Seattle Seahawks news, rumors, links, info, interviews, analysis. You name it, I got it here for you.
NFL.com news: The best team to root for? This should be no surprise: "6. Seattle Seahawks The Seahawks have awesome fans (maybe the best) and the game-day experience is unmatched. The stadium is great (and loud), and Seattle is a great town. And when your owner is the co-founder of Microsoft, that has to be considered a plus. The only ding? They need to go back to their old-school uniforms."
1. Paul McQuistan | NFL: Top 10 Ugliest Players in League History | Bleacher Report: "I want to start by saying that the way someone looks is no reflection on who they really are or how talented they are. If we all only focused on our outward appearance, the world would be a terrible place to live..." I don't normally link to stuff like this but I like how two different Seahawks made the top 10 list of ugliest players in the NFL. Including Numero Uno.
Jim Mora thinks Matt Hasselbeck 'has a lot left' - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: ""I just think he's got a lot left," Mora said on Bob & Groz on Wednesday. "I watched what Kurt Warner did when he went from the Rams to the Cardinals and kinda revived his career again, and I see that happening for Matt. "I know Matt's work ethic. I know Matt's commitment. I know his drive to succeed and I just think that he's going to have a few more good years left in him.""
Where Brandon Mebane fits with Seahawks - NFC West Blog - ESPN: "Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.: I think they absolutely cannot let him go. He has a chance to be a great player. They played that goofy scheme and he did not fit it wonderfully. They want a big-type nose tackle and then that big, heavy left defensive end, the Red Bryant type. Mebane really is a 4-3 defensive tackle that does everything well. What they tendered him was very low to me." Yeesh, "goofy scheme". No me gusta.
Hasselbeck, Seattle must consider options - NFC West Blog - ESPN: Hasselbeck: "I definitely am hopeful to be back here, but at the same time, I understand that with a new GM, with a new regime, they sometimes want to go in a different direction. That could happen, too. I am prepared for whatever. Right now, I am just trying to get strong, really improve in some areas on the field and make a big leap this year physically and be ready to play at a high level -- play hopefully the best football of my career."
Matt Hasselbeck: "I Am Prepared For Whatever" - The Daily Drip - SB Nation Seattle: Tip of the cap to Mike Sando of ESPN.com for pointing out a radio interview Matt Hasselbeck did with ESPN Milwaukee today and he transcribed some interesting quotes from the free agent quarterback.
Seattle Seahawks improve team in offseason, but still have some holes - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN: "The Seattle Seahawks improved in the offseason, but still have some holes."
NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Data Points: Most kick and punt return TDs ": See what Leon Washington is up against in his quest to become the greatest return man in history.
NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Data Points: Long drives will become crucial ": "The clubs that will have the most success are those that can sustain longer drives. Listed below is the number of 10-play drives every team was able to manufacture in 2010. Not surprisingly, the Colts led the NFL in this suddenly more relevant category."
The Ten Step Program | National Football Post: "Hope floats with meetings between the NFL and the NFLPA continuing in Maryland this week and a meeting of the full NFL membership next week in Chicago. The parties have pressed pause on Courtroom football and refocused on a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). With this optimistic news, let’s reset the Top Ten issues as we hope for common ground."
NFL.com news: Vets still rank as top pass rushers but young faces closing gap: "Also considered Lions DE Cliff Avril, Seahawks DE Chris Clemons, Rams DE Chris Long, Raiders OLB Kamerion Wimbley and Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap."
Tate, Curry and reading between the lines - NFC West Blog - ESPN: "What Carroll said about Curry: The coach likes what Curry offers as a physical presence against opposing tight ends, but he wishes Curry would develop in other areas. Carroll: "We think he’s has a guy who has a tremendous amount of potential to get better. He wasn’t able to factor in the pass rush as we hoped. He wasn’t able to break into the top two rushers.""
6/14: What moves will the Seahawks make? - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: "Brock and Salk discuss what the Seahawks might do as soon as the NFL's lockout is lifted, which ESPN's John Clayton thinks could happen soon."
