NFC West: Pete Carroll
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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for Seattle in 2012:
Dream scenario (12-4): Matt Flynn's fourth-quarter comeback victory over Green Bay in Week 3 serves notice in prime time that Seattle made the right move in signing the Packers' former backup. Sure, Russell Wilson lit up opponents during the preseason, but everyone figured coach Pete Carroll would go with Flynn heading into the season. Seattle hadn't been able to finish games on offense previously, but the vibe is completely different now. Flynn isn't perfect, of course, and he doesn't have to be. He has the NFL's most physical running back in Marshawn Lynch, two viable tight ends, a healthy Sidney Rice and a downright nasty offensive line.
Finally healthy, left tackle Russell Okung joins fellow 2010 draftees Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor in the Pro Bowl. Second-rounder Golden Tate won't be making the trip, but preseason rumors of a potential breakout season weren't far off.
With the defense allowing only 16 points per game, Flynn doesn't have to be a hero most weeks. By midseason, it's all Carroll can do to refrain from gloating over the team's then-controversial decision to draft Bruce Irvin in the first round. Irvin's two-sack game at San Francisco on Thursday night in Week 7 gives him 5.5 for the season, matching what the 49ers' Aldon Smith had at the same point in 2011. Irvin doesn't quite equal the 14-sack total Smith posted as a rookie, but he's not far behind. The national pundits learn the hard way what should have been evident already: Carroll and the Seahawks' personnel department know what they want on defense.
A trip to Green Bay for the NFC Championship Game leaves the Seahawks thinking big.
Nightmare scenario (6-10): Flynn isn't the answer, Wilson isn't ready and Carroll pays a high price for failing to seriously address the quarterback position until his third season with the team. It's hard for some to believe the Seahawks would miss Tarvaris Jackson, but that is the case as Flynn predictably struggles in his first full season as an NFL starter. No one cares about the division title Carroll won a couple years ago. Critics cite his 7-9, 7-9 and 6-10 records in building a case for his dismissal. They also gloat over the growing pains Irvin experienced while transitioning from West Virginia to the NFL.
Lynch's diminished production makes him an easy target for those suggesting a big contract led to complacency. Some recall Shaun Alexander's post-contract demise. But there are other reasons. Another injury-plagued season on the offensive line becomes a primary culprit. Okung, James Carpenter and John Moffitt were coming off season-ending surgeries. Rice, the team's most talented receiver, had procedures on both shoulders. Banking on so many injured offensive players was understandable after the Tom Cable-coached line worked near-miracles in 2011. But every staff has its limits. Giving some of fullback Michael Robinson's snaps to new tight end Kellen Winslow also might have affected the ground game.
The defense does enough for Carroll to keep his job, but the team heads toward the 2013 draft needing to find its next quarterback -- or else.
Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for Seattle in 2012:
Dream scenario (12-4): Matt Flynn's fourth-quarter comeback victory over Green Bay in Week 3 serves notice in prime time that Seattle made the right move in signing the Packers' former backup. Sure, Russell Wilson lit up opponents during the preseason, but everyone figured coach Pete Carroll would go with Flynn heading into the season. Seattle hadn't been able to finish games on offense previously, but the vibe is completely different now. Flynn isn't perfect, of course, and he doesn't have to be. He has the NFL's most physical running back in Marshawn Lynch, two viable tight ends, a healthy Sidney Rice and a downright nasty offensive line.
Finally healthy, left tackle Russell Okung joins fellow 2010 draftees Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor in the Pro Bowl. Second-rounder Golden Tate won't be making the trip, but preseason rumors of a potential breakout season weren't far off.
With the defense allowing only 16 points per game, Flynn doesn't have to be a hero most weeks. By midseason, it's all Carroll can do to refrain from gloating over the team's then-controversial decision to draft Bruce Irvin in the first round. Irvin's two-sack game at San Francisco on Thursday night in Week 7 gives him 5.5 for the season, matching what the 49ers' Aldon Smith had at the same point in 2011. Irvin doesn't quite equal the 14-sack total Smith posted as a rookie, but he's not far behind. The national pundits learn the hard way what should have been evident already: Carroll and the Seahawks' personnel department know what they want on defense.
A trip to Green Bay for the NFC Championship Game leaves the Seahawks thinking big.
Nightmare scenario (6-10): Flynn isn't the answer, Wilson isn't ready and Carroll pays a high price for failing to seriously address the quarterback position until his third season with the team. It's hard for some to believe the Seahawks would miss Tarvaris Jackson, but that is the case as Flynn predictably struggles in his first full season as an NFL starter. No one cares about the division title Carroll won a couple years ago. Critics cite his 7-9, 7-9 and 6-10 records in building a case for his dismissal. They also gloat over the growing pains Irvin experienced while transitioning from West Virginia to the NFL.
Lynch's diminished production makes him an easy target for those suggesting a big contract led to complacency. Some recall Shaun Alexander's post-contract demise. But there are other reasons. Another injury-plagued season on the offensive line becomes a primary culprit. Okung, James Carpenter and John Moffitt were coming off season-ending surgeries. Rice, the team's most talented receiver, had procedures on both shoulders. Banking on so many injured offensive players was understandable after the Tom Cable-coached line worked near-miracles in 2011. But every staff has its limits. Giving some of fullback Michael Robinson's snaps to new tight end Kellen Winslow also might have affected the ground game.
The defense does enough for Carroll to keep his job, but the team heads toward the 2013 draft needing to find its next quarterback -- or else.
NFC West teams owned six first-round choices in the 2010 NFL draft.
Sam Bradford, Russell Okung, Anthony Davis, Earl Thomas, Mike Iupati and Dan Williams were the selections.
One of them has emerged as a Pro Bowl performer (Thomas). Another has shown signs of reaching that level (Iupati).
One has been up and down to this point, subsequently drawing high marks from his coach for his footwork and overall improvement this offseason (Davis). Another is coming off a rough second season and learning his third offensive system in as many years (Bradford).
That leaves Okung and Williams in another category: highly valued players coming off season-ending surgeries.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic says Williams has reported to the Cardinals' organized team activities in much better shape than when the nose tackle reported to camp following the lockout last offseason. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "He had conditioning at the end of practice (Tuesday), and he made it, which is a great sign for where we are. The big thing with Dan is there have been a lot of players who have told him how much they are counting on him this year. And I think that has an impact on Dan. He's working hard, have to give him a lot of credit, especially coming back from the arm. But I'm excited to see how he continues to progress."
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Greg Toler as the cornerback works his way back from knee surgery. Toler is wearing a brace in practice.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh stands by his comments about Michael Crabtree owning the best hands of any receiver the coach has ever seen. Also, Alex Boone is the starting right guard at this point, with Daniel Kilgore as the backup center. Harbaugh: "The comment stands on its own merit. I know you guys have dissected it about every which way it can be dissected. But it is literal. It is a literal fact, what I believe as I see it and believe it to be."
Also from Maiocco: Andy Lee's new deal is for $20.5 million over six years, with $7.1 million in the first two years.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers this from Alex Smith regarding the quarterback's rapport with Crabtree: "We're a little further along. I feel good about body language and things like that. The thing I'm excited for him is not only is it his first offseason, he's healthy. I think he's excited about that. He's feeling really good. It shows up here. He's running better than he ever has since I've seen him."
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says much is on the line for Smith this season.
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith sees no problem with the 49ers' No. 29 ranking in passing yards per game given how the team played overall. Smith: "I could absolutely care less on yards per game. I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That’s great. You’re not winning, though." Noted: Does anyone care much about passing yards per game?
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Kellen Winslow has no hard feelings about being traded to Seattle, according to Winslow's famous father. The elder Winslow, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune: "This came out of the blue that the trade was going to be going down. I was hoping he would be traded someplace that had the possibility of making the playoffs. He was happy. He knew Coach (Pete) Carroll from his days of being recruited to USC. So there is knowledge there. So many people take a trade as something negative. And it’s not. He may not fit in one team’s plan, but you fit in another team’s plan. So it is a good thing. In today’s game, a player moving around is nothing new. It is rare to see a guy stay with one team, unless you’re a quarterback or a left tackle."
Also from Farnsworth: Local product Donny Lisowski has impressed the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. Carroll: "I like Donny Lisowski. He was all over the place out here. I had no (idea about him), other than he ran extremely fast when he showed up for a workout day. Then he went out here and made a bunch of plays. So I was really fired up about him. I think he’ll surprise you. I’m anxious to see what he can do on special teams, and all kinds of stuff. He’s a playmaker and was all over the field."
Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle explains why he thinks the quarterback job is Matt Flynn's to lose in Seattle.
Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Winslow's former landlord is trying to recoup $133,000 in alleged damages. Winslow's attorney denies any wrongdoing.
Danny Kelly of Field Gulls offers Winslow-related thoughts from Seahawks general manager John Schneider, as told to PFT Live. Schneider: "First and foremost, we've been looking for that position. We've been looking for a guy that can get down the field. Obviously, Kellen's been very productive the past couple of years down in Tampa Bay, I think second only to Jimmy Giles in team history. Secondly, I have a great relationship with Mark Dominik. We've known each other probably fifteen, twenty years now. When you have a strong relationship with someone like that, you're able to share situations, share experiences, and be able to work rather quickly with each other, and we have a specific trust level in place, and we were able to work it out."
Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and select teammates. Rookie receiver Chris Givens, on Bradford: "He makes everything a lot easier for us. He's everything I heard about and more. He makes every throw, and he's always on point. He's just a great leader. He does a good job of picking us up after practice, working on the things where we had mistakes. Even during practice, he's there in our ear telling us 'Good job,' whether it was a bad play or a good play."
Also from Nelson: a look at the Rams' tight ends.
Sam Bradford, Russell Okung, Anthony Davis, Earl Thomas, Mike Iupati and Dan Williams were the selections.
One of them has emerged as a Pro Bowl performer (Thomas). Another has shown signs of reaching that level (Iupati).
One has been up and down to this point, subsequently drawing high marks from his coach for his footwork and overall improvement this offseason (Davis). Another is coming off a rough second season and learning his third offensive system in as many years (Bradford).
That leaves Okung and Williams in another category: highly valued players coming off season-ending surgeries.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic says Williams has reported to the Cardinals' organized team activities in much better shape than when the nose tackle reported to camp following the lockout last offseason. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "He had conditioning at the end of practice (Tuesday), and he made it, which is a great sign for where we are. The big thing with Dan is there have been a lot of players who have told him how much they are counting on him this year. And I think that has an impact on Dan. He's working hard, have to give him a lot of credit, especially coming back from the arm. But I'm excited to see how he continues to progress."
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with Greg Toler as the cornerback works his way back from knee surgery. Toler is wearing a brace in practice.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh stands by his comments about Michael Crabtree owning the best hands of any receiver the coach has ever seen. Also, Alex Boone is the starting right guard at this point, with Daniel Kilgore as the backup center. Harbaugh: "The comment stands on its own merit. I know you guys have dissected it about every which way it can be dissected. But it is literal. It is a literal fact, what I believe as I see it and believe it to be."
Also from Maiocco: Andy Lee's new deal is for $20.5 million over six years, with $7.1 million in the first two years.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers this from Alex Smith regarding the quarterback's rapport with Crabtree: "We're a little further along. I feel good about body language and things like that. The thing I'm excited for him is not only is it his first offseason, he's healthy. I think he's excited about that. He's feeling really good. It shows up here. He's running better than he ever has since I've seen him."
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says much is on the line for Smith this season.
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith sees no problem with the 49ers' No. 29 ranking in passing yards per game given how the team played overall. Smith: "I could absolutely care less on yards per game. I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you’re losing games in the second half, guess what, you’re like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That’s great. You’re not winning, though." Noted: Does anyone care much about passing yards per game?
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Kellen Winslow has no hard feelings about being traded to Seattle, according to Winslow's famous father. The elder Winslow, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune: "This came out of the blue that the trade was going to be going down. I was hoping he would be traded someplace that had the possibility of making the playoffs. He was happy. He knew Coach (Pete) Carroll from his days of being recruited to USC. So there is knowledge there. So many people take a trade as something negative. And it’s not. He may not fit in one team’s plan, but you fit in another team’s plan. So it is a good thing. In today’s game, a player moving around is nothing new. It is rare to see a guy stay with one team, unless you’re a quarterback or a left tackle."
Also from Farnsworth: Local product Donny Lisowski has impressed the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent. Carroll: "I like Donny Lisowski. He was all over the place out here. I had no (idea about him), other than he ran extremely fast when he showed up for a workout day. Then he went out here and made a bunch of plays. So I was really fired up about him. I think he’ll surprise you. I’m anxious to see what he can do on special teams, and all kinds of stuff. He’s a playmaker and was all over the field."
Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle explains why he thinks the quarterback job is Matt Flynn's to lose in Seattle.
Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union-Tribune says Winslow's former landlord is trying to recoup $133,000 in alleged damages. Winslow's attorney denies any wrongdoing.
Danny Kelly of Field Gulls offers Winslow-related thoughts from Seahawks general manager John Schneider, as told to PFT Live. Schneider: "First and foremost, we've been looking for that position. We've been looking for a guy that can get down the field. Obviously, Kellen's been very productive the past couple of years down in Tampa Bay, I think second only to Jimmy Giles in team history. Secondly, I have a great relationship with Mark Dominik. We've known each other probably fifteen, twenty years now. When you have a strong relationship with someone like that, you're able to share situations, share experiences, and be able to work rather quickly with each other, and we have a specific trust level in place, and we were able to work it out."
Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and select teammates. Rookie receiver Chris Givens, on Bradford: "He makes everything a lot easier for us. He's everything I heard about and more. He makes every throw, and he's always on point. He's just a great leader. He does a good job of picking us up after practice, working on the things where we had mistakes. Even during practice, he's there in our ear telling us 'Good job,' whether it was a bad play or a good play."
Also from Nelson: a look at the Rams' tight ends.
The San Francisco 49ers' NFC West rivals might as well start working on their divisional concession speeches.
That is because the 49ers, after one good season, suddenly tower over the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams by just about every meaningful on-field franchise marker.
That was my somewhat skeptical takeaway from the "NFL Future Power Rankings"
projecting where teams are headed by 2015, using a weighted formula reflecting rosters, quarterbacks, drafts, front offices and coaching.
The 49ers, easily underrated while charging to a 13-3 record last season, appear overrated in relation to their division rivals by this ranking, in my view. Can we really say their front office blows away those for the other NFC West teams by an 8.5-to-5 margin across the board? A five-game cushion in the 2011 division standings says we can, but that will be a tough edge to maintain. Then again, last season did happen. It has to count for something, and the front office usually had the right answers.
"This category weighs each team's front office in terms of its ability to manage its roster and bring in new talent via free agency or trades," the methodology reads. "It also factors in a team's willingness to spend money, and a market's attraction to free agents. A 10 represents a team that has the ability to spend freely and obtain top-choice talent on a regular basis. A one represents a team that has little ability to spend, has no track record of bringing in quality free-agent talent or, worse, has spent big on free agents that have made little-to-no impact."
The 49ers hit big on Aldon Smith in the 2011 draft while finding outstanding free-agent value in Pro Bowl cornerback Carlos Rogers. They succeeded in keeping together their defense. CEO Jed York appears to have made the right move for a general manager even though fans were hardly chanting for Trent Baalke to assume the role. York and Baalke landed Jim Harbaugh as head coach.
On the flip side, the 49ers' front office has done less heavy lifting than the front offices for Seattle and St. Louis in particular. San Francisco stayed the course to a greater degree than those other teams, relying upon a new coaching staff to get more from Alex Smith and others. But the Rams remain in the early stages of a rebuild, while the Seahawks will need better on-field results to validate the high-impact moves they've made since Pete Carroll arrived in 2010. Seattle's unsettled fate at quarterback stands as another key variable.
Overall, the 49ers finished ahead of their division rivals in all five core categories except for one. They were second to St. Louis in projected quarterback strength. Having Sam Bradford gave the Rams 6.25 points out of 10 in that category, ahead of scores for Seattle (4.5) and Arizona (3.75).
I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on how these teams are set up for the future. I suspect a 2008 projection would have expected more from the Cardinals in 2011.
As the piece freely admits, these projections cannot anticipate everything.
"But they do provide some interesting conclusions about what's truly important to succeeding on a perennial basis in the NFL, specifically the value of a franchise QB," the piece notes. "And while some teams may experience a down year, the squads at the top of this list are well suited for sustained success over the long term."
Note: Gary Horton, Matt Williamson, Trent Dilfer and Mel Kiper Jr. worked with Bill Polian in putting together these projections.
The Seattle Seahawks have added two tight ends over the past 10 months with Pro Bowls on their resumes.
Neither move appeared to be a high priority at the time. Both have the potential to make the team better.
Zach Miller, signed in free agency from Oakland as training camps were beginning last summer, has company at the position after Seattle acquired Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay in a trade Monday night.
Winslow's salary seemed like the biggest potential obstacle to him joining Seattle. The marriage otherwise seemed to make sense given that Seattle had not moved to replace John Carlson, who signed with Minnesota in free agency. We can now rule out Visanthe Shiancoe, 32, as a free-agent option for Seattle.
Winslow, the sixth player chosen in the 2004 draft, is an upgrade over Carlson from a talent standpoint. Questions about Winslow's knees and attitude have persisted over the years, but Winslow hasn't missed a game over the last three seasons. He hasn't incurred the off-field issues that marked the early portion of his career.
Tampa Bay is starting over under a new coaching staff. Winslow didn't fit into the new program. Seattle is two-plus years into coach Pete Carroll's tenure with the team. The Seahawks have twice gone 7-9. Now, with quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson newly aboard, Seattle is looking to take the next step.
Winslow finished last season with 75 receptions. He has reached at least 75 receptions four times in the last six seasons. No tight end in Seahawks history has approached that total for a season. That was supposed to change with Miller's addition last season, but he mostly made his mark as a blocker.
The Seahawks said they sent a 2013 conditional draft choice to Tampa Bay for Winslow. The team does have ample cap room to absorb the $4.8 million salary, should it remain in place. The conditional choice is a seventh-rounder that can upgrade to a sixth-rounder.
"He is too fast and athletic for linebackers to cover and too big for defensive backs to match up against," the Scouts Inc. report
on Winslow reads in part. "He has a wide receiving radius with soft, sure hands that allow him to make tough catches. He is a willing and physical blocker but lacks the size and strength to do much more than get in the way when blocking inside."
Update: I initially misread Pat Yasinskas' item on Winslow's salary. Parting with Winslow saves the Bucs' $4.8 million. That is not necessarily what he'll cost Seattle against the cap. Winslow was scheduled to earn $3.3 million in base salary. He has a $550,000 roster bonus and a $500,000 workout bonus.
SeattleAztec from San Diego asks whether Matt Flynn might be the "most developed" quarterback in the NFC West after learning from Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.
"Alex Smith and Sam Bradford seem to be the least developed with having multiple offensive coordinators and no great vets to learn behind," he writes. "Kevin Kolb had a good upbringing in Philadelphia and Arizona has shown an ability to handle QBs, but Flynn had the benefit of learning in the Green Bay system. Learning behind Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will give him an advantage, assuming he wins the starting job. Thoughts?"
Mike Sando: Flynn's background with McCarthy and the Packers appealed to the Seahawks. McCarthy, with nothing more than a compensatory draft choice to gain from advocating for Flynn in free agency, gave glowing reviews in conversations with the Seahawks. Those conversations appear more credible based on Seahawks general manager John Schneider's long association and friendship with McCarthy.
"We really respect the job that they’ve done with their offense and their quarterbacking and Matt is a beneficiary of that, so therefore we are also," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after signing Flynn in March. "His process to learn as Aaron Rodgers has learned has really been helpful to him. There are a lot of similarities in their style of movement and decision-making, play and conscience that I think helps us."
That doesn't necessarily mean Flynn will be the "most developed" quarterback in the division. A few thoughts on what the other NFC West quarterbacks have going for them:
Circling back to the original question, we could make a case that Flynn should be the most developed quarterback in the division.
Other factors go into success, of course. Bradford and Smith were No. 1 overall choices, indicating that teams thought they were more talented than Flynn, a seventh-rounder who drew moderate interest in free agency this offseason. And if the Seahawks were convinced Flynn were the answer, they would have had less reason to use a third-round choice for a quarterback after signing Flynn.
I do think Flynn's background with the Packers was crucial for the Seahawks. Schneider's first-hand knowledge of Green Bay's quarterback training techniques was a factor.
"Alex Smith and Sam Bradford seem to be the least developed with having multiple offensive coordinators and no great vets to learn behind," he writes. "Kevin Kolb had a good upbringing in Philadelphia and Arizona has shown an ability to handle QBs, but Flynn had the benefit of learning in the Green Bay system. Learning behind Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will give him an advantage, assuming he wins the starting job. Thoughts?"
