Seahawk Fans and The NFL: What To Expect For Jim Mora and The Hawks

The NFC West has had three new head coaches installed this offseason. St Louis hired former NY Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the 49ers retained interim Head Coach Mike Singletary, and the Seahawks formally installed head coach-in-waiting Jim Mora Jr.

Now we all know about Spagnuolo and what he did with that Giants defense. But can he do the same in St Louis? We will find out.

Singletary was the interim head coach last season so we know what he can do. The only coach that we haven’t seen be a head coach or know what he can do is Jim Mora. The last time he was a head coach was in 2006 with the Atlanta Falcons.

Jim Mora, now the permanent head coach has brought a whole new outlook to the Seahawks organization.

Mora, unlike Holmgren is aiming for a very aggressive approach to both sides of the ball. Mora hired former Bucs LB coach Gus Bradley as the Seahawks DC. Bradley, under one of the greatest DCs in the game Monte Kiffin, comes very highly recommended by Kiffin. He’s going to bring the Tampa-two defense, like they had in Tampa with Kiffin.

Mora also hired Dan Quinn as the Seahawks D-line coach and assistant head coach. Quinn, following form, brings a very agressive approach to the defensive line. Almost like a Steve Spagnuolo approach.

Another important thing that Mora is doing differently this season is during the practices the players are always in motion and running at all times. Even the coaching staff is running with the players.

A new approach that Mora is using after practice is having all the players do sets of Gasser’s after practice. Even the coaches joined in which was nice to see.

Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said, “My wife wants me to skip a meal and start to lose weight. Well I’m not skipping meals so I have to run to make it look like I am.”

Well good luck with that Knapp.

Mora and the entire Seahawks coaching staff are really pushing for an aggressive game on both sides of the ball, and you can see it during all of the OTA’s, and even at Bobby Engram’s softball game today. Lofa was running from first to third, sprinting all the way. Mora would love that sight.

Michael Vick Gone: Let The Rumors Begin…Now

Today, Michael Vick was released by the Atlanta Falcons. Even since Vick was released from prison and even before that, rumors kept coming out from all over the place.

There was speculation about the Seahawks, SF 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, NE Patriots, and even the St. Louis Rams.

John Clayton and all of his wisdom, well I liked him before he came out with his Vick list, now I really question if he just says that everyone is going to Seattle or if it’s true. Clayton came out with a top five.

The truth of the matter is Vick can sign with anyone at any time but between now and training camp.

Vick won’t be looking to sign or have any teams even look at him because there is no point in bringing in Vick, because he’s not a starting QB so he doesn’t have to learn the entire playbook.

Teams sense Vick is most likely going to be a backup QB/wildcat QB/athlete, it would make more sense to sign Vick at the very latest time, maybe a week before the season.

So for now, all of the Michael Vick rumors that come out will just be writers coming up with scenarios and nothing close to the truth.

Especially, if the rumor links Vick to the Seahawks, Patriots and Cowboys. Seahawks head coach Jim Mora came out with a statement say that Vick should be reinstated but he will not be a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

The Pats are not going to take a chance on Vick, and they already have a backup they believe in O’Connell. The Cowboys have Isiah Stanback and Tony Romo. They just cut T.O because of his locker room problems. That says it right there.

Deion Branch Will Be Better WR

There’s a lot of buzz around the Seahawks camp about TJ Houshmandzadeh and his big signing, coming over from Cincinnati. A lot of people have Houshmandzadeh as the Seahawks number one WR.

The Seahawks will have returning wide receivers Deion Branch and Nate Burleson coming back from injury-plagued seasons.

Deion Branch came over in a trade in 2006 from the New England Patriots for the Seahawks’ first round pick in 2007. Branch has had an injury-plagued Seahawks career, and when he was healthy, Matt Hasselbeck wasn’t. So Hasselbeck and Branch have not been on the same page since he joined the Seahawks.

Branch, this upcoming season, is going to really have to prove himself to the Seahawks fans, front office, and the coaching staff to make sure that he stays a Seattle Seahawk.

This is a golden opportunity for Branch, because teams really are going to be focused on TJ and Burleson, not as much on Branch. So if Branch can take advantage of this opportunity this season, if he can stay healthy, and if Matt Hasselbeck and Deion can get a great connection together, then the Seahawks’ passing game will be alive and well.

