Flynn as a starter, inside the decision to sign T.O.

[travisduncan]

Aug 7, 2012; Tavaris Jackson (7), Russell Wilson (3), and Matt Flynn (15) at Seahawks training camp. Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

By Travis Duncan
SeahawksHuddle writer

The Seahawks did not agree to pay Matt Flynn $10 million guaranteed to carry a clipboard, and subsequently Flynn did not sign on the dotted line to carry the clipboard.

Sure Flynn understood the "Always Compete" mantra, but when he was signed to a 3-year contract worth $26 million, the idea was to be a starter in the National Football League.

But he's going to have to earn it.

Pete Carroll, author of the "Always Compete" mantra, said Tuesday that Flynn is the starter from this point until the game Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans-and then all bets are off.

Carroll indicated he needs to get a good look at Flynn and Russell Wilson in order to make a decision as to the starter for the regular season. With Tavaris Jackson, he and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevel (who worked with Jackson in Minnesota) know what they are getting. Flynn does not have a large body of work as an NFL starter, yes just two games total.

"We have had a plan in motion throughout," Carroll said Tuesday at Seahawks HQ in Renton. "I wanted to make sure we got a good physical evaluation to this point. T-Jack came in great shape, he's quicker than he was, his arm's strong. He knows what he is doing, and I think at this point I can make a little bit of a shift and cut down his reps to get a really good look at Matt and at Russell"

Carroll said that he is not delaying a decision about the starter, stating that he would like to make the decision "as soon as possible" but he's not going to rush it.

On signing Owens

"He is extremely hungry, he's humble, and he's determined to finish career on a good note," Carroll said Tuesday.

"He wants to be part of a team and he wants to play football. As we talked it was quite clear where he was coming from and what he wants to accomplish."

Carroll said Owens has a little chip on his shoulder, "like we all do". Carroll surmised a lot of the locker room issues had a lot to do with Owens' "competitiveness".

He also consulted former USC quarterback and current Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer who gave a good recommendation about his former Cincinnati Bengals teammate.

Caroll said that it wasn't a risk to bring in Owens, and that if it doesn't work out he's not worried about that at all.

The decision to sign Owens was not a long drawn out process, according to Carroll, equating it to a day off that he and general manager John Schneider had. They looked at each other and said lets get something going.

Carroll said that his maturation as a person began before last season when he was out of the NFL with a knee injury, stating that he began growing as a person in Buffalo and Cincy.

"I don't care what happened before," Carroll concluded. "We're starting together from this point forward. What he said, what he's done — I could care less about that."

 

[sprhawk]

Sure must be nice to be PC. I can't think of another Seattle Coach that wouldn't have been under fire for signing TO. "What he said, what he's done - I could care less about that.", complete disregard for how he is going to affect the locker room. Anyone remember Darrell Jackson, he was a nice guy compared to TO?

 

[Cmoney]

I have said it before and will say it one more time.. I think TO knows this is his last chance to PLAY BALL.. not be a center of attention, or the STAR

 

[sprhawk]

I have said it before and will say it one more time.. I think TO knows this is his last chance to PLAY BALL.. not be a center of attention, or the STAR

Humble, TO? Isn't that a oxymoron? I think he will play it cool up until he has some success. That's if he has some success. It takes someone with no class to celebrate a TD at mid-field when you are the visitor. Largent to TO, how things have changed in Seattle.

 

[Cmoney]

very true