Mike Sando: Flynn's background with McCarthy and the Packers appealed to the Seahawks. McCarthy, with nothing more than a compensatory draft choice to gain from advocating for Flynn in free agency, gave glowing reviews in conversations with the Seahawks. Those conversations appear more credible based on Seahawks general manager John Schneider's long association and friendship with McCarthy.
"We really respect the job that they’ve done with their offense and their quarterbacking and Matt is a beneficiary of that, so therefore we are also," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after signing Flynn in March. "His process to learn as Aaron Rodgers has learned has really been helpful to him. There are a lot of similarities in their style of movement and decision-making, play and conscience that I think helps us."
That doesn't necessarily mean Flynn will be the "most developed" quarterback in the division. A few thoughts on what the other NFC West quarterbacks have going for them:
- Smith (49ers): Jim Harbaugh should know the position better than any head coach in the division. Smith has more experience than any quarterback in the division. Harbaugh and Smith meshed well last season. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst round out what looks like a solid support group. Smith has finally had time this offseason to work on his mechanics. He's getting a second season in the offense. Spending one season with McCarthy and a second with Norv Turner probably counts for something, too, despite the passage of time.
- Kolb (Cardinals): Kolb did not practice with the Cardinals until 38 days before the 2011 opener. That made it tough for Kolb to learn a new system and settle into the role. Injuries derailed Kolb once he finally did get experience in the system. The Cardinals fired quarterbacks coach Chris Miller and promoted receivers coach John McNulty to the position. Arizona valued McNulty enough to block Tampa Bay from pursuing him as its offensive coordinator. The team's new receivers coach, Frank Reich, was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons. What does it all mean? It's a little early to tell.
- Bradford (Rams): New coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was with Mark Sanchez previously. One line of thinking says Schottenheimer led Sanchez as far as Sanchez could go, then took the fall when Sanchez failed to carry more of the offensive load. Another line of thinking says Schottenheimer couldn't get Sanchez past a certain point. Bradford is on his third coordinator in as many seasons. The Rams went through 2011 without a quarterbacks coach. The new quarterbacks coach, Frank Cignetti, coached the 49ers' Smith under coordinator Jim Hostler in 2007. That was one of the worst offensive seasons in 49ers history. Hostler took the blame. It's tough to fault Cignetti in that context, but also tough to offer a strong endorsement without seeing results.
Circling back to the original question, we could make a case that Flynn should be the most developed quarterback in the division.
Other factors go into success, of course. Bradford and Smith were No. 1 overall choices, indicating that teams thought they were more talented than Flynn, a seventh-rounder who drew moderate interest in free agency this offseason. And if the Seahawks were convinced Flynn were the answer, they would have had less reason to use a third-round choice for a quarterback after signing Flynn.
I do think Flynn's background with the Packers was crucial for the Seahawks. Schneider's first-hand knowledge of Green Bay's quarterback training techniques was a factor.
The San Francisco 49ers' Jim Harbaugh, known to walk past the first-class cabin to his seat in coach, should be relieved to have missed Forbes' list of 10 highest-paid coaches.
Harbaugh's three NFC West contemporaries made the list, with the St. Louis Rams' Jeff Fisher and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll earning a reported $7 million annually.
Coaches presumably do not make available their contracts or tax returns, so these listings qualify as unofficial. They are generally consistent with media reports, at least.
The Arizona Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt checks in at tied for eighth ($5.8 million).
Note that the listings include sports beyond football, but not including hockey. Five of the 10 highest-paid coaches have won championships: Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan, Doc Rivers, Gregg Popovich and Mike Tomlin.
Harbaugh, who promoted a blue-collar culture complete with work shirts last season, reportedly earns $5 million per season. That would rank Harbaugh among the higher-paid coaches in the NFL, but with 14 regular-season and postseason victories last season, the price tag has been a bargain to this point.
Carroll and Fisher would have to produce 19.6 victories in a season to match the $357,142-per-victory average for Harbaugh. Whisenhunt would have to produce 16.2 victories.
Harbaugh's three NFC West contemporaries made the list, with the St. Louis Rams' Jeff Fisher and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll earning a reported $7 million annually.
Coaches presumably do not make available their contracts or tax returns, so these listings qualify as unofficial. They are generally consistent with media reports, at least.
The Arizona Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt checks in at tied for eighth ($5.8 million).
Note that the listings include sports beyond football, but not including hockey. Five of the 10 highest-paid coaches have won championships: Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan, Doc Rivers, Gregg Popovich and Mike Tomlin.
Harbaugh, who promoted a blue-collar culture complete with work shirts last season, reportedly earns $5 million per season. That would rank Harbaugh among the higher-paid coaches in the NFL, but with 14 regular-season and postseason victories last season, the price tag has been a bargain to this point.
Carroll and Fisher would have to produce 19.6 victories in a season to match the $357,142-per-victory average for Harbaugh. Whisenhunt would have to produce 16.2 victories.
Coach Pete Carroll's declaration that rookie quarterback Russell Wilson would compete for the Seattle Seahawks' starting job made waves over the weekend.
The NFC West mailbag is brimming with Wilson-related queries, so here goes.
Scott from Spokane, Wash., read that Wilson "throws open receivers" and wondered what that meant.
Mike Sando: That term reflects a quarterback's ability to complete passes to covered receivers by leading them to spots where the reception can be made. Quarterbacks with the ability to anticipate where a receiver might come open have advantages over those more comfortable throwing to receivers only after they've gotten open.
Wilson was competing against rookies in non-contact drills, so we must guard against reading too much into the results. He did repeatedly throw open receivers (and tight ends) during the camp, however. I was impressed, as were viewers with much sturdier credentials for evaluating the position (Brock Huard was one).
Miles from Seattle asks whether the Seahawks' three-man quarterback competition benefits the Seahawks.
Mike Sando: It benefits them unless they name Wilson the starter prematurely, thereby undercutting the veterans on the roster. It's no big deal if Wilson goes into the season as a backup. He has time. It's more telling for Matt Flynn or Tarvaris Jackson if they're unable to beat out a third-round rookie.
Carroll thinks encouraging competition at the most important position sends a strong message through the rest of the roster. He realizes the Seahawks do not have an established starter, so he sees less risk in making Flynn and Jackson fight for the job. If Flynn or Jackson cannot handle the pressure associated with competing against a rookie third-round choice, are they really the answer? That is a question Carroll might ask.
There is some risk, however. What if Wilson is a much better practice player than Flynn? What if Flynn is much better than Wilson in game situations? Wilson could, in theory, win the job without being the better option. Of course, there's nothing stopping the Seahawks from naming Flynn the starter anyway.
There's a point in time when a head coach is best off promoting stability and clarity at quarterback. The Seahawks aren't at that point just yet. The salary structure for existing quarterbacks on the team tells us what we need to know. None of the candidates is earning enough money to identify him as the undisputed starter.
Rob from Augusta, Ga., asks what the impact would be on the Seahawks if Wilson indeed won the starting job heading into the 2012 season.
Mike Sando: Making that move would undercut Flynn and Jackson while signaling the team's belief in Wilson as a franchise quarterback. I think it's unlikely the Seahawks will make such a determination so quickly. Wilson would have to be spectacular and significantly better than the other two, in my view.
Flynn is most likely to emerge as the starter this season. The team already knows what Jackson offers. The team has more time to develop Wilson, who is earning less money and might benefit from seasoning.
It's clear the Seahawks think Wilson, like Flynn, has starting potential. But if Wilson and Flynn are pretty much even in terms of immediate readiness and perceived long-term potential, giving Flynn the first shot would make sense. Entering the season as a backup would be far more damaging to Flynn, a veteran acquisition, than for Wilson, who is just starting out.
Hideo from Seattle asks whether the contracts for Flynn, Jackson and Wilson carry combined value similar to the contract for Kevin Kolb in Arizona. "No matter who is chosen to start," he writes, "it seems that if we use Kolb as a benchmark, the Seahawks seem to come out well, at least from a salary perspective."
Mike Sando: Did you have to rub it in, Hideo? Cardinals fans will love you for that.
Every situation is different. The Cardinals badly needed a quarterback last offseason. They had already gone through a quarterback nightmare while suffering through a 5-11 record in 2010. They were not starting over with a new head coach. They were at a different point in their development. Arizona knew acquiring Kolb was a gamble. Sure, the Cardinals would have preferred paying less for Kolb, but they paid what they had to pay for a shot at improving the position. The immediate results were disappointing. This year is pivotal.
As for your question, Kolb's cap number for 2012 is scheduled to be $10.5 million. I would expect the combined cap numbers for Jackson, Flynn and Wilson to fall short of that figure.
The NFC West mailbag is brimming with Wilson-related queries, so here goes.
Scott from Spokane, Wash., read that Wilson "throws open receivers" and wondered what that meant.
Mike Sando: That term reflects a quarterback's ability to complete passes to covered receivers by leading them to spots where the reception can be made. Quarterbacks with the ability to anticipate where a receiver might come open have advantages over those more comfortable throwing to receivers only after they've gotten open.
Wilson was competing against rookies in non-contact drills, so we must guard against reading too much into the results. He did repeatedly throw open receivers (and tight ends) during the camp, however. I was impressed, as were viewers with much sturdier credentials for evaluating the position (Brock Huard was one).
Miles from Seattle asks whether the Seahawks' three-man quarterback competition benefits the Seahawks.
Mike Sando: It benefits them unless they name Wilson the starter prematurely, thereby undercutting the veterans on the roster. It's no big deal if Wilson goes into the season as a backup. He has time. It's more telling for Matt Flynn or Tarvaris Jackson if they're unable to beat out a third-round rookie.
Carroll thinks encouraging competition at the most important position sends a strong message through the rest of the roster. He realizes the Seahawks do not have an established starter, so he sees less risk in making Flynn and Jackson fight for the job. If Flynn or Jackson cannot handle the pressure associated with competing against a rookie third-round choice, are they really the answer? That is a question Carroll might ask.
There is some risk, however. What if Wilson is a much better practice player than Flynn? What if Flynn is much better than Wilson in game situations? Wilson could, in theory, win the job without being the better option. Of course, there's nothing stopping the Seahawks from naming Flynn the starter anyway.
There's a point in time when a head coach is best off promoting stability and clarity at quarterback. The Seahawks aren't at that point just yet. The salary structure for existing quarterbacks on the team tells us what we need to know. None of the candidates is earning enough money to identify him as the undisputed starter.
