Seahawks News Thread

  • Wanna Join? New users you can now register lightning fast using your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
Seahawks rookie LT Okung has high ankle sprain

RENTON, Wash. -- Sixth-overall draft pick Russell Okung has a high right ankle sprain, putting the key position of left tackle in flux for the Seattle Seahawks heading into the regular season.

Coach Pete Carroll announced after Tuesday's practice that he is holding out hope the replacement for retired All-Pro Walter Jones can play in the Sept. 12 opener against San Francisco. But the Seahawks are pushing ahead with backup plans of having either Mansfield Wrotto, a backup guard, or recuperating Chester Pitts protect quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's blind side to begin the season.

Wrotto will start Saturday's third preseason game at Minnesota.

Okung, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound brick wall from Oklahoma State to whom Seattle guaranteed more than $29 million this month, sprained his ankle on the first play of Saturday night's exhibition against Green Bay when linemate Ben Hamilton tripped him. He stayed in to finish the three-and-out series, then hobbled into the locker room - and into weeks of rehabilitation.

"I was kind of hoping it wasn't, but it is," Carroll said of Okung's high ankle sprain, which involves a recovery time of two months. "It's not the worse one we've ever seen. It's kind of a moderate one.

"That's why we're holding out hope that he can come back quickly from it. But those can be, you know, difficult. We'll have to see how it goes with him."

Seattle is already without backup tackle Ray Willis for an indefinite time because of knee surgery.

Carroll said general manager John Schneider is working every day to perhaps find a replacement from outside.

Reminded that game-ready NFL left tackles don't just walk down the street available each day, the coach chuckled ruefully and said, "Yeah."

"I mean, we're always competing every day to find guys, to help our roster," Carroll said. "John's looking every day to see what's going on, who's available and all that. So we'll continue to look."

Wrotto was again at left tackle during Tuesday's practice. Pitts, the former Houston Texan added this offseason as a free agent, came off the physically-unable-to-perform list and was doing leg strengthening drills with a trainer on a side field Tuesday. He had microfracture knee surgery 10 months ago.

Carroll is hoping Pitts can practice at left tackle this week, and he named him a candidate to start at left tackle in the opener.

Okung sprained the same ankle in Oklahoma State's opener against Georgia last season but missed only a few plays. Okung started all 13 games for those college Cowboys last season, though the ankle continued to bother him late into the year.

"We don't know him in terms of injuries. I don't think he's ever missed a game before, or even practice. So he doesn't have any experience of having to come back from something," Okung said. "We'll figure that out as we go. His attitude is fantastic as far as the rehab process goes."

After Okung missed the first eight days of training camp because of a contract impasse, the Seahawks gave him a six-year deal earlier this month that has a maximum value of $58 million.

Saturday, Carroll called his injury "a big loss if he can't come back. We put a lot of time and effort to get this guy right and he's done everything we've asked of him.

For a point of reference at the same position, Seattle was without fill-in left tackle Sean Locklear for six games last season because of a high ankle sprain. Locklear is now starting on the right side but could be headed back to left tackle with Okung's injury.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_fbn_seahawks_without_okung.html
 
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
Frank Gore is over rated. He ain't gon do shyt this season. Maybe a lil over 1000.

Now get the fuck out of here with that faggot ass 49ers bullshyt. Everyone knows that SF is the gay capitol of the country lol
 
Jan 6, 2005
512
0
0
Frank Gore is over rated. He ain't gon do shyt this season. Maybe a lil over 1000.

Now get the fuck out of here with that faggot ass 49ers bullshyt. Everyone knows that SF is the gay capitol of the country lol
LMAO overatted we aint talkn bout s alexander here lol...hes a top 5rb in da league whos ur rb no ones cuz u have no one u bitch made slut....i guarantee gore has 125+ yds in da opener and imma be there to witness it ..fuck da seacocks fucc savage puta mamas vergas pinche puta resbaloza
 
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
A Golden opportunity: Tate waits his turn with Seahawks

Anyone who watched Golden Tate's highlight reel of touchdown catches at Notre Dame last year -- or even took in an early Seahawks training camp practice this summer -- figured the rookie receiver would catch the NFL by storm once he got his first sliver of a chance.

Every time observers turned around, the Seahawks' second-round draft pick was snatching a ball out of mid-air or making a twisting catch look easy.

Yet two preseason games into his fledgling career, Tate has found himself largely buried on the bench and boasts a grand total of three catches for 13 yards.

The limited early playing time for the Biletnikoff Award winner is one of the biggest head scratchers of the Seahawks' preseason, given head coach Pete Carroll's stated intention of pushing his rookies quickly to the fore and the fact the team has done just that with first-round picks Russell Okung and Earl Thomas.

What in the name of fantasy football is going on here?

