The Sports Xchange
NFL Team Report – Seattle Seahawks – INSIDE SLANT
The Seahawks provided another draft surprise on Friday, selecting Texas A&M; running back Christine Michael with the team’s first pick in the draft, at No. 62 overall in the second round.
The Seahawks traded down six spots with Baltimore and still got what general manager John Schneider said was the highest-rated player on the team’s board at the time.
“He’s a tough, intense, up-field, one-cut guy, and he’s just a very good football player,” Schneider said. “He’s a competitor.”
The Seahawks received Baltimore’s second-round selection (No. 62) in Friday’s trade, along with fifth-round (165) and sixth-round (199) picks.
The No. 62 pick is the latest the Seahawks have waited to make a first pick in franchise history. Before that, the latest was No. 55 in 2007 (Josh Wilson).
Michael’s selection was a curious one for Seattle. With Marshawn Lynch rushing for a career-best 1,590 yards in 2012, and entering the second year of a four-year, $32 million deal, the Seahawks bolstered depth at what looks like an already stocked position group.
Along with Lynch, the Seahawks have second-year pro Robert Turbin, who rushed for 354 yards as rookie. Seattle selected Turbin in the fourth round last year. UCLA product Derrick Coleman fills out the depth chart at tailback.
However, the Seahawks lost return specialist and change-of-pace back Leon Washington to New England when they released him in a cost cutting move. So Michael fills a hole, and adds depth to an important position group for Seattle, with the Seahawks running the ball a league-high 536 times last season. Michael will compete for time as Seattle’s punt returner with Golden Tate.
Even though they have one of the best runners in the league, coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider said after Day 2 of the draft that you can never have enough running backs.
“We ran the ball more than anybody in the NFL last year, so we want this position loaded up,” Carroll said. “So I think that the chance to get another good, strong tough guy like we did, just adds to the theme of what we’re trying to present as a team.”
Added Schneider: “You can’t go through drafts passing on talents like Michael. When you start doing that, in my opinion is when you start making a lot of mistakes.”
Along with Michael, Seattle selected Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill in the third round with the No. 87 overall pick.
At 6-1 and 303 pounds, Hill earned first-team, All-Big 10 honors in 2012, finishing with a career-high 64 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
Carroll said that Hill fills a position of need at defensive tackle, and will be used in passing situations as an interior pass rusher.
“We’ve been trying to get more activity inside for our pass rush and all of that,” Carroll said. “And this is a guy we thought was one of the best guys in the draft at creating space for himself in pass rushes.”
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NFL Team Report – Seattle Seahawks – NOTES, QUOTES
–Seahawks fifth-round selection cornerback Tharold Simon provided his version of what happened on Thursday evening when he was charged with public intimidation, resisting arrest and unnecessary noise in his hometown of Eunice, La.
“It’s my fault,” he said. “I mean I shouldn’t have been parked on the side of the road. But I was just chillin’ in my grandmother’s house. And my car was parked on the side of the road by my grandmother’s house. And I seen a car pull up, and it looked like a cop car.
“So I went out there. And when I went out there, he told me to move the car. And then I moved the car. And when I turned the car on the music was up. And so when I pulled up in the driveway, he told me to give him my license. And I gave him my license.
“And then I just sat on my car. He was running my license through. He called another cop to bring him a ticket book because I guess he was going to write me a ticket. And one of my friends had come to congratulate me on the draft that was going on and stuff. And he told my friend to move around. And then I had got out the car and I was like, ‘Man, you trippin’ for nothing. I mean, there’s nothing serious really going on around here.’
“And I guess he said my pants was low. So he was like ‘Pick your pants up before I take you to jail.’ And I picked my pants up. And then he just grabbed me and said, ‘You know what, matter of fact put your hands behind your back.'”
Simon said he had his girlfriend’s car keys, and he was trying to throw her car keys to his cousin, which the officer interpreted as him resisting arrest.
“I never ran,” Simon said. “I never flinched or moved or nothing. I’m a humble guy. I’m embarrassed about what happened. It shouldn’t have happened. But like I said, everything happens for a reason. And right now my focus is to get up to Seattle and go compete.”
Ed Dodds, the Seahawks south central scout responsible for scouting Simon, said the team has clarity on Simon’s incident, and they are fine with it.
“I spent a lot of time with Tharold,” Dodds said. “He’s a really good kid. He wants to please. He called me as soon as that kind of happened. And as far as specifics, we’ll just kind of wait to see what shakes out. But we were comfortable with what me and him talked about. And I talked to other people down there, so I don’t see it as an issue.”
As far as on the field, Dodds said the 6-2, 202-pound Simon is a perfect fit for Seattle’s system, and has particularly impressive ball skills.
“He looks beat sometimes,” Dodd said. “But he’s so long, and he just catches everything. That’s what you see with those guys with length. The quarterback thinks the player’s open, but this guy’s so long, he gets there. And with him, he’s not just knocking it down, he’s catching it.”
–Coach Pete Carroll said Malcolm Smith will get the first opportunity to earn the starting outside linebacker spot left open by Leroy Hill not coming back.
However, Carroll said that the similar nature of the Leo and SAM outside linebacker position gives Seattle some flexibility. That’s one of the reasons Seattle did not draft an outside linebacker prospect until the seventh round with Ty Powell.
“He’s the guy who has the lead shot at the Will spot,” Carroll said. “But we’re moving some things around to make sure we utilize everybody well. You’ll see how that works out coming out of camp.”
Carroll said because of the versatility of Cliff Avril and Bruce Irvin, defensively the Seahawks can return to some of the schemes he used in college when he had Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews.
–Derrick Jensen, an area scout for the Seahawks for 22 years, made the last two picks of the draft for the Seahawks by speaker phone.
