Seahawks News Thread

Fucky McFuckerson · Jan 19, 2010

Updated: January 19, 2010, 9:14 AM ET

Sources: Seahawks, Schneider agree

Green Bay Packers director of football operations John Schneider has been chosen as the new general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, league and team sources said.

Schneider, 38, will be in his second stint with the Seahawks, having served in the club's front office in 2000. Seattle last week named Pete Carroll of USC as the team's new head coach, replacing the deposed Jim Mora, and then sought out to hire a general manager.

Schneider and Patriots senior executive Floyd Reese were the two finalists for the job, and the Seahawks zeroed in on Schneider, who already has taken two trips to Seattle.

A native of Wisconsin, Schneider has a wide and diverse resume in the league. He joined the NFL in 1992 as a personnel intern to then-Packers general manager Ron Wolf, and in addition to his time in Green Bay, has worked in the front offices of Kansas City (1997-99), Seattle (2000), and Washington (2001). He rejoined the Packers in 2002 as the personnel analyst to general manager Ted Thompson and was promoted into his current post in 2008.

A graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., Schneider played one season of college football before his career was ended by a shoulder injury.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. Information from ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen and ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4838384

savage · Jan 19, 2010

Pete Carroll's Trip to Seattle Delayed

This is funny:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/7178c18f5d/pete-carroll-s-new-job

I couldn't find the vid on youtube

savage · Jan 20, 2010

Schneider vows team-first approach as new GM

John Schneider knew the question was coming. How much, exactly, was he responsible for in the front-office dealings and success of the Green Bay Packers organization during his time as director of football operations.

"I did it all," the new Seattle Seahawks general manager said with a laugh. "I signed all of them. I was responsible for the whole thing."

Two seats over, his new partner and semi-boss Pete Carroll chipped in.

"That's what you told us in the interview anyway," said Carroll.

But that exchange was about as far from Schneider's real personality and plan as you can get. The youthful-looking GM prides himself on being a hard-working team guy, concerned mostly with getting the right players for the coach and franchise to succeed.

He's a personnel man, a scout, a draft expert. In other words, exactly what CEO Tod Leiweke said he was looking for to head the Seahawks' football operation and work in conjunction with Carroll.

While Leiweke finally acknowledged that Carroll would have final say in player decisions, Schneider comes across as one with a strong belief that he can help find the best fits and do the legwork required of any personnel director.

"I was extremely involved in every decision that was made there (at Green Bay)," Schneider said. "That's the best way I can describe it."

And, no, he won't get hung up on wanting or seeking credit or fighting for control with Carroll. That's not his way.

Asked if there was any decision or personnel move with the Packers that he was specifically proud of, Schneider pounced.

"Hey, we don't go there, brother. It's all about we, all right?" he said. "It's all about us as a team, OK? The getting into 'He signed this guy or he drafted that guy, he pushed this guy, he pushed that guy,' is extremely awkward for myself and it's awkward for a number of personnel people around the league."

Leiweke said Schneider's approach to the job has already been visible.

"He brought enough clothes that he's not going to be going home for a while," Leiweke said. "Really, he started last night. He laid out the schedule going up to the combine and the man is going to work 24/7. It's clear this work ethic we'd heard about lives in the guy."

While Schneider is more low-key than Carroll, he is no less energetic. At 38, his boyish face belies his lengthy NFL background, but it does lend to the eagerness he exudes.

Leiweke said Schneider and Carroll hit it off so well that the two hugged at the end of their first-day interview last week.

"We're not out to reinvent the wheel, but we're going to try to improve it every single day," Schneider said. "It's something I'm extremely passionate about and it's something that really fed the energy between Pete and myself. The first night we met I felt like we could have just kept going. I wanted to roll up the sleeves and just keep rolling."

Schneider said he'll employ a "comprehensive, aggressive approach" to player acquisition.

"We're going to go down every road. We're going to explore everything," he said. "We don't have to do it. We don't have to sign the guy or trade for the guy, but we're going to be involved in everything."