For all of those people out there who think Branch isn’t good anymore or that he doesn’t have any heart: just look at the game against the NE Patriots. He ran his heart out on a play that almost didn’t even have a chance of happening. He laid out for a one-handed catch when they were losing, showing he cares about the Seahawks and winning. He’s a player with a great heart.

Seattle Seahawks Aim for Future Success with Offseason Moves

Are the Seattle Seahawks aiming towards the future or are they aiming to win now?

 

Truthfully, it’s a little bit of both.

 

This offseason, if you examine who the Seahawks have signed, traded for, or drafted you could clearly see that they are trying to win now but also build towards the future.

 

The Seahawks had needs at wide receiver, safety, running back, corner back, depth on the offensive line, and a future quarterback.

 

Through free agency, the Seahawks filled two of those needs. They signed wide receiver T.J Houshmandzadeh to a five-year, $40 million contract.

 

The signing of T.J. falls into the category of winning now because he gives the Seahawks a true No. 1 wide receiver, but at the same time it falls into the category of building to the future.

Housh will be the Seahawks’ No. 1 wide receiver for five years, until they draft the next Andre Johnson, which could be A.J Green from Georgia—that’s the future.

 

Seattle also signed defensive tackle Colin Cole to a five-year, $21 million contract. That signing falls into the same one as Housh. The only difference is he’s a lot younger than Houshmandzadeh, so he will be around longer into the “future.”

 

The next move is what made the Seahawks offseason interesting.

 

They traded Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson, who only fit the “win now” category, to the Detroit Lions for DT Cory Redding and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

 

That began to show that the Seahawks were not just aiming to win now but to build to the future. What added to that speculation was when the Seahawks restructured Redding’s contract. It states that he will be a free agent next year; he’s going to make only $2 million this season.

 

They just blew up the rest of his contract. So, for Redding it’s a one and done.

 

After the draft, the Seahawks used the free cap space, which was created when the Seahawks let of Leroy Hill, to sign CB Ken Lucas to fill a hole at CB opposite Marcus Trufant.

 

Now, for the 2009 NFL draft. The Seahawks had the fourth overall pick, the highest pick since 1997. So, with the Seahawks having MLB Lofa Tatupu already in the fold, and Leroy Hill refusing to sign the franchise tender, the Seahawks lucked out.

 

The Kansas City Chief’s passed on OLB Aaron Curry for DE Tyson Jackson. So it was too easy for Seattle.

 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell strolled to the podium and announced the following: “With the fourth pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks select, Aaron Curry, linebacker, Wake Forest.”

 

Which was great for the Seahawks because they didn’t know about Hill, they traded away Peterson, and Aaron Curry was the best player in the draft and the best player available on the board when the Seahawks picked at four.

 

Now, the Seahawks have quite possibly the best young LB corps in the NFL, with Leroy Hill, Lofa Tatupu, and now Aaron Curry. Curry falls into the category of “win now” but mainly building towards the future.

 

The biggest move that the Seahawks made that shows that they are building towards the future was when they traded their second-round pick to the Denver Broncos for their first-round selection next year, which a lot of people around the league suspect will be sixth overall or higher.

 

That gives the Seahawks two first-round picks next year, which is any team’s goal if they are building towards the future. For the rest of the draft, they took the following players:

 

Wide receiver Deon Butler in the third round, who is more of a “build to the future” player. Quarterback Mike Teel in the sixth round, definitely a “build to the future” player, but I see him as the next Charlie Frye for Seattle.

 

Strong safety Courtney Greene could turn out to be a “win now” type of player depending on if he beats out Brian Russell for the starting job. Defensive end Nick Reed in the seventh round could also be a “win now” player.

 

Every team wants to try and win right now, which is exactly what the Seahawks are trying to do.

 

But Tim Ruskell is smart, he knows that he has a lot of aging veterans on his team like QB Matt Hasselbeck (34), LG Mike Wahle (32), LT Walter Jones (35), WR T.J Houshmandzadeh (31), DE Patrick Kerney (32), and FS Deon Grant (30) among others.

 

Ruskell’s moves include bringing in top young talent and locking them in long term, like CB Marcus Trufant (six years $50.2 million), MLB Lofa Tatupu (six years $42 million), OLB Leroy Hill (six years $38 million).

 

They have also signed/drafted OT Ray Willis (re-signed), OT Sean Locklear (five years $32 million) and drafted OLB Aaron Curry, C Max Unger, DE Lawrence Jackson among others.

