The Seahawks didn’t outclass the Broncos, but made a series of big plays to deliver a one-side final score. Here’s some instant reaction…

– Benson Mayowa started with the first team defense tonight. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of an early impact. As soon as Denver brought out the #2 unit on offense, he sacked Brock Osweiler. It’ll be tough to keep Mayowa with the depth at defensive end. You’d keep him if you could, but there’s going to need to be a sacrifice or two. I think he needs two big performances in the next two pre-season games to make it. But credit him for his efforts so far.

– O’Brien Schofield had a nice game and also saw time early. Like Mayowa he didn’t really have much success until Denver’s #1’s left the field. He had a sack fumble on Osweiler and blew up the right tackle on the following drive. He’ll provide nice depth for this team.

– The pass rush on the whole was frustrating against Peyton Manning. So was third down defense. These are the same trends that have dogged Seattle throughout the Pete Carroll era. Everyone plays a basic defense in pre-season to avoid giving much away and the Seahawks were lacking a lot of starting talent. Yet the familiarity with these issues will cause some concern.

– The background guitar chugging on the Seahawks broadcast is very annoying.

– Seattle’s special teams play is not annoying.

– Is Antoine Winfield in trouble? He has to be. Walter Thurmond looked sharper today and made a nice breakup in the slot on third down. Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane will also surely make the team. Unless the Seahawks are going to carry an extra corner, which seems unlikely, I think they might lean towards all the youthful talent they have. Winfield had to stand out in the slot and he couldn’t stop Wes Welker making a routine score in the first half. Not that covering a Manning-to-Welker connection is easy.

– One player who is absolutely safe is Michael Robinson. In fact, I don’t know why it’s even a discussion among some fans that he’s in trouble. There is surely no way they’re cutting an experienced cog like that to trust a rookie like Spencer Ware blocking for Lynch/Wilson. It’s not happening. Forget cap savings, it’s just not that vital that you cut Robinson. For me they’re trying Ware, Derrick Coleman and Phil Bates in multiple roles because they’re fighting for one spot on the roster and it’s about seeing who is the most versatile. Ware wins this battle for me, with Coleman and Bates making the practise squad.

– Coleman had a sloppy game after a good performance last week. He dropped an easy third down completion early in the second half and didn’t get much push as a runner.

– Michael Bennett looked great again. Relentless, intense. He’s going to be an asset.

– Jordan Hill had a really nice game against the run. We already know he can offer a pass rush. For me has a significant edge over the other defensive tackles to start next to Brandon Mebane.

– Heath Farwell, after forcing the fumble that led to Brandon Browner’s 106 yard score, chased down Manning and forced a throw out of bounds on the next defensive snap.

– Russell Wilson over-shot a few passes and didn’t look completely comfortable. The broadcasters mentioned he was trying to fire earlier to the open man. I hope he doesn’t compromise accuracy and try to force things too much as a consequence. Erratic is probably the best description of his display tonight because there was good work too. Wilson is probably working already on improving for next week.

– I want Alan Bradford to make the team because I can’t consider the thought of him playing for a NFC West rival.

– Alvin Bailey played guard. Interesting. Is he a possible starter after taking some educational snaps at left tackle last week? It might be too early.

– I really like Ty Powell’s potential. He had a great sack disengaging twice and keeping his feet moving.

– Michael Brooks had another good game. He’s showing more than Jesse Williams, who hasn’t done anything so far in the two games.

– Stephen Williams and Jermaine Kearse are making this team at receiver.

Marcus Mariota will be hoping the NFL continues to evolve

I like Josh Norris’ scouting reports at Rotoworld and enjoyed his early 2014 mock draft published earlier today.

(Well, I didn’t like Seattle passing on Brandon Coleman for a linebacker. Didn’t really get that one. But I digress.)

I think he’s representing an increasing trend among draft pundits to go big on prospective read-option quarterbacks.

Johnny Manziel was the poster boy for this hype previously, although it was semi-justified given his performance last season. I still have big reservations about how he’ll fare in the NFL (ignoring all the off-field stuff) but the negative press has seen him sink like a stone among mock drafters.

Instead he’s been replaced with guys like Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, UCLA’s Brett Hundley and Miami’s Stephen Morris — all represented by Norris in the top-15 in his 2014 mock.

