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<< Previous   of   Next >> Associated Press  (click to enlarge) Seattle offensive guard Dustin Dickinson (left) and defensive tackle Red Bryant mix it up during a drill at the Seahawks’ minicamp practice June 2 in Kirkland. Will these two guys even be on the roster in the fall when the Seahawks open their 2008 campaign?   ADVERTISEMENT   Offseason question marks With minicamps over, and only training camp standing in front of the 2008 regular season, the Seattle Seahawks still have a few issues to address. Here is a look at a few of the question marks as the team eyes the Sept. 7 regular-season opener: WHO WILL CARRY THE BALL? As of now, Julius Jones and Maurice Morris look like they’ll split time as the feature back. But T.J. Duckett and starting fullback Leonard Weaver should also have plenty of opportunities. The Seahawks are still figuring out how the post-Shaun Alexander era will unfold. WHO WILL CATCH THE BALL? Deion Branch’s knee injury and Bobby Engram’s contract squabble have left the Seahawks with very few experienced receivers. No one separated himself from the pack during the minicamp, meaning playing time at receiver is still up for grabs. And rookie John Carlson has yet to win the starting job at tight end. WHO WILL KICK THE BALL? Josh Brown is a St. Louis Ram now, and so the Seahawks will have to find a new Mr. Clutch. Rookie Brandon Coutu appears to have the inside track on the job, but veteran Olindo Mare is more experienced. This battle will extend well into training camp. WHO’S IN THE TRAINING ROOM? Branch is one of several starters who missed summer minicamps. Left tackle Walter Jones has proven that he doesn’t need much practice time, while defensive end Patrick Kerney should hit the ground running as well. The big question is when center Chris Spencer will return, and how quickly he can adjust to new teammates and Solari’s philosophies. The Seahawks hope Branch will be back sometime in September, but his knee injury could linger into the first few weeks of the regular season. HOW WILL THEY BLOCK? The Seahawks added a new starting guard (Mike Wahle) and a new O-line coach (Mike Solari), and they could be as important as any offseason addition. The Seahawks’ offensive line really struggled in 2007, particularly in the run game, and it remains to be seen whether the additions and a slightly-altered blocking scheme will be enough to turn things around. Solari’s main job is to get the best out of Spencer and right guard Rob Sims. HAS THE BIPOLAR DEFENSE BEEN CURED? Seattle’s defense looked like Felix Hernandez at home last season. But it often looked like Miguel Batista on the road. With all 11 starters back on the roster, the Seahawks need to figure out how to make the unit more consistent. Felix consistent; not Batista consistent. CAN THEY WIN ONE FOR "THE GIPPER?" This is Mike Holmgren’s last stand as head coach. That could make for some inspirational speeches. It could also lead to some locker-room division if things start to go bad. The Seahawks hope they can send Holmgren out on the right note.   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   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.

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