Weekend everybody!
New offseason rules have long-term benefits for players - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson sees another long-term benefit: players will be better prepared for life after football. "I think it's awesome. I think it gives guys time to focus on something other than football," Robinson told "Bob and Groz" this week. "You look at things that have happened with retired players and things like that. We talk about it all the time, you just can't make football your life.
Cold Hard Facts - Podcasts - MyNorthwest.com
John Clayton says the Seahawks have more capable wide receivers than spots available, which will create some competitive battles during OTAs. Clayton also talks about Russell Wilson's potential.
Pasquarelli: Pittsburgh completes overdue overhaul of O-line - Yahoo! Sports
If the Seattle Seahawks intend to install a passing game package that addresses the height issues of rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, who measured only 5-feet-10 5/8 at the combine in February, it wasn't evident at the team's rookie camp last weekend. Then again, it probably wouldn't be, since the rookie camp is basically designed as an orientation-type session, in which first-year players can get their feet on the ground. "The basics first," quarterback coach Carl Smith acknowledged.
344 Days Until The 2013 Draft: 3 Prospects To Keep An Eye On " Pick 256
The 2012 rookie class has yet to play a snap of even exhibition football and already the 2013 draft process is underway. While things will change significantly between now and next April (it wasn’t that long ago that Vontaze Burfict was considered a possible 1st rounder and Dontari Poe was a mid-round sleeper). However, college football and NFL draft junkies are always on the lookout for the next big riser, sleeper prospect or possibly the 2013 equivalent of Burfict. Here are a few guys who should be monitored closely over the next 11 months:
2013 NFL Draft: Top small school prospects - CBSSports
Today's NFL is filled with examples of players from non-FBS conferences who have made substantial impacts at the next level. DE Jared Allen (Idaho State), G Jahri Evans (Bloomsburg State) and CB Cortland Finnegan (Samford) are just a few players who weren't highly regarded as pro prospects, but shed the "small school" label and have proven to be Pro Bowlers in the NFL.
Finding the Fits: Massie, not Floyd, might provide most immediate help for Cards - CBSSports
Over the next several weeks, NFLDraftScout.com will be reviewing some of the more intriguing picks made during the 2012 NFL Draft through a series called "Finding the Fits." The goal of the series is to identify one relatively unheralded player per team who appears to be a good schematic fit and therefore more likely to be a surprise contributor early in his pro career.
The Shutdown Corner Podcast: Greg Cosell on the 2012 AFC North Draft | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
With the draft over and all wrapped up, we thought it would be a good idea to get back on the phone with our buddy Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN's "NFL Matchup," and talk about the NFL by division. Who did themselves the most favors in the draft, and who came up short when addressing their roster deficits?
Inside the playbook: Tebow and the 'Wildcat' | National Football Post
Using video to breakdown the 'QB Power.'
Does Alabama have a future stud QB on its hands? | National Football Post
How good can QB AJ McCarron be?
Will Locker take the next step in his development? | National Football Post
Second-year QB has a shot to win starting job in Tennessee.
Does Alabama have a future stud QB on its hands? | National Football Post
How good can QB AJ McCarron be?
Aldon Smith: 49ers didn't target Big Ben's ankle - NFL.com
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made waves last week when he suggested the San Francisco 49ers might have targeted his sore left ankle in their Monday night meeting last December.
101Sports.com: Tony Softli - Alexander Struggling Again
Oft-injured Rams receiver Danario Alexander is back on the shelf. For how long this time, nobody knows. The big-play wideout missed yesterday’s OTA practice session, the second scheduled team workout this week, with a slightly pulled hamstring. Alexander strained it during Tuesday’s practice sessions and stood around gaining mental reps on Wednesday.
Jets Plan to Use More "46″ in 2012 : NFL Films Blog
Since Rex Ryan became their head coach, the Jets have employed one of the more complex defenses in the NFL, a 3-4/4-3/"46" hybrid. Ryan has successfully blended the three styles, including the rarely-seen "46" that his father Buddy Ryan created. In 2012, we may very well see the Jets use the "46" more often, according to the Jets new defensive line coach.
Seahawks defense remains active, even during offseason | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
The fun is in the winning. Asked about a host of offseason accomplishments, including his first Pro Bowl invitation and an appearance at No. 66 on the NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2012, Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said he’s not concerned about individual awards.
Who's getting older, younger in NFC West - NFC West Blog - ESPN
NFL rosters undergo massive changes each offseason. That has been particularly true in 2012 as limits increased from 80 to 90 players. As much as I'd like to comply with requests to publish specific roster breakdowns for age and other factors, the changes require quite a bit of time to process. A few trends are coming into focus regarding the NFC West already:
For Scruggs, it only hurts when he looks back
Because Greg Scruggs played most of last season at Louisville with a turf-toe injury, the Seahawks dispatched defensive line coach Todd Wash for one final workout before deciding to draft him.
Matt Flynn tape vs New England " Seahawks Draft Blog
Matt Flynn could be Seattle’s starting quarterback in 2012. Or it could be Tarvaris Jackson. Or Russell Wilson. But a lot of people expect it to be Flynn. I don’t necessarily agree, because the financial outlay on Flynn is comparable to that of Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst. The money won’t play a part and Flynn will win this job only by beating out the other contenders. Which he may do. But I think it’s going to be tighter than most think and Wilson can win this job.
Seahawks.com Blog | Guard-eligible, anyone? "
Leave it to Pete Carroll to come up with a way to slap a camaradical – and, at times, comical – exclamation point on the final workout of Phase 2 in the Seahawks’ offseason program.
Mike Leach: Training the QB | X&O Labs
In this week’s interview, Senior Research Manager, Mike Kuchar, sat down with Mike Leach to talk about how he trains his quarterbacks. Throughout his entire tenure at Texas Tech, Leach has mentored some of the top quarterbacks in the country. In this installment, Leach expounds on what he looks for when recruiting a QB, how he evaluates his QB’s, how to develop the essential fundamentals in throwing the ball and most importantly the drill to develop those fundamentals. He also gets into his "check with me" system that gives a Leach QB complete autonomy in checking to the right play.
Mike Leach’s Offense: Perception Vs. Reality | X&O Labs
An In-Depth Look into Mike Leach’s System and Why His Offensive Simplicity Always Triggers Success.
Utah State: Two-Gapping the Read Zone Game | X&O Labs
As the defensive coordinator at the University of Hawaii last season, Dave Aranda would get his weekly dose of read zone schemes from teams such as the University of Nevada and Utah State University, which is ironically where he’ll call the defensive shots this season. So, he’d get frustrated at times watching offenses pre-determine who they were reading in the option game based on pre-snap alignment. Aranda, who runs a 4-3 base quarters package used to play single-gap control defense and wind up getting gashed for big yardage on zone wind backs because of a numbers advantage on the offense because of his two-safety look.
Tanier’s Team Reviews: The Seattle Seahawks, via Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson | Shutdown Corner
Any website can post "offseason grades" for NFL teams, mixing the draft and free agency into transaction soup, then straining it through the mind of some sportswriter who doesn't know who half the players are. Only the Shutdown Corner has the resources to get actual players, coaches, and executives from each team to evaluate their own offseasons! That's right: over the next few weeks, you will get transaction evaluations straight from the horse's mouths: straight talk about who was signed, who was lost, who was drafted, and why.