The Top NFL Free Agents On The Scrap Heap And Where They Might Go: Part Two

In part two of my series, I will be examining the top available tigh ends, and offensive linemen. The list gets smaller and less impressive than before but there could be some gems and valuable pieces scattered about.

Absent from the lists are big names like Warrick Dunn, Plaxico Burress, and Marvin Harrison. They are replaced by guys who spell success for most teams, the underappreciated offensive lineman. It’s in the trenches that champions are built.

Lets break down the best of the rest on the scrap heap.

 

Tight Ends

 

Ben Troupe

The former second-round pick is an injury prone tight end who recently got released from the Oakland Raiders. His best season came in 2005 when he hauled in 55 catches for 530 yards, and four touchdowns. He has proven to be a reliable tight end in the past put his production has dropped off lately. Maybe a team craving a tight end, like the Cleveland Browns, could pick him up as a potential starter. However, he would be nothing more then a backup for the team who signs him.

Plausible Destination: Kansas City Chiefs

After trading Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonazalez, the clipboard is bare with Brad Cottam atop the depth chart. Troupe would give them another potential look and possibly a basement bargain at the latter stages of free agency. Adding insurance will only benefit new franchise quarterback Matt Cassel.

 

Mark Bruener

Surprised a 15-year-old veteran made the list, huh? Bruener is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. He has an abundance of experience and his leadership-type qualities would only benefit whichever locker room he goes to. With the majority of teams carrying at least one blocking specialist tight end, you cannot go wrong getting a savvy veteran who is one of the best at it.

Plausible Destination: Miami Dolphins

Adding a superb run-blocking tight end would mesh well with the Dolphins power run ning game and would give a good complement to No. 1 tight end Anthony Fasano. With a mismatch offense that features the wildcat, plugging Bruener in there to disguise the pass would be a great misdirection.

 

Daniel Wilcox

Wilcox has played as a backup to Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap who  has been a marginal roster filler throughout his career. Wilcox won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, and his most productive season came in 2005 when he grabbed 25  receptions for 219 yards and one touchdown. Any team who is looking to round out their tight end position could take a look at him when training camp looms closer.

Plausible Destination: Cleveland Browns

With the trade of Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow, the Browns are left with promising, unproven tight end Martin Rucker. Throwing someone else into the mix would not hurt considering the Browns overall lack of depth in the aerial attack.

 

Offensive Tackle

 

Jonas Jennings

He is a proven starter, but his knack for the injury bug got him cut by the 49ers in favor of Marvel Smith. Someone is going to give this guy a shot and if he can stay healthy ,he can be a reliable starter on almost any offensive line.

Plausible Destination:  Seattle Seahawks

Maybe it is just my fan-hood, or the Levi Jones rumors, but something has me thinking the Seahawks are not quite done in free agency. They already plucked two starters and with each team being awarded an additional $5 million for the salary cap, they could scratch their itch of adding some more depth to the offensive line. Jennings would not have the pressure on him to start every game and that could give him some time to recover from his various nagging injuries. He would be one heck of a sub, and the offensive line would not lose a step with him subbing in.

 

Levi Jones

The former Bengal is basically a clone of the aforementioned Jennings as an oft-injured former starter. He will be picked up by training camp and will be in the mix for a starting spot wherever he winds up. There were already rumors of a potential signing with the Seattle Seahawks. He has already garnered some interest and is the best option amongst the remaining offensive linemen.

Plausible Destination: Green Bay Packers

After losing both Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher to free agency on top of numerous injuries, the Packers could use a reliable veteran like Jones. He could step right in and give them a solid presence on the offensive line. His athletic ability would mesh well with the Packers young, progressing offensive line.

 

Kwame Harris

Now for all of you doubting my snub of Tauscher, I’m just not positive he can return and be healthy enough to be a difference maker in 2009. Harris is no stranger to the injury bug himself but he is a younger option and has more potential upside for the team that signs him. He came from a putrid Raiders program so perhaps a breath of fresh air would make for a positive change. He would give teams solid depth at the tackle position.

