrotto.
All put together.
You have to get vaule for a pick this high, and Oher is it. Crabtree is riskier and I love Taylor Mayes, but 4th overall?
We'll see what he comes up with, besides placing his career in the hands of a 34 year old QB with a bulging disk in his back and a 57.8 passer rating.
Hill gets hurt every year and misses games. How replaceable is he? That is the question. I think he's more replaceable than the other two linebackers we have. Hate to say it...but he's no Lance Briggs.
I have heard this could be a bretty good draft for WR, so maybe we can pick up a couple of them and say goodbye to Mr Taylor and Mr Kent.
Yeah, because 7th round kickers are soooo hard to replace. (rolls eyes)
"Ruskell isn't dumb enough to make the same mistake twice."
Yes he is. Drafts a bum as a guard in Sims, drafts a bum as a guard in Wrotto. Both in the 4th. Let's Hutchinson get away in FA, causes a problems we still haven't fixed. Sends Darche away in FA, causes problems we still haven't fixed. Ruskell sucks.
Comments are not allowed from anonymous visitors. Please login or register to comment.