 

Don’t forget that next year the Seahawks have two first-round picks (Denver and their own).

 

They passed on Mark Sanchez this year, so look for the Seahawks to take QB Colt McCoy with Denver’s pick, which will be in the top 10. That way, McCoy can either learn under Hasselbeck or it means they traded him which would also be smart because they could pick up another first or second-round pick.

 

Then with their own pick they could target a free safety like Eric Berry or Taylor Mays. Most likely it will be Mays, because Berry is going to go in the top five and Seattle should pick around hopefully 32. They could possibly trade up to get Mays.

 

Those are really the only two positions that Seattle needs to fill. Running back they can get in the second round or via free agency. But hopefully Julius Jones pulls a Michael Turner this season.

 

So overall, Ruskell has made all the right moves and has put this team in a position where, if they can stay healthy, they can make a deep playoff run and possibly a Super Bowl run.

Seahawks Going Back to Their Usual Form-Under the Radar

The Seahawks, along with every Seattle team, always fly under the radar.

The Seahawks, well that’s their way to success.

Even when the Seahawks went to the super bowl, they flew under the radar for the majority of the season until everyone realized that they had one 11 games in a row.

The West really has always been about the 49ers back in the Montana and Young era, and then the Rams for the majority from 2000-2004.

But, in 2004, Seattle really started to make themselves known going 10-4, second in the division and losing to the Rams in the playoffs.

Then, in 2005, they went 13-3, winning the division and went to the super bowl and lost 21-10 to the Steelers. But that was the beginning for the Seahawks and everyone had picked the Steelers to win the super bowl, mainly because this was the Seahawks’ first division title in the NFC West.

Now, for this season, Seattle could have another 2005 effect happen, because the Arizona Cardinals won the division last season like in 2004 when the Rams won it.

Coming into this season, a lot of people have overlooked the Seahawks and are picking the Arizona Cardinals to win the division.

This is great for Seattle though, because you are just adding fuel to a fire that’s already been lit by the fact that they all have something to prove.

Seattle is going to be a team with a vengeance and a team that will win the West and go deep in the playoffs because they can fly very low on the radar.

Think about it.

The Seahawks don’t have any prime time games in 09. They are coming off a 4-12 season, and no one is picking them to win and finally they are in Seattle—the city that is tucked up way in the north of this country.

Seattle also has a favorable schedule only playing Tennessee, Indianapolis (at Indy), Chicago, Dallas, (at Dallas) and Green Bay as the games where they have a possibility of losing.

Now Tennessee and Chicago will be a lot easier to win because they will be at home instead of on the road.

Seattle will have a lot of fun flying under the radar and going back to their comfortable home atop the division and in the playoffs.

Top Talent Still in Limbo: Where Will the Remaining Top FA Go Pt II

My last article showed the possible landing spots for the offensive players (QB,RB,FB,WR,TE,OT and one DT) and now I will go to the defensive side of the football.

Line backers:

Rosevelt Colvin-Colvin is 31 years old and entering his 10th NFL season. He’s played for the Patriots, Texans and the Bears. Colvin would be a good addition to a team that needs a veteran LB or a backup LB in case of injury.

Possible final destination-New England Patriots (history and the Pats love LBs)

Derrick Brooks-Brooks, who is a lot like Colts WR Marvin Harrison in that they had very high cap hits and because of their age they felt better to release him and draft/sign a younger LB.

I stated that the Colts should sign Harrison and I’m doing the same with Brooks. I think he will sign with the Bucs for a much lesser price.

Possible final destination-Tampa Bay Bucs

SS/FS and CB’s

Michael Boulware– Boulware is solid veteran safety and would be a welcome addition to a team that could use some much needed help in their secondary. Boulware isn’t a great starting SS/FS but if he needed to become a fill in starter he would do just fine. Also he would come at a very low cost-high reward type of player.

Possible final destiation-Seattle Seahawks

Deltha O’Neal– O’Neal is a solid cover CB with great speed and would bright a talented veteran addition to any defense. He isn’t really a starting CB anymore because of his age and the younger CB’s in the league are better than O’Neal but for a team that could use some KR/PR help and a good 3rd CB to cover the slot would be a great choice.

Possible final destination-New England Patriots

These are the best four players left at their respected positions (LB,CB and S).

Top Three NFL Teams of All Time: Here Comes Lombardi

Ranking the top three NFL teams of all time. Now this is not like the 85 Bears, this for example would just be the Bears, not any year. So lets get started.

