On defense the group is Bobby Wagner, Casey Hayward, and Chandler Jones. Sorry Janoris Jenkins, you have lots of talent but aren’t very disciplined at this point and need to improve.

Being the quantitative geek that I am, I have decided to compare Wilson and Griffin using some sort of quantifiable metrics. (Don’t worry, there will be lots of graphs, too.) Since I personally don’t really care who wins this award I came into this analysis without a dog in the hunt.

Let’s start by looking a quick set of basic metrics.

As you can see, Griffin edges out Wilson is every category except for touchdowns. That being said, Wilson’s TD/INT ratio is only 2.6 while Griffin’s is 4. Don’t get me wrong, they are ridiculously close but objectively Griffin has the edge in these basic stats. They also both threw 393 times and Griffin has only 82 more yards than Wilson. Wilson also attempted a higher percentage of deep throws than Griffin.

While those baseline stats are nice, they don’t really add much color. For instance, Seattle played a harder schedule than Washington. Seattle’s opponent’s winning percentage was .505 while Washington’s was only .494.

There is also the fact that both quarterbacks are not qualitatively all that similar. Keith wrote an article illustrating just that point. Given that, I thought it would add more clarity to break out the separate aspects of their games — passing, rushing, and total against the quality of the opposing defenses in those same categories. Let’s first look at rushing.

First, I include the game that Griffin did not play in because I believe that if a player gets statistical credit for playing a certain way and thereby accepting the risk of playing in such a way, then the costs of those risks should also be factored in. In this case, it’s the game that Griffin sat out. (In all fairness, Wilson also sat out about 2.5 quarters of the season.)

Some quick data information. The defensive averages are the average of a certain type of yard in games up to that game not counting yards from a Washington or Seattle game. So, in essence, a quarterback’s numbers won’t be used against himself. It’s his performance compared to the defenses performance against every other opponent, rushing and passing.

The quarterbacks’ cumulative average is the average of all games played up to the end of each week. I prefer this average because it shows trends rather than a flat line over the entire season.

You can see above that Griffin generally ran for more yards per game than did Wilson. This is both a stylistic difference in the players and a difference in play calling. Griffin was provided with an offensive scheme much more catered to his abilities as a mobile quarterback while Wilson was basically forced to stay in the pocked for the first half of the season. Wilson clearly began running more in the last third of the season and that moved his average up a bit, while Griffin was up and down all season. Griffin’s best rushing games came against Minnesota, New York, and Philadelphia. Wilson’s came against Chicago, Buffalo, and St. Louis.

Now let’s look at the two quarterbacks’ aerial statistics.

The passing data and charts show a different story. Wilson’s passing average increased by nearly 50 yards per game over the season while Griffin’s dropped by almost 100 yards per game. Even if you don’t count the Cleveland game his average still drops by over 100 yards a game over the season.  Both Wilson and Griffin ended the season averaging nearly the same however, 195 and 200 yards per game respectively.  I do think the upward trend of Wilson though speaks more to his actual development while Griffin trended down most of the season and became prone to injury toward the end. I would prefer to have a steady-as-she-goes upward trending quarterback like Wilson than someone who is a spectacular player when they’re healthy, but is unable to play a complete season. (Paging Michael Vick! Who, ironically, also had the best selling jersey in the NFL, before he decided he’d rather kill dogs for sport.)

The final set of charts shows the quarterbacks’ QBRs in each game overlayed their QBR rank and their opponent’s defensive rank for each game. I highlighted in green the games in which the quarterback was ranked first in QBR for the week. The ranks are at the top of each column.

Russell Wilson had three weeks where he was the best performing quarterback in the NFL. Those games came against Miami, Buffalo, and San Francisco. Seattle also played an average ranked defense of 13th. Washington’s opponents averaged19th. That’s a substantial difference in quality of defensive opponent. Griffin finished the season with a 71.4 QBR while Wilson had a 69.6 QBR.

In the end, I would probably vote for Wilson because I’m a Seahawks fan. I don’t see enough discernible differences between the two players to make an overwhelming case one way or the other. A vote for either man is completely defensible. In the end, I’d put money on Griffin to win, largely because of media bias and ignorance that is generally displayed week to week by too many of the people that get to vote in this popularity contest. I doubt many of the voters have done even the level of analysis I’ve done here. I’d value the award if there was some sort of objectivity inserted into it. Right now it’s more subjective than Olympic figure skating and gymnastics.

