OTA sessions begin May 27

[RegentDenali]

For the first time since before their Super Bowl victory, the veterans on the Seahawks' defense and offense will matchup on the practice field when OTA sessions begin Tuesday.


After an extended Memorial Day weekend, the players and coaches return on Tuesday for the first of the team’s 10 OTA sessions – a three-week process that leads into the full-squad minicamp June 17-19. And then there’s the not-so-little event where the bling will be the thing.

“The White House trip is the latest reward for winning the Super Bowl, until we get out rings,” nose tackle Brandon Mebane said last week. “That’s the best part.”

So here are a couple of things to focus on during the three OTA practices this week and next, as well as the four that conclude Phase 3 of the offseason program the week of June 9:

Competing – Or, com-Pete-ing, if you will. The competitive level was ratcheted the moment Pete Carroll walked through the door in January 2010 to become the seventh coach in franchise history. And it has only continued to increase as Carroll and general manager John Schneider have brought in players who not only thrive on competition, but make sure everyone else falls in line – or else.

It starts with All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas, but also includes the All-Pro duo of cornerback Richard Sherman and strong safety Kam Chancellor; the Pro Bowl duo of quarterback Russell Wilson and center Max Unger; wide receiver “Angry” Doug Baldwin; and, quietly but oh-so-effectively, Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch.

Rest available here:

What's next? OTA sessions begin Tuesday for Seahawks


So 12ths? What do you think will be the main stories over this summer with competition and roster slots?

 

[RegentDenali]

One's that jump out at me:

Revamped WR corps. Tate is gone. Rice will probably not be available till 2nd half of season or playoffs. Harvin will finally be unleashed. Richardson as a 2nd round will be on this roster. Will Kevin Norwood make the final roster?

Right side of the Oline. Will Justin Britt be able to truly contribute out of the gate at RT as projected.

Depth of the Dline. That's where we lost depth heavily.

Browner and Thurmond are gone. Maxwell and Lane did solid filling in for them last year.

And who will be the 2014 QBs behind Wilson on this roster?

 

[HaroldSeattle]

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Couple of things I question about the depth chart. They list Baldwin ahead of Kearse, Mmm maybe, I seen other charts that do the same, but I don't agree. Secondly listing Wright as a back up inside linebacker, I think he start as one of the outside linebackers.
The guard backups are a big .....who? Hopefully a gem in the rough.

 

[RegentDenali]

Couple of things I question about the depth chart. They list Baldwin ahead of Kearse, Mmm maybe, I seen other charts that do the same, but I don't agree. Secondly listing Wright as a back up inside linebacker, I think he start as one of the outside linebackers.
The guard backups are a big .....who? Hopefully a gem in the rough.

It's a bit screwy because it's just listed a R and L for WR spots. Harvin and Baldwin lineup in the slot a lot. While guys like Kearse and Norwood are more your prototype WOs given their size It's tough to just do L and R because sometimes you got 3 and even 4 WR sets depending on plays.

If I had to guess right now, I'm going to say Harvin, Baldwin, Kearse, Richardson, and Norwood make the 53 man roster. Lockette might. Rice will most likely end up with the same type of IR status Harvin started 2013 with. He'll be rehabing though part of the 2014 season. But there will be max cutoff week around mid Nov that he has to be declared for the 53 man roster, or he has to be shutdown for the rest of the season.

Then again, were talking PC and Schneider so most bets are off on the roster any given day.

 

[RegentDenali]

Great news out of the gate for Seahawks OTAs.

Pete Carroll says James Carpenter has arrived to camp in great shape. Down at least 10 - 15 pounds from last season.

 

[RegentDenali]

Price and Wilson

Harvin

Thomas and Sherman

Turbin

 

[RegentDenali]

Earl Thomas lobbying for PR duties.

“If we had to start today, Earl would be the first guy back there,” coach Pete Carroll said after the first of the Seahawks’ three OTA sessions this week. “He’s really excited about that."