 

1. Green Bay Packers:

Examination: Well, here’s a start. When the Super Bowl trophy, the trophy every single team has the goal of winning, is named after one of your past head coaches always helps. In this case its one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time, Vince Lombardi, with the Super Bowl trophy rightfully named the Lombardi trophy.

Now to the Green Bay Packers organization. The Packers have three Super Bowl wins in four appearances. They have nine NFL championships before the “Super Bowl era,” which began in 1967.

They have 19 division championships and 24 playoff appearances. The Packers playoff record is 25-15 (.625 winning percentage).

Now onto the players. They have had arguably the two best QB’s in NFL history in Bart Starr and Brett Favre. Favre, whenever he fully retires, will be a stone cold lock for the HOF.

They have 25 players in the HOF, not too bad. They have had five players be named the NFL MVP (Favre three times), totaling eight times that a Packer has won the MVP.

They have had one of the greatest games in NFL history be played on their home field, which was the “Ice Bowl.”

The Green Bay Packers are the greatest NFL team of all time, thanks to their great former coaches and players. Also, having John Madden loving the Green Bay bratwurst is also a great treat to have.

 

2) Pittsburgh Steelers

Examination: The Steelers are the greatest in the Super Bowl era, but I have given the Packers the No. 1, because it’s of all time. The Steelers have also had one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history in Chuck Noll.

Also the Steelers are the only team in NFL history to win six super bowl titles, the most in the post Super Bowl era. After winning their sixth Super Bowl the city of Pittsburgh even changed the name of the city to Sixthberg for one day.

The Steelers have 19 division titles and 25 playoff apperiances, one more than the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers are 31-19 in the playoffs (.620 winning percentage in the playoffs).

Just like the Packers, the Steelers were involved in one of the NFL’s greatest games but the main key is by far one of the most controversial and by some illegal play in NFL history.

The famous Immaculate Reception, which involved RB Franco Harris (retired Seattle Seahawk) catching a ball of one of the other players and running in for a touchdown to seal the win.

Now an intersting note about both the Packers and Steelers is that both teams have a token fan item. For the Packers is a “cheese head” and for the Steelers is their Terrible Towel.

 

3) Dallas Cowboys

Examination: Well, they rank only behind the Steelers with five Super Bowl wins, to rank third all-time. The Cowboys are still a great franchise otherwise, Excluding the recent TO, Pacman and Tony Romo problems.

The Cowboys have had two great coaches in Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. The Cowboys have won 20 division titles (one more than GB and Pittsburgh) and have had 29 playoff appearances. The Cowboys record in the playoffs is 32-24 (.571 winning percentage).

The Cowboys have 17 players in the NFL HOF. Headlined by QB Troy Aikman, RB Tony Dorestt (came to Dallas because Seattle made the worst trade in NFL history) and WR Michael Irvin, who is now giving five people the chance to become a Dallas Cowboy.

All 17 of the HOF players are also in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor.

Now something that the Cowboys care very much about every other team isn’t that high on is their cheerleading squad. The Cowboys even are on CMT for their show “Making the Cut” which is the Dallas Cowboys cheer leading squad.

Now one great laugh that the Cowboys have in their past is HC Jimmy Johnson’s hair. He never wanted it touched or even have the “water bath” on after the game.

As they say in one “Man Law” commercial. “He’s right there’s thousands of other things that make us laugh, Japanese game shows, Under Cover Brother on DVD and Jimmy Johnson’s hair. None of which waste an ounce of beer”. Well, his hair can’t be wasted by beer.

The Dallas Cowboys recent “fan item” that wont be used anymore is TO’s popcorn. “Get your popcorn ready.”

Next will be the MLB’s top 3 teams of all time.

Seattle Seahawks, 10th Best Team This Decade? Can’t Argue With SI

A recent article by Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks caught my eye. He made a list of the top NFL teams this decade from 1-32. Here’s the link to his article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/don_banks/06/01/decade/index.html

Now usually, the Seahawks tucked way up in the far north corner of America don’t get much “east coast support”, even when they win. Now the spot light was on them in 2005, when they went to the Super Bowl, but really that’s it.

Even still to this current date, a lot of NFL analysts have the Cardinals winning the NFC West, despite the fact that this was Seattle’s first season since 2003 that they didn’t win the NFC West. The Seahawks won the West from 2004-2007, four straight seasons, one Super Bowl appearance and what do they get? Nothing.

Hopefully, this is the start of something new. With the Seahawks being in the top 10 for best franchises this decade. And with this being possibly the biggest make or break season in Seahawks history, if they can win back the West, make a great playoff run and just maybe with a lot of hope win the Super Bowl they can gain some ground heading into the “next decade.”

It’s nice to see that the Seahawks get credit for making great things happen between 2000-2009/2010.

The Seahawks are a great organization that has a great history of winning in recent seasons, a great owner, great coach and great mentality. Everything you need to be in the top 10 NFL teams of this decade.

 

 

Breaking Down Seattle Seahawks Players: QB Matt Hasselbeck

The picture says it all.

Matt Hasselbeck bio: 33 years old, 11 seasons in the NFL, 6-4 225 lbs from Boston College.

Matt Hasselbeck was traded to Seattle from Green Bay in 2001, in which Seattle and Green Bay swapped first round picks (seattle’s 10th and Green Bay’s 17th).

Since being acquired by the Seahawks Matt Hasselbeck has led this team to five straight post season appearances (four of them winning the division).

Hasselbeck is the only QB in Seahawks history to lead them to a super bowl, where, if you switch around a few calls could have gone great and possibly had them winning the super bowl but it wasn’t to be.

Hasselbeck has been selected to three pro bowls 2003, 2005, and 2007. Hasselbeck only has one all pro selection and that was back in 2005 when he led the Hawks to the super bowl.

In his career Hasselbeck has played a full 16 game season seven times, out of eleven. Hasselbeck in his career has passes for 23,549 yards, 147 TD, 80 INT and holds a 84.5 career passer rating. Not to shabby but could be better.

His last three years have had the most impact on him and the Seahawks organization. Lets look at his last three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

2006: Hasselbeck missed four games with a sprained MCL caused by a late tackle from Minnesota Vikings LB E.J Henderson.

Hasselbeck’s 2006 season wasn’t as good as it could have been, even though he only played in 12 games it still wasn’t great.

Hasselbeck passed for 2,442 yards, 18 passing TD and 15 INT’s. Hasselbeck had a 76 passer rating, the second lowest in his entire career.

2007: Hasselbeck didn’t miss any games in 2007 and that’s why he had such a great season.

Hasselbeck passed for 3,966 yards, 28 TD and 12 INT’s. Hasselbeck had a 91.4 passer rating, the highest of his career.

Hasselbeck was selected to the 2008 NFC pro bowl roster as well.

The Seahawks went 10-6 in the regular season and wound up losing to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional playoffs 42-20.

2008: Once again Hasselbeck has a injury plagued season, but the worst of his career. Hasselbeck missed nine games, mainly for a back injury.

Hasselbeck in seven games passed for 1,216 yards, five TD’s and 10 INT’s. Hasselbeck had 57.8 passer rating in his seven games which just made everything worse.

Hasselbecks best season: His best season, which wasn’t his best statistical season was in 2005. Mainly because he led the Seahawks to their first super bowl in franchise history.

It was also his only season in which he was named to the all pro team.

Hasselbecks Seahawks records: Matt Hasselbeck holds many Seahawks passing records. Some of those records are…

1) Most Passing Yards in a Season – 3966 (2007)

2) Most Pass Attempts in a Season – 562 (2007)

3) Most Consecutive Seasons with 3000 Yards Passing – 4 (2002-05)

4) Only Seahawks QB with 13 wins in a season (13-3 in 2005)

Plus many more regular season and post season records.

Hasselbeck outlasted head coach Mike Holmgren but for how much longer? Hasselbeck will be the Seahawks starting QB this season, but it could be his last.

Analyzing the 2009 Seattle Seahawks (OFFICIAL): How Far Can They Go?

Analyzing the 2009 Seattle Seahawks. Projecting how the season will go and how far they can go realistically in the playoffs. What has to happen in order for the Seahawks to get back to the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl.

 

 

2008 Seattle Seahawks review

 

The Seahawks 2008-2009 season was one for the ages, in the worst way possible. 2008 was head coach Mike Holmgren’s final season at the helm of the Seattle Seahawks and it was his “final” season in the NFL as a head coach.

 

The Seahawks finished with a 4-12 record, third place in the NFC West and earned the fourth overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, the highest pick in Seahawks history since 1997 when the Seahawks held the second overall pick along with the sixth overall pick.