Rob from Augusta, Ga., asks what the impact would be on the Seahawks if Wilson indeed won the starting job heading into the 2012 season.
Mike Sando: Making that move would undercut Flynn and Jackson while signaling the team's belief in Wilson as a franchise quarterback. I think it's unlikely the Seahawks will make such a determination so quickly. Wilson would have to be spectacular and significantly better than the other two, in my view.
Flynn is most likely to emerge as the starter this season. The team already knows what Jackson offers. The team has more time to develop Wilson, who is earning less money and might benefit from seasoning.
It's clear the Seahawks think Wilson, like Flynn, has starting potential. But if Wilson and Flynn are pretty much even in terms of immediate readiness and perceived long-term potential, giving Flynn the first shot would make sense. Entering the season as a backup would be far more damaging to Flynn, a veteran acquisition, than for Wilson, who is just starting out.
Hideo from Seattle asks whether the contracts for Flynn, Jackson and Wilson carry combined value similar to the contract for Kevin Kolb in Arizona. "No matter who is chosen to start," he writes, "it seems that if we use Kolb as a benchmark, the Seahawks seem to come out well, at least from a salary perspective."
Mike Sando: Did you have to rub it in, Hideo? Cardinals fans will love you for that.
Every situation is different. The Cardinals badly needed a quarterback last offseason. They had already gone through a quarterback nightmare while suffering through a 5-11 record in 2010. They were not starting over with a new head coach. They were at a different point in their development. Arizona knew acquiring Kolb was a gamble. Sure, the Cardinals would have preferred paying less for Kolb, but they paid what they had to pay for a shot at improving the position. The immediate results were disappointing. This year is pivotal.
As for your question, Kolb's cap number for 2012 is scheduled to be $10.5 million. I would expect the combined cap numbers for Jackson, Flynn and Wilson to fall short of that figure.
Calais Campbell had many things on his side heading into contract negotiations with the Arizona Cardinals.
Campbell is young (25 years old). His career appears to be ascending. He can rush the passer. He can play the run effectively. He's smart and, by all accounts, a good teammate.
Those qualities added up to $31 million in guaranteed money. Update: Thanks to Diehard49er for pointing me toward a PFT item noting that Campbell's deal could work out to $17 million over one year. I'm not sure of it, but that sounds even better than $31 million guaranteed for an ascending young player.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic made me chuckle by noting that Campbell's new contract "is front-loaded and back-loaded." Can there be any better kind of contract than that? Somers: "I noted the salaries defensive end Calais Campbell is due to receive over the five years of his new contract ($2 million, $3 million, $5.5 million, $9 million, $9.5 million). Here are the bonuses Campbell will earn: $15 million signing bonus and a $10 million option bonus that's due to be paid in 2013. Campbell's base salaries in his first two years are fully guaranteed. In year three, $1 million is guaranteed. The total deal is worth $55 million with $31 million guaranteed -- $25 million in bonuses, plus $6 million of guaranteed salary."
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Campbell was happy to rejoin his teammates for offseason workouts.
Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says new Rams quarterback Austin Davis worked with Brett Favre during the offseason. Davis: "Just to have the opportunity to meet him and for him to almost mentor me after the season was a huge plus. He lives there, so the connection just kind of happened. The biggest thing is that he was with coach (Brian) Schottenheimer, so he knew the system and helped me out with that as soon as I figured out I was coming (to St. Louis)."
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why he thinks the Rams' stadium proposal is reasonable.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch chats about the Rams with team executive Kevin Demoff, who has this to say about stadium funding: "The new G-4 provision allows for funds to go to renovations, which is a positive change for all clubs looking to upgrade their stadiums. However, NFL owners must approve all G-4 requests, so it's impossible to predict whether those funds would be available."
Also from Thomas: The Rams hope Mario Haggan can help their run defense. General manager Les Snead: "We targeted him earlier in free agency, but we went with Jo-Lonn (Dunbar) and then we were just going to see how the draft went. Obviously, in the draft we didn't take a linebacker early, so we felt like we needed veteran help."
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com looks at possible ramifications if Dashon Goldson waits til the last minute before signing his one-year franchise offer. Maiocco: "The 49ers have had two protracted holdouts from franchise players in the past eight years. And neither ended well. In 2004, linebacker Julian Peterson reported to camp on Aug. 26 with the 49ers set to open the regular season Sept. 12. He started the first five games of the regular season before sustaining a season-ending ruptured Achilles' tendon. And two years ago, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin signed his franchise tender on Aug. 28 -- just two weeks before the 49ers' season opener. Franklin did not play well. The 49ers did not want him back last season, and he signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. He struggled with the Saints, and remains a free agent and looking for work." Noted: The 49ers could always withdraw the franchise tag, then attempt to re-sign Goldson for less. They would risk losing Goldson to another team in that scenario, and depth at safety might not allow them to go that route comfortably. It is an option, however.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com passes along thoughts from newly signed offensive lineman Alex Barron: "I just wanted to get somewhere. I’m pretty confident in my play. I’ve made some mistakes in the past, also. But I’ve gotten to the point where after last season, and coming into the offseason as a free agent, all I want to do is come in and just show that I can play. Because it can’t be talked about, it always has to be shown."
Also from Farnsworth: Korey Toomer wasn't invited to the combine, but the Seahawks liked the linebacker enough to draft him. Coach Pete Carroll: "Korey Toomer did very well, probably more comfortable than we thought. We thought he might be a little bit more raw and it would be a process where he could show that he could fit in. But we played him at the SAM (strong side) spot, played him at WILL (weak side) and nickel, and he had some very good rushes. He looked like we had hoped, so we’re excited about him getting into it."
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune sizes up the Seahawks' offensive line after Barron's addition.
Campbell is young (25 years old). His career appears to be ascending. He can rush the passer. He can play the run effectively. He's smart and, by all accounts, a good teammate.
Those qualities added up to $31 million in guaranteed money. Update: Thanks to Diehard49er for pointing me toward a PFT item noting that Campbell's deal could work out to $17 million over one year. I'm not sure of it, but that sounds even better than $31 million guaranteed for an ascending young player.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic made me chuckle by noting that Campbell's new contract "is front-loaded and back-loaded." Can there be any better kind of contract than that? Somers: "I noted the salaries defensive end Calais Campbell is due to receive over the five years of his new contract ($2 million, $3 million, $5.5 million, $9 million, $9.5 million). Here are the bonuses Campbell will earn: $15 million signing bonus and a $10 million option bonus that's due to be paid in 2013. Campbell's base salaries in his first two years are fully guaranteed. In year three, $1 million is guaranteed. The total deal is worth $55 million with $31 million guaranteed -- $25 million in bonuses, plus $6 million of guaranteed salary."
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Campbell was happy to rejoin his teammates for offseason workouts.
Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says new Rams quarterback Austin Davis worked with Brett Favre during the offseason. Davis: "Just to have the opportunity to meet him and for him to almost mentor me after the season was a huge plus. He lives there, so the connection just kind of happened. The biggest thing is that he was with coach (Brian) Schottenheimer, so he knew the system and helped me out with that as soon as I figured out I was coming (to St. Louis)."
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why he thinks the Rams' stadium proposal is reasonable.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch chats about the Rams with team executive Kevin Demoff, who has this to say about stadium funding: "The new G-4 provision allows for funds to go to renovations, which is a positive change for all clubs looking to upgrade their stadiums. However, NFL owners must approve all G-4 requests, so it's impossible to predict whether those funds would be available."
Also from Thomas: The Rams hope Mario Haggan can help their run defense. General manager Les Snead: "We targeted him earlier in free agency, but we went with Jo-Lonn (Dunbar) and then we were just going to see how the draft went. Obviously, in the draft we didn't take a linebacker early, so we felt like we needed veteran help."
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com looks at possible ramifications if Dashon Goldson waits til the last minute before signing his one-year franchise offer. Maiocco: "The 49ers have had two protracted holdouts from franchise players in the past eight years. And neither ended well. In 2004, linebacker Julian Peterson reported to camp on Aug. 26 with the 49ers set to open the regular season Sept. 12. He started the first five games of the regular season before sustaining a season-ending ruptured Achilles' tendon. And two years ago, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin signed his franchise tender on Aug. 28 -- just two weeks before the 49ers' season opener. Franklin did not play well. The 49ers did not want him back last season, and he signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. He struggled with the Saints, and remains a free agent and looking for work." Noted: The 49ers could always withdraw the franchise tag, then attempt to re-sign Goldson for less. They would risk losing Goldson to another team in that scenario, and depth at safety might not allow them to go that route comfortably. It is an option, however.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com passes along thoughts from newly signed offensive lineman Alex Barron: "I just wanted to get somewhere. I’m pretty confident in my play. I’ve made some mistakes in the past, also. But I’ve gotten to the point where after last season, and coming into the offseason as a free agent, all I want to do is come in and just show that I can play. Because it can’t be talked about, it always has to be shown."
Also from Farnsworth: Korey Toomer wasn't invited to the combine, but the Seahawks liked the linebacker enough to draft him. Coach Pete Carroll: "Korey Toomer did very well, probably more comfortable than we thought. We thought he might be a little bit more raw and it would be a process where he could show that he could fit in. But we played him at the SAM (strong side) spot, played him at WILL (weak side) and nickel, and he had some very good rushes. He looked like we had hoped, so we’re excited about him getting into it."
Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune sizes up the Seahawks' offensive line after Barron's addition.
St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke doesn't say much publicly. He generally doesn't convey emotions.
As a result, we're left to wonder to what degree he wants the Rams to remain in St. Louis.
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks the Rams' proposed stadium renovations indicate Kroenke is serious about keeping the team in town. Burwell: "Look very carefully at the plan. It is not an over-the-top, ostentatious, football-only counteroffer that attempts to thrust the Dome to the very top of the National Football League's most extravagant stadiums. It's not an outrageous plan that feels like the sort of crazy counteroffer whose sole intent is to blow up the entire process, thus allowing Kroenke to scoot off to Los Angeles as quickly as possible. What the Rams have put in front of us is a design whose intent is to make the Edward Jones Dome something that works for all of St. Louis, not just the football team." Noted: I also thought the Rams' proposal seemed reasonable under the circumstances. It's all part of a process that will continue, most likely, with arbitration beginning June 15. That arbitration would be binding for the Rams if the stadium authority accepted the arbiter's proposal. The Rams' lease would then extend through 2025. Otherwise, the Rams would go year-to-year on their lease beginning in March 2015.
Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says Pete Carroll, like Tom Landry decades ago, seems to think competition at quarterback can be a healthy thing. Roger Staubach: "Coach Landry thought the quarterback just went in and executed the play the way everybody else does what they're supposed to do. He didn't understand that quarterback was different. It took him awhile to get that. … It got to the point where I really didn't care if it was me or not and I think Craig (Morton) felt the same. Yeah, you want to play, but both of us just wanted a decision." Noted: The Seahawks are not yet to that point, in my view. Matt Flynn owns two regular-season starts. Russell Wilson has never played in even an exhibition game. Tarvaris Jackson has the look of a journeyman at the position. Committing to one of them wholeheartedly at this point would be premature.
Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle came away impressed after watching Wilson's first practice with the team. Huard: "My first minicamp practice was spent just trying to call the play correctly. Wilson's first practice consisted of team, seven-on-seven, routes versus air and individual drills where it was difficult to find a misguided pass. Sure, he had a few passes tipped at the line and in the secondary, but his completion percentage was north of 80, and this is with guys he didn't even know by name. It would be fun to compare Wilson's initial camp with his draft-day peers: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler & Co. While Tannehill, like Wilson, has a background in his current offensive system, I can't imagine any of the rookie passers making more of an impression than Russell.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on the Seahawks' recently concluded rookie camp. On Bruce Irvin: "The first day of practice was a little bit of a challenge in his conditioning, but even then, you saw bursts of that speed off the edge as he jetted around Alex Barron. Yes, Barron has been out of the league for a year, but we're also talking about a former first-round pick of a tackle. Irvin might not start right away, but he's going to have a role as a pass rusher right off the bat, and he showed this weekend he has the speed to make the most of it." Noted: That's good news for the Seahawks. I watched the first day of practice and thought Barron's length and experience created challenges Irvin would not have faced had he gone against rookies instead.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com runs a photo showing Carroll as a college player, with the third-year Seahawks coach recalling how he found out no NFL team had drafted him back in 1973.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers thoughts on LaMichael James' upbringing in a tough neighborhood. Barrows: "I could just have easily written about the Texarkana neighborhood in which he grew up. James, in fact, credits both his grandmother and his home town with forging him into the man and the player he is today. That neighborhood is on the Texas side of town and is known as Beverly. James described it as a virtual war zone. ... I talked to one of his coaches and asked him if he thought James was embellishing a bit. No, he said, Beverly was that bad. His sister, Tasha, who is 16 years his senior and who is extremely protective of her little brother, wanted him to get as far away from Texarkana as he could."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle puts into perspective A.J. Jenkins' conditioning. Branch: "To those up in arms, I invite you to travel back to early June when Smith, the No. 7 overall pick, arrived at San Jose State during the lockout for his first workout with veteran teammates such as Justin Smith, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald and Parys Haralson. How'd that go for Aldon? Well, Sopoaga was still laughing about the rookie’s performance a week after he debuted."
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in from the Cardinals' annual golf tournament. Urban: "There are serious golfers, like coach Ken Whisenhunt and kicker Jay Feely, some middle-of-the-road guys who all seemed to hit good shots when the cameras were around (at least, that’s what they were telling us) and other guys who you should be careful to be around when they are taking a shot (Um, Beanie, about that swing …)."
As a result, we're left to wonder to what degree he wants the Rams to remain in St. Louis.
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks the Rams' proposed stadium renovations indicate Kroenke is serious about keeping the team in town. Burwell: "Look very carefully at the plan. It is not an over-the-top, ostentatious, football-only counteroffer that attempts to thrust the Dome to the very top of the National Football League's most extravagant stadiums. It's not an outrageous plan that feels like the sort of crazy counteroffer whose sole intent is to blow up the entire process, thus allowing Kroenke to scoot off to Los Angeles as quickly as possible. What the Rams have put in front of us is a design whose intent is to make the Edward Jones Dome something that works for all of St. Louis, not just the football team." Noted: I also thought the Rams' proposal seemed reasonable under the circumstances. It's all part of a process that will continue, most likely, with arbitration beginning June 15. That arbitration would be binding for the Rams if the stadium authority accepted the arbiter's proposal. The Rams' lease would then extend through 2025. Otherwise, the Rams would go year-to-year on their lease beginning in March 2015.
Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says Pete Carroll, like Tom Landry decades ago, seems to think competition at quarterback can be a healthy thing. Roger Staubach: "Coach Landry thought the quarterback just went in and executed the play the way everybody else does what they're supposed to do. He didn't understand that quarterback was different. It took him awhile to get that. … It got to the point where I really didn't care if it was me or not and I think Craig (Morton) felt the same. Yeah, you want to play, but both of us just wanted a decision." Noted: The Seahawks are not yet to that point, in my view. Matt Flynn owns two regular-season starts. Russell Wilson has never played in even an exhibition game. Tarvaris Jackson has the look of a journeyman at the position. Committing to one of them wholeheartedly at this point would be premature.
Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle came away impressed after watching Wilson's first practice with the team. Huard: "My first minicamp practice was spent just trying to call the play correctly. Wilson's first practice consisted of team, seven-on-seven, routes versus air and individual drills where it was difficult to find a misguided pass. Sure, he had a few passes tipped at the line and in the secondary, but his completion percentage was north of 80, and this is with guys he didn't even know by name. It would be fun to compare Wilson's initial camp with his draft-day peers: Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler & Co. While Tannehill, like Wilson, has a background in his current offensive system, I can't imagine any of the rookie passers making more of an impression than Russell.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on the Seahawks' recently concluded rookie camp. On Bruce Irvin: "The first day of practice was a little bit of a challenge in his conditioning, but even then, you saw bursts of that speed off the edge as he jetted around Alex Barron. Yes, Barron has been out of the league for a year, but we're also talking about a former first-round pick of a tackle. Irvin might not start right away, but he's going to have a role as a pass rusher right off the bat, and he showed this weekend he has the speed to make the most of it." Noted: That's good news for the Seahawks. I watched the first day of practice and thought Barron's length and experience created challenges Irvin would not have faced had he gone against rookies instead.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com runs a photo showing Carroll as a college player, with the third-year Seahawks coach recalling how he found out no NFL team had drafted him back in 1973.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers thoughts on LaMichael James' upbringing in a tough neighborhood. Barrows: "I could just have easily written about the Texarkana neighborhood in which he grew up. James, in fact, credits both his grandmother and his home town with forging him into the man and the player he is today. That neighborhood is on the Texas side of town and is known as Beverly. James described it as a virtual war zone. ... I talked to one of his coaches and asked him if he thought James was embellishing a bit. No, he said, Beverly was that bad. His sister, Tasha, who is 16 years his senior and who is extremely protective of her little brother, wanted him to get as far away from Texarkana as he could."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle puts into perspective A.J. Jenkins' conditioning. Branch: "To those up in arms, I invite you to travel back to early June when Smith, the No. 7 overall pick, arrived at San Jose State during the lockout for his first workout with veteran teammates such as Justin Smith, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald and Parys Haralson. How'd that go for Aldon? Well, Sopoaga was still laughing about the rookie’s performance a week after he debuted."
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in from the Cardinals' annual golf tournament. Urban: "There are serious golfers, like coach Ken Whisenhunt and kicker Jay Feely, some middle-of-the-road guys who all seemed to hit good shots when the cameras were around (at least, that’s what they were telling us) and other guys who you should be careful to be around when they are taking a shot (Um, Beanie, about that swing …)."
Russell Wilson served notice over the weekend that he'll factor into the Seattle Seahawks' quarterback competition right away.
That was easily the No. 1 development from NFC West rookie camps.
"He showed us enough," coach Pete Carroll told reporters Sunday. "He's in the competition. That is going to tax us, as we know, and it was already going to be taxing with two. But he’s showed us enough that we need to see where he fits in with these guys."
Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson are the other candidates to start. The contract Flynn signed makes him the early favorite. Wilson, as a third-round draft choice this year, was going to factor into the equation. While there was very little chance Carroll was going to rule out anyone as a candidate so early in the process, Wilson did show enough during the rookie camp to justify inclusion. Carroll wasn't blowing smoke, in other words.
Wilson demonstrated during this camp an ability to throw open receivers by anticipating with his passes. That was not a strength for Jackson, the starter last season. Jackson was more apt to see a receiver open and then use his strong arm to rifle the ball to the target. Wilson also appears to have a strong arm (Carroll used the word "terrific" to describe it).
Some coaches prefer a quick resolution to a quarterback competition. I would expect Carroll to keep alive this one well into the summer.
"It's going to take us a long time to do this," he said. "It's going to be frustrating for you guys. You’re going tokeep asking and wanting to know and I’m just going to be more patient than you can imagine as we go through this process and we’ll just figure it out when we do."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers highlights from the Seahawks' three-day camp.
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' 2011 injury problems on the offensive line could put them in position to have greater depth this season. Line coach Tom Cable: "We know we have a group, top to bottom, where your eighth or ninth guy can go in and win for you. So our depth got taken to a new level."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic offers notes on some of the players participating in Cardinals rookie camp on a tryout basis. Former Rams receiver Keenan Burton was one of them. Somers: "The Cardinals' positional needs, as well as a player's talent, will factor into the decisions to sign any of the tryout players. The Cardinals, for instance, might need an extra running back in organized-team activities because starter Beanie Wells is coming off a postseason arthroscopic knee surgery, and backup Ryan Williams isn't expected to participate much as he rehabilitates from a torn patellar tendon. So that helps the chances for tryout running backs such as Javarris James and Keola Antolin, a rookie from Arizona."
Also from Somers: Cornerback Jamell Fleming made an immediate positive impression on Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Horton: "I don't remember (Fleming) making a mental mistake, which was great. We're going to start throwing more things at him, but he has the demeanor of an NFL guy. He reminds me of Patrick (Peterson). He came in and said, 'OK, this is what I am. I'm a pro football player.'"
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at the Cardinals' approach to developmental quarterback Ryan Lindley. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "After a couple of years ago, I hope we’ve learned you can never have enough at that position."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie linebacker Sammy Brown, signed as a free agent, is hoping to prove critics wrong after going undrafted. Questions about the consistency of Brown's effort hurt his stock. Brown on watching the draft: "When it got to the sixth and seventh round, I just said, 'Man, I don't even want to watch it no more.' I was mad. I see other people going. I see them picking punters, kickers. Am I that sorry? What have I got to do?"
