Give them a chance, Pete… For our sake.

 Flynn? Wilson? Jackson? Who will be under center for the Seahawks in 2012?

 And the winner is…

I'm getting extremely irritated with Pete Carroll's insidious QB three-way. His three player quarterback controversy, which he calls a competition is putting the Seahawks 2012 season at risk of becoming a full-blown disaster. This would have been fine after the first series of OTA's, or even at the conclusion of the veteran and rookie mini-camps. However, Seattle Seahawks head coach intends to take this competition into the preseason games in August. He also keeps talking about Tavaris Jackson taking the snaps first as the incumbent while Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson workout with the first team squad second and third respectively. This is completely insane and, though Pete Carroll couldn't care less who's watching or what their opinion is, there most certainly an onslaught of credible commentary criticizing this method used by Carroll and his assistant coaching staff. Where is this harsh critique coming from? It started when Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider did a misdirection during the 2012 NFL football draft when they passed on players highly rated by practically every respected draft analyst in America. The Seahawks passed on some very high profile players such as; DE Quintin Coples, DE Fletcher Cox, DE Melvin Ingram, WR Michael Floyd, DE Chandler Jones, ILB Dont'a Hightower, DE Whitney Mercilus, DE Jarel Worthy, ILB Nick Perry, CB Dre Kirkpatrick and many others. Seattle decided instead to draft relative unknown, DE pass rushing specialist Bruce Irvin. To draft guru, Mel Kiper Jr, this was "totally mind-boggling" and a total waste of a 12 overall pick in the first round.While  Kiper liked Irvin, he definitely didn't see him going in the early half of the first round. Seattle  stumped everyone again, when they selected QB Russell Wilson out of Wisconsin in the third round. All of this was confusing to anyone watching the draft that didn't really understand exactly what Carroll and Schneider were really trying to accomplish in the draft. Still, critics were skeptical of the Seahawks moves, but after hearing that head coach and GM explain exactly what they're strategy was, some settled down a bit with the jabs.

However, the Seahawks have stirred up the hornets nest again as NFL analysts around the country are scratching their heads wondering just exactly what's going on inside the brain of Pete Carroll. Just when Seattle seems to be filling the holes of the puzzle that will hopefully bring them back to the playoffs and perhaps a divisional championship, they make another "out-of-the-box" move by going into training camp with a three-way quarterback competition for starter. The biggest question? Why in the world did the Seahawks go out and spend the money to sign a highly sought after free agent like Matt Flynn, only to stick Seattle with the same old Tavaris Jackson whom we have come to expect nothing from. Particularly at times when the game is on the line, TJ just doesn't deliver… Ever. He's okay in the first quarter and the third quarter, but at the two-minute warning before halftime, he disappears and he certainly disappears and the entire fourth quarter. This just can't continue. If Jackson would have just delivered a touchdown strike in the fourth quarter of three of Seattle's nine losses last year, it likely would have been a drastic improvement on their record. He just isn't an NFL type of quarterback, at least not a starter. He might be one of the best backup quarterbacks in football, but backup quarterbacks are backups for reason. Matt Flynn must start and he should be declared a starter before the second game of the preseason. I personally would be more comfortable with him being declared the starter before game one of the preseason, but Pete Carroll is bound and determined to dilute the first unit snaps between three possible starting quarterbacks… and that is a recipe for regular-season disaster. Neither Flynn nor Wilson have seen significant time as pro starters. As a rookie, Wilson has never taken a snap in an NFL game. Therefore, every single first unit snap that the would be starter gets is crucial in becoming prepared for the regular season. I believe Carroll is being stubborn and is playing with fire… I hope he knows what he's doing and so should Seahawks owner Paul Allen if they expect the team to turn the corner and return as playoff contenders. Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson are very bright, both of them have great football IQs as well. This bodes well for both of them, but still, Peyton Manning, John Elway and every other great quarterback got great by taking a huge majority of the first unit snaps in Camp and throughout the season (in between) Sundays. I don't know what Carroll believes he's doing or perhaps his ego has them believing he can break the mold and still be successful, maybe he can, but history tells us that he is playing a dangerous game and it might just cost him his job if either quarterback Flynn or Wilson are not prepared for the season. It's NOW TIME fellas, there is no maturation process available this season like there was last season for the Seahawks offensive line. They started slow, they had many injuries, and after they finally found a group that jelled together,they started executing midway through the season. That was the offensive line though, and while they are very important, we're talking about NFL quarterback. This is, in my opinion, the most complex and most difficult athletic position to learn and execute in sports PERIOD. Hey Pete, give these guys a chance, and I don't mean all of them. Give Flynn and Wilson a chance to prove themselves. We already know what we have in Tavaris Jackson, we have a $4 million a year clipboard holding quarterback who would probably fill in nice for any other NFL team, NOT the Seahawks. Get rid of him and give him a chance somewhere else and give the Seahawks a chance NOW. Flynn is ready now and Wilson and Josh Portis are the future of the Seahawks.

