Posted by DHarp75 on January 20, 2012 under PartyHawks Central | 
Because you’ve been sitting on the edge of your snowy seat waiting for an update on Tressor Baptiste, we’re here to inform you the kid was officially signed by the Seahawks on Thursday.
Baptiste, a rookie linebacker out of Texas A&M-Kingsville who was waived by the Bears on Sept. 2 and hasn’t been heard from since in NFL circles, was brought in this week for a tryout and subsequently signed to a Reserve/Futures contract. AKA … he’s a warm body for the depth chart come minicamps.
Posted by DHarp75 on January 19, 2012 under PartyHawks Central |
Michael Robinson earned his first Pro Bowl spot.
paved the way for
Marshawn Lynch to enjoy a career year – and soon an enormous payday. Robinson’s contribution wasn’t overlooked by the players or coaching staff, who said he was the unsung hero of the offense.
And now Robinson is being recognized by the rest of the league, as he was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster as an injury replacement for Packers FB John Kuhn.
Robinson carried all of four times for seven yards in 2011 – a 1.8-yard average – and one of those was a brutal goal-line fumble against the Giants. But as a lead blocker, he proved invaluable after the offensive line caught on to the zone-blocking scheme and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell committed to using Robinson in the backfield.
Lynch could join Robinson in Hawaii. He was the second alternate on the NFC roster. If the 49ers beat the Giants, Frank Gore won’t be eligible to play, and first alternate Adrian Peterson is out after blowing out his knee.
If Lynch indeed makes it to the Ko Olina hotel, Robinson’s drinks by the beach of the five lagoons on the property should be on Beast Mode for the week considering the massive payday he’s in store for.
Posted by DHarp75 on under PartyHawks Central |
What better to do on a snowy afternoon than take a look at the confidential NFL personnel reports that we have access to? Nothing too exciting this time of year for non-playoff teams. If your team hasn’t fired a coach, you’re essentially kicking the tires on some unknowns and waiting for the playoffs to end.
The Seahawks are doing just that. They brought in Tressor Baptiste this week, a rookie linebacker out of Texas A&M-Kingsville who was waived by the Bears on Sept. 2 and hasn’t been heard from since in NFL circles.
I’m not saying the kid is little-known, but we rate more than 2,000 draft prospects a year for NFLDraftScout.com, and he’s nowhere in our database.
Posted by DHarp75 on January 12, 2012 under PartyHawks Central |
I can’t say I saw enough out of RB Vai Taua during the preseason last year (liked Thomas Clayton far more – to warrant a three strikes approach, but apparently the Seahawks did.
Taua, who was placed on the practice squad/suspended list this year and also was suspended for a game at Nevada in 2010 for academic issues, was signed to a Reserve/Futures contract this week.
Undrafted out of Nevada last year, Taua had a decent training camp and was signed to the practice squad after not making the roster to open the season. I figured his time in Seattle was effectively over with the suspension, although the team never did confirm exactly what it was for (we had written performance-enhancing substances previously, but further checking showed that hasn’t been verified).
So whatever it was for apparently wasn’t enough for the Seahawks to completely cut ties yet. Still, it really only buys Taua a ticket to keep training with the team and likely get on the field when organized team activities get underway.
Posted by DHarp75 on under PartyHawks Central |
Hmm, where's Jon hiding his Bible?
hasn’t been a Seahawk for more than a decade, but football fans in the Pacific Northwest have probably followed his NFL career to Cincinnati and Dallas. And after 15 seasons, Kitna has finally decided to call it a career.
The news doesn’t come as a surprise. The 39-year-old finished the season on injured reserve and gave strong hints that 2011 was probably his last in the NFL.
His first four came with the Seahawks, who signed him as an undrafted rookie out of Eastern Washington in 1997. He certainly wasn’t always a fan favorite, especially while throwing 35 picks in 30 starts from 1999-2000. But he was always a respected locker room leader who often led Bible studies at his three NFL stops.
Kitna still makes his home in the Northwest, and has said he’d consider becoming a high school teacher and football coach in Tacoma.
Posted by DHarp75 on January 11, 2012 under PartyHawks Central |
Tyrell Sutton is a quiet contender for a roster spot in the backfield.
The Seahawks signed RB
Tyrell Sutton to a Reserve/Future contract. The Northwestern product was signed by Green Bay in 2009 and impressed during training camp despite not making the team.
He caught the eye of the Panthers, and played for Carolina from 2009-2010, but didn’t make the team out of training camp this season.
He worked out for Denver in October but wasn’t signed.
Sutton is just 5-feet-8, but runs low to the ground and with power. He rushed for 230 yards in a preseason game against Cleveland in 2009, and showed decisive cutbacks and the ability to slip tackles.
He has filled in as a kick returner and played some fullback, saying he’ll do whatever it takes to get on the field.
Sutton was bothered by an ankle injury much of 2010 and sort of fell off the radar after he was cut in September.
But keep an eye on the kid. Coach Pete Carroll likes reclamation projects, and Sutton could vie for a roster spot and save the Seahawks from having to draft another running back. There wasn’t enough bulk behind Marshawn Lynch last year with undersized Leon Washington and Justin Forsett.
With Sutton’s versatility, he can contribute on special teams and also provide a capable backup to FB Michael Robinson, one of the unsung heros behind Lynch’s breakout season.
Posted by DHarp75 on January 9, 2012 under PartyHawks Central |
Vai Taua opened some eyes as an undrafted rookie running back out of BYU during training camp. The coaching staff thought enough of him to add Taua to the practice squad after he failed to make the team to open the season.
Then Taua was suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances. Taua was reinstated last week, but he’s not likely to see another opportunity at the V-Mac any time soon.
As we guessed, his contract was allowed to expire, along with those of RB Jay Finley (Baylor) and former Maryland wide receiver Isaiah Williams.
Posted by DHarp75 on January 5, 2012 under PartyHawks Central |
The Seahawks signed six players to Reserve/Future contracts, all of whom spent time on the team’s practice squad in 2011.
The six are RB Allen Bradford, DB Coye Francies, DE John Graves, DB Jesse Hoffman, TE John Nalbone and OG Brent Osborne.
RB Vai Taua, a rookie out of Nevada who was suspended for violating the performance-enhancing drugs policy, was reinstated by the commissioner. No word yet if he has any future with the team at this point, but it’s usually a death knell when a practice squad player lands on the league’s suspended list.
Posted by DHarp75 on January 3, 2012 under PartyHawks Central |
Sidney Rice finished his first season in Seattle with 32 catches for 484 yards and 2 TDs.
Seahawks wide receiver
Sidney Rice will undergo shoulder surgery, according to coach
Pete Carroll, per a report by The Seattle Times.
Rice is expected to rehab for 3-4 months, which means he’ll miss part of the offseason program but should be able to take part in May minicamps. He tore a labrum in his shoulder in the week leading up to the start of the season and missed the first two games.
He returned to catch 32 passes for 484 yards and two touchdowns before being shut down with his second concussion of the season.
Rice signed a five-year deal worth $41 million with $18.5 million guaranteed, after the lockout ended.
Posted by DHarp75 on under PartyHawks Central |
The Seahawks officially jumpstarted their offseason by signing DE Pierre Allen to a Reserve/Future contract. OK, more of a rolling push to get the juices flowing in the front office more than a jumpstart.
An intriguing situational edge rushing prospect out of Nebraska, Allen wasn’t drafted last year due to injury concerns … and then injured his hamstring in training camp and was released with an injury settlement in September. He signed back on with the practice squad Nov. 10 and finished the season there.