 

They selected S Shawn Springs second overall and LT Walter Jones with the sixth overall pick. Jones is still the current starting LT and a lock to be a first ballot hall of famer. Shawn Springs had a great career in Seattle before leaving via free agency.

 

Back to the 2008 season. The Seahawks had several key injuries that wound up affecting them to the point where they began signing players off the street. The Seahawks lost quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for nine games with a crucial back injury, and a knee injury to boot.

 

Wide receivers Deion Branch for nine games, Nate Burleson for the entire season (Burleson was suppose to be Branch’s replacement but wound up tearing his ACL in week one). Their next wide receiver to fall was young wide out Logan Payne, who tore his ACL in week two.

 

Continuing the injury train was the entire Seahawks starting offensive line that all finished the 2008 season on IR (Walter Jones, Mike Wahle, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims and RT Sean Locklear). The Seahawks lost top pass rushing DE Patrick Kerney for the season as well. Also Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill missed games as well, but weren’t as serious as everyone else.

 

So what does that equal? They lost their top starting QB, their top three WR’s, their entire OL, their top DE and their top two LB’s. I think any team who had this happen to them would have a 4-12 record or around that number.

 

Now a few bright spots on the Seahawks roster in 2008 were QB Seneca Wallace who led the Hawks to three out of their four wins in the season. Rookie TE John Carlson who wound up being in the top three for NFL rookies even for yards catching. Other than that, basically the rest of the team under produced or were injured.

 

 

2009 Seahawks offseason and pre-draft signings:

 

Coming into the 2009 offseason the Seahawks had a few holes on their roster that they really needed to address either in free agency or via the draft. Those positions were WR, QB for the future, OL depth, DT, CB, SS/FS and the most important hole to fill was to get all of their injured players healthy. So what did the Seahawks wind up doing?

 

They made a huge splash by signing top free agent wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh to a five-year, $40 million contract, with $15 million of it being guaranteed. Recently in OTA’s the Seahawks have had TJ play a lot of slot and he’s shined in the slot but something tells me that they didn’t play him $40 million top be their slot WR.

 

I think TJ will be the main No 1 wide receiver but I do see him playing at the slot position a reasonable amount this upcoming season.

 

Continuing the off season the Seahawks made a not well known signing but one that the Seahawks front office and the coaching staff are very high on was the signing of DT Colin Cole to a five-year, $21 million contract, with $5 million of that 21 being guaranteed.

 

Cole, a former Green Bay Packer will fill the hole left by DT Rocky Bernard who signed with the Giants. Also he’ll give something that the Seahawks haven’t had in a very long time and that’s a mammoth run stopping DT. Cole will definitely fit the bill their.

 

The Seahawks next move was by far the most controversial from the Seahawks fans point of view. That was the trade of Julian Peterson to the Detroit Lions for DT/DE Cory Redding and a 2009 fifth-round draft pick, which wound up being used to trade up into the third round so that Seattle could draft WR Deon Butler.

 

The Seahawks will be using Redding mainly at DE and a small bit at DT, his former position when he played in Detroit. The main part of this deal was that after Redding was acquired by the Seahawks they restructured his contract that will be a one-year, $2 million deal and they just blew up the remaining six years of his seven year deal that he signed last offseason.

 

 

Seahawks 2009 NFL draft

 

Now to draft day, Apr. 25. The Seahawks held 10 total picks in the 2009 draft, but by the end of the draft they only selected seven times. What did they do with the other three?

 

Seahawks’ first round pick fourth overall- Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

 

Examination: Aaron Curry, the best complete player in the entire NFL draft at any position. Aaron Curry, the No. 1 rated player in the entire ’09 draft and the replacement for Julian Peterson.

 

Curry, in his four seasons at Wake Forest totaled 320 tackles, five forced fumbles and six interceptions.

 

Curry is going to play strong side linebacker for the Seahawks and they are really going to have him do a lot of blitzing this season and for the future.

 

 

Seahawks second round pick-via Chicago-Max Unger, G, Oregon

 

Examination: The Seahawks made a very wise trade, dealing their 2009 second round pick to the Denver Broncos for their first-round pick in 2010. The Seahawks however decided to trade back into the second round and made a deal with Chicago which gave the Bears the Seahawks third and fourth round picks in 2009 for the Bears second round pick.