Is the UFL the real winner of the NFL lockout? | National Football Post: ""The planning of this anticipated that we could possibly leapfrog significantly in the third season," UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue said. "We were hopeful that the situation would be almost exactly like it is right now." That planning could come to fruition this year. During an exclusive interview with NFP, Huyghue detailed how the NFL lockout could bolster the UFL."
NFL.com news: Second day of talks between NFL, players ongoing in Maryland: "NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and several owners are meeting with NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith and a group of players for a second consecutive day in Maryland. A person with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that the negotiations have continued Wednesday and they again include lawyers for both sides. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the meeting are not being made public. Sources told NFL Network's Albert Breer on Tuesday that both the NFL and NFL Players Association are evaluating and strongly considering concessions on all fronts, and that has led to a belief that a deal could be done in two to four weeks. The return of the legal teams for both parties, after sitting out the sessions in suburban Chicago and Long Island, N.Y., the past two weeks, is seen as a sign of progress."
Any Deal Is In the Details | Pro Player Insiders: "The players and the owners are continuing their meetings with the goal of resolving the lockout and getting back to the game of football. That said there is still much to be done on the business of football to make that a reality. Sources throughout the media are reporting positive actions being taken and a more amicable meeting environment between the parties. That’s great but as most of us know the devil is always in the details and difference of a few percentage points here or there, 16 verses 18, carve outs, thresholds or conflicts with antitrust laws are not insignificant details to resolve. NFLPA spokesman George Atallah said via Twitter that he isn’t predicting "when a resolution to the lockout will come" and added in another tweet: "We’re focusing all our efforts on a long-term settlement, agreement and resolution. That’s what we can control.""
Mac's Football Blog: NFL Labor Talks Nearly Fell Apart: "Not surprisingly, the lawyers nearly torpedoed the process, which likely doesn't come as a surprise to New England Patriots owner and NFL Management Council Executive Committee member Robert Kraft. "In my opinion, we could get a deal done in the next week," Kraft said two days before Super Bowl XLV in Dallas. "If business people sat down on both sides, and we tried to get the lawyers in the background.""
Owners, players conclude Round 3 of clandestine meetings | National Football Post: ""Discussions between NFL owners and players under the auspices of Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan took place again this week and will continue," the two sides said in a joint release. "At the request of Judge Boylan, both sides have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of the substance of the talks." Present for the meetings were NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along with owners Jerry Richardson, Clark Hunt, Robert Kraft, John Mara and Dean Spanos. Representing the players were DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA boss, Kevin Mawae, Domonique Foxworth, Tony Richardson, Jeff Saturday and Brian Waters. The next step would seem to be an NFL owners meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Chicago. How much new information the group as a whole will have to consider remains to be seen. Some believes a deal could be in place at some point during the next month."
Report: CBA talks almost blew up Tuesday - CBSSports.com: "On Tuesday, a new sense of optimism invaded the NFL world, especially after CBSSports.com’s own Mike Freeman reported that labor negotiations were 80-85 percent complete and that it would be difficult for either side to screw up the progress (naturally, I followed up with a post about how the talks COULD be screwed up). Today, though, there have been tweets here and there dispelling some of the enthusiasm that a new CBA could be forthcoming soon (an example from NFL spokesman Greg Aiello: "As late, legendary George Young said: ‘There is no such thing as close. It’s either done or it isn’t.’")"
NFL talks still moving despite contrary report - CBSSports.com: "On one day, I report that a CBA deal is 80-85 percent complete, and there is guarded optimism. On another day, ESPN reports the talks almost blew up. One day--extreme optimism. Another day--not so much. That's how these talks are going to go. I can't find a single person who says talks nearly "blew up" but that doesn't mean they didn't. It also doesn't mean that a large chunk of progress hasn't been made. Because it has. I've quoted people close to the talks saying a deal was weeks, if not days, away. I always believed late June and early July was the date they'd get this done. That is still a strong possibility, according to several people close to the situation."
2-day talks end; owners, players 'moving forward' - CBSSports.com: "The recent secret meetings between the two sides was almost simultaneously described as "heading in the right direction" and nearly "blowing up." The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle (though the optimist in us likes to think a new deal is "80-85 percent complete"). For now, however, owners and players will retire to their respective corners to reevaluate what just transpired and regroup for future get-togethers. (Note to interested parties: give the lawyers the wrong address for the next round of meetings. Trust us, it's for the best.)"
