Seahawks News

"Retired NFL players arrived in shifts Thursday at Health Force Partners, participating in what might best be described as a medical minicamp, all hoping to make the cut... Mitz was one of 35 former pro football players from the region coaxed to this Bellevue medical clinic for a series of heart screening tests conducted by Denver cardiologist Jeffrey Boone and funded by an alliance of NFL organizations -- taking part in an innovative program considered overdue for a violent sport characterized by startling low life-expectancy rates, depending on playing position, of 53 to 59."

"The operative word for the Seahawks offense has become "if." That might sound strange, considering the offense has been the team's signature unit since coach Mike Holmgren arrived in 1999 and also was the object of most of the team's moves in free agency this offseason. But "if" kept popping up this week during the team's four-day veterans' camp that concluded Thursday."

"I noticed it on TV. Mike Holmgren walked into a news conference last week looking like he'd lost weight. His face looked slimmer and his stomach flatter. So I asked him about it after a mini-camp practice. "I'm trying," Holmgren said. "It's hard. I'm hungry all the time." He was motivated by his wife, Kathy, and those NutriSystem commercials featuring former NFL players and coaches. Ten weeks ago, he got serious about dieting. "I've never been little, but at the same time, I've kind of set my mind on trying to do this," Holmgren said."

"Mike Wahle didn't play much for coach Mike Holmgren 10 years ago. Not on Sundays, anyway. Wahle was a rookie with Green Bay in 1998, playing only one game after he was drafted from a service academy known for producing officers, not offensive linemen. He mostly just practiced that first season in Green Bay, but he made an impression. It is one Wahle has reinforced during a 10-year NFL career."

"All Chris Gray has done since signing with the Seahawks in 1998 is start. At center. At right guard. At left guard. At one point, his streak reached a franchise-record 121 consecutive starts. Not this season, his 16th in the NFL and 11th with the Seahawks. The plan is to have Gray serve as the insurance-policy backup at center and both guard spots -- with third-year guard Rob Sims moving into Gray's spot on the right side after being displaced by the signing of former Pro Bowl left guard Mike Wahle."

"As Julius Jones was heading toward the left side of the line, Mike Wahle suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere to take out the linebacker and spring Jones up the field for a nice gain. When Wahle turned to head back to the huddle, he was greeted by line coach Mike Solari, who gave the veteran guard an atta-boy hand slap. That, in one blur of a block, is the exact reason the Seahawks signed Wahle in February after the Carolina Panthers released him. At 304 pounds, the 6-foot-6 Wahle is not a mauler who uses his bulk to bully defensive linemen. His game is one of movement and quick strikes."

"T.J. Duckett pulls up his right sleeve, revealing a biceps that's as big as a hamhock. Not as big as teammate Julius Jones' arms, Duckett points out. Jones wears his jersey with the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders. "It's his gun show," Duckett joked. "I'm trying to buy tickets." Well-armed. That's the best description for Seattle's backfield additions for 2008. A new hustle-and-muscle combination in Duckett and Jones. Duckett is one of the new components of a running-back equation coach Mike Holmgren is still trying to work out."

"In seven seasons with the Seahawks, Bobby Engram has done everything the team has asked. Now he's seeking something in return. The Seahawks' leading receiver believes he deserves more than the base salary of $1.7 million he is set to make this season, and Engram is using his only recourse to try to make it happen with a contract extension. Engram has not participated in the first two practices of the team's voluntary veteran's camp this week, and isn't planning to be around Wednesday or Thursday, either."

"Bobby Engram slipped into Seahawks headquarters Tuesday morning to deliver a letter for coach Mike Holmgren. That was the end of his business. Engram didn't stay for practice, missing a second straight day of minicamp to show his discontent over his contract, concerns he presumably outlined in the letter."

"The Bengals acquired rookie WR Travis Brown of New Mexico on waivers from Seattle on Tuesday. Brown (6-3, 202) was a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection as a junior and a senior. His 182 career receptions rank third in New Mexico school history, and his 2196 receiving yards rank fifth. He was signed by Seattle on April 29 and was waived on Monday. "

"When it comes to the Seahawks coaching staff, intensity has a new name: It's Mike Solari. Hiring the veteran NFL line coach was the first move the Seahawks made after coach Mike Holmgren and club president Tim Ruskell expressed their exasperation with the team's anemic running game last season -- and their determination to not have a repeat performance this season."

"The seasoned veteran with something to prove. The self-assured rookie trying to impress. Welcome to the 2008 Seahawks kicker competition, coming to practice fields near you this spring and summer. The Seahawks haven't had a kicking competition since training camp 2002, when Rian Lindell kept the job after a battle with Aaron Elling and Shayne Graham. The principals this time are Olindo Mare, a longtime Miami Dolphins kicker and one-time All-Pro selection, and rookie Brandon Coutu, a seventh-round pick from Georgia."

