Today marks the start of an eight-practice Seahawks minicamp that's to be spread out over the next two weeks, and also the start of a vow to myself to update this goddamned blog more often. Being unemployed certainly has its merits, but that's another story...

So, first thing's first. 

I'm going to jump the gun on this one and dub WR Logan Payne "White Chocolate" or "The Great White Hope." I've heard buzz about this guy since he was signed off the practice squad last December, just before the playoff game in Green Bay. If Holmgren has faith in this kid, no better example of that could've been shown than signing him before the most important game of the year. Nevermind the fact that it was somewhat ill-fated. Besides, we cut Marcus Pollard's ass quicker than the average Jets' fan cuts the cheese. No point in hanging onto the dead weight that blows the game when it counts. (I won't mention names, but Jerramy Stevens really fu...oops, too late.)

Continue reading "minicamp, day 1"

Clare Farnsworth at the Seattle PI seems to agree with my musings about all things Logan Payne, if yesterday's minicamp was any indication.

"With leading receiver Bobby Engram still a no-show in hopes of getting a contract extension and starting flanker Deion Branch still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, the Seahawks passing game is in the hands of Nate Burleson and a foursome that has become known as "the young guys" -- Payne and recent late-round draft choices Ben Obomanu (2006) and Courtney Taylor and Jordan Kent (2007)."

It seems official now - two of "the young guys" (a name that sounds like a Backstreet Boys cover band, but forget about it) will need to step up and produce in the regular season. The coaching staff has begun to constantly shift the rotation from split end, flanker and slot. Offensive coordinator Gil Haskell says incredible progress has been made already. 

Continue reading "no Payne, no gain"

I had been wondering about this for a while, but all questions have been answered on the subject of how Julius Jones feels about his untimely demise with the Dallas Cowboys.  

Mike Sando of espn.com wrote up this great story on Jones and the Seahawks' revamped running game, in which Jones was anything but shy about laying down exactly how he feels on the subject of his final year in Dallas.

"I definitely have a chip on my shoulder," he said. "I'm going to carry it every single year, every single practice, every single game. It's not going anywhere until I can prove what kind of back that I am and kind of redeem myself from the embarrassment that they have kind of put me through." 

For those who don't remember, Jones lost the majority of his playing time to Marion Barber. By the time the playoffs came, Julius Jones was a fading memory at best, finishing the playoff loss to the Giants with the same number of carries as QB Tony Romo.

Continue reading "Mike Sando on Julius Jones"

Would-be rookie WR Anthony Russo was reportedly hurt in last week's minicamp, and the Seahawks have enlisted the services of former Colts WR Trent Shelton to fill up the roster spot.

Shelton apparently spent the majority of his career on the practice squad for Indy, where he was then released in February.

So far, the results of the move have once again proven fruitful. Ruskell is making excellent decisions, and it looks like Clare Farnsworth at the PI agrees with me.

"I try to get noticed out there with my hustling. That's a big part of it for a guy like me. I've just got to out and give 100 percent.

"I've got to show the coaches I can handle this sort of stuff," Shelton says.

Well, this chance in Seattle is giving him an opportunity to do just that. Doubt me all you want, but this group of receivers is growing more and more intriguing by the day. And it likely won't even be at 100 percent until October.  

Continue reading "Hawks sign former Colts WR Trent Shelton"

DE Daryl Tapp, who had a monster game against St. Louis last year, is stepping up and taking his game to the next level this year.

At least, that's what he's telling Seattle Times reporter Jose Miguel Romero.

"Playing defense period is just an enthusiastic type of thing," Tapp said. "You have to be able to dig deep in times when you really think you don't have it. So when guys do well, you've got to let them know."

Tapp's energy is infectious, they say, on and off the field. He's exactly the kind of young upstart player that we need in Seattle, and at the perfect point in his career to keep the defense strong in the long term, and also to provide an inspiration for the rookies.

It's a hell of a good thing to see this happening so consistently in the minicamps so far. Like Tapp himself, the rising, frenzied vibe of what this new team is capable of is nothing short of infectious.  

Continue reading "Tapp taking over"

A convicted steroids dealer who met with the NFL to release names of alleged users was found shot to death in his home this morning.

According to sources at ESPN.com, 35-year-old David Jacobs and his girlfriend were found by police making a welfare check of the residence. The Plano Police Dept. says they're treating it as a homicide investigation, obviously. 

Before this morning, Jacobs was quoted by ESPN writer Shaun Assael as saying "the kinds of people I know about could put a bullet in the back of my head." Jacobs was apparently nervous and very hesitant to go public with any of the information in his possession, and his fears turned out to be nothing short of prophetic.  

