Seahawks Press Conference: Russell Wilson, Jahri Evans, Pete Carroll on the mic

Russell Wilson:

• Of all the years we've had before, for our first mock game, it was definitely our best mock game we've had in my opinion. Couple of miscues here and there across the board on offense, defense and whatever but a lot of great plays today. Guys are getting signals. Guys are getting plays. Guys are getting first downs. I thought we were great on 3rd down today for the most part. We [first group] had a great drive on offense going 97 yards and scoring a touchdown to Tyler Lockett which is really, really big. I thought we did a great job.
• On what's the biggest adjustment for Russell working with the new centers: Well Justin Britt is doing a phenomenal job. He is communicating really well. He's really physical. He is big and smart. He wants the challenge and he is doing a great job up there. Patrick Lewis I've been used to. I have had so many experiences with him playing in big moments. I think he has done a great job too as well. Joey Hunt has been in there too. He's played a lot of football in college. He's come here and everything translates really easily for him. I think he has done a great job too. The biggest adjustment is Justin Britt is 6'5 and Patrick Lewis is 6'1 or 6'2 probably so the different heights mean I have to bend down a little further for one. That's really the biggest adjustment. Those guys understand the game and they understand what we are trying to do. They are doing a great, great job of that and leading our offensive line.
• On Alex Collins at running back: Alex Collins is a really physical running back and he has played a lot of football at Arkansas. He had a great job today. He has the one miscue but other than that he keeps his head in the game. He's completely into it on every play. He's a hard runner, he's got great feet and he's got great hands too. He's playing really well for us as well.
• On Russell's comfort level in general with the offensive line: I feel great about the offensive line. I think they are looking really good, honestly. They're really confident. They've got a good mix in there. We've got a solid five that have been in there for the most part and then the sixth, seventh, eighth guys that have been coming in there really understood what we are trying to do. They're really taking on the challenge. It's going to be a great year. I am looking forward to it. Looking forward to those guys stepping up to the challenge. Exciting to get Evans too as well. He is a great football player and has been a great football player for a long time. We're excited about having him join the team too as well. We'll see where that goes too. I know coach Cable will have those guys ready to go and then we'll be rolling. It's going to be an exciting year.
• On where the continuity of having his top receivers return this year has shown up this off-season: They've been lights out honestly. Think about the guys; Tyler Lockett, Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin. Duog wasn't able to play today but he's been lights out all camp. Tyler Lockett had a phenomenal day today and Jermaine Kearse made some huge catches today. He made that catch down on the sideline on that go-ball. Those three guys you fully trust in everything that they are doing. I'm excited about getting Kasen Williams and Kevin Smith back out there. Paul Richardson did a great job today. There are so many guys that are coming in and out of the game. Douglas McNeil, Foxx has done a great job in training camp. Hunter caught that deep ball down the field. There are just so many different players that can make plays. It's going to be an exciting preseason. I am looking forward to watching the receivers this preseason making their plays. It will be an exciting group to watch that is for sure.
• On what Russell has been able to see from the three different competitors for the SAM linebacker position battle: Well, without telling too much; I think those guys are uh, they fly around. That's the first thing. They understand the concepts and what they are trying to do on defense. It's going to be an interesting battle at that position. All three of those guys are great players. Mike Morgan is an experienced guy who has played a lot of football a long time. Cassius Marsh has all the talent in the world. Eric Pinkins, I think he runs a 4.4 flat and he's really played well. He's really taken on the challenge of understanding what he is trying to do on defense and at that position. He has made a couple of good plays in the past week that have been really impressive. You're really going to see that on the game field when you get out there and play on Sunday's and how fast those guys play and what they bring to special teams as well.