"The rookies have left the building. Not to mention town and, for most, even the state. They beat a hasty retreat Sunday after the final session in the Seahawks' three-day, five-practice minicamp to catch flights back to their colleges, or homes, or wherever it was they arrived from Thursday. Due to an antiquated NFL rule, rookies are allowed to be on the premises for only 72 hours while attending these post-draft minicamps. The principle behind the rule is worthy."

"There is an air of satisfaction around D.D. Lewis these days. One can see it in the omnipresent smile on his face. Lewis, a veteran linebacker for the Seahawks, is simply happy to be back with the team with which he began his career in 2002. He signed a free-agent deal with Seattle in March after half a season with the Denver Broncos, the team he left the Seahawks for after the 2006 season. "It was a good opportunity to come back here," Lewis said. "I already know the system here. It's good to come back.""

"From the sideline of one of the Seattle Seahawks’ minicamp practices, I heard a coach flub a new player’s name, calling him the name of the guy who had his jersey number last season. It’s entirely understandable. The Seahawks have undergone a more radical change than any other since Mike Holmgren took over as coach in 1999. At the start of minicamp, 37 new guys were wearing Seattle jerseys, and they were being coached by six new staffers."

"Admittedly, Seattle Seahawks guard Rob Sims said, he was a bit miffed when the front office’s first move of the offseason was to sign guard Mike Wahle after he was released by the Carolina Panthers. After all, the 24-year-old Sims was being groomed as the left guard of the future, and Wahle’s acquisition meant Sims immediately lost his job. But that’s life in the NFL, Sims realized. Heck, the Seahawks cut Shaun Alexander, the 2005 league MVP. And they let receiver D.J. Hackett leave in free agency without putting up a fight. Nearly a quarter of the roster has turned over. If those players can be let go, the team’s fourth-round draft pick in 2006 certainly is expendable."

"Logan Payne arrived in Seattle one year ago this week, packing one bag and a whole lot of hope for his first workouts with the Seahawks. Payne came from the University of Minnesota, an undrafted rookie undaunted by the uncertainty of his future. "I just kind of put on my blinders," Payne said. "And went out to play as hard as I can and try and maximize my possibilities." He played his way onto Seattle's practice squad, and now here he is, one year later getting practice time with the Seahawks' first-string offense in what amounts to an elevator ride up the typical NFL career ladder."

"At one point during this offseason of change for the Seahawks offense, Matt Hasselbeck cracked that they needed to pass out name tags. The team's Pro Bowl quarterback was kidding, wasn't he? No, and the reason was apparent as the Seahawks opened their three-day, five-practice minicamp Friday morning, when Hasselbeck was surrounded by testaments to the transition."

"Julius Jones was interested in the Seahawks long before the team decided to make a run at him in free agency. That quickly became very apparent Thursday, when the former leading rusher for the Dallas Cowboys did his first interview since agreeing to a four-year, $11.8 million contract with the Seahawks on March 7. Jones' curiosity with all things Seahawks and Seattle began during a Monday night game at Qwest Field in 2004, when he rushed for a career-high 198 yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys' 43-39 victory."

"As far as backfield exchanges go, it was pretty smooth. It just took some time. The Seahawks announced Jones' signing on March 10, the move that set the stage for Alexander's release on April 23. That was the final step in an offseason overhaul of Seattle's ground game."

"The offseason had not been kind to Bruce DeHaven. The Seahawks' special teams coach had seen his clutch kicker, Josh Brown, sign with the St. Louis Rams. Free agency also claimed linebackers Niko Koutouvides, last year's special teams captain and leading coverage tackler, and Kevin Bentley, one of five Seahawks with double-digit special teams tackles last season."

"NFL fans take note: The guys who do this for a living conduct mock drafts and grade their efforts, too. National observations on the Seahawks’ 2008 draft have ranged from C- up to B. I think I’d issue a B, as well. They added some more good-character guys who met specific needs, following the unofficial mission statement of GM Tim Ruskell. But this draft followed the blueprint even more closely than most that Ruskell has engineered."

"Lawrence Jackson loves Seattle. And not just because the Seahawks made the defensive end from USC their first-round pick on Saturday. He really loves Seattle. He can't wait to walk around Pike Place Market. He told NFL coaches from other teams that his ideal spot would be — you guessed it — right here. He likes the rain, yet he's from Southern California. He wanted to live here even when he was in high school. "That helped us as well," Seahawks president Tim Ruskell said."