Jensen, who suffers from ALS, retired in December. A third-round draft choice by the Oakland Raiders in 1978, Jensen played seven years in the NFL.
Jensen also celebrated his birthday Saturday.
“We had a really cool moment where we got him on the speaker phone, and he actually made the last two picks for us,” general manager John Schneider said. “He joked around with us while he was doing it. He’s still doing great.”
Added Carroll: “We were just lucky to have a chance to celebrate with him today.”
–With Leon Washington no longer on the roster, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said that Golden Tate will work as the team’s starting punt returner to begin training camp, and new addition Christine Michael will work into the mix.
Tate has served as Seattle’s backup punt returner since joining the team as a second-round pick in 2010. Tate has returned 16 punts for 202 yards in his three-year NFL career, including a long of 63 yards.
“He is the starter in my mind right now until somebody can move him out of there,” Carroll said. “But he’ll be up against it. They’ll be some guys who want that spot, too.”
QUOTE TO NOTE: “He’s a really explosive back. I mean one cut, downhill, runs through arm tackles, really good balance on contact. He’s just an explosive NFL back that has a lot of talent, and it jumps off the tape.” — Seahawks southwest area scout Matt Berry on Seattle’s second-round draft pick, Texas A&M; running back Christine Michael.
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NFL Team Report – Seattle Seahawks – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
A closer look at the Seahawks’ picks:
Round 2/62 – Christine Michael, RB, 5-10, 220, Texas A&M;
The Seahawks traded back six spots from No. 56 to 62 with the Ravens, and still got their top-rated prospect on the board. Replaces Leon Washington as team’s change-of-pace back.
Round 3/87 – Jordan Hill, DT, 6-1, 303, Penn State
Considered a natural pass rusher from the interior of the defense who will compete for time as a rotational guy.
Round 4/123 – Chris Harper, WR, 6-1, 233, Kansas State
A big receiver with strong hands who has been compared with Anquan Boldin. Harper was a former quarterback turned receiver.
Round 5/137 – Jesse Williams, DT, 6-3, 325, Alabama
Projected to go in the first two rounds, Williams surprisingly fell to the fifth round. He will be used as a run stuffer inside on early downs.
Round 5/138 – Tharold Simon, CB, 6-2, 202, LSU
Simon is a perfect fit for Seattle’s press corner coverage scheme, and adds depth behind Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner.
Round 5/158 – Luke Willson, TE, 6-5, 252, Rice
Ran a blistering 4.51-second 40-yard time at his pro day, and will be used to stretch the middle of the defense in the passing game.
Round 6/194 – Spencer Ware, FB, 5-10, 229, LSU
Seahawks plan on converting the hard-charging runner to fullback, where he will compete for time with Michael Robinson.
Round 7/220 — Ryan Seymour, G, 6-4, 301, Vanderbilt
A versatile offensive lineman who will compete for time at guard for Seattle.
Round 7/231 – Ty Powell, OLB 6-3, 249, Harding University
A good athlete who can get to the quarterback. Finished with 8.5 sacks in 2012 at Division II Harding.
Round 7/241 – Jared Smith, G, 6-3, 302, New Hampshire
A defensive tackle in college, Smith will convert to offensive guard like J.R. Sweezy successfully did last season.
Round 7/242 – Michael Bowie, T, 6-5, 332, Northeastern State
Dismissed from Oklahoma State for violating team rules, Bowie will compete for time at right tackle.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (5)
–DE Patrick Chukwurah replaced injured defensive end Chris Clemons on the roster for the NFC divisional playoff game at Atlanta. Played five plays defensively.
–LB Leroy Hill’s fourth brush with the law in two years likely spells the end of Hill’s time in Seattle.
–K Ryan Longwell made all four extra points and had a touchback in his only game for Seattle as a late-season pickup against Atlanta in the NFC playoffs, with regular kicker Steven Hauschka out because of a strained calf.
–G Frank Omiyale served ably as a swing tackle for the Seahawks, including a start against Dallas for a hobbled Russell Okung.
–CB Marcus Trufant played nickel cornerback for the first time in 2012, but turns 33 in December.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
–LS Clint Gresham: RFA tendered at $1.323M with no compensation; $1.323M/1 yr.
–K Steven Hauschka: UFA; terms unknown.
–S Chris Maragos: RFA tendered at $1.323M with no compensation; $1.323M/1 yr.
–DE Clinton McDonald: RFA tendered at 1.323M with seventh-round pick as compensation); $1.323M/1 yr.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
–DE Cliff Avril: UFA Lions; $13M/2 yrs, $11M guaranteed.
–DE Michael Bennett: UFA Buccaneers; $4.8M/1 yr.
–CB/KR Will Blackmon: FA; $715,000/1 yr.
–WR Percy Harvin (trade).
–DT Tony McDaniel: UFA Dolphins; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–QB Josh Portis: FA; terms unknown.
–QB Brady Quinn: UFA Chiefs; terms unknown.
–WR Brett Swain: FA; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
–CB Antoine Winfield: FA Vikings; $1.5M/1 yr, $500,000 SB/$1M guaranteed.
PLAYERS LOST
–DT Alan Branch: UFA Bills; $3M/1 yr.
–WR Deon Butler: Not tendered as RFA/Chargers; 1 yr, terms unknown.
–DE Dexter Davis (released/failed physical).
–QB Matt Flynn (traded Raiders).
–DE Jason Jones: UFA Lions; $9.5M/3 yrs, $2.5M SB.
–TE Cameron Morrah: UFA 49ers; terms unknown.
–WR Ben Obomanu (released).
–RB/KR Leon Washington (released).
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