The Packers' recent history under GM Ted Thompson has been to build largely through the draft, with just three unrestricted free agents on the team that went 10-6 this season.

Schneider knows the coming months are critical, with the Seahawks owning three of the first 40 picks in the April draft, but he's not opposed to other avenues as well.

"Obviously the draft is your life blood. We're going to be working our tails off the next couple weeks," he said. "But I also think you can supplement your roster in free agency, and I think you can supplement your roster with reserve/future guys, some minor-league players here and there that step up, come out of nowhere, and just every avenue.

"So I understand where you're going with what the philosophy is in Green Bay. I just feel it's extremely important, but free agency and especially we're coming into a little bit of a new era right now (with the Collective Bargaining Agreement uncertainty), we're not going to turn our backs on anybody.

"We're going to figure out what we have and we're going to move forward and try to improve that every day. That's the only way I know how."

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/191697.asp
_________________________________________________________

I can't wait for the 2010 season. Babyface Schneider seems like a very good choice at GM.

savage · Jan 20, 2010

Carroll adding coaches to Seattle staff

RENTON, Wash. -- Pete Carroll's coaching staff with the Seattle Seahawks is coming together with a heavy mix of NFL experience and few ties with Carroll's last coaching job at Southern California.

Carroll said Wednesday that most of his staff is in place with just a few positions still to be filled. Carroll had previously announced that renowned offensive line coach Alex Gibbs would be joining the Seahawks after spending last season with Houston.

Coming with Carroll from USC will be Jeremy Bates as offensive coordinator and Ken Norton Jr. as linebackers coach. Bates was previously the offensive coordinator in Denver before joining Carroll last season in the same position with the Trojans. Bates replaced Steve Sarkisian at USC when Sarkisian left to be the head coach at Washington.

Before becoming the offensive coordinator in Denver, Bates worked as an offensive assistant in Tampa Bay and quarterbacks coach with the New York Jets.

"It's a really good core. A good mix of experience and background," Carroll said. "I love the familiarity on the offensive side of the ball to make Jeremy to really ready to rock n roll and hit it full speed. And Alex is a big player in all of that to give us the running game emphasis that we want."

All of Norton's coaching experience has come at the college level following a 13-year NFL career with San Francisco and Dallas. Norton joined Carroll's staff at USC in 2004.

Brian Schneider is also coming from USC to be Seattle's special teams coordinator. Schneider held the same position for one season with Carroll at USC after two seasons with the Oakland Raiders.

Carroll is keeping two coaches from the previous staff in Seattle under former coach Jim Mora. Gus Bradley will remain as Seattle's defensive coordinator, while Dan Quinn will coach the defensive line for a second straight season.

"I'm really pumped up about Gus. We've been working late at night here to put our thoughts together," Carroll said. "And the background between Gus and Monte Kiffin and myself is really unique, and were very fortunate."

Also joining Seattle's defensive staff is Jerry Gray, who is leaving the Redskins after four seasons as their secondary coach. Gray was previously the defensive coordinator for five years in Buffalo and played in the league for nine seasons with the Rams, Oilers and Buccaneers.

On the offensive side, Pat McPherson is leaving Denver to coach tight ends with the Seahawks, the position he most recently held with the Broncos. Jedd Fisch will be the quarterbacks coach after spending one season at the college level with Minnesota. Fisch worked on the Broncos staff with Bates and McPherson in 2008.

Carroll will interview Sherman Smith on Thursday to potentially become Seattle's new running backs coach. The 55-year-old Smith was Washington's offensive coordinator during Jim Zorn's brief tenure coaching the Redskins. Zorn and Smith, a former NFL running back, were teammates on the original Seahawks of 1976 through 1982.

Last week, new Redskins coach Mike Shanahan informed Smith he won't be back; Shanahan is bringing his son Kyle in to be Washington's offensive coordinator. Smith coached running backs under Jeff Fisher for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans from 1995-2007.

