Month: August 2013 (Page 1 of 3)

I’m using this as a live thread. As events, I’ll post them on here.

Hearing that the Seahawks, so deep in the secondary, will be releasing CB Antoine Winfield.

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) August 31, 2013

#Seahawks cut last year's 4th round DT Jaye Howard, source tells me

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2013

Meanwhile…

Great story in Seattle as FB Derrick Coleman, who is legally deaf, (sources tell me) has made the Seahawks' initial 53-man roster.

— Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) August 31, 2013

That would be a great story for Coleman. I was rooting for him to make the roster due to his background and performance against San Diego. It may be that Michael Robinson re-signs in a couple of weeks on a cheaper deal when he recovers from illness. But what an opportunity for Coleman. All power to him.

Sealver Siliga has also been cut. Along with Howard’s departure, this spells good news for Michael Brooks. Brady Quinn is also out, along with Darren Fells.

UPDATE — Jay Glazer is reporting that Antoine Winfield has decided to retire.

#Seahawks traded for D'Anthony Smith from #Jaguars.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2013

Given Seattle was supposed to announce its cut list 49 minutes ago (and hasn’t) it’s no surprise they’ve done a deal. D’Anthony Smith is a former third round pick out of Louisiana Tech who was born in Germany. He’s 6-2 and around 300lbs. Smith spent the first two years of his pro career on injured reserve and was supposedly released yesterday. Apparently not…

The deal is for a conditional draft pick. This trade doesn’t say much for Jaye Howard. The Seahawks are desperate at defensive tackle, one of the biggest needs going into 2013.

Other reports say John Lotulelei made the roster.

#Seahawks waive: Bates, Brooks, Cherrington, Clark, Fells, Guy, Harper, Helfet, Howard, Johnson, McGrath, Parker, Powell, Seymour, Shead…

— Aaron Levine (@AaronQ13Fox) August 31, 2013

Veterans cut by Seahawks: Clinton McDonald, Michael Robinson, Brady Quinn, Antoine Winfield

— Mike Sando, ESPN.com (@SandoESPN) August 31, 2013

Headline reaction:

– Chris Harper has been CUT
– Winston Guy is OUT
– Michael Brooks doesn’t make the cut
– Clinton McDonald has been cut
– Sean McGrath doesn’t make it

There are some shocks here. I never expected Sean McGrath to be cut, especially with Cooper Heflet also getting the chop. Michael Brooks doesn’t make it despite numerous other cuts at tackle — including Clinton McDonald.

Chris Harper — a fourth round pick taken before 49ers prodigy Quinton Patton — lasted one pre-season.

Who made it?

Heath Farwell — underrated special teams demon and key member of the team. They’re happy to pay him at a time other veterans are being used as financial pawns.

Benson Mayowa — no shocks there. He deserves to make it.

Mike Morgan — part of the USC backup crew. I’m not shocked he makes the cut.

John Lotulelei — a little overrated in my view but clearly the team believes he can grow into a contributor.

Allen Bradford — the transition to linebacker finally pays off. He had a solid pre-season.

Mike Person — versatile offensive lineman makes it as one of ten offensive lineman.

Derrick Coleman — gets the chance to make the full back position his own.

Spencer Ware — Seattle stashes the former LSU runner and possible full back convert.

Been real #12thMan will always have love for ya

— Michael Robinson (@RealMikeRob) August 31, 2013

This will be a shock.

Not because of the Real Rob Report or because he’s a “fans favourite”. Simply because for the last couple of seasons he’s done a very good job blocking for Marshawn Lynch while providing a boost on special teams.

Not to mention that none of the potential replacements on the roster showed they were ready to take over.

Robinson’s been suffering with an unspecified illness recently that may have played some part. You have to wonder if there’s a replacement on the way in, perhaps somebody who was cut in the last few days from another team?

Or maybe they’re going to move away from using the traditional full back like a lot of teams, incorporating more read-option, H-back and single back looks?

Whatever the situation it’s still a surprise. I’m not convinced this was purely a cost saving exercise although it no doubt played a part. If it was all about money I think he would’ve been cut a while ago to give him the best possible opportunity to find a new home.

If the illness is legit and was set to keep him out of the first two weeks of the season, he’ll struggle to find an immediate gig elsewhere. I suspect there’s every chance he could yet to return to Seattle, albeit on a cheaper deal, when fully recovered.

After all, if they were going to have to deal without Robinson to start the year anyway — why not manufacture a situation where you end up paying him less? Such is business.

Terrelle Pryor had a chance to take on Seattle's defense

Seahawks beat Raiders, go 4-0 in pre-season

Oakland are a mess. Years of mismanagement are coming back to haunt them in a big way. Seattle’s backups never got out of second gear and still managed a relatively comfortable 22-6 victory.

They need a spark and at least they have a quarterback capable of providing it. Terrelle Pryor didn’t do anything terrible on the night and should earn a start over Matt Flynn. The Raiders need something to believe in. Pryor is capable of being a playmaker.

So who impressed for Seattle ahead of the final cuts?

Michael Brooks will be one of the players making life difficult for Seattle’s front office. Once again he flashed in this game. You temper the excitement slightly with it being Oakland’s second unit (and the first unit’s bad enough as it is). Yet with the Seahawks struggling for healthy bodies at tackle and needing some interior pass rush, I’m rooting for this guy to make the team. I doubt he’d make the practise squad. He’s consistently made plays in pre-season.

Jaye Howard also showed up and probably secured his place on the roster with a solid performance. Benson Mayowa is an absolute lock given the injuries at defensive end. He even pulled a Chris Clemons pose after a sack/fumble. He’s raw, but could be Seattle’s next big find. Let’s see what he brings in Carolina.

Winston Guy had a nice game overall. Will it be enough? I’m not sure. Chris Maragos also had a good night and Jeron Johnson has been consistent. Guy won’t have any trouble finding a roster elsewhere (eg the Jacksonville branch of the Seattle Seahawks).

Bruce Irvin looked fluid and comfortable in his new hybrid SAM/LEO position. Why did you have to go and get yourself suspended, Bruce? His return can’t come soon enough.

Luke Willson gives me every confidence he can feature quite prominently as a pass-catching #2 tight end. Time has been a great healer, and as pre-season progressed Willson just got better and better.

Seattle’s depth at corner is insane, but you knew that already. Byron Maxwell, Walter Thurmond and Jeremy Lane all looked assured. None of these guys will be making the trip to Jacksonville.

Stephen Williams had one big play before leaving with a concussion. Russell Wilson, who had issues with overthrows against Denver, actually undersold the pass to Williams. If he throws it out in front of the receiver, it’s a long touchdown. Williams had created acres of separation on the play.

Who faces a nervous wait?

I’ve been Chris Harper’s biggest defender at times, but this wasn’t a good night. He had a bad drop in the end zone, looked lethargic overall and a little out of his depth. I still believe we need to be patient with the rookies. Not everyone can be Russell Wilson. Some are going to take time — just like Kam Chancellor, Jaye Howard and even Richard Sherman (who didn’t start immediately). Throw in the complexity of the receiver position and this was always going to be a big ask for Harper.

He’s a fourth round pick and they clearly believed he could grow into an Anquan Boldin-type figure with his sturdy frame. You have to consider they expected to have Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Percy Harvin and Doug Baldwin as locks. They were always going to carry Jermaine Kearse and probably planned all along for Harper to be a ‘red shirt’ player. Yes, we’ve seen Stephen Williams emerge. But Harvin’s now on the PUP. So they can still carry six as they probably planned all along.

Adjusting that position and carrying five receivers isn’t out of the question either. I’m not sure I’m ready to write off Harper yet, and the team may share that sentiment. I doubt he makes the practise squad, someone will stash him on their roster. But if it means carrying an extra offensive lineman or a guy like Michael Brooks, they might have to bite the bullet.

The reason they might want to carry an extra lineman? For the first time I had a few doubts about Michael Bowie’s ability to start in relief. Plus he picked up a shoulder injury. He won’t make the practise squad, so it might be worth keeping a Mike Person or Rishaw Johnson. I’d still take Brooks over both.

Not for the first time, I thought John Lotulelei struggled a bit. He developed a bit of a cult following after the Chargers game, but I think too many people were quick to anoint him a star of the future. I think he’ll struggle to make the cut and may even make it to the practise squad.

The offensive line play across the board was poor tonight. Far too often Oakland found interior pressure, even with the #1’s on the field. On one play Max Unger was well beaten by Pat Sims, which is a rarity.

I wouldn’t make too many adjustments to my 53-man roster projection. I’m less confident about Harper making it as the #6 receiver. He’s on the bubble, with Brooks or Person seemingly the most likely beneficiary. Michael Robinson’s illness increases the possibility they keep Derrick Coleman as a fill-in full back. Do they risk keeping him over Spencer Ware? Or do you game-plan without an orthodox full back for the first week or two?

Brandon Coleman stands out

One of my favourite 2014 prospects is Rutgers receiver Brandon Coleman. We’ve talked about him several times on the blog, but having opted not to declare for this years draft he needed to make that extra season count.

It’s not an easy challenge given Rutgers are more of a run-first team without an established passing quarterback. Yet last nights season opener was a promising start for Coleman’s stock.

He managed nine catches for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Rutgers took a chance in overtime on a two-point conversion to lose 52-51 to Fresno State. It’s an ugly loss for the Scarlet Knights, but it’s the kind of production Coleman needs. He has all the physical talent you look for (6-6, 220lbs, speed despite the size) but needs the stats to back it up. Coleman also needs to make more of his size, high pointing the ball and making the kind of 50-50 grabs we’ve seen Stephen Williams make in pre-season for the Seahawks.

Another talented wide out, USC’s Marqise Lee, also had a decent start. He had eight catches for 104 yards in a 30-13 win over Hawaii. The Trojans split snaps between Cody Kessler and Max Wittek at quarterback. Lee is an incredible talent worthy of a top-ten draft grade. The lack of an established quarterback at USC might hamper his production this year.

If you missed it, yesterday I wrote a piece on Jadeveon Clowney’s season opener vs North Carolina.

Jadeveon Clowney struggled with the heat in week one

Jadeveon Clowney is a once in a generation physical talent. At 6-7, 270lbs with unnatural speed, he’s an obvious tip to go #1 overall next year. Even a team like Oakland — badly in need of a quarterback and with a decent chance of owning the top pick in 2014 — will find it hard to pass on Clowney.

But in tonight’s college football opener, he struggled to have much of an impact in difficult conditions.

Overall South Carolina handled UNC with relative ease. They dominated up front on both sides of the ball.

All eyes were on Clowney.

Unsurprisingly, so were the cameras. It’s going to be difficult to watch the Gamecocks this year on today’s evidence. The broadcast followed Clowney around until you were sick of the sight of him. We saw him rushing the passer, sitting down, in conversation, contemplating his next meal. We can only be grateful he didn’t require a bathroom break.

And when we saw him struggling in the hot conditions, we heard the backlash. The guy who was supposed to be this unbeatable dominating force was being usurped by the weather.

As North Carolina mounted a long drive to start the third quarterback, Clowney and the rest of the line started to struggle. But because all the focus was on Clowney, suddenly he was being singled out for criticism.

Can a guy who loafs win the Heisman? No. Clowney loafs.

— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) August 30, 2013

I’m not here to defend the guy too much. At times it looked ugly as he dragged himself off the field for a breather. At one point he was loafing onto the field as UNC were snapping the ball. For a player vaunted so much, it wasn’t a good look.

Yet it only took one look across the line to see the rest of South Carolina’s line were also lagging. And UNC’s defensive line didn’t fair any better a couple of drives later.

