September 8, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Fred Jackson was beloved in Buffalo, but he’s excited to come to Seattle, according to the Buffalo News.

Jackson said he called Marshawn Lynch and had him “put a bug” in the ears of Pete Carroll and John Schneider about signing Jackson.

Carroll said the Seahawks are not interested in trading Kam Chancellor.

Dave Boling wrote that Chancellor’s nonsensical holdout has defied his heroic persona.

If Chancellor misses the opener, it could cost him $517,647.

Remember, if Chancellor stays out all year, he still will be under contract for three more. And it will have cost him $6.55 million. The Hawks hold all of the cards for as long as they want to.

Russell Wilson worked on his speed this offseason and now runs a 4.47 40.

The Seahawks and Rams are on USA Today’s list of the five NFL teams with the biggest OL concerns. Against those stout defensive fronts, get ready for an ugly 9-6 slugfest.

State of the team, The roster, Week 1: At St. Louis

Carroll gives scouting report on McCray

September 8, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The hot topic on Day 1 of Seattle’s prep for the season opener in St. Louis was the arrival of veterans Fred Jackson and Kelcie McCray.

Pete Carroll was stoked about the 34-year-old Jackson, saying “he’ll play a lot” against the Rams. Carroll really likes the 26-year-old McCray, too, but is not so sure he will be ready to play this week.

The Hawks sent the Chiefs a fifth-round pick for the 6-foot-1, 205-pound player because they didn’t want to go with first-year safeties. McCray, a fourth-year player, joins Earl Thomas, Dion Bailey, DeShawn Shead and Steve Terrell — all but Bailey played for the Hawks during their Super Bowl season last year.

“We’re ready to start Dion and go; he’s ready to play football,” Carroll said. “He had a good preseason and he’s ready to go. We wanted some depth with some experience, and the other kids were going to be first-year guys. We thought we needed a little bit more depth than that with some background.”

Carroll’s scouting report on McCray, as told to 710 ESPN: “Kelcie McCray is a really good-looking football player. He’s a terrific looking athlete. I’ve seen a ton of film on him. He’s active, he’s physical, he’s a featured special teams guy, which is always a good indicator of an overall general football ability of a guy. He’s a hitter. He moves well in space. He’s played strong safety and free safety back and forth. We’ve seen him in all kinds of situations, close to the line of scrimmage and in the middle. He’s very well-versed.”

Continue reading Carroll gives scouting report on McCray →

State of the team, The roster, Trades

Carroll on trading Michael: ‘We just thought it was time’

September 7, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll said the team thought it was time to give up on Christine Michael, the former second-rounder who was sent to Dallas for a conditional seventh-round pick.

“We spent a lot of time with him. We gave him plenty of opportunities. He’s a good, hard-working kid. … We just thought it was time.”

Carroll said Jackson offers much more experience and in the passing game, catching and blocking. “On this team at this time, it was just the way to go.”

Carroll said Jackson is a “good pass pro” guy and “he’s a terrific catcher. So that part is going to fit in really well.”

“We like Marshawn on third down, but he needs a break now and then,” Carroll said. “I like to have a real steady guy going in. Without Turbo available to us, he was the steady guy to go in. Christine wasn’t that guy to take that spot, and we didn’t want to put that on Thomas (Rawls) at this point.

“We think that’s going to be a good, solid move and get a real classy guy to add to the locker room.”

CHAWK LINES

September 7, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Fred Jackson signed his contract on Sunday.

Seattle’s practice squad includes two SeaDawgs and two former draft picks.

The Seahawks probably were at least mildly disappointed to lose Ronald Martin and Obum Gwacham to other teams — although they always might have a chance to get them back.

Sherman Smith recently explained why Christine Michael frustrated Seattle coaches so much.

Will Blackmon is adhering to Pete Carroll’s “Always Compete” mantra …

No change between the Seahawks and Kam Chancellor.

Many teams, including the New York Giants, have called, but the Hawks are not entertaining trade offers.

Chancellor might seek a trade, but the Hawks have not given him permission to talk to other teams about a contract.

Warren Moon apparently does not agree with Chancellor’s holdout.

Some bleeding-heart fan started a petition to get Chancellor back.

The roster, Trades

Another ‘surrender’ deal is Schneider’s 38th trade

September 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It was destined to happen.

Christine Michael clearly had not lived up to his second-round draft position, and his roster status had been precarious all year. With Dallas needing running backs, that was an easy formula to complete as far back as March.

Michael’s days seemed numbered all week. First, Fred Jackson came in for a visit, then John Schneider said he was working on some trades, then word came that the Hawks had indeed agreed to a deal with Jackson and were trying to trade Michael.

Of course, getting just a seventh-round pick makes this another “surrender” deal for Schneider. It’s not as bad as the Percy Harvin trade last October — in which the Hawks got a sixth-round pick in return for the guy that cost them a first, third and seventh in 2013.

The Hawks also gave up on receiver Kevin Norwood a week ago, flipping the 2014 fourth-round pick to Carolina for a shot at a seventh in 2017.

In between those three “surrenders” though, Schneider has made some great deals — acquiring Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett.

This deal was Schneider’s fourth of this preseason, the most since he made five preseason deals in 2010.

He has made six trades in total this year, the same number he made last year and the second most since the 13 he made in his first year (2010).

