Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thursday

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NFL Draft: Five potential Texans targets within the first two rounds – Version 1 | The Z Report | a Chron.com blog
NFL Draft: Five potential Texans targets within the first two rounds – Version 1

Official Website of the Senior Bowl
With six weeks left before the NFL Draft begins on April 25, Senior Bowl Executive Director Phil Savage goes inside the numbers and "counts down" their significance with his own unique perspective.

Seahawks free agency and the difference between hope and expectation | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
"There is no way I thought, a week and a half ago, that we’d have Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril or Michael Bennett on our team this year. Any of them. Things just fell right for us."– Seattle GM John Schneider to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, March 16 The Seahawks began their offseason open to [...]

2013 NFL Mock Drafts : NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Dion Jordan rises to No. 2
With the flurry of free agency moves over the last week, draft needs for each team have been altered. For example, just a few weeks ago, the Miami Dolphins were in desperate need of help at wide receiver. Fast-forward to today, and they have Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson to join a re-signed Brian Hartline.

Draft Preview: 56. Seattle Seahawks | 100 Yards and Running | Blogs | theScore.com
The Seattle Seahawks made their most important 2013 draft pick long before the draft, and long before Mel Kiper says anything about a dancing bear during his sixth hour on your living room picture screen. They traded for and then signed Percy Harvin, happily extracting a headache (literally and figuratively) from Minnesota, while adding the ideal athletic wide receiver to complement their athletic quarterback. The core of Seattle’s offense is now Harvin, Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson, and Sidney Rice. Speed, man. It still burns so deep.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Futures: Three in the Boiler
A series I started this year at the RSP blog is The Boiler Room. One of the challenges involved with player analysis is to be succinct while still delivering the goods. As the author of an annual tome, I’m often a spectacular failure in this respect. Even so, I will study a prospect and see a play unfold that does a great job of encapsulating that player’s skills. When I witness these moments, I try to imagine if I would include this play as part of a cut-up of highlights for a draft show at a major network.

Pro Bowl survives another year | ProFootballTalk
The NFL has made it official: The Pro Bowl will take place on Sunday, January 26, 2014 in Hawaii.

Meet the Fastest Prospects Pound-for-Pound of the 2013 NFL Draft Class | Bleacher Report
Have you ever wondered who would be the fastest prospects in the draft if everyone was the same weight? Well, NFL teams definitely value the answer to this question...

March Madness 2013: NFL touchdown tournament - SBNation.com
Don't worry desperate NFL fans, we've got some red hot tournament action for you too. We took the best touchdowns from the 2012 season and stuck it in a bracket, to let you decide the winner.

Geno Smith chatter smacks of classic pre-draft maneuvering - NFL.com
In the NFL, April Fool's isn't limited to just one day or even one month. In fact, as we continue to work our way through the pro-day schedule, teams are starting to ramp up the trickery and skullduggery that annually mark the weeks leading up to the draft.

Mock draft Wednesday’s: 20th March " Seahawks Draft Blog
Most people voted in favour of keeping trades in the mock, so that’s what I’ve done. There are nine in total this week — a comparable amount to what we saw in the first round last year. Looking at this draft class overall I think we’ll see a lot of cheap movement. We might see a handful of deals that go against market value. A lot of the teams picking in the 11-20 range for example might want to move up to fill a certain need. But I can also see a few teams (like Cleveland) that’ll be more than happy to move down.

TonySoftli.com: Top 5 Tight Ends in 2013 NFL Draft
The position of tight end has changed over the years for several reasons. First, the landscape of college football has placed a heavy emphasis on spread offenses. The tight end position is moving from the traditional in-line alignment to a flex or slot, which allows a high percentage of college teams to maximize players’ athletic skill sets and take advantage of the position in the form of multiple receiver formations.

"My Guys" List | Draft Breakdown
In sports when you show an affinity towards a player, or express a higher opinion on him than most of your peers, you become almost linked to that player. This effect becomes amplified in the NFL Draft realm, as being a "draftnik" is far from an exact science, it’s all about projection. Show two evaluators the same tape of a prospect, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if they come to different conclusions. Sometimes the link comes from being at the forefront of recognizing a prospect before he garners major recognition; sometimes it’s about acting like the prospect’s hype man. The exact reason is often unimportant, once others start to pick up on that affinity, or that "link", the prospect becomes a term we’ve all heard, or have used in describing this connection; the prospect becomes "your guy."

NFL meeting wrap: NFC West quick takes - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A few NFC West notes before heading to the airport for a trip home following the NFL owners meeting, which concluded Wednesday:

Picking up the pieces: Offense " Seahawks Draft Blog
Seattle is looking for a read-option capable quarterback backup quarterback. In my opinion, there are only three of them among the well known names: Geno Smith, EJ Manuel, and Matt Scott. I think Smith is under-rated in media circles and I would be surprised if he’s not a top five pick, but that’s a discussion for a different time. There were whispers that Manuel was a potential top 15 pick in the 2013 draft a year ago, similar to the kind of early hype Ryan Tannehill got. Given Manuel’s physical gifts and obvious parallels as a prospect to Colin Kaepernick, don’t be shocked if he ends up going somewhere in the first round.

