The Seattle Seahawks are prepared for the 2012 training camp and preseason at the V-MAC (Virginia Mason Athletic Center) and will begin camp this Saturday with every player on the roster signed and ready to begin the season. Chris Clemons, who missed out on the OTA's and minicamps, recently signed a contract extension for three years averaging slightly over $7 million per year. All ten of the 2012 draft choices have also signed rookie contracts, and Seattle came to terms with all free-agent acquisitions; DE Jason Jones, OT Frank Omiyale, OT Deuce Lutui, ILB Barrett Ruud, TE Kellen Winslow, RB Kregg Lumpkin and of course, QB Matt Flynn. Seattle took care of its own as well, re-signing; DT Red Bryant, RB Marshawn Lynch, FB Michael Robinson, DE Chris Clemons and CB Marcus Trufant. The Seahawks made a concerted effort of maintaining the team's nucleus and adding players in areas that the team needed help. One of Seattle's greatest needs during the off-season was to develop a more aggressive, faster and physical defensive pass rush, and they did just that. Chris Clemons was the only Seahawk in 2011 with double digits in sacks with 11. The next highest tally was 4 by Brandon Browner. Through the draft and free agency Seattle bolstered its rush with sack specialist Bruce Irvin in the 1st round of the draft and standout pass rusher Jason Jones from the Tennessee Titans through free agency. The Seahawks also picked up a gem in the third round in QB Russell Wilson of the University of Wisconsin. Carroll and Schneider were so impressed that they actually included Wilson in a 3-way competition for first-team QB. Tavaris Jackson still remains on the roster, but many believe he will become expendable because of Flynn and Wilson. Last year's 16 game starter is due to make $4 million this year and Seattle believes they've seen his best already and it wasn't enough. He will either be released or will be forced to take a significant pay cut and will serve as Seattle's backup QB, likely a $3 million cut in pay. The Seahawks also really like Josh Portis, but they cannot keep four quarterbacks on the roster, and he's not ready to start or be the backup. Kellen Winslow was a fantastic pickup and cost the Seahawks just a 7th round draft choice. It is widely believed that this is a steal for Seattle who needed a tight end, but failed to sign Visanthe Shiancoe a free agent from Minnesota. Shiancoe has subsequently signed with the tight end heavy Patriots, accepting a league minimum salary ($800,000) and small chance of making the roster after turning down a contract offer from the Seahawks for over $1 million per year. Clearly, he made a mistake and will be cut before the regular season. Everything worked out for Seattle though, with Winslow fitting in better to their two tight end sets, becoming their pass catching end and Zach Miller their blocking end. One place Seattle didn't need to improve was in their defensive secondary. Three of Seattle's four defensive backs went to the Pro bowl, and the fourth likely should have. Even though the secondary is strong it did lack a sense of speed. Seattle added two very athletic, fast DB's in the draft; safety Winston Guy and corner Jeremy Lane. Both standouts and very well could make this club despite the talent and depth in the secondary. Walter Thurmond, Byron Maxwell, Marcus Trufant and Roy Lewis are also competing for backup roles in the nickel and dime packages. Long-shots; Donny Lisowski and Chris Maragos have also impressed coach Carroll. Last year special-teams was a weak spot for Seattle, but there are several new supreme athletes on the roster that will bolster special-teams; Leon Washington and Heath Farwell will return and Robert Turbin, Korey Toomer will also make an impact with their speed and physicality. Stephen Hauschka will continue to kick field goals and kickoffs and Jon Ryan will continue with the punting duties, two very consistent special-teams contributors. As far as the offensive line? Tom Cable was a magician last year as three of the Seahawks best offensive lineman went down with serious injuries. James Carpenter and Jon Moffitt both sustained serious knee injuries, while Russell Okung suffered from a pectoral tear. The Seahawks relying heavily on their returns this year, however James Carpenter will likely start the season on the PUP list as his rehab is going slower than the Seahawks had hoped. Breno Giacomini filled in quite admirably for James Carpenter, so well that Carpenter may have lost his job and when he comes back, he will likely move to right guard. Paul McQuiston did a nice job at left tackle filling in for Okung and Lemuel JeanPierre filled in for Injured center Max Unger and Paul Fanaika did a super job filling in as a utility lineman at guard and tackle. All in all, the entire offensive line coaching staff and players did a miraculous job considering there was little preseason training camp and with all the litany of injuries at all positions. One of Seattle's biggest question marks is at wide receiver. Sidney Rice was a great acquisition a year ago, but he hasn't shown that he has the durability for a 16 game season. Doug Baldwin was a great