Seattle Seahawks news, rumors, links, info, interviews, analysis, and more! HUMP DAY. WOOO!
Dream Team: Lessons in NFC West, beyond - NFC West Blog - ESPN: "To the weary, our Dream Team project smells like an attempt to mask the NFL lockout's foul odor with cologne we wouldn't consider wearing during less malodorous times.
The ballots aren't perfect. I'm sure we could justify subbing in a few players into the eight spots set aside for each position. But in looking at the bigger picture, these ballots offer insight into which teams arguably have the most appealing young core players."
49ers Blog and Q&A: 49ers free agents: Who stays? Who goes?: "OLB Manny Lawson. The 49ers signaled their intent last year when Lawson wanted a contract extension and the team didn't give it to him. Furthermore, they took him off the field on the most crucial down for an outside linebacker - third down - during the 2010 season. One more blow to Lawson's potential return: The 49ers used the No. 7 overall pick to draft a player, Aldon Smith, at Lawson's position. Lawson has a unique skill set. He's tall, athletic and fast, skills that make him excellent in pursuit and in pass coverage. He's also been surprisingly stout against the run given his lanky physique. However, he's never been the pass rusher the team envisioned when they used a first-round pick on him in 2006. Lawson would seem to have value as an outside linebacker in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, which means he promises to get plenty of attention on the open market. Bill Parcells reportedly was high on Lawson before the 2006 draft, and the coach who drafted him, Mike Nolan, is the defensive coordinator in Miami. Another AFC East team, the linebacker-needy Patriots, also are a possibility.
The Seahawks might land him. Former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan has sway in Seattle's front office and Lawson has been training in Arizona with 49er-turned-Seahawk Michael Robinson. At this point, there seems to be little chance that he will return to San Francisco."
Clayton doubts Titans appeal to Matt Hasselbeck - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: ""Look at it from Matt Hasselbeck's position," Clayton said. "One, he wants to stay here. Why would he sign a two-year deal at say 10-or-$12 million to go to Tennessee knowing it's just a matter of time -- if Jake Locker picks things up -- [Locker] is going to start? Why would he go to Minnesota to be a nursemaid to Christian Ponder? "Here, depending on what you think about Charlie Whitehurst -- I think there are a lot of thoughts that it's not going to work out -- [Hasselbeck] is only worried about next year's quarterback, and you don't know who the next year's quarterback is."
Hasselbeck, Kolb and QB prospects - NFC West Blog - ESPN: "Highlights and interpretations from Tim Hasselbeck's appearance Tuesday with Brock Huard and Mike Salk on 710ESPN Seattle."
Buyer beware: is Carson Palmer still a capable QB? | National Football Post: "The focus has been on the standoff between the owner and his franchise quarterback. Will the Bengals’ Mike Brown bend to Carson Palmer’s wishes and trade his unhappy passer? Or will Palmer carry out his threat and retire? But an important question should linger for other teams — does Palmer remain a quarterback worth trading for? ICON Is Palmer's value still high despite injuries and a drop in production? Compared to the middling crop of available quarterbacks, Palmer’s credentials — a two-time Pro Bowler and AFC North division champion — stand out. Serious injuries, however, have transformed the talented quarterback into a much less effective player."
Seahawks Blog | So what's the hold-up? Rookie compensation | Seattle Times Newspaper: "The holdup concerns what amounts to the one issue most people agree on: rookie contracts. Specifically, they're too big for top-end picks. This seems like an area that wouldn't be so sticky since most NFL players -- if they're being honest -- will tell you that first-round draft picks, especially those chosen in the top five, are paid more than they should be when compared to men in the league who've proven their bona fides as NFL stars."
Put these six college sleepers on your 'NFL watch list' - NFL - Sporting News: Russ Lande: "Aaron Corp, QB, Richmond. Corp was a highly recruited quarterback who went to Southern Cal as a potential replacement for Mark Sanchez. Corp broke a bone in his leg before the 2008 season, which allowed Matt Barkley to take the job and led Corp transferring to Richmond after the 2009 season. Corp started off well at the beginning of Richmond’s 2010 season and showed the athleticism, arm strength and accurate passing ability that enticed USC. Unfortunately, Corp suffered a severe left knee injury in Richmond’s fifth game, which required season-ending surgery. Corp (6-4) has good athletic ability, a deceptively strong arm and is an accurate passer, all of which give him a chance to make it in the NFL. He will need to prove he can stay healthy for an entire season as a starter, but Corp has the physical talent to jump over a lot of quarterbacks to get into the first three rounds of the 2012 draft."