There are a lot of other conclusions and analyses that can be drawn from these charts and the underlying data but I already feel like my head is so far up my own butt in doing this that I should probably stop. If you want the data to go down the rabbit hole with me, let me know. I was unable to find any sort of massive database available from the NFL or ESPN that could be downloaded so if you want the individually and painfully collected data to do something else with it, I’ve got it.

*I refuse to use the pretentious and obnoxious III moniker. As far as I know there isn’t a Robert Griffin I or II in the NFL. Same goes for all the idiots putting “JR” and “SR” on their jerseys for no reason. This is more a statement to the ridiculous trend of players to get creative on their jerseys than a stab at just one player. I’m getting off my soapbox now.

2) Wear Em’ Out
- On the other side of the ball, the Redskins gave up an average of 378 yards to opposing offenses on the year. This bodes well for a peaking Seattle Offense, and its power run game. While Washington did hold opponents to just under a 100 yards per game on the ground, look for the ‘Hawks to ‘Feed the Beast’, and rely heavily on Marshawn Lynch as well as it’s vertical passing game out of play-action to keep the aging Redskins defense on the field for extended periods of time in the fridgid, bone aching cold of FedEx Field. I would look for Sidney Rice to benefit greatly in this matchup, as he must be frustrated from the lack of looks he received against St. Louis on top of the fact the Redskins pass-D has been giving up an average of almost 300 yards per game. Could be a big game for the Seahawks Wideouts.

3) Mirror-Mirror
- While there are distinct differences in schematics, and approach, the Seahawks and Redskins adopt very similar philosophies when it comes to their offensive game plans. Run the football, utilize their youth and athleticism at the Quarterback position, and maintain field position and game clock dominance. In doing this, both teams have the advantage of having seen a version of what the other team is going to be doing come Sunday, to a degree, in practice. While the Redskins utilize the Pistol formation in most of its read-option packages, the Seahawks Defense will have had a good amount of familiarity in defending this type of offense, as it does so a weekly basis at the VMAC. While both teams can claim to have this advantage, I think it can only bolster a team’s chances on the road in the playoffs.

4) Road Warriors
- The Seahawks haven’t won on the road since 1983. It’s been well documented in the lead up to the game. It’s true, winning on the road in the playoffs, let alone in the regular season, is a tough hill to climb. If the Seahawks have any chance of moving on in the tournament, they’ll have to knock down the 29 year old roadblock that stands in their way in our Nation’s Capitol. One could cite numerous occasions when a Wild Card team has ran the house on the road to end up in the Big Game. The Giants did it just recently. But it’s not commonplace. Not by a long shot. However, this Seattle team has found a new resilience, a new gusto, born in the last 2 drives in Chicago and has been with them ever since. With the Smooth Operator in Wilson at the helm, and a ferocious Defense on the road, the formula for success is in place. It’s up to the Seahawks to execute it.

5) Silence is Golden
- While the 12th Man will be represented with a strong showing in Washington D.C., it will still be a rough go for the ‘Hawks if the 85-90,000+ at FedEx Field get going in a frenzy. As is true with any road game, the deflation of any home team momentum goes a long way to the overall feel and ‘buzz’ of the game. Look for the Seahawks to get things going early with a shot or 2 down the field to muzzle the efforts of the Redskins faithful. A nice completion to a streaking Golden Tate off of play-action on 2nd and 2 would definitely put a hush on the largest capacity venue in the NFL. Hey, maybe the 12th Man will turn it into a home game of sorts for the visiting Hawks. One can only hope…Best of luck to our beloved Seahawks, and all my 12th Men and Women around the world. I 3elieve. HAWKS!!

(all stats except win and turnovers are “per game” stats)

The first thing I see when I look at this is that the Seahawks have more wins, and have done so against a much tougher schedule. The next thing was that both teams excel at both protecting the football, and at getting turnovers from the other team.

The Seahawks clearly have the better defense. Washington is well below average on the defensive side of the ball in almost every statistical category, except one. Washington has a surprisingly decent run defense.

Offensively, the advantage belongs to Washington. The rushing attacks are roughly the same, but the Redskins are one of the few teams with a better yards per pass attempt than the Seahawks. One thing I’ve noticed though is that there’s a lot of sort throws combined with long runs that create that stat. Washington clearly has some receivers that excel at getting yards after the catch.