addition to the team coming in as an undrafted free agent and lead the Seahawks in receptions in his rookie year. Playing the slot receiver, Baldwin won't be able to help Seattle in the deep passing game much, and Rice can't seem to stay healthy, so Seattle will need to count on another receiver to produce in deep routes. At the end of the 2011 season, speedster Ricardo Lockette caught too deep passes and offered hope that he can become a "Mike Wallace" for Seattle that the Steelers have. Kris Durham is a sure-handed and tall, capable split end, and undrafted WR Lavasier Tuinai is also a big target with good hands. Seattle is deep at the slot receiver position with; Doug Baldwin, Dion Butler, and Golden Tate. Speed outside the numbers are what Seattle needs to loosen up the linebackers through play action and allow the running game to thrive, also. Ricardo Lockette has blazing speed like no one else in the NFL. Lockette is even faster than Mike Wallace, and has softer hands. He's raw, but full of potential and he's what Seattle needs to stretch the field and open up intermediate routes from Baldwin, Butler and Tate in the flat and crossing routes. Seattle has lots of potential, but not a lot of experience at the receiver position, so it's very unknown how the Seahawks will distribute the football. Even more unknown is who will distribute the football. Will it be Matt Flynn, the talented but unproven understudy of Aaron Rodgers? Will it be Russell Wilson, the young man short in stature, but tall in leadership, confidence and fundamental discipline? Will it be Tavaris Jackson, whom Seattle knows exactly what they have, steady, resilient and proven to his fellow players who support him and respect him? Pete Carroll insists that this three-way competition is real and that all three players have a legitimate opportunity to start the 2012 season under center with the Seahawks. Flynn has great throwing mechanics, footwork and confidence, with good leadership skills and he is an accurate thrower. He doesn't have a cannon for an arm, but definitely enough arm for the West Coast style offense that Seattle uses almost exclusively. Joe Montana never had a rocket arm either, but he was steady and accurate and had enough arm to make all the NFL throws, so does Matt Flynn. Russell Wilson has a very strong arm, huge hands and surprisingly long arms for a man under 5'11". Big hands and long arms help make better throws down-field. He's short, listed at 5'11", but more like 5'10" and 3/8. However, he is intelligent, confident and has an unusually good sense of leadership to make players responded positively. He's a proven winner and believes that he can be a rookie starter and do well, and people believe that he believes. He scoffs at any suggestion that is too short and he's quick to remind his critics to the fact that he played at Wisconsin, a Big Ten school that had the biggest and tallest offensive line in football (NCAA or NFL at 6'6" 330 pounds average). Wilson was invited to and participated in Jon Gruden's ESPN quarterback class and impressed everyone that saw it. He just has a way about him that makes you want to follow them into battle. This is very underrated by most analysts that don't really know what it's like to lead men to do great things. It's rare and even rarer when they have the physical talent that Wilson has to go with it. Tavaris Jackson has intangibles as well. Last year, he played hurt most of the year and with the pain of a pectoral tear on his throwing side and that has earned him a lot of respect on the field and in the locker room with his teammates. This sign of courage can do a lot to win a team over and Jackson has done that superbly. However, the team is also aware that Jackson disappears in moments that make the difference in close games. Just before halftime, Jackson's two-minute drill is ineffective, practically inexistent and he disappears completely in the fourth quarter. Some say he has an excuse after coming to a new team with a new system and only an abbreviated training camp to prepare to play the sport's most complex position hands down. Most people in football and most fans that watch the Seahawks are in agreement; the Seattle Seahawks need new leadership at quarterback and a player who can distribute the ball to all receivers, in all conditions and lead the entire team to an expectation of excellence. No quarterback in the Seahawks history has had that ability.
Now, it's time for a new chapter of Seahawks football. One thing Seahawk fans can be excited for is that the 2012 chapter will be like no other team they've ever seen. I don't know how successful they will be in terms of wins and losses, but with Pete Carroll coaching them and a new signal caller leading them on field and with a very unique set of athletes on both sides of the ball, it should be extremely interesting and entertaining. Training camp is almost here, so it's got to be a good time for anyone that loves, really loves the game of American football. I think American football is so awesome, it should stop sharing its name with European football (soccer). Football deserves its own name… Anyone have any ideas?