Plausible Destination: Pittsburgh Steelers

If there is a weak spot on the Super Bowl champions roster, it is the offensive Llne. After guard Alan Faneca walked in free agency last year, the champs saw their rushing yards drop to 23^rd in the league. Picking up Harris would give them an insurance policy for the underwhelming offensive line and would enable additional flexibility.

 

Guards and Centers

 

Melvin Fowler

Fowler has been the starting center for the Bills and was purged along with high priced guard Derrick Dockery. In his college career at the University of Maryland, he did not allow a sack. He is the most attractive option left for the interior and could land a starting spot if given the opportunity.

Plausible Destination: Minnesota Vikings

Losing center Matt Birk was a blow and he is a tough guy to replace. Tabbing a reliable starter for his vacant spot would be an upgrade over the unproven John Sullivan. With the Vikings depending on the run they need the offensive line to be the best it can be. With a superior left side they could not go wrong further supplementing the right side with a proven veteran.

 

Kendall Simmons

A former starter on the Steelers Superbowl XL team, Simmons was cut after he tore his Achilles tendon in 2008. He could be signed at a bargain price and could be a pleasant surprise for some teams if he manages to bounce back from his devastating injury

Plausible Destination: San Diego Chargers

After letting veteran Mike Goff go to the Chiefs, Simmons would offer them some depth and could be a potential starter if his injury situation pans out for the better. He mixes well with the Chargers power based offensive line.

 

Pete Kendall

The aging veteran was let go by the Redskins in favor of bringing back former guard Derrick Dockery. He is a savvy veteran who will find somewhere to play unless he decides to retire at the age of 35. His experience would be a valuable contribution in a mentor capacity to younger offensive linemen. He is not known for being a “locker room” guy but he is no Terrell Owens either.

Plausible Destination: Houston Texans

The Texans are a young team and their offensive line continues to get better. Another veteran presence would benefit promising youngster’s Chris Myers and Dan Stevenson. After the departure of Ephriam Salaam he would give them additional depth to the offensive line.

In part three, I will examine defensive tackles, defensive ends, and offensive linebackers.

Top NFL Free Agents on the Scrap Heap and Where They Could Go: Part One

The NFL Offseason is always a time of transition for every NFL squad. Some teams are stripping down the engine and rebuilding like the St Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs.

Some are merely touching up their Hemi’s like the New England Patriots landing players such as CB Shawn Springs, WR Joey Galloway, and RB Red Taylor.

Relying on the FA market is not always the key to success; there are as many duds as there are success stories.

A prime example of a pair of recent duds is the Jacksonville Jaguars handing WR Jerry Porter and CB Drayton Florence $30 million dollar contracts only to cut their high priced additions a year later.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not been big players on the open market as of late, and have translated this into two Superbowl Titles in the past four years. 

Free Agency is long past its climax and though the dust has long been settled, there are still some savvy veteran starters who could be had.

The Seattle Seahawks have already shown that you can still find quality starting caliber players on the market.

Soon after the Draft, they grabbed veteran CB Ken Lucas and FB Justin Griffith off the scrap heap for a modest $3 million dollars. Getting those two gave them a starting CB, allowed them to round out their CB unit nicely, and gave them a starting FB.

I have compiled a list of the top three players at each position still on the market and where they should go.

In this article the QB, RB, and WR positions will be examined.

 

Quarterback

JP Losman

Just like his former team the Buffalo Bills, he has suffered from mediocrity over the last several seasons. He was a former first round pick who never quite panned out.

Interesting observation—in the one season he did start 16 games in 2006, he threw for 3,051 yards, 19 TD’s, 14 INT’s, and posted an 84.9 rating, not to shabby.

He also posted that decent statline while being pounded for 47 sacks. Someone should take a flyer on him; he is only 28 years old and would not probably hinder anyone’s salary cap situation.

