KIRKLAND — When the Seattle Seahawks’ three-day minicamp concluded Wednesday afternoon, most players were eager to get on with their offseason.
Not Seneca Wallace.
At this point in his career, the 23-year-old quarterback welcomes any chance he can get to play the game.
"This is my time," said Wallace, a fourth-round pick in the 2003 NFL draft. "It’s when I can go out there and take snaps and have fun, so I’ve got to take advantage of it."
After such a successful career at Iowa State University that he garnered some early Heisman talk, Wallace spent his entire rookie season watching. He never got into a game, and rarely even got to run the offense in practice.
Wallace would go weeks at a time watching silently as Matt Hasselbeck ran the first-team offense at practice and backup Trent Dilfer would get all the snaps with the scout team.
This week, Wallace finally got a chance to show his stuff. And he made an impression on quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn.
"I thought he had the best practice of the three (quarterbacks) today," Zorn said following Wednesday’s session. "Once a guy gets things organized in his mind, it frees him up to show some athleticism. And he really showed it today, as far as his ability to throw and be accurate."
Since his two seasons at Iowa State, where Wallace threw for 5,289 yards and ran for 912, the 5-foot-11 quarterback has been working on his throwing mechanics. Wallace has altered his delivery to cut down on useless arm motion.
"Last training camp, he looked like an athlete," Zorn said. "Now, we’re trying to get him to look like an athletic quarterback."
Wallace is also putting in six to seven hours a day watching game film at the team’s complex. While most of his teammates will go home later today and not return until the next minicamp on April 30, Wallace intends to stay in town and continue working out and watching film.
"It’s all about being ready," he said. "I have to prepare myself and be ready."
No matter what Wallace does in offseason minicamps, his presence won’t keep Hasselbeck awake at night. In fact, Wallace is unlikely to unseat Dilfer as the Seahawks’ No. 2 quarterback.
So Wallace’s focus is on getting ready for preseason games, which will give him the rare opportunity to show what he can do in a live setting.
"That’s my season," Wallace said. "Matt’s running the show, and he’ll go out and do his thing. So I’ve got to prepare for the preseason and have fun with the first four (exhibition) games."
After that, chances are that Wallace will go back to his duty as the guy in the red jersey who watches all of practice from the sidelines.
"It’s tough," Wallace said. "But you have to learn. Everybody came in and went through the same process I went through."
Defensive tackle Rashad Moore is slated to undergo minor shoulder surgery that could cause him to miss four weeks. Coach Mike Holmgren said he expects Moore to be available for the June minicamp. … The only players who missed all three days of the minicamp were wide receiver Alex Bannister, tackle Walter Jones and defensive end Chike Okeafor. Bannister (restricted free agent) and Jones (franchise player) have yet to sign contract tenders. Okeafor could not attend because he’s getting married. … The NFL draft will be held on April 24-25, and the Seahawks will hold another minicamp the following weekend.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