While Tate clearly has the playmaking skills needed in Seattle's offense, the Seahawks are taking it surprisingly slow in game situations, letting him watch and learn behind starters T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch as well as No. 3 receiver Mike Williams.

Tate, 22, didn't even get into last Saturday's preseason game against Green Bay until the third quarter, a situation he says hadn't happened since his freshman year at Notre Dame.

But the college All-American insists he's okay being an NFL bench warmer -- for now -- as his pro career gets underway.

"Obviously I'm very anxious to get out there against the best because I want to be the best," said Tate. "But at the same time, it's really good to see how T.J. and Deion handle things because that's where I want to be. I want to be a player like those guys.

"So it's good to be on the sidelines and watch what they do, watch how they come out of their breaks, how they set up defenders. So it was good. As far as I'm concerned the first half was all mental for me and the second half I got to actually get out there and make some plays."

Tate says the biggest challenge for him is learning to be more exact with routes and timing in the West Coast offense.

"I feel like I know the plays. I feel I'm just as athletic as everyone else on the field," he said. "But it's just being precise, being where the quarterback wants me to be."

Carroll said the intention is to work Tate in a little more on Saturday night in Minnesota, but the process still appears more gradual than expected based on Tate's initial eye-popping performances on the practice field.

Wide receivers coach Kippy Brown, in his 17th year in the NFL, says Tate is following a very familiar pattern.

"Golden is doing just fine," Brown said. "He's right on schedule. All rookies go through a learning curve. It just takes time. The good thing is he's got some veterans here he can learn from. He's coming along. He's doing a lot on special teams. We don't want to throw him out there before he's ready to go, so it's a gradual thing, but I'm very happy with his progress."

Brown said Tate has been such a natural playmaker that he needs to learn now how to do things that are required at the pro level that he never learned in college because of his athletic advantage.

"Here, you have to do things right to even have a chance," Brown said. "So that's what we're going through now. He's getting there. He really is. But every young receiver I've ever coached has been like that, especially one that has play-making ability and knows it. But he's learning and understanding. Every time he plays this preseason, I think he gets a little better."

Tate said he's a naturally anxious person and his challenge is to slow that instinct and become more patient, not so much in waiting his turn on the field, but in setting up defenders and releasing on routes at the right time.

As for waiting his turn?

"I want to do whatever it takes," Tate said. "If that means I need to sit down and actually watch guys who've been there do it, so be it. I know every day I'm going to come to work and try to get better to help this team. So I can't be on the sideline with my head down. That's not doing myself or the team any good.

"I'm big on being a team player. I'm trying to show them I'm all in. If we have a better chance of winning with me on the bench, then I'm going to cheer. But I don't think that's the case here. I think I have an opportunity to come in and make an impact. So I'm just trying to learn all I can as fast as I can so come Week One or whenever they think I'm ready, I come out blazing."





http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/219332.asp
 
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
hawks gonna trade for Jackson or no?
It doesn't look like it:

Chargers believed to have no interest in trading Vincent Jackson

Although as many as five teams have expressed interest in holdout wide receiver Vincent Jackson(notes), the San Diego Chargers have refused to give his handlers permission to talk to any franchise but the Seattle Seahawks, according to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports.


That means GM A.J. Smith continues to hold a hammer over Jackson, who is locked in a no-win battle with the team unless he wants to sign a low-dollar tender offer.

Jackson's chances of leaving the team are zilch unless Smith changes his mind.


Jackson talks ran aground with the Seahawks after initial explorations.


Among suitors were the Minnesota Vikings, SN correspondent Kevin Acee reports in the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Vikings needed a replacement for Sidney Rice(notes), lost for the season with a bum hip, but decided to sign retread Javon Walker(notes) instead.


Reason? "League and agent sources said [the Vikings] immediately balked at the same $50 million, five-year contract (with $30 million guaranteed) over which Seattle stopped talks with Jackson," Acee reports.


It gets worse. "Several league sources said in recent days that no one is willing to promise $10 million a year to a player with Jackson's baggage and inexperience," Acee reports. "Jackson has led the NFL in yards per catch over the past two seasons, but two seasons is a relatively small body of work to deserve such a mega contract. Moreover, Jackson has been arrested twice for driving under the influence, something that led to him being suspended the first three games this season."


Result? Unless Jackson swallows his pride and accepts the Chargers' piddly $583,000 tender, he will likely sit out the season.


Jackson's handlers are displeased.


"We are trying to actively help [the Chargers] facilitate a trade so it can be a win for us and a win for the Chargers," agent Neil Schwartz told Cole. "This way, Vincent can move on with another team and the Chargers can get something for him.


"We never asked for a trade until [Tuesday]. Prior to that, the Chargers gave Seattle permission to talk to us. After that became public last week, four or five teams called us to ask about a trade, and we instructed them to talk to the Chargers because we didn't have permission to speak with any other team."