Plausible Destination: San Francisco 49ers

It would not hurt the 49ers to bring someone else in for some QB competition between the underwhelming Shaun Hill and first overall pick dud Alex Smith. If they gave JT O’Sullivan the starting job, they should at least be willing to take a shot on a guy who has at least shown he can play.

Rex Grossman

My favorite word for this guy is inconsistency.

Despite what anyone says about him he has been to Superbowl and has shown flashes of brilliance. His OT drive against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2006 NFC Divisional playoffs was the reason the Bears even had a shot at the title in 2006.

Plausible Destination: Seattle Seahawks

Someone is going to pick him up by training camp, and it is not going to be for a starting job.

I firmly believe Losman could be the starting QB for the 49ers if he proved himself with a worthy training camp. One team looking for some QB depth is the Seattle Seahawks who recently let third string QB Charlie Frye walk in FA.

Another option could be the New York Jets after trading third string QB Erik Ainge to the Cleveland Browns in a draft day trade. Despite reality, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers always seem open to taking on more then an ample load of QB’s.

Charlie Frye

Frye was ineffective as a starting QB with the Browns which led to him being the first ever week one starter to be traded by week two in a season. The Browns were actually trying to push Pro Bowl QB Derek Anderson on Seattle, but the Seahawks wanted Frye—looks like they dropped the ball on that one.

After his trade to Seattle they were hoping they might possibly have found a second QB so they could utilize the dynamic Seneca Wallace. His release after just two seasons should show that idea never really played out.

Plausible Destination: New England Patriots

To put it in even more of a pathetic view, on the FA market Frye could be viewed as a poor man’s Rex Grossman.

All the aforementioned teams who are looking for depth could be possible landing spots. The Oakland Raiders showed interest but nothing came to fruition. I could honestly see a team like the New England Patriots taking a flyer on him.

They need a backup QB after trading Matt Cassel and taking a chance on Frye would not be out of the question

 

Running Back

Edgerrin James

A proven veteran RB who could be a nice complement/change of pace running back for some teams. He is the current league leader in rushing and still has some gas left in the tank.

He would not command the $7.5 million salary he earned with the Cardinals last season. His performance in the postseason put the Arizona rushing game on life support with a 3.95 YPC average shows he is not quite done.

Plausible Destination: Chicago Bears

New Orleans has been talked about and I’m surprised it has not happened. James would be a nice complement to the speedy Reggie Bush and would fill the void from cutting Deuce McAllister.

The Bears already have Matt Forte as a feature back and adding Edgerrin James would give them a nice complement.

Chris Perry

After the Bengal’s decided on Cedric Benson being their starting RB, the disappointing Perry got the ax. He has a very mediocre 3.4 YPC average for his career. He should find his way onto an NFL roster by training camp because he is still moderately young (27) and could thrive in the proper scheme.

Plausible Destination: New Orleans Saints

Passing on James makes sense for the Saints because he is just a re-trade of Deuce McAllister. Perry, on the other hand, is younger and offers more potential upside. Being surrounded by an explosive offense would benefit him greatly.

Perry has size at 230 lbs. and would give the Saints a good change of pace back for Reggie Bushs’ lightening.

Warrick Dunn

He had a productive season for Tampa Bay rushing for 786 yards and posting a 4.2 YPC. He was just one of the victims of a massive veteran purging. Even at the age of 34 he has proven he can produce, and along with most of the players on this list would be a nice complement for a team with its pieces already in place.

Plausible Destination: Seattle Seahawks

Not just because of my fan hood, but I actually could see Dunn wind up in Seattle. With Duckett and Griffith already in the fold, Dunn would bring another familiar face for new Head Coach Jim Mora.

With Maurice Morris gone to Detroit, the Seahawks have not yet truly replaced the void. They say they are content with Duckett and Jones as the feature backs, but I feel they could use all the help they can get after a 4-12 season.

It is not uncommon for new Coaches to bring some former players along with them.

Now all they need is Michael Vick to recreate that vaunted Atlanta rushing attack.

