Seattle Seahawks news, rumors, links, info, interviews, analysis, and more! Yes, it's the weekend. Enjoy the reading below with a good cup of coffee or maybe some Hair of the Dog. I recommend a Bloody Mary.
Cooper Carlisle - Oakland Raiders - 2011 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com: "The Raiders can save $2.1 million in salary cap space by releasing RG Cooper Carlisle after the lockout. Carlisle was a favorite of former coach Tom Cable for his zone-blocking skills, but the Raiders are transitioning to more of a standard, power-running system. Oakland is expected to be more than $10 million over the projected 2011 salary cap. Once he's released, Carlisle could be a fall-back option at left guard in Seattle if Cable doesn't land free agent Robert Gallery."
Mike Sando talks Seahawks' QB situation - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: "Sando thinks there's a much better chance that Charlie Whitehurst, who was 1-1 in two starts for the Seahawks last season, will be Seattle's starter in 2011. Whitehurst is the only quarterback the Seahawks have under contract for next season. "I would not close the door on Matt Hasselbeck coming back but ... it's a new regime there and they aren't as invested in the past as the fans of the team are and I think they are more willing to, if they don't see the guy who's the answer, just try and get through next season with Charlie Whitehurst and somebody else who necessarily isn't the long-term franchise guy. So I could see that definitely happening.""
NFL: Salary cap could pose issues for these teams - ESPN: "For the first time in two years, NFL front offices are putting on their salary caps as owners and players try to pound out a labor agreement. That's why it's vital to forge an agreement that preserves the preseason. Both sides know the impact on the salary cap if revenues shrink. If all goes well, a deal may be reached in time to save the Pro Football Hall of Fame game and the rest of the preseason. Whatever the outcome of successful talks, the 2011 salary cap will be less than it was in 2009, when teams operated with $127 million of cap room."
Pass Rushing Productivity - Third and Fourth Downs | ProFootballFocus.com: "First and ten. The defensive end puts a spin move on the tackle, gets to the quarterback and you’ve got yourself a seven yard loss. The only problem being the offense recovers, picks up another first down and goes on to score a touchdown. Third and five. Defensive end puts a spin move on a tackle, hurries the quarterback into making a throw when he’s not ready. End result an incompletion and the punt unit is coming onto the field. You see pressure is always important, but never more so than in those get-off-the-field situations. So that’s why today we’ll be applying our Pass Rushing Productivity measure (hits and hurries worth three quarters of sacks, divided by the number of pass-rushing snaps and multiplied by 100) to passing plays on third and fourth downs."
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Walkthrough: Peloton: "Transition With the NFL lockout slowly drawing to a conclusion (knock on desktop), the league released "Transition Rules" on Monday, a truncated schedule of offseason business activities that would allow training camps to open more-or-less on time. The schedule is tight -- a three-day window for teams to re-sign their own players, a four-day window to match free-agent offer sheets, some two-hour windows for sleep. Still, the transition schedule could have been even tighter. An unnamed, unverified, probably nonexistent source leaked a proposed schedule that allows teams to conduct all of their offseason activities in just 18 hours! In the event that talks stall yet again, general managers may have to get six months of work done in one whirlwind day:"
Labor Update: 2011 salary cap set at $120 million - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports: "With many of the pieces in place for a new collective bargaining agreement, it's time for the NFL and players to get to work setting certain numbers — including and especially the per-season player compensation under the new agreement. A new salary cap must be put in place after the capless season of 2010, and the new cash-to-cap guarantees (which will require teams to spend anywhere from 90 to 100 percent of the cap number on player costs) will have some owners spending more than they have in many years … or ever."
Report: Rookies will get '40-50%' less in 2011 - CBSSports.com: "At the beginning of the lockout (in the long, long ago), the rookie-wage scale wasn't something too many people worried about. After all, lowering the amount of guaranteed money given to risky rookies was a sensible move for both sides. The wage scale, however, popped up as an issue in later stages of negotiations. Fortunately, both sides found common ground and, as our own Mike Freeman reported on Thursday, worked out the "basic parameters of a rookie-wage scale proposal.""
Top 10 Undrafted Free Agents: Defense " NFL Mocks | Covering the 2012 NFL drafts, Mock Draft Database, Scouting Reports, and Fantasy Football: "James Harrison, Pat Williams, London Fletcher, and Adewale Ogunleye all have something in common. No, it’s not that they are all great players. None of the above players were chosen on their respective draft day. Despite that setback, each has gone on to have very good careers proving that draft status is not the final indication of talent and potential. With that being said, there were a slew of defensive players who were not drafted this year, but could easily be starters down the road."
Seattle Seahawks Blog - Hawk Blogger: ESPN Radio Discusses This Blog (pigs are flying somewhere): "I got a pleasant surprise after getting back from a brief fishing trip this morning. A few folks on Twitter told me that our friend Mike Salk was discussing my post on Super Bowl winning quarterbacks on ESPN Radio. Sure enough, I downloaded the podcast and there was a great discussion of my findings. What was even better is that Salk and Matt Pittman understood the point of the post, and it had a similar impact on their desire to acquire a QB via trade or free agency that it did on me. That, my friends, is why I write this blog. Awesome stuff."
Free Agent OL Tyson Clabo Wants to Stay in Atlanta " NFL Gridiron Gab: "Ledbetter adds that the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks are expected to bid on Clabo. Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network also named the Seahawks as a potential bidder on Clabo, but after using first-round picks in back-to-back years on offensive tackles Russell Okung and James Carpenter, Seattle may view Clabo as a guard."
NFL.com news: Players, owners reach agreement on economics of deal: "NFL players and owners arrived at 9 a.m. ET for Friday's labor negotiations, with an eye on building off momentum gathered during Thursday's marathon session. Friday is also July 15 -- the date where some internal deadlines to save the preseason in its natural form have sat for months. With the league's objective of presenting the full ownership group a completed proposal in Atlanta next Thursday, that deadline may be flexible, but the urgency has been turned up."
Seahawks should monitor Moreno’s predicament " Seahawks Draft Blog: "In 2009 I talked up Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno a lot. He graded highly as a runner, receiver and blocker for the Bulldogs – registering 2736 rushing yards in two years of starting, 645 receiving yards and 32 total touchdowns. Moreno had a knack of making big plays, falling forwards under contact and playing with an edge you want to see from a big name running back. Friend of the blog and talented scout Kyle Rota graded Moreno very highly, complemented his vision and inside running ability and projected a positive NFL future:"
7/14: Why Redskins would want Matt Hasselbeck - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: "In Thursday's Wrap Up video, Brock Huard reacts to what ESPN NFL reporter Sal Paolantonio said about the Redskins being a possible destination for free agent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck."
Seahawks Blog | Take 2: Why isn't honesty the best policy? | Seattle Times Newspaper: "We don't want honesty from professional athletes. We really don't, and we should just come right out and say that. That would be the truly honest thing to do before dissecting all the different things that Steelers linebacker James Harrison really shouldn't have said to a "Men's Journal" reporter. Harrison referred to commissioner Roger Goodell as a crook and a puppet, and asserted that were the commissioner aflame, he wouldn't spare a drop of urine to douse the blaze. Harrison wasn't done. He ripped teammates Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall, he implied an opponent used steroids, called the commissioner a "devil" and he used a homophobic slur."
The ever-popular Brandon Mebane - NFC West Blog - ESPN: "Those clamoring for news on the NFL free agency front will have to settle for projections until the lockout finally does end. There's been no shortage of them on ESPN.com regarding Brandon Mebane. The Seattle Seahawks' defensive tackle would make sense for the St. Louis Rams, in my view. Colleague Pat Yasinskas sees Mebane fitting well with the Carolina Panthers. But those teams could face competition from the Chicago Bears, Kevin Seifert posits.
Brandon Mebane has spent the first four seasons of his career with the Seahawks. The Seahawks also remain in play, but Mebane has gone through this offseason feeling as though a departure from Seattle was likely. "I feel like I wasn’t in their plans," Mebane told Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune two months ago. "And I feel like I have that right to think that because I got a third-round tender. If they really wanted me, they had plenty of time to do what they had to do. Me personally, from my experience, I don’t think I was in their plans. I would love to come back here, but I don’t know what their plans are.""
Chat wrap: Paging James Harrison, or not - NFC West Blog - ESPN: "Steve from Raleigh, N.C., asks whether Marshawn Lynch will top 1,000 yards in 2011, and whether Matt Hasselbeck will have a strong season.
Mike Sando: Lynch averaged 71.8 yards per game over a six-game stretch ending with the Seahawks' victory over New Orleans in the wild-card round. That type of production would project to about 1,150 yards over a 16-game season. I think it's reasonable to expect improved play from the offensive line and a strong commitment to the run in a post-Jeremy Bates offense (I am not faulting Bates for his approach, but rather acknowledging Pete Carroll's intent to run the ball more as one reason the team changed coordinators). Justin Forsett will command some touches, too, so that could affect Lynch's totals. I think Lynch has a decent shot at 1,000 this season, but I'd take the under if forced to bet. Matt Hasselbeck has not had a good year in some time. I don't expect him to suddenly start having good years, based on his age and supporting cast. But the new offensive system would suit him."
Dave Krieg's Strike Beard: Blue Ruin: My 2004 Seahawks Story: "In March of 2004, my favorite movie of all time came out- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (and I'm not alone in my adoration of the film). If you haven't seen it yet, you should- It's even available on Netflix Instant Streaming. This line from that AV Club "Best of the 00s" list nicely sums up why the film hit me (and others) so hard: "Eternal Sunshine’s lovers' circular path brings them back together for an ending that’s ambiguous but guardedly hopeful about the possibility of a future not necessarily doomed to reprise the hurt of the past, though it also may well revisit the same mistakes. It’s the rare film that shows us who we are now and who we’re likely, for better or worse, forever to be."
Later that year, Seahawks fans would endure the most frustrating, maddening, painful 9-7 division-winning season any NFL team is likely to experience. Much of that year was a string of horrifying, gut-punch defeats that would be great targets for Lacuna's technology featured in Eternal Sunshine- But I'm here to tell you that this season gives us invaluable insight into the psyche of Seahawks fans. As much as those who lived through 2004 might like to erase it from our memories, it is a part of us, as much as 2005 or 1983."
NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive For many, jury is still out on Kevin Kolb: ""I think we just need to slow down (on Kolb)," said analyst Jamie Dukes. "Kolb did some nice things. But looking at his numbers, he’s done some bad things, too. There are some questions about durability, as well, with him. Before we get carried away … offering a first-round pick? I’m not convinced that’s something I would want to do. I’m just not convinced, right now, from what I’ve seen in his body of work (that you give up a ransom) because this is ’the guy.’""
Sense of urgency has arrived | National Football Post: "Today is a big day: my anniversary. Oh, and yes, the NFL might resolve its two-year labor dispute as well. NFL Owners and Players are now acting with a sense of purpose. As someone in the meetings told me last night: "The sense of urgency has arrived." Deadlines spur action. The two sides have found common ground on the rookie pay dispute, which remained arguably the largest obstacle to settling their longstanding differences. The light at the end of the NFL's labor unrest tunnel is approaching; although, important issues remain which require resolution before an agreement in principle is reached. Here are some of the latest details emerging from the settlement discussions currently taking place in a Manhattan law firm."
Breaking down Moss vs. Revis | National Football Post: "On Thursday, I talked about Randy Moss heading into the 2011 season. What type of player will we need to see in training camp if we are going to buy into the comments from his agent that the WR is ready to play at a high level? Today, let’s look at an example of what Moss can do outside of the numbers when he is in a one-on-one situation—and playing good football. Check out the video replay of Moss from early in the season with the Patriots vs. the Jets Darrelle Revis. Then we will get into some coaching points to break it down."
Detroit Lions are rated as NFL’s most disappointing team | Puget Sound Business Journal: "The Detroit Lions were red-hot during the 1950s, winning National Football League championships in 1952, 1953 and 1957. They haven't won since."
Report: Feldman suspended for role in Leach book - CBSSports.com: "Mike Leach's new book, Swing Your Sword, was released Thursday, and Leach's co-author on the book was famed scribe Bruce Feldman (The Meat Market, 'Cane Mutiny). Small problem: Feldman also writes for ESPN.com's Insider section, and that may prove to be something of an issue when Leach's book contains a litany of complaints against ESPN on-air personality Craig James for his role in getting Leach fired from Texas Tech."
Bruce Feldman's Suspension, ESPN, And An Order For Watermelons All Around - SBNation.com: "Bruce Feldman's suspension from ESPN has nothing to do with Craig James' godlike powers, and everything to do with giant infants in business suits."
ESPN Says Bruce Feldman Is Not, Was Never Suspended For Co-Authoring Mike Leach Book - SBNation.com
After reports that college football writer Bruce Feldman was suspended by ESPN, the network now says Feldman was not, and is not, suspended.
Players' secret fund could have sparked NFL lockout talks - Jim Trotter - SI.com: "From the moment he was elected executive director of the NFL Players Association in March 2009, DeMaurice Smith always took the long view when it came to negotiations with the owners on a new collective bargaining agreement. Hope for the best, plan for the worst."
Potential mid and late-round rookie impact players | National Football Post: "The lockout has dramatically hurt the chances of many rookies to contribute in 2011. But because of team needs and injuries there will be a good amount of rookies who do in fact have to contribute. How well they play remains to be seen. Coaches will say that the rookies have missed too much work and they won’t be able to trust them in game situations. By today’s standards that’s true — teams can’t afford mistakes made by anyone, let alone a rookie, but it hasn’t always been that way. When I started in the league in 1984 there was no offseason program and no OTA’s but rookies still found a way to play and make significant contributions. My, how money has changed things!"
NFL.com news: Tate's tweets question NASCAR driver Johnson's athleticism: "Jimmie Johnson has two titles he's especially proud to have linked to his name. NASCAR champion. AP Male Athlete of the Year. Pick Six: Let's play the Twitter feud! Where do LeSean McCoy and Osi Umenyiora rank in the pantheon of tweet tit-for-tats? Adam Rank selects the best -- and some of the worst, too. More... Yes, that's right. The five-time champion driver is an athlete, too. Johnson was swept into a brief Twitter feud this week because of his inclusion as a nominee for male athlete of the year at the ESPY Awards. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate posted on his account, "Jimmy johnson up for best athlete???? Um nooo .. Driving a car does not show athleticism." Tate continued to tweak Johnson, angering NASCAR fans. Tate later posted, "12th man get these rednecks off me.""