• On what Russell has seen in Tyler Lockett's development from last year till now: I think Tyler Lockett has always been a great receiver. He's always proven that throughout college. I always tell Tyler like I tell everyone; the field is the same, it's 100 yards and he's proven that throughout his whole college career. He's proven that in his rookie year from the punt returns to the receiving ability to understanding the game. Quick story about Tyler; I workout with the 7 AM group. I usually get there early and we work out and do all that. I make sure I do that every day to keep my body going and to stay fresh and all that. And you know Tyler is in there at 6:45 in the morning catching tennis balls off the little tennis ball shooter. Those are the little things that he does.
• On Hunter catching up to the scrimmage pass quickly: Yeah, I think he runs a 4.3 you know. Hunter had a good day too. It's exciting when you have so many guys out here. You want everybody to do the best. And they showed that today.
• On Russell's evaluation of Boykin and Heaps at this time: They're both great in the classroom and that is the first thing. I think Boykin did a great job today and Heaps has done a great job too as well. Both those guys can make all the throws that they need. It's going to be an exciting preseason to watch those guys too. It's a competition and they're both working hard to make that number two spot and it will be interesting to see.
• On if it is different to not have a veteran quarterback on the team: It's a little different but not in a bad way or necessarily a good way. It's just different I guess. The great part about it is it is continuing to teach. When you teach the concepts and game-plan it also helps you learn. So for me it is a good thing. They'll have to lean on me a little bit more to try to understand what we are trying to do and all that but that's not a negative. I'm looking forward to it. Heaps is a hometown guy and Boykin has played a lot of football too. That number two spot will be an interesting battle throughout preseason and we'll see what happens.

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Jahri Evans:

• On why Evans decided to sign with the Seahawks: It's a great group of guys here. These guys work hard, obviously. You guys know how good they are. They're about winning. I've had ten good years, I have won a lot of games and I've done a lot of good things and it feels good up here. It's a good offense and a good scheme. I'm looking to get to work.
• On if Evans has had some offers over the summer: I took a few visits and had a few phone calls. They chose other guys so I am glad they did.
• On if Evans was surprised there wasn't more interest: A little bit. A little bit. But uh, there is a business side to this thing and I really wasn't worried. Basically just trying to get somewhere that's a good fit and I'm glad to be here.
• On if Evans has been talked to about his role on the Hawks and if it is on the right or left: Nah they haven't. They put me at left guard. I worked on that, a couple of things this off-season so it's really new to me. But that's all I've been doing since I got here.
• On if it is strange for Evans make that move from right to left: It's a little weird but at the end of the day it is football and it is contact every day. I've just got to settle my feet down and just keep working at it.
• On when Evans has played something other than right guard: College maybe. That was left tackle in college for the last two years and I played utility guy first starting off.
• On what Evans did over the summer: It was very unusual. It was the first time I didn't have OTA's. I spent time working out and with friends and family. Made sure I took care of my body and stayed in shape.
• On what time Seattle expressed interest in Evans: My agent was talking to those guys around the draft time. They wanted to see what they could get in the draft and bring along their young guys then they revisited around this time and came up here and made it happen.
• On what is different about the Seahawks scheme compared to what he played in New Orleans: A lot more running, which is great. Pretty much the same thing. It's a little faster paced in on the running, you know, outside stuff. It's pretty similar just called differently. More running and being able to run the same run play over and over again and not just plug in a run play here and there. Definitely just more running.
• On if Evans has had a chance to talk to Max Unger since he got here: No not yet but I played with Max last year, great guy. Plan on giving him a call soon.
• On if Evans reached out to Jimmy to get a feel for the Seahawks before he signed: Yeah, yeah. Called Jimmy a few times this off-season. He loves it here and I played with Brandon [Browner] last year and a couple of other guys a couple of years back in the pro-bowl. Talked to Jimmy this off-season about it, it's a first class organization. I'm glad to be here and take advantage of everything that is going on around here.
• On if Evans was looking to go to a team that would win something: Most definitely, most definitely. Definitely wanted to go to a team that was going to work hard every day and build to get to that next step obviously. Ya'll know the success around here and what the goal is but I definitely wanted to be a part of something like that.