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers his take on the Rams' willingness to take chances on some players. Burwell: "If this plan works, the reward will be so much greater than the risk. Better yet, if it turns out these high-risk, high-reward guys can really play -- and if the plan of Jeff Fisher and Les Snead plan keeps most of them on the right path -- no one in St. Louis will care about anything else. The coach and the GM are smart enough and bold enough to know that."
Barry Bolton of cougfan.com says former Washington State head coach Paul Wulff has joined the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant. Noted: Wulff competed against Jim Harbaugh and several 49ers assistants in the Pac-10 Conference. Wulff and 49ers assistant Michael Christianson both worked under Mike Kramer at Big Sky programs. Kramer worked on Wulff's staff in 2010.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee updates scouting changes involving the 49ers. Barrows: "The 49ers parted ways with Todd Brunner, their Northeast Area scout who had been with the team for 12 years, and he promptly was hired by his former boss, Scot McCloughan, with the Seahawks. Brunner handled most of the area scouting on the east coast and was the point man on recent picks like Anthony Davis and Cam Johnson."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle examines why Cameron Johnson fell to the seventh round, where the 49ers selected him, after analysts suggested the outside linebacker would be chosen much earlier.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on the 49ers' receiver situation and rookie A.J. Jenkins in particular. Conditioning was a concern initially. Maiocco: "But in the afternoon, Jenkins rebounded nicely and put together a pretty solid showing."
That was easily the No. 1 development from NFC West rookie camps.
"He showed us enough," coach Pete Carroll told reporters Sunday. "He's in the competition. That is going to tax us, as we know, and it was already going to be taxing with two. But he’s showed us enough that we need to see where he fits in with these guys."
Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson are the other candidates to start. The contract Flynn signed makes him the early favorite. Wilson, as a third-round draft choice this year, was going to factor into the equation. While there was very little chance Carroll was going to rule out anyone as a candidate so early in the process, Wilson did show enough during the rookie camp to justify inclusion. Carroll wasn't blowing smoke, in other words.
Wilson demonstrated during this camp an ability to throw open receivers by anticipating with his passes. That was not a strength for Jackson, the starter last season. Jackson was more apt to see a receiver open and then use his strong arm to rifle the ball to the target. Wilson also appears to have a strong arm (Carroll used the word "terrific" to describe it).
Some coaches prefer a quick resolution to a quarterback competition. I would expect Carroll to keep alive this one well into the summer.
"It's going to take us a long time to do this," he said. "It's going to be frustrating for you guys. You’re going tokeep asking and wanting to know and I’m just going to be more patient than you can imagine as we go through this process and we’ll just figure it out when we do."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers highlights from the Seahawks' three-day camp.
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks' 2011 injury problems on the offensive line could put them in position to have greater depth this season. Line coach Tom Cable: "We know we have a group, top to bottom, where your eighth or ninth guy can go in and win for you. So our depth got taken to a new level."
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic offers notes on some of the players participating in Cardinals rookie camp on a tryout basis. Former Rams receiver Keenan Burton was one of them. Somers: "The Cardinals' positional needs, as well as a player's talent, will factor into the decisions to sign any of the tryout players. The Cardinals, for instance, might need an extra running back in organized-team activities because starter Beanie Wells is coming off a postseason arthroscopic knee surgery, and backup Ryan Williams isn't expected to participate much as he rehabilitates from a torn patellar tendon. So that helps the chances for tryout running backs such as Javarris James and Keola Antolin, a rookie from Arizona."
Also from Somers: Cornerback Jamell Fleming made an immediate positive impression on Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton. Horton: "I don't remember (Fleming) making a mental mistake, which was great. We're going to start throwing more things at him, but he has the demeanor of an NFL guy. He reminds me of Patrick (Peterson). He came in and said, 'OK, this is what I am. I'm a pro football player.'"
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at the Cardinals' approach to developmental quarterback Ryan Lindley. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "After a couple of years ago, I hope we’ve learned you can never have enough at that position."
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams rookie linebacker Sammy Brown, signed as a free agent, is hoping to prove critics wrong after going undrafted. Questions about the consistency of Brown's effort hurt his stock. Brown on watching the draft: "When it got to the sixth and seventh round, I just said, 'Man, I don't even want to watch it no more.' I was mad. I see other people going. I see them picking punters, kickers. Am I that sorry? What have I got to do?"
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers his take on the Rams' willingness to take chances on some players. Burwell: "If this plan works, the reward will be so much greater than the risk. Better yet, if it turns out these high-risk, high-reward guys can really play -- and if the plan of Jeff Fisher and Les Snead plan keeps most of them on the right path -- no one in St. Louis will care about anything else. The coach and the GM are smart enough and bold enough to know that."
Barry Bolton of cougfan.com says former Washington State head coach Paul Wulff has joined the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant. Noted: Wulff competed against Jim Harbaugh and several 49ers assistants in the Pac-10 Conference. Wulff and 49ers assistant Michael Christianson both worked under Mike Kramer at Big Sky programs. Kramer worked on Wulff's staff in 2010.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee updates scouting changes involving the 49ers. Barrows: "The 49ers parted ways with Todd Brunner, their Northeast Area scout who had been with the team for 12 years, and he promptly was hired by his former boss, Scot McCloughan, with the Seahawks. Brunner handled most of the area scouting on the east coast and was the point man on recent picks like Anthony Davis and Cam Johnson."
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle examines why Cameron Johnson fell to the seventh round, where the 49ers selected him, after analysts suggested the outside linebacker would be chosen much earlier.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on the 49ers' receiver situation and rookie A.J. Jenkins in particular. Conditioning was a concern initially. Maiocco: "But in the afternoon, Jenkins rebounded nicely and put together a pretty solid showing."
RENTON, Wash. -- Thoughts and observations after watching the Seattle Seahawks open their rookie camp Friday:
Players were wearing helmets, but no pads. It's tough to make lasting judgments from a camp such as this one. First impressions will have to suffice.
- First-round pick Bruce Irvin impressed coaches with his ability to grasp defensive concepts. That can be a concern for any rookie and particularly for one with Irvin's unusual background (out of football for two years while living on the streets). Irvin practiced with intensity. He did not get great results immediately and it was easy to see why. Alex Barron, who has practiced against Leonard Little and DeMarcus Ware over the years, was one of the few veterans in camp. While Barron's career has faltered, he remains a first-round talent and it showed in the first practice. The Seahawks are giving him a tryout. Barron, a first-round pick for St. Louis in 2005, is 29 years old and spent last season on injured reserve with New Orleans. He looked healthy and was obviously more talented than the free-agent offensive linemen in camp.
- Coach Pete Carroll raved about running back Robert Turbin. He loved Turbin's quickness and feel for the zone running game. Turbin has huge biceps, but his lower body looks like it belongs to a smaller man.
- Third-round quarterback Russell Wilson took twice as many snaps as any rookie and made a resoundingly positive first impression. Wilson threaded perfect passes all over the field, hitting receivers and tight ends in stride. Height, not talent, is the concern for the 5-foot-11 Wilson. He did have three passes tipped near the line of scrimmage, by my count. A couple deep balls failed to find their targets, Carroll noted. Wilson is going to get the attention of the veteran quarterbacks, it looks like.
- Fourth-round pick Jaye Howard, a defensive tackle from Florida, impressed Carroll with his quickness.
- The Seahawks invited draft choices' families to watch practice. All 10 picks had family in attendance on a spectacularly sunny day on the shores of Lake Washington.
- Linebacker Korey Toomer, a fifth-round pick from Idaho, appeared athletic. He picked off a batted pass and headed for the end zone with it.
- The Seahawks fared well with undrafted receiver Doug Baldwin last season. Phil Bates from Ohio was the undrafted receiver I noticed the most during this practice. He made a leaping grab on a deep ball. He also made a one-handed grab in traffic. He also dropped a pass later in practice. Overall, though, he looked good. Bates is 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds.
Players were wearing helmets, but no pads. It's tough to make lasting judgments from a camp such as this one. First impressions will have to suffice.
Lots going on with the St. Louis Rams.
First, thanks to @Gofastleft for pointing out a story suggesting the team has asked for a retractable roof as part of its proposed renovations to the Edward Jones Dome.
Charles Jaco of Fox2now.com says experts generally suggest a price tag between $200 million and $300 million for retrofitting a stadium with such a roof. Jaco: "The Rams lease at the dome says the team is free to leave St. Louis in January 2015 if the dome is not among the top facilities in the National Football League. The Rams rejected an offer from the Convention and Visitor’s Commission to spend $124 million to upgrade the dome, half from taxpayers, half from the team. And this is their counter-offer. If the CVC rejects this proposal, which is pretty likely, then both sides go to arbitration June 15." Noted: Details for the various proposals become public Monday.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details changes in the Rams' scouting department. Thomas: "The process is well under way, with general manager Les Snead bringing two Atlanta Falcons scouts into directors' positions in the front office. Falcons pro scout Ran Carthon is joining the Rams as director of pro personnel; Falcons area scout Taylor Morton is coming to St. Louis as director of college scouting. The Rams didn't have anyone with the title of director of pro personnel last season, so technically, Carthon isn't replacing anyone. John Mancini, who has been the Rams' director of college scouting for the past two years, is being retained with the title of assistant director of college scouting."
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on Michael Crabtree's development through three seasons. Maiocco: "While fans expect 1,000-yard seasons from a player chosen with the No. 10 overall draft pick, the 49ers' offense is not one that features the outside receivers. Some view Crabtree as a bust. I am certainly not in that camp."
Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle looks at how rookie LaMichael James could change the 49ers' offense. Lynch: "At Oregon, he played in a spread and most of his carries came from a shotgun quarterback. That could continue with the 49ers. With the additions of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and rookie A.J. Jenkins the team is showing signs of opening up the offense. Going into the shotgun frequently, could put James on the field more often. But for that to be the case, James will have to prove he’s more of a Darren Sproles than a Dexter McCluster. The revelation of just whom James will be, will start this Friday at the team's rookie minicamp."
