KIRKLAND – They’re back, in every sense of the word.
Beginning today, the Seattle Seahawks are not only back on the field but also back on this side of the state for their first training camp outside of Eastern Washington University since 1996. The original plan to play a preseason game in China led the team back to this side of the state, and even after the China Bowl was canceled did Kirkland remain the destination.
It will also likely be the final time the Seahawks hold a training camp in Kirkland, as the 2008 camp is expected to be held at the team’s under-construction practice facility in Renton.
Where training camp is held does not seem as important as how it is held. And the Seahawks have more pressing issues than whether Kirkland’s Northwest University dorms are more comfortable than the ones at EWU.
The Seahawks are setting their sights on a return trip to the Super Bowl, having fallen short of that goal during the injury-plagued 2006 season. The next month will help determine whether or not the Seahawks are ready to make another run.
Here are a few of the questions that need to be answered during the dog days of training camp:
1) Who’s in charge of the defense?
While John Marshall continues to hold the coordinator title, three other assistants have experience as defensive coordinators (assistant secondary coach Larry Marmie) or head coaches (secondary coach Jim Mora and special projects coach Ray Rhodes). Mora was not shy about speaking up during minicamps, and it will be interesting to see what kind of wrinkles he adds to the package. Between the lines, it will also be worth watching how vocal safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell fit in as leaders.
2) Who will catch the ball?
In past years, that answer came in two words: Darrell Jackson. He’s now a San Francisco 49er, while starting tight end Jerramy Stevens is in Tampa Bay. The questions are whether diminutive wideout Deion Branch can be Matt Hasselbeck’s go-to guy, whether D.J. Hackett is ready to be an NFL starter, and whether 35-year-old tight end Marcus Pollard can improve on the 12 receptions he had as a Detroit Lion last season.
3) Is 30 too old?
Like female tennis players, NFL running backs have a short shelf life. A running back turning 30 is like a regular person celebrating his or her 65th. Will Shaun Alexander’s 30th birthday on Aug. 30 affect his production on the field? Or, now that his foot is healthy, will he start to look like the NFL MVP again?
4) Is the line in synch?
Forget the 2005 offensive line that featured three Pro Bowlers and was regarded as one of the best units the NFL has seen in years; the new group shouldn’t be compared to that group. But it must play better than last season. Left guard Rob Sims and center Chris Spencer had plenty of jitters in their first year as starters, and the question now is whether they will learn from the experience. The Seahawks could also use improved play from right tackle Sean Locklear, who struggled in 2006 after a breakout year the previous season.
5) Who’s first on the depth chart?
Several position battles will highlight this year’s camp. Pollard is hoping to hold off several young challengers at tight end, Hackett and Nate Burleson are going toe-to-toe at split end, and Holmgren opened up the right side of the offensive line for competition. And it’s safe to say that any one of five defensive tackles have a shot at landing a starting spot.
6) Out with the old, in with the new?
Grant and Russell appear to be the likely starters at safety, but what does that mean for Michael Boulware? Cornerback Kelly Herndon was released so that Kelly Jennings can take over as starter, but is he ready for the promotion? And could this be the year that someone like Floyd Womack or Ray Willis unseats 37-year-old Chris Gray as the starting right guard?
7) Do they still have spring in their step?
Alexander is not the only Seahawks player showing signs of age. Fullback Mack Strong (36 in September) didn’t play as well last season as he had the year previous. Left tackle Walter Jones (34 in January) played like a Pro Bowler last season, but not like the unbeatable force he had been for his first nine NFL seasons. And age is also catching up with Pollard (35), Gray (37) and slot receiver Bobby Engram (35 in January).
8) Was last season a bump in the road for Hasselbeck?
Injuries aside, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck didn’t have his best season in 2006. He seemed to have lost confidence in the line and some of his receivers, and he wasn’t nearly as crisp in terms of decision-making as he had been during the previous year. Was it just an off year or a sign of things to come?
9) Is the rookie ready to contribute?
With no first-round pick, the Seahawks turned most of their draft-day attention to cornerback Josh Wilson. The short-but-speedy second-round pick might push Jennings for a starting spot, and he’s also expected to challenge Nate Burleson for duties as punt and kickoff return man.
10) Can they hear footsteps coming up on them?
The past three years have been memorable for Seahawks fans, but they haven’t been very rewarding for those who were expecting tight races in the NFC West. The three-time defending champion Seahawks might be the favorite again this year, but the prevailing opinion is that the 49ers, Cardinals and Rams have closed the gap. Is that the motivation the Seahawks need to push themselves through another long training camp?
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