Clowney had a solid first half, rushing from the edge and dominating a couple of times. In one play he flew past a blocker off the edge, shrugged off a running back and pressured Brynn Renner into a risky throw. You can see what all the fuss is about. The guy will be a superstar in the NFL.

The other things is he faced almost constant double teams. Good luck throwing a blanket on him at the next level.

So I’ll ignore the heavy criticism for now. We’ll find out if there’s a genuine conditioning issue with Clowney over the next few weeks, especially after an off-season involving talk he could theoretically sit out the year. Others have questioned his work ethic in college and “specialist treatment” on campus.

He looked completely gassed in the fourth quarter. But it’s August 29th. Let’s see what he looks like in September before we jump to too many conclusions. He failed to register a sack before the game was stopped in the fourth quarter due to an electrical storm.

Other notes

– UNC’s junior receiver Mark McNeill might be one to watch. He’s 6-4 and 215lbs. McNeill didn’t play much as a sophomore but flashed a little in this game.

– I like Brynn Renner, the North Carolina quarterback, but I struggle to see him as anything more than a fringe NFL prospect.

– UNC left tackle James Hurst had a decent outing. He’s a possible early round selection at left tackle in 2014.

#Seahawks announce roster moves. Most significant: DT Jesse Williams to IR.

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) August 26, 2013

This isn’t a big surprise and was one of my predictions yesterday when projecting the final 53-man roster. Williams has clearly been struggling and needs time to get healthy. The knee issue he’s dealing with is holding him back.

The big question is whether Williams will ever return to his best form. The Seahawks took a swing in round five, yet it’s clear many teams had swiped him off their board or at least considerably dropped their grade.

At his best, Williams anchored the Alabama defensive line. He struggled in playing time for Seattle during pre-season, clearly labouring in the process. The Seahawks are one of the teams who could afford to take a chance here.

The other players who were released today: Perez Ashford, Kyle Knox, Jameson Konz, Andrei Lintz, Kyle Nelson, Martin Parker, Craig Wilkins and Brett Swain. Again, no major shocks here. They need to make six more cuts before Tuesday’s deadline.

Meanwhile it was also revealed today that Cliff Avril has suffered an injury setback. He’s re-aggravated a hamstring issue. It’s a major setback for Seattle’s pass rush. With Chris Clemons still working his way back and Bruce Irvin suspended for the first four games, Avril was going to be crucial to start the year. No timetable has been set for his return.

O’Brien Schofield will need to hit the ground running and it’s almost certain that Benson Mayowa makes the 53-man roster. At this stage he’s a virtual lock. Pass rush was a big problem for Seattle last year with Clemons. Take him, Avril and Irvin away and that’s going to sting. This has to be a concern.

Check out the live blog I did during the game. These are just a few final thoughts.

– Penalties are still a huge issue for this team. 14/182 tonight. Pete Carroll demanded greater discipline this week, but he didn’t get it. Having said that, the ref’s haven’t helped during pre-season.

– Christine Michael needs to be the #2 running back. He was sensational today and needs touches. He’s the real deal. Robert Turbin isn’t close to Michael’s level of explosion. If pass protection is an issue, use Turbin on third downs. If Lynch is being spelled, I want to see Michael in there. He scored a 43-yard touchdown and looked like the best player on the field tonight.

– Tony McDaniel deserves to be named the starting three technique after his performance tonight. Sealver Siglia also had a solid debut. The run defense was lights out.

– Receiver Stephen Williams will make the roster and adds a dimension to the offense. He’s a big play threat and he’ll go up and take the ball. It’s something the Seahawks didn’t really have last year.

– Out of the fringe guys, did anyone stand out? I liked Mike Morgan’s performance. It was a quiet night for the likes of Allen Bradford and John Lotulelei. Winston Guy showed up with a nice turnover. Will Blackmon had an interception called back on a lousy call. Kyle Knox had another sack. In limited action he’s looked good. Practise squad for him I think.

– Michael Bennett is going to be huge for Seattle this year.