Carroll is also seeking a new wide receivers coach in Seattle.

http://www.seattlepi.com/football/2020ap_fbn_seahawks_assistants.html

M BUTCHER 206 · Jan 21, 2010

sounds great to me! seems like everything is coming together... seems like we picked up some impressive coaches and theyre all going to be aggressively working together for no less than winning the division

I cant wait to see who we pick up in the draft

Damnit we should have just fuckin paid Steve Hutchinson the money back when he wanted it instead of letting him go to the vikings.. but i think he would have had to have been a franchised player correct? i dont know why he wasnt franchised... i think a lot of our problems would have been lightened had steve been here... dude probably single handedly got shaun alexander on the madden cover......

savage · Jan 21, 2010

^A look at the new assistant coaches that have been hired by Seahawks coach Pete Carroll:

OFFENSE

Coordinator: Jeremy Bates

Spent last season as Carroll’s offensive coordinator at USC, and Carroll has called him “one of the young, unbelievably bright minds in the NFL.” Prior to his stint at USC, Bates, 33, was an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos (2006-08), New York Jets (2005) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-04), working under Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden and Jeff Fisher. A quarterback at Tennessee and Rice, Bates coached the position for all three teams. His father, Jim, is a long-time NFL coach who has served as defensive coordinator for the Falcons, Dolphins, Broncos and Bucs.

Quarterbacks: Jedd Fisch

Spent last season as the offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota. Fisch, 33, broke into coaching in 1998 with the New Jersey team in the Arena League and then was a graduate assistant for two seasons at the University of Florida. He has since coached in various capacities for the Houston Texans (2001-2003), Baltimore Ravens (2004-07) and Denver Broncos (2008). He coached wide receivers with the Broncos and wide receivers and quarterbacks with the Ravens.

Line: Alex Gibbs

After coaching in college for 15 years – Duke, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio State, Auburn and Georgia – Gibbs, 68, took his zone-blocking scheme to the NFL. His pro stops included the Denver Broncos (1984-87 and 1995-2003), Oakland Raiders (1988-89), San Diego Chargers (1990-91), Indianapolis Colts (1992), Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94), Atlanta Falcons (2004-06) and Houston Texans (2008-09). Gibbs has been referred to as the guru, savant and Godfather of the zone-blocking scheme.

Tight ends: Pat McPherson

Coached tight ends for the Denver Broncos for two seasons (2007-08) after coaching the quarterbacks for four seasons (2003-06). His father, Bill, was a long-time coach and front-office man for the San Francisco 49ers. McPherson, 40, previously had coaching stints with the Broncos (offensive assistant 1999-2002; defensive assistant 1998); 49ers (defensive quality control 1996); and Bellarmine Prep (defensive coordinator 1994-97).

DEFENSE

Linebackers: Ken Norton Jr.

The son of former heavyweight champion Ken Norton, it’s difficult to determine whether the younger Norton has left a bigger mark as a player or a coach. After averaging 8.8 yards rushing as a running back at Westchester (Calif.) High School, Norton, now 43, became a standout linebacker at UCLA and then in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers – winning three Super Bowl rings and being voted to three Pro Bowls. Since becoming the linebackers coach at USC in 2004, Norton’s protégés have included the Seahawks’ Lofa Tatupu, as well as the Bengals’ Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga, the Texans’ Brian Cushing, the Browns’ Kaluka Maiava and the Packers’ Clay Matthews.

Secondary: Jerry Gray

Like Norton, Gray, 47, had a Pro Bowl career before becoming a coach. A first-round draft choice in 1985 out of Texas, Gray played for the Los Angeles Rams (1985-91), Houston Oilers (1992) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993). He has been the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2001-05) and also coached for the Tennessee Titans (1997-2000) and Washington Redskins (2006-09) after coaching at Southern Methodist (1995-96).

