Tag Archives: seattle seahawks

News, Sports

Do the Seahawks Have a Top Secret Motto?

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, discussing what, if anything, has been earned (Photo: MvB)

After suffering through the 2011 Seahawks opening-game loss Sunday, some friends and I kicked around mottos for the team.

  • 2011 Seattle Seahawks: I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
  • 2011 Seattle Seahawks: Better Than Last Year (In the sucking department)
  • 2011 Seattle Seahawks: It’s either us or shopping with your wife.
  • 2011 Seattle Seahawks: Stop Believing
  • 2011 Seattle Seahawks: As Boring As Church, But With More Praying

The team’s actual public motto–“Earn everything”–is emblazoned on a banner affixed to the facade of CenturyLink Field. But a second, more pragmatic motto may be driving the team’s decision-making: “Suck for Luck.”

That’s “Luck” as in Andrew Luck, the star Stanford quarterback whose strong arm, large frame and pedigree make NFL scouts quiver. Some say he’ll be as good as Peyton Manning, which is like saying a President will be as good as Abraham Lincoln.

The team with the first pick in next year’s NFL draft will have the right to pick Luck, and, if the scouts are right, have that near-pre-requisite to a Super Bowl win–a Hall-of-Fame quarterback.

So who gets that #1 pick? The team with the NFL’s worst record. And, after their performance Saturday, the Seahawks look like as likely a candidate for that distinction as any team in the league.

To wit: Behind a offensive line with three players making their first NFL start, the Seahawks averaged just 3.4 yards per play Sunday, worst in the NFL. This against San Francisco, hardly one of the NFL’s dominant defenses. Yes, the Seahawks defense held the Niners to only 209 yards, but with San Francisco holding a two-score lead for most of the game, they had little incentive for aggressive offense.

The keenest observers of NFL football–Vegas oddsmakers–were so repulsed by the Seahawks’ performance, they’ve made them the biggest underdogs in the NFL this week: The Hawks are 15-1/2 point underdogs to Pittsburgh. A two-touchdown spread in the NFL is about as bad as it gets–and the handicap is even more incredible considering that the Steelers lost their opening game 35-7.

If there is cause for hope in 2011, it resides in the persons of left guard Robert Gallery and wide receiver Sidney Rice. The two were the big Seahawks free agent acquisitions of the off-season, but neither played Week 1 because of injury. And they may not play again in Week 2.

The Seahawks, behind coach and grand poobah Pete Carroll, clearly did not build this team to win in 2010–failing to re-sign starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, cutting defensive stalwart Lofa Tatupu, building the offensive line around two rookies and two second-year starters. But were they built to lose?

We may be in for a lot of long Sundays this fall–with Luck as the potential payout.

News, Sports

Seahawks’ Hiring Spree Begins Now; Will It Include Matt Hasselbeck?

I don’t care how many meetings, off-sites, or team-building events you’ve got on your Outlook calendar, there’s no way you’re busier than Seahawks GM John Schneider. He’s got nine months’ worth of work to do this week.

If Schneider’s annoyed, I wouldn’t blame him. His bosses (NFL owners) and their employees (NFL players) have been locked in a labor dispute since February–aka Schneider’s usual window to re-sign existing players and draft picks, woo veteran free agents, sign undrafted rookies, and broker trades with other teams. Now, Schneider must do all that in about seven days, and he won’t get a day of rest like that lazy, unionized God did.

This sucks for Schneider, but for football fans it’s thrilling. Instead of the usual slow drip of signings and trades that go on during the long NFL break, we’ll enjoy a monsoon of moves. The clouds burst today.

As of 7 a.m., Schneider (with heavy input from Seahawks head coach and “executive VP of football operations” Pete Carroll) can make trades, sign rookies, and negotiate with free agents. Seahawks training camp begins Wednesday. On Friday at 3 p.m., he may begin signing free agents to contracts.

Job one for Schneider and Carroll: Figure out who’ll play quarterback.

Quarterback is a position unlike any other in professional sports. Besides his responsibility for pre-snap adjustments, and the fact that he handles the ball on every play, the quarterback is seen as the de facto team leader–whether you’re playing on an NFL field or two-hand touch in the park.

Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks’ starting quarterback for the past ten seasons, is a free agent. Though aging and prone to injury, Hasselbeck provides stability, which could be appealing in this bizarre year. The man is a leader–Hasselbeck organized and led team workouts during the training-camp-less offseason, despite having no contractual obligation to the team. Yet Hasselbeck’s incumbency is not as critical as it might normally be. The Seahawks hired a new offensive coordinator in the offseason. Under former Minnesota Vikings OC Darrell Bevell, who prefers a run-heavy version of the West Coast offense, Hasselbeck must learn a new, if not entirely unfamiliar, playbook.

Given the compressed training camp schedule, a quarterback who already knows Bevell’s system may be a better fit. So you might be hearing the name “Tarvaris Jackson.” It’s a name you may have heard before–as the punchline to a joke.

Once a promising quarterback prospect for the Vikings, Jackson has never recovered from a comically inept performance in the 2008 playoffs, which compelled the Vikings to replace him with 97-year-old Brett Favre. Still, Jackson’s five seasons in Minnesota coincided with Bevell’s tenure there. If there’s one quarterback who could step in right now and run that offense, it’s Jackson. Well, Jackson and Favre, but let’s not go there.

The Seahawks have one quarterback under contract: Charlie Whitehurst, acquired last year as the presumed successor to Hasselbeck. Whitehurst did not impress coaches, to the point that the Seahawks had to develop a special “training-wheels” game plan for his emergency start in the pivotal Week 17 game against the Rams.

Hasselbeck, who made $5.75M last season, may well get offers approaching that from other teams–money that in the rebuilding Seahawks’ case would be better invested in younger players. Then again, Hass did throw 4 TDs in a playoff game last January. Jackson hasn’t thrown 4 TDs in a game since 2008. Whitehurst hasn’t thrown 4 TDs in his entire NFL career.

Other possibilities:
–Kevin Kolb, who was Wally Pipped by Michael Vick, and now wants a trade. The Seahawks will surely be in on the bidding for Kolb, but may not be able to match desperate Arizona, still shell-shocked from Year One of the post-Kurt-Warner era.
–Matt Leinart, who won the Heisman Trophy under Carroll at USC but flopped in Arizona.
–Carson Palmer, another former USC Heisman winner who’s had more NFL success (though not as much since his 2008 elbow injury). Palmer has demanded a trade from Cincinnati.
--Vince Young, who won 30 of 47 starts as the Tennessee Titans QB but will be released due to his emotional instability.
–Donovan McNabb, if the Redskins release him from his massive contract (he’s actually younger than Hasselbeck).
–Kyle Orton, a solid starter for Denver the last two seasons, now on the trading block with Tim Tebow ready to take over.
–Rex Grossman, who has, at times, been a competent NFL quarterback.

Complicating things even more, any free agent QB the Seahawks sign–even Hasselbeck–couldn’t practice with the team until August 4.

Besides finding the person who’ll be the most important player on the team, Schneider must also decide whether to resign several Seahawks who started last year but are now free agents. These include defensive line star Brandon Mebane, starting safety Lawyer Milloy, starting offensive linemen Chris Spencer and Sean Locklear, and kicker Olindo Mare.

The action will come in Twitter-time. Follow ESPN’s Mike Sando (@espn_nfcwest), or the Seattle Times’ Danny O’Neil (@dannyoneil) for breaking news. For in-depth, Seahawks-centric analysis, check out Field Gulls or the inadequately-named Seahawks Draft Blog. And once the downpour’s over, I’ll be back to try to make sense of it all. Unless the Seahawks sign Brett Favre, in which case I’ll have drowned myself in an Occidental Ave. puddle.

You can buy that pin (illustrated by Mad Magazine’s Jack Davis) for $15 at Seattle’s Gasoline Alley Antiques. Here’s all their Seahawks memorabilia.

News, Sports

NFL Draft Recap: Seahawks Get Bigger, Smarter

John Moffitt
"An intelligent player"

Pundit grades for the NFL draft are out, and the national football media has about as much love for the Seahawks draft picks as the official Libyan media has for NATO.

