Posted by DHarp75 on March 9, 2010 under PartyHawks Central | 
QB Seneca Wallace is the latest vet sent packing by the new regime.
The Seahawks have dipped their toes into free agency, testing the waters by bringing in WR
Brandon Marshall, RB
Mike Bell and DE
Dwan Edwards for visits, among others.
But while there have been no additions to the team yet, the new regime is making it clear it believes a roster overhaul is in store. After some tepid tender offers to several restricted free agents, WR Nate Burleson was allowed to walk to Detroit and QB Seneca Wallace was dealt to Cleveland, where he’ll be reunited with Papa Holmgren.
Right now, Mike Teel is the only other quarterback on the roster behind Matt Hasselbeck. And as a fifth-round pick by Tim Ruskell, the new staff has no allegiances to the untested second-year player.
The safe bet is two quarterbacks will be added by training camp. Expect the Hawks to use a pick in the first three rounds on a signal-caller to build the offense around in the future, and then add a veteran to back up the ever-brittle Hasselbeck in 2010.
Wallace wasn’t the long-term answer. The Sene-cat was fun, and he was a serviceable NFL backup, but he certainly wasn’t the future at the position. When given extended playing time, Wallace was skittish in the pocket and highly innacurate as a passer. So he gets a real shot to continue his career-long backup status back with the man who gave him his shot in the NFL.
Posted by DHarp75 on March 6, 2010 under PartyHawks Central |
Brandon Marshall is scheduled to hit up the Hawks' complex Saturday.
The good news is the Hawks won’t give up their No. 6 overall pick for
Brandon Marshall. The Broncos receiver is visiting team headquarters today — on a nice Chamber of Commerce type of day, no less — and if he agrees to a deal, Seattle would work out a trade with Denver.
As one of my draft gurus, Rob Rang, pointed out, the Broncos have limited options with Marshall. He has an extremely strained relationship with coach Josh McDaniels, and the team has to deal its star receiver. So the most likely scenario is a trade for a package of lower picks. It would be more than the third- and fourth-rounders Arizona got for injury-plagued Anquan Boldin, however.
Regardles of the price, it’s a bad move. Marshall has been involved in off-field issues every years since he entered the league four years ago. He’s a head case who battles with coaches and can’t be counted on from year to year.
Why bring that presence into a team that needs to rebuild with a bevy of young talent? Marshall isn’t a team leader or a role model for the younger players. And it’s not like one of the most talent-deprived rosters in the league is one prima donna receiver away from contending again.
Posted by DHarp75 on March 5, 2010 under PartyHawks Central |
Brandon Marshall is scheduled to hit up the Hawks' complex Saturday.
The Seahawks are set to entertain Broncos wide receiver
Brandon Marshall this weekend.
Yes, the same Brandon Marshall who stuck his arm through glass while roughhousing with a cousin a few years back. Yes, the same Brandon Marshall who has had an endless string of vehicular incidencts. Yes, the same Brandon Marshall who was suspended for the first game last season and had a public feud with coach Josh McDaniels.
He’s also the same Brandon Marshall who caugh 21 passes in a game last season. That would have ranked seventh on the Seahawks for the entire season. He’s a big, physical, athleticially gifted freak of nature … exactly what the Seahawks have lacked in their passing game for years.
But he’s also a head case and a nightmare off the field who is one incident away from a four-game suspension. He’s also a restricted free agent. If the Hawks offer him a contract, the Broncos have seven days to match it. If they refuse? Seattle sends the No. 6 pick this April to Denver.
That’s too steep a price to pay. This roster is amon the top five thinnest in the NFL. No one player is going to fix it. And especially someone as unpredictable as Marshall.
Keep the draft pick. Heck, trade it and land a few more. Seattle needs an influx of young talent willing to grow this thing together. As sexy as Marshall might look on paper, it’s a bad move in every way outside of the PR department and season-ticket sales.
Posted by DHarp75 on under PartyHawks Central |
WR Nate Burleson is waving good-bye to Seattle.
So much for
Nate Burleson giving the Seahawks an opportunity to match any free-agent offers.
The wide received agreed to a five-year deal with Detroit within hours of becoming a free agent at 9:01 p.m. PT Thursday night. With the Lions, he’ll be reunited with Scott Linehan, who was his offensive coordiantor in Minnesota.
Burleson has been injury-prone, but has also been one of the Seahawks’ few big-play threats on offense. They now have no proven receiver on the roster who can stretch the field. The hope is Dion Butler could emerge into that weapon, but Seattle will also target more speed in the draft in addition to scoping out the free-agent options.
Posted by DHarp75 on under PartyHawks Central |
Pete Carroll's staff is starting to take shape - with one excellent hire in particular.
PartyHawks.com has been on the NFL grind the past month. From the Super Bowl to Alabama to put out an NFL Draft magazine to Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine.
It’s that last trip that provided the most insight from a Seahawks perspective. Personally, I was very disappointed coach Pete Carroll chose not to have a media session. Twenty-plus coaches, including Chan Gailey and Mike Shanahan, spoke at length for the first time this offseason. A local seattle beatwriter told me Carroll didn’t want to talk to the media because he didn’t want to address the allegations regarding Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight.
Fine. Get on the podium, make it clear you won’t address that and move on.
Carroll did eventually have a side session with local Seattle writers. But this is one of the league’s most charismatic figures, returning to the league with a team that has two picks in the top 13 this year. And he doesn’t talk at the Combine?
Sure hope that’s not a harbinger for how the new administration is going to roll.
As for the Combine itself, I’m very excited about this draft class. Some consider it the strongest since 1983, and there is talent across the board. What should the Seahawks do at No. 6? They can go with the standard “best available,” because they need help everywhere but linebacker. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see them trade out of the spot to accumulate more picks.
A few kids who particularly impressed me who could be available at No. 6 included Tennessee S Eric Berry, Florida CB Joe Haden and Clemson RB C.J. Spiller. More on them to come in the near future.
