Justin Griffith to Visit

by abender20 on Mar 6, 2009 8:36 AM PST in Seahawks News & Rumors

Leonard Weaver still has not signed a contract with an NFL team, Seahawks or otherwise. Clare Farnsworth reported a piece of news that could mean the end of Weaver the Seahawk. Or not.

[The Seahawks are] also scheduled to host fullback Justin Griffith.

Griffith (6 foot, 230) played for the Raiders the past two seasons, when new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp also was in Oakland. Before that Griffith was with the Falcons, when Knapp and coach Jim Mora also were in Atlanta.

Farnsworth also thinks that bringing in Griffith may be insurance in case Weaver leaves:

The word has been that the team is interested in signing Weaver, at the right price.

Not all news is Earth shattering, but it's nice to know that the Hawks have a backup plan in case they can't re-sign Weaver.

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I was a big Griffith fan when he was on the Falcons

he’s a nice swiss army knife type player. there was a game in 06 where Dunn and Norwood both went down and he took over at tailback, and ended up showing some unexpected lateral quickness, enough to make more than a few defenders miss. soft hands, good special teamer – solid blocker, but he’s an angles guy without a lot of pop. he’s not gonna fit in every system but Knapp should know what to do with him (even if I felt like he was a lil underused in ATL).

by langsty on Mar 6, 2009 9:16 AM PST reply actions

I thought we already had an insurance plan in case Weaver left

Named Owen Schmitt.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 6, 2009 9:59 AM PST reply actions

It's good to have more than one fullback.

Beer Truck will only be in his second season and may need more time to develop. Griffith has veteran experience at the position and may be better right now. Having two for depth in case one gets hurt is prudent, especially if we’re banking on having a strong rushing attack.

by sev79 on Mar 6, 2009 10:27 AM PST up reply actions

Since when do fullbacks develop?

But yeah, I get your point about depth. I don’t mind Griffin (actually, I think he’s underrated), but I would rather have Weaver and his extreme versatility.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 6, 2009 10:33 AM PST up reply actions

It's hard to argue with what Weaver brings, as you say.

If I could be convinced Griffith is a big enough upgradet run-blocking over the ‘Church Van’, while not being a liability in the receiving game, he would make sense. I really like Weaver’s receiving ability, though.

by Misfit74 on Mar 6, 2009 10:41 AM PST up reply actions

Heath Evans

He was developing behind Strong. Then of course we let hiim go and he started for the Pats and now New Orleans I believe just picked him up. Not that I’m complaining….I’m sure we all agree who the better full back to replace Mack was

Heck even Weaver had a lot of developing to do and we all saw his transformation first hand.

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 10:44 AM PST up reply actions

Keep in mind though

that Weaver was a converted tight end. So he had to learn the position, that was most of his developing. That and learning how to block (which goes with both TE and FB).

by Fear on Mar 6, 2009 10:59 AM PST up reply actions

Schmitt played H-back in a spread option

I think some development is necessary.

by John Morgan on Mar 6, 2009 11:30 AM PST up reply actions

Whatever happened to Kirtman?

by LantermanC on Mar 6, 2009 12:52 PM PST up reply actions

He sucked?

I think after playing San Diego in one of our preseason games, we cut Kirtman for Schmitt and Diego picked him up. Dont know what happened after that.

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 12:54 PM PST up reply actions

Good ole google

couldn’t find him on NFL.com soooooo

"[edit] San Diego Chargers
On August 31, 2008, he was signed to the San Diego Chargers practice squad. He remained there the first six weeks of the regular season.

[edit] San Francisco 49ers
Kirtman was signed to the active roster of the San Francisco 49ers from the San Diego Chargers’ practice squad on October 15 after the 49ers placed fullback Zak Keasey on injured reserve. He was released on November 3 when the team signed tight end Sean Ryan.

[edit] New Orleans Saints
Kirtman was signed to the practice squad of the New Orleans Saints on November 12, 2008.

that is Wiki

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 12:57 PM PST up reply actions

Re-sign and resign have different meanings.

Not a big thing, it’s just a pet peeve of mine.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Mar 6, 2009 10:18 AM PST reply actions

Thanks, I missed that in my proof.

by abender20 on Mar 6, 2009 11:59 AM PST up reply actions

Schmitt

There is some evidence that Schmitt is already a better blocker than Weaver. If they think he’s as good of a runner as Weaver is, then there isn’t much reason to pay big bucks for Weaver. Play Schmitt, and sign Griffith as a backup.