 

Wide Receiver

Plaxico Burress

He is a legit No. 1 WR and if it were not for his legal troubles, he would not even have hit the open market. Whichever team eventually decides to pick him up will have to protect themselves from the potential prison sentence that might come about.

He can step right in and be a No. 2 WR on virtually any team and could be the No. 1 on many teams, such as the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, etc.

Plausible Destination: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

They have purged their defense and for that reason, I doubt they will be in playoff contention in 2009. On the flipside they have done a good job re-tooling their offense with the additions of TE Kellen Winslow, RB Derrick Ward, and the drafting of the QB of the future in Josh Freeman.

With lots of cap room at their disposal, adding Burress would give them a formidable 1-2 punch along with Antonio Bryant and would be a more then ample replacement for Joey Galloway.

Marvin Harrison

Age has caught up to him and in a league where youth is more of a premium, he finds himself out of the job still. The league leader in receptions will find his way onto an NFL roster, and I still believe he can be a capable No. 2 WR if given the proper chance.

Plausible Destination: St Louis Rams

The purging of WR Torry Holt was as much of a cap cut as it was a youth movement. With the additional release of FA bust WR Drew Bennett, the pickings are slim at WR for the Rams.

Harrison could come in and give veteran QB Marc Bulger a reliable target and could serve as a mentor to promising second year WR Donnie Avery.

DJ Hackett

After enjoying some success in Seattle, Hackett departed for the Carolina Panthers and flopped. In 2008 he only recorded 13 catches for 181 yards. He has shown he can be an adequate No. 3 WR in the past and it would not hurt some WR starved teams to take a flyer on him

Plausible Destination: Cleveland Browns

With Donte Stallworth’s career in limbo combined with the release of reliable veteran Joe Jurevicius, this is definitely a possible landing pad. Hackett would complement No. 1 WR Braylon Edwards nicely and allow them to round out their WR unit with Josh Cribbs and Syndric Steptoe.

Not the most overwhelming unit, but Hackett would be a welcome addition.

In part two I will examine the top available TE’s, OT’s, and interior OL still on the market.

 

 

 

 

Seattle Seahawks Position Breakdown: Safety

The Starters:

Deon Grant, SS

Grant came to Seattle during the 2007 off-season when they signed him to a massive six-year, $31.6 million dollar deal. At the time he was the third highest paid S in the league.

During his two years in Seattle he has been a solid, averaging 78 tackles, and 2.5 INT’s per season. He has great athletic ability and possesses the leadership the Seahawks secondary sorely lacked before his arrival.

In addition to his leadership qualities he is also a great cover man who hits extremely hard. His tackles sometimes draw comparisons to hard-hitting Bengal’s S Roy Williams.

He played the majority of 2008 with a torn hamstring insisted on toughing it. The result was posting a career high 79 tackles, along with eight pass deflections and two INT’s. He has contributed to a bi-polar Seahawks secondary that relinquished the fewest passing TD’s in 2007 (15), but also finished 2008 dead last in passing defense (259.3 YPG).

If healthy Grant can play at a Pro Bowl, stepping up his play would go a ways to revitalizing the leagues worse pass defense from 2008.

So far he has done what the Seahawks have asked of him, and earns his  big pay-check (FA’s are overpaid, but still…).

 

Brian Russell, FS

Russell was also brought in along with Grant in 2007 to help stabilize the Seahawks secondary. He now serves as the scapegoat of the Seahawks porous 2008 output.

I tend to think criticizing one player for a units failure is unfair, and find it puzzling it is even Russell. The entire secondary suffered from mediocrity in 2008, and lets not forget this was the exact same unit that gave up the leagues fewest TD’s in 2007.

Russell was just “one of” the contributors to 2008’s horrible pass defense. Despite his scapegoat status, he only finished with six less tackles then fellow S Deon Grant (72).

