Published: Saturday, September 4, 2010
Houshmandzadeh expected to be among Seahawks cuts
Reports say Seahawks are ready to cut last year's prized free agent
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Jennifer Buchanan / The Herald
Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (left) led the Seahawks with 79 receptions last season.
Today is the day NFL teams have to trim their rosters from 75 players to 53, but of all the cuts the Seahawks will make today, one promises to stand out above the rest.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the team's prized free-agent signing last offseason, is on his way out of Seattle according to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter. On Thursday, the league's website reported that Seattle was looking to trade Houshmandzadeh, who led the team with 79 catches last year, and a day later ESPN reported that if the Seahawks can't trade Houshmandzadeh, then they will cut him.
Cutting Houshmandzadeh may be the only option now given that he knows he is being shopped around, but doing so will be costly for the Seahawks. Houshmandzadeh, who turns 33 this month, signed a five-year deal with Seattle that included $7 million in guaranteed salary this season. That means if he is cut, Houshmandzadeh could sign for the veteran minimum of $850,000 with a new team and leave the Seahawks on the hook for the balance.
This move, along with Tuesday's trade of veteran cornerback Josh Wilson, is another sign of coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider's desire to get younger and reshape the roster with players who fit their system.
With the exception of Deion Branch, who is 31, the Seahawks will likely keep four receivers -- Mike Williams, Deon Butler, Golden Tate and Ben Obomanu -- who are all 26 or younger. There is significant risk in letting Houshmandzadeh go, however, given that he is the team's only proven receiver. Branch hasn't shown he can stay healthy, Williams, a former top-10 pick, spent two years out of the league before joining Seattle in the offseason, and both Butler and Tate are unproven young players.
Houshmandzadeh told reporters after Thursday's preseason game in Oakland that he was aware of the trade rumors, and he didn't sound happy about it.
"If Pete feels like that makes them better, then I'll be somewhere else," Houshmandzadeh told the Tacoma News Tribune. "It's as simple as that. I can't control it. I'm the type of dude where it doesn't bother me because I can't control it, but it does bother me because nobody said anything to me."
Of course, Houshmandzadeh won't be the only player the Seahawks have to decide on today. Plenty of other moves will be made as the Seahawks and the rest of the teams around the league trim their rosters. So why not take a stab at who's still on Seattle's roster after all the dust clears?
Here is a guess at what Seattle's 53-man roster might look like after today's cuts.
QUARTERBACK: Matt Hasselbeck, Charlie Whitehurst, J.P. Losman.
No drama here unless the Seahawks decide to take their chances with two quarterbacks. But given Hasselbeck's injury history, it's likely that all three make the team. Don't be surprised if Seattle looks to replace Losman with someone who becomes available today.
RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK: Justin Forsett, Leon Washington, Quinton Ganther, Owen Schmitt.
Schmitt is the only true fullback on the roster, but he still could get cut given Ganther's versatility. Julius Jones is more expensive than the other backs, doesn't play on special teams and has not stood out in the preseason, making him expendable. Expect the Seahawks to add a young back between now and the opener.
WIDE RECEIVER: Mike Williams, Deion Branch, Deon Butler, Golden Tate, Ben Obomanu.
Williams, a former top-10 pick who was out of football for two years, has been one of the surprises of training camp, and is not only a lock to make the team, he's likely to start in Houshmandzadeh's place.
TIGHT END: John Carlson, Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy, Cameron Morrah.
Carlson and Baker will make the team, that's the easy part. The position becomes trickier if the team decides to go with three tight ends and not four. Morrah has been solid in the preseason, but McCoy, a rookie out of USC, has more upside.
OFFENSIVE LINE: T Russell Okung, T Sean Locklear, T/G Chester Pitts, C Chris Spencer, G Max Unger, G Ben Hamilton, G Mike Gibson, T/G Mansfield Wrotto, T Ray Willis, T Tyler Polumbus
Teams frequently keep just nine linemen, but with Okung likely out for the opener -- and Willis still recovering from a knee injury -- the Seahawks need an extra body or two. Willis, who recently underwent knee surgery, could end up on injured reserve.
