By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND – The depth at cornerback that used to look like an anthill is beginning to resemble Mount Rainier. The Seattle Seahawks’ cornerback “pile” – as coach Mike Holmgren often refers to it – is much bigger now than it has been in years.
Experienced veterans, high draft picks, role players. Speed, size, savvy. On paper, the Seahawks seem to have it all.
Then again, a lot can happen between now and the beginning of the regular season. So the Seahawks have taken every avenue available to make certain their wealth of potential doesn’t go bankrupt in September.
“We’re going to make sure we have enough veteran players at that position that if we do get somebody hurt in the preseason, that we’re at least replacing him with veteran guys,” defensive backs coach Ken Flajole said.
He speaks from experience. Last preseason, the team lost three cornerbacks to injuries, leaving the Seahawks with rookie Ken Lucas and relatively untested Paul Miranda in the Week 1 starting lineup. By adding to the pile this year, Seattle hopes it won’t ever have to go through an experience like that again.
Many of the faces are the same, including Lucas, Miranda and veteran Willie Williams. Shawn Springs is also expected to be back for the season, although he’s still sidelined by hamstring problems that will keep him off the practice field until training camp. In addition, the Seahawks went out and signed veterans Doug Evans and Ramos McDonald, then used a third-round draft choice on cornerback Kris Richard of USC.
There is so much depth that the Seahawks felt comfortable moving Ike Charlton, a second-round pick in the 2000 draft, from cornerback to strong safety. Including Springs and Charlton, Seattle has seven players on its roster who have started at least one NFL game at cornerback.
“We’ve certainly got lots of numbers right now, there’s no question about that,” Flajole said. “I guess the blessing and the curse of it is that we’ve got lots of corners, but each kid doesn’t get as many reps as a year ago. But we’ve got a good group to work with, which will be important, particularly if we have any problem with injuries like we did a year ago.”
How deep this unit is will come down to Springs’ health. The five-year veteran has missed parts of the past two seasons due to hamstring injuries, and now the problems have deteriorated to the point that his left hamstring has a visible indentation. He has been rehabilitating the injury during the offseason, and the coaching staff is expecting him to be back in time for training camp.
“I will say this: If he doesn’t play next season, it won’t be because of a lack of effort,” Flajole said. “That kid has busted his (rear) here. Our trainers and our strength staff have done a great job getting that leg back. But if you’ve ever looked at that leg, there is a definitive deficit in his hamstring. It’s like somebody had bitten the piece of muscle out.
“Is it an easy thing to come back from? No. But he’s doing everything he can to come back from it.”
Despite the competition, the remaining cornerbacks know how important a healthy Springs is to the unit.
“Hopefully Shawn can get back to where he was a couple years ago and help us,” Williams said, “because we’re going to need everybody we have right now.”
While Springs is sidelined, Williams and Lucas are atop the depth chart. But Evans, who was signed to a three-year, $3.8 million contract in April, could work his way into the starting lineup.
“They told me what my role is straight up, and I appreciate that,” Evans said. “I told them I understand that they’re looking for a third corner and all that, but I’m the type of player where I’m going to compete for a starting job. That’s what I’m here for.”
Evans was released by the Carolina Panthers in February to create room under the salary cap, despite the fact that he had eight interceptions last season.
“We told him if he had anything less, we’re docking his pay,” Flajole joked.
McDonald is a four-year NFL veteran who has been with Minnesota, San Francisco and the New York Giants but got waived by the Oakland Raiders last summer. He and Miranda will probably battle with Richard for the fifth roster spot (although Richard, the rookie, has been hampered by a groin injury and hasn’t taken part in the current minicamp).
Despite the heated competition, the cornerbacks like the depth at the position – especially when considering the fact that the Seahawks are moving into a division with pass-happy St. Louis and San Francisco.
“We’re playing against teams that will have three and four receivers on the field at a time,” Williams said. “We’ve got to have quality cover corners that can go out there and stop their receivers.”
Williams and Evans are expected to compete for the nickel position, with Springs and Lucas penciled in as the starters. The development of Lucas, who was up-and-down as a rookie last season, could make the unit that much stronger.
“At this time, he’s better than he was a year ago,” Flajole said. “Now, what does that mean in the relationship of the game? Is it good enough? I hope so; I think so. But it’s still a work in progress with him.”
Said Lucas: “I have so much more confidence than I did last year because I feel like I have less pressure on me.”
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