His responsibility on the field is to be the field general, and that has brought about mixed results. He is not the fastest S and is often burned by faster WR’s. He is a solid tackler, and makes up for his lack of speed by keeping plays in front of him with the great angles he takes in pursuit of the ball carrier.

With the heaps of criticism flung in Russell’s direction he should be out to prove he can still play at a high level. A player with something to prove always performs better, Russell should be no different.

 

The Best Of The Rest

Jordan Babineaux, S

He warrants the nickname “Big Play Babs” with his knack for making game changing plays. A prime example is in the 2006 Wild Card game when he made a shoestring tackle of Tony Romo when  the QB botched a field goal snap and was on his way to instead scoring a TD.

Bab’s is a as good a backup as you can find, he could be a starter on several teams if he was to ever test the market. He recorded 60 tackles in 2008 despite only starting one game.

He has a good blend of size, speed, hard hitting, and pass coverage abilities. He could edge out Brian Russell for the starting job with a good training camp.

 

CJ Wallace, S

Wallace has tremendous upside and made the roster as an undrafted rookie FA prior to the 2007 season. With Deon Grant locked in, and Russell/Bab’s battling it out for the other starting spot, it does appear Wallace will crack the starting lineup.

He is still a young, raw player who needs some seasoning before he steps into a starting capacity. For now he is a solid Special Teams player who contributed to a much-improved unit in 2008. Look for him to be a sponge and absorb everything he can from veterans like Grant, and Pro Bowl CB Marcus Trufant. The future is bright for this emerging prospect.

Seahawks Top Five Plays From 2008

In a 4-12 season it is a difficult task plucking some highlights, the record earned shows you did not do a lot of things well. For the first time in five years the Seahawks missed the postseason. With a great off-season they look to reclaim that perch atop the NFC West once again.

There were some bright spots in 2008, like rookie TE John Carlson leading the team in receptions, hauling in 55 catches for 627 yards and 5 TD’s. Or RB TJ Duckett pounding in eight TD’s and converting 15/18 short yardage attempts.

Here is a look at the Seahawks top five plays from 2008.

 

The I Formation Tight End Fade

S/E,WR      LT LG C RG RT TE       F,WR

                           QB

                           FB

                           RB

 

In this play the TE will run about 10 yards in a semi-straight line and will begin to fade to the right side of the field.

As he is fading to the right side of the field the WR on his side runs an inside slant route to lead the CB, and potentially the S away from the TE.

The weak-side WR will run a deep slant route into the middle of the field to draw the S to the middle of the field.

The FB stays in to block, and the RB will run a dump pattern to the strong side giving the QB an option to throw to as a last resort.

 

End Result

If the play works as it is drawn up the TE should be open about 20 yards down the field. If the S follows the WR’s it could be a huge gain.

 

The Duckett Dive

S/E,WR    LT LG C RG RT TE      F,WR

                          QB

                          FB

                          RB

 

One of the few bright spots last season was Duckett’s 85 percent conversion rate on short yardage gains of two yards or less. With the Seahawks generally favoring the left side the play would be run between the C and LG. Naturally it could go to the other side, just simply flip everything around.

With the FB leading the way all that is happening here is the RB powering his way to the first down marker.

 

End Result

Hopefully, a first down, a bigger gain is more then welcome.

 

The Three WR I Formation TE In Route

 

S/E,WR     S,WR     LT LG C RG RT TE     F,WR

                                     QB

                                     RB

 

In this play the TE runs a quick seven/eight-yard in route.

The Flanker complements this with a deeper post route to open up the TE underneath.

On the opposite side the Slot WR will run a ten-yard slant pattern to draw the S away from the TE.  The running back stays in for blocking and has an option route coming out of the backfield to attempt to draw a LB out.

The Split End will run a drag route contrasting the TE and hopefully leaving the left side of the field open for the TE.

 

End result

The TE should find gap in coverage on the left side of the field. Typically there is going to be a LB there unless the RB can completely draw him away, but their will be some space to fit the ball into. This is a typical short yardage dink and dunk pattern that is commonly used in the West Coast offense. If the RB can do a god job of drawing the LB away from the play, this can turn into a 20+ yard gain.