Excited might not be the proper term, as Thomas says he’s been lobbying for the role for a while. There is an opening, of course, because Tate signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency after averaging 11.5 yards on 51 punt returns last season, which ranked fifth in the NFC and ninth in the NFL last season.

“I’m very excited. I’ve been waiting on this opportunity,” Thomas said. “This is what I do. I’m an athlete. I’ve been trying to tell coach Carroll to put me back there for the longest. I always try to go back there during walkthroughs. Just try to sneak a punt return, just to show them who I am.

“I want to score a touchdown. So this is my perfect opportunity.”

And it’s not Thomas’ maiden voyage as a punt returner. He did it during his final season at the University of Texas, when he averaged 18.0 yards on three punt returns.

Carroll said that Richard Sherman, Percy Harvin and Bryan Walters are all also in the mix.

Doug Baldwin, as the fourth-year wide receiver put on a show along the shores of Lake Washington.

Baldwin got behind cornerback Byron Maxwell to make a catch on the sideline and took it all the way to the end zone. Baldwin then beat cornerback Phillip Adams for another sideline reception and added catch over the middle in the 7-on-7 drill. But Baldwin saved his best for last, as he made a one-handed grab of a pass from Russell Wilson against Sherman.

“Doug has been a tremendous player,” Carroll said of the receiver who led the team in receptions as a rookie free agent in 2011 and finished second last season. “When you go back and look at the last few years, and look at the significant plays that have happened, he’s been a part in a lot of big stuff. He continues to always be at the front of making everything happen.

“He did it again today. He had a great day today.

 

[RegentDenali]

Injuries and players not at today's practice:

— LB Malcolm Smith is in a walking boot and won’t participate in OTAs after having surgery on his ankle to clean up some loose bodies. He’s expected to be fine for training camp.

— SS Kam Chancellor is out while recovering from the hip surgery he had in the off-season. But Carroll said he’ll be back for training camp.

— LT Russell Okung also remains out after off-season surgery.

— DT Jesse Williams was out today due to a laceration but should be back soon.

– CB Tharold Simon remains out while recovering from the foot/toe injury of last season. He could be cleared to run by the end of the week.

— QB Keith Price was limited today due to a groin issue.

— WRs Sidney Rice (knee) and Chris Matthews (hamstring) also did not participate in any team stuff. But Carroll said Rice is ahead of schedule and should be back for training camp.

— Rookie DLs Cassius Marsh and Andru Pulu cannot be here right now because their schools are on the quarter system and not out of session.

— The Seahawks have signed LB Horace Miller of UTEP, who was here on a tryout basis at the rookie mini-camp.


RB Marshawn Lynch, DE Cliff Avril and QB Tarvaris Jackson were not at the VMAC today.

Jackson had a family issue and Avril is on his honeymoon. Lynch missed a few OTAs last year and appears to be on the same plan.

 

[RegentDenali]

https://twitter.com/bcondotta/statuses/471391732332896256

 

[SeattleCoug]

Man seeing Percy Harvin healthy and practicing is just a beautiful sight.

 

[RegentDenali]

Man seeing Percy Harvin healthy and practicing is just a beautiful sight.

No doubt. But I think PC optimistic that Rice will be ready for training camp is pretty significant news as well. That's another huge boost to this team if true, but that's one you're going to have to see to believe.

 

[WizardHawk]

Couple of things I question about the depth chart. They list Baldwin ahead of Kearse, Mmm maybe, I seen other charts that do the same, but I don't agree. Secondly listing Wright as a back up inside linebacker, I think he start as one of the outside linebackers.
The guard backups are a big .....who? Hopefully a gem in the rough.

To me the thing that stood out the most is no one listed behind Earl and yet PC was talking about him as a PR?

You can lose almost anyone else off the team and probably be ok, but there literally isn't anyone else on the team that can do what he does. Sure, you can move over one of the other backup SS, but the drop off would be crazy.

 

[RegentDenali]

To me the thing that stood out the most is no one listed behind Earl and yet PC was talking about him as a PR?