Big three lead the way in 2011 QB class - NFL - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com: ""First off, you have to love the intangibles with [Barkley]," one general manager told me on the condition of anonymity. "The first guy to ever start [at quarterback] at USC as a true freshman? The first sophomore there at any position to be named a team captain? Are you kidding me? He's a winner. He's Andy Dalton, but with significantly more natural talent. I've heard the comparison to Troy Aikman and I think it is valid." Matt Barkley impresses scouts with his touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio and leadership capabilities. (Getty Images) Comparing Barkley to a three-time Super Bowl winning Hall of Famer is pretty heady stuff. Barkley, however, is not without flaws. He's listed by Southern Cal at 6-2, 220 pounds, but some scouts worry he's smaller. He doesn't have an elite arm and struggles to throw spirals consistently in windy conditions due to less-than-ideal hand size. "[Barkley] is a top talent, don't get me wrong," a west regional scout said, "but there are some physical limitations there. Not everyone loves him as much as you might think.""
Making the Grade - Wide Receivers, 2008-2010 | ProFootballFocus.com: "Last week we shifted our focus to the defensive linemen of the NFL, and this week we’re shifting back to some offensive players. After already looking at the Quarterbacks and Running Backs, next in line are the Receivers, so it’s to them we turn our attention. Now, given how much receiving is a focus on analyzing wide receivers, we’ve altered the weighting of our grades so that all other areas (pass blocking, run blocking and rushing) are worth a quarter that of actual receiving. Also, to cut the field down, we took the average number of snaps from the five who played the most in the past three years, and set the qualifying bar at having played at least 66% as many. With no need for any further intro, let’s get right to this list that considers post season play."
2010 Offensive Line Rankings - Part 1 | ProFootballFocus.com: "22. Seattle Seahawks (2009 Rank: 17th) Run Rank 30th, Pass Rank 3rd, Penalties Rank 22nd The Seahawks just couldn’t get anything going in their run game, hence the need for Marshawn Lynch to enter beast mode. On the plus side none of the players had that many issues in pass protection, with many of them distinguishing themselves. Best Player: So many average to below average players, the best might just be Russell Okung who is the first rookie left tackle in a few years to come out and handle it. If he takes a step up he won’t be too far from some of the better left tackles in the league. Biggest Concern: Time to move on from Chris Spencer? Yes indeed. Is Max Unger going to be the answer?"
NFL.com news: Palmer’s battle with Bengals will come down to who blinks first: "Carson Palmer remains steadfast that he will retire if the Bengals don't trade him before the start of the season. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has said it has no plans to move the veteran quarterback. So we asked our experts, where will Palmer be when the season begins?"
Seattle Seahawks Blog - Hawk Blogger: Hawk Blogger Podcast: Guests Scott Enyeart and Chris Sullivan: "The series of red meat podcasts continues with a deep dive look at safety, defensive line, and linebackers. Also, you will hear how our guests would spend their Seahawks Bucks in free agency, and which players need to step up this season. Enjoy over 90 minutes of serious Seahawk analysis from three guys who had nothing better to do on a Sunday morning. Back by popular demand on the Hawk Blogger podcast is Scott Enyeart who has coached High School and Division I football, and has ties to the Pete Carroll coaching staff. New to the discussion is Chris Sullivan, formerly of Seahawk Addicts, and now author of a great new Seahawks blog, Thirty Acre Fortress. Scott is one of the most informative follows you can do on Twitter, and Chris combines sharp opinions with a sharp wit to make him a must-follow as well for any Seahawks fan."
Cards would be better off with Orton than Kolb - NFL - Yahoo! Sports: "Deservedly or not, Reid probably will get a first-round pick and more, with a bidding war quite possibly developing between the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. Memo to Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll: You might want to reconsider that plan of attack, as you would be doing the Cardinals a huge favor you really could end up regretting down the road."
Does Johnathan Joseph's Value Fall Due To His Injury History? - Cincy Jungle: "Talent-wise, Johnathan Joseph is well-thought of. He's strong against man coverage and a good rush defender (ranked 15th in the NFL amongst all cornerbacks in 2009). With nine interceptions over the past two seasons, Joseph has also posted touchdowns in three of the past four seasons. There's a reason he's the top free agent priority for the Bengals; there's a reason many debate whether or not he's the best free agent cornerback when the new league year begins.
Yet the issue with Joseph isn't his talent. Nor his production. It's injuries. Joseph has missed 12 games in the past three seasons; though he did deal with injuries that he mostly played through in 2007."
NFP Scouting Series: Washington | National Football Post: "For the rest of the summer, the National Football Post will be breaking down every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision to identify which players could warrant the most interest from NFL teams in the 2012 NFL draft. Therefore, today we take a look at the senior class of the Washington Huskies."
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