 

The I Formation Four WR Deep Post

 

S/E,WR     S,WR       LT LG C RG RT        S,WR     F,WR

                                        QB

                                        RB

 

In this play the Flanker will run a deep post pattern to the right side, and the slot WR to his side will run a streak pattern.

On the other side the Split End will run an option route where he can run about 15 yards, and cut in, or he can fake a cut in, and slant outside. The slot WR on that side runs a drag route to the right giving the QB an underneath option. The running back stays in to block.

 

End Result

This is a great play to keep a defense honest from defending all of the short dink and dunk patterns. The primary targets are the two outside WR’s, if the Split End can make a good move on the CB and can separate himself he can potentially go all the way.

If the Flanker can make a good cut and stay on the inside of the CB he can gash a defense with a 20-yard gain.

 

The Strong-side Stretch Run

 

WR    WR    LT LG C RG RT TE   

                            QB

                            FB

                            RB

 

This play can be run to either side, just simply switch everything around.

Although the Seahawks were not employing the Zone Blocking Scheme full time in 2008 this is a play where they have employed the Zone before. Depending on how the defense is aligned the OL is going to double team the opposing DL.

 

Example: TE-RT double the DE

              RG-C double the DT

 

With the DL doubled, the RB is going to run about 75 percent speed as the play develops. Depending on which hole develops, he follows the lead-blocking FB into the hole. If the LB’s swarm to any given hole, the RB can simply cut back and shoot straight up the field for a nice chunk of yardage.

 

End Result

An effective run play that typically does not yield a loss unless the OL completely blows their blocking assignments. These type of four, five yard gains open up an offense for the deep play action pass.

 

With a new Offensive Coordinator look for some of the Seahawks most effective plays to change in the upcoming season. Although Knapp does run a West Coast offense it is not going to be the same, conservative, Bill Walsh-Esche Scheme that Mike Holmgren ran.

Look for some more deep pass plays, and a lot more running from the 2009 Seattle Seahawks. I know that Seahawks fans have been waiting for this team to take multiple shots deep down the field during any given game.

With their deep unit of WR’s, and the presence of rookie WR Deon Butler who possesses some game-changing speed (4.28 pre draft 40 time, 4.38 Combine time) they could definitely gouge defenses with the long ball.

Hopefully in 2009 a new group of effective plays will lead the Seahawks to the NFC West title.

Five Seattle Seahawks Who Need To Step It Up: Offense

After missing the postseason for the first time in five years, the Seahawks got smacked in the face with something called reality.

They were not invincible in the NFC West, and they found there was not a typical playoff spot reserved for them.

Injuries played a factor in the 4-12 demise, but plain and simple, they were a bad and ineffective football team.

The key players (QB Matt Hasselbeck, LT Walter Jones, DE Patrick Kerney, etc.) were either hurt or did not play at the high level they are capable of performing at.

The bad taste and the disappointment cannot leave this team, it needs to grow on them, and motivate them to not re-live that awful season.

Here are five Seahawks players on offense who need to either put up or get off the field.

Seattle Seahawks Position Breakdown: Running Back

(Current RB’s: Starter- Julius Jones, TJ Duckett, Justin Forsett, Devin Moore)

 

In the 2007 offseason, the Seahawks completely reshaped their RB situation. They signed Dallas castoff Julius Jones to a four-year/$14 million deal to be the feature back.

They grabbed former Atlanta Falcons RB TJ Duckett with a five-year/$18 million contract to be the short yardage specialist. He was let go by the Lions after a largely unproductive season.

They drafted elusive RB Justin Forsett out of Cal in the seventh round of the 2008 draft. 

Forsett lit it up in the preseason, gaining 248 yards on 46 carries, He shined in the KR role, and gave Seattle fans a potential glimpse at the next Darren Sproles (San Diego Chargers RB).