– I’m not sure Benson Mayowa truly warrants a spot in the 53, but I doubt he makes the practise squad. He’s a tough one. I want to root for him. But you might need to cut someone who genuinely contributes. For me, Mayowa needs a year. And yet with that year, he could be some player. It’s a dilemma.

– If you were doubting Michael Robinson’s importance, watch the tape again. Seattle compensated for his absence by using an extra tackle (Mike Person). The plan didn’t work. The Green Bay pass rush caused problems and often one blocker was stood watching. It didn’t help the run game either. And nobody looked ready to replace Robinson at full back. He’s going nowhere.

– Russell Wilson had an odd night. He started brilliantly, as did the entire offense. And just like the entire offense, he gradually got sloppy. I’m not really concerned. If the Seahawks play Green Bay this season, they’ll probably run the read-option all day long. And they ran it zero times tonight. If you want to know why they’d go read-option, watch the Packers-Niners playoff game again.

– Seattle will run with two quarterbacks again this year — Russell Wilson and Tarvaris Jackson. I fear Brady Quinn’s days are numbered.

– The Seahawks had 196 yards passing and 166 yards rushing. GreenBay had 201 yards total offense. Wilson played over a half for the Seahawks. Aaron Rodgers had one drive for Green Bay.

It was good to see the two tight ends getting involved on the opening drive. Loved the throw to Luke Willson against the blitz — a quick strike for big yardage. Veteran quarterbacks love the blitz for plays like this. Russell Wilson is starting to take advantage.

Wilson’s throw to Doug Baldwin down the middle for 27 yards was beautiful. Great arm strength and accuracy. Wilson looked incredibly sharp to begin.

Robert Turbin against Clay Matthews is a mismatch, but Turbin didn’t put up a fight on the sack that stalled the drive. Seattle took the points after that, running Turbin for an easier kick.

Aaron Rodgers already looks in mid-season form. Oh no. Michael Bennett down injured. One of Seattle’s key performers in pre-season and an absolute necessity for the defensive line is hurt. Fingers crossed. (He eventually returns to the game unscathed).

Red Bryant is lining up inside. Benson Mayowa is in with the #1’s again — they really want a good look at this guy. O’Brien Schofield is the other defensive end.

Green Bay waltzed into Seattle territory but the drive stalls. I liked the call on third down. Mayowa stunted inside with a linebacker (I think K.J. Wright?) blitzing. Mayowa did just enough to get into Rodgers eye line and force a slight overthrow. No disrespect to Mayowa, but I immediately imagined Bruce Irvin and Cliff Avril on this call and wondered how dangerous that would be.

If teams are circling Seattle waiting to prey on their cuts, it’s hard to imagine Mayowa making the practise squad. If they want to stash him, they might have to find a place for him in the 53. At the end of the day, who would you rather lose? Mayowa and his potential, or a linebacker?

On Seattle’s second drive, J.R. Sweezy got an earful from Pete Carroll after an avoidable personal foul penalty. He sat out a play. Carroll was letting rip.

You can tell this is pre-season. If this was a regular season game, Seattle would be using the read option. The 49ers destroyed Green bay with it in the playoffs.

Mike Person is being used at tight end as an extra blocker. I’m yet to see one play where having this extra blocker has been a benefit. In fact most of the time one of the lineman is stood with nothing to do, watching the play. At times they’re running this instead of a full back. This is another reason why Michael Robinson is a vital piece of this offense. He isn’t playing today due to illness.

Aaron Rodgers is done for the day after one drive. OK. Bet the TV crew are delighted.

Great play by Mike Morgan to end Green Bay’s second drive — getting a step on his blocker then getting a hand on Harrell’s pass. The kind of play he needs to make tonight, especially if Mayowa flashes.

Russell Wilson stays in and aims a pass at Stephen Williams. He can’t make the grab, but it was catchable. Then Sweezy gets his second flag of the night for a hold. He’ll be in the doghouse soon. That’s three penalties for 35 yards so far. The Seahawks can’t recover. After a nice long drive to start, the penalties are causing damage.

