The Seahawks are in trouble. Not in any sort of legal or moral sense, but their season is definitely in peril. 
Yesterday they signed Edgerrin James to a one year, $2M contract in hopes that he will help a stagnant run game get some more yards. The Seahawks are under 3-yards per carry in the preseason, and the front office is hoping that James still has a little gas left in the tank. That is a great thought, but didn’t we already learn what happens to a Running Back when they hit 30?
To make room for James, the team cut overvalued, over-utilized and underperforming T.J. Duckett, who was used mainly for short yardage situations last season – but isn’t that a job for the Fullback? The team let go promising Fullback Leonard Weaver during the offseason because of the price tag he had attached to himself (interesting to note that Weaver’s contract is $500K less then what they just paid for James), hoping that second-year player (and 2008 5th-round pick) Owen Schmitt can take over the short yardage – he did average over 4-yards per carry and 4.8-yards per catch out of the backfield.
But Schmitt is unproven, starter Julius Jones is a head case and James is an aging back. That says to the league: “We are desperate”.
I think the best comment I have heard so far is this: does he play on the Offensive Line? Great question, because the Offensive Line has been just that: offensive. Perennial Pro-Bowler Walter Jones had to have surgery again on his repaired knee and will be out for up to 6 weeks (and no, there is no word on the team thinking he might just hang them up), and his replacement at Left Tackle, Sean Locklear looked like he had never played the left side in his life. Center Chris Spencer is out for at least a few regular season games forcing the team to move the line around some more, with 2009 second-round pick Max Unger having to start and last year’s surprise at Center, Steve Vallos, coming off the bench to replace Spence, the former first-roundbust pick.
As of this writing the team’s Offensive line looks like this (from left to right): Locklear, Rob Sims (a promising, yet inconsistent Right Guard who moved to Left Guard with the retirement of Mike Wahle), Vallos, Unger and Ray Willis.
We will just have to hope that the new blocking scheme is easy enough to pick up that these replacements can step in and contribute, or the questions about Hasselbeck and the passing game that everyone always has will be of little concern as the line can’t protect him, can’t block for whoever the back is and watches as the season slips away. Two weeks ago, I felt they could go 10-6 and now I am afraid that they may not make 8-8.
Notes:
The Defensive Line seems to be getting some great work from their backups – we have yet to see much from Lawrence Jackson or Darryl Tapp but guys like Nick Reed, Craig Terrill and Red Bryant have stepped up to make big contributions. The Seahawks Defense is actually ranked 1st in Run Defense for the preseason.
The Secondary needs some luck (and health) to be even considered a decent one. They have given up too many big plays this preseason. Ken Lucas has done some good work, but Josh Wilson is not a starter and Kelly Jennings doesn’t even look like he should be on the field.
The Pass Offense seems to be coming along. Everyone keeps saying that it takes time to gain trust of receivers, but if Deion Butler keeps catching everything thrown at him, Hassebleck with trust him every time. I am worried about the effect of the Offensive Line on the Pass game. If they can’t block, there will need to be help from the Tight End which would be detrimental to this Offense.
Don’t worry about the Linebackers. First of all, the team is NOT going to show what I can do in the preseason – they are going to hide some things. You also have Aaron Curry sitting on the sideline. While that does not give me any sort of hope, it does tell me that we have solid backups in D.D. Lewis and Will Herring. Curry is not listed on the injury report as of today, so we should see a little of him this week in Kansas City.
Yesterday they signed Edgerrin James to a one year, $2M contract in hopes that he will help a stagnant run game get some more yards. The Seahawks are under 3-yards per carry in the preseason, and the front office is hoping that James still has a little gas left in the tank. That is a great thought, but didn’t we already learn what happens to a Running Back when they hit 30?
To make room for James, the team cut overvalued, over-utilized and underperforming T.J. Duckett, who was used mainly for short yardage situations last season – but isn’t that a job for the Fullback? The team let go promising Fullback Leonard Weaver during the offseason because of the price tag he had attached to himself (interesting to note that Weaver’s contract is $500K less then what they just paid for James), hoping that second-year player (and 2008 5th-round pick) Owen Schmitt can take over the short yardage – he did average over 4-yards per carry and 4.8-yards per catch out of the backfield.
But Schmitt is unproven, starter Julius Jones is a head case and James is an aging back. That says to the league: “We are desperate”.
I think the best comment I have heard so far is this: does he play on the Offensive Line? Great question, because the Offensive Line has been just that: offensive. Perennial Pro-Bowler Walter Jones had to have surgery again on his repaired knee and will be out for up to 6 weeks (and no, there is no word on the team thinking he might just hang them up), and his replacement at Left Tackle, Sean Locklear looked like he had never played the left side in his life. Center Chris Spencer is out for at least a few regular season games forcing the team to move the line around some more, with 2009 second-round pick Max Unger having to start and last year’s surprise at Center, Steve Vallos, coming off the bench to replace Spence, the former first-round
As of this writing the team’s Offensive line looks like this (from left to right): Locklear, Rob Sims (a promising, yet inconsistent Right Guard who moved to Left Guard with the retirement of Mike Wahle), Vallos, Unger and Ray Willis.
We will just have to hope that the new blocking scheme is easy enough to pick up that these replacements can step in and contribute, or the questions about Hasselbeck and the passing game that everyone always has will be of little concern as the line can’t protect him, can’t block for whoever the back is and watches as the season slips away. Two weeks ago, I felt they could go 10-6 and now I am afraid that they may not make 8-8.
Notes:
The Defensive Line seems to be getting some great work from their backups – we have yet to see much from Lawrence Jackson or Darryl Tapp but guys like Nick Reed, Craig Terrill and Red Bryant have stepped up to make big contributions. The Seahawks Defense is actually ranked 1st in Run Defense for the preseason.
The Secondary needs some luck (and health) to be even considered a decent one. They have given up too many big plays this preseason. Ken Lucas has done some good work, but Josh Wilson is not a starter and Kelly Jennings doesn’t even look like he should be on the field.
The Pass Offense seems to be coming along. Everyone keeps saying that it takes time to gain trust of receivers, but if Deion Butler keeps catching everything thrown at him, Hassebleck with trust him every time. I am worried about the effect of the Offensive Line on the Pass game. If they can’t block, there will need to be help from the Tight End which would be detrimental to this Offense.
Don’t worry about the Linebackers. First of all, the team is NOT going to show what I can do in the preseason – they are going to hide some things. You also have Aaron Curry sitting on the sideline. While that does not give me any sort of hope, it does tell me that we have solid backups in D.D. Lewis and Will Herring. Curry is not listed on the injury report as of today, so we should see a little of him this week in Kansas City.
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