October 18, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) runs with the ball next to San Francisco 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers (22) in the first quarter at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

- It’s simple. Beat the 49ers, and the Hawks are in as a Wild Card. If the Niners lose in Week 17 to Arizona at home and the Seahawks beat the Rams, then the ‘Hawks claim the NFC West crown, and at least one home field playoff game against the 6th seed. The Bears, Vikings, and Giants are prime contenders for this endeavor.

- There is a scenario where if the Seahawks claim the NFC West, and the Green Bay Packers lose one of their remaining games, then the ‘Hawks end up the #2 Seed, and a First Round Bye.

- If the ‘Hawks beat the 49ers on Sunday Night, but the ‘Niners win in Week 17, then the ‘Hawks still go in as the 5 seed, and likely will play at either Dallas, or Washington. The Giants are also a possibility here.

- If the ‘Hawks lose on Sunday Night, but beat the Rams in Week 17, they still go in as the 5 seed against either the Redskins, or Cowboys, on the road. The Giants are a possibility as well, depending on how the NFC East shakes out.

- I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t include all scenarios, including the worst of them. If the Seahawks lose out, then it will take some help from other teams to get in as the 6th seed. Namely a Redskins victory over the Cowboys in Week 17 in what is looking like one of the games of the year.

This is where the Seahawks sit going into what may be one of the greatest games in the HISTORY of this franchise. Every day leading up to Sunday Night is becoming longer than the last, as I’m sure my fellow 12th Men and Women are just aching to open what could be the greatest Holiday present given to its fans in years. Playoffs baby, Playoffs.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: True Champion of the fight against racism

A couple days ago, I posted a preview of the Washington Redskins that included a simple 3 sentence aside that mentioned that the word “redskins” is an offensive racial slur. I expected some heat from fans of the team, but I didn’t expect it erupt into a heated “discussion” about racism and ignorance.

The thing is, the term truly is racist. It is. People can debate the history of the team name and how it’s supposedly supposed to “honor” the Native American people all they want. It doesn’t “honor” anyone. The term has been used throughout American history in a derogatory manner toward that specific group of people. It’s a racial slur by definition.

I get that I’m in the minority; that most football fans, and that more than half of Native Americans don’t currently find the term offensive. That’s ok. It still doesn’t make it any less racist, nor does it make racism and the use of racial slurs acceptable.

I believe that as a society we should continue to work to remove all racism from our nation. Surely we can all agree on that.

Now on to the business of running this site. I’ve removed the article on the Washington Redskins that begun this, and replaced it one that does not contain the 3 sentence aside about racism. I’ve also locked the comments on both that article and this one.

Why do this? For 2 reasons:

Mainly, because this is a football site and the discussion here needs to be about football. There is an appropriate place to have a discussion about racism, but it isn’t here.

The 2nd is that those people who chose to participate in the “discussion” chose to ignore this sites commenting policy. Since our current software was making it impossible for me to moderate out the profanity and personal attacks, I’ve decided that this was the best course of action.

I stand by my original decision to bring light to the issue that the team name is also a racial slur. The comment was included as an attempt to raise awareness, and since thousands of people have read the article I believe that I’ve done that. Now it’s time to return to the topic of football and celebrate the common love that we all share for this great game.

This game reminded me of a game against the St. Louis Rams in Qwest Field in October 2004, where the Seahawks blew a 17-point fourth quarter lead and lost the game in overtime.  It was my first season as a Seahawks season ticket holder.  The empty feeling I had after that game is almost exactly what I’m feeling right now.  Today’s outcome is disappointing on so many levels.

I felt the team was making significant progress this season, but it seems that is an overestimation.  There is progress, but a good team wins this game, and the Seahawks just aren’t a good team.  There were opportunities to win this game on both sides of the ball, but the Seahawks failed in every respect.  (more…)

This is not a slam on Tarvaris Jackson.  I have nothing but respect for Jackson, but he should not be playing right now.  If he had played for any other team, he would have been placed on injured reserve the day after he suffered a pectoral injury against the New York Giants.  His injury is affecting his play, and the situation is getting worse.

The two interceptions Jackson threw against the St. Louis Rams were horrible throws.  The defense didn’t do anything remarkable to create those turnovers.  Jackson’s mechanics on both throws were awful.  He looked like a 50 year old weekend warrior playing flag football.  The injury is limiting his ability to throw downfield.  It won’t be long until the Seahawks start seeing eight man boxes and press coverage on every play.

