ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

This is a Seahawks-centric mailbag, reflecting the content of almost all questions and comments submitted in the last 24 hours. It's probably fitting given injury concerns involving Matt Hasselbeck, Lofa Tatupu and others.

I spent a few hours Tuesday night interacting with a Seahawks booster club that has been nice enough to invite me to its meetings about once per year in recent seasons. The first mailbag offering comes from one of the Seattle fans unlucky enough to witness what happens when someone sets down my favorite pizza within sniffing distance. More on that later.

Corey from Des Moines, Wash., writes: Hey Mike, just wanted to thank you and your family for taking the time to meet with our booster club last night.

Thanks for answering my questions about the Rams. It was really nice to have you there as you are "all-knowing" about topics in our division. I had a couple more questions for you. What are your thoughts on the new Seahawks training facility in Renton? Do you think they lose anything from not having players living together for training camp? Do teams like the Rams, who went to Wisconsin (where the hell IS Mequon?), have an advantage because their players get a chance to bond more than the Seahawks?

I heard you are a big fan of Round Table pizza. In your travels covering the Rams, have you ever been to Imo's Pizza in the St.Louis area? That's all I've got right now. Thanks again for last night and I look forward to chatting with you soon.....GO HAWKS!

Mike Sando: Thanks, Corey. "All-knowing" is being a lot generous. I feel like I'm "all-learning" as I work toward a fuller understanding of the teams in this division.

Your club president, Bruce Bright, put me on the spot last night and forced me to project a 53-man roster for the Seahawks. I had a harder time with it this season. The receiver-running back breakdown is still in flux. I wound up cutting Ben Obomanu and Justin Forsett on my projection (sorry, guys, nothing personal, and I have a feeling Obomanu might stick around anyway).

I kept 10 defensive linemen, allowing Jason Babin and Baraka Atkins to stick around. I went with eight defensive backs (sorry, Jamar Adams). And I went with Olindo Mare at kicker, and Ryan Plackemeier at punter. I saved a spot for Floyd Womack on the offensive line, relegating Kyle Williams to the practice squad, but I don't feel strongly about the position.

A good beat reporter should be able to nail all 53 or miss no more than one or two most seasons, but I'd be happy with two misses on this projection.

As for your questions, I do think the bonding aspect is enhanced when teams stay home for training camp, but I have no evidence suggesting it makes a difference during the season.

As for pizza, I can confirm that Round Table's King Arthur Supreme is my first choice under any circumstances. I have had Imo's in St. Louis, but I'm partial to King Arthur. I've cut back on the instances of outright gluttony over the last 10 years, but -- sad to say -- I can still make a medium disappear in 15 minutes. It just happens.

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Ryan from Springfield, Mo., writes: Mr. Sando, we heart your blog over at TurfShowTimes.com! Anyway, question for you. How much weight do you attach to the preseason stats asterisk next to the performance of Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton? It seems both have a decent grasp of the notoriously difficult Al Saunders playbook, much better than the veteran Drew Bennett, but may lose a step amidst the much tougher grind of the NFL's regular season. Thoughts? Could Burton's style and ability replace Bennett? Cheers, Ryan

Mike Sando: Thanks, Ryan. Much appreciated. I trust what Al Saunders told me early in the offseason. He thought the rookies would need time to become consistently productive members of the offense. My feeling is that those guys will show flashes, good and bad, and that Avery will hit a couple home runs this season as a receiver and/or returner. The learning curve accelerates if one or both winds up starting (that could happen on a team with Drew Bennett and Dante Hall as the second and third receivers).

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rgcards from Louisville writes: I'm a fan of Shaun Alexander. What is the status, will he get picked up by anyone? Is he still injured?

Mike Sando: When the Seahawks released Alexander, I wondered if he would every play again. I knew teams wouldn't sign him unless they were desperate for a starter. Alexander isn't suited for the backup role because he doesn't block well, he doesn't catch consistently and he doesn't play special teams.

In other words, Alexander is not going to be a third-down back. You are not going to carry him on your roster unless he is carrying the football for you. And based on what we saw from Alexander over the last two seasons, it's fair to question whether he can stay healthy and run effectively.

Alexander projects as an injury replacement. Even then, I wonder if he would play for backup money. His predecessor in Seattle, Ricky Watters, had opportunities to play elsewhere once his time in Seattle passed. He asked for lots of money, couldn't get it and retired.

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Scott from Bremerton, Wash., writes: Sandman, why does Josh Wilson's name not come up when looking for a kick/punt returner? In limited action last year he looked OK, and even returned one kick for a TD. With any experience, and Burleson missing from special teams, shouldn't he at least get a shot?

Mike Sando: Wilson has returned two kickoffs for 41 yards this summer. I think they've made a concerted effort to improve Wilson's game as a cornerback. He did average 27.5 yards on kick returns last season, though.

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Chris from Seattle writes: Hey Mike, awesome work on the blog -- we missed your NFC West exclusive coverage last year! Anyway, here's my Q -- with Frye, Wallace and Hasselbeck all hurting, who are we going to see on Friday? I'm sure we'll get Frye's MRI results on Wednesday, but was it per
haps always the plan to give Wallace most of the snaps (since he wasn't supposed to get any vs. Chargers)? Any chance of seeing Dalton Bell?

