KIRKLAND – When head coach Mike Holmgren arrived at the latest installment of Seattle Seahawks training camp, he came issuing a warning that has become pretty standard fare. He told the 87 players on the roster that competition would be fierce but added that most of them were fighting for little more than a roster spot.
When it comes to starting jobs, the Seahawks are all stocked up.
Barring injury, Shaun Alexander is going to start at halfback, Matt Hasselbeck is going to start at quarterback, and the left tackle is going to be a guy named Walter Jones. Lofa Tatupu isn’t looking over his shoulder, Deion Branch is sleeping just fine at night, and Julian Peterson won’t be fretting each Sunday morning when the list of inactives is announced.
“There are not a lot of real starting questions, I don’t think,” Holmgren said on Sunday.
When it comes to the 2007 Seahawks, only a precious few starting jobs were on the line when camp opened up. Some of them are already locked up, while others are still figuring themselves out.
Among the positions that were once considered there for the taking:
Split end
Last year’s starter: Deion Branch
Favorite: D.J. Hackett
When Darrell Jackson was traded to San Francisco, and Branch moved to the flanker position, a rare starting spot opened up at wide receiver. Hackett and Nate Burleson were expected to battle it out for the job, but Hackett has since all but locked it up.
Tight end
Last year’s starter: Jerramy Stevens
Favorite: Marcus Pollard
The Seahawks tried to lure free agent Daniel Graham, but when he went to Denver they settled for the 35-year-old Pollard. He’s proven to be a charismatic leader and better blocker than expected. While Leonard Stephens has had a strong camp, and Will Heller is the best blocker of the bunch, Pollard looks like the probable starter.
Right guard
Last year’s starter: Chris Gray
Favorite: Gray
Holmgren tried to light a fire under Gray and starting right tackle Sean Locklear at minicamps, stating that the starting spots on the right side of the line were up for grabs. While tackle Ray Willis moved to guard and impressed the coaching staff, Gray’s experience and durability give him the inside track. Unless age finally catches up with the 37-year old, or he continues to get flagged for false-start penalties, he’ll keep the job.
Defensive tackle
Last year’s starters: Chartric Darby and Rocky Bernard
Favorites: Darby and Bernard
This position is as deep as any on the team, with established players like Russell Davis, Craig Terrill and a hobbled Marcus Tubbs serving as backups along with third-round pick Brandon Mebane. Darby is to the defense what Gray is to the offense: a durable veteran who refuses to go away. Bernard put up better numbers when coming off the bench, but he’s likely to stay in the lineup unless Tubbs gets healthy and makes a significant push to take his job.
Right cornerback
Last year’s starter: Kelly Herndon
Favorite: Kelly Jennings
Jennings, a first-round pick in the 2006 draft, stepped in as a starter late last year when the position was ravaged by injuries. He’ll probably start again this year, but rookie Josh Wilson has been impressive enough to make Jennings look over his shoulder.
Safety
Last year’s starters: Ken Hamlin and Michael Boulware
Favorites: Deon Grant and Brian Russell
Like defensive tackle, the safety position provides plenty of competition. But newcomers Grant and Russell have all but ended the battle for starting positions, leaving former NFL starters Boulware, Jordan Babineaux and Mike Green to fight for scraps of playing time.
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