The injury also seems to be affecting his mobility.  He took a couple of sacks against the Rams that any healthy quarterback, no matter how slow footed, would have easily avoided.  He saw the defenders, but couldn’t do anything about it.  The Seahawks were fortunate that they were playing the inept Rams.  A better team would have buried the Seahawks early.  (more…)

A three-technique defensive tackle capable of attacking and penetrating would immediately improve a defensive line that struggled to generate pressure last season. Every team in the National Football League covets a disruptive force in the trenches; productive, talented interior linemen are a dime a dozen.

We’ve explored these rumors before. As fans, we contemplated gambling on the disgruntled Haynesworth to improve a defensive line desperately needing assistance.

The more I think about it, however, the more I want the Seahawks to leave Haynesworth alone.

Everyone knows what Haynesworth is capable of doing. When he wants to be, Haynesworth can be one of the best defensive linemen in the league.

The problem is Haynesworth doesn’t always want to be.

The new coaching staff in Seattle desires hard work and determination. They want winners; players who want to win and will do whatever it takes to succeed.

Hell, Pete Carroll’s new book, “Win Forever,” talks about maximizing your potential in every aspect of life. Carroll wants his players to live, work, and play like champions.

We’ll see if Carroll’s magic can finally bring a Lombardi trophy to the Pacific Northwest, but that debate is for another day. As a lifelong Seahawks fan, I’m not going to hold my breath.

Albert Haynesworth is not a player who epitomizes the philosophy encouraged by Pete Carroll the Seattle Seahawks. I hate to characterize Haynesworth as selfish, but he hasn’t done much to make anyone think otherwise.

I don’t want the best players who don’t care about their potential. Give me a group of average players who strive for perfection and I’ll be a satisfied fan.

According to Don Banks from SI.com, Haynesworth’s latest tantrum proves he is more than disgruntled in Washington. Haynesworth has reportedly lost close to 20 pounds – not for any reason other than to decrease his value as a nose tackle in Washington’s defense.

I understand Haynesworth’s frustration. But to sacrifice your value and potential as a professional athlete just to get your way is anything but unselfish. The Washington Redskins have quite the dilemma on their hands, and I don’t want the Seattle Seahawks to inherit any part of it.

You know there is something wrong when Jim Schwartz, the current head coach of the Detroit Lions, doesn’t endorse acquiring Haynesworth. Schwartz was the defensive coordinator in Tennessee when Haynesworth was disruptive as any interior lineman around the league.

Detroit has internally discussed trading for Haynesworth, but the team apparently has serious concerns about how such an acquisition could impact first-round draft pick Ndamukong Suh. “Even though Suh is his own man, we don’t want any negative influences around him,” a team source told reporters earlier this month.

You know there is something wrong when Haynesworth’s own teammates in Washington call him out. “Albert made a very selfish decision,” linebacker London Fletcher told reporters, referring to Haynesworth skipping a mandatory minicamp last month. “When you decide to play a team sport, you have to look at it and think about everybody involved in the situation. This is not golf, tennis, things like that, where it’s an all-about-you sport. What he’s decided to do is make a decision based on all-about him.”

As previously mentioned, we’ve explored the possibility of Haynesworth coming to Seattle before.

I fantasized about acquiring a talented, disruptive force like Haynesworth and watching him terrorize opposing offenses in the trenches.

But even if Haynesworth is available, I don’t want him.

Even if Haynesworth can be had for a bargain, I don’t want him.

The headache isn’t worth it. Early in Haynesworth’s career, he was considered an overweight underachiever. Just because he would be a three-technique defensive tackle in Seattle, there is no guarantee the tantrums will stop.

Don Banks of SI.com probably best described the potential for teams willing to trade for Haynesworth: “The list of 4-3 defensive teams interested in taking on a selfish act like Haynesworth has to be short.”

Hopefully Seattle isn’t on that short list.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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My allegiance to Washington football makes it impossible for me to root for good things to happen in Southern California. Because of my passion, I have spent most of the last decade rooting against Pete Carroll.

Now that he is the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, I think I have developed a soft spot for him. As a homer, I think my biases have gotten the best of me.

If he weren’t the head coach of my favorite football team, I have to believe I’d describe him as a loser, a cheater, or worse. But because he is, I find myself inclined to give him a break. The University of Southern California obviously violated NCAA rules, but I think I’ve convinced myself Pete Carroll shouldn’t be blamed for it.

