Ashworth back to his rightful spot

Published 11:40 pm Monday, August 20, 2007

KIRKLAND During his 18 months with the Seattle Seahawks, Tom Ashworth has shown enough versatility to be considered for several different spots on the offensive line.

After his performance in Saturday’s loss to Green Bay, he’s unlikely to be at left tackle again.

With starting right tackle Sean Locklear back at practice Monday but working on the left side, Ashworth returned to his natural position at right tackle with the No. 2 offense. Locklear and Floyd Womack are likely to get most of the reps at left tackle while starter Walter Jones continues to rest a sore shoulder.

“Tommy had a tough night the other night, but he’s a good guy,” head coach Mike Holmgren said. “In his role on our team, he does a good job.”

Ashworth gave up two sacks in Saturday’s 48-13 loss, with one of them resulting in a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

Ashworth saw time at guard last summer but struggled in that position. He’s likely to settle in as the backup right tackle behind Locklear.

For the immediate future, Locklear will spell Jones on the left side. Neither player traveled to Green Bay, but Locklear has since returned from a knee injury. Holmgren said Monday that Locklear’s presence at practice was not a result of Ashworth’s struggles.

Jones continues to rest a shoulder injury that is not expected to jeopardize his availability during the regular season. As of Monday, Jones had missed 10 camp practices over eight different days. He is unlikely to play in either of the Seahawks’ final two preseason games.

“If we were playing Tampa this week (in the regular-season opener), he’d play,” Holmgren said. “He’d wear whatever (protection) he wears and play.”

With Locklear playing on the left side, Ray Willis continued to work as the No. 1 right tackle. Ashworth worked behind him with the second string.

@5. Sports notes lead:Peterson hobbled: Linebacker Julian Peterson wore a brace on his right knee during Monday’s practice, and he finished the session on the sidelines.

@5. Sports notes:Peterson wore ice on his knee while watching the final 30 minutes of practice. The injury is not believed to be serious.

Also ailing Monday was safety Michael Boulware, who was sidelined by an ankle injury.

“I think he’s OK,” Holmgren said. “I think he’ll be able to play this (Saturday night against Minnesota).”

Cornerback Pete Hunter saw limited action due to illness. A trainer took him inside about an hour into the morning practice. He was not on the field in the afternoon.

@5. Sports notes lead:Altered rulebook: Two recent rule changes affected the Seahawks in Saturday night’s game, and Holmgren was split on the penalties.

@5. Sports notes:Holmgren said that a call against Boulware was questionable. While pursuing Green Bay return man Will Blackmon, Boulware dove and grabbed the back of Blackmon’s jersey collar. Boulware saved a possible touchdown but got called for a 15-yard penalty.

“I am going to make a call (to the NFL offices Monday afternoon) and just see what’s going on there,” Holmgren said Monday morning, referring to the obvious lack of ill-intent on Boulware’s desperate tackle. “It was great effort on Michael’s part. He just dove out, and that’s what he could grab.”

Holmgren was less critical of a penalty called on wide receiver D.J. Hackett, who gently tossed a ball aside after a reception.

“It’s delay of the game,” Holmgren said. “You’re supposed to leave the ball there or hand it to the official.”

@5. Sports notes lead:Flags aplenty: New special teams coach Bruce DeHaven had never seen anything like Saturday night’s game, during which the Seahawks were flagged for several penalties.

@5. Sports notes:”We actually had six penalties in that ball game, and the team I coached last year (Dallas) had eight the whole year,” DeHaven said. “That’s not something I’m going to tolerate.”

On one return, the Seahawks got called for three separate holding penalties, costing them 30 yards.

“We gave up 112 yards in return yards this last ball game,” DeHaven said of Saturday’s loss. “I think that 100 return yards is worth seven points, so right there (if it had been) a close ball game, that’s the difference between winning and losing.”

DeHaven also said that he was dissatisfied with the performance of long snapper Derek Rackley. Linebacker Will Herring was seen doing long snapping at Monday’s afternoon practice, but DeHaven said that was just to get him ready in case Rackley gets injured.

@5. Sports notes lead:Quick slants: As part of a fundraiser to help Cystic Fibrosis research, Tully’s Coffee is giving 15 percent of today’s sales to the cause. Kicker Josh Brown, a spokesman for Cystic Fibrosis, is helping to sponsor the fundraiser. … While the Seahawks are still technically at training camp because they have two-a-day practices the rest of this week, the players are no longer staying in dorms. For the past three weeks, players had dorm rooms at Northwest University next to the team’s Kirkland practice facility. …