NFC West: Mike DeBord
Not that tight ends have ever factored much as receivers in a Mike Martz offense.
Martz, hired to coordinate the Bears' offense, is back in the NFL for the first time since the 49ers fired him following the 2008 season. DeBord was the Seahawks' assistant offensive line coach in 2008 and 2009.
The Martz hiring in Chicago should have a smelling-salts effect on the offense there. Martz tends to get quick results. But the Bears have had personnel problems on their offensive line. Those problems probably will not go away even with former Seahawks tight end Mike Tice coaching the offensive line.
Martz does have a highly-talented quarterback, Jay Cutler, for the first time since he was with the Rams earlier this decade. That should help him run the type of aggressive passing game he prefers.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Cardinals had already hired Curtis Modkins to coach their running backs. They didn't say anything publicly until the Chiefs announced Maurice Carthon's hiring as assistant head coach.
Carthon coached running backs for the Cardinals in 2007 and 2008. Modkins coached running backs for the Chiefs in 2008.
When Todd Haley left his job as Cardinals offensive coordinator to become the Chiefs' head coach, he wanted to bring along Carthon from Arizona.
The Cardinals allowed Carthon to pursue the promotion. They quickly lined up Modkins, who broke into the NFL with Kansas City in 2008 after six seasons coaching running backs defensive backs at Georgia Tech.
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The chart provides a general overview of NFC West coaching staffs. Yellow shading highlights changes from last season. Titles are imprecise in some cases.
For example, the Cardinals do not have an offensive coordinator. They have a running game coordinator in assistant head coach/offensive line Russ Grimm and they have a passing game coordinator in Mike Miller.
Update: Sizing up NFC West coaching staffs
NFC West coaching staffs are mostly complete after the Rams assigned titles to Frank Leonard, Paul Ferraro, Andre Curtis and Clayton Lopez.
The chart shows which coaches retained their titles from the end of last season (gray shading) and which coaches are new to their current roles (yellow shading). The Cardinals could face additional changes if they fill vacancies from within.
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All four offensive line coaches remain in their roles from last season (subject to change if Russ Grimm becomes the Cardinals' offensive coordinator). Every other core staff position features at least one change in the division.
The 49ers and Rams have the largest staffs with 20 members apiece, counting head coaches. The Seahawks reduced to 18 after moving assistant offensive line coach Mike DeBord to tight ends and eliminating the job of assistant special teams coach John Jamison. The Cardinals have 13 coaches, a number that figures to rise by at least three.
The 49ers and Rams have full-time administrative assistants assigned to their head coaches. The Cardinals do not formally list an assistant strength and conditioning coach, although Pete Alosi does help John Lott in that area.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
NFC West coaching staffs are mostly complete. The chart provides a general overview showing which coaches are primarily overseeing key areas.
Some coaches have fancy titles. I'll list those below. Including those titles in the chart would have served them but not us.
The 49ers have two coaches assigned to linebackers and two assigned to the secondary:
- Jason Tarver is a defensive assistant/outside linebackers. Vantz Singletary is coaching inside linebackers. Coach Mike Singletary and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky are former NFL linebackers, so the 49ers have that position covered.
- Vance Joseph and Johnnie Lynn are both listed as secondary coaches.
The Rams have not named coaches at tight
end, linebacker or secondary. However, they have hired Andre Curtis and Paul Ferraro as unspecified defensive assistants. They have also hired Frank Leonard as an unspecified offensive assistant.
The Seahawks and Cardinals do not list administrative assistants as part of their staffs. Bill Nayes and Bruce Warwick fill those spots for the 49ers and Rams, respectively.
The following team-by-team list includes all the fancy titles, plus some coaches who did not appear on the chart:
With Wahle out, Seahawks seek answers
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
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| Wahle |
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren once pointed to guard Mike Wahle as the team's most significant addition of the 2008 offseason. Now, Holmgren can point to Wahle as the latest offensive lineman to land on injured reserve.
Wahle, sidelined by a shoulder stinger, joins starting center Chris Spencer and starting right guard Rob Sims on the season-ending list. A pectoral injury might explain Sims' struggles early in the season. He wound up needing surgery. Spencer's back issues sidelined him through most of training camp. He missed the Dallas game in Week 13 and went on injured reserve this week.
Wahle was one of the Seahawks' most impressive players during offseason camps. Players often fight through stinger injuries even while the condition saps their strength. I'm not sure how long Wahle was battling this injury, but he did seem to struggle more than expected at times. A string of false-start penalties seemed uncharacteristic for a veteran.
We're left to wonder how Seattle's offensive line might come together next season. Walter Jones will presumably be back at left tackle. The other four positions remain in question. Wahle turns 32 before the 2009 season. Is his body breaking down, or can he bounce back? Sims and Spencer have hardly established themselves as reliable or productive long-term answers. Even right tackle Sean Locklear has struggled more than expected. Does Ray Willis provide a better option there?
The line was supposed to be a strength with Mike Solari and Mike DeBoad taking over as coaches. Both are excellent coaches based on what I've seen in practices and feedback from players and other coaches throughout the league. Injuries on the line and elsehwere have compromised the offense. Building continuity is essential for success in the future.
Making sense of more Seattle changes
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The loss of Seahawks guard Rob Sims to season-ending pectoral surgery clears a roster spot for free-agent receiver Samie Parker, who has signed with the team.
Sims was still finding his way after moving from left guard last season to right guard this season. He was hardly an established player, but the Seahawks liked his potential. They wanted him to get comfortable and develop under new line coaches Mike Solari and Mike DeBord.
Veteran Floyd Womack becomes the likely replacement for Sims, but his long and varied injury history suggests the Seahawks aren't finished shuffling their offensive line. Mansfield Wrotto will back up Womack.
Ray Willis, currently starting at right tackle for the injured Sean Locklear, arguably qualifies as one of the five best linemen on the team. But the Seahawks appear likely to leave him at tackle for now. They tried him at guard in practice previously.
Parker, meanwhile, rounds out a patchwork group of receivers. He caught 110 passes for Kansas City over the last four seasons. Parker becomes the Seahawks' speed receiver. Billy McMullen, signed Tuesday, becomes the bigger target. Deion Branch and Bobby Engram remain sidelined with injuries. Nate Burleson and Ben Obomanu are out for the season.
Receiver Jordan Kent could land on the practice squad after Seattle waived him. The Seahawks liked what Kent showed in camp, but they didn't envision him as one of their top three wideouts. The role was too much for him, which isn't a shock.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
- Bills 34, Seahawks 10
The Seahawks spent all offseason working to improve their running game. While that work appeared far from finished during a 34-10 defeat at Buffalo, the passing game needs even more attention -- especially if Seattle hopes to overcome shoddy special-teams play.
The situation at receiver went from potentially serious to grave for Seattle when a knee injury forced Nate Burleson out of the game. Burleson was the Seahawks' only healthy wideout with meaningful experience. The other starter Sunday, Courtney Taylor, averaged 9.5 yards on two receptions. He dropped the ball and wasn't a factor.
The Seahawks were excited about working veteran tight end Jeb Putzier into their three-receiver packages. He had trouble holding onto the ball and finished with zero receptions. Seattle converted only three times in 16 third-down chances.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck needs receivers to find open spots when plays break down. Hasselbeck waited for receivers to find open spots, but they never did. Veteran receiver Bobby Engram, sidelined for at least another game or two, was extremely valuable in those situations.
This wasn't the first time the Seahawks have stumbled on offense during a season opener. But those previous teams didn't have Mike Solari and Mike DeBord coaching the offensive line. They didn't have tight ends as versatile as rookie John Carlson. They didn't have veteran guard Mike Wahle, the player coach Mike Holmgren identified as the single most important addition of the offseason.
History tells us not to overreact after one game. The Seahawks return to Seattle for home games against the 49ers and Rams over the next two weeks. A fast start is still possible and even likely.
Seattle needs to restore balance to its roster for the benefit of special teams. The Bills piled up 120 yards on six punt returns, including a 63-yard return for a touchdown. Special-teams plays contributed to 21 points for Arizona. That was even more than expected against a Seattle team carrying two kickers, six running backs and a league-low 13 linebackers and defensive backs.
Getting defensive back Jordan Babineaux and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard back from one-game suspensions should help, but not without improvement on offense.
- Eagles 38, Rams 3
The Rams made it through their predictable season-opening sacrifice in Philadelphia without losing left tackle Orlando Pace to a season-ending injury. Quarterback Marc Bulger also left Philadelphia in one piece following the 38-3 defeat against the Eagles.
This St. Louis team will have to settle for small victories, particularly against a Super Bowl contender such as Philadelphia. Getting through this game without losing Pace or Bulger will have to suffice. Nothing else went right, and even Pace wasn't unscathed. He took a hit to the ribs when the Rams were trailing, 38-0. And if Bulger keeps taking shots the way he did Sunday, he won't last.
The Rams will improve on offense as long as Pace and Bulger remain available. They can't get much worse after failing to convert any of their 11 third-down chances. This was the Rams' first game under new coordinator Al Saunders. Steven Jackson held out through training camp, so he was going to be a rusty. A new offense needs time to develop continuity. Torry Holt is not going to finish with one catch for 9 yards every week.
The breakdowns suffered on defense might be more troubling. Allowing 522 yards wasn't as bad as allowing so many of those yards on big plays. The Eagles, despite entering the game without either starting receiver, produced pass plays of 47, 31, 52 and 90 yards during their first five possessions. The Rams' offense never had a chance to find balance after falling behind early.
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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The Seahawks filled all but one of their practice-squad spots today, but fullback David Kirtman wasn't part of the group. Kirtman, a fifth-round choice from USC in 2006, signed with the Chargers' practice squad.
Seattle's backfield is crowded. The team carried six running backs on the initial 53-man roster. None of the seven practice-squad players was a running back.
Rookie seventh-round choices Justin Forsett and Brandon Coutu earned spots on the 53-man roster, but one could become a viable candidate for the practice squad if the team decided it couldn't afford to carry six running backs or two kickers.
The chart shows every Seahawks player with practice-squad eligibility. Safety Jamar Adams and receiver Michael Bumpus probably came closest to earning spots on the 53-man roster.
In the end, the Seahawks couldn't justify keeping a ninth defensive back. Kyle Williams, a tackle from USC, also showed promise working with new line coaches Mike Solari and Mike DeBord.
Unusual circumstances have left the Seahawks' roster in flux. Receivers Deion Branch and Bobby Engram remain sidelined, but both are counting against the roster limit. Jordan Babineaux and Rocky Bernard are healthy, but neither counts against the limit while serving a one-game suspension to open the season.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Dan from Knoxville writes: Mike, I have been a 49ers fan since birth. I think that Mike Nolan is a great coach. Think of that HUGE mess he had to fix when he arrived. He has drafted some fantasic players and has this team so close. I have been reading that many are troubled with the future of the staff. The offense will improve this year and the defense will be scary good, just wait. If Nolan leaves, just hire Martz as the coach/OC and its problem solved. I hope to be rollin' with Nolan for a long time. Great Job on the blog. By the way, Alex Smith should lose his job. He is terrible.
Mike Sando: Mike Nolan is obviously a very good football coach. The question is whether he's a good head coach in the NFL. That distinction stands until Nolan proves he can handle all aspects of the job. The situation with Alex Smith last season was unfortunate for all involved. The head coach ultimately bears more responsibility than the then-23-year-old quarterback.
Nolan isn't to blame for losing Norv Turner. That one change might be as responsible as anything for derailing Smith's career.
