Seahawks Daily Blog Reports

[Hawk096]

WR Mike Hass was released by the Seahawks. Hass had just been promoted to the 53-man roster prior to Sundays win over the Lions. His spot on the roster has been replaced by DL Derek Walker.

 

[Hawk096]

Today the NFL released its Semi-finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2010. Among the Seahawks on the list of 25:
Cortez Kennedy
Jerry Rice
John Randle

Full List:
http://www.profootballhof.com/story/200 ... nnounced-/

January 7th the list will be cut down to 15 until they elect the class the Saturday before the Super Bowl.

 

[Hawk096]

Olindo Mare has come a long way from missing two field goals against the Chicago Bears earlier in the season in which would have won the game for the Seahawks.
Since then he’s hit 18 straight field goals a Seahawk record and on top of that a 30-yard field goal in which helped the Seahawks defeat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 Sunday. Since being in Jim Mora’s dog house, Mare has turned into the Seahawks most consistent aspect of the game.
Lately the Seahawks consistency has been an issue. After blowing out the St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars earlier in the season the Seahawks had been playing inconsistent football. One week looking like a team that should be playing for the top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Now the Seahawks are on a two-game winning streak as they head into Houston Sunday.
Yes last week’s win came against the last-place Rams, but the Seahawks defense looked to be at top level. This week their win came against the second-place 49ers at home. Defensively the Seahawks improved from their match-up earlier in the season in which they lost 23-10 and allowed 49ers running back Frank Gore to pile up 207-yards on the ground. This week Gore only rushed for 25-yards on nine carries.
Now the Seahawks control their own fate as they continue to make a run at the playoffs after missing out last-year for the first time in six-years. In order for the Seahawks to win the division or get into the play offs they will need help from other teams and themselves. If Seattle wins out and the Cardinals lose out, while the 49ers lose four games the Seahawks would clinch the division, but with the Cardinals playing the 49ers Sunday it makes it only harder to do for the Seahawks. Head-to-head with the Cardinals they lose the match-up with a 2-0 advantage to the Cardinals.
However with the 49ers if they beat the Cardinals and then lose out, while the Seahawks win out then Seattle would finish 9-7, while the 49ers finish 8-8 and the Seahawks get the division title.
Seattle also could get a wild-card position seeing they stay play the Green Bay Packers. If they defeat them they would get the head-to-head advantage against them and earn the wild-card spot, but in order for that they have to take it one-game at a time.
Just like Olindo Mare the Seahawks have been in the NFLs dog house, but now they have a chance to get redemption. Something Mare had to do. With their backs up against the wall and players playing for their futures one thing is sure in the NFL- every game, kick and play matters.

 

[Hawk096]