"The hands. They're the first thing that stand out about John Carlson. They're large. Big as oven mitts. And after the Seahawks introduced him at their headquarters on Monday, he offered a handshake as big as it was strong. Seattle, meet your new tight end. A kid from Minnesota with blue eyes and squared-up 6-foot-5 frame that Seattle picked from Notre Dame's rich tight-end lineage to play the position that is a signature of sorts for coach Mike Holmgren's offense. Well, at least it was until he arrived in Seattle."

"The Seahawks stuck to their board during the NFL draft. But reactions to the players they selected over the weekend are all over the board. In a sampling of the grades that were here, there and seemingly everywhere Monday, those given to the Seahawks ranged from a B (ESPN's Mel Kiper) to a D-plus (Clifton Brown of Sporting News) -- and others touched on every mark in between. The criticism goes something like this:"

"Seattle Seahawks draft picks Lawrence Jackson and John Carlson sat next to each other Monday morning, both sporting team caps as they were introduced to each other and the media at team headquarters. But the defensive end from USC and the tight end from Notre Dame actually had something of a relationship long before Monday’s scripted presentation. Well, perhaps not so much a relationship as a working knowledge of each other."

"Yes, two Seahawks draft picks Sunday happen to have the same last name: Schmitt. More important, the Seahawks — as president Tim Ruskell pledged Saturday — used their five draft picks for the day to address depth needs and bolster their special-teams units. Sunday was quite a day at headquarters. Seattle chose a couple of characters with its first two picks — affable defensive tackle Red Bryant from Texas A&M in the fourth round and a guy who could star in the MTV wild-stunt show "Jackass," fullback Owen Schmitt, in the fifth round."

"What was Ruskell doing? Was he channeling Behring, the former team owner who pushed to select Dan McGwire in 1991, when the quarterback coach Chuck Knox wanted was Brett Favre? No, Ruskell was targeting the players he wanted, and doing whatever it took to get them. "We're happy with how it went," Ruskell said Sunday as he sat next to vice president of player personnel Ruston Webster during a post-draft recap."

"The psychological test given to all NFL players asked a question as offbeat as it was simple: Are you a dog or a cat? Neither, Owen Schmitt decided, and he wrote in his own answer: "Lion." "I just didn't think I was a dog or a cat," Schmitt said. A lion. That's more like it. He's got a Mohawk for a mane and takes a king-of-the-jungle approach to the football field. He's a 247-pound fullback from West Virginia who bench-pressed 225 pounds 26 times at the scouting combine and has a personality that might be even stronger. "

"Red Bryant will be joining Jacob Green's family in February when he marries the former Seahawk's daughter Janelle. First, he became part of Green's first franchise. Bryant was at his future father-in-law's home on Sunday when he got the call from Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren to say the Seahawks were selecting Bryant, a defensive tackle from Texas A&M, with their fourth-round pick (No. 121 overall). "I'm so thrilled that Seattle evaluated me and felt like they could use me," Bryant said. "I'm going to make good on it.""

"Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren spoke of the Seahawks needing a wide body in the middle of the defensive line after last season. The Seahawks got that in Bryant. Bryant is mainly viewed as a run-stuffer who could provide some pass rush. In the eight games he started in 2006, the Aggies held opponents to 75.4 yards rushing per game. When Bryant didn't play because of a knee injury for five games, A&M allowed 229 yards rushing per game. "

"Expectations were necessarily modest, and thus readily met. The Seahawks have not picked in the top 20 of the draft's first round since 2003, when cornerback Marcus Trufant was taken at No. 11. So for a mature team of consistent postseason quality, the idea of acquiring a breakthrough talent was far-fetched. Hired on Sunday mostly were some amiable fellows who can run down and back on kickoffs."

"It was difficult to tell who was happier about the Seahawks' selection of Red Bryant in the fourth round of the NFL draft Sunday. Club president Tim Ruskell, who was still able to grab the run-stuffing defensive tackle from Texas A&M despite having traded away the Seahawks' third-round pick Saturday to move up in the second round to assure getting Notre Dame tight end John Carlson. "We're real happy to get Red Bryant," Ruskell said. "He fills a need for us. "

"Jackson will challenge Darryl Tapp for the starting job on the right side, at best, and brings another high-energy option to work in a rotation with Patrick Kerney and Tapp, at the very least. Jackson also can slide inside as a pass-rushing tackle in the nickel defense."

"For today’s purposes, though, we’re more interested in Red Bryant as a character who adds more color to the Seahawks’ roster. On behalf of the beat writers and columnists of the region, I’d like to thank the Seahawks for continuing to draft fascinating individuals with interesting backgrounds. In addition to Bryant, they landed a mohawked daredevil fullback from West Virginia named Owen Schmitt."

