Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thursday

Crazy couple of days, now what I'm saying?

Seahawks still buzzing after deal for Percy Harvin | National Football Post
Versatile playmaker gives Seattle big boost

Christian Ponder doesn’t care what Percy Harvin thinks | ProFootballTalk
"The thing is, there’s no quote strictly from Percy that he was the one saying it," Ponder said. "I haven’t put too much thought into it. If that was his opinion, that’s unfortunate. But he’s a Seahawk now, so it doesn’t really matter."

Bob McGinn - Packers' free agents: Observations from scouts
Several NFL executives in personnel were asked by the Journal Sentinel to evaluate the Packers' unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, players that failed to receive a minimum tender and players that have been cut recently.

Sports Radio Interviews " Blog Archive " Percy Harvin Refutes Reports that He had Trouble With Coaching Staff in Minnesota
Percy Harvin joined KJR in Seattle with Dave "Softy" Mahler to discuss having the uncertainty of where he’d play in 2013 behind him, why he’s no longer in Minnesota, what role he envisions in Seattle and why he should continue to return kickoffs despite the Seahawks reportedly giving him a lucrative new six-year, $67 million deal worth more than $25 million guaranteed.

Steve Hutchinson and the Overlooked Value of Guards in the NFL - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
Lost amid all of yesterday’s free-agent chatter was the news that after 12 seasons, Steve Hutchinson’s NFL career is over. Ray Lewis and Tony Gonzalez were the names oft-mentioned this offseason when discussing all-time greats walking away from the game, but Hutchinson belongs in any conversation about the best players of the past 10 years. A seven-time All-Pro and a member of the NFL’s ’00s All-Decade Team, Hutchinson isn’t just one of the best guards of his era — he’s one of the best guards of all-time.

Percy Harvin one more versatile piece to the Seahawks puzzle
When Percy Harvin was introduced as the newest Seahawk on Tuesday, it quickly became apparent that the versatile Harvin was the player the team wanted and the Seahawks were the team that Harvin wanted.

49ers free agency news: Glenn Dorsey signs, per Schefter - Niners Nation
We take a look at the news that the 49ers have signed their first free agent of the offseason, former Chiefs DT Glenn Dorsey.

2013 Pro Days: Notes from Alabama, Cincinnati, Oklahoma, and Michigan State’s Pro Day
The Pro Day circuit is in full swing now in mid-March. On March 13th alone, we have four major Pro Days in Alabama, Cincinnati, Oklahoma, and Michigan State, with more than 80 pro team representatives at the four combined.

Listen to podcast - Pod Player - MyNorthwest.com
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll joins "Brock and Salk" in studio to talk the Percy Harvin acquisition, his work with We Day, and Salk's departure.

Most eyebrow-raising contracts early in free agency - NFL.com
At $35.1 million with $19 million in guarantees over five years, the Rams are paying a premium for potential over production. Rolling those dice often comes back to haunt in the first wave of free agency.

2013 Draft: Underrated Williams rocks Alabama pro day - CBSSports
Bull-strong defensive tackle Jesse Williams set many pens to paper at Alabama's pro day Wednesday in Tuscaloosa. A star attraction at the combine -- he did 30 reps of 225 when many were projecting as many as 50 -- Williams stood out again in the presence of dozens of scouts Wednesday, when all 32 teams were represented.

Seahawks sign Cliff Avril " Seahawks Draft Blog
Hands up who thought the Seahawks wouldn’t do all that much in free agency?

What we learned on Day 2 of NFL free agency - NFL.com
Gregg Rosenthal breaks down Day 2 of NFL free agency, from high-profile departures to great bargains to the emotional New England Patriots. Also, what's next on Day 3?

Jason Jones, Detroit Lions agree to three-year contract - NFL.com
The Detroit Lions love defensive tackles. Now they've added Jason Jones to the Ndamukong Suh-Nick Fairley rotation. It's also a homecoming of sorts for Jones.

Drew Stanton joins Arizona Cardinals; Kevin Kolb out? - NFL.com
The Arizona Cardinals soon have to make a decision on Kevin Kolb's future. If they can't work out a new contract, another option now is in place after Wednesday's addition of Drew Stanton.

For the Trufants, playing in the NFL is a family matter
First, there was Marcus. Then, it was Isaiah. Now Desmond is about to become the third Trufant brother to play cornerback in the NFL, and he improved his draft stock again Wednesday at the Huskies’ Pro Day.