DEFENSIVE LINE: DE Chris Clemons, DE Red Bryant, DT Colin Cole, DT Brandon Mebane, DT Kevin Vickerson, DE EJ Wilson, DE/DT Kentwan Balmer, DT Craig Terrill, DT Quinn Pitcock, DE/LB Dexter Davis
Terrill and Pitcock may be in a battle for the line's final spot, but a spot is apparently free now that the team has reportedly reached an injury settlement with DE Nick Reed, who recently had knee surgery. In all likelihood, another pass rusher not currently on the team will be added the next few days. Davis can play both end and strongside linebacker, which greatly helps his chances of making the team.
LINEBACKER: Lofa Tatupu, Aaron Curry, David Hawthorne, Will Herring, Tyjuan Hagler.
Leroy Hill, who is suspended for the season opener, will be on the team too, but he doesn't count toward the 53-man roster for the first week. Hill's future in Seattle had been very much in doubt, but after restructuring his deal Tuesday, he almost certainly will make the team.
CORNERBACK: Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Walter Thurmond, Roy Lewis.
Tuesday's trade that sent Wilson to Baltimore made this position pretty simple. Lewis had been on the bubble, but barring an addition to the roster, he will make the team. The big question now is if/when Thurmond passes Jennings on the depth chart.
SAFETY: Earl Thomas, Lawyer Milloy, Kam Chancellor, Jamar Adams, Jordan Babineaux.
There is a good chance just four of the five make the team. Chancellor, a fifth-round pick, has a lot of upside thanks to his size, and Adams has been solid. Babineaux has been a starter and can play nickel back as well as safety, seemingly making him a valuable part of the team, but he is scheduled to make $2.45 million this year, which is a lot for a backup safety. It would be a gamble to let him go, but he's a pretty expensive insurance policy.
SPECIALISTS: K Olindo Mare, P John Ryan, LS Clint Gresham.
Not much to say here. The only way this changes is if the Seahawks decide to make a change at long snapper.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the team's prized free-agent signing last offseason, is on his way out of Seattle according to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter. On Thursday, the league's website reported that Seattle was looking to trade Houshmandzadeh, who led the team with 79 catches last year, and a day later ESPN reported that if the Seahawks can't trade Houshmandzadeh, then they will cut him.
Cutting Houshmandzadeh may be the only option now given that he knows he is being shopped around, but doing so will be costly for the Seahawks. Houshmandzadeh, who turns 33 this month, signed a five-year deal with Seattle that included $7 million in guaranteed salary this season. That means if he is cut, Houshmandzadeh could sign for the veteran minimum of $850,000 with a new team and leave the Seahawks on the hook for the balance.
This move, along with Tuesday's trade of veteran cornerback Josh Wilson, is another sign of coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider's desire to get younger and reshape the roster with players who fit their system.
With the exception of Deion Branch, who is 31, the Seahawks will likely keep four receivers -- Mike Williams, Deon Butler, Golden Tate and Ben Obomanu -- who are all 26 or younger. There is significant risk in letting Houshmandzadeh go, however, given that he is the team's only proven receiver. Branch hasn't shown he can stay healthy, Williams, a former top-10 pick, spent two years out of the league before joining Seattle in the offseason, and both Butler and Tate are unproven young players.
Houshmandzadeh told reporters after Thursday's preseason game in Oakland that he was aware of the trade rumors, and he didn't sound happy about it.
"If Pete feels like that makes them better, then I'll be somewhere else," Houshmandzadeh told the Tacoma News Tribune. "It's as simple as that. I can't control it. I'm the type of dude where it doesn't bother me because I can't control it, but it does bother me because nobody said anything to me."
Of course, Houshmandzadeh won't be the only player the Seahawks have to decide on today. Plenty of other moves will be made as the Seahawks and the rest of the teams around the league trim their rosters. So why not take a stab at who's still on Seattle's roster after all the dust clears?
