By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
CHENEY – With another quarterback set to join the training camp rotation, the Seattle Seahawks seem to be jelling at the right time.
Starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and his receiving corps are starting to get familiar with each other, even though two of Seattle’s top four receivers are out with injuries. Hasselbeck said returning players Darrell Jackson and Karsten Bailey have made the transition to a new team more smooth.
“We are getting there,” Hasselbeck said. “I think I went more with Darrell and Karsten and those guys, which makes it a lot easier because when I study the film from last year, those are the guys I am watching.”
Hasselbeck didn’t take long to make an impression on his receiving corps.
“He can communicate,” Jackson said. “That’s the first step to everything. That brings comfort, and it brings trust.”
Despite Friday’s signing of Trent Dilfer, Jackson still has faith in the man coach Mike Holmgren brought in last February to take over the offense.
“Matt’s a great quarterback,” Jackson said. “I trust Matt to the utmost. He has all the skills and all the knowledge. I think he’ll be a great quarterback for the Seahawks.”
The signing of Dilfer hasn’t just brought Hasselbeck and the receivers together.
“I think it brought our quarterback group a little closer together,” Hasselbeck said. “We are all really close, and we said to each other, ‘Don’t let this affect you; just concentrate and really focus today.’”
Asked Friday to assess Hasselbeck’s performance, Holmgren said: “I think Matt had his best day today.”
Hasselbeck and the offense are expected to get receivers Koren Robinson (hamstring) and James Williams (ankle) back sometime next week.
Rules revisions: A group of NFL officials were at practice Friday as part of a league-wide program to update players on rule revisions. The officials met with Seahawks players after an afternoon practice to give a short presentation on slight modifications that will be enforced this season.
One rule was changed as a result of the Seahawks’ most memorable game last season. In a 27-24 victory over Oakland on Dec. 16, Seattle earned a safety late in the game when the Raiders’ Marquez Pope fell on a Ricky Watters fumble at the Oakland 1-yard line and slid into his own end zone. Under the new rule modification, the Raiders would get the ball at the 1 because of a change that has to do with a player’s momentum. Previously, when a player’s momentum carried him into the end zone on an interception, it was ruled a touchback. Now that clarification applies to fumbles, punt returns and kickoff returns.
Other rules with slight modifications involve the illegal forward pass, illegal substitutions, a new uniform code banning certain types of bandannas and headgear, and taunting.
The officials also said instant replay will continue through the 2003 season, when it will be subject to renewal.
At least four will skip scrimmage: When the Seahawks play their annual intrasquad scrimmage at Eastern Washington University on Sunday afternoon, they will be without a few ailing bodies.
Dilfer is healthy, but is not expected to play because he’s still learning the offense. Fullback Reggie Brown (calf), Robinson and Williams will also be held out.
Quick slants: The Seahawks signed wide receiver Jarvonni Jackson, a 6-foot, 193-pound rookie from Carson-Newman. … Cornerback Shawn Springs and linebacker Anthony Simmons suffered minor injuries during Friday’s practices, but neither is believed to be serious. … The temperature reached 87 degrees during Friday’s afternoon practice.
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