Pete Carroll should take responsibility for what happened at Southern California, but there is no evidence out there suggesting he was aware of the violations as they occurred.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, however, writes about Carroll with a harsher tone.

When the NCAA hammered Southern California with sanctions, Florio called for Carroll’s job:

As to Carroll, he should lose his current job. Of course, he won’t; Seattle Seahawks president Tod Leiweke hired Carroll at a time when Leiweke knew or with the exercise of due diligence should have known that Carroll presided over a program poised to be slapped silly by the NCAA. And if the Seahawks had no qualms about it then, they should have none now.

Florio has also poked fun at Carroll’s new book, Win Forever, declining complimentary copies and referring to the title as Cheat Forever.

Now comes Florio’s latest criticism, which is probably slightly more justified. In an interview with 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. earlier this week, Pete Carroll talked about disgruntled defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. From the interview, it seems obvious Carroll and the Seahawks considered Haynesworth in Seattle:

I’m not gonna make a decision, declaration on something like that without knowing the player, hearing the situation, and gathering as much as you can.  Because you don’t ever really know the whole story until you dig in…  We were interested in the thought of him because he’s such a fantastic player, but if he wants to play the game.  That’s what you have to figure out.  Where’s the love of the game in all this?  And where does this all fit in?  Because if you’re getting a guy that’s, regardless of what you’re playing him at, if his heart isn’t in it 1000 percent, he wants to be great and part of a great team, then you need to get another guy.  It just depends, and I would look deep into it and we started the process because we thought maybe they weren’t gonna be able to come to a deal and they were gonna make him available, but it didn’t work out that way.

That statement drew immediate criticism from Florio:

In such situations, prudent NFL coaches say something like this:  “Haynesworth is under contract with the Redskins.  So, guys, I just can’t talk about him.”

Prudent NFL coaches take that approach because the league’s Anti-Tampering Policy contains the following language:    “Any public or private statement of interest, qualified or unqualified, in another club’s player to that player’s agent or representative, or to a member of the news media, is a violation of this Anti-Tampering Policy. (Example of a prohibited comment: ‘He’s an excellent player, and we’d very much like to have him if he were available, but another club holds his rights.’)”

… While Carroll most likely won’t get into any trouble over this, the fact that he’d even take the risk shows that either he doesn’t know the rules, or he doesn’t care.

In other words, the guy who coached at USC, for better or worse, hasn’t really changed.

I’m curious what you think. Fair criticism, or unjust condemnation? Is Carroll really a cheater, and is history doomed to repeat itself in Seattle?

Either way, it is an interesting read into the Albert Haynesworth rumors.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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Haynesworth doesn’t want to take on opposing blockers so someone else can claim the glory; he wants to be the playmaker and focal point of the defensive line.

Unfortunately for Haynesworth, the Washington Redskins are asking him to play nose tackle in their 3-4 defense. The zero-technique nose tackle is responsible for multiple gaps and simultaneously taking on at least two offensive players. In other words, the nose tackle does the dirty work so other players can make plays.

Haynesworth, who typically plays the right defensive tackle position, is used to playing in an aggressive, one-gap scheme. He has spent most of his career lined up as a three-technique tackle, allowing him to quickly and aggressively attack his gap and make plays.

The Redskins want him to play nose tackle, but Haynesworth would prefer playing for a team that employs a different scheme.

Thanks to a rumor started by Len Pasquarelli, the Seattle Seahawks could be the new team willing to feature Haynesworth in a more agreeable scheme. Haynesworth is likely to be traded and the former All-Pro could be had for close to nothing.

But do the Seahawks really need to acquire a player who could potentially develop into a headache?

Haynesworth’s dominance on the field earned him a seven-year, $100 million contract from Washington. You would almost expect such a high-paid athlete – Haynesworth, or any other player making millions – to be willing to line up anywhere on the field, regardless of the situation or potential outcome.

Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett was critical of Haynesworth via Twitter a few days ago, and probably said what a lot of people were already thinking:

Did I just hear this correctly ‘Albert Haynesworth’ will not be [at] mandatory minicamp? And he wants a trade, after signing 100 million dollar contract?”

That’s why I tell yall I’m nothing like these dudes, for a 100 million my ass will play 4-4, 3-4, 5-9, 4-8, and still whip ass!