 

With that pick they chose versatile offensive lineman Max Unger from Oregon. Unger played mostly center in college but considering the Seahawks have Chris Spencer who has one more year to prove he’s worthy Unger will most likely be the starting LG for the Seahawks.

 

Unger reminds me of a former Seahawks LG Steve Hutchinson, now with the Minnesota Vikings. Now because Unger is a rookie and hasn’t even played a down in the NFL for now he just stands at “reminds me” but I think over the next few years he could become the better of Huch.

 

 

Seahawks third round pick-via Philadelphia-Deon Butler, WR, Penn State

 

Examination: This is where the Detroit fifth round pick came into play along with the Seahawks third rounder next year. They traded back into the third round to select speedy  Nittany Lion WR Deon Butler.

 

Deon Butler who passes former Nittany Lion and Seattle Seahawk Bobby Engram for the Penn State receiving record ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash at the combine is just what the Seahawks were looking for.

 

Butler is going to be the No 4 WR for the Seahawks and for his rookie season mainly do PR and KR duties until next season when he will have a much greater impact.

 

For the rest of the draft the Seahawks took QB Mike Teel in the sixth round and DE Nick Reed, TE Cameron Morrah and S Courtney Greene in the seventh round.

 

 

Seahawks post draft signings

 

This is where things got very interesting for the Seahawks. One day after drafting LB Aaron Curry fourth overall, the Seahawks rescinded the franchise tag for LB Leroy Hill which allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent.

 

Which saved the Seahawks $8.3 million in cap space. With that added space the Seahawks decided to fill two more holes at CB and FB. The Seahawks and CB Ken Lucas came to an agreement on a one-year $2.3 million contract and Lucas will now become the Seahawks No 2 CB opposite Trufant. They also signed FB Justin Griffith to the league minimum contract.

 

Now with Lucas and Griffith in the fold. About a week after being cut the Seahawks and LB Leroy Hill came to a contract agreement on a six-year, $38 million contract with $15.5 million guaranteed.

 

The key to the deal was because Hill was arrested for position of marijuana in Atlanta this off season and he could possibly be suspended, in his contract it states that he gets to keep all $15.5 million in guarantees even if he gets suspended.

 

Now the Seahawks have a great LB corps in Leroy Hill, Lofa Tatupu and rookie Aaron Curry.

 

 

Analyzing the Seahawks possible problems

 

The Seahawks can either have a great season or another horrible one. It depends on a few things. One, can Matt Hasselbeck stay healthy for the entire season, something he’s done only one in the past three seasons. That one season when he did he went to the pro bowl.

 

How well will all three linebackers do? Will Aaron Curry be like Patrick Willis in San Fran or will he just have an average rookie season. And can Tatupu and Hill prove they are worth their contracts? If they can have a great season and both get over 100 tackles then they should be in great shape.

 

How well will TJ do? Can he be the first Seahawk since who knows when to make the pro bowl and can he live up to his contract as well. If Hasselbeck and Houshmandzadeh can have a great season hooking up a lot then they should have a great shot at the super bowl.

 

And finally, can the Seahawks secondary hold up? If Trufant, Lucas, Grant and whoever winds up replacing Russell have a lot better season that last year and rank around 10-15 in the NFL for pass defense then Seattle shouldn’t have a problem going very deep in the playoffs.

 

 

Analyzing the Seahawks 2009 schedule: Which one’s can they win?

 

Week 1 vs. St Louis- Win

 

Week 2 at San Fran- Win

 

Week 3 vs. Chicago- Win

 

Week 4 at Indy– Lose

 

Week 5 vs. Jacksonville- Win

 

Week 6 vs. Arizona- Win

 

Week 7-BYE

 

Week 8 at Dallas- Lose

 

Week 9 vs. Detroit- Win

 

Week 10 at Arizona- Lose

 

Week 11 at Minnesota- Lose

 

Week 12 at St Louis- Win

 

Week 13 vs. San Fran- Win

 

Week 14 at Houston- Win

 

Week 15 vs. Tampa- Win

 

Week 16 at Green Bay- Win

 

Week 17 vs. Tennessee- Lose

 

The Seahawks final 2009 record: 11-5 and division winners in the NFC West.

 

 

Now I will project the following NFC teams that will be in the playoffs.

 

 

East winner- Eagles- Wild Card teams that will get in Giants and Cowboys

 

South winner- New Orleans

 

North winner- Chicago

 

West Winner- Seattle

 

Now from there it’s wide open.

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