SPECIAL TEAMS

Brian Schneider

He also has coached tight ends, linebackers and safeties in college, but Schneider, 38, has always coached special teams. He broke into coaching at Colorado State (1994-2002), his alma mater, before moving to UCLA (2003-05) and Iowa State (2006). He coached special teams for the Oakland Raiders (2007-08) before joining Carroll’s staff at USC last season.

http://www.seahawks.com/news/articles/article-1/A-good-mix/608a9ce2-520e-4c1d-9092-76078ec61a98
___________________________________________________________

And here's some info on the Hutchinson topic:

savage · Jan 21, 2010

New GM thinking a 3-4 Defense is a possibility...

RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations from the Seahawks' news conference to introduce new general manager John Schneider, hired away from the Packers:

• This is all about fit. Specifically, it's about Schneider fitting with coach Pete Carroll and helping to find players that fit precisely what Carroll wants. The Seahawks didn't do this as well in recent seasons when former GM Tim Ruskell was identifying players to fit his long-range plans while the team tried to win with Mike Holmgren's offense. Seattle should get more from its personnel this way.

• Carroll holds the authority over personnel, CEO Tod Leiweke said, noting that Carroll would win any coin tosses. Schneider then said he would never try to cram a certain player into his head coach's roster, regardless of who had ultimate control of personnel. The structure arguably makes Schneider a better candidate than GM finalist Floyd Reese, who is older and more established in his ways. I got the sense Schneider and Carroll would work well together. It's in Schneider's nature to make this work. I sense he's a pure personnel guy, not someone who cares about getting the credit.

• The Seahawks will not be making sweeping changes to their front office or scouting staff. Schneider knows quite a few of the people already in place. Ruston Webster, John Idzik and Will Lewis will remain with the organization, Leiweke indicated. Lewis and Schneider worked together in Seattle previously. The team's salary cap and contract negotiating arm -- headed by Idzik -- will report to Schneider. Carroll wants to pick players, but he doesn't want to be a GM or cap guy.

• The Seahawks will become younger not by design but through an effort to encourage competition. The Packers have been one of the NFL's two youngest teams (along with the Colts) in recent seasons. Carroll was opposed to playing rookies during his past incarnation as a head coach. His outlook changed after coaching in college (Carroll compared that experience to being coach and GM, with the GM part changing his view). Personnel guys love to play young players. Seattle was the NFL's eighth-oldest team this week, not counting players signed to future contracts. That ranking will fall, no doubt.

• The Seahawks are better off now than they were a few weeks ago. I do think the front office has a better chance to function without the infighting and competing agendas that marked previous regimes in recent seasons. That can help the Seahawks regain credibility lost over the last couple seasons.

• Carroll addressed a few hires relating to his coaching staff. Jeremy Bates (offensive coordinator), Alex Gibbs (offensive line), Jedd Fisch (quarterbacks), Pat McPherson (tight ends), Gus Bradley (defensive coordinator), Dan Quinn (defensive line), Jerry Gray (secondary), Ken Norton Jr. (linebackers) and Brian Schneider (special teams) are in place.

• The Seahawks are weighing the possibility of trying a 3-4 defensive alignment, but it's early.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/13307/thoughts-from-schneiders-news-conference
____________________________________________________

Hmmm....I wonder how well the 3-4 scheme would fit with them?

ILB - Lofa Tatupu & David Hawthrone
OLB - LeRoy Hill & Aaron Curry
NT - Brandon Mebane
DE - Darryl Tapp, Lawrence Jackson, or maybe even Nick Reed.
[don't know if Patrick Kerney or Cory Redding will be back with the team]

M BUTCHER 206 · Jan 21, 2010

wasnt there talk about switching to the 3-4 earlier this year?

shit we'll see... all in all i think i like the new coaching changes. i still don't really have a ton of confidence in carroll but he probably couldnt do worse than we have the past two years

Fucky McFuckerson · Jan 21, 2010

M BUTCHER 206 said:

There was talk by the FANS, becuase some mistook the Tampa 2 for a hybrid version of the 3-4.

