By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND — Shaun Alexander is walking on egg shells. His words are deliberate and delicate, but have the potential to come down like scud missiles.
He loves to talk, to exchange in friendly banter, but when the subject turns to playing time, Alexander grows visibly uncomfortable.
Anything Alexander says these days could blow up in his face, and could hurt the Seattle Seahawks in the process.
Yes, Alexander wants to get the ball more — a lot more than he did last season. Yes, he got frustrated at times during a rookie year when he was limited to 64 carries. But these are things that Alexander best keeps to himself.
When it comes to playing time, Alexander figures it’s best to quietly wait his turn.
"I don’t worry about that," the 23-year-old Seattle Seahawks running back says when asked how much he’ll carry the ball next season. "We just play the game, and whatever happens happens. As long as we win, I’m happy."
While Alexander feigns content, his body language shows a different emotion burning inside. As he talks, Alexander looks over his shoulder to see his teammates pass. When he catches a glimpse of starting running back Ricky Watters heading his direction, his voice grows hushed and his sentences are cut short.
It could be said that Alexander doesn’t want to make any waves in calm Watters.
The relationship between Watters and Alexander seems to be one of the great taboos at the Seahawks’ practice facility, so much so that Watters prefers not to be asked about the subject at all. While the players have an amicable working relationship, both Watters and Alexander are well aware that they stand in each other’s way when it comes to playing time. That means rooting for one another isn’t as easy as it sounds.
"Shaun just happens to be backing up one of the best backs in the league right now, and someone who’s selfish in terms of not wanting anyone else to do his job," running backs coach Stump Mitchell says. "You have to have that type of attitude."
Watters got almost all of the playing time last season on his way to 1,242 rushing yards — the highest total by a Seahawks running back since 1995. In the one game in which Alexander had a more effective first half — a 24-17 loss to Kansas City on Monday Night Football in Week 5 — Watters brooded on the sideline while his young backup broke out for 73 yards. Once Watters came back on the field for the second half, he seemed to have an added bounce in his step while outgaining Alexander 72-1 over the final 30 minutes.
Watters went on to carry the load of the Seahawks’ offense last season while Alexander quietly watched from the wings, but the veteran’s future was in doubt because of Watters’ age (32) and salary ($3 million next season). There were whispers that he might be traded so that Alexander, last year’s first-round draft choice, could take over as the team’s feature back.
It didn’t happen, but Watters’ feelings were hurt badly enough that he skipped an involuntary March minicamp and did not return phone calls from coach Mike Holmgren. When Watters arrived at this weekend’s minicamp, weighing 10 pounds less than he did last season, one of his priorities was to have a one-on-one meeting with Holmgren to clear the air.
"If I can’t talk to a player or a player does not return calls, then my mind starts working and I’m wondering why," Holmgren said Saturday, one day after the meeting. "Ricky’s a sensitive guy, but a gifted athlete. We went through the trade rumors last year when we drafted Shaun. We went through them again this year. So I just wanted to make sure he knew what I was thinking, and I wanted to know what he was thinking.
"It was one of those meetings. I think we both left the meeting feeling pretty good about the situation."
So the situation is settled, with Holmgren re-establishing his faith in Watters as the Seahawks’ starting running back for another season. And Alexander is left to tip-toe around in the shadows, careful not to step on any land mines.
"That’s Coach Holmgren’s job," Alexander says when asked about dividing up the playing time next season. "It can be done where it won’t be a problem for Ricky."
But is it a problem for Alexander? He’s keeping that to himself.
"He might be (unhappy), but he doesn’t show that," Holmgren says. "Deep down inside, I think every athlete would like to play more and be the guy."
Unable to satisfy Alexander’s desire for playing time, Holmgren whets his appetite with a future perspective.
"At some point," Holmgren says, "Shaun Alexander will be our running back."
For Alexander, that point couldn’t come soon enough.
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