KIRKLAND — In his first season with the Seattle Seahawks, all Patrick Kerney did was lead the NFC in sacks and finish second in the voting for defensive player of the year.
For his efforts, he will be rewarded with a decrease in playing time.
The Seahawks have found success with a rotating defensive line over the years, and this season will be no different. Even Kerney, despite his 2007 merits, will see his share of time on the sideline.
“I think that would be the smart thing to do,” Holmgren said Sunday morning. “Patrick is our leader in sacks, but he did wear down (in 2007) because he plays the game hard all the time. … We can avoid that by taking some of the snaps away from him, as long as the next guy can come in and play.”
Holmgren’s defenses in Green Bay, and during his first few years in Seattle, were basically built around four starters and a couple reserves who were used sparingly.
But over the years, the Seahawks have adopted a different philosophy that relies on depth and fresh bodies.
“When you have young people who are pretty close in talent, and you think you can get the same thing done by platooning a little bit, it’s probably pretty smart,” Holmgren said. “They’re fresher, they go as hard as they can, and you don’t have to worry about them wearing down in the game.
“That’s if everything is close” in terms of talent, Holmgren added. “In Green Bay, I didn’t have another guy quite like (defensive end) Reggie White, so he stayed in pretty much the whole time.”
The closest thing the Seahawks have to White is Kerney, who had 131/2 sacks through the first 13 games of 2007 but just one in the final five weeks (including the postseason). While Holmgren believes that his Pro Bowler wore down late last season, Kerney disputes the point.
“Some of my best games were in December,” Kerney said. “The playoff game against the (Washington) Redskins (in January), I had a strong performance.”
But Kerney added that he’s open to the idea of giving playing time to others.
“Having another talented defensive lineman will never hurt you,” he said. “Guys get hurt, and defensive line is an exhausting position to play. Having more guys to come in and make plays is beneficial.”
The most obvious addition to Seattle’s defensive line came in the form of first-round pick Lawrence Jackson, a defensive end from USC. While Jackson is expected to push Darryl Tapp for a starting job, his main role will be to provide another able body to the defensive end rotation.
“It’s a luxury to have a rotation,” said Jackson, who also has the ability to play inside. “It means you’ve got quality guys on the second group. The defensive line, while you might have starters on paper, they’re all going to get plenty of playing time.”
The rotation goes beyond the outside positions, as Seattle has been rotating defensive tackles for years. The days of Cortez Kennedy are gone, and recent Seahawks teams have had as many as four players splitting equal time inside.
Brandon Mebane and Rocky Bernard are back as starters, but experienced veterans Craig Terrill, Larry Tripplett and Howard Green are also on the roster. Former starter Marcus Tubbs could be close to returning from knee surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2007 season, while rookie Red Bryant could also be back from a minor knee surgery early next month.
“We don’t have a lot of (rookie) free agents; we’ve got a lot of guys who have been major contributors,” Terrill said. “That means good competition.”
Terrill has been a major part of the rotation for most of his career, having played in 43 games over the past three seasons. He’s seen almost as much playing time as starters like Bernard and former Seahawk Chartric Darby, and Terrill believes that dispersal of snaps has worked to the team’s advantage.
“If you look at any offensive line, you’ve got five guys who play 60 to 70 snaps a game,” he said. “If we can bring in a fresh guy every play, which is usually what we try to do, then that really puts the ball in your court.
“… There are different philosophies,” Terrill added. “If you’ve got that one starter who’s your absolute best player, then you’re going to have him on the field for every snap. Our defense, the good thing about it is that we’ve got guys who can come in and play just as well as the starters.”
From one end of the defensive line to the other, the Seahawks are hoping that a constant rotation will be the key to overall consistency.
“It keeps them fresh so we have a pass rush the entire game,” defensive coordinator John Marshall said. “It’s been very good for us. The players like it. And, so far, we (the coaches) have liked it.”
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