Four players to watch as Training Camp starts
May 20, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin (11) participates in organized team activities at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
It’s time.
Training Camp for the Seattle Seahawks will begin tomorrow and the Seahawks highly anticipated season will officially be underway. The team will have eleven practices together before they kickoff the preseason on August 8 against the Chargers in San Diego but until then, who should we be watching?
Percy Harvin
Perhaps the biggest acquisition of the offseason for Seattle, Harvin has the opportunity to spark an already explosive offense. While we already know what kind of playmaker he is, what may be even more important is that he could serve as a distraction for defenses when he doesn’t have the ball. If Harvin draws the attention of defenses, it could set up Sidney Rice, who had 50 catches for seven touchdowns last year, to make some big plays. It could also push defenses backward and leave more room for Marshawn Lynch to do his thing on the ground.
Harvin will have a lot of eyes on him heading into the season. Will he be comfortable sharing the ball after he was a do-it-all player in Minnesota? Will his well-documented attitude become a problem within the chemistry of the team? These questions will be answered early and as long as Harvin stays focused on the task at hand, he will probably become Russell Wilson’s top receiver.
Russell Wilson
This name has become one of the most talked about in the NFL this offseason. Will he suffer through a sophomore slump? Will he be even better than he was last season? Training camp will be the first opportunity for fans and the media like to see some more of Wilson’s incredible game before the regular season starts. If he doesn’t perform at the level he is expected to, it could be both deflating and detrimental to the team as a whole. But, if he performs the way he did last season, or if he exceeds the numbers he put up last year, the Seattle Seahawks could be playing games late in January.
May 20, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks fullback Spencer Ware (44) participates in organized team activities at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Spencer Ware
The Seahawks sixth round pick was converted to a fullback to serve as understudy to Michael Robinson. However, Robinson only had twelve rushes for 49 yards last year. If the fullback position can be utilized better and take more carries than it is expected to, it could throw off the defense and again open opportunities for Wilson and Lynch to make their big plays.
Ware may be the perfect option to make this work in the offense. At LSU, Ware rushed for 1,249 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three-year career. His physique of 5’10” and 228 pounds is smaller than Robinson’s (6’1”, 240 lbs.) but if he can work to become a bruising blocker, then he may make the offense even more interesting by adding another weapon in the backfield.
Chris Clemons
In his first three seasons with the Seahawks, Clemons gobbled up 33.5 sacks. Unfortunately, he tore his ligament and meniscus in his left knee against the Redskins last year and it is still healing. The good news is that he is ahead of schedule in his return. The 31-year-old isn’t sure when he will be back but he will play this season. In case he isn’t 100 percent, the Seahawks signed Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, who combined for 18.5 sacks last season.
Every player will need to be watched as every player is essential to the team, but these four could take the team to the next level. Football is finally back in Seattle.