Pete Carroll has been putting together a very formidable defense and he has done it in some very unorthodox ways, but you cannot apply the same philosophy when creating an offense. The positions are completely different and the maturation process is much slower for the offensive players because of the complexities necessary to develop and lead a team to constant play execution and one of the biggest components necessary for smooth running offense… timing. The defense doesn't rely on timing to be successful. They typically rely on studying play film and learning player patterns and offensive play calling. However, many of the defensive positions rely on instinct and reaction skills. Completely different philosophy than the offense. Pick one Pete… Choose Matt Flynn. Let Russell Wilson learn the game from the sidelines for a season or two. Why else did Seattle go out and hustle Matt Flynn to the Pacific Northwest? I think the Seahawks would be ecstatic if they had to pay Flynn $26 million in the next three years which is the total amount of his three-year contract if he should achieve all the incentives in the contract. Flynn has just $10 million of his contract guaranteed, but if he was able to achieve the incentives necessary for a $26 million payout, I would think the Seahawks would be completely deliriously thrilled. Give the team a chance and start Matt Flynn and tell the team TODAY. If not today, then just before game one of the preseason. It is imperative that he gets as many looks at NFL defenses before the regular season as possible. There is no shame in changing your mind if it's the right thing to do. Remember that, Pete. Let the entire team know who is in control of the offense… Who is the leader? Who is going to be the general of that squad responsible for scoring all the points? This might be the single biggest thing missing from the Seahawks return to winning football. Pick a leader and the rest will follow…

Clemons Playing Dangerous Game With Seahawks

Chris Clemons a no-show at the Seahawks minicamp after head coach Pete Carroll assured the media that he would most likely be present.

This is a very tenuous situation for Chris Clemons and if he doesn't play this one right, it could come back to bite him in the backside if it doesn't go how he thinks it will. Clemons is in the last year of his current contract and is currently making approximately $4 million in 2012. What makes this obvious protest dangerous for him is that he has 30 years old and the Seahawks drafted a player to ultimately take his place when he leaves or retires. Carroll has already said that he feels comfortable starting Bruce Irvin if Chris Clemons decides to hold out long term. One of the other major problems for Clemens is that he plays a position that is unique in all the Seattle Seahawks defensive scheme. There are few teams who played the same style as the Seahawks five or six technique with a "LEO" end to bring pressure on the quarterback from the edges. One of the things that makes the position unique is the physical characteristics of the player necessary to excel with this particular scheme. Like Irvin, a LEO doesn't carry a lot of bulk like most of the other defensive end positions in 3-4 defenses and even 4-3 do. The usual size for a prototypical defensive end is over 300 pounds. A LEO is much lighter, say 225 to 250 pounds. The LEO is lightning quick on the "get off" and able to run around the edge and attack the quarterback on the perimeter. If the offensive tackle cheats toward the outside to stop the LEO, he will use on underneath countermove inside to exploit the overplay. This can be a nightmare matchup for some teams and if Seattle is able to implement a double LEO with Irvin on one side and Clemens on the other, the offense cannot double-team and it could create opportunities to get to the quarterback. Tall body and long arms are also the hallmark of a LEO. Chris Clemons also has the perfect body to play the position, but may not possess the same elite speed that  Irvin was drafted for. When Clemons played for the Redskins, Raiders and Eagles he tallied just 20 sacks in his five-year career, with eight in one year. Since coming to the Seahawks and playing in the five and six technique, it has revolutionized and revitalized a career that was a very average one elsewhere. Who's saying that Chris Clemons will attract any attention with other teams, especially those not playing this style of defense that the Seahawks do? It's unlikely they will be a huge rush for a 6'3", 234 pound defensive end. He is even light for linebacker standards and Clemons has never proved to be effective at that position. Truth said, Clemons has a lot to thank the Seahawks for, in particular, Pete Carroll and Gus Bradley, the Seahawks defensive coordinator. What they did for Red Bryant's career, they have also done for Clemons. The difference here is that Clemons is 30 years old and will be 31 years old when he signs his next contract. This is a nightmare scenario for him in terms of trying to get a long-term deal with anyone. Other teams are going to say that he is too old and one-dimensional. Outside of the Seattle Seahawks defensive strategy, Clemons and Irvin are next to useless and at best, one trick ponies. I think that Chris Clemons deserves a raise and perhaps a one-year deal past his current contract, but not showing up for the team's mandatory minicamp is not the way I would do it and it's not the way his agent should recommend he handle this problem. If Clemons is absent from all three days of this current minicamp, he will be subject to a $60,000 fine and when the normal training camp comes, if he's not there, it could bankrupt him if he decides to play without a new contract. The Seahawks also drafted two defensive ends and have signed Jason Jones to a free-agent contract as well. Competition for the Seahawks defensive end position will be very active and Clemons better consider all these factors if he wants to have a career at all. I don't see Seattle surrendering a lot of money or a long-term contract for Clemons to play with the Seahawks. He is due $4 million this year and I think he should play out his contract and tried to get a one-year extension throughout the season. If he and Bruce Irvin put as much pressure on the quarterback as expected, he would have a much better position to negotiate than he does now. His 11 sacks in 2010 and 2011 are impressive, but not enough to give him a love of leverage to force the Seahawks hand.

Be careful Chris, this is a team on the rise and I don't think they are going to be squeezed into offering you a long-term contract for much more money.