Devin Moore is an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming who had a productive college career, rushing for 2,963 yards and 15 TD’s.

The Seahawks let longtime RB Maurice Morris walk in free agency this offseason. He signed a three-year/$7 million contract with the Detroit Lions.

With Morris gone, Julius Jones will be the feature back in an offense transitioning to the Zone Blocking Scheme. He is referred to as a one cut type RB, the type of RB who flourishes in the Zone Scheme the Seahawks are converting to in 2009.

After two fumbles in a 34-9 loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, Jones was benched in favor of Morris. For the final six games he was in coach Holmgren’s doghouse. He  only carried the ball 19 times the rest of the season.

Jones has a lot to prove after being a mediocre player for the majority of his career. He has only topped 1000 yards rushing once in his five year career. This is a pivotal season for him and he should be hungry and out to prove that he is capable of being a true feature back with Morris now gone.

TJ Duckett will be the short yardage specialist next season, and for years to come. He thrived in the role in 2008, and was one of the few bright spots in a dismal season. He punched in 8 TD’s and was an effective 15/18 on short yardage attempts of two yards or less.

He should see an expanded role under Offensive Coordinator Greg Knapp, whom under he enjoyed his most success in Atlanta. In the three straight seasons, Atlanta boasted the No. 1 rushing attack, Duckett posted a 4.0 YPC average and scored 27 TD’s.

Justin Forsett might see an expanded role in the offense as well, although it is too early to tell. He is only a second year player and is very raw, he has plenty of talent and upside. He will be a special teams player who will handle a good portion of the KR/PR duties.

Devin Moore is a roster hopeful who will compete with Justin Forsett for the third, and likely final RB spot on the roster. Look for the Seahawks to relegate him to the practice squad rather then outright cutting him if he doesn’t make the active roster.

The Seahawks are equipped with a fresh a new Zone Blocking Scheme, and an Offensive Coordinator who knows how to run the ball (offenses never finished below 10th in rushing).

They are poised for a breakout season running the ball. Success in the ground game will translate to success in their passing game. Passing is something they have done well in recent years (except for 2008).

No one expects anything from Seattle in 2009, I say, prove them wrong, let’s run the ball down their throats boys.

Seattle Seahawks Position Breakdown: Quarterback

(Current QB’s: Starter – Matt Hasselbeck,  Seneca Wallace, Jeff Rowe,  Rookie Mike Teel.)

Michael Vick to the Seahawks?

A recent report came out from ESPN’s John Clayton that has the Seattle Seahawks as the second most-likely destination for dog-hating QB Michael Vick. 

Curiously, three of four NFC West teams make the list, with St Louis the No. 1 destination, and San Francisco rounding out the list at No. 5.

I am not one to say never, but let’s put this thing in plain perspective.

It will NEVER happen. 

Yes, we know Seahawks Jim Mora was the Head Coach of Atlanta when Michael Vick was weaving his way in and out of defenders like Jell-O. I’m almost positive that the topic will be brought up more than once in the coming weeks at Seahawks HQ. 

Mora supported Vick during his tenure in Atlanta, and there is little doubt in my mind he will still support his former dynamic QB when he returns to the NFL. 

But if it takes GM Tim Ruskell facing seven injured WR’s to bring back substance abusing “menace” WR Koren Robinson. How on earth could anyone fathom him considering a dog murderer? 

Regardless what case Mora potentially brings forth for the possibility of obtaining Vick, it just simply will not happen.

Think of the drama someone like WR Terrell Owens causes on a daily basis.

Vick will turn Seattle into a media circus and will cause an uproar amongst the fan base. Owens’ media impact will look minuscule to the type of scrutiny that will bog down on Seattle the rest of the year.

Vick is just a welcome mat to all types of coverage the Seahawks would be wise to steer clear of.

The fans would be calling for Ruskell’s head, and his contract is up after this year, not the best combination.

He would be wise to just simply stick with his fantastic off-season the way it has progressed. 

