Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, June 13, 2008

Seahawks making progress

Despite the wind, rain and unseasonably cold temperatures that lashed their minicamp, the Seattle Seahawks put in a productive two weeks of practice -- building chemistry, jelling as a team and starting their run at a successful 2008 season

By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer

 KIRKLAND -- T.J. Duckett wants to start by saying that he has no regrets from his decision to sign with the Seattle Seahawks.

And yet, the Seahawks' new running back is not sure this is what he signed up for.

During a June minicamp that was supposed to showcase Seattle's near-perfect summer conditions, Duckett and his teammates often found themselves wet and shivering.

That's not what Duckett expected when he signed with the Seahawks in March.

"I'm thinking West Coast means California (weather)," Duckett said this week. "I'm not realizing it's at the same latitude line as Maine. It's almost Alaska out here."

If the Seahawks' offseason minicamps could be summed up in a single word, it might be that four-letter one with which so many Seattle natives are familiar.

Rain.

Wind, rain and unseasonably cold temperatures were a major part of the two-week camp that concluded Thursday morning.

"Tough conditions, but that's good for us," cornerback Marcus Trufant said. "It's not always going to be sunny days on game day. It's good to see some other conditions."

The Seahawks got a glimpse of the fall but still found time to be productive over the past two weeks. With Mother Nature attempting to block their progress, the Seahawks closed out their minicamp schedule by getting plenty of quality work done.

"We've had a good two weeks," coach Mike Holmgren said after Thursday's final practice, which was played under cloudy skies but without rain. "I had to see consistency. We have to mature as a football team and develop consistency, and we're making strides that way."

Offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said that the players were able to block out the conditions and concentrate on the task at hand.

"They have done a great job," said Haskell, who ran practice for two days while Holmgren was sidelined following a minor medical procedure. "The weather has not been a factor."

One of the most important parts of minicamp was to flush out the old and bring in the new. Seattle's offensive coaching staff had a major makeover, with five new coaches being added and Keith Gilbertson moving from offensive line to wide receivers coach.

New offensive line coach Mike Solari might be the most important of the changes, as he'll try to get the best out of a unit that has underachieved.

The offense has several new players as well, particularly in the run game. Newcomers Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett spent most of the spring learning the system and trying to make a case for playing time.

Duckett said that the offensive players felt a lot more comfortable with each other by camp's end.

"There's been a lot of jelling, especially with all the new players coming in," he said. "We're building the chemistry. Everyone's learning how to play next to a new person. And for the new guys who are trying to come in and learn the system, this is really big."

Holmgren said that running back will be one of the most competitive positions at training camp, along with wide receiver and tight end.

"We're talented at those positions," he said, "but they're the positions I have the most questions about."

Defensively, the Seahawks have been trying to build continuity on a unit that has all 11 starters back on the roster.

"We're not doing any major overhauls," Trufant said, "just little things here and there to clean it up."

One of the most closely-watched position battles might be at kicker, where rookie Brandon Coutu and veteran Olindo Mare fight for the right to replace Josh Brown. Coutu looked good in minicamp practices, but that battle probably won't heat up until training camp starts next month.

Now that minicamps are over, training camp is just six weeks away. That will mark the Seahawks' last chance to fix their problems and come together as a team.

"I think we have a good football team," Holmgren said. "The last couple of years, we've been a couple of games short of the championship game, which is good. Our goals are high. I believe we have the talent to do it."

Seahawk notes: Holmgren said that wide receiver Deion Branch (knee) and punter Ryan Plackemeier (pectoral) are the only two players who are likely to miss the start of training camp. He said he is optimistic that defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs (knee) might be back. … Holmgren is also optimistic about Bobby Engram's return. While Holmgren acknowledged that there is a "possibility" Engram will not report at the start of camp, he said he believes the receiver will eventually return from his contract dispute. … Offensive lineman Chris Gray did not attend Thursday's practice because of a prior commitment, while wide receiver Courtney Alexander missed a second consecutive day due to illness. ... Holmgren did not address questions about the nature of his medical procedure earlier this week. He missed two days of practice after the procedure but returned Wednesday.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA