The Seattle Seahawks opened their tenth training camp with Pete Carroll Thursday morning at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. While a Superbowl has never been won on the first day of training camp, optimist was abounding at the VMAC.
SEAHAWKS AND BOBBY WAGNER ARE STILL TALKING
While it is anyone ‘s guess how close the team and the All-Pro Linebacker are close to a contract as long as Wagner shows up to practice and two sides are talking there is always hope. On Thursday Wagner wore a hoodie, sweats and cheered and chatted with his linebacker position group.
JARRAN REED SUSPENSION CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY
With the NFL handing Jarran Reed a six-game suspension due to a violation of the leagues’ personal conduct policy the Seahawks have a void to fill in their defensive line.
(On the ramifications on the defense due to the suspension)
“Whenever we lose somebody, you know, it’s the next guy up and that’s what this situation will call for. He’ll work with us all through camp and all that and then he’ll have to leave. But, in the meantime, it’s a competitive opportunity for other guys who we are going to watch unfold. We made a move to get Earl [Mitchell] in here, we’ve always really respected his work and maturity and he brings a certain type of level of experience that will fill that void that J Reed has been for us.”
He’s been a strong leader on our team and so I’m hoping Earl will be able to just give us that feel. Quints [Jefferson] as well. Both of those guys have been around and I think we can make up the space and those guys will do a fine job.”
CHRIS CARSON IS READY FOR ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE YEAR
The Seahawks led the NFL in rushing last year and Carson not only led the Seahawks in rushing but he was fifth-best in the NFL with 1,151 yards on 247 attempts for a 4.7 average. Carson scored nine touchdowns. Carroll praised Carson for reporting to camp ready to go. Carroll also believes the running back unit is full of talent and resulting in quality depth.
CARROLL BELIEVES THE SEAHAWKS COULD BECOME A COMPLETE TEAM
“I like the elements that make up our club here. Starting with experience, with Duane [Brown] and Russ, our guys like Mike Iupati down on that side of the ball, and [Tyler] Lockett, there’s a good group there. We’ve got experience and leadership on the defensive side of the ball. Our kicking game, I’m so excited that we were able to get a kicking game squared away with kickers. Mikey’s (Michael Dickson) had a great year and J. My (Jason Myers) is going to have a terrific year, I’m hoping for us, kicking the football.
We’ve got returners. We’ve worked really hard at adding to the core group. When you put it all together and you look at the D, and the O, and the special teams, I see us having a chance to be a really complete football team with attitude, with energy, with speed. We are really big, and we are really fast. That’s a good place to start. I think, probably, it’s not just the leadership, but it is the guys. Bobby, K.J., Russ, Duane.
Those are guys who have just been there and they’ve done it. They are great players that will affect other guys in a really positive way. All of that adds together and gives us a chance to have a really good group. I’m hoping we can be a very complete team. In years past, we’ve been able to be good at a lot of areas and it’s hard to find a way to get at us. I want to make sure we close all of those windows up and we’ve got everything just the way we want it. We have a chance. That’s what is so obvious. We have a really great opportunity to do that.”
INJURY REPORT
On Phil Haynes, Demarcus Christmas, and Ben Burr-Kirven)
“Yeah okay, let’s go BBK. He’s on the verge of being with us. He’s just proving to the trainers that he can do all of the activities. He’s running full speed. He’ll be involved with walk throughs and stuff like that so he’s ready to pop back out here within a few days I would think. Phil Haynes, it’s going to be a little bit. We have to give him some time, it’s probably only been about four weeks since his surgery.
We want to make sure he’s back and strong. He’s making a strong recovery and he’ll be back before camp is over. [Demarcus Christmas] came up with a back issue that’s bothered him so we have to just kind of wait that out a little bit and make sure it’s not going to nag him. Sometimes those can be kind of a problem, so we are going to wait him out. So, right now, he’ll be out for a bit.”