I’ve spent a bit of time looking at all three and they’re all fairly different but with an ability to fit into the latest trend of the read option quarterback. All are athletic enough to work it. I’d argue they all lack the kind of polish and pocket presence that traditionally would secure a place at the top of the draft. They have striking positives, but also a lot of negatives. That could be mostly down to a lack of experience for all three.

Perhaps the NFL is changing and these guys get serious early consideration next April? After all, who expected E.J. Manuel to go 15th overall this year? The read option has its place as a wrinkle in most playbooks and it has a greater shelf life than the last fashionable trend (the wildcat).

Chip Kelly’s introduction to the NFL will be interesting. If a fast paced, read option-heavy system can work in Philadelphia alongside continued success for RGIII and Russell Wilson, then who knows what teams will be searching for in a few months time.

I still believe most teams will view the Mariota’s and Hundley’s with some scepticism, especially when players like Teddy Bridgewater are still being churned out by the college ranks. As much as the league is adapting, there’s still a lot of traditional minds in there too.

It’s something I’ll go into more detail in during our coverage this year. Right now I see one sure fire first round QB in Bridgewater. I still believe there’s the possibility of a bounce-back year from Logan Thomas (who people seem to have written off). If Manuel can go top-15, then a rejuvenated Thomas can get his career back on track.

And if the read option becomes such a staple that teams do covet a quarterback that can run it — despite all of his issues — I think Manziel has a better chance of going early than some of the other names suggested.

Even though the Seahawks don’t need a signal caller, this promises to be one of the most talked about topics this year.

(RB) "Coleman is EXCELLENT on special teams. He can play FB/RB." Pete Carroll #Seahawks

— Q Smith™ (@NWSBQ) August 14, 2013

I like the fact Pete Carroll is bigging up Derrick Coleman. He deserves it.

While the likes of Alvin Bailey and Benson Mayowa have been getting a lot of publicity following the San Diego game, Coleman was no less impressive.

He blocked well, he caught the ball, scored a touchdown and was electric on special teams.

Essentially, he’s Mike Robinson-lite.

It might be a luxury to keep him on the roster under the banner of a backup full back. The special teams aspect is a difference maker, however, as Carroll testified in his press conference today. If it comes down to keeping Coleman or sixth round rookie Spencer Ware, I’d be tempted to lean towards Coleman.

Neither player is going to feature as a running back unless something seriously goes wrong. Taking snaps away from Marshawn Lynch, Christine Michael and Robert Turbin is going to be nearly impossible, even if the bell-cow Lynch gets injured.

So then it comes down to special teams, and Coleman has that edge.

Michael Robinson is a crucial player to the Seahawks — he’s experienced, he catches the ball out of the backfield and demands attention on a roll out. At the end of last year we saw how dangerous he can be and when teams covered him (eg Atlanta) it created an easy running lane for Russell Wilson.

He’s also a dynamic special teams player. Over the last few days I’ve pretty much gone over every 2012 game using the condensed facility on NFL Gamepass. Time and time again Robinson popped up to make a special teams tackle.

Coleman has that potential. His special teams value could be vital too. As well as Mayowa has played, for example, the Seahawks are loaded with pass rushers. And he isn’t likely to be involved in special teams.

Again, I’m not sure if his usefulness is sufficient to take up a roster spot. I think there’s room for one of Coleman or Ware on the roster, possibly, and they might feel the potential of the former LSU runner is worth sticking with.

Robinson is a free agent next year and for me, they should do everything to keep him beyond that. But it’d be nice to have Coleman around as insurance. Would he make the practise squad? Possibly. But teams are watching the Seahawks and they know they’re a good place to look when those cuts are made at the end of the month.

Pre-season for the fans is about finding guys to root for. And I’m rooting for Coleman to keep making plays and find his way on to the final roster.

Very intriguing player. Took some snaps at running back in 2012. 6-5 and could add more muscle without losing any of his speed. In the modern NFL you need a tight end that can line up pretty much anywhere. Lyerla might be the only tight end who can sit in the backfield as a blocker, receiver, full back or runner. I’d like to see Oregon feed him the ball more in 2013, but he’s right near the top of the list of players I’m watching this year.