• On where Evans feels he is as a player at this point, on what he can still do out there: I feel great. I still feel like I am a top guard in this league if not the best. It is what it is. Going out there to work hard and show it on the field. The eye in the sky doesn't lie. I've been asked to do a lot of things in New Orleans that I probably won't be asked to do here. That's a little bit different. Looking to go out there and work hard.
• On what Evans heard about Tom Cable before he got to Seattle: All good things. I know he is a real good offensive line coach and a head coach a little while back. I never met him before I got here. He's very knowledgeable about the game.
• On how Evans would assess the way he played last season: Uh, I played pretty good. I took a hit second week and that kinda altered my season a little bit but I bounced back, was able to come back and get back out there with the guys. Just got dinged up a few times which is just unfortunate but I think I played well.
• On if the Seahawks have talked to Evans about being that experienced veteran for this young group on offensive line: Most definitely. Being a small school guy coming in 2006 and being thrown in there having not played guard before is kinda the same thing these guys are going through. Basically trying to lead by example. Show these guys how to be pros and take care of their bodies because they are the future of this team. They are some big guys and they got some good attributes about them so just here to get to work.

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Pete Carroll:

• On how the mock game went: I thought we were a little raggedy for a while there and I need to do a better job organizing. We had coaches in the headsets for the first time and they couldn't hear me talking to them so I'm running around and I couldn't get anything done. So we finally get going in the second half of that thing and it worked out better. Good hard work today. This is a day that we needed. A lot of players got into the 70's [snaps?] in their numbers. Which is a good work day for us. This is kinda the culmination of the first phase and I'm really anxious to see the film and see how we did and see what the guys look like. We come back Tuesday and within a day or so we will kick it into game week. So it really gets real in a hurry. I'm anxious to see where we are.
• On Collins having a mixed day, scoring but also having a fumble: Yeah, I want to see the film and see how that happened. The play looked like it was over. He did a good job. He got a lot of work today. It was good to see him. Unfortunately Christina Michael came in sick today and so he didn't get his work. It was a big day for Alex [Collins] to get the shot. We'll be getting a little healthier here coming back Tuesday so it will look a little different to us.
• On how Alex Collins has done in camp in terms of ball security: He's done great. That was the first time the ball came out. He's done a really good job and he's been very secure. But we're trying to do everything can to knock it out too. We've been pounding on these guys every day. I'm anxious to see how that [fumble] happened.
• Regarding Thomas Rawls status: He is off the PUP list. We'll be working him back into practice next week. He looks like he is really ready to go. He is really anxious about it. He has been working very hard. I don't know if we'll be able to work him as hard in practice as they have been rehabbing him. So he should be ready to go. We're not gonna rush him at all. We'll take our time and get him to feel his confidence and get that back. But it's great to see him back out there. I know it means a lot to him too. He has worked so hard to get here now. He finally crosses this threshold where he's back with his teammates so it's a good deal.
• If Jimmy Graham is close to coming back as well: Um, yes, yes, but they are totally different injuries and rehabs and all that so it's not like they can parallel or anything. They both have worked extremely hard but we are going to take a little bit more time with Jimmy.
• On how Pete sees new signee Evans fitting in: Hopefully he fits in well as we always say. I really like the experience that he brings to us and the leadership he has had in the past maybe a factor for us, we don't know. Right now he is competing for playing time. To have a guy like that with that type of experience to mix with our group I think is, we are very fortunate. This is a guy that has done everything you can do in a game and we are thrilled he wants to come play with us so we're happy to have him.
• On why they would want to add a guy like that now: Just as we progress through camp the sense of urgency changes, for the players too. He wants to get into camp and get working. He really liked our team. He likes our players and the makeup and because of that he made it possible that we could get him.
• On what Evans in this short amount of time has to show Pete to make an impact: Just play ball. Play ball. It's not really a short time, he missed a few days of camp so we'll have a long time to figure it out we'll not rush to this one at all. He's gotta get into our kind of shape and get ready. He's been sitting at home and we go at a pretty good clip here so we'll see how it works out. I think it is a real interesting opportunity for us to bring him in. He has not been told he is the starter or anything like that. He's been brought in to compete hoping he will add to a level of our play.
• On if Pete projects him at left guard which he was at today: He has been a career right guard. We're going to make sure we see him at left guard and develop that so we see what kind of flexibility that we have. He will also play right guard in his attempt to compete and all that. I don't think it would be fair to leave him at left guard the whole time with all the background he has had playing on the other side. We'll look at him at both and we'll start him on the left side to get that going and see what that looks like.
• On Pete's sense of the running back position with so many backs out: Yeah there were just a couple of guys that could do anything. Cameron Marshall and Pope, those guys got some nice work. They did a couple of nice little things. They made some nice runs out there. It's a great opportunity for those guys. Zac [Brooks] should come back in a couple of days. Christine will be back out there, he's fine, he was just ill today. C.J. [Prosise] is probably [back] by the end of this week coming up. I don't think he can make it for game time but the next week he should be ready to go which is a really big deal for us. We really have high hopes that we can get a good look at him. The running back situation is going to keep moving as the guys keep coming back to us.
• On what Pete thinks about what he has seen so far from Glowinski and Ifedi at guard: I really like what they've done. With the combination with Britt it has been an impressive camp so far. I'm surprised that they're together, communicating really well. Justin [Britt] did a great job in the off-season, he and Glow worked out the whole time and they really seem like they are on the same page. Germain; we have done everything we can with him. He's a fantastic prospect. So we have really high hopes it is going to come along. We need it to come along quickly, is what we'd like to get done. I really think it is going to happen.
• On what the coaches learned last year in regards to how they played the first half on the offensive line: It took us a while to get squared away at center. You know, it is such a crucial position. It was a lot to ask Drew [Nowak] and when you go back and look at it when Patrick [Lewis] came in and filled in we did a little better. He certainly settled us down some. The way we initiated the go around didn't come out as good as we'd like and we got better. We improved decisively once we got going.
• On the status of Kevin Smith and Kasen Williams who sat out today: Both have hamstrings that are bothering them.
• On Jordan Hill's status: He is really close to being back. He should be on the field Tuesday. Think he has a little groin thing.
• On Frank Clark's status: Yeah he practiced some today. He practiced a little bit yesterday and today because we didn't want to overdo it. He will be full go on Tuesday.
• Pete's thoughts on Tyler Lockett today: He did really well. Not sure how many balls he caught today but he just continues, he is a terrific player. He just does everything. He does all of the short stuff. He does all the stuff inside. He's had a really good look at the inside spot with Doug being down which is great for his development. He can do everything. He is a big factor for us.
• On the status of Doug Baldwin and Kam Chancellor: Kam should be back Tuesday and Doug we have to wait and see. Doug got stepped on his achilles and it's an unusual injury. It's just taken him some time to get the soreness out of there. It's not a long lasting thing we don't think at all. There's no damage to his achillies or anything it was just stepped on and got bruised.
• On what Pete has seen from Tanner McEvoy: I think he looks more like an offensive player. We took at a look at him, because he's such a special athlete. We threw the ball to him before we left for the break [end of OTA's] and he's just a very natural catcher and is almost 6'6 at 235 [pounds] right now. A very natural player and he learns really well, tough, and we're trying to find some factor for him on special teams as well. He's going to be a very competitive guy. I'm really excited about him. You know you hear me always talk about the unique guys, well he's that guy that's way bigger than everybody else and we'll see how he fits it and if we can find a role for him and some special things we can do with him. We've had big guys in the past and really liked it so he's going to get a really good look.
• On fullback Jonathan Amosa out there playing today: Yeah, he had to jump because Tani has that big ball on his hand right now [cast] and he's not doing a very good job catching the ball right now because of it. Although we still keep trying, it's just our diligence we keep throwing it to him [laughs]. Make him make miraculous one handed catches. Jonathan did well for his first time out. He showed well in the workout we had a couple of days ago and he did okay yesterday. For him to be playing that is a good statement. He's going to get a great look. We'll see how that goes.
