KIRKLAND — The Seattle Seahawks will probably have a new starting split end this Sunday. It just hasn’t been decided yet whom that split end will be.
Nate Burleson, who has started the past five games, looks like the odd man out. Coach Mike Holmgren made that no secret on Wednesday, when he all but opened up the competition.
“You’ll see (D.J.) Hackett over there, you’ll see Courtney Taylor over there, and you’ll see Burleson over there,” Holmgren said Wednesday morning, referring to this week’s practices.
Hackett returned to practice in a limited role Wednesday afternoon after missing the previous five games with a high ankle sprain. Hackett, the opening-day starter, took part in individual drills but did not line up for any team drills Wednesday.
“I’m getting there,” Hackett said after the practice. “Slow process, but it was a better step today.”
Holmgren said that he expects Hackett to be ready for Sunday’s game, although it still hasn’t been determined whether he’ll start. Burleson has been so inconsistent that even Taylor, a rookie sixth-round draft pick, is in the mix.
“I want to give Courtney Taylor a chance,” Holmgren said Wednesday. “I think when he has been in there, he’s shown — in practice certainly — good explosion, good speed.”
As for Burleson, his lack of disciplined route-running might cost him a chance to continue starting.
“He has a lot of talent,” Holmgren said. “Now, he’s got to discipline himself to do it kind of the way we want it done all of the time, be a little more consistent that way.”
Burleson has caught 19 passes and leads the team with three touchdowns, including the game-winner against Cincinnati.
On Monday, Burleson took responsibility for one botched pass route that led to an interception. The receiver admitted that he cut the route off because he thought the ball had been thrown to another receiver.
“Every day is a learning process,” Burleson said.
Bobby Engram is likely to be the starting split end for the second week in a row because Deion Branch is out with a sprained foot. Branch could return after the Oct. 28 bye.
Bad numbers for Plackemeier: If one believes the statistics, Ryan Plackemeier is having one of the worst seasons of any punter in the league. He currently ranks 27th in the NFL in gross average (41.1) and 22nd in net average (35.8).
“When you have a 6- and a 7-(yard punt), that’ll happen,” he said with a shrug on Wednesday, referring to two punts that were partially blocked by defenders. “You take those away, and I’d be in the top 15.”
Plackemeier’s averages have also been brought down by field position. He ranks second in the league in punts inside the 20 — with 14 — and has only one touchback all year. As a rookie last season, Plackemeier had 25 punts inside the 20 as compared to 15 touchbacks.
So no matter what Plackemeier’s averages might look like, he’s had a better season than it appears.
“Bruce (DeHaven, the special teams coach) told me not to worry about the stats, just to do whatever I have to do in the game to help the team win,” Plackemeier said. “Whether it’s a bad snap that I get off, or a 30-yard punt to the 10, that helps the team win. They’re not going to look good in the stat book, but it helps the team win a ball game.
“When I was a rookie, I was really concerned with stats. But this year, I’m really just trying to do what I can to help us win ball games.”
Jennings too small? Part of the problem in the loss to New Orleans was that the Saints took the size advantage 6-foot-4, 230-pound receiver Marques Colston had over Seahawks corner Kelly Jennings.
Holmgren said on Wednesday that the 5-11, 180-pound Jennings has had his hands full with big receivers all season.
“I’ve been worried about that for a long time,” Holmgren said. “Now Kelly, he will battle. And he’s made some great plays this season. I don’t worry about him (in terms of coverage skills); he’s the real deal. But he’s not the biggest guy in the world. And we play teams that have big wide receivers.
“There are ways to help him out a little bit. There are ways to do that.”
Health update: Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (groin) and tight end Marcus Pollard (knee) continued to rest injuries by sitting out Wednesday’s practice. They played through the injuries in the loss Sunday.
The Rams practiced without wide receiver Torry Holt (knee), defensive end Leonard Little (toe) and starting center Brett Romberg (ankle) on Wednesday.
St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger (broken ribs) practiced and said there is a “100 percent” chance he will play Sunday. Running back Steven Jackson (groin) saw limited practice time but is expected to rest the injury for at least one more week.
Wide receiver Isaac Bruce (hamstring) was also limited in practice.
Local connections: Rams coach Scott Linehan grew up in Sunnyside and used to be an assistant at the University of Washington.
His offensive coordinator, Greg Olson, has plenty of ties in Snohomish County. Olson’s cousin, Randy, used to be the head coach at Monroe High School.
Running backs coach Wayne Moses, special teams coach Al Roberts and quality control coach Keith Murphy played at UW. Assistant secondary coach Ron Milus was on the UW staff in the 1990s, while Rams strength and conditioning coordinator Dana LeDuc spent four years as a Seahawks assistant.
The Rams’ roster includes former Husky receiver Dane Looker and former Seahawks punter Donnie Jones.
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