Sam from Springfield, Mo., writes: Mike - Now that Steven Jackson is ending his holdout, I am guessing that this will make Bulger a lot happier. Marc will now have Steven to get the ball to, and the opponent's defense will now have to worry about Jackson running over them, meaning that Marc will stay on his feet more often. I'm not too worried about him being able to turn on that 'NFL switch', I'm confident that he will be ready to go when we meet the Eagles. What I want to know is will Jackson being back in Horns make a difference in the NFC West standings?
Mike Sando: Yes, I do think Jackson is good enough to make that kind of difference. Without Jackson, I would put the Rams fourth in the division. With Jackson, I think the Rams have a chance to be better than that. Their depth still might be the worst in the division, but the Bulger-Jackson combination is a good one. Protection is always the key for Bulger. He's not the sturdiest guy and he's not the same when he's getting hit.
Jason from Greeley, Colo., writes: Hey, Mike great job with this blog. It's nice to have another source for great Cardinals info. With all of this hoopla about Q (Anquan Boldin), are there any developing stories flying under the radar this week? Any stories that might be more positive? It always seems that Cardinals fans only ever get bad news; (knocking on wood that there is no more serious bad news)
Mike Sando: Thanks, Jason. Much appreciated. The added depth on defense is certainly a positive story for Arizona. Travis LaBoy and Clark Haggans should help that team. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a positive story. Tim Hightower's running has been another positive development for this team. I'll be at the Cardinals-Raiders game on Saturday night, keeping an eye out for other developments, good and bad.
Aaron from Redmond, Wash., writes: Hey Mike! I was wondering what your thoughts are as far as the current jogjam at running back. Do any of them have any trade value? I know you have stated, and I totally agree, that Justin Forsett has done enough to earn a roster spot. But if the coaches disagree, there isn't much chance of him clearing waivers and signing him to the practice squad, is there? You stated in your coverage of saturday's game that there were scouts from 11 teams at Qwest, not including the Bears (who really need a RB). Surely more than 1 of them would take notice if he became availible. Considering we got him in the 7th round, wouldnt it be better to try and at least get back our investment by trading him for a 7th round pick? Or maybe even get a better pick, since I'm sure if the draft was done over today, that he would not last till the 7th round this time. What do you think? Are there any trade possibilities for the Hawks at RB? (preferably Duckett if anyone would want him) Or will we have to risk losing a promising young guy to another team? Thanks!
Mike Sando: Forsett is an interesting case. No team is likely to sign him as a starter. He simply isn't big enough to be that 20-carry player, most likely. The most likely scenario, I think, would be to keep six this season.
Around the NFC West: Learning, unlearning Martz
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News shows how 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz's background in kinesiology played a role in his development as a stickler for mechanics. Martz: "It really helps you to teach your quarterbacks to understand the physics of it. The balance, the lines of force, the kinetic energy and all that kind of stuff. It really does help you streamline their techniques and make them most efficient."
Nicholas Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press says Lions quarterback Drew Stanton is working hard to unlearn what Martz taught him about mechanics. Stanton: "I have no idea looking back why all that happened, all the changes that he made." Conflicting storylines tend to be common in sports. The Lions think they'll be better after firing Martz. The 49ers think they'll be better after adding Martz. Both could be right.
Doug Drinen of Pro Football Reference shows which running backs have benefited most from playing with Pro Bowl offensive linemen. NFC West alumni Eric Dickerson, Shaun Alexander, Roger Craig and Wendell Tyler rank relatively high on the lists, but no one ranks higher than Jim Brown.
Clark Judge of CBSSports.com assesses what it means for Mike Holmgren to enter his final season as Seahawks coach with successor Jim Mora on the staff. It's an arrangement that hasn't always worked, but Judge thinks Seattle can pull it off.
Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the Seahawks might consider keeping nine defensive backs, one more than usual, if former Michigan safety Jamar Adams keeps up his impressive play. Injuries have a way of helping to sort out these dilemmas.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams plan to keep three quarterbacks heading into the season, up from two in 2007. Bruce Gradkowski or Brock Berlin will get the call behind Marc Bulger and Trent Green. Each NFC West team has four quarterbacks in camp. The Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks carried only two quarterbacks on their opening-day rosters last season. Seattle acquired Charlie Frye from the Browns after the first game.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reveals which Rams players are making the most of injury-induced opportunities. Strong-side linebacker Quinton Culberson heads the list. I got the feeling at Rams camp that Culberson would likely start this season. Veteran Chris Draft can back up all three positions.
Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers are looking forward to practicing against the Raiders. Cornerback Walt Harris: "You practice against yourself all the time. Practicing against other guys forces you to focus a lot more."
Jose Romero of the Seattle Times checks in with Seahawks offensive line coaches Mike Solari and Mike DeBord. Something I did not know: Solari and DeBord did not know each other before Seattle hired them this offseason. They work together very well from what I've seen at practices. If they can get Seattle's line to work together that well and that quickly, the Seahawks should improve quite a bit in their running game. Also from Romero: Receiver Courtney Taylor is thrilled to be back on the practice field after resting a hamstring injury. The Seahawks think Taylor can become a contributor.
Matt Maiocco of Instant 49ers puts the team's quarterback competition in perspective. The race between Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and J.T. O'Sullivan cannot touch what the Packers are going through. Green Bay visits the 49ers on Aug. 16.
Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune sizes up the Seahawks' growing injury list. Space constraints presumably prevented him from listing Floyd Womack's injury history. In May 2007, I noted Womack had missed time with injuries to his quadriceps, triceps, calf, heel, toe, knees, ankle, hip, hand, head and hamstring. A knee injury is keeping him out now.
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
KIRKLAND, Wash. -- The Seahawks have finished their morning practice. The team put its powers of concentration to work as smoke from a nearby BBQ wafted across the field like something out of a Yogi Bear cartoon. Overtones of grilled onions eventually gave way to the sweet smell of bacon as team chef Mac McNabb prepared a lunch of ribs of baked beans. Seemed like practice would never end.
Now that the scene is set, a few observations:
- Starting center Chris Spencer isn't working. Coach Mike Holmgren lumped Spencer into a group of players taking things easy following offseason surgeries. Unlike the other guys who passed physicals, Spencer hasn't practiced since early in the first session Friday. His injury situation is definitely worth monitoring.
- Defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs ran sprints off to the side during practice. The Seahawks want him back for the regular season, but they can't be counting on him given the knee issues that have sidelined Tubbs repeatedly.
- The young receivers have yet to separate. Ben Obomanu made what I thought was the most impressive catch of the day for a 25-yard gain near the left sideline. None of the receivers appear to be faltering yet, but it's early.
- The Seahawks have not yet committed to Julius Jones as their starting running back, but if he is indeed the favorite, Maurice Morris can't afford to make the decision easier. That thought came to mind as Morris dropped an easy pass roughly 10 yards downfield. A short time later, Jones made a catch over his left shoulder despite tight coverage from linebacker David Hawthorne.
- Charlie Frye might be showing signs of improvement as the third quarterback despite a few off-target throws today. He appears more comfortable. He also tossed a 30- or 40-yard ball into a small opening in a practice net. The Seahawks would like Frye to improve enough for Holmgren to feel good about using No. 2 quarterback as a receiver on occasion.
- The Seahawks appear to be developing young offensive linemen more effectively with Mike Solari and Mike DeBord coaching the line. Reminder: Keep an eye on Mansfield Wrotto and Kyle Williams in the exhibition games.
- Matt Hasselbeck popped up quickly and gave baseball's "safe" sign after falling awkwardly after a handoff. If only wise-cracking center Robbie Tobeck had been there. Tobeck retired before last season, taking his one-liners with him. Tobeck used to call out "Seabiscuit" when slow-footed former quarterback Trent Dilfer would run with the ball.
- Rookie running back Justin Forsett, 5-foot-8 and 194 pounds, can be hard to find out there -- for defenders as well as spectators. He's got some fight, too, at one point winning a tug-of-war for the ball with Lofa Tatupu on the other end. It looked as though Forsett surprised Tatupu with his strength.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