For the second year in a row the Seattle Seahawks have found themselves finishing its season off in which they will be playing for no playoff spot or division title.
In 2008 the Seahawks lost a total of 14 players to the season ending Injured Reserves list. It looked as if the health of the team and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck would bring the Seahawks back to their spot at the top of the NFC West, but then star offensive lineman Walter Jones was injured again. Causing a domino effect that would take its toll on the offensive line.
Jones hadn’t played a game since the Thanksgiving match-up against the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. Since then he’s had surgery on his knee and added a year to age and another year of torture from the NFL. With a bad knee and the fact that he’s only getting older Jones is playing on a limited clock- admitting that he would re-evaluate at the end of the year if he will play another year or retire.
It could be the sign of the Seahawks going younger and cleaning house.
General Manager Tim Ruskell entered the 2009 season in the final year of a five-year contract he had signed the off-season in 2005 just before the Seahawks became the top team in the National Football Conference. He brought in team orientated players from his days in Tampa Bay. Instead of going after big names he went after guys that brought a presence with them in the locker room like Joe Jurevicius. In his first draft he drafted future linebacker starters Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill.
Seattle rewarded his work with their winningest season in franchise history with 13 wins and its first appearance in the Super Bowl in team history. It looked as if Ruskell had a foundation of an NFL powerhouse. They were guided by Matt Hasselbeck a now proven NFL QB. They had one of the best running backs in the NFL in Shaun Alexander and he had his own set of guardian angels in Jones and Steve Hutchinson- possibly the best two offensive linemen in the NFL at the time. Defensively they had a group of guys who filled roles. Guys that weren’t going to lead the NFL in sacks or interceptions, but got the job done.
That’s when the dark clouds formed and slowly showed that Ruskell’s time could someday be limited. After giving Alexander a luxury contract worth over $60-million at an age and position that has a very limited NFL time clock. Instead he decided to place the transitional tag on Hutchinson allowing him to negotiate with other teams and all the Seahawks would get is nothing, but the option of accepting the contract a team signed him to. He ended up signing with the Vikings and head coach Mike Holmgren was unaware that Ruskell would place the transitional tag on him- instead thinking the more logical franchise tag was going to placed on him.
As time went on age started to catch up to the Seahawks. For years they were never bothered with injuries and that was shown as they had a long run at top of the NFC West. Then 2008 hit and Holmgren walked away following the season. Ruskell on the other hand still had yet to hear talks of an extension and started to await a potential time bomb going off.
That prompted him to meet with management at the beginning of the month and see where they stood on his future. It didn’t favor him and the next day he stepped down as GM. It was the end of an era that brought the Seahawks to a Super Bowl, but also brought them poor depth and players that never turned out to be worth their selection in the NFL Draft.
Now with the Seahawks out of the playoff race and three games remaining to the season players are playing for jobs. Coaches will be re-evaluated and they still have to find a GM.
Where to start if you’re Paul Allen? Find the right guy to handle the football side of the team.
His tasks will be a longer list than Allen’s. It starts with deciding if Mike Teel has the potential of being a starter in the NFL at QB. If not he will have to draft one. Luckily the Seahawks have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft and could use it at the QB position and also at left tackle. Walter Jones would be wise to retire and that would help the Seahawks salary cap out if the NFL even has one after this year. Then the GM will have to evaluate each and everyone on the roster. Guys like Deion Branch, Patrick Kerney and Chris Spencer. Luckily Spencer is in the final year of his rookie contract and appears to be on a limited time as well.
Ruskell has failed at his job. His task was simple- bring in talent and depth that will carry its spot among the top of the West. Instead he brought in first-round busts like Spencer, trading away a first-round pick for Branch who never had had a 1,000-yard season as a receiver. Instead Branch had one big game which happened to be in the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots. Ruskell allowed the core positions of a successful NFL team to get older without ever looking for future replacements. It was a poor execution of a fourth quarter offense and it ultimately cost Ruskell his job.
The next GM coming in will have a lot of spring or I guess you could call it “roster” cleaning to do. His job will be a tough one- bring the Seahawks back to the top and he will have to find future replacements for Hasselbeck and Jones to do so. It’ll be a challenge, but like everything in the NFL world it’ll be fun.
Unless a miracle happens like striking gold for Hasselbeck and the crew next year the Seahawks appear to be on the road of re-building and that takes some time. Until then all one can do is sit back and watch. Hope that the future GM isn’t like Ruskell- one to bring in a few years of success and excitement only to watch it fade off into the sunset for another re-building process to kick-off.

 

[Hawk096]

Seahawks long snapper Kevin Houser has a collapsed lung and is still in the hospital. Jim Mora revealed that during his weekly press conference today, while also saying the Seahawks have reached out to former long snapper Jeff Robinson. Robinson's played in 19 games over a two-year span for the Seahawks. He lives in the Washington area and had been retired. It's speculated he could sign with them as soon as Wednesday. In order to make room on the roster it appears Houser would be placed on the season ending injured reserve with two games remaining in the season.

TJ Houshmandzadeh also will miss Tuesday's practice to attend the funeral for ex-Bengal Wide Receiver Chris Henry. The two were teammates throughout Henry's NFL career with the Bengals.