If Haynesworth can revert back to All-Pro form, it could be worth it to let him play whatever role he wants on the defensive line. Disruptive and dominant are good ways to describe a happy and healthy Albert Haynesworth – you would be hard-pressed to find someone on Seattle’s defensive line who matches the same description.

Haynesworth would immediately upgrade Seattle’s pass rush. As a three-technique defensive tackle in Seattle’s defense, rather than occupying blockers as the nose tackle in a three-man front, Haynesworth would be able to penetrate, slant, and attack. Such a disruptive force in the trenches would attract additional attention and also allow opportunities for other defensive linemen.

But despite the upside of acquiring Haynesworth, is it really worth the risk? Even if Haynesworth is no longer disgruntled, he could still prove to be a headache with a new team.

Haynesworth spent the first five seasons of his NFL career operating as an overweight underachiever, and his stomping on the head of Andre Gurode was so shocking some people still question his character. Despite being a dominant force when healthy, Haynesworth is somewhat prone to injury and has never played a full campaign during his eight seasons in the NFL. And at 29 years old, it could be argued that Haynesworth’s best days are now behind him.

If the Seattle Seahawks can acquire Albert Haynesworth, the dominant, disruptive defensive tackle who regularly commands double- and triple-teams, then I’m definitely a proponent of any deal.

But if the Albert Haynesworth they’re going to acquire is injury-prone, disgruntled, and lazy, then I would prefer the Seahawks don’t even pick up when the Redskins call.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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Either that, or Mike Holmgren really needs a quarterback and only likes Sam Bradford.

Whatever it is, Holmgren appears ready to make one final push to obtain the signal caller from Oklahoma. Pending a trade, the St. Louis Rams are expected to make Sam Bradford the first overall selection in the 2010 draft.

According to a report from ESPN.com, Mike Holmgren and the Cleveland Browns may be tempted to pay a king’s ransom in exchange for the first overall pick. It may seem unusual to sacrifice so many draft picks in such a deep draft, but no one knows quarterbacks like Mike Holmgren.

I’m not sure we can expect a “Mike Ditka” trade for the first overall pick, but the Browns will definitely have to compensate the Rams in order to swap first-round selections. In the 1999 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints and Mike Ditka traded their first-, third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-round picks in 1999 plus first- and third-round picks in 2000 to obtain the fifth overall selection and draft Ricky Williams.

We’ll see just how much Mike Holmgren really likes Sam Bradford. Or maybe he secretly likes Jimmy Clausen, the other quarterback who everyone is quietly forgetting about. Don’t trust anyone or believe in any rumors this close to the NFL Draft.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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Early on, the Redskins were favorites to draft a quarterback with their first overall selection. After acquiring Donovan McNabb, however, the attention switched to the offensive line. Bad news for the Seattle Seahawks, whose focus throughout the draft should be on the offensive line – McNabb-to-Washington likely meant one more offensive tackle would be off the board when Seattle picks sixth overall.

With new rumored interest in Eric Berry, the Redskins would pass on an offensive lineman to obtain the best available defensive back in the 2010 NFL Draft. Good news if you’re a Seahawks fan interested in selecting a top tackle of your choice; bad news if you were hoping Berry would slip and end up in a Seattle uniform.

Smokescreens aren’t unheard of, especially this close to the draft. Berry to Washington, however, appears at least somewhat credible on the surface. The Redskins have been openly disappointed in current safety Laron Landry, who was the sixth overall pick in the 2007 draft. So discouraged in his development, in fact, they have reportedly tried to package him in trades that would send him elsewhere.

If Washington does select Berry, it is likely Seattle will have its choice between Russell Okung or Trent Williams. Of course, none of Pete Carroll’s “tweets” yesterday showed interest in either player.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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Now more trade rumors are surfacing that could directly impact Seattle’s early draft plans:

The Washington Redskins are interested in trading defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and the Detroit Lions are interested in acquiring a big playmaking defensive tackle. Haynesworth has not only played in the head coach Jim Schwartz’s defensive system before, he’s played for Schwartz himself.

If the Detroit Lions acquire Albert Haynesworth, they’ll likely select an offensive tackle rather than Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy. For those of you who want Seattle to select a big offensive tackle with their first pick, you may be disappointed in a few weeks.