You can lose almost anyone else off the team and probably be ok, but there literally isn't anyone else on the team that can do what he does. Sure, you can move over one of the other backup SS, but the drop off would be crazy.

Agreed. It's why I think while they may allow him to do this in practice, once the season starts, anytime Thomas asks PC on the sideline that he wants the next PR, PC will tell him, "Nahh, think ____ has got this one."

Thomas was primarily a RB in HS so he no doubt has the skills and athleticism to do PRs, but during a NFL season? No....

 

[Podunkparte]

Can we seal Percy Harvin in one of these til the regular season starts?

 

[Varnigus]

It's a bit screwy because it's just listed a R and L for WR spots. Harvin and Baldwin lineup in the slot a lot. While guys like Kearse and Norwood are more your prototype WOs given their size It's tough to just do L and R because sometimes you got 3 and even 4 WR sets depending on plays.

If I had to guess right now, I'm going to say Harvin, Baldwin, Kearse, Richardson, and Norwood make the 53 man roster. Lockette might. Rice will most likely end up with the same type of IR status Harvin started 2013 with. He'll be rehabing though part of the 2014 season. But there will be max cutoff week around mid Nov that he has to be declared for the 53 man roster, or he has to be shutdown for the rest of the season.

Then again, were talking PC and Schneider so most bets are off on the roster any given day.

Lockette is a special teams stud. I have to think he has a good shot based on that alone.

 

[RegentDenali]

Seahawks running back Christine Michael is set to get a "ton of work" this offseason, according to head coach Pete Carroll, who told reporters that Michael is "a million miles ahead" of where he was last year in pass protection, scheme-understanding, and as a route-runner.

"He's got explosive talent and we just want to get him to fit in," said Carroll.

 

[RegentDenali]

Uggghhhhh......

Former first-round draft pick and third-year Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin underwent hip surgery on Monday.

While the Seahawks confirmed Irvin’s surgery, there was no word on which hip was giving him trouble. No other details were immediately available and there was no official timetable for his return, but Irvin said on Twitter that he hopes to be back later this summer.

“Didn’t want this to get out but I’m fine,” Irvin tweeted. “Will (be) back by training camp! For all (you) people saying this (is) a make-or-break year for me! … I’m gon’ get mine! Believe that!”

 

[RegentDenali]

Irvin was one of several Seahawks missing from Monday’s voluntary organized team activity, or OTA workout, at Seahawks headquarters in Renton. Also absent were running back Marshawn Lynch (for being Marshawn Lynch), defensive tackle Andru Pulu (completing school), tackle Russell Okung (foot surgery), defensive end Cassius Marsh (completing school) and defensive tackle Tony McDaniel (personal reasons).

Players present but not participating were wide receiver Sidney Rice, safety Kam Chancellor, running back Spencer Ware, linebackers Malcolm Smith and Heath Farwell, tight end RaShuan Allen and defensive end O’Brien Schofield.

 

[RegentDenali]

OTA Monday updates:

Christine Michael took most of the reps with the No. 1 offense.

Tackle Justin Britt got some time with the No. 1 offense at right tackle as Michael Bowie sat out some of the session.

Safety Jeron Johnson continued to line up alongside Earl Thomas in Kam Chancellor’s absence, while defensive tackle Jordan Hill and defensive end Benson Mayowa lined up with Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett in the Hawks’ first-team nickel package during two-minute drills.

Cornerback Tharold Simon — who missed all of the 2013 season with foot injuries — was on the field Monday. The 6-foot-3, 202-pounder certainly looks the part of a Seahawks defensive back, and he showed some of the physicality that has him in the running to play a key role for the team this season.

In one play during 11-on-11 drills, Simon lined up across from second-round pick Paul Richardson, then put the rookie wide receiver on the ground with a quick, powerful jam. The slight Richardson recovered a couple of plays later, using his blazing speed to burn coverage for what Wilson called a “deep, deep, deep ball” (about a 50-yard touchdown).