Alvin Bailey looks right at home at tackle

The Seahawks didn’t make any big draft splashes on the offensive line this year. They took defensive convert Jared Smith in round seven, along with tackle Michael Bowie. That was it. Then they went to work on the UDFA’s.

Expect that to be the norm in future.

When Pete Carroll and John Schneider took over in 2010, they made the running game an absolute priority. It was going to be the teams identity. They knew they needed a feature back, a good offensive line and a highly skilled coach.

Marshawn Lynch filled the first hole. They spent two of their first three round one picks on the offensive line. And they brought in Alex Gibbs followed by Tom Cable.

They couldn’t have been any more aggressive to fix this issue. It was a pro-active assault on a problem area. The reward is a running game that’s among the best in the league plus a well coached and organised offensive line.

It isn’t, however, a line that ranks among the best in the league for pass protection. Not yet anyway.

Never mind.

You see, one of the great things about having a coach like Tom Cable and a running game that relies on the zone blocking scheme is the way you can pretty much plug guys in there and coach them up.

Gibbs once famously remarked that he could coach a garbage man to play guard in his system. I sense Cable shares that attitude. The Seahawks haven’t gone to that extreme (obviously) but they’ve been unorthodox in trying defensive linemen on offense with some success.

They’ve got the two vital positions nailed — left tackle and center. They don’t have an elite starter (yet) but do have good depth at guard, which is more than some teams. And this off-season they appear to have uncovered some depth at tackle.

By being aggressive early — and more importantly, hitting on guys like Okung — they now find themselves in a position of strength.

In Russell Wilson they have an elusive passer. Combine this with even greater familiarity among the starters, further coaching and experience, plus possible upgrades along the way and the pass protection ‘issue’ (if you want to call it an issue) has every chance of being solved.

NFL fans in general obsess about offensive lines — almost as much as they obsess about quarterbacks. We’ve spent a lot of time discussing the right tackle position, an area James Carpenter was supposed to fill originally but it’s since been left to Breno Giacomini.

I wouldn’t expect the Seahawks to go chasing another first round right tackle if Giacomini departs as a free agent next year. I think it’d take a high quality guard to turn their head too — such as a third Pouncey brother.

What I expect we’ll see instead is a continuing search for diamonds in the rough. After all, they’ve shown they can find them.

I’ve watched the San Diego game three times and Alvin Bailey looks like a starting left tackle already. This is despite the glaring fact he’s merely minutes into his career as a tackle. Bowie also showed signs of promise. That’s a cumulative total of one 7th round pick spent on two guys I wouldn’t bet against starting for the Seahawks in the future, be it at guard or tackle (they can play both).

I suspect next year they’ll bring in another raft of raw talented linemen. They’ll let Cable do his work. They’ll seek out even more depth. And if it doesn’t work out, they’ll try even more the following year.

This appears to be the way forward, and a direction they can afford to take with Cable at the helm. Like Gibbs, he’s finding guys who fit the physical requirements for his scheme and coaching them up.

For me, it’s a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ one of his protégé’s makes a Pro-Bowl. And I expect Seattle’s line to look even better in 2013.

And we won’t have to talk about college right tackles. Hopefully.

Just a handful of thoughts after watching the game twice (yes, I lead a very interesting life).

– Michael Bennett had a big day, and I’m surprised nobody is talking about him. He was getting off blocks, impacting plays. Whether he lines up inside or at end, he’s going to upgrade Seattle’s pass rush in a big way. He’ll draw attention if nothing else. It was a great start for Bennett and lets hope it continues.

– Ty Powell was probably the guy I got most excited about in this game. Seattle are using these hybrid linebacker/pass rusher types in pre-season and reverting to even more 3-4 looks. Powell looks like a perfect fit here. He’s mobile enough to drop and was roaming around at the second level. He flashed a few times as a rusher. He looks like a great, versatile athlete. I want to see more in the next 2-3 weeks. Powell has a ton of potential.

– The group of young defensive tackles all kind of blended in to one. Jaye Howard finished the game strongly but against an increasingly weakened San Diego line. Jordan Hill was hit and miss. A couple of times I saw him driven out of the play too easily, but then there were also times when he broke into backfield. Jesse Williams started well enough but tired. He’s one dimensional. But he was one dimensional at Alabama. He’s just a big body. I’m not sure anyone from this group really made a strong case to start next to Brandon Mebane in base.