What say you, Clifton Brown of The Sporting News? D! ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr? D+! FOX Sports’ Adam Caplan? D!

Seahawks drafters Pete Carroll and John Schneider get low marks for failing to pick a quarterback and for the crime of “reaching,” draft parlance for picking a player who most teams thought would go later in the draft.

Yet, in the rainy sky of morning, it’s plain that the Seahawks followed a clear strategy: Get bigger, and get smarter. Let’s chat about it, shall we? We’ll start with size.

Take cornerback, where the Seahawks’ primary starters were both 5-foot-11. The Hawks took Stanford’s Richard Sherman, who’s 6-foot-3, and 6-foot-1, 210-pound Byron Maxwell of Clemson.

Or wide receiver, where the Seahawks made their biggest “reach” of the draft, taking Georgia’s Kris Durham. Durham wasn’t among the 329 draft-eligible players invited to the NFL’s Scouting Combine–but he is 6-foot-5, a head taller than most of Seahawks receivers.

The Seahawks’ top two picks, offensive linemen James Carpenter and John Moffitt, aren’t necessarily larger than their roster counterparts, but they represent a dedication to building the team around the largest position group.

And these dudes are sharp! Moffitt touted himself on a conference call with reporters as “an intelligent player.” Sherman lasted six years at Stanford, so you know he’s smart. Durham was First-Team Academic All-American and won UGA’s Scholar-Athlete award. ESPN’s scouting report lauded Wright as a “well spoken and valued representative for the program.”

Ironically, the Hawks draft smart guys and get near-failing grades. What’s going on here is that the graders were looking for a research paper and the Seahawks turned in a first-person narrative. They didn’t draft based on the pure numbers, they drafted based on their own biases, their belief that bigger and smarter will help win games. For the sake of all throw-able objects in the vicinity of my television, let’s hope they’re right.

News, Sports

Seahawks Pick OT James Carpenter and More in NFL Draft

Wooo! New Seahawks! By taking offensive linemen with his first two picks, Pete Carroll is clearly trying to get on new O-line coach Tom Cable’s good side. (Smart move, given Cable’s history of punching fellow coaches.) It was Alabama OT James Carpenter with pick one, Wisconsin G John Moffitt with pick two. Says Cable: “I told John (Schneider) a week ago, if your wildest dreams, if you could pick two guys to get in the draft it would be these two.”

On Saturday, the focus has turned to defense–and more specifically, the defensive backfield–as the Hawks have taken three defensive backs. The final tally: 9 picks–3 offense, 6 defense.

James CarpenterJames Carpenter, OT, Alabama (1st rd., 25th overall)

Where he fits:
Carpenter played left tackle at Alabama, and could also play guard. Probably, the Seahawks expect him to win the starting RT job, with incumbent Sean Locklear unlikely to be re-signed.

What he’s done:
After playing two seasons in junior college, Carpenter started all 27 games of his career for Alabama. He was second-team All-SEC his junior year, first-team All-SEC as a senior. ‘Bama RB Mark Ingram won the 2009 Heisman running behind Carpenter.

Raw stats:
6-4, 321 lbs. 5.28 40-time. 23 reps at 225 lbs. in bench press.

Pick talk:
The Seahawks last picked an offensive tackle last year, when they took Russell Okung with the 6th overall pick. Carpenter is the fourth offensive tackle taken in the 2011 draft, behind Tyron Smith of USC, Nate Solder of Colorado, and Anthony Castonzo of Boston College.

What they’re saying:
“I don’t see it at this point.” — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN
“His initials are J.C. and he’s a f***ing Carpenter!” — My friend Ivan
“Don’t be surprised if Carpenter is a quality NFL starter.” — Lindy’s Sports
“The Seahawks would like to see him step in at RT to give them bookend edge protectors for the next 10 years.” — ESPN.com
“The line just got a LOT better and that’s something we all have wanted.” — Danny Kelly, Field Gulls
“I had him graded as an early- to late-second round pick.” Mike Mayock, NFL Network
“I was so shocked. I thought I was going to go in the second, but somebody had faith in me.” — James Carpenter
“(Carpenter is) tough, nasty, aggressive and solid.” — Seahawks GM John Schneider
“This guy is a road-grader. He wants to bury you.” — Seahawks coach Pete Carroll

(The Seahawks traded their 57th, 157th, and 209th overall picks to Detroit for the Lions’ 75th, 107th, 154th and 205th overall picks.)