The irony of this whole thing is that the Seahawks currently employ 1/2 of the heralded three time No. 1 rushing monster that was the 2003-2005 Atlanta Falcons. 

The two pieces the Seahawks possess from that productive backfield are RB TJ Duckett, and FB Justin Griffith. 

If the team added Vick (99.9 percent unlikely) they could potentially re-create that quad by adding FA RB Warrick Dunn. That would never happen, but the possibility remains intriguing.

That would be something, maybe they would be older, but putting all those pieces back together could yield something special. 

I don’t despise Vick as a player, in fact, he was one of my favorite players before this whole incident played out.

From a football standpoint, he would make Matt Hasselbeck’s eventual departure very easy to deal with.

He would be without a doubt the top QB available in FA when he officially hits the market. He would transform the Seahawks offense into a true rushing juggernaut with a deep WR corps to boot. 

He was good enough to warrant a contract that eclipsed any other top QB during his time, 10 years, $130 million, and that was a few years ago. 

The dog issue aside, almost every team would call just to check his availability no doubt. On the FA market, he would have most likely garnered the top contract in football history. 

He would have made Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth’s recent $100 million deal look like he got ripped off. 

The Seahawks are sure to be a prominent figure in Vick rumors until he is finally picked up. Regardless of what the lucky fan base thinks about him he is a talent and does bring a lot to the table. 

Putting the dog issue away for a second. Michael Vick has served his punishment, and should get his chance to redeem his horrible mistake. 

Anyone who does not believe that, well, just remember this:

Everyone deserves a second chance, and everyone has gotten a second chance at least once in their lives.

Where The Seattle Seahawks Stand After Free Agency

The Seattle Seahawks have raised the bar and set a gold standard for revitalizing a shredded roster this off-season.

Seahawks Position Battle: Defensive Line

In order for a team to succeed on both sides of the ball, they have to get after the QB.

The Seahawk’s DL played a factor in the teams decline in overall productivity. They finished with only 35 sacks, a drop off of 10 from 2007. Thirteen of those sacks (over one third) came in two games against the San Francisco 49ers. Pro Bowl DE Patrick Kerney missed nine games. His presence was sorely missed, he drew constant double teams and opened up the rest of the DL to make plays. He was on pace to finish with 12 sacks at the time he got injured.

First round pick DE Lawrence Jackson was a disappointment, only tallying two sacks in 14 starts. The Seahawks acquired DE Cory Redding partly because of his 2008 performance.

The starting four DL spots appear to be set. Patrick Kerney and trade acquisition Cory Redding are slated to start at the two DE positions. The interior positions will be manned by DT Brandon Mebane and FA addition Colin Cole. The latter brings much needed size (330 lbs) to a unit known to be undersized.

The main position battles along the DL will ensue at the backup positions.

Early draft picks Lawrence Jackson, and Darryl Tapp, should both vie for the primary backup DE position. Both figure to be a factor in a deep DL rotation. Jackson has a lot to prove with his largely unsuccessful 2008 campaign.

The team would not have added DE Cory Redding if it was confident at who they already had at the position. Darryl Tapp saw time as the injury replacement for Patrick Kerney, yielding a mediocre 5.5 sacks in 11 starts.

The primary backup position for the interior DL should come down to DT’s Craig Terrill, and Red Bryant. Craig Terrill provides needed insurance in case a starter does go down and can fill the role competently. Bryant brings additional size to the interior, weighing in at 320 lbs. He was hampered by injuries in his rookie campaign, only appearing in four games and recording eight tackles.

Look for Terrill to have the edge as the main rotational backup for the interior DL.

Two new starters have been added to an underachieving 2008 unit. In addition to the return of Pro Bowl DE Patrick Kerney returning from shoulder surgery. With these new additions and the depth of former starters as backups, this unit is poised for a much-improved 2009 campaign  

The Seahawks front four must produce effective pressure, or 2009 will be another lost cause in the rainy city. 

 

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