Jim Mora said he expressed his approval of bringing in Mike Holmgren to the head guys in a written letter. However Homlgren still turned down the Seahawks offer and signed today with Cleveland.

 

[Hawk096]

Here's the breakdown of the 10 candidates.

Here’s the list of the 10 Candidates that the Seahawks have expressed interest in. Here’s a little background on them with teams they’ve worked for and anything else needed to know:

Ruston Webster- Webster has been the Seahawks Vice President of Player Personnel for the past three-years. He worked directly with ex-President of Football Operations Tim Ruskell. His responsibilities were to oversee the day-to-day management of the pro personnel and college scouting departments.
Prior to his days with the Seahawks he spent 18-years with the Buccaneers. He served four years as the college scouting director and was a key component in putting the pieces together for the Buccaneers Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XXXVII.
His first job with the Buccaneers was the team’s scout for the northeastern United States for two-years. After that he served as the clubs director of pro personnel. He then returned to the field as Tampa Bay’s scout for the Southern states and shifted to the Midwest region in 1993. For the next five-years he was the Southwest region scout.

Randy Mueller- Mueller has worked in Seattle before as the Assistant in Pro Personnel, Player Personnel Director and Vice President of Football Operations in Seattle from 1983-1999. There he was able to pull a trade off that sent Rick Mirer to the Bears to acquire their first-round pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. With that selection the Seahawks took Walter Jones. When Mike Holmgren took over he took Mueller’s position forcing him to take over General Manager duties with the New Orleans Saints. His first season in charge the Saints won their division and their first playoff game in league history. He was named Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year. In 2002 he traded Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a first and fourth round picks in the 2002 draft along with a conditional pick in the 2003 draft.
After his time in New Orleans he went to work for ESPN as an NFL analyst until the Dolphins hired him as GM in 2005. Mueller’s authority didn’t kick in until 2007 in which Nick Saban left the Dolphins for the college ranks with the University of Alabama. He was fired in 2007 when Bill Parcells joined the Dolphins.
From there he went to San Diego and has been there as a senior executive with the Chargers.

Steve Keim- For the past 11-years Keim has worked in the Cardinals organization as their Director of Player Personnel. He started off as a regional scout of the east and was promoted in 2006 to their Director of College Scouting. In 2008 he was promoted to his current position and his been a key factor in building of their success over the past two-years that has brought them two NFC West Division Titles and an NFC Conference Championship. His main responsibilities with the Cardinals are both pro and college scouting under the supervision of General Manager Rod Graves.
He also played in the NFL in 1996 with the Dolphins.

Jimmy Raye- Raye is the current Director of Player Personnel for the Chargers the past two-years. He joined their organization in 1996 and spent four years as a scout and then eight as the team’s Director of College Scouting. He was a key factor in the selecting of Ladian Tomlinson.
He has played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1991 and then the Chargers (1992) and then with the Houston Oilers.
His father is the current offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.

Tom Heckert- Considered one of the league’s top executives he enters his eighth-season with the Philadelphia Eagles as their General Manager. His job consists of him working closely with Andy Reid on player personnel matters, while working with the college and pro scouting.
His first draft brought the Eagles starters in Brian Westbrook, Lito Sheppard, Michael Lewis and Sheldon Brown. He has also added Shawn Andrews, Trent Cole, Brodrick Bunkley, Chris Gocong, Stewart Bradley and DeSean Jackson over the years. It was his engineering that traded AJ Feeley to the Dolphins for ha second-round pick.
His biggest contributions also have come in the rookie free agent department.
He spent 10-years as a member of the Miami Dolphins player personnel department until being signed by the Eagles in 2001. In 2003 he was promoted to Vice President of Player Personnel.
In 2003 he was rewarded for his scouting talents by the NFL as he was selected to a 12-person College Advisory Committee. In 2008 they named him the General Manger of the committee which advises to Roger Goodell and the NFL football operation departments on key issues involving player development, scouting and technology.
In 17-years in the NFL only one season has Heckert suffered a losing season, while winning eight divisions and making the playoffs 13 times- six with the Eagles.
He was guided in Miami by Don Shula and Jimmy Johnson. They both recommended him to the Eagles.