• Thoughts on the SAM linebacker competition: It's going well. It's really going well. Michael Morgan is doing a really good job. We're very confident in his play. He can handle everything about the position. Cassius is doing a good job there too but probably the biggest surprise is Eric Pinkins is really doing well. He's the fastest the guy and he's kinda the flashiest guy. Remember he's was a defensive back at times that we moved in so his coverage skills are really good. He has been very, very physical and he looks very good on special teams as well. He's an exciting player for us and he's going to play a ton in the preseason and we'll figure it out about a month from now.
• On Pete's general feel for the offensive line: We're really excited we're ahead of where we thought we should be at this time. We've been through this before. The guys seem really connected. We've had some flexibility. Brad Sowell has given us some flexibility by being able to play on both sides. We know Garry [Gilliam] can play on both sides. Of course we need all of these weeks. This week in preparation for the Kansas City game is huge. We like what we see. We are very big and physical right now. We love that part about it. Britt is really big at center. You can't get bigger than Germain and J'Marcus is huge and both Garry and Brad are big guys on their side too so we've got a lot of size. Glowinski is not the biggest guy but he might be the toughest guy we have so we're really excited about where it is going. I hope it is going to be really good right away.
• On Pete's comfort level with Boykin so far: Every time I am asked that I contemplate first because I don't want to go too far too fast. He's done a great job. He really is a good football player. I think why I say that is because I have watched him play so much and he did such great things when he played in college. Why wouldn't he do those things here if he can make the transition? Well he is making that transition. But we'll need to see him play in these games and he's gonna have to log a bunch of snaps so we can get to the point where we can understand what he is really going to do. But he can throw it, he can run it, he's smart, he handles the huddle well, he's got good demeanor about the way he handles, he's a really cool competitor. That has to translate into our games, we'll see. But he's done a great job.
• On if Pete wants to get a look at Ifedi at right tackle at some point: Um, that may come up here down the road a little bit but not right now. We're gonna really dig in with him at right guard but we certainly know he can do that but we just don't want to confuse the issue right now. We really want to get him to focus but before camp is over he'll play some right tackle for us. To check him out.
• On how much J'Marcus Webb was affected by the time he missed during OTA's: Some. Yeah some. We would know more about him. I think we could have progressed him a little quicker than we have at this point. But he sees it and we are really zeroed in on what we want to do. He is a really good pass protector and we have seen that already, we've seen that on film and he's done a nice job here. We need to get him to adapt to our run game and our style. That is where all the focus is going. He's a big man. Those two guys together are monsters on the right side and hopefully that will continue to grow and they'll function well together.
• On if Pete sees Tye Smith playing on the outside: Yeah, yeah he is primarily playing on the outside but eventually he will be able to play some nickel. He's done a little bit of that. He's a good ball player. He had a really good off-season. He is a lot stronger than he was last year, he put on a few pounds and all. He's developed well and he's battling. Really good battle going on out there at corner. Notice we got Shead and Sherman out of there [scrimmage game] today just because we needed more turns for the other guys to get more film. Let the competition go so it's a good spot for us right now.
• On if Pete wants to move Odhiambo more now: Tom Cable has already put him at right tackle some. He's played left tackle also. He got a couple of snaps there too. Now that we are kinda settling in there will be some work done just to make sure we know what out flexibility is.
• On the status of Goodley and Foxx: Goodley has a hamstring and Foxx did a hamstring today.

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My Thoughts:

• This was a ton of information and there is so much that can be gleaned from it but I just don't want to. So much is up in the air and I will just wait and see how things look during our first preseason game in seven days. It is then that we will gather some valuable information regarding who is playing with the first team offense and defense. We will also see each player play at their position and we can then judge their quality of play in a real full speed, full contact game.