Pete ran a hybrid 4-3 at USC...dont expect any changes.

savage · Jan 22, 2010

The Top Five Most Valuable Players for the Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks had one of the worst seasons in franchise history, but a few players really stood out.

These players stood out due to the fact that, despite a losing season, they never gave up. Players that had never had a start before in their career showed to the world that they were stars.

5. Josh Wilson

The ball hawking cornerback has made a name for himself in Seattle. After being benched in training camp for Ken Lucas, Wilson took it back as the season went on.

The 5'9", 190 pound corner would make make two interceptions, both of them going for touchdowns. Despite his small frame, Wilson managed to defend 13 passes and make 45 tackles.

4. Olindo Mare

It seems hard to belive that Jim Mora almost cut the record-breaking franchise kicker.

Mare has made Seattle fans almost forget about Josh Brown and all those clutch kicks. Mare went 24-26, including a franchise record 21 straight field goals. His only two misses came in a windy day in Seattle againts the Bears, where he would go 4-6.

3. Nate Burleson

This was a close one, as I thought about putting John Carleson at this spot. However, it goes to Nate Burleson.

Burleson came back from a knee injury he suffered last year to have the best year of his career. In just 12 starts Burleson would haul in 63 passes for 812 yards and, if not for a late season injury, he would have had a Pro Bowl-caliber season.

When Nate went down, so did Hasselbeck's season, proving how much the speedy WR meant to the Seattle offense.

2. David "Heater" Hawthorne

They don't call him heater for nothing.

Hawthorne would do the impossible task of replacing fan favorite and captain Lofa Tatupu. In just nine starts, Hawthorne would record 117 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions. He proved to be one of the elite middle linebackers in the NFL with his ability to always be around the ball and to make stops and plays when called on.

The emergence of Hawthorne has to make fans wonder if Seattle should move to a 3-4 defense.

1. Justin Forsett

Forsett proved to be the MVP of the season. He was the X-factor on offense and made play after play.

Despite only two starts, Forsett would run for 619 yards with an average of 5.4 yards per rush. He would also haul in 41 receptions for 350 yards.

Forsett was said to be too small at 5'8", 194 pounds, but he still showed impressive power and drive when givin the ball. Seattle fans were left wondering why the explosive back was the backup to Julius Jones, even though Forsett out played him in every aspect of the game.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/328368-the-top-fivse-most-valuable-players-for-the-seahawks

savage · Jan 25, 2010

What happens next in Seahawks' offseason of change?

Now that the Seahawks' coaching staff and front office has been cleansed and whisk-broomed and perfumed after the last two stinky seasons, what exactly can we expect now?

Pete Carroll and John Schneider bring a new approach that means far more change than occurred last year when Jim Mora simply transitioned in to Mike Holmgren's office while Tim Ruskell kept the reins to the roster construction.

So while we're all looking for hints as to what happens between now and training camp this summer, here are a few things I see happening based on early clues from the Carroll camp:

Sayonara senior citizens: Carroll has made it crystal clear he's not afraid to go with younger players. He says he never wanted to play rookies in his first two stints as an NFL head coach, but discovered at USC that its beneficial to push talented young players into position early and let them grow.

One of his fascinations with Schneider was that Green Bay had one of the youngest teams in the NFL over the past four years while reconstructing its roster. This chart by ESPN.com's Mike Sando shows Seattle with the 30th-oldest roster in the league with their current 53-man group and injured reserve players.

So who goes? Some of these numbers can be misleading. Seattle's average age is a little skewed, for instance, by having a 36-year-old kicker in Olindo Mare and 39-year-old deep snapper in Jeff Robinson, not to mention a 35-year-old injured left tackle in Walter Jones.

Jones' situation should be clarified in the next couple months and the guess here is the new regime cuts ties rather than invest further in an All-Pro at the end of his run. When you're rebuilding, there's not much point in propping up an aging veteran with limited future, no matter how good that player was in his prime.