Here is a guess at what Seattle's 53-man roster might look like after today's cuts.
QUARTERBACK: Matt Hasselbeck, Charlie Whitehurst, J.P. Losman.
No drama here unless the Seahawks decide to take their chances with two quarterbacks. But given Hasselbeck's injury history, it's likely that all three make the team. Don't be surprised if Seattle looks to replace Losman with someone who becomes available today.
RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK: Justin Forsett, Leon Washington, Quinton Ganther, Owen Schmitt.
Schmitt is the only true fullback on the roster, but he still could get cut given Ganther's versatility. Julius Jones is more expensive than the other backs, doesn't play on special teams and has not stood out in the preseason, making him expendable. Expect the Seahawks to add a young back between now and the opener.
WIDE RECEIVER: Mike Williams, Deion Branch, Deon Butler, Golden Tate, Ben Obomanu.
Williams, a former top-10 pick who was out of football for two years, has been one of the surprises of training camp, and is not only a lock to make the team, he's likely to start in Houshmandzadeh's place.
TIGHT END: John Carlson, Chris Baker, Anthony McCoy, Cameron Morrah.
Carlson and Baker will make the team, that's the easy part. The position becomes trickier if the team decides to go with three tight ends and not four. Morrah has been solid in the preseason, but McCoy, a rookie out of USC, has more upside.
OFFENSIVE LINE: T Russell Okung, T Sean Locklear, T/G Chester Pitts, C Chris Spencer, G Max Unger, G Ben Hamilton, G Mike Gibson, T/G Mansfield Wrotto, T Ray Willis, T Tyler Polumbus
Teams frequently keep just nine linemen, but with Okung likely out for the opener -- and Willis still recovering from a knee injury -- the Seahawks need an extra body or two. Willis, who recently underwent knee surgery, could end up on injured reserve.
DEFENSIVE LINE: DE Chris Clemons, DE Red Bryant, DT Colin Cole, DT Brandon Mebane, DT Kevin Vickerson, DE EJ Wilson, DE/DT Kentwan Balmer, DT Craig Terrill, DT Quinn Pitcock, DE/LB Dexter Davis
Terrill and Pitcock may be in a battle for the line's final spot, but a spot is apparently free now that the team has reportedly reached an injury settlement with DE Nick Reed, who recently had knee surgery. In all likelihood, another pass rusher not currently on the team will be added the next few days. Davis can play both end and strongside linebacker, which greatly helps his chances of making the team.
LINEBACKER: Lofa Tatupu, Aaron Curry, David Hawthorne, Will Herring, Tyjuan Hagler.
Leroy Hill, who is suspended for the season opener, will be on the team too, but he doesn't count toward the 53-man roster for the first week. Hill's future in Seattle had been very much in doubt, but after restructuring his deal Tuesday, he almost certainly will make the team.
CORNERBACK: Marcus Trufant, Kelly Jennings, Walter Thurmond, Roy Lewis.
Tuesday's trade that sent Wilson to Baltimore made this position pretty simple. Lewis had been on the bubble, but barring an addition to the roster, he will make the team. The big question now is if/when Thurmond passes Jennings on the depth chart.
SAFETY: Earl Thomas, Lawyer Milloy, Kam Chancellor, Jamar Adams, Jordan Babineaux.
There is a good chance just four of the five make the team. Chancellor, a fifth-round pick, has a lot of upside thanks to his size, and Adams has been solid. Babineaux has been a starter and can play nickel back as well as safety, seemingly making him a valuable part of the team, but he is scheduled to make $2.45 million this year, which is a lot for a backup safety. It would be a gamble to let him go, but he's a pretty expensive insurance policy.
SPECIALISTS: K Olindo Mare, P John Ryan, LS Clint Gresham.
Not much to say here. The only way this changes is if the Seahawks decide to make a change at long snapper.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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