If the Lions opt for someone like Russell Okung, however, the Seahawks may be presented with a great scenario. After the Lions pick second, the Buccaneers are likely to select either Suh or McCoy. Following the Bucs, the Redskins and Chiefs are both expected to target offensive linemen. Desperately needing an offensive tackle, the Seahawks may be forced to pass on the fourth- or fifth-best offensive line prospect at sixth overall.

Despite not addressing the most noticeable need with their first pick, the Seahawks could have an opportunity to add a big-time defensive playmaker. In this scenario, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy or defensive back Eric Berry would both be available.

Don’t get me wrong – I want the Seahawks to address the offensive line. But adding a playmaker like McCoy or Berry could help create an elite defense in Seattle. McCoy is a prototypical three-technique tackle in the mold of Tommie Harris – Seattle fans know the big Chicago defensive tackle all too well after an embarrassing 2006 loss on Sunday Night Football – and Eric Berry is a big-play safety who is familiar with the defensive system in Seattle. Both players would also address needs at their respective positions.

Everyone knows the Seahawks need to improve their offensive line. But if they don’t add one of the top tackles with their first pick, there will be plenty of opportunities later in the draft to add talent.

New position coach Alex Gibbs is well-known for having successful offensive lines despite utilizing less-talented prospects. Gibbs has made it clear in the past that drafting an elite tackle is not necessary; linemen that fit his system can be found in later rounds and have just as much success.

From Mike Sando at ESPN.com:

Since Gibbs entered the NFL in 1984, his teams have drafted one offensive lineman among the top 20 overall choices — 338-pound tackle George Foster, selected 20th in 2003 despite not really fitting the Gibbs mold. Gibbs’ teams have held a dozen choices higher than 20th during that time. His teams have held 43 choices among the top 59 overall picks, using three of them for offensive linemen (all tackles).

So even if two or three tackles are off the board when Seattle picks sixth, don’t be too disappointed. The opportunity to add another playmaker elsewhere might be the best option – an offensive line coached by Alex Gibbs doesn’t necessarily need a big-time tackle prospect.

The question is, if both players are available, who would you rather add to Seattle’s defense? Gerald McCoy, or Eric Berry?

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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This is somewhat surprising, because I wasn’t expecting the Eagles to dump their veteran signal caller to a division rival. But reports were strong that the Redskins – head coach Mike Shanahan in particular – were looking to acquire a new quarterback.

As the Kevin Kolb (or Michael Vick?) era begins in Philadelphia, the Seahawks’ draft plans may be altered come April 22nd. The Washington Redskins were rumored to have interest in drafting a quarterback, but further additions are unlikely with McNabb on the roster.

With a new quarterback, the Washington Redskins will probably look to address their offensive line. Unfortunately for Seattle, this means one more premier tackle leaves the board before they draft sixth overall. Bradford taken number one is good for Seattle, in my opinion; Clausen and Bradford both selected in the top five is a great scenario.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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This leaves Aaron Curry as the only rookie yet to sign a contract, but Tim Ruskell is apparently optimistic that the linebacker will report to training camp soon.

From Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times:

Ruskell said the team has been talking non-stop with Curry’s representatives the past two days and still hopes to have him in camp on time.

Unger, who got quite a few reps at left guard during offseason minicamps, could be given the opportunity to start sooner rather than later. Apparently, Mike Wahle’s status is uncertain and his recovery from shoulder surgery has been more problematic than expected.

I figured that Unger’s time spent at left guard could have been an indication of Wahle’s health (or lack thereof), but I wasn’t certain. It had been reported that Wahle’s shoulder injury was a bone-on-bone situation, and could have been more serious than anticipated.

Unfortunately for Wahle, it appears as if his body seems to be deteriorating on him. It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow, when Wahle is scheduled for a physical. Could Wahle be staring at an early retirement scenario?

OTHER PERSONNEL CHANGES:

The Seahawks were also busy with other changes yesterday, waiving Brandon Miller and signing Derek Walker. Miller, a defensive end obtained last November, was waived with the designation of a non-football injury. He had undergone wrist surgery during the offseason.

Derek Walker is an undrafted free agent defensive end from Illinois. He was originally signed by the Washington Redskins, but was released on July 23.

Walker possesses good strength and size, standing 6’3” and weighing 270 pounds. He isn’t a great athlete, but he has good initial quickness and power. His size and strength are NFL-worthy, but Walker enters a crowded defensive line and will most likely struggle to find a roster spot in Seattle.