I like Weaver, but I think Schmitt has better upside and is already an equal player. We just don’t need 2 of these guys especially if one of them is going to be expensive to sign.

by lordtd on Mar 6, 2009 11:33 AM PST reply actions

I'm fine with that

but how much money is Weaver going to cost? Has he truly not visited a single other team yet?

by jacobstevens on Mar 6, 2009 12:01 PM PST up reply actions

I really like Schmitt

But I don’t think I can agree with what you just said…

he isn’t and equal player by any means….he can’t run as well, he can’t catch as well and he is clearly not as athletic as Weaver (Schmitt is stiff). Not saying he won’t be equal or better, but Schmitty has done absolutely nothing to prove that he can do what Weaver has done.

Could Schmitt rack off a 100 yard receiving game and make some of the same athetic catches Weaver has had to make in the flats? I’m sorry, but no….

Schmitt has tons of potential for being a nice bruiser for us….but to compare him to Weaver right now I think is a little unwarranted / unearned. Lets see him play for an extended amount of time before we give him anything

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 11:40 AM PST reply actions

I think this is missing the point a little.

We don’t NEED a fullback who does a lot of that extra stuff. Receiving, maybe, but the fullback in Knapp’s offense, from what I’ve read, isn’t a ballcarrier.

What is most important out of the FB is run blocking, and this is the weakest part of Weaver’s game.

by djafrot on Mar 6, 2009 11:48 AM PST up reply actions

I didn't say we need that

I actually think we should let Weaver walk because he won’t be utilized here….we don’t need his skill set

I was just being a jerk and arguing with him for no reason because he was saying that Schmitt is an equal player….which nothing we have seen as a fan base proves a single ounce of that. Not yet at least, maybe in due time when he actually gets on the field and makes plays….but right now he has not shown that and is not an equal player. Maybe in blocking but definitely not in athletic ability and explosiveness

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 12:19 PM PST up reply actions

haha I do that too.

and to do it AGAIN, I’d say that there’s not really any chance of calling them “equal players” because they’re quite different. Weaver might technically be a “fullback” but he’s not quite as prototypical as Schmitt.

If you’re saying that overall Weaver is a bit more valuable “in general” than Schmitt (at this point, given what they’ve shown), I’ll certainly give you that.

by djafrot on Mar 6, 2009 12:47 PM PST up reply actions

NO YOU'RE WRONG YOU SUNOFA!!!!!!!!

I concur…I can see that argument and will agree to it’s terms.

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 12:50 PM PST up reply actions

I disagree

I believe Schmitt is ultimately a better FB than Weaver. If you haven’t seen the highlight reels from this guy at WV, go look. Weaver wasn’t even a runner in college, he was a TE. We haven’t seen much of Weaver running as a Seahawk, but I think he’s a better straight-ahead runner and a much better blocker that Weaver. Those are the things that Knapp will value. Could Schmitt rack of a 100 yard receiving game? Who knows? That was a fluke thing, and certainly not the gameplan for that day.

As a blocker and a guy who can run over and through people, Schmitt is superior. Weaver may be a better receiver or open field runner and is more agile. The question will be whether Knapp cares about these things. The FB needs to be able to block and get the 2 yards when given the ball. Think Mike Alstott.

Look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EVfpqbqxOI&feature=PlayList&p=8F591561DB6C4CA6&index=0&playnext=1

and then this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhrtLVUWhc0

This guy is a football player who needs to be on the field. Let Weaver go.

by lordtd on Mar 6, 2009 1:01 PM PST up reply actions

oops

I meant we haven’t seen much of Schmitt running as a seahawk, and I think he’s a better straight ahead runner.

by lordtd on Mar 6, 2009 1:01 PM PST up reply actions

You know

it is pretty dumb to completely erase someone’s game, production and effort because you deem it a “fluke” and not “part of a gameplan”

I think that is pure crap to be honest…

So if anyone makes an incredible play…and it wasn’t part of the gameplan, does that mean it is now discredited? ????

All of a sudden it’s as if it never happened….Weaver never caught those balls and took off running while dodging and running around/past NFL calibre defenders?

Hmmmm

So anytime someone returns a punt for a TD or a kickoff for a TD or makes an amazing catch or an amazing run….there are chances of that being a fluke and should can now be discredited?