Lawyer Milloy (36), Patrick Kerney (33), Damion McIntosh (32), Deon Grant (30), Deion Branch (30) and John Owens (30) are all thirty-somethings who also seem vulnerable.

There's also a danger in whacking all the veteran leadership from a club, so Carroll may pick and choose where he wants to go young. But it's pretty obvious this team won't be bringing in aging free agents like Edgerrin James and Milloy in the next year or two as it transitions from a veteran-laced club to a younger group.

Feeling the draft: The best way to get younger, of course, is through the draft. Particularly this coming season when the current labor uncertainty could lead to an uncapped year and a new set of rules that limits free-agency movement for players in the 4-6 year range of experience.

That means Seattle will have a smaller pool of young-end free agents to cull at just the time when its trying to rebuild with youth.

That puts even more importance on the draft. And while it's a little early to plot strategies there, here's something to keep in mind. Schneider's recent mentor was Green Bay GM Ted Thompson, who has made a living by trading down to get more picks.

So don't be surprised if Schneider, who needs to fill multiple holes, trades either the No. 6 or 14 selections in the first round to get a lower spot in the first while adding some extra second- and third-round type picks.

The Packers have hit big on some of their second-rounders and there can be excellent value with multiple picks in that area of the draft, particularly when you've got two high first-rounders to play with.

The key will be how Seattle uses Aaron Curry, whose impact was largely lost last season when he spent more time dropping into coverage than playing up on the line and rushing the passer.

Carroll loves the concept of an "Elephant" linebacker/defensive end hybrid made famous by former 49ers star Charles Haley and Giants Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.

In recent years, USC used standouts Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews in that exact role, frequently lining up with a 4-3 front using 3-4 personnel (the fourth linebacker essentially filling one of the defensive end spots in a stand-up position).

Carroll's first order of business with the Seahawks was studying tape of Curry in search of clues as to how he might fill that role and he's also intrigued by the potential of Darryl Tapp in that vein.

What's on the line? Carroll is thrilled by the addition of zone run-blocking guru Alex Gibbs as his offensive line coach. Gibbs' advice years ago helped Carroll solidify the running game he adopted at USC.

Seattle tried to implement a zone blocking scheme last year under Greg Knapp, but didn't have the right pieces for the transition. Carroll has a clear idea of what kind of linemen he needs. He'll look for more mobile, athletic types and is willing to sacrifice size at times in order to get quicker players who fit the scheme.

Obviously Max Unger is one of the building blocks of the future, but I'm not sure any of the other holdovers are very secure. I'd expect some of the youngsters brought in last year -- Brandon Frye and Mike Gibson in particular -- will be given good looks, but Carroll and Gibbs have a different idea of what they need up front and that will be a major point of overhaul going forward.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/192173.asp

savage · Jan 26, 2010

USC strength coach following Carroll to Seattle

Chris Carlisle, who was USC's strength and conditioning coach under Pete Carroll during his entire Trojan tenure, is following his old boss to Seattle to work for the Seahawks.

Carlisle's departure was announced Monday in a USC press release. He will be replacing Mike Clark, who held that position for the Seahawks for the past six seasons.

The Seahawks also are hiring Mondray Gee, an assistant strength and conditioning coach from the Green Bay Packers, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Carlisle, 47, said he was asked to stay at USC by new coach Lane Kiffin.

"I want people to know that I'm walking away, not running," Carlisle said in a statement. "There's not a reason for me to leave except that this is a great opportunity for me to continue my career and take a step in my evolution as a strength coach.

"Also, this is an opportunity to work with Pete Carroll, which is a heck of an opportunity and one that's very difficult to turn down."

Carlisle was named the 2006 National Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society. During his time with the Trojans, USC won two national titles and played in eight bowl games.

He came to USC from Tennessee, where he was the associate head strength and conditioning coach from 1998-2000. The Volunteers won the 1998 national football title while he was there.