It doesn't take a lot of critical thought about this to put some pieces together and realize who would probably want Jacobs dead the most. The last thing I want to do is point any fingers, but I have to wonder how deep the rabbit hole goes on this one. 

Continue reading "brief change of subject"

The Seahawks' pass rush is going to be downright lethal this year.

Lawrence Jackson, this year's 1st-round draft pick, has been faithfully updating a blog.  Surprisingly, he says feels more comfortable in the rain than in the heat. He definitely came to the right place to play football, even though the weather back east during the winter is a hell of a lot more intense than it is here. Let's hope LoJack is ready for week 1 in Buffalo, where it's known to get so cold that the average eskimo freezes his nuts off for 3 months straight.

In other news, Holmgren is now screaming at the young WRs during practice, which can only be a good thing. In Holmgrenland, if you're worth a damn, you're yelled at. I can safely say my fears of some of the newer guys not making the cut have been partially assauged, but training camp is still a little ways off from officially starting.  

Continue reading "Lo Jack on the rise"

Originally posted at seahawkaddicts.com

Mike Holmgren sat out on today's practice due to a reported minor medical procedure, and is expected back for tomorrow's workout. Gil Haskell took the helm in Holmgren's absence.

On a more intriguing note, Sean Locklear moved from the right side to the left of the offensive line today, due to the absence of Walter Jones and Floyd Womack. And Rob Sims finally got in on today's action for the first time since coming off knee surgery. Ray Willis also worked with the first unit, which is a rarity, but he seems to be showing signs of good progress. That's encouraging.

On the subject of other recovering 'hawks, it seems nothing changed beyond Sims. But as Michael said in a previous post, the team seems to be on the mend. And I'm liking the looks of how things are coming together even so early on.

Continue reading "Holmgren misses a day of practice"

There's a lot to catch up on in the past couple days, but here's a brief rundown:

-Lofa is probably going to plead not guilty, according to sources at the Times and PI. Not much else is being said for now, but his June 17 arraignment is still a go.

-Longtime Seahawks coach Tom Catlin died a couple days ago from complications of Parkinson's disease. He's survived by his wife and two children.

-Holmgren missed another day of workouts yesterday because the same minor medical procedure he underwent Monday. I hope this is nothing too serious, but the use of the word "minor" is encouraging of course.

-Mack Strong made a return to practice Tuesday, but just to watch, of course. He wanted to make an appearance to hang out with the players and talk to the media, and I'm sure his presence was another morale boost for the team. Maybe he taught Owen Schmitt a couple things? I liked Michael Steffes' crack about face-mask crushing. 

Continue reading "snippets, update"

After a disappointing season in San Francisco and subsequently being cut by the team, Darrell Jackson looks like he's found a good fit with the Denver Broncos.

According to a Denver Post story recounted by Clare Farnsworth of the PI, Jackson was apparently staying after practice on a few occasions, and seemed very content to be doing so.

Maybe he'll emerge as Jay Cutler's new No.2 guy behind Brandon Marshall, and I assume that's the goal Shanahan has in mind. But who knows, really? Cutler is almost as inconsistent as Drew Brees (last year, anyway) and that exact issue ended up being the problem in San Francisco with Jackson catching passes from Alex Smith, the man who epitomizes the term "draft bust."

Now I'm hoping the Seahawks' slew of untested blood feels as comfortable here as Jackson apparently does in Denver, because Hasselbeck's trust is a key component in receiving touchdowns. But so far, so good.

Continue reading "D-Jax finds happy home in Denver?"

Lofa's court date has tentatively been scheduled for July 7, well before the start of training camp.

His plea of not guilty hasn't changed, which I think is a risky move because his blood-alcohol content was already so far over the legal limit. The refusal of a breathalizer test at the time of being pulled over doesn't exactly help anything either, but the most important part is I'm just glad nobody was hurt.  It could've been a hell of a lot worse.

The only public comment about the arrest from Lofa is still his statement issued May 13.  

Continue reading "Tatupu court date set for July 7"

It appears the Seahawks have signed long snapper Tyler Schmitt to a 4-year deal, according to Jose Romero at the Seattle Times. 

This dissuades rumors that Schmitt underperformed at the minicamps earlier this month, and proves the coaching staff believes that they're not about to sign another Boone Stutz (which is a separate post all by itself.)

Schmitt joins RB Justin Forsett as the second Seahawk draft pick to be signed this offseason. An official announcement is expected today or tomorrow.  

Continue reading "Oh, Snap! Seahawks reportedly sign T. Schmitt to 4-year deal"