It’s all part of football…you don’t start taking away a RB’s long runs….you don’t start taking away a WR’s long catches or start taking way someone’s sack (unless Farve lays down the ground for you and gives you a freebe) or an interception

****

Also, once you are in the NFL, your college highlights don’t mean jack squat. Schmitty was impressive in college, but I don’t know if you’ve noticed this or not, but he has done absolutely nothing in the NFL that has shown that. Now…he hasn’t had much playing time, so we don’t have a lot of plays to judge it off of….but from what you and I have seen, his game has not translated to the NFL. So throw away the college reel and look at his NFL resume instead bercause that is all that matters.

He needs to show he can do that on the NFL field and earn a job based on what he does against NFL players…not against some team he faced over a year ago in college against non-nfl calibre players

****

Once again, I really like Schmitt…and I hope he becomes a beast and I think he is better for this offense. Weaver’s tools are no longer required and I think he can do bigger/better things elsewhere. So that’s not the issue what so ever.

And as much as I like Schmitt, I gotta be honest and look at him constructively….not with my “fan blinders” on.

I Bleed Blue and Green

by DSAhawker on Mar 6, 2009 1:37 PM PST up reply actions

And you know

Exactly what I meant. You can’t judge a player’s value on 2 plays in a single game. They were great plays, but Weaver had 2 receiving TDs in that game, and those were his only 2 all season. He had 220 total receiving yards all year, and 116 of them came in that one game. We can’t base anything on that. We certainly can’t say that he’s a great receiving threat, and that Schmitt doesn’t measure up (which is what you said)

Since these plays don’t represent something that Weaver has done over and over, we don’t know that some other player (Schmitt) wouldn’t have done the same thing in that same situation.

You don’t take the plays away, but 2 spectacular receiving plays in 4 years don’t make this guy the 2nd coming of Tom Rathman.

As far as running skills go, Weaver hasn’t done anything there either. Most of the great runs we all remember were in preseason.

What we do know is that Weaver’s blocking has been suspect, and he almost got cut 2 years ago because of it.

As for college, you’re right we can’t tell much from it. But since we just drafted Schmitt last year, it’s all we’ve got. He didn’t play much, but when he did play, he knocked guys on their ass.

I refer you to John’s postings:

http://www.fieldgulls.com/2008/10/22/640708/is-it-time-to-play-owen-sc

As I said in my original post, “If they think he’s as good of a runner as Weaver is, then there isn’t much reason to pay big bucks for Weaver.” What matters is what Mora and Knapp think. I wasn’t stating this as a fact. If the 2 guys are being compared, I think that you throw out receiving because Weaver just hasn’t distinguished himself (except in that one game) and then you’re left with blocking and running. Weaver is an inferior blocker, so if Knapp and Mora think that their running skills are the same, Weaver is gone.

by lordtd on Mar 6, 2009 5:48 PM PST up reply actions

The thing is, Weaver is a spectacular pass-blocker...

and much better than Schmitt, possibly because of size alone. Though Weaver isn’t really an effective run blocker, his pass protection and blitz pickup is so great that having him around relieves me when I think of our suspect offensive line.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 6, 2009 5:52 PM PST up reply actions

The less preachers we have on this team the better. Its bad enough with all of Ruskell’s character guys, we don’t need a church service on Sundays.

by blackvanilla on Mar 6, 2009 11:42 AM PST reply actions

What if the whole team worships at the Church of Kicking Ass?

by abender20 on Mar 6, 2009 12:01 PM PST up reply actions

Sermons by Reverend Lawrence Taylor

by abender20 on Mar 6, 2009 12:02 PM PST up reply actions

Come on, dude

That’s completely irrelevant. Don’t be a hater.

by jacobstevens on Mar 6, 2009 12:03 PM PST up reply actions

I agree, to a point.

I dislike whenever anyone faps away relentlessly about religion, Tim Tebow is a huge offender that I have the pleasure of muting whenever he opens his mouth. Of all people, Ben Roethlisberger was like the great Agnostic football hope until he started dropping J-bombs after the last Super Bowl.

On the other hand, you don’t want a locker room like the Cowboys, do you? I would rather think that our team was made up of guys who are good people that have to be muted once in a while than a team full of egomaniacs, criminals, and dog-killers.

It's great to be a Florida Gator!

by Wayward Llama on Mar 6, 2009 7:02 PM PST up reply actions