The Daily Shoutout - CBSSports.com: ""The big problem," he continued, "is for the young players. Rookies use the OTAs and off-season work as a way to help get their timing down with other players. They learn a little about the work ethic it takes to make it in the NFL. They learn the playbook. They learn tempo. Without a real off-season they're going to be way behind.""
The lawyers get the boot, again | ProFootballTalk: "Our instincts, for a change, were right. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the lawyers nearly "blew up the process" on Tuesday. Ultimately, NFLPA* executive director DeMaurice Smith was compelled to instruct Jeffrey Kessler and Jim Quinn to "stand down." And so the lawyers are once again out. What will happen when they inevitably return remains to be seen. At some point, it makes sense to wonder whether the client will hire new lawyers. Or whether the lawyers will find new clients."
Steve Spagnuolo turning Rams defense into one of NFL's best - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com: "Fast forward to today, and Spagnuolo's Rams are quickly following the same statistical blueprint that his Giants first drew up in 2007: they're building a contender around one of the most dominating defensive fronts in the game. The improvements from 2009, Spagnuolo's first year in St. Louis, to 2010 were nothing short of amazing. The 2009 Rams went 1-15 and struggled in all aspects of the game as the worst team in football. The 2010 Rams went 7-9 and were just one win away from making the postseason. In fact, their regular-season finale loss at Seattle was a de facto playoff game -- the winner earned the NFC West title and a spot in the tournament."
Three-Year Pass Blocking Efficiency: Offensive Linemen | ProFootballFocus.com: "Taking the look at pass blocking efficiency another step, Pro Football Focus' Khaled Elsayed examines the past three seasons for individual offensive linemen."
Brady Quinn joins Broncos' player-organized workouts - The Denver Post: "Quinn was one of the NFL's more famous workout warriors when he entered the league out of Notre Dame as a first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2007, but was No. 3 on the depth chart last year behind the veteran Orton and rookie Tebow. Quinn has not been working out with the idea of accepting status quo for the 2011 season. "I want to be No. 1," Quinn said. "I feel they (Orton and Tebow) both had a chance last year and I didn't get an opportunity. I'd love to get an opportunity to help us win games and get this team to the playoffs and see what happens from there.""
Ex-Bears special-teams ace Peterson lands in UFL - chicagotribune.com: "Peterson’s contract with the Bears expired after the 2009 season and he sat out last season, although he did get a small handful of workouts and had a brief stay in training camp with the Seattle Seahawks. Now, the running back is in the fold with a chance to showcase himself for the NFL again. The Destroyers selected Peterson in the third round of the UFL draft last month, 14th overall."
Team checklist: St. Louis Rams | ProFootballTalk: "After a promising 2010 season, the Rams struck gold in the draft with potential franchise pass rusher Robert Quinn. That pick was followed by a number of apparent role-player selections. A rising but still-rebuilding team, St. Louis could benefit from multiple diamond in the rough-type signings as opposed to one star who’d require a blockbuster contract. We suspect they’ll be aggressive in free agency."
Team checklist: Arizona Cardinals | ProFootballTalk: "Losing Kurt Warner hurt. Saying goodbye to Anquan Boldin, Antrel Rolle, and Karlos Dansby only made it worse. The Cardinals have a lot to fix on their roster, and the draft only started the process. Here’s our to-do list for the Cardinals after the lockout ends."
ProFootballWeekly.com - Bushrod gearing up for charity weekend, contract clarity: "While OLT Jermon Bushrod said he hopes to continue playing for the Saints, the lockout is keeping him from settling his contract situation heading into his fifth season. He's a free agent in limbo until the NFL and the NFL Players Association settle their differences. It's a frustrating time for him, but the work stoppage has also given Bushrod the opportunity to focus on other priorities — ones that he said help take his mind off the labor dispute."
Brett Favre: 'I can still throw the ball as well as I ever have' | National Football Post: Oh god. He's definitely coming back.