Chancellor’s agent is bluffing — isn’t he?

August 19, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Earlier this year, Michael Bennett’s agent tried to bluff the Seahawks into giving Bennett a new deal. Now Kam Chancellor’s agent is doing the same thing. We think.

In April, agent Drew Rosenhaus seemingly spread rumors that Bennett wanted to be traded to Atlanta, where former Seattle DC Dan Quinn is now coach. But the Hawks were unfazed. Even as Bennett told everyone who would listen that he is not happy with the deal he signed last year, the Hawks did not budge from their budget. In fact, he has said they haven’t told him they would do anything with the contract that still has three years and $18.5 million left on it.

Now, Alvin Keels, Chancellor’s agent, is saying Chancellor will remain out until the Hawks redo the deal he signed in 2013, which still has three years left.

“He will not report without his contract being addressed this season,” Keels told ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “The team and I have been in contact, but we haven’t been able to agree on any compromise.”

Continue reading Chancellor’s agent is bluffing — isn’t he? →

CHAWK LINES, Training camp

August 19, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Some observations from Day 14 of camp from those who were there (and other features):

Earl Thomas returned to the field in pads for the first time since the Super Bowl.

“Just don’t go feelin’ sorry for me, people!” Nate Boyer said after the Hawks released him Tuesday.

Boyer was cut because the Hawks needed to add a quarterback: Tyler Lockett’s Kansas State QB, Jake Waters.

Anthony McCoy, who in the preseason opener showed his old habit of dropping easy catches, tried to make up for it in practice with a couple of great catches.

Field Gulls broke down all of Frank Clark’s big plays from Friday — and there were a lot of them.

Undrafted DT T.Y. McGill played well vs. Denver and remains motivated to keep impressing Pete Carroll and the coaches.

USA Today goes over old territory on the Chancellor holdout: the price of success, Kam still being a team player, etc.

The Sporting News ranks John Schneider as the best general manager in the NFL.

Jimmy Staten, waived by Seattle because of depth problems at cornerback, was picked up by the New York Giants.

Injury report, State of the team, Training camp

In secondary, even replacements are hurt

August 18, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Just over two weeks into camp, the Seahawks have even fewer cornerbacks than they started with — as impossible as that might seem.

They were so thin at the position in the first 10 days that they traded for Mohammed Seisay and converted Doug McNeil from wide receiver. And now those guys are hurt — Seisay with a groin and McNeil with an ankle, joining Richard Sherman (hip), Will Blackmon (groin), Jeremy Lane (ACL, arm) and Tharold Simon (shoulder).

With only Cary Williams, Marcus Burley, Tye Smith and Triston Wade healthy, the Hawks needed some bodies at the position, so they added two guys just to get through practice.

“We need legs at corner right now, so we’ll give these guys a chance,” Pete Carroll said of Jeremy Crayton and Keelan Johnson. “We’re a little bit behind with Sherm not being able to make it back and Will not making it back right away and Seisay gone, too, so we just need them for legs right now. But they’ll get a chance. They got tested today pretty good.”

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State of the team, Training camp

No problem: Hawks just want five best linemen

August 17, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks apparently were as alarmed by the poor O-line play as many fans were Friday, so they decided to make another big move Monday: Right tackle Justin Britt is switching to left guard and Garry Gilliam is working at right tackle.

Tom Cable said it comes down to getting the best five on the field, and the Hawks — after trying four other players at left guard — apparently think they might be better with Britt at LG and Gilliam at RT. Alvin Bailey looked bad Friday against Denver, and it’s easy to see why Cable has been searching for another player to play left guard. Apparently, Keavon Milton and Mark Glowinski have not impressed enough.

“We’re just trying to get the best guys out there. We’re still mixing and matching,” said Cable, who added he would like to have it figured out by next week.

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Preseason, State of the team, Training camp

Don’t worry about OL’s poor performance

August 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

While we chose to focus on the supernova bright spots in Seattle’s loss to Denver on Friday, plenty of people were dismayed by the poor performance of the offensive line.

As we said the other day, don’t worry about it.

You have to remember these facts: (1) Seattle has an inexperienced group, destined to struggle early; (2) it’s largely the same group that the Seahawks had last season, when they reached the Super Bowl; and (3) the running game is mostly a product of Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch anyway.

Rob Staton put together a nice analysis on the NFL’s problem in finding good linemen these days. It piggybacks comments Tom Cable made this offseason about college ruining offensive players.

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Preseason

Clark & Lockett prove they were worth it

August 15, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Lockett and Carroll Aug. 14 — As Tyler Lockett finishes his 103-yard TD return, referee Eugene Hall collides with Pete Carroll on the sideline.

The Seahawks took a lot of heat for drafting Frank Clark and Tyler Lockett with their first two picks this year.

The media ripped them for using the 63rd overall pick on Clark, who was kicked off Michigan’s team last year after he was involved in a domestic disturbance. And some were dubious of Seattle’s move to trade four draft picks to take Lockett six spots after they drafted Clark.

Clark clearly has to keep his nose clean off the field for eternity, but the performances by him and Lockett on Friday were a nice little sampler of what Pete Carroll and John Schneider expected when they drafted them.

Lockett returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown and finished with 188 yards on four kick returns and 18 yards on his only punt runback in Seattle’s 22-20 loss to the Denver Broncos. Clark, meanwhile, was a monster along the defensive front all game, finishing with a game-high nine tackles and a forced fumble.

As Carroll said after the game, “That’s a beautiful first message they sent us.”

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State of the team, Training camp

Training camp status report: Defense

August 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks open the preseason against the Denver Broncos tonight in Seattle. Here is our breakdown of the defense, what we will be watching in the first game and our updated roster projections:

DEFENSIVE LINE
Veterans: Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Brandon Mebane, Ahtyba Rubin, Jordan Hill, Cassius Marsh, Greg Scruggs, Demarcus Dobbs, D’Anthony Smith, Jesse Williams, David King, Jimmy Staten, Julius Warmsley
Rookies: Frank Clark, Obum Gwacham, T.Y. McGill

Pete Carroll says this defensive front is the fastest he has had in Seattle — clearly a nod to the addition of Clark. The coach was stoked about the unit after the scrimmage last weekend, and he is clearly excited about a pass rush that features Bennett, Avril, Clark, Hill and Bruce Irvin.

The one bummer was the release of Tony McDaniel, who turned out to be the cap casualty over Mebane after the big contracts given to Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

Bennett still is unhappy with his contract, and he even told McDaniel he would love to be back in Tampa Bay (he probably saw the Bucs’ salary cap space: $13.7 million).

But Bennett has been mentoring Clark, who is going to be Bennett Jr. this season — an inside-out player.

“I lean on him a lot; he looks out for me a lot,” Clark said of Bennett. “He’s a guy that’s been in the league for a numerous amount of years. He has experience. He’s a great player, as well as Cliff Avril, Big Mebane; they teach me a lot of things, just the proper techniques of how to play NFL football.”

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Injury report, Preseason

First game is about Baby Boomers & Jesse Williams

August 13, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Legion of Boom’s three key members played in the Super Bowl despite being about 50 percent healthy.

To illustrate just how little the first preseason game means in comparison, none of them will be on hand Friday.

Safeties Earl Thomas (shoulder) and Kam Chancellor (holdout) have not been available to practice all camp so far, and now Richard Sherman has a hip problem that will keep him out against the Denver Broncos.

“Sherman’s got a little bit of irritation in the hip flexor area,” Pete Carroll said Thursday, “so we’re going to tend to that and take care of that and make sure he’s right for the long haul.”

Top nickel corner Will Blackmon also is not expected to play.

“Will’s got a groin thing that is bothering him a little bit,” Carroll said. “Real slight, but again those are the kinds of decisions we’ll probably make in favor of holding him out.”

With Tharold Simon and Jeremy Lane both recovering from surgeries, that means Marcus Burley, rookie Tye Smith, trade acquisition Mohammed Seisay and receiver convert Doug McNeil all will see time opposite and in place of new right corner Cary Williams.

Call it the Legion of Baby Boomers.

Continue reading First game is about Baby Boomers & Jesse Williams →

State of the team, Training camp

Training camp status report: Offense

August 13, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks open the preseason against the Denver Broncos on Friday in Seattle. Here is our breakdown of the
offense, what we will be watching in the first game and our updated roster projections:

QUARTERBACK
Veterans: Russell Wilson, Tarvaris Jackson, R.J. Archer

Wilson’s No. 1 goal in camp has been to develop and refine his rapport with Jimmy Graham.

“Chemistry has been more than I could ever imagine,” Graham said after the scrimmage Aug. 8. “For example, today in the scrimmage we had one we didn’t connect on; so, after practice, we did it about four or five times. And that is how we’re going to do it each and every day. Anything we’re iffy about we’re going to get it after practice. The season is right here; and, when those big moments come, I want that connection to be right.”

Earlier this week, Pete Carroll said, “They’re not there yet. It’s just going to take time. The intricacies of the things that they’re trying to do together go way deep, so it’s going to take them a lot of time. … Both of them are really determined to get this thing figured out. They’re doing great, but there’s more room for them to make up.”

By all reports, Archer has been off target in most practices — putting to rest any thoughts that he might challenge Jackson, who still puts up a great deep ball.

The Hawks have their eyes open for other QBs — they reportedly worked out Jake Waters, who was Tyler Lockett’s QB at Kansas State.

What to watch: Wilson to Graham, of course.

Projected (2): Wilson, Jackson

Continue reading Training camp status report: Offense →

CHAWK LINES, Training camp

August 13, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Some observations from a stormy Day 11 of camp from those who were there (and other features):

Bob Condotta of The Times recounts Keavon Milton’s journey to possible No. 1 left guard.

The Seahawks don’t know how many tight ends they are going to keep: three or four? Does Will Tukuafu count?

Speaking of tight ends, Anthony McCoy feels “normal” after Achilles injuries cost him the past two seasons.

Mohammed Seisay continues to make plays even as he adjusts to the playbook and pace of practice: “I’m going to get real comfortable and start making a lot more plays.”

Richard Sherman had the day off, and he spent it talking to cover-2 guru Monte Kiffin.

Pete Carroll told KJR-AM that the Hawks catered to Percy Harvin’s talents last year, “to our detriment somewhat,” but Darrell Bevell said they don’t have to change for Jimmy Graham: “We can just plug him in.”

Field Gulls interviewed Doug McNeil about his circuitous journey to the Seahawks and his change of positions.

Peyton Manning is not expected to play Friday when the Broncos visit the Seahawks.