Stretching the Field: Birds of Prey
by Luke Paul Chandler
Luke Chandler looks at the changes being made to the Seahawks ground game for 2008.
By Luke Paul Chandler
The Seattle Seahawks have risen to the ranks of NFC elite under the watch of head coach Mike Holmgren. Once Holmgren relinquished his general manager duties to Tim Ruskell before the 2005 season, the team started to take off, making three straight playoff appearances. The team began to reshape in the image of drafting productive, intelligent, and high-character players. It has paid off, with the additions of middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, outside linebacker Leroy Hill and several other key pieces. In free agency, though, Ruskell has left much to be desired, outside of linebacker Julian Peterson and many of his additions on offense have been inconsistent. This season, Ruskell has taken on the tough task of fixing a broken ground game, and the results may end up being spotty.
The team is at a critical stage this season. The ground game has disintegrated in two seasons to near nothingness, and it needs to be fixed on many fronts. The team paid a heavy price after the 2005 season to keep then MVP Shaun Alexander, who signed a record setting six-year, $62 million contract. He is likely now facing the reality of being either traded, or a designated June 1 cut.
Alexander looked like a broken running back last season. He no longer showed the explosion or quickness he showed earlier in his career. After averaging 330 carries a season from 2001 through 2005, never missing a game in that time, the tread has finally worn off his tires. He lacked the leg drive to fight through defenders last season that the had earlier in his career, and was hardly the back he once was.
To fill the void, the Seahawks first signed free agent T.J. Duckett, formerly of the Lions. Duckett’s an intriguing option, but has not lived up to the lofty expectations he brought into the league as a first-round draft pick of the Falcons in 2002. Duckett is a jumbo-sized running back, but he displays good shiftiness and cutback ability for a larger guy. For the first time in his career, though, Duckett will be asked to take on blocking assignments as a part time fullback also. Duckett has always flashed the signs of being a primary ball carrier, but has never kept up physically or mentally to the challenges of being a starting back. As it stands now, he’s merely a short yardage specialist, and part-time fullback.
The primary ball carrying duties could fall into the lap of former Cowboy Julius Jones. Jones, signed just two days after Duckett, brings feature back experience to the Seahawks, despite being slowly phased out of the Cowboys base offense over the past two seasons. Jones was obviously leaving the Cowboys for bigger money, and a chance to start after Marion Barber III became one of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s top weapons.
Jones comes with several question marks as well. He has solid skills, including good cut-back ability, vision and patience, but he is inconsistent. Jones will have games where pushes too hard to make the big play and will end up becoming an impatient runner with little technique. During those games poor ball security can be an issue. Despite having soft hands, Jones has yet to make an impact in the passing game, and was rarely trusted to be on the field in passing situations due to his poor blocking. With all of these question marks, Jones is still labeled a feature back for some reason.
Aside from the running backs added, the Seahawks struck quickly to add free agent Mike Wahle after his release from the Panthers in February. Wahle was released for salary cap purposes, and was going to be a hot free agent in a year of lackluster offensive line talent. Wahle has been a highly consistent player throughout his career, rarely showing any signs of slowing down evern after turning 30. Wahle is not a mauler, but a sound technician who re-routes defenders well, and has a history of being a part of good run blocking teams. His athleticism and quick feet allow him to be a natural in the Seahawks zone scheme, and more importantly will allow the Seahawks to run to the left more frequently. The Seahawks are at their best when running to the left.
Even with the addition of Wahle, it’s a move that could have been avoided. They easily could have put the franchise tag on Steve Hutchinson after the 2005 season, but instead chose to make him their transition player, and he walked away to Minnesota with a deal that the Seahawks could not match because of the infamous “poison pill.” In Ruskell’s defense, the addition of Wahle was a two-fold addition, even despite its shortcomings. His addition slides former left guard Rob Sims to the left side, to replace the aging Chris Gray. Sims is not as quick off the snap as Wahle, but still brings physical play and aggressiveness to the ground game. Gray is a legend for the Seahawks, but played horribly down the stretch in 2007.
As the Seahawks prepare for life after Holmgren, the moves they make now have to be so that they can transition away from one of the best offensive minded head coaches of this era. Head coach in waiting Jim Mora Jr. was known for strong running games when he was in Atlanta, and the team is banking on that same success come 2009.
E-mail Luke at Luke@newerascouting.com.