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at the sorry recent history of the No. 81 jersey in San Francisco, asking whether there's been a T.O. curse.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains how receiver Larry Fitzgerald pushes teammates to work harder. Fitzgerald: "I'm just an extremely self-motivated person, that's all. Every day I am trying to run faster, jump higher, lift more. I have always been that way. Especially young guys like (Ryan Williams) … yesterday Patrick Peterson, we had a squat competition. I do it with (receivers) DeMarco Sampson, Jaymar (Johnson). I am into that. I love the competition, no matter if it is on the field, the basketball gym, the bowling alley, competition always makes the cream rise to the top. So I love to compete."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with offensive line coach Tom Cable for thoughts on why the team drafted defensive lineman J.R. Sweezy with an eye toward converting Sweezy to offense. Cable: "It was his demeanor, first and foremost. His intelligence. His toughness. And how he played on defense."
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Red Bryant is determined to fulfill expectations after signing a $35 million contract this offseason. Bryant: "A lot of guys get big contracts and they kind of go in the tank because you get comfortable. I feel like not so much to justify it, but I have bigger expectations than just a contract. You hear that all the time, but I definitely want to be a guy that when my playing days are over with and they think about the Seahawks, they think about big Red Bryant."
710ESPN Seattle passes along comments from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll regarding Russell Wilson's arm strength.
First, thanks to @Gofastleft for pointing out a story suggesting the team has asked for a retractable roof as part of its proposed renovations to the Edward Jones Dome.
Charles Jaco of Fox2now.com says experts generally suggest a price tag between $200 million and $300 million for retrofitting a stadium with such a roof. Jaco: "The Rams lease at the dome says the team is free to leave St. Louis in January 2015 if the dome is not among the top facilities in the National Football League. The Rams rejected an offer from the Convention and Visitor’s Commission to spend $124 million to upgrade the dome, half from taxpayers, half from the team. And this is their counter-offer. If the CVC rejects this proposal, which is pretty likely, then both sides go to arbitration June 15." Noted: Details for the various proposals become public Monday.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details changes in the Rams' scouting department. Thomas: "The process is well under way, with general manager Les Snead bringing two Atlanta Falcons scouts into directors' positions in the front office. Falcons pro scout Ran Carthon is joining the Rams as director of pro personnel; Falcons area scout Taylor Morton is coming to St. Louis as director of college scouting. The Rams didn't have anyone with the title of director of pro personnel last season, so technically, Carthon isn't replacing anyone. John Mancini, who has been the Rams' director of college scouting for the past two years, is being retained with the title of assistant director of college scouting."
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers thoughts on Michael Crabtree's development through three seasons. Maiocco: "While fans expect 1,000-yard seasons from a player chosen with the No. 10 overall draft pick, the 49ers' offense is not one that features the outside receivers. Some view Crabtree as a bust. I am certainly not in that camp."
Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle looks at how rookie LaMichael James could change the 49ers' offense. Lynch: "At Oregon, he played in a spread and most of his carries came from a shotgun quarterback. That could continue with the 49ers. With the additions of Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and rookie A.J. Jenkins the team is showing signs of opening up the offense. Going into the shotgun frequently, could put James on the field more often. But for that to be the case, James will have to prove he’s more of a Darren Sproles than a Dexter McCluster. The revelation of just whom James will be, will start this Friday at the team's rookie minicamp."
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at the sorry recent history of the No. 81 jersey in San Francisco, asking whether there's been a T.O. curse.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains how receiver Larry Fitzgerald pushes teammates to work harder. Fitzgerald: "I'm just an extremely self-motivated person, that's all. Every day I am trying to run faster, jump higher, lift more. I have always been that way. Especially young guys like (Ryan Williams) … yesterday Patrick Peterson, we had a squat competition. I do it with (receivers) DeMarco Sampson, Jaymar (Johnson). I am into that. I love the competition, no matter if it is on the field, the basketball gym, the bowling alley, competition always makes the cream rise to the top. So I love to compete."
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com checks in with offensive line coach Tom Cable for thoughts on why the team drafted defensive lineman J.R. Sweezy with an eye toward converting Sweezy to offense. Cable: "It was his demeanor, first and foremost. His intelligence. His toughness. And how he played on defense."
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Red Bryant is determined to fulfill expectations after signing a $35 million contract this offseason. Bryant: "A lot of guys get big contracts and they kind of go in the tank because you get comfortable. I feel like not so much to justify it, but I have bigger expectations than just a contract. You hear that all the time, but I definitely want to be a guy that when my playing days are over with and they think about the Seahawks, they think about big Red Bryant."
710ESPN Seattle passes along comments from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll regarding Russell Wilson's arm strength.
Turns out Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wasn't joking Friday.
Deuce Lutui, the team's new guard with longstanding weight issues, has indeed embraced a vegan diet as part of a renewed effort to improve his health and performance.
"The commitment that he made to himself and his family revolved around not only being the best player," agent Ken Harris said Monday, "but being with them for many years to come and not having to worry as much about weight-related issues that can cause down-the-line health concerns."
This should be welcome news to those who care about Lutui personally and for Seattle fans hoping Lutui, after six seasons and 72 regular-season starts for Arizona, can upgrade their offensive line.
The Seahawks are listing the 6-foot-4 Lutui at 338 pounds. That is the weight on file for Lutui, as listed on NFL.com. That figure is more consistent with Lutui's measured weight at the 2006 scouting combine (334) than a reflection of his typical weight in the NFL.
Lutui reported to camp at 396 pounds in 2010 and failed a physical examination after agreeing to terms with Cincinnati last offseason. Lutui then returned to the Cardinals, where he served as a backup following four-plus years as a starter.
"Some things happened last year and in the last year and a half," Harris said. "He wanted to commit to himself and to his family that he would do everything to take care of himself and take care of them and be the best player he could be. As part of that, he met a nutritionist who suggested a vegan diet to him."
Vegans avoid eating animal products.
"He started to see real changes he had not seen previously," Harris said. "Before he knew it, he was slim and trim like a ballerina."
Carroll joked that Lutui had reported at 208 pounds. He was serious when he said Lutui's conditioning was improved, and that he valued the spirit Lutui -- sometimes ferocious on the field, but usually affable in the locker room -- brings to the team.
Seattle sought veteran depth at guard after releasing Robert Gallery. Lutui played for Carroll at USC and has obvious starting ability if his conditioning is right.
"When you stand next to him, his bone structure is very, very broad and very thick," Harris said. "For him to be 300-anything is much different than me being 300-anything.
"When I talked to NFL teams in the past about him, they would say, 'We know his weight, because of his bone structure, we would allow it to be a little heavier than someone that didn’t have the same kind of bone structure.' But they still wanted the weight to be in check."
Deuce Lutui, the team's new guard with longstanding weight issues, has indeed embraced a vegan diet as part of a renewed effort to improve his health and performance.
[+] Enlarge
Howard Smith-US PRESSWIREArizona Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui has adopted a vegan diet.
Howard Smith-US PRESSWIREArizona Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui has adopted a vegan diet.This should be welcome news to those who care about Lutui personally and for Seattle fans hoping Lutui, after six seasons and 72 regular-season starts for Arizona, can upgrade their offensive line.
The Seahawks are listing the 6-foot-4 Lutui at 338 pounds. That is the weight on file for Lutui, as listed on NFL.com. That figure is more consistent with Lutui's measured weight at the 2006 scouting combine (334) than a reflection of his typical weight in the NFL.
Lutui reported to camp at 396 pounds in 2010 and failed a physical examination after agreeing to terms with Cincinnati last offseason. Lutui then returned to the Cardinals, where he served as a backup following four-plus years as a starter.
"Some things happened last year and in the last year and a half," Harris said. "He wanted to commit to himself and to his family that he would do everything to take care of himself and take care of them and be the best player he could be. As part of that, he met a nutritionist who suggested a vegan diet to him."
Vegans avoid eating animal products.
"He started to see real changes he had not seen previously," Harris said. "Before he knew it, he was slim and trim like a ballerina."
Carroll joked that Lutui had reported at 208 pounds. He was serious when he said Lutui's conditioning was improved, and that he valued the spirit Lutui -- sometimes ferocious on the field, but usually affable in the locker room -- brings to the team.
Seattle sought veteran depth at guard after releasing Robert Gallery. Lutui played for Carroll at USC and has obvious starting ability if his conditioning is right.
"When you stand next to him, his bone structure is very, very broad and very thick," Harris said. "For him to be 300-anything is much different than me being 300-anything.
"When I talked to NFL teams in the past about him, they would say, 'We know his weight, because of his bone structure, we would allow it to be a little heavier than someone that didn’t have the same kind of bone structure.' But they still wanted the weight to be in check."
Figuring out who makes the personnel decisions for the Arizona Cardinals isn't easy.
More than any team in the NFC West, the Cardinals seem to take a group approach involving general manager Rod Graves, coach Ken Whisenhunt, president Michael Bidwill, and vice president of player personnel Steve Keim.
All four have been together since 2007, when Whisenhunt became coach.
Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Keim's role has grown, making him a logical candidate to succeed Graves in the GM role. Bickley: "Keim isn't a general manager by title. But he talks like one. He acts like one. He's not shy with his opinions. Recent draft classes reveal a franchise operating in sync, and a team enjoying a steady influx of young players. He knows what Ken Whisenhunt wants in a player, and over time, has earned the coach's trust." Noted: Sounds like an invitation to compare recent draft classes for NFC West teams. I'll take a look this week, although comparing one team's draft success against that of another can be tricky. For example, in recent seasons, the Cardinals have drafted later in the first round on average than any team in the division, about 19th overall since 2009. That compares to about eighth overall for St. Louis, 13th overall for Seattle and 15th overall for San Francisco.
Also from Bickley: The Cardinals have reason to consider legal action after losing 3,200 parking spots at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee runs through the San Francisco 49ers' undrafted free-agent class. Barrows: "Among the standouts are the three Stanford players, Chris Owusu, Matt Masifilo and Michael Thomas, and running back Jewel Hampton, whom I wrote about earlier in the week. Also of note is Clemson's Kourtnei Brown, who has Aldon Smith-like dimensions and who ran his 40-yard dash in the 4.6-second range."
Also from Barrows: Perrish Cox's legal troubles aren't finished. The cornerback, acquitted on criminal sexual assault charges, faces a civil suit stemming from the case.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the Pacific Northwest Football Hall of Fame welcomed Marcus Trufant and Jacob Green as members. Trufant: "This is a very cool deal. Just the whole organization in general is a good deal. There are a lot of important people here who have done a lot of good things in this area for a long time -- and they haven’t done it to make a lot of money, they’re doing it for the community and they’re doing it for the kids. So just to be mentioned in the same light as those people, it’s a big deal to me."