– Byron Maxwell is wasted in Seattle (joking). He had one pick, almost had another. He looks like he’d probably start in Jacksonville (and a few other places) if he ever made it onto the market. Out of all the corners on the roster, he looks like a potential starter across from Richard Sherman if they don’t re-sign Brandon Browner.

– Pete Carroll talked after the game about his desire for a bigger receiver. It’s the reason we’ll keep a firm eye on Brandon Coleman this year. For the time being, Stephen Williams could fill the role taken by Braylon Edwards last year. He has the height, but also showed good control and an ability to create just enough separation.

– I hope they can find a way to keep Derrick Coleman on the roster. On one play he gunned down in kick-coverage to make a great play. He looked solid at full back and made a couple of plays in the passing game. You don’t often consider future full backs, but he has the range currently occupied by Michael Robinson. The special teams factor is crucial, so is the ability to make plays beyond just lead-blocking. If they can stash him on the practise squad, fair enough. Coleman is worth keeping.

– It’s very difficult to gleam anything out of the stuttering display of the starting units. Too many starters were absent on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks offense will be a different animal with Unger, Lynch, Miller and Rice on the field. The defense will be boosted by the return of Wagner, Avril and possibly even Clemons. So no need to panic.

Remember Josh Portis-mania two years ago? Feels longer.

So here we go. Back at it for another year.

Pre-season in 2013 is satisfyingly uninteresting for me.

Yes — I know there are new rookies to look at and a handful of camp battles. But here’s the thing. Those camp battles are mainly for back-up spots.

Remember those days when everyone pined to see how Mike Teel looked? Just in case he was this magical franchise quarterback. We all waited with baited breath to see Charlie Whitehurst and Josh Portis.

How unnerving does that sound today?

There were times when we hoped a running back may prove to be a star, or a receiver might emerge to be something he most definitely wasn’t.

Terrell Owens was basically on trial last summer. Terrell. Owens. Remember that? Seems like a decade ago.

Thankfully, the 2013 Seahawks are pretty much set. For the most part we know who starts. Most of the intrigue will be on the defensive line and seeing how that plays out. They could do with finding some extra pass rushers given Bruce Irvin’s suspension and Chris Clemons’ injury. Plus you can never have enough pass rushers.

Aside from that it’s about sitting back and enjoying Christine Michael. And, well, that’s about it. Unless you’re really interested in backup offensive lineman. I guess it’ll be good to see how the tight ends are coming along. And Walter Thurmond. But it’s a distinct two chainsaws out of five on the grading scale.

(Watching Brady Quinn and Tarvaris Jackson could be fun. Or painful. Depending on your sense of humour.)

I’m not going to pontificate on the guy I know nothing about who apparently looked good in camp but who the heck knows whether he’s actually that good. You’ve all seen the names. And that’s really all they are for now, names. I guess that changes a little after tonight.

Ultimately this is how pre-season should be.

Fans of good teams see it as an endurance test. Mildly interesting. But at the end of the day you just want everyone to stay healthy and you want week one NOW. To launch a possible Super Bowl run.

Probably since Mike Holmgren’s departure, pre-season has been almost too interesting in Seattle. As the team collapsed and was then rebuilt, there’s been drama galore. Who will be the quarterback? Who will play receiver? Who is the cornerback? Who is the running back?

Now, it’s pretty much all in place. The Seahawks are ready. So let’s get on with the proper stuff.

I’d like to see Russell Wilson emerge in a Nike-backed bubble-wrap outfit tonight, with holes cut for the arms and legs. Apart from that the Seahawks can finish 0-4 in pre-season for all I care. Football is back. But it’ll be really back in a months time.

And I’m completely comfortable with how dull this pre-season could be compared to the hyper-dramatic quarterback competition of twelve months ago.

Thank you, Russell.

The estimated time table for Percy Harvin’s surgery and recovery? I’m told 3-4 months. Perhaps a team decision for roster status.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 31, 2013

For the first time since the trade, I looked at the players that were available with the 25th pick this year. Maybe that was unfair. It probably was. Danny Kelly at Field Gulls is quick to remind everyone that even the biggest of 6-year contracts is a marathon not a sprint.

