Archive for April, 2010

In the State of Washington, April 30, 2010 is Walter Jones Day. Made official by a proclamation signed by Governor Christine Gregoire, Walter Jones Day is an opportunity for fans everywhere to appreciate one the of the greatest players ever. The proclamation reads: WHEREAS, in 1997, Walter Jones was the sixth overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft selected by the Seattle Seahawks; and WHEREAS, Walter was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October 1997, and earned consensus first-team All-Rookie honors from multiple publications; and WHEREAS, Walter’s 180 starts rank second in Seattle history and [...]

For an offensive lineman, a good game is where you’re not noticed by the casual fan. Fans are quick to notice penalties, missed assignments, and surrendered sacks. Their glory is stolen by other players; quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers take the spotlight as the guys who touch the football. They don’t sell tickets. Although successful offensive lines are an important component of winning football teams, fans usually come to watch the players who spend time in the end zone. Rarely are their jerseys seen in public. Fans are more likely to purchase the jersey of a Pro Bowl running [...]

It is never too early to start talking about next year’s draft. The NFL draft is by far the most popular offseason activity, with stakeholder groups watching from around the country. The 2010 television audience was up 30 percent from last year’s, and expanded viewership isn’t a trend that will go away. With so much interest in the draft, is it any surprise there are several 2011 NFL mock drafts already published? When the networks feel it is necessary for Jason La Canfora to announce selections to the television audience before Roger Goodell even makes it to the podium, I [...]

Analysts everywhere are praising the Seattle Seahawks for what turned out to be an excellent 2010 draft class. Most articles you’ll read will clearly label Seattle as a winner on draft day, and several more commend Pete Carroll and John Schneider for a job well done. Following the draft, one popular trend has been to give grades to every team. Of course, an “A” grade is awarded to teams who had a successful draft; lower grades are distributed to teams who struggled to impress. Grades included, here are what some analysts are saying about Seattle’s draft … Rob Rang, CBSSports.com [...]

Apparently, Taylor Mays should have been drafted on the first day and didn’t deserve to fall into the second round. And it is Pete Carroll’s fault. According to an article on ESPN.com, Mays blames Carroll for not preparing him for the draft and pushing him to become a better NFL-type player. Sounds like a bitter, selfish person to me. From the article: So when pick after pick was announced and his name wasn’t being called, Mays sat in front of the television, stunned, and he started to blame Carroll for his plight. “He is someone I’ve trusted for a long [...]

It always hurts to see the Seahawks draft players from Oregon. But if you can’t beat them, join them. After watching Walter Thurmond play very well at the University of Oregon for four seasons, it will be a relief to finally have him on our side. If he can stay healthy, the Seahawks probably found themselves a nice, capable cornerback in the fourth round of the NFL draft. Thurmond is nearly 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds, so he breaks the mold of “small” cornerbacks – despite a thin frame, his physical attributes aren’t bad – that dominated Tim Ruskell’s tenure. He [...]

Pete Carroll finally got someone he is familiar with from Southern California. It isn’t Taylor Mays. Not Everson Griffen or Charles Brown. At the top of the fourth round, the Seahawks traded for running back LenDale White, who played at Southern Cal with Carroll from 2003-2005. White had previously been with the Tennessee Titans, where he became the clear second option behind All-Pro back Chris Johnson despite early success in the league. White isn’t necessarily a feature back, but is a great veteran addition and should complement Justin Forsett nicely. After adding another running back, I would be surprised if [...]

I was extremely nervous prior to the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. With a new regime in town, I don’t think anyone knew what direction the Seahawks would go. Would Pete Carroll overvalue players he was familiar with? Should we have been surprised if Taylor Mays, Everson Griffen, or Charles Brown were picked by Seattle in the first round (none of the three were selected on the first day)? Despite acquiring Charlie Whitehurst, would the Seahawks spend a high pick on a quarterback like Jimmy Clausen or Colt McCoy? The possibilities were endless, and I didn’t trust new [...]

Steals Russell Okung, 6: Alright, maybe this is only homer optimism. But Okung could’ve gone as high as second overall and was almost guaranteed to be a top-five pick for most of the offseason. Thanks to Trent Williams’ impressive workouts and soaring draft stock, Okung falls right into the lap of a team desperate for an offensive tackle. Derrick Morgan, 16: Morgan was considered by many to be the best pass-rushing defensive end available in this year’s draft. Unfortunately for Morgan, he is best suited for a four-man front and teams who could have selected him passed for more pressing [...]

Yesterday, Pete Carroll tweeted: next song for #seahawksdraftclues: jump around by house of pain I don’t necessarily think the draft clues are anything more than a devious marketing ploy or a practical joke by Seattle’s new coaching staff, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Seattle “jump around” during the draft. Seattle owns the sixth and fourteenth picks in the first round of the draft, but only one pick (sixtieth overall) in the second and third rounds. Dropping down a few slots and trading out of one of their top picks could help Seattle recover some additional picks and would [...]