At this time last season, the Seahawks were scrambling to patch together a group of healthy receivers to play in the season opener.
This season, it could be opposing defenses that are scrambling when trying to deal with the Seahawks’ receivers.
The Seahawks opened the 2008 season starting Nate Burleson, an experienced veteran, along with Logan Payne and Courtney Taylor, who had five career catches between them — all by Taylor. Veterans Bobby Engram and Deion Branch were injured, and Burleson would go down with a torn ACL in that first game.
Needless to say, receiver play wasn’t the highlight of the Seahawks’ 2008 season. Then again, what was?
It would appear that things have changed in a big way in 2009 when it comes to Seattle’s receivers.
Burleson and Branch are both healthy, although it’s entirely possible that neither will be the team’s top receiver this year. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, had an impressive preseason and looks like he’s ready to pick up right where he left off in Cincinnati. Over the past three seasons with the Bengals, he accumulated more catches than anyone in the NFL.
Burleson is showing no lingering effects from the knee surgery he suffered a year ago, and Branch, who has been injured often in his Seahawks tenure, is healthy too after a minor offseason knee surgery. Seattle also drafted Deon Butler in the third round, and he has shown big-time playmaking ability in the preseason.
Payne and Taylor, meanwhile, went from starters in ’08 to victims of last weekend’s roster cuts, losing out to Ben Obomanu in the tight battle to be the fifth receiver.
So, a position that was a major cause for concerns last year appears to be one of the team’s biggest strengths as a new season approaches.
“It’s certainly different, because as we all know we were decimated at that position (last year,)” Seahawks coach Jim Mora said. “As we sit right now, we’re in pretty good shape at that position. … Adding T.J., the emergence of Deon Butler, the way Nate has come back from the knee so strong, and Deion Branch getting in the mix. … I like the group.”
The Seahawk are so deep at receiver that there was speculation they might cut Branch, a Super Bowl MVP with New England. Instead, Branch is still here and the Seahawks are loaded when it comes to pass catchers.
“When teams face us, they’re going to have to make decisions,” Burleson said. “Who do you want to double? Who do you want to single?”
Matt Hasselbeck’s biggest dilemma this season might be keeping so many receivers — as well as tight end John Carlson — happy. If people stay healthy and happy, however, the passing game should be fun to watch.
“We’ve got some guys on this team that can flat-out play ball,” Burleson said. “If we go out there and can continue to be unselfish and not worry about who gets the glory, it’s going to be tough for teams to stop us. … If we can stay healthy and continue to do what we’ve been doing, I think every guy in this receiving corps wouldn’t mind being known as that group in 2009 that was unstoppable.”
That would be an amazing turnaround from an injury-plagued and loss-filled 2008.
“Last year was a tough year, mostly because of injuries,” Hasselbeck said. “I think that group of receivers and everyone on offense is kind of tired of having people talking down about us that way, so we’re out to have a good year and be productive like we know we can be.”
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