Carlisle learned he had Hodgkin's Disease in December of 2000, but kept his illness a secret from everyone except Carroll during treatments.

Not until after doctors told him the disease was in remission in 2001 did he inform USC's players of his condition. He was one of 17 nominees for the 2003 Most Courageous Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America and one of 11 nominees for the 2005 award.

The Los Angeles Times is also reporting that Matt Capurro, 28, is leaving USC to work with Carroll's staff. Capurro was a director of football operations for the Trojans last year after previously spending six years as an assistant to various head coaches of the Oakland Raiders.

He worked for Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin and Tom Cable in that role.

Carroll has already announced the hiring of former Trojan assistant coaches Jeremy Bates (offensive coordinator), Ken Norton Jr. (linebackers) and Brian Schneider (special teams).

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/192238.asp

corey513 · Jan 26, 2010

how did tj Houshmandzadeh do this past year?, he was always one of my fav's on the bengals.

savage · Jan 26, 2010

corey513 said:

He was the leading receiver on the team. 79 receptions with 911 yards. Averaged 11.5 yards. With only three TD's. Definitley could have done better. But that was a banged up team that was learning new systems on both sides of the ball. And Greg Knapp was the OC. Hopefully Houshmandzadeh will be able to do better next season.

BaSICCally · Jan 26, 2010

so what are the predictions for the draft?

savage · Jan 27, 2010

BaSICCally said:

From all of the mock drafts in the 2010 Mock Draft thread on here:

Jimmy Clausen
Trent Williams
CJ Spiller (from the mock drafts i've seen on here, six mock drafts have the hawks using their second 1st round pick on Spiller)
Russell Okung
Sam Bradford
Bruce Campbell
Eric Berry
Derrick Morgan
Ryan Mathews(2nd round)
Crezdon Butler(2nd round)

savage · Jan 27, 2010

Top needs: LT, QB, DE, RB, FS
First round (6, 14): DE Derrick Morgan, RB C.J. Spiller
Second-round options (40): OT Charles Brown, OT Selvish Capers, S Chad Jones Third-round options: No third-round picks
Summary: I think Morgan can be a help to the Seattle defense immediately as a versatile defensive end, a guy capable of getting to the quarterback, making tackles in the run game and playing every down. A lot of people expect Seattle to take a tackle or a quarterback with one of these two picks, but I can see the 'Hawks grabbing Spiller if he's there as both a great value and because their offense desperately needs a playmaker. If Clausen somehow fell ... maybe. If they don't go with a tackle with one of the first two picks, it's hard to believe they won't hope for a guy like Brown to fall to them at No. 40. They won't ignore the offensive line completely.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...com/nfl/draft10/insider/news/story?id=4845729

corey513 · Jan 27, 2010

savage said:

thats awesome glad to see he landed somwhere good. Mike Brown was too cheap to keep him...

savage · Jan 28, 2010

NFL draft: Should Carroll consider USC's Taylor Mays?

One of the interesting things about the arrival of new Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is the question of how much his college expertise will help when it comes to evaluating NFL draft prospects this year.

Not to mention whether his knowledge and relationship with the fleet of talented USC players leads to the Seahawks' decision-making process on some top Trojans prospects.

One of the key figures there is Seattle's own Taylor Mays, an O'Dea High product regarded as one of the premier safeties in the draft as a USC senior.

Since Carroll obviously isn't going to tip his hand on these matters, I went to a trusted draft source for an honest evaluation of whether Mays is someone the Seahawks should be interested in with one of their two first-round selections in the April draft.

Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLdraftscout.com, has been closely watching both USC and the Seahawks for years as a Gig Harbor native. Rang is scouting this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and you can read his thoughts on all sorts of draft matters here at his excellent website.

When it comes to Mays, Rang agrees the situation is intriguing as the 6-foot-3, 230-pound speedster has a unique physical skill set that will capture the fancy of NFL teams. But he didn't always live up to the hype at USC this past year.