"Seattle Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell often talks about his players having character. After the NFL draft concluded Sunday, he can talk about his players being characters. The Seahawks selected two big personalities, drafting Texas A&M defensive tackle Red Bryant, the future son-in-law of legendary Seahawks defensive end Jacob Green, in the fourth round, then drafting West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt, a Mohawk-wearing, helmet-smashing throwback who may be the replacement for Mack Strong, in the next round."

"The trade, not unexpected the way Seahawks president Tim Ruskell was talking in the days leading up to the draft, set the stage for Seattle to choose USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson of USC with their first-round pick at 3:14 p.m. Saturday."

"Need did not dictate Seattle's first-round selection. Desire and determination were the reasons Seattle chose USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson with the 28th overall pick. "

"A parasite. That's what attacked new Seahawks tight end John Carlson in January, causing him to miss the Senior Bowl for top college prospects and hampering his running times at the February scouting combine."

"Late this afternoon, the Seahawks will be on the clock. Who will they take with the 25th pick of the NFL draft?"

"How good is this draft for defensive linemen? Good enough that perhaps seven or eight of them could be chosen in the first round. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell addressed a misconception about the draft recently, involving defensive linemen."

"To better understand which players the Seahawks might -- and might not -- select in the NFL draft this weekend, it helps to know how they evaluate the potpourri of prospects."

"The NFL draft is still a day away, but if it were to start now instead of Saturday, Seattle is ready to make its pick. "It doesn't mean we won't change our mind on a player," Seahawks president and general manager Tim Ruskell said Thursday. "You should probably stop us and go ahead and draft, because you get to the point that you over-analyze. So I think we're at that [point]." Ruskell is ready. So is vice president of player personnel Ruston Webster. So are coach Mike Holmgren, the team's college scouts and all of Holmgren's assistants."

"If the first round of the NFL draft had been conducted Thursday, the Seahawks were ready. For anything. That's because the club has held countless hours of meetings in preparation for this weekend's draft, with the scouts and assistant coaches offering their input on the players the Seahawks could select with the 25th pick in the first round Saturday -- as well as those who might be available with their selections in the second, third, fourth, sixth and even seventh rounds. "We feel like we're ready," club president Tim Ruskell said Thursday. "

"FIVE SEAHAWKS draft picks whose careers didn't live up to the expectations that led to their selection:"

"The shoulder still hurts. Even now, more than 28 years after Steve Niehaus played his final snap in the NFL. The first player chosen by the Seahawks in their very first draft is 53 today, living in Fairfield, Ohio, and can't throw a baseball. "You can't play in the NFL with one arm," said Niehaus, a former defensive tackle. Not for very long, anyway. Niehaus, who had been a star at Notre Dame, was chosen No. 2 overall in 1976, behind Lee Roy Selmon and ahead of Chuck Muncie, Joe Washington and Mike Haynes."

"Could Jeremy Shockey be the answer to the Seahawks' need for a tight end? No, the club said Wednesday, after the New York Daily News reported that the Seahawks are among the teams interesting in trading for the Giants' disgruntled tight end. The Seahawks quickly dismissed the report, saying they have no serious interest in the four-time Pro Bowler"

"The needs are obvious: a tight end who can contribute immediately and develop into the long-term starter; a running back, if the right one is there at the right time, to be the future at the position; a lineman, especially if it's a prospect with the potential to eventually replace Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones; a wide receiver, preferably one of the taller pass-catchers to help replace departed split end D.J. Hackett. So with the 25th pick in the first round, the Seahawks will select ... It very well could be a defensive player."

"There's a chance this draft could be the fourth in a row with at least three linebackers taken in the first round, but overall, this class is devoid of many top-level prospects. "Decent depth, a little below average," said Rob Rang, senior draft analyst for nfldraftscout.com. "Not terrible, but not as good as a typical year." Rivers is considered the best choice of the group. He wore the fabled No. 55 jersey at USC and appears to have lived up to its reputation, as the number is traditionally assigned to the cream of the crop of linebackers at the football powerhouse. Others who wore it: Junior Seau, Willie McGinest and Chris Claiborne, all currently in the NFL."

"The mock drafts begin streaming out in March and turn to a flood by the time the NFL draft is held in late April. The report cards won't be far behind, dutifully administered to each of the 32 NFL teams after the annual two-day talent buffet concludes Sunday. Anticipation and evaluation, they are the two bookends of the draft, which has become the second-biggest event on the league's calendar, trumped only by the Super Bowl."