Mike Sando: Thanks, Chris. Appreciated. Indeed, you might see Dalton Bell this week. Mike Holmgren has kept his QB rotation plans under wraps most of the summer. Frye's injury could alter the team's plans for this game. I think we'll see a few handoffs.

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Shawn from Lacey, Wash., writes: Mike, Great job as always. I have been watching shows like Monday night Countdown and First Take and a good portion of them believe that there will be issues between Holmgren and Mora Jr., or between the players and Coach Holmgren if the Hawks hit a rough stretch. It seems to me that they are not giving enough credit to the hall of fame Coach or the players respect for him. You have covered the Hawks for a long time and have been around all of them, what are your thoughts on this matter. Thanks for everything you do Mike, you're the best.

Mike Sando: Thanks, Shawn. The Holmgren-Mora angle is relevant and should be covered. Those of us close to the situation covered that ground long ago. We have nothing new to add. That ground is fresher for people watching the situation from afar -- including a national audience filled with non-Seahawks fans.

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J from New York writes: Mike, so, I see that Deion Branch was NOT officially placed on the PUP list. Does this mean that the Hawks will be carrying two dead roster spots at WR to start the season? How do you think Holmgren feels about Frye being viable in this offense with his performance in SD? Any chance that they use Wallace as a fifth option on game days to save a spot on the roster? From what I have seen it has been the RB's going in motion to make the sets 5 wide, so why worry about carrying more than 5 receivers anyways?

Mike Sando: I have monitored and even charted the Seahawks' offensive personnel for years and cannot recall ever seeing five true wide receivers on the field at the same time. Sometimes a team carries more than five for special-teams considerations, or for injury situations.

Seattle can still put Branch on the PUP list eventually. The team simply determined that decision did not need to be made at this time. The Seahawks do have options, some more painful than others. They could carry extra receivers at the expense of other positions. They could place Branch on the PUP list at the last minute if they felt he wasn't going to be ready early in the season. They could even make a roster move involving Bobby Engram if they really needed the roster spot. I'm not saying the team is considering such a drastic move, but lots of things can happen when teams become desperate for roster spots.

I would think the Seahawks would keep six receivers, including Branch and Engram, but Seattle has kept between four and seven under Holmgren on the 53-man cutdown.

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Ken from Bellevue writes: Jordan Kent has looked much better this preseason than Courtney Taylor, who was pegged to start in place of injured Engram. Seeing Nate Burleson play the slot [Monday] night, I can't help but wonder if they are looking for a way to get Kent in the game and possibly start at split end. Do you think they would begin the season moving their No. 1 receiver to a different position in order for Kent to play?

Mike Sando: I could see them changing things up on a short-term basis while Engram works his way back from injuries. I would not expect them to alter the offense for Kent over the long term. In the past, Burleson was better when he focused on a single position. He has been in the system long enough now, in theory, to move around more. But I would be careful with the notion of a No. 1 receiver. This team hasn't really used its receivers that way.

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Larry from Seattle writes: Mike - Can you provide an update on the Lofa Tatupu injury? Many Seahawks fans are holding their breath on this. Our season would take a huge hit if the letters M-C-L or A-C-L are strung together in this injury report.

Mike Sando: Every indication suggests Tatupu's injury is not going to involve those letters in a meaningful way.

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Quinn from Seattle writes: Sando, the Seahawks have a battle going on at WR and also at RB/FB to see who is going to make the team. The only easy choices at WR are Branch, Burleson, and Engram, but Branch and Engram are hurt. At RB, Jones and Morris are safe, and hopefully Weaver is safe at FB. Obomanu, Kent, Payne, Taylor, and even Bumpus have all shown flashes of having the ability to play at WR, but they can't all make it. Same thing at RB/FB, I would think we have to get rid of at least two big guys, between Weaver, Schmitt, Duckett, and Kirtman. Then add Forsett to the mix because has performed well lately as well. Who do you think will end up on the roster by the season's kickoff? By the way great job with the NFC West, and don't feel obligated to hyperlink all of those names.

Mike Sando: Thanks, Quincy. Weaver is definitely safe. He is the starting fullback. I wouldn't be shocked no matter what happens with Owen Schmitt or T.J. Duckett, but my sense is that both will stick on the roster. Maurice Morris and Julius Jones also make it, obviously, and so we're left to wonder if there's a sixth spot for Justin Forsett, whose most recent performance offset his earlier strong showing.

At receiver, Kent has now done enough to make this team, I would think. Logan Payne appears to have a future, so I would save a spot for him as well. Courtney Taylor has the physical ability to be a difference-maker, so I would keep him. Deion Branch, Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson would also make the roster if I were in charge. That's six. Ben Obomanu knows the system, but has he done enough this summer to earn a spot? I'm not so sure.

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Matt from Seattle writes: Sando, Tatupu and Frye both leave with knee injuries, add that to the slew of other players out because of injury. I can't ever remember a team with this many injuries during camp. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come for the season. Is this the most injured team you have ever witnessed?

Mike Sando: I don't think the injuries are over the top at this point. They were heading that way earlier in camp, and the 80-man roster limit did not help. But some of those guys are back on the field (Red Bryant, Patrick Kerney, etc.). And I do think Matt Hasselbeck is missing time only as a precaution. The Patriots had 21 players miss an exhibition game. Seattle had 18 miss its game the same week. Those were the biggest numbers in the league according to
John Clayton's calculations.