Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Friday

Thank god it's TGIF.

Offseason Report Card: Seahawks | SI.com
The latest NFL news, scores, stats, fantasy analysis, and mock drafts as well as the best NFL writers and photos from SI.com

The Seattle Seahawks can't afford to rest on their laurels. | SportsonEarth.com : Andrew Garda Article
The Seattle Seahawks -- sorry, the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks -- appear to have very little to do to get ready for the 2014 NFL season.

Earl Thomas Q+A | TDdaily.com
You never know who you might run into around Nike’s Beaverton, Ore. campus. On Wednesday, while taking in Nike’s The Opening, a showcase of some of the country’s top high school players, TDdaily got to witness the Jordan Brand’s stable of football players—a group that included Dez Bryant, Michael Crabtree, Andre Johnson, Earl Thomas, among others—test out some new Jordan cleats (for more photos and videos, check out our Instagram account). Afterwards, TDdaily caught up with Bryant, Crabtree and Thomas and talked Jordans, the upcoming season, and more. You can check out the Thomas Q+A below, and you can read the Bryant and Crabtree interviews by clicking here.

Bucky's Best: Joe Haden, Aqib Talib among top cover corners - NFL.com
Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman have become verbal sparring partners of late. When it comes to locking down opposing receivers, who's the best of the best? Bucky Brooks lists his top 10.

Open Thread: What Football Books Are You Reading? - Cincy Jungle
It's hard for any football die-hard to get through the summer. Reading is a nice way to pass the time.

'Top 100' takeaways: Tailbacks showered with respect - NFL.com
When the NFL Network unveiled its final wave of "The Top 100 Players of 2014," no less than three running backs found their way into the top 10. Here's what else we learned from Wednesday's unveiling.

Tom Brady most consistent 'Top 100' presence since '11 - NFL.com
"The Top 100 Players of 2014" countdown is over. Peyton Manning is king this season, but a look at the history of the program tells us the QB's longtime rival is the series' biggest star.

Andre Johnson, Texans face salary cap hurdle for trade - NFL.com
Andre Johnson is questioning his future with the Houston Texans, which is already leading to trade speculation. Will salary cap implications be too big of an obstacle to pull off a trade?

Andre Johnson Trade Rumors: What Four Teams Make Sense? - Battle Red Blog
Word is that four teams are trying to trade for Texans receiver Andre Johnson. BRB breaks down what four clubs make the most sense.

Andre Johnson trade rumors: Where could Houston Texans WR land? - NFL - SI.com
The odds of Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson sporting another team's uniform in 2014 improved in drastic fashion on Wednesday, with Johnson reportedly telling the Texans that he wants "to play for another team."

Andre Johnson's potential landing spots - NFL.com
Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that four teams have shown interest for disgruntled Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson. Around The League's Marc Sessler offers his guess on who's picked up the phone.

A Closer Look at the Andre Johnson Financials
Per Ian Rapoport the talks surrounding Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson are heating up again. With that in mind let’s look at the salary cap and cash considerations surrounding a move.

Best landing spots for Andre Johnson - CBSSports.com
Andre Johnson wants out of Houston. See where this perennial WR1 can make the biggest Fantasy impact.

So why are the Texans playing hardball with Andre Johnson? | ProFootballTalk
If the Texans could have brought receiver Andre Johnson back into the fold by simply giving him a way to earn back the $1 million roster bonus he had forfeited by skipping the early phases of the offseason program, why didn't they? Before delving into the question, consider this.

Sherman not as smart as he thinks or else he'd quit Crabtree talk - CBSSports.com
Richard Sherman beat Michael Crabtree in January. The Seattle cornerback should quit talking now because he's only running up the score -- on himself.

Seattle Seahawks Blog - Hawk Blogger: The Path Back To The Top: The 1980s San Francisco 49ers

Team preview: St. Louis Rams | National Football Post
Now is the time for quarterback Sam Bradford to take the next step.

Making the Leap, No. 2: Saints S Kenny Vaccaro - NFL.com
Kenny Vaccaro exceeded expectations in helping to hold the Saints' secondary together in his rookie season. Can he become one of the league's top safeties in just his second season?