Report: Nnamdi Asomugha, 49ers have mutual interest - NFL.com
Nnamdi Asomugha and the San Francisco 49ers share interest, Matt Maiocco of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reports. The veteran cornerback's career could be revived under veteran-happy coach Jim Harbaugh.

Most eyebrow-raising contracts in NFL free agency - NFL.com
While the NFL's winningest organizations sit out the first wave of free agency, the funny money is flowing. Which contracts have the Around the League crew raising an eyebrow?

Seattle strikes again | National Football Post
Two days after trading for Percy Harvin, the Seahawks come out swinging once again by acquiring DE Cliff Avril.

Scout Talk | National Football Post
Front office men talk about their

Welker, replaced? Danny Amendola agrees to five-year contract with New England Patriots | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
Well, that didn't take long. Just a couple hours after it was announced that Wes Welker took his talents to Denver, the New England Patriots signed former St. Louis Rams slot receiver Danny Amendola to a five-year, $31 million deal with $10 million guaranteed. The deal was first reported by NFL.com's Albert Breer.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers reach agreement with Pro Bowl safety Dashon Goldson | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reeled in their priority target in free agency, agreeing to terms on a five-year deal with former San Francisco 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Goldson's deal is worth $41.25 million and includes $22 million in guaranteed money.

Character Guys Episode 1: Bumps in the Road | National Football Post
We tell the stories of William Hollis, a DE/MLB whose story will move and inspire you, and 30-year old WR prospect and former Marine, Brandon O'Brien.

Digging deeper into draft probabilities | National Football Post
Tony Villiotti takes a closer look at the draft by position

Judgements: Deals show outside WRs more valued than slot receivers - NFL - CBSSports.com News, Rumors, Scores, Stats, Fantasy
Right now the receivers are catching big money. But, as Clark Judge notes, the recent deals prove this much: It doesn't pay (as much) to be a slot receiver.

2013 NFL Draft: After striking quickly, Pats can focus on DBs - CBSSports
There are a number of candidates the Patriots could target at No. 29 overall who could boost the play in their secondary. Even better, the depth at cornerback and safety continues into day two.

Glenn Dorsey and 3-4 questions for 49ers - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The San Francisco 49ers probably are not going to overhaul their defensive scheme to accommodate newly added tackle Glenn Dorsey. Initial reports suggest Dorsey will help fill the void created by nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga's departure to the Philadelphia Eagles. In that case, Dorsey would also provide insurance at defensive end in the 49ers' 3-4 scheme.

Initial thoughts on Cliff Avril and Seahawks - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Former St. Louis Rams receiver Danny Amendola's five-year contract agreement with New England comes as no surprise after Wes Welker left the Patriots for Denver. The two-year agreement between Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril and the Seattle Seahawks? That one was tougher to see coming given perceptions about price and uncertainties relating to a potential role within the defense. Thoughts on Avril and the Seahawks:

A look at the best receivers to change teams
The craziness continues, with Wes Welker signing with the Denver Broncos being the big story of day two of the league year. The Patriots responded by signing Danny Amendola, the least surprising move since Brandon Lloyd joined Josh McDaniels in New England last year. Arguably the biggest move so far this week has been Mike Wallace joining Dolphins, while Greg Jennings still seems likely to move on from Green Bay. Throw in Percy Harvin to Seattle and Anquan Boldin to San Francisco, and we’re seeing a lot of movement among the top receivers this year. Which gives me an opportunity to do a quick data dump on the best receivers to ever switch teams.

Pro Days: Bell, Jordan snatch passes, spotlight at MSU workout - CBSSports
After conducting virtually all of the timed drills at the combine last month, Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell only ran the long shuttle (11.46) and went through positional drills during the Spartans' Pro Day. Nevertheless, he caught the attention of one scout willing to speak anonymously following the workout.

2013 Draft: Underrated Williams rocks Alabama pro day - CBSSports
Bull-strong defensive tackle Jesse Williams set many pens to paper at Alabama's pro day Wednesday in Tuscaloosa.

Pro Day: Strong positional workouts the story at UCLA - CBSSports
After strong performances at the Senior Bowl and combine, UCLA stars Datone Jones and Johnathan Franklin knew they didn't have to do much at their Pro Day in terms of timed workouts and they didn't, choosing instead to focus on positional drills.