John Moffitt, OG, Wisconsin (3rd rd., 75th overall)

Where he fits:
The Seahawks will hope Moffitt can solidify one of the guard spots, or, possibly, play center. Each was a revolving door last season due to injury and poor performance. Moffitt also started 15 games at center in his college career.

What he’s done:
First-team All-American last season, twice first-team All-Big-10. Started six games as a redshirt freshman. Wisconsin was 12th-best rushing team in nation last year.

Raw stats:
6-4, 319 lbs., 5.51 40-yard dash. Ran the fastest 20-yard shuttle run of any OG at combine (4.53). 23 reps at 225 lbs. on bench.

Pick talk:
Seahawks last took an OG in 4th round of 2007 draft, Mansfield Wrotto. Moffitt is the fifth guard taken in the 2011 draft. First time since 1989 draft Seahawks have taken offensive linemen with first two picks (Andy Heck, Joe Tofflemire).

What they’re saying:
“He’s not overly athletic, but he’s nasty, he’s tough.” — Mike Mayock, NFL Network
“Elite run blocker…fair in pass protection.” — Lindy’s Sports
“Minor concern about reputation for entertaining media with sound bites.” — Scouts Inc.
“His technique is suspect at times in pass pro; more often than not, he stays in front long enough for the quarterback to get the ball out.” — ESPN
“Can play either guard spot and then he also has played center in a very good league in the Big Ten” — Tom Cable
“I think I bring a lot of physicality to the line, and I’m an intelligent player as well.” — John Moffitt
“Everything about him exudes what we want to be about on our offensive line.” — Pete Carroll

K.J. WrightK.J. Wright, LB, Mississippi St. (4th rd., 99th overall)

Where he fits:
Wright provides depth at a thin linebacker spot, as top two backups Will Herring and Matt McCoy are free agents. Will also play special teams.

What he’s done:
Played 47 games in four-year MSU career. Has 98 tackles, 3 sacks, and 9 pass breakups in coverage. Top hoops player in high school.

Raw stats:
6-3, 246 lbs. 4.75 40-time. 20 reps at 225 lbs. on bench.

Pick talk:
Last LB picked by Seahawks was Dexter Davis in 2010. Seahawks haven’t waited so long to pick a defensive player since 1995.

What they’re saying:
“Plays faster than his 40 time. Could provide some pass rush.” — Mel Kiper Jr, ESPN
“Athletic, durable, productive, and a leader on the field.” — Lindy’s Sports
“Possesses the athleticism to hold up in underneath zone coverage.” — Scouts Inc.
“He is a strong and reliable tackler but lacks instincts.” — ESPN

Kris DurhamKris Durham, WR, Georgia (4th rd., 107th overall)

Where he fits:
At 6-5, gives the Seahawks another big receiver, something they don’t have other than Mike Williams. Will compete for playing time at wide receiver with likely starter Ben Obomanu, disappointing Golden Tate, and Deon Butler, who’s recovering from a badly broken leg.

What he’s done:
Played 47 games, started 15 in four-year Georgia career. Had 32 catches and 3 TDs as a senior, including a 100-yard game vs. #12 Arkansas. Garnered several academic honors. Was a sprinter in high school.

Raw stats:
6-5, 214 lbs., 4.46 40-yard dash.

Pick talk:
Seahawks have taken a receiver three consecutive years: Golden Tate in 2010 (2nd rd, 60th overall) and Deon Butler in 2009 (3rd rd., 91st overall).

What they’re saying:
“Possesses an excellent combination of size and top-end speed for the position.” — Scouts, Inc.
“Developed into a dependable possession receiver” — NFLDraftScout.com
“He is another big, possession-type guy who should help them on third down and in the red zone.” — ESPN

Richard ShermanRichard Sherman, CB, Stanford (5th rd., 154th overall)

Where he fits:
Has what no other Seahawks cornerback does: Height. Sherman will play in nickel and dime packages and help out on special teams.