Now, Schwartz says the problem is that the Chargers won't sign any more permission slips, ProFootballTalk.com reports.


"I asked the Chargers if we could talk to the rest of the teams in the NFL," Schwartz said. "They said there were certain teams they didn't want to trade him to, and I said, 'Fine, tell me those teams and we can exclude them.' Even after that, they said no, so the only conclusion I can come to is they don't want to trade him."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=tsn-166368&bcmt=4772628#mwpphu-comment-4772628
 
Oct 23, 2009
1,235
124
63
44
That fool is crazy if he thinks he can get Larry Fitzgerald money. He really hasn't established himself as one of those elite WR's yet, plus the DUI's aren't helping him either.
 
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
I really don't care if the Seahawks get him or not. The Hawks already have a nice WR corp, in TJ Houshmandazdeh, Deion Branch, Golden Tate, Mike Williams and Deon Butler, and even a good TE, that being John Carlson.
 
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
Bracing himself for the best

At one point during a recent practice, Walter Thurmond stopped in almost midstride, reached down and slapped at the brace encasing his right knee.

It’s a needed memento from the surgery to repair three torn ligaments that ended his senior season at the University of Oregon last September. A second look also is needed to fathom how the rookie cornerback can be playing so well – or just playing, period – coming off such a severe injury.

That’s the good news/bad news aspect to damaging the anterior cruciate, medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments so early in the Ducks’ season.

“It works both ways,” Thurmond said after a practice this week, as the Seahawks were preparing for Saturday night’s third preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome.

“It was a blessing that I got hurt early in the season, as opposed to late in the season where I’d still be rehabbing it now. But it was tough to watch my college team continue to play without me.”

The Seahawks not only liked Thurmond coming out, they feel like they got a first- or second-round talent in the fourth round.

“Honestly, we thought Walter was one of the top handful of corners in the draft,” coach Pete Carroll said. “Had he been healthy, we think he would have had a chance to be a very high draft pick.”

The coaches remain very high on Thurmond, who possesses a nice mix of speed, athleticism and toughness.

“He’s an athletic guy, young, smart,” defensive backs coach Jerry Gray said. “He’s a tough guy. He doesn’t mind getting up there and tackling. It’s all the same stuff we saw him doing at Oregon.

“He’s adapting to what we do.”

Not to mention a new position. While Thurmond is playing with the third unit at cornerback – behind Marcus Trufant and Roy Lewis on the left side – he’s also working as the nickel back with the No. 2 defense. It’s the first time Thurmond has moved inside to cover the slot receiver.

“This is new to me,” Thurmond said. “But I’m picking it up fast. You have to be a lot more patient playing inside than when you’re lined up outside. There are a lot of routes coming your way, and a lot of set-up routes that the offense wants you to jump on to open up a deeper route.

“So you really have to be patient with those.”

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Thurmond displayed his physical side early, knocking the hard-running Quinton Ganther woozy during a collision in the “mock game” at the University of Washington on the second Sunday of training camp.

After the first two preseason games, Thurmond has eight tackles to share the team lead with rookie linebacker/rush-end Dexter Davis.

“Our DB coach at Oregon always said, ‘If you can’t tackle, you won’t be able to play in the secondary,’ ” Thurmond said. “That motivated me to just come out and be physical, and try to be the aggressor.”

He did, however, have to grow into the role since he weighed 170 pounds when he arrived at Oregon out of West Covina (Calif.) High School.

“I had to protect myself early,” he said, “And the only way to do that was to hit first.”

It hasn’t always been as easy as Thurmond is making it look.

“There’s no doubt that there were just some long days of really just sitting around the house, especially early on after the surgery,” Thurmond said. “I just wanted to be back out there with the guys. That’s when it hurt the most, just watching guys play and me being out my senior year.”

Once the rehab process began, Thurmond never looked back. Just ahead.

Has Thurmond surprised his coaches with how quickly he’s rediscovered his game after such a lengthy layoff?

“No. No. No,” Gray said before the question could even be completed. “The thing that good players do, those guys have the will to play.

“He’s a really good player. He could end up being one of the better players in this league, if he keeps working, keeps progressing.”

And how long will Thurmond have to wear the brace on his knee?

“I think it’s part of the season,” he said. “Hopefully it’s not the whole thing. I can’t wait to get this thing off. But I’m moving fine with it on.”

http://www.seahawks.com/news/articl...the-best/20c74110-3787-447d-a4d7-fd211345af7c
 
Feb 14, 2004
16,667
4,746
113
41
^Yeah Lofa's the man, and the best LB on the team. The team needs him on the field all 16 games.

Earl Thomas' pick 6 was tight! Looked like a fucking cheetah, no one was going to catch him, especially not no slow ass Brett lol that Earl Thomas hit was badass, too.

Earl Thomas for DROY!