Bruce Irvin comes onto the field and instantly makes a fantastic play against the run. Big loss. Runs through traffic. Frustratingly it doesn’t end the drive, thanks to a screen and a quick pass from Harrell. It should end moments later though — this has to be a fumble. Carroll challenges another catch a strip, this time by Earl Thomas. The refs rule the receiver down by contact, which he was not.

The challenge works. Seattle ball. And yeah, Earl Thomas is pretty amazing.

Fourth penalty. 4/40. False start against Russell Okung. Christine Michael is in. Michael Bowie comes in at left guard. WILSON INTERCEPTION. An increasingly lethargic offense coughs up a pick. Wilson’s pass is tipped and after a bit of juggling it’s snagged by the Packers.

The Packers drive into the red zone and go for it on fourth down, Harrell finds Finley who apparently scores and goes for a Lambeau Leap. The ball clearly hit the turf on replay. For some reason it takes an age for the refs to make a decision, but alas they make the right one. Seahawks ball on the 4-yard line.

Since a smart opening drive, the starting offense has just been lousy. They haven’t been able to run, Wilson is forcing it. He has a second pick throwing it to Baldwin downfield. It looked like #89 just hesitated on his route, but the throw was into a very tight window with two defensive backs in range. Very un-Wilson like.

HALF TIME – 3-3 – and it’s scrappy. Yet in a much needed moment of hilarity, Marshawn Lynch chases his fellow California alumni Aaron Rodgers and mocks his moustache.

Seattle had six penalties for 75 yards in the first half. That problem isn’t going away.

Tony McDaniel has looked great. He started the second half with a big run play. I’d make a calculated guess that he’ll start in week one. The run defense has been superb tonight.

Welcome to Seahawks football, Christine Michael. The rookie scores on a 43-yard run to make it 10-3. He had a hole the size of Africa to run through, but turned a big play into a touchdown thanks to some neat footwork and good downfield blocking from Jermaine Kearse. Just before that the penalty count ticked over to 8/100. Carroll will be fuming.

Make it 9/115. An eight yard loss on a run play turns into 15 yards and a first down after a late hit from John Lotulelei. It’s crucial, as Vince Young leads a scoring drive for 10-10. If anything the penalty issue is getting worse, not better.

Michael has shown enough in this game to warrant the #2 running back gig. I want to see this guy spelling Lynch. If pass pro is an issue, have Turbin handle third downs.

Mayowa gets his sack, but it’s a gimme on a Vince Young fumbled snap.

this is a real photo from today lolololol http://t.co/Q9GzXHsxMc

— Danny Kelly (@FieldGulls) August 24, 2013

10/125 on the penalty count. Luke Willson with a block in the back.

11/135. Lemuel Jeanpierre for holding.

Brady Quinn replaced Wilson in the second half and just does not look good at all. He’s struggling to deal with pressure, he’s holding onto the ball too long. On this evidence Seattle keeps two quarterbacks again this year and they’ll be Wilson and Tarvaris Jackson.

False start Alvin Bailey. 12/140. Can you tell how exciting this second half is? We’re sat waiting for the end, counting penalties.

Brady Quinn just fired to a wide open Arceto Clark, showed zero touch drilling it in there and nearly cost the team a first down. He dumps the next one off to Christine Michael who wakes everyone up with an explosive play. And then a third pass is tossed into the end zone, with Stephen Williams making a nice grab fighting against a defensive back. 17-10.

Sealver Siglia got a good sack against the Green Bay third stringers. Fought up through the middle and pursued to get to B.J. Coleman — Green Bay’s #4 quarterback. A pass interference play negates an interception and makes it 13 penalties for 172 yards. It’s a terrible call on Will Blackmon.

Winston Guy does force a turnover on the next play forcing a fumble with a super hit. Mayowa recovers the football.

Christine Michael again. Get. This. Guy. Touches. Tarvaris Jackson closes out the game and gets penalised for intentional grounding. Flag #14 for 182 yards.

Seahawks win 17-10.