The Seahawks’ 2016 draft now includes 11 projected picks (including four comp picks): a first, second, two thirds (one comp), fourth, fifth (comp), two sixths (one comp) and three sevenths (comp and Michael). They sent their fifth-rounder to Kansas City for safety Kelcie McCray.

Continue reading Another ‘surrender’ deal is Schneider’s 38th trade →

State of the team, The roster, Trades

Hawks keep up the drama

September 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Seattle’s two most interesting positions this summer have been running back and the secondary, and the Hawks sure kept the drama rolling with their first cuts to 53 on Saturday.

Among their moves, they placed Robert Turbin on season-ending IR and acquired safety Kelcie McCray from Kansas City.

The Turbin move was a bit of an about-face from the report Friday that the Hawks were set to waive the fourth-year back, who has a high ankle sprain. If they had waived him, they would have risked losing him but also would have had the chance to bring him back. They decided instead just to stash him on IR, meaning he will miss the season. He’s a free agent next year, and this certainly will impact the market for him and probably increase the likelihood that he stays in Seattle.

Continue reading Hawks keep up the drama →

The roster, Trades

Blackmon out, Hawks seeking safeties; Giants want Chancellor?

September 5, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Running back is not the only position where the Seahawks are working on multiple moves.

A day after word leaked that the Hawks were signing Fred Jackson, planning to waive Robert Turbin and trying to trade Christine Michael, attention turned to the secondary.

Will Blackmon seemingly indicated that he has been released, and the Seahawks reportedly are checking into acquiring a veteran safety — while fielding calls on Kam Chancellor.

The New York Giants reportedly are the latest team — and first known club — to ask the Hawks about the holdout Pro Bowl safety. But the Hawks still don’t seem inclined yet to trade Chancellor. Nor should they be. There is still time for this to get worked out (i.e., Chancellor to return).

Meanwhile, John Schneider said Thursday that he is talking to a bunch of teams about possible trades, so word that he is checking into the safety market is no surprise.

As for Blackmon, it appears the Hawks prefer their younger, cheaper nickel corners — either Marcus Burley or rookie Tye Smith.

As expected, rookie Keenan Lambert apparently has been waived, too. Lambert is Chancellor’s half-brother.

State of the team, The roster, Trades

Hawks’ RB plans: Replace Turbin with Jackson, trade Michael

September 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks were busy juggling their running back stable Friday, reportedly agreeing on a one-year deal with Fred Jackson while dangling Christine Michael in a trade and planning to waive Robert Turbin for the purpose of putting him on injured reserve.

The Hawks reportedly will waive/injured Turbin, which means he will revert to season-ending IR if no other team claims him. But, he is expected to miss only about five weeks with his high ankle sprain, so some team might be inclined to pick him up. If not, he will miss the season on Seattle’s IR.

The Hawks are taking a little gamble that Turbin will be scooped up — as they did with Michael Bowie (claimed by Cleveland) last year. But, Turbin also is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, so the risk might not be that high. Or the Hawks might not care.

If they had wanted to put him on short-term IR so he could return at midseason, they would have had to keep him as part of the 53-man roster this weekend and wait until next Tuesday to place him on IR/return (which cannot be used until the Tuesday after final cuts are made).

Meanwhile, John Schneider said Thursday that he was busy working the phones for possible trades. He didn’t mention any players, but Jason La Canfora reported Friday that the Hawks were indeed shopping Michael, the 2013 second-round pick who has not really gotten on the field.

Continue reading Hawks’ RB plans: Replace Turbin with Jackson, trade Michael →

The roster, Trades

Schneider: ‘We’re talking to clubs’ about trades

September 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider already has made two trades this preseason, acquiring Mohammed Seisay and sending out Kevin Norwood.

Those were the 11th and 12th trades he has made in the preseason since he arrived in 2010 — and he is looking at possibly making more in the next week.

Before the Seahawks beat Oakland in the final preseason game Thursday, Schneider told Steve Raible the Hawks are talking to other teams about potential deals.

“We have five or six guys we’re concentrating on tonight,” he said, “and comparing those guys to other players that are out there that we’re talking to other teams about.”

Continue reading Schneider: ‘We’re talking to clubs’ about trades →

Preseason, State of the team

Lockett, Clark finish preseason like they started it: Bang!

September 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Tyler Lockett and Frank Clark finished the preseason the way they started it — with a bang (or two or three).

And B.J. Daniels surely locked up a roster spot with his display of diversity in Seattle’s 31-21 win over Oakland on Thursday.

Lockett’s 63-yard touchdown catch off a perfect pass from Russell Wilson was the rookie’s third touchdown of the preseason — he returned a kick for a score in the first game and also had a punt return for a TD.

Clark dominated the line of scrimmage vs. the Raiders, notching a tackle for loss and causing a fumble for a TD on a sack in the end zone.

Pete Carroll was impressed with all three players.

“Obviously B.J. had a great night tonight,” he said, referencing Daniels’ great running (75 yards on seven rushes) and saying the receiver/quarterback managed the team well.

As for Lockett and Clark, Carroll said, “They’ve made great strides throughout (the preseason). Their going to definitely help us.”

Continue reading Lockett, Clark finish preseason like they started it: Bang! →