Eric DeCosta- For the past 13-years DeCosta has worked with the Baltimore Ravens. He’s currently their Director of Player Personnel and the past six-seasons has been the team’s head in their college scouting department. He oversees both their college and pro scouting department along with current GM Ozzie Newsome.
In 2005 he was honored by the Sporting News as he was selected as one of the top young stars in sports. He was one of eight members that made up the board to hire John Harbaugh.
Part of his draft selections has been Terrell Suggs, Le’Ron McClain, Jarret Johnson, Mark Clayton, Jason Brown, Haloti Ngata, Ben Grubbs, Jared Gaither and Joe Flacco.
The Raves won one Super Bowl with DeCosta a member of the organization.
Newsome also has stated so far he has yet to hear a phone call from the Seahawks about interviewing DeCosta.

John Schneider- In his eight-years with the Packers he has worked closely with current GM Ted Thompson. Before being named Director of Football Operations he was a personnel analyst to the GM for six-years.
Schneider’s main job in 2002 until 2-08 was addressing and evaluating the needs of the team through the draft and free agency. He has processed a system for the Packers that evaluates their needs on their roster as well as the other teams in the NFL, while taking in effect injuries, salary cap issues and the possibilities of trades.
He spent three-years with the Kansas City Chiefs and has worked with the Seahawks in 2000. In 2001 he was the Redskins Vice President of Player Personnel.

Floyd Reese- Reese might be the most experienced of the 10 Candidates the Seahawks are planning on interviewing for the General Managing position. Having been in the NFL for 33-years and spending the past season as senior football adviser. For 13-years he was the Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans, while serving four years prior to that as assistant GM. He’s also been an assistant coach for the Lions, 49ers, Vikings and Oilers.
In his 13-years with the Oilers/Titans they won a combined 111 games setting a franchise record for wins by a GM. Four season they won 11 or more games and eight times they recorded a season of .500 or better. He helped establish the team that went to the Super Bowl in 1999 and lost to the St. Louis Rams.
His impact is still being felt by the Titans after their 2008 AFC’s top playoff seed, while 16 of their 22 starters were acquired by Reese.
He spent a few years on ESPN as an NFL analyst before joining the Patriots front office.

Jason Licht- Licht has spent 14-seasons in the NFL and was hired as their Director of Pro Personnel after being their personnel executive of the Cardinals during their NFC Championship year. Prior to that he worked with the Eagles.
He first joined the Patriots in 1999 as a college scout and became a national scout for the team in 2001. He was then promoted to their assistant director of player personnel.

Trent Baalke- For the past five seasons Baalke has worked in the 49ers front office- the past two as director of player personnel. He has 12-years of NFL experience in both the college and pro personnel departments.

After reading about all 10 of the candidates the Seahawks could interview I cut a list down to three guys I would like to see us get. Here’s those three and why:
Heckert- He’s young and experienced having worked in the NFL for 17-years. He knows what it takes to build a strong successful NFL team and has been consistent in doing so. It appears that the Seahawks will have the candidate reporting to Tod Leiweke rather than Paul Allen and he’s done that with the Eagles in reporting to Andy Reid. The main thing the Seahawks need to do is work on its depth and line on both sides. That’s something the Eagles have been successful in and would be needed to get us back on the right track.
DeCosta- He’s done it all… working in the college side, professional and even hiring a head coach in the NFL. The Raves have one of the best defenses year in and year out in large part due to the selection of players he has drafted. His scouting has also landed the Ravens players that contribute in all aspects of the game. He’s young too and has worked from a great mentor in Ozzie Newsome.
Reese- Has the experience and knowledge of the game to get the Seahawks back to where we want them to be. He also has the patient as evidence through his commitment to Jeff Fisher for so many years in the Titans organization. Despite the age Reese has worked as a coach and also in both the college and NFL scouting ranks.