What he’s done:
Stanford’s leading receiver his freshman and sophomore years, Sherman converted to cornerback after suffering a knee injury his junior season. Granted a medical redshirt, he played two seasons at corner and was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention last year.

Raw stats:
6-3, 195 lbs., 4.54 40-yard dash. 38-inch vertical leap at combine, one of the best among CBs.

Pick talk:
The Seahawks also took a Pac-10 cornerback in last year’s draft, Oregon’s Walter Thurmond.

What they’re saying:
“Best fit at the next level as a press corner where he can use his length and above-average balance to his advantage.” — Scouts Inc.
“Sherman brings above-average size, range and ball skills as a CB.” — ESPN

Mark LegreeMark LeGree, S, Appalachian St. (5th rd., 156th overall)

Where he fits:
Provides depth at defensive back, especially needed if Lawyer Milloy retires. Will also play on special teams.

What he’s done:
LeGree was a three-time FCS All-American, and ended his four-year college career as the active D1 leader in interceptions with 22.

Raw stats:
5-11, 210 lbs., 4.49 40-yard dash. 21 reps at 225 lbs. at combine, one of the best among safeties. But his 31-inch vertical was among the worst.

Pick talk:
The Seahawks took two safeties in last year’s draft: Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.

What they’re saying:
“Reads quarterback’s eyes and flashes above-average route recognition.” — Scouts Inc.
“He has above-average movement skills and excellent top-end speed” — ESPN

Byron MaxwellByron Maxwell, CB, Clemson (6th rd., 173rd overall)

Where he fits:
A special teams whiz in college, he also started at corner his senior season. At 6-1, Maxwell is bigger than anyone who played CB for the Seahawks last year.

What he’s done:
Known for hard hits on special teams and as a DB, he forced six fumbles in a 53-game Clemson career. Was ranked #2 CB in nation coming out of high school, but tore ACL his senior year.

Raw stats:
6-1, 210 lbs. 4.43 40-yard-dash, 24 reps at 225 lbs. on bench at combine (top among CBs was 26 reps).

Pick talk:
Makes the third defensive back the Seahawks have taken in this draft, and the sixth in the Carroll era.

What they’re saying:
“Possesses above-average overall measureables and top-end speed for the position.” — Scouts Inc.
“An instinctive, tough CB.” — ESPN.com

Pep LevingstonLazarius “Pep” Levingston, DT, LSU (7th rd., 205th overall)

Where he fits:
A big body who could provide depth on the defensive line in running situations.

What he’s done:
Played 48 games, starting 22 in four-year LSU career. Had 70 career tackles, 3 sacks. Played defensive end his first three season before moving to DT as a senior. Part of one of the nation’s top rushing defenses.

Raw stats:
6-4, 280 lbs. 4.86 40-yard dash. 31-inch vertical leap. 20 reps at 225 on bench at LSU pro day.

Pick talk:
First DT taken by Seahawks since 2008 (Red Bryant). Eight of last ten Seahawks’ 7th rounders have appeared in at least one game with team.

What they’re saying:
“A one-gap wave reserve who flashes good strength, but is extremely limited as an athlete.” — ESPN

Malcolm SmithMalcolm Smith, LB, USC (7th rd., 242nd overall)

Where he fits:
Linebacker depth and special teams.

What he’s done:
A two-year starter at weak side linebacker at USC. Smith was the Trojans’ second-leading tackler in 2010 and had eight tackles for loss. Was rated #4 WLB in nation out of high school (and was recruited by Pete Carroll, obviously). Note: Malcolm’s brother Steve is the Steve Smith who’s a WR for the Giants.

Raw stats:
6-1, 227 lbs. 4.48 40-yard-dash. 28 reps at 225 lbs. on bench. 38-inch vertical leap at USC pro day.

Pick talk:
Second linebacker taken by Seahawks in this draft. Last time they took two linebackers in a draft, it was 2005: They took four, two of whom were Lofa Tatupu and LeRoy Hill. That worked out okay.

What they’re saying:
“He is undersized and will have problem taking on blocks, however he is a good overall athlete.” — ESPN