Four Players Eligible for 2014 NFL Supplemental Draft Go Undrafted | Buffalo Bills Draft
As is often the case, Thursday’s NFL Supplemental Draft came and went with little attention paid to it. Although there were four players eligible to be selected, each of them went undrafted, making 2014 the second consecutive year in which no NFL teams made a supplemental draft selection.

SB Nation Reviews: 'Bill Walsh College Football' - SBNation.com
Reminiscing and grading the least-endorsed football video game ever made.

Crabtree on Sherman tiff: 'I'm getting (tired) talking about these guys' - NFL.com
"I've been doing this for a while, you know," the 49ers wideout said, per ESPN's "NFL Live" on Thursday. "I've been playing, I've been to the top of the totem pole since high school, you know. So, it's nothing new to me."

Seahawks' biggest key to success - Seattle Seahawks Blog - ESPN
Keep doing what you're doing.

St. Louis Rams' biggest key to success - ESPN
Since the arrival of coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead in 2012, the St. Louis Rams have been headed in an obvious direction. The goal is to build a physical, aggressive team capable of winning games with a power running attack and a stout defense.

Biggest key to Denver Broncos success in 2014 - ESPN
The Denver Broncos learned some things during the 2013 NFL season, perhaps even a painful lesson or two. They learned they can score more points than

Houston Texans' biggest key to success - ESPN
I suspect this answer will be the same for all the teams that lack the following. Consistency at quarterback is the biggest key to the Houston Texans' success over the next three years.

Indianapolis Colts' biggest key to success for 2014 season - ESPN
Quarterback Andrew Luck isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He’ll remain in an Indianapolis Colts uniform for the foreseeable future.

Giants' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN
The biggest key to the New York Giants' success over the next three years is a player who's only signed for two of them, and it's not a young player. Quarterback Eli Manning is as vital to his team's success as any player in the league, and the extent to which the Giants can handle the tremendous offseason roster turnover they underwent this season and return to contender status in the NFC rests on Manning's ability to reinvent himself in a new offense this year and in the years immediately following.

Buccaneers' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN
Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears were a consistent contender because they played strong defense. The coach will try to get the same result with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the ingredients are there for that to happen.

Buffalo Bills' biggest key to success in 2014 - ESPN
What do the Buffalo Bills need to do over the next three seasons to be successful?

Chicago Bears' biggest key to success in 2014 - ESPN
Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb, who is a Chicago native, summed things up succinctly when asked about Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler's new contract, which pays $126.7 million over seven years.

Baltimore Ravens' biggest key to success - ESPN

When gauging where the Baltimore Ravens stand in the Future Power Rankings, the key is undoubtedly -- and not surprisingly -- quarterback Joe Flacco.

Cowboys' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

Since Tony Romo took over as quarterback, the success of the Dallas Cowboys has mostly centered on Romo's effectiveness.

San Diego Chargers biggest key to success in 2014 - ESPN

San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano established creating turnovers as a point of emphasis for his unit during the offseason.

New York Jets' biggest key to success - ESPN

Joe Namath won Super Bowl III 45 years ago, but he remains the most recognizable name and face in New York Jets history -- a testament to his star power and a commentary on the quarterback position. Nearly a half-century later, they're still looking for the next Namath, a true franchise quarterback who can elevate the franchise to a championship level.

Miami Dolphins' biggest key to success - ESPN

The key to success for any NFL franchise is the quarterback position -- and that could not be any more fitting for the Miami Dolphins.

Green Bay Packers biggest key to success - ESPN

The Green Bay Packers are well positioned to contend in the NFC over the next several years because they have perhaps the NFL’s three most important components in place: Their quarterback, coach and general manager.

Kansas City Chiefs biggest key to success: QB Alex Smith - ESPN

One of the biggest reasons the Kansas City Chiefs have been unable to sustain success (no back-to-back winning seasons since 2005 and 2006) and have been among the NFL’s worst teams when they haven’t been in the playoffs (four victories or fewer in four of the past seven seasons) is their often ragged play at quarterback.

Jacksonville Jaguars' biggest key to success - ESPN

For the Jacksonville Jaguars to have success -- over the next three seasons and beyond -- Blake Bortles has to develop into the quarterback general manager David Caldwell envisioned during the pre-draft process.

