Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thursday

Here are some things that you can click on and then subsequently read.

A History of the NFL in 95 Objects: Bill Walsh's 49ers Coaching Tapes | The MMQB with Peter King
Editor’s note: This is the third in The MMQB’s 10-part series NFL 95: A History of Pro Football in 95 Objects, commemorating the 95th season of the NFL in 2014.

A brief history of Seahawk starters as punt returners | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
One of the reasons that Pete Carroll's proclamation Tuesday that Earl Thomas — or maybe even Richard Sherman — might end up as the team's punt returner this season became such a talking point is that it seems to fly against the conventional NFL wisdom to use such a valuable position...

How much will the Seahawks pay Doug Baldwin? - Seattle Seattle Seahawks | Examiner.com
As the Seahawks opened their first minicamp with their 2014 squad Tuesday, it should have been no surprise that Doug Baldwin was one of the standouts despite limited repetitions.

‘Lord have mercy, it’s Percy’ | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
“The ball falls different, it’s in the air and it hangs different, and the trajectory of the ball and the way it comes down, it falls a little different,” Harvin said. “That’s why you see a lot of people who kick return don’t automatically do punt return, but I’m going to work at it.”

News and Notes from first day of Seahawks OTAs - May 27, 2014
The first day of Organized Team Activites (OTAs) for the Seattle Seahawks turned out to be filled with a myriad of updates regarding the status of the team this offseason.

Former Seahawks QB Charlie Whitehurst loses jersey number in arm-wrestling match - Seattle Seahawks & NFL News
Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Charlie Whitehurst has worn the jersey No. 6 since his college days at Clemson, but he’ll don No. 12 for the Tennessee Titans this season after losing an arm wrestling match to the player who’s claimed No. 6 for the team the last four season– punter Brett Kern.

Healthy Harvin happy with Hawks | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
Potentially lost in the Earl Thomas “I want to return punts” news today were the Percy Harvin “I feel great” proclamations.

Seahawks expect intense battle at wide receiver - Spokesman.com - May 26, 2014
The Seattle Seahawks take another incremental step toward playing football again by starting offseason training today.

Ireland won't stay with Seahawks | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
The Seahawks have confirmed tonight that former Miami general manager Jeff Ireland will not be joining the team in a permanent capacity.

Seahawks’ Malcolm Smith recovering from ankle surgery | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
Linebacker Malcolm Smith had his foot in a boot Tuesday at the Seahawks’ Organized Team Activity after having surgery to remove “loose bodies” in an ankle. He is expected to be ready by training camp.

Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll aim to repeat | Audibles - SI.com
Last Super Bowl winner to repeat? The 2003-04 New England Patriots.

Seahawks’ Wilson more impressive than his dollar signs
You won’t find quarterback Russell Wilson’s name among the most handsomely compensated players in the National Football League. Indeed, the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks is not even the highest paid player at his position on the Super Bowl champions.

Complacency won't be an issue for Seahawks | HeraldNet.com - Sports
It's entirely possible the Seattle Seahawks won't repeat as Super Bowl champions. But if they don't, it won't be because they are Super Bowl champions.

FUNNY: Why was Seahawks safety Earl Thomas mad at Obama in this photo? | Q13 FOX News
Safety Earl Thomas explained Tuesday why he looked mad and what he said to a teammate when President Barack Obama, during a ceremony last week honoring the Seahawks Super Bowl victory, mentioned the Hawks had beaten the San Francisco 49ers in the 2013 NFC Championship Game.

Seahawks ‘off to a good start’ | Seattle Seahawks | The News Tribune
It’s not as if Doug Baldwin, as a restricted free agent, needs to prove to the Seattle Seahawks’ staff and management what he can do.

Baldwin looked sharp in first OTA - Seattle Seahawks Blog - ESPN
If Day 1 of Seattle's organized team activities is any indication, the Seahawks may want to hurry up and finalize a contract extension for receiver Doug Baldwin.

Overvalued? College Teammates and the Biggest Mistakes in the NFL Draft — FootballPerspective.com
Do players get too much credit when teammates make them look good? Take Johnny Manziel. In the last thirty years, no quarterback has had teammates around him drafted so highly. Last year, his left tackle (Luke Joeckel) was the second pick in the draft. This year, his new left tackle (Jake Matthews) was the sixth pick in the draft and his talented wide receiver went immediately after. That’s three top seven picks from his offense in two drafts. Does this means, perhaps, that Manziel was riding those players’ coattails? Or is it Manziel who helped make his teammates look better?

The June 1 Date and What It Means in the NFL - Over the Cap
June 1 represents an important day in the calendar year for the NFL. It is a day when various rules and tenders change.

Can the 49ers Afford to Move on from Mike Iupati at Season's End? | Bleacher Report
San Francisco 49ers news, rumors, scores, schedules, predictions, picks against the spread, free agent updates, power rankings, mock drafts and more

Johnny Manziel: 'I'm going to live my life to the fullest' - NFL.com
Johnny Manziel's weekend junket to Las Vegas shook Twitter to the ground, but the Browns rookie quarterback assured reporters Wednesday that he's making the most out of his offseason.

J.J. Watt to line up outside, stand up in Texans' D? - NFL.com
Romeo Crennel wants his defense to be multiple. The Texans defensive coordinator suggested that Pro Bowl pick J.J. Watt could line up on the outside or even stand up as a pass rusher.

Report: Finley to undergo medical testing with Packers - NFL.com
After suffering a spinal contusion last season, the Packers reportedly will have Jermichael Finley undergo tests with the team on Wednesday. Will the tight end eventually return to Green Bay?

The 100 best players in college football for 2014 | National Football Post
A look at the sport's standout performers.

2014 fantasy preview: Top-25 players | National Football Post
An early look at the targets who should fly off the board during the first two rounds come draft season.

Why rookie deals are getting done! | National Football Post
An agent of 27 years explains four reasons why deals are getting done at lightning speed.

Falcons work out of 3-4 as base defense at OTAs | ProFootballTalk
Throughout the offseason, there has been talk that the Falcons would be shifting their base defense to a 3-4 scheme. That talk was fueled by some of their offseason acquisitions as well as defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's background, although coach Mike Smith said that there wouldn't be much di...

Marvin Lewis victim of own success with Cincinnati Bengals - NFL - Don Banks - SI.com
If there's one truth to hold self-evident this season it's that no team has more at stake, and more possibility for wildly disparate outcomes, than Cincinnati. Everything from ultimate triumph to the end of an era seems in play this year for the talented Bengals, who have come so far in the first 11 seasons of Marvin Lewis' coaching tenure, and yet obviously haven't achieved the success that truly matters in the NFL.

Is Alex Smith Worth $18 Million a Season? - Over the Cap
Earlier today there was some discussion about Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs negotiations being pretty much at a standstill due to Smith believing he should be paid upwards of $18 million a season. This figure should come as no surprise to those who listen to the podcast or follow my Twitter feed as I’ve mentioned that number many times in the past. Smith was basically considered a bust for the first six or seven years or his career and little more than a game manager at his best, but the marketplace puts a premium on QB play and there is little mid tier market that exists at the position anymore.

How the 49ers settled on their 2014 draft choices. | SportsonEarth.com : Dan Pompei Article

When we're evaluating players, we are evaluating their fit for us, period," general manager Trent Baalke explained. "We're not evaluating their fit for any other organization. We are evaluating how we perceive them to fit for us, schematically, within the locker room, within their individual position room, and in our community."