Here are Rang's thoughts on some critical Mays' questions:

Why did Mays' on-field performance not always live up to the immense physical skills and expectations?

"After a senior season in which inconsistencies in his agility, pursuit angles and open-field tackling were exposed, Taylor Mays will not be drafted as high as he would have been had he entered the draft following his junior season. In addition to Mays' struggles, early declarations from several underclassmen have made the 2010 safety class one of the most competitive in recent history. Mays would have been the first safety selected in 2009. Some believe he'll fall to the third or fourth safety selected this year.

"Some of Mays' lack of production can be attributed to how USC used him. He was asked to play especially deep his first three years, operating as a true eraser in the middle. In emerging as a legitimate star as a true freshman, opponents quickly recognized his ability to track down the ball in centerfield and were hesitant to throw deep thereafter.

"A significant portion of Mays' lack of production, however, comes from the fact that he'd rather make the eye-popping hit than go for the interception. Though his tackle numbers rose when he was asked to play closer to the line of scrimmage in 2009, his number of big plays did not. He leaves USC a three-time All-American, but has only five career interceptions, three of which came his freshman season."

Is Mays a viable candidate for the Seahawks to draft at No. 6 or 14?

"Mays is widely expected to post shocking workout results. If he does run the 40-yard dash in the 4.4 second range at 6-3, 230 pounds, as some are forecasting, he'll reassert himself as a potential top-20 selection. Based on four years of film, however, he isn't likely to be the ball-hawking centerfielder so en vogue in today's NFL, but a bigger, stronger, faster version of former Seahawk (and current Cowboy) Ken Hamlin.

"Pete Carroll could elect to take Mays in the first round. Seahawk fans know all too well how badly big receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have taken advantage of their size to beat Seattle's undersized cornerbacks in recent years. Michael Crabtree is only going to get better, as well. Mays could provide the intimidating presence over the middle necessary to slow their production.

"Personally, however, I'd argue against Seattle using either of their first-round picks on Mays."

Why not Mays to Seattle?

"If Seattle elects to use a first-round pick on a safety in this draft, I'd argue that Tennessee's Eric Berry should be the choice, even if that requires using the sixth overall pick. Berry plays with a combination of instincts, ball skills and versatility that I've seen only one time before -- and that was with former Miami Hurricane (and current Baltimore Raven) star Ed Reed.

"Seattle has a litany of holes to deal with and, as such, I generally wouldn't advise using this high of a pick on a safety. However, today's NFL is so much more reliant on the passing game that I'd argue safety has become much more of a value position than it was even 10 years ago.

"I'd point to the impact Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed and Bob Sanders have had over their respective careers with the Steelers, Ravens and Colts as evidence. I'd further argue that safeties can offer immediate impacts, pointing to the roles veterans Darren Sharper and Brian Dawkins had in New Orleans and Denver, as well as the force with which rookie Jairus Byrd emerged with the Buffalo Bills. Byrd, despite starting only 11 games, tied for the league lead with nine interceptions and was voted into the Pro Bowl."

In other words, Rang isn't opposed to Seattle using one of its high first-round picks on a safety, he just feels Berry is the one safety worthy of such a selection. But in his latest mock draft, Rang has Berry going fifth to San Francisco, with Mays landing with the 49ers at No. 16.

In that scenario, the Seahawks would have passed on Mays with both their current first-round picks. So it'll be interesting to see how this plays out, given no one knows more about Taylor Mays than Pete Carroll.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/192558.asp

Fucky McFuckerson · Jan 28, 2010

Mays has looked shitty at the Senior Bowl practices so far. Unless he wants to shift to LB, im good off him.

Seahawks News Thread

Sicc OG

OG

OG

OG

Banned

OG

OG

Banned

Sicc OG

OG

OG

OG

Sicc OG

OG

Sicc OG

OG

OG

Sicc OG

OG

Sicc OG