Also from Farnsworth: a look at the Seahawks' quarterback competition. Coach Pete Carroll: "There’s no timeline. The format is really just to do everything I can to organize it and orchestrate it so that they get a legit shot at showing what they can do with all the guys that are available. We’re going to have to mix and match it, and just make it a real cool process, and hopefully it will show itself somewhere down the road and we'll figure it out then."
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Carroll seems to be welcoming the quarterback competition in Seattle, counter to the way most coaches view uncertainty at the position.
Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest says the Seahawks haven't had a quarterback competition like their current once since Matt Hasselbeck and Trent Dilfer were competing a decade ago.
Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle passes along thoughts from Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill regarding the evolution of his game. Hill: "I wanted to hurt you and hit you harder than you hit me. That's how I played, and I think it caused a lot of injuries early on in my career. Now that I'm getting older, I'm more about making the tackle -- just get the man down. I want to play the way that I played, just in a more veteran way, you know?"
Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks Gus Bradley, the Seahawks' defensive coordinator, projects as a head coaching candidate. Noted: Not many coordinators keep their jobs when a team changes head coaches. Bradley did, remaining in the role after the switch from Jim Mora to Pete Carroll. Mora had planned to name Dan Quinn coordinator, but Bradley impressed him so much during his interview that Mora decided to make him coordinator instead.
Albert Breer of NFL Network runs through Rams GM Les Snead's priority list for St. Louis this offseason: "Snead, formerly personnel director for the Atlanta Falcons, was hired by the Rams in mid-February. His self-imposed directive since then has been to focus on four aspects of roster management. They were, in order, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of his new club; deal the second pick in the draft; prepare for and complete free agency; and then do the same with the draft. ... Snead can unpack and find a place to live now. His vision for the Rams, in this job he spent the better part of two decades preparing, is beginning to take shape."
Katie Felts of KDSK.com checks in with new Rams coach Jeff Fisher.
More than any team in the NFC West, the Cardinals seem to take a group approach involving general manager Rod Graves, coach Ken Whisenhunt, president Michael Bidwill, and vice president of player personnel Steve Keim.
All four have been together since 2007, when Whisenhunt became coach.
Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic says Keim's role has grown, making him a logical candidate to succeed Graves in the GM role. Bickley: "Keim isn't a general manager by title. But he talks like one. He acts like one. He's not shy with his opinions. Recent draft classes reveal a franchise operating in sync, and a team enjoying a steady influx of young players. He knows what Ken Whisenhunt wants in a player, and over time, has earned the coach's trust." Noted: Sounds like an invitation to compare recent draft classes for NFC West teams. I'll take a look this week, although comparing one team's draft success against that of another can be tricky. For example, in recent seasons, the Cardinals have drafted later in the first round on average than any team in the division, about 19th overall since 2009. That compares to about eighth overall for St. Louis, 13th overall for Seattle and 15th overall for San Francisco.
Also from Bickley: The Cardinals have reason to consider legal action after losing 3,200 parking spots at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee runs through the San Francisco 49ers' undrafted free-agent class. Barrows: "Among the standouts are the three Stanford players, Chris Owusu, Matt Masifilo and Michael Thomas, and running back Jewel Hampton, whom I wrote about earlier in the week. Also of note is Clemson's Kourtnei Brown, who has Aldon Smith-like dimensions and who ran his 40-yard dash in the 4.6-second range."
Also from Barrows: Perrish Cox's legal troubles aren't finished. The cornerback, acquitted on criminal sexual assault charges, faces a civil suit stemming from the case.
Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the Pacific Northwest Football Hall of Fame welcomed Marcus Trufant and Jacob Green as members. Trufant: "This is a very cool deal. Just the whole organization in general is a good deal. There are a lot of important people here who have done a lot of good things in this area for a long time -- and they haven’t done it to make a lot of money, they’re doing it for the community and they’re doing it for the kids. So just to be mentioned in the same light as those people, it’s a big deal to me."
Also from Farnsworth: a look at the Seahawks' quarterback competition. Coach Pete Carroll: "There’s no timeline. The format is really just to do everything I can to organize it and orchestrate it so that they get a legit shot at showing what they can do with all the guys that are available. We’re going to have to mix and match it, and just make it a real cool process, and hopefully it will show itself somewhere down the road and we'll figure it out then."
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says Carroll seems to be welcoming the quarterback competition in Seattle, counter to the way most coaches view uncertainty at the position.
Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest says the Seahawks haven't had a quarterback competition like their current once since Matt Hasselbeck and Trent Dilfer were competing a decade ago.
Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle passes along thoughts from Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill regarding the evolution of his game. Hill: "I wanted to hurt you and hit you harder than you hit me. That's how I played, and I think it caused a lot of injuries early on in my career. Now that I'm getting older, I'm more about making the tackle -- just get the man down. I want to play the way that I played, just in a more veteran way, you know?"
Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks Gus Bradley, the Seahawks' defensive coordinator, projects as a head coaching candidate. Noted: Not many coordinators keep their jobs when a team changes head coaches. Bradley did, remaining in the role after the switch from Jim Mora to Pete Carroll. Mora had planned to name Dan Quinn coordinator, but Bradley impressed him so much during his interview that Mora decided to make him coordinator instead.
Albert Breer of NFL Network runs through Rams GM Les Snead's priority list for St. Louis this offseason: "Snead, formerly personnel director for the Atlanta Falcons, was hired by the Rams in mid-February. His self-imposed directive since then has been to focus on four aspects of roster management. They were, in order, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of his new club; deal the second pick in the draft; prepare for and complete free agency; and then do the same with the draft. ... Snead can unpack and find a place to live now. His vision for the Rams, in this job he spent the better part of two decades preparing, is beginning to take shape."
Katie Felts of KDSK.com checks in with new Rams coach Jeff Fisher.
RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was definitely joking when he said Deuce Lutui, the team's new guard, checked in at 208 pounds for the offseason conditioning program.
But when Carroll indicated Lutui had indeed dropped considerable weight, the coach was serious. Carroll also dropped a shocker when he said Lutui, notorious for his weight troubles while with the Arizona Cardinals, had become a vegan.
That's right, a vegan.
There were so many other angles to cover following the Seahawks' 45-minute voluntary workout for veterans Friday, but none could match this one for the double-take factor. Lutui's long history of weight issues invite skepticism. I followed up with Carroll twice in an effort to make sure the coach wasn't joking. He stuck with his story, but conceivably could have been kidding.
Weight troubles had, after all, derailed Lutui's signing with Cincinnati last offseason, leading the Bengals to fail him on a physical examination. The Cardinals valued Lutui as a starter for years, but they grew weary of the weight issues, relegating the former second-round draft choice to a backup role in 2011.
Lutui signed with Seattle this offseason and was reunited with Carroll, his former coach at USC. He was also reunited with the Trojans' former strength coach, Chris Carlisle.
"Deuce Lutui, he is a joy to have out here," Carroll said. "He has got such a great spirit. He always did. We looked at opportunities to get him on this club just because of that. He looks good. His weight is down -- I mean, way down from where he can be. He's a vegan, too, now, so he has really made a big turn, if you can imagine, yes."
Several reporters blurted out responses conveying surprise.
"Yeah, I wouldn't make that up," Carroll said.
Or would he? I'm not buying this one all the way. Lutui was not available for interviews. The team had a small window between its on-field session and meetings. Carroll, Flynn and Jackson were the ones made available.
The offensive players wore dark jerseys Friday, so there might have been a slimming factor to the visual, but all in all, I thought Lutui looked pretty good.
On to other subjects:
That's it for now. The NFC West chat begins at 3 p.m. ET.
But when Carroll indicated Lutui had indeed dropped considerable weight, the coach was serious. Carroll also dropped a shocker when he said Lutui, notorious for his weight troubles while with the Arizona Cardinals, had become a vegan.
That's right, a vegan.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Greg TrottCoach Pete Carroll says the Seahawks were happy to add former Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui to the roster.
AP Photo/Greg TrottCoach Pete Carroll says the Seahawks were happy to add former Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui to the roster.Weight troubles had, after all, derailed Lutui's signing with Cincinnati last offseason, leading the Bengals to fail him on a physical examination. The Cardinals valued Lutui as a starter for years, but they grew weary of the weight issues, relegating the former second-round draft choice to a backup role in 2011.
Lutui signed with Seattle this offseason and was reunited with Carroll, his former coach at USC. He was also reunited with the Trojans' former strength coach, Chris Carlisle.
"Deuce Lutui, he is a joy to have out here," Carroll said. "He has got such a great spirit. He always did. We looked at opportunities to get him on this club just because of that. He looks good. His weight is down -- I mean, way down from where he can be. He's a vegan, too, now, so he has really made a big turn, if you can imagine, yes."
Several reporters blurted out responses conveying surprise.
"Yeah, I wouldn't make that up," Carroll said.
Or would he? I'm not buying this one all the way. Lutui was not available for interviews. The team had a small window between its on-field session and meetings. Carroll, Flynn and Jackson were the ones made available.
The offensive players wore dark jerseys Friday, so there might have been a slimming factor to the visual, but all in all, I thought Lutui looked pretty good.
On to other subjects:
- The quarterback competition between Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson is under way, with third-round choice Russell Wilson scheduled to join the fun once rookies report. Jackson, as the incumbent, took the initial snaps and was the first to speak with reporters afterward. But Carroll stressed that this was the most open competition he'd had since Matt Leinart and Matt Cassel were competing at USC.
- Quick initial impression on Flynn and Jackson: Flynn appeared more accurate, while Jackson appeared to have the stronger arm. There wasn't much to go on, but those impressions line up with expectations.
- Third- or fourth-team quarterback Josh Portis isn't getting many reps. The team is giving additional reps to Flynn, helping him to learn the system.
- Receivers Sidney Rice and Mike Williams were not present. They're rehabbing from injuries. Cornerback Walter Thurmond watched from a scooter, his injured lower leg in a boot. Tackle James Carpenter watched practice, but his knee will not be ready until the season, if then. Russell Okung and John Moffitt participated. Rules mandating light on-field duty with no contact during the second phase of the voluntary conditioning program are allowing Okung and Moffitt to ease their way back from injuries.
- Newly signed defensive tackle Jason Jones is tall (6-foot-5) and lean (276 pounds). One look at him and there's no question of his primary role. It'll be as a pass-rusher.
- Receiver Golden Tate, trying to build on a strong finish to last season, made a one-handed grab in stride. Catching the ball in an environment so relaxed means little, but it beats the alternative, especially for a young player trying to build momentum.
That's it for now. The NFC West chat begins at 3 p.m. ET.
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.