Give the NFL's new helmet rule time - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
A lot of controversy and upheaval has surrounded the NFL's new rule barring ball carriers from using the crown of their helmets to make forcible contact with a defender in the open field, but ESPN 710 Seattle's Brock Huard says to give the rule time.

Matt Flynn is best insurance policy out there for Seahawks - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
Several months ago, 710 ESPN Seattle's Brock Huard was adamant the Seahawks needed to trade backup quarterback Matt Flynn and his $5.3 million contract. But now that Matt Hasselbeck has signed a deal with the Colts that'll pay him $4 million this season, Huard is glad he didn't get his way.

What Will Phil Dawson Bring to the Table as a Member of the San Francisco 49ers? | Bleacher Report
After swapping out one 38-year-old kicker for another, San Francisco is hoping to have better luck with its newest acquisition. Kicker Phil Dawson signed a one-year contract (via Adam Schefter of ESPN) with the 49ers after spending 14 years with the Cleveland Browns.

Report: Darrelle Revis will get paid if Bucs make trade - NFL.com
Darrelle Revis and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wouldn't have much problem agreeing to a long-term deal, according to a report. The hurdle remains over compensation with the New York Jets.

Reggie Bush might return kicks, punts for Detroit Lions - NFL.com
Reggie Bush hasn't worked on special teams since his days with the New Orleans Saints, but that could change. Coach Jim Schwartz says Bush might return kicks and punts for the Detroit Lions.

Wide receiver prospects get close look at Baylor’s pro day - NFL.com
Representatives from 27 NFL teams gathered at the pro day held at Baylor on Wednesday, where 14 players went through a workout held indoors on FieldTurf. Dallas Cowboys wide receivers coaches Derek Dooley and Keith O’Quinn, as well as Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan were among the noteworthy attendees in Waco, Texas.

NFL owners eliminate ‘Tuck Rule’, approve all proposed rules changes | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
NFL owners approved all six of the rule changes proposed by the Competition Committee, votes that eliminated the "Tuck Rule" and the implementation of a rule making it illegal for ball-carriers and tacklers to lead with the crown of their helmets when both players are outside of the tackle box.

Happy Birthday: E.J. Manuel excels at Florida State’s pro day, gets invited to NFL draft | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
From 2007 through 2012, Florida State has seen just three of its alumni called in the first round of the NFL draft -- linebacker Lawrence Timmons in 2007, cornerback Patrick Robinson in 2010, and quarterback Christian Ponder in 2011. That will certainly change in 2013, when as many as four Seminoles could be selected within the first 32 picks if they play their cards right. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes, defensive ends Bjoern Werner and Tank Carradine, and quarterback E.J. Manuel were all looking to cement their status when Florida State held its pro day on Tuesday.

Spinning their wheels? | National Football Post
The NFL introduced a new rule on Wednesday in an effort to cut down on concussions. But will it make a difference?

Pro Day Preview for March 21st & 22nd | National Football Post
Russ Lande breaksdown the Pro Days coming up in the next two days.

Scout Talk | National Football Post
Do NFL teams really value game tape over workouts? These players may tell the story

The importance of Pro Day | National Football Post
What are scouts really looking for at the college pro days?

Critics already burying read-option? Packers and others know better - CBSSports.com
Perhaps, as several coaches have suggested during the just-concluded NFL's owners meetings this week, the read-option is a fad about to expire. Could be they are right.

2013 NFL Draft: Medical mysteries could shape draft - CBSSports
Utah's Star Lotulelei, Georgia's Jarvis Jones and Houston's D.J. Hayden each possess the talent to warrant a high selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. A more troubling connection between the three, however, is that each has been red-flagged medically, which could have disastrous impact on their draft stock.

Mike Brown voted against helmet rule because it’s hard to officiate | ProFootballTalk
"It’s a very controversial change," Brown told reporters on Tuesday, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I view it as difficult if not impossible play to call. We had a lot of this with the secondary plays last year. I didn’t think those calls were always right. These plays happen in a flash. They’re just a reaction to people: Did he hit him with his shoulder pad? Did he hit him with his helmet? Was it intended? That’s difficult to sort out. I’m not confident we should add another discretionary call. We’re asking an awful lot of our referees to make those kind of calls."

Pre-Draft NFL Lineup Rankings - Offseason Low Down - Rotoworld.com
A handful of quality NFL starters remain available in free agency, but for the most part clubs have switched gears toward April's draft. Approaching it as if the season started today, here are the projected Week 1 starting lineups for all 32 teams, ranked in order of quality.

The Tape Never Lies: Matt Barkley needs to improve his decision making | 100 Yards and Running | Blogs | theScore.com
When Bill Walsh was coaching in the 1980s, he used to say that few can coach quarterbacks, and fewer can evaluate them. The wisdom from the old ball coach was true then and still holds true today, with many struggling to identify a proper quarterback.

March 20 Mock Draft - Mock Drafts - Rotoworld.com
Bjoern Werner might not appreciate his draft slot in Josh Norris' updated mock, but Falcons fans likely will. Check out the other 31 picks.

The NFL Coaches Family Portrait: By the Numbers - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
• Pairs of Slip-on Shoes Being Worn: 17 • Level of Tension Between Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll: 6 out of 10 • Number of Coaches Who