What veterans did the eventual Super Bowl Champs add in the prior offseason?
Happy New Year to the NFL, which opened for business at 4PM yesterday. It’s been a busy couple of days, as the Seahawks (Percy Harvin) and 49ers (Anquan Boldin) acquired veteran receivers a day before the floodgates opened. The Dolphins made the biggest waves yesterday by signing WR Mike Wallace and ILB Dannell Ellerbe from AFC North heavyweights, and then later released ILB Karlos Dansby and signed OLB Philip Wheeler from the Raiders. The Colts chose to go quantity over quality by signing four different players (G Donald Thomas from New England, OLB/Colin Kaepernick turnstile Erik Walden from Green Bay, T Gosder Cherilus from Detroit, and DE Lawrence Sidbury from Atlanta). The Ravens lost Paul Kruger to Cleveland but did sign former Giants DE Chris Canty.

Plays are a sure thing, but can Harvin hold that smile? | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
Percy Harvin’s Everything-is-Beautiful visit to Seattle on Tuesday went a lot better than the last one did, when he accompanied the Minnesota Vikings into CenturyLink Field for a 2012 contest that served as a microcosm of his NFL career.

Pro Days: KSU's Brown, Harper quiet critics with impressive workout - CBSSports
After missing the Senior Bowl and most of the drills at the combine due to a shoulder injury, Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown knew that he had questions to answer at his Pro Day.

How Does Cliff Avril Fit in with the Seattle Seahawks? | Bleacher Report
One day after officially announcing the Percy Harvin mega-deal, John Schneider and the Seattle Seahawks were back at it again on Wednesday. However, this time around the big ticket acquisition wasn't on the offensive side of the ball...

Phase One of free agency likely ends with Landry deal | ProFootballTalk
With safety LaRon Landry parlaying his one year with the Jets into a four-year, $24 million contract in Indy, the first phase of 2013 free agency has unofficially concluded.

Deal between Josh Cribbs, Cardinals far from finished | ProFootballTalk
Earlier Wednesday, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Cardinals and Browns free agent returner / wide receiver Josh Cribbs had just about agreed to a deal.

Pro Day Tour: Warmack, Williams Work Out At Alabama
With the NFL Combine wrapped up, scouts, coaches and managers around the league will now turn their attention to college Pro Days to see how future draft picks measure out and test.

Wes Welker boosts Broncos; Patriots fine with Danny Amendola - NFL.com
Wes Welker's exit from the New England Patriots for greener pastures with the Denver Broncos sent shockwaves through the NFL on Wednesday afternoon. But it didn't take long for the New England Patriots to sign a replacement in the slot, inking a five-year deal with Danny Amendola just a few hours later.

NFL Hot Stove, Day 2 - Free Agency Dose - Rotoworld.com
Rotoworld's Nick Mensio recaps Tuesday's happenings from around the NFL as free agency kicked off.

Rebuilding on the Fly | The Sideline View
When a team's roster is devoid of depth (and some would argue quality NFL talent) and it has just lost the face of the franchise, how can they possibly rebuild without it taking several years? Someone might want to ask Colts GM Ryan Grigson, because he appears to be doing just that with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Tape Never Lies: Desmond Trufant needs to improve his technique | 100 Yards and Running | Blogs | theScore.com
If there’s one thing that NFL scouts love, it’s bloodlines. It has helped multiple players get drafted earlier than expected, such as former Oregon Duck and current Philadelphia Eagle Casey Matthews going in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, and it could do the same for Washington Huskies cornerback Desmond Trufant in April.

Terron Armstead, Barrett Jones among potential NFL draft steals - NFL.com
By this point in the year, many of us have become quite familiar with the big-name prospects, the Luke Joeckels and Eric Fishers of the world who project as first-round picks and immediate-impact rookies. But what about the guys who aren't being talked about? What about the firmly under-the-radar prospects who are likely to be picked in the second and third rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft?

Pro-Day Workouts: Week of March 11th
- Datone Jones/DL stood on his combine numbers yet looked outstanding during drills. Jones was quick, fluid and easily moved in every direction of the field. He’s likely cemented himself as a first round choice.

2013 NFL Draft: Matt Scott Scouting Report
This year’s quarterback class is pretty underwhelming. There are some interesting guys, and at least a couple quality players will come out of it. And after the quarterback draft class in 2012, most years are going to pale in comparison. But the fact of the matter is, no quarterback in this class has the tape to warrant a mid to high first round pick.