New Orleans Saints biggest key to success - ESPN

Drew Brees is 35 years old, but I see no reason to expect any significant drop-off in his performance in the next three seasons -– especially because the savvy quarterback doesn’t rely solely on a big arm. As long as Brees stays healthy, New Orleans should remain among the NFL’s elite Super Bowl contenders through 2016 and beyond.

Cleveland Browns' biggest key to success - ESPN

The key for the Cleveland Browns to change their pattern of six 10-loss seasons in a row is the same as it’s been during the 10-loss seasons: continuity and quarterback.

Philadelphia Eagles' biggest key to success in 2014 - ESPN

The elephant in the room when discussing the Philadelphia Eagles' prospects for the next few years is named Nick Foles. If Foles continues to be the quarterback who threw 27 touchdown passes and just two interceptions last season, who led the NFL in passer rating in 2013, then the Eagles should be in fine shape for the foreseeable future.

Cardinals' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

The Arizona Cardinals' biggest key to success for the next three seasons can be summed up in one word: offense.

Bengals' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

If the Cincinnati Bengals are going to continue their recent run of success in the next three seasons, they will have to accomplish a number of things. It's a monumental task to pick just one.

Washington Redskins' biggest key to success - ESPN

Midway through the 2012 season, the narrative surrounding the Redskins’ future had changed. They went from a team headed nowhere to one guided by an exciting young quarterback, capable of big-time wins.

49ers' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

The San Francisco 49ers are well positioned to remain as one of the NFL's elite franchises over the next three years.

Carolina Panthers biggest key to success - ESPN
Three words. Salary cap management.

Raiders' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

The biggest key to the Oakland Raiders' success over the next three years is the same thing that has evaded the team over the previous decade -- continuity.

Pittsburgh Steelers' biggest key to success - ESPN

The key for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the next three years is developing young players such as outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, safety Shamarko Thomas, inside linebacker Ryan Shazier and defensive end Stephon Tuitt.

Titans' biggest key to success - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN

With the third pick in the 1995 draft, the Houston Oilers found what everyone in the league needs: A quarterback who developed into a reliable starter and could lead a team to victory.

Minnesota Vikings' biggest key to success: Teddy Bridgewater - ESPN

Over the next three seasons, as the Minnesota Vikings begin the tenure of head coach Mike Zimmer, play in two home stadiums and likely wind down the days of Adrian Peterson's prime, the key to their success will be finding some stability at a position where they haven't enjoyed much of it in the last decade.

Finding the Fits: Don't overlook rookie Charles Sims in Tampa Bay - CBSSports.com

This article is one of a 32-part series in which the goal is to identify one relatively unheralded player selected in the 2014 NFL Draft who appears to be an especially good schematic fit with his new NFL team.

Cam Newton to throw with Panthers WRs next week - NFL.com
Carolina quarterback Cam Newton's offseason ankle surgery has hindered chemistry with his new receiving cast. How much can the star QB develop with the new Panthers before training camp?

Best NFL rivalry? 49ers vs. Seahawks: Two NFC teams that hate each other - NFL - Sporting News
Denver and New England still shine brightest on the AFC marquee. That’s nice for them, but keep looking to the NFC West for the NFL’s two best teams in its best rivalry: Seattle and San Francisco.

Seahawks single-game tickets to go on sale July 21 - Seattle Seahawks & NFL News
The Seattle Seahawks announced the date for 2014 single-game ticket sales on Thursday, but you might have a better chance of bringing down Marshawn Lynch single-handedly than seeing the Super Bowl winners at CenturyLink Field this year.

NFL concussion settlement preliminary approval is good for league | The MMQB with Peter King
While away on vacation a couple weeks ago I received animated calls—within minutes of each other—from attorneys representing both the NFL and the concussion plaintiffs suing the NFL. They were informing me of revisions in the purported settlement between the two sides, one reached Aug.

Mark Murphy: Extending Ted Thompson’s deal “a top priority” | ProFootballTalk
Ted Thompson is entering his 10th season as the Packers' General Manager. And according to Packers president Mark Murphy, the club would like Thompson's service to extend well into a second decade in Green Bay.

NFL names Matt Birk director of football development | ProFootballTalk
Upon his retirement as a player following the 2012 season, former Vikings and Ravens center Matt Birk took a job working for as an appeals officer jointly approved by the NFLPA and NFL. For his second post-retirement year, Birk will only be working for the NFL.