Like a lot of other people though, I was swept away on a wave of euphoria when the Seahawks traded for Percy Harvin.

Pete Carroll knew the guy and tried to recruit him for USC. Darrell Bevell worked with him in Minnesota. And John Schneider was the man who drafted Russell Wilson.

That was reassuring at the time. It helped fans cast away any doubts about the deal — and boy were there doubts.

Before any hint of a trade emerged, I wrote an article titled “The argument against Percy Harvin to Seattle“.

Injuries. Drama. Percy World.

For every sublime kick return, juking touchdown, piece of brilliance… there always seemed to be a negative. Or two. Or three.

Just months after spending a bounty of picks (including a first rounder) and giving up a $67m contract, there’s more bad news for Harvin. Now we have to wait and see what surgery means.

End of season? Or can he realistically have some kind of impact later on?

Is it hypocritical to celebrate a trade then contemplate it’s worth at the first sign of bad news? Absolutely.

I’d also argue that as a fan you want every big move to come off. You buy into what the team sells because, well, why not? It’s not irresponsible to get caught up in the moment. Life throws enough at you without the need to stop yourself getting excited about your football team making a big trade.

Yet if you put yourself in the shoes of any other NFL fan tonight… you’d be using the words, “I told you so.”

Not unfairly, they’ll say they saw this coming. Harvin injured? Percy drama? Par for the course.

If San Francisco had dealt for Harvin and were facing this news, you’d argue you’d seen it coming. And yet you still defended Seattle’s decision to trade for him. Didn’t you?

I know I did.

My main concern tonight isn’t Seattle’s reputation after making a big move for Harvin, or how the team will do without him. The drafting of Russell Wilson alone has bought a decade of gaudy reviews for this front office while the team wasn’t exactly light at receiver prior to making the trade.

No, what bothers me more is the knowledge that Golden Tate is in a contract year. Tate is going to be expected to pick up the slack now, with others. The idea of maybe having to let him walk next year after a blockbuster season in relief of Harvin makes me cringe.

Imagine those talks next year. Tate lights it up in 2013. His rep’s point to the injured Harvin and his $67m deal. Although he can’t expect to earn the same, it’ll make it very hard for the Seahawks to keep their man. This is assuming Tate can have a big year of course, but last season’s evidence gives me no reason to question why he can’t.

Especially in light of the news today.

Premature concern, perhaps. But it’s not an unlikely scenario is it?

Add to that the fact Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Russell Wilson, K.J. Wright and others will all eventually need to be paid. Wouldn’t you like to keep Michael Bennett beyond 2013 if he prospers?

Percy Harvin is earning on average $3m more a year than anyone else on this team. He has a deal that pays $25.5m in guarantees and a possible total of $67m over six years.

Harvin’s massive contract doesn’t prevent any of those players re-signing alone, but it makes it more of a challenge. Every week he isn’t on the field, that’ll be harder to take.

This might be a knee jerk reaction, but I don’t think it’s an unfair reaction. This is a trade that divided opinion in the NFL. Seahawks fans bought it for the most part because it was exciting. Myself included.

Whether we like it or not, Harvin has now been banged up enough and missed sufficient games in his career to flirt with being ‘injury prone’ rather than ‘robust’ for his size.

For a team that had been built through the draft and with cost effective moves in free agency, the Harvin trade was a departure from that. Whatever your view on James Carpenter, if he’s a one contract and done guy in the NFL it’ll have very little lasting impact.

The same could’ve been said for whoever was drafted by Seattle at #25 this year. The Harvin deal is a different beast entirely. There are $25.5m guaranteed reasons why.

The Seahawks took a swing and that in itself should be applauded. Let’s just hope Steve Bartman’s sat in the crowd.

Ian Rapoport describes the situation between Harvin and Seattle as “a little tense” in this video. It seems the Seahawks wanted Harvin to play and believed he could play with the problem.

Edit – I feel slightly better about today’s decision after reading this article by Mike Garafolo. Although you have to ask, if this issue really has been troubling Harvin since the spring, why is it being dealt with in August?