Seahawks August 1 Practice Report: Wide Receivers

by John Morgan on Aug 1, 2010 5:04 PM PDT

There's been a lot of talk about Mike Williams, but I only noticed him on one play.

He ran a deep cross and it was a nice, clean looking route. It's good to see Williams in shape and making some plays, but he's 26. I'm not going to make much of him flashing in training camp.
Branch is Branch and Housh is Housh, and neither showed more or less than should be expected of them. Housh looks consummate but not flashy. Branch is agile and elusive in the open field.
I only noticed Ruvell Martin once. He dropped a pass.
Deon Butler started slow but had a few nice plays to end practice.
He was badly bullied off his route going over the middle. In his defense, it was borderline pass interference.
Lofa Tatupu blanketed him on another short pass. This seems to be the Butler dilemma: He doesn't have great deep route-running skills, but he doesn't seem capable of excelling over the middle either.
Then, towards the end of practice, Butler twice found a soft spot in a deep zone and made a couple nice receptions. I didn't see it terribly well, but it looked like he scored a touchdown to cap one 11-on-11 drill.
Isaiah Stanback might be the successor to Sean Morey. He isn't plus fast and his athleticism is little too talked up, but he is a very good athlete and is thick and powerfully built. He didn't show much as a receiver, but I noticed Stanback and John Carlson grouped on down-field punt coverage.

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So in other words

Stanback threatens to supplant Ben Obomanu?

Though they sink through the Sea, they shall rise again...Death shall have no dominion...

by Cheddar28 on Aug 1, 2010 6:38 PM PDT reply actions

I'm curious abouth that as well

I think they’ll keep Butler this year, as he may have some trade value, but it’s looking more and more like Obomanu’s days as a Seahawk may be numbered.

by Buster! on Aug 1, 2010 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions

If Stanback can be a gunner why not

Obomanu may have peaked

by stufr on Aug 1, 2010 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions

I want Stanback to make this team. It'd be good to see another Husky dawning a Husky uniform.

"I hope he arouses the fire that's dormant in the innermost recesses of my soul. I plan to face him with the zeal of a challenger."
-Ichiro on Dice-K

by seatownsports on Aug 1, 2010 8:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Seahawks uniform.

Though they sink through the Sea, they shall rise again...Death shall have no dominion...

by Cheddar28 on Aug 1, 2010 11:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Exclusively?

Though they sink through the Sea, they shall rise again...Death shall have no dominion...

by Cheddar28 on Aug 1, 2010 11:57 PM PDT up reply actions

The Aug 1st practice...

I saw JJ handle a few carries, but Force got the lion’s share of work. Clearly our best runner (at least with not having seen Leon, yet).

Red Bryant: surprise us!

by Misfit74 on Aug 2, 2010 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Interesting comments about Butler.

It was noted in other practice reports today, that he ended the scrimmage by getting behind Jennings for a 28 yard completion. And made a nice catch in 7 on 7 drills.

That’s what good about reading many different reports. Many different perspectives.

I'm gonna go calm submissive on your ass.

by Dukeshire on Aug 1, 2010 7:49 PM PDT reply actions

I still think Branch has far and away the softest hands on the team.

Same as last year…

Red Bryant: surprise us!

by Misfit74 on Aug 2, 2010 3:18 PM PDT reply actions

It's the soft tissues elsewhere that rankle.

Knees, ankles.

inside of a dog it's too dark to read.

by shams on Aug 3, 2010 2:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Anybody notice a new WR trying out?

Danario Alexander left Rams without a contract and was heading to Renton.

by 008klm on Aug 3, 2010 1:14 PM PDT reply actions

Hmm. He's supposed to be visiting today.

Not that we have much room, but damn. That’s one intriguing prospect.

by jacobstevens on Aug 3, 2010 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions

The Hawks could easily make room for him.

by Nate Dogg on Aug 3, 2010 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah. I guess so.

We’re all about building for the future, and opposed to compromising the future for the sake of winning now, and rightfully so.

But I feel like we have so many developing prospects at wideout, to the point that it may be hard to hold on to some of them. Deon Butler, not likely ready to contribute. Give up on him to take a chance on Alexander? Alexander’s a better prospect, but I wouldn’t feel confident about that move. Houshmandzadeh and Branch don’t have a long future with us, but I wouldn’t want to hurt the chances of this season just to hang on to an injury rehab project that may or may not end up contributing anything down the road.

Plus we have developing prospects on the rest of the roster. If he’s a better prospect, replace someone with him by all means. I don’t mean to say I think we’re set, at all. Just there’s so much at WR already, that will soon shake out we don’t yet know what we have and what we need. Mike Williams and Golden Tate look like they’ll help a lot, but we don’t know yet. I would just hate to bring Alexander to camp and then end up cutting Branch or Butler off the final roster before we’re certain they can’t contribute.

But hey, if only scrub teams like the Rams and Seahawks are interested, there’s not likely to be a big demand on waivers so it shouldn’t be a problem to put him on the practice squad.

by jacobstevens on Aug 3, 2010 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Martin, Obo, Hass, Stanbeck, or Heckendorf could all be cut to make room for him if they want him.

“I wouldn’t want to hurt the chances of this season just to hang on to an injury rehab project that may or may not end up contributing anything down the road”

Are you talking about Branch or Alexander?

by Nate Dogg on Aug 3, 2010 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions