Seattle Seahawks Training Camp Report
Peter King writes...
Site: Renton, Wash.
What I Saw: Morning practice, Monday, Aug. 17. Sunny, 76 degrees. A postcard day on the shores of Lake Washington. If I’ve ever been to a more perfect day for an NFL training camp practice in 32 years covering the game, I certainly don’t recall it.
Three things you need to know about the Seahawks:
1. The secondary looks downright bizarre. When the first nickel defense took the field this morning, here’s who it was: rookie fifth-round pick Tye Smith at left corner, veteran free agent Cary Williams (Ravens, Eagles) at right corner, ex-Colt Marcus Burley at slot corner, undrafted 2014 free-agent Dion Bailey at free safety, undrafted 2015 rookie free-agent Ronald Martin Jr., at strong safety. The entire secondary’s a double take this summer. Richard Sherman should be back at left corner in a day or two—his hip flexor’s sore—but who know when strong safety Kam Chancellor (holding out with three years left on his contract) comes back, and it’s likely but not certain that free safety Earl Thomas (shoulder labrum surgery) will be back for the opener. It’s a weird dynamic here in the secondary. Maybe three-quarters will be back for the opener in St. Louis in less than four weeks, but you hate to hear two guys from such a great position group entering the season a little ouchy.
2. Jimmy Graham gives Russell Wilson the power-forward target he’s never had. In practice this morning, Graham leaped high above a safety—didn’t catch his number—and finger-tipped a catch a good 10 feet off the ground. He looked like a forward snaring an alley-oop pass for a basketball dunk. Graham’s also working to disprove the worries of him as a blocker. When I watched him with the tight ends in blocking drills, he worked harder there than he did in receiving drills.
3. You could easily make the argument than Tom Cable is the most important assistant coach in the NFL this year. “I can see your point,” Pete Coarroll told me this afternoon. In a little more than two weeks of training camp, the Seahawks have had five starting left guards—today it was converted tackle Justin Britt—while struggling to maintain control of the middle of the line. Gone, too, is center Max Unger (in the Jimmy Graham trade with New Orleans), and so career backup Lemuel Jeanpierre steps in at center. “The good thing about Tom,” said Carroll, “is he’s very good at getting guys ready to play early.” This will be a vital part of the early season for the Seahawks, who open at the defensive-front-strong Rams and at powerful Green Bay.
What will determine success or failure for the Seahawks: I say whether they can build a bridge with Chancellor, and whether the offensive line can avoid being the sieve that it looks like right now.
Player I saw and really liked: B.J. Daniels, wide receiver. Strange story. Pete Carroll has always loved athletic players. And last year, when Daniels was a number three quarterback, he got practice reps elsewhere, and the Seahawks liked his versatility. He’s pretty much run his course at quarterback—the coaches didn’t think he had a shot to stick this year—and so had him try wide receiver. This morning, he made the best catch I’ve seen any receiver make in my 17 camps thus far, a diving, one-handed snare in close coverage along the sideline, made with a violent landing, somehow holding onto the ball when he fell. One coach told me that despite a deep receiving corps (finally), Daniels will have a legitimate chance to make the team if he continues to play like that—in part because of the versatility he brings to the roster.
Five dot-dot-dot observations about the Seahawks: Amazing to see the little cubicle upstairs in the coaches’ wing of the facility, with assistant linebackers coach Loifa Tatupu in it. Yes, the former Pro Bowl linebacker for Seattle. Carroll says he’s adjusting well to the maladjusted life of being an NFL coach in his rookie coaching season … Controversial second-round pick Frank Clark, kicked off his college team at Michigan after a domestic-violence charge, has been very impressive early in camp … Defensive coaches like what they see in former Browns defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin. He should be in a three- or four-man rotation among the defensive-line heavyweights. Rubin’s 325 pounds … Coaches love rookie wideout/returner Tyler Lockett, who returned a kickoff for a 103-yard touchdown in the preseason opener. He could be the receiver/returner the Seahawks hoped they’d have when they dealt for Percy Harvin two years ago … Speaking of Harvin, Carroll had no comment to me and USA Today’s Jarrett Bell about Harvin’s comments to Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News about Doug Baldwin and Golden Tate being jealous of Harvin when he arrived in trade in 2013. “You’re not going to hear us talk about that,” said Carroll.
The one name on the roster I’d forgotten about. Michael Barrow, linebackers coach. The rookie assistant and 13-year NFL linebacker transitions from the University of Miami to a big job here—coaching Bobby Wagner, Bruce Irvin, K.J. Wright et al. Most importantly, he used to be my neighbor, just the next street over, in Montclair, N.J., when he played for the Giants 13 years ago. I mean, let’s get the important things straight here.
The thing I’ll remember about Renton. The view. The incredible view. I love coming to camp here. Even thought I’m a professed lover of teams that travel to training camp, August in Seattle is one of the most beautiful months in any city in the world. Today, with just a wispy cirrus cloud floating overhead for the two-hour workout, was one of those days that makes you wonder, Exactly why is it that I don’t live here?
Gut feeling about this team as I left town. I’m worried about the protection for Russell Wilson. Quite worried. Look for lots of wheel routes, screens and quick hitches and bubble screens—and jump balls over the middle on quick throws to Jimmy Graham. I just don’t think Wilson’s going to have the time he had last year. But, and this is a big “but,” I trust Tom Cable to solve the issues and salvage a decent line out of this group. If he does, there’s no reason why Seattle’s not in the NFC Championship Game again come January.
