Bleacher Report - Seattle Seahawks

Does Michael Crabtree's Injury Make Seahawks Favorites in Loaded NFC West?

Zach Kruse — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:29:59 -0400

In a divisional race as contested as the NFC West is likely to be in 2013, a significant injury like the one suffered by San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree Tuesday just might tilt the scales in the Seattle Seahawks' direction.

According to Mike Garafolo of USA Today, Crabtree tore his Achilles tendon during Tuesday's organized team activities. The surgery required to fix the injury could ultimately force Crabtree to miss the entire 2013 season.

While Garafolo points out that recent spring-time injuries to the Achilles of both Terrell Suggs and Da'Quan Bowers did not result in missing the ensuing season, Crabtree's injury is a huge blow to a 49ers team that will need all of its weapons to hold off the Seahawks in the NFC West.

A first-round pick of the 49ers in 2009, Crabtree finally broke out in a big way during his fourth NFL season. Over 16 regular-season games, Crabtree caught 85 passes for 1,105 yards and nine scores—each representing new career highs. He followed up his best regular season with 20 catches for 285 yards and three scores during San Francisco's three-game playoff run.

Now the 49ers will have to adjust to life without their best receiver for a majority of next season.

Luckily for San Francisco, the receiver depth chart does offer some potential answers.

Veteran Anquan Boldin was acquired this offseason to help Crabtree as a possession-type No. 2, but he'll now assume the duties of a No. 1 receiver. A.J. Jenkins, last season's first-round pick from Illinois, will be expected to take a big jump, and 2012 fourth-rounder Quinton Patton should see more opportunities.

And once Mario Manningham and Kyle Williams return to 100 percent after ACL injuries, the 49ers should be fine in terms of numbers at the position.

However, losing a dynamic talent like Crabtree—especially after the chemistry developed between him and quarterback Colin Kaepernick last season—has to rank as a huge blow that can't be understated.

From Week 13 on last season (including the postseason), Crabtree was without question Kaepernick's favorite target. Over eight total games, the two hooked up 55 times for 823 yards and seven scores.

Now, Kaepernick will enter his first full season as the starting quarterback without his go-to receiver.

No team should benefit more from the loss than the Seahawks.

A winner of 11 regular-season games and one postseason contest last season, Seattle has positioned itself this offseason to be a top contender in both the division and the conference. Additions such as Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett have provided the Seahawks' with necessary ammunition for what still shapes up to be the best divisional race in the NFL.

The 49ers will now have to face a difficult schedule—especially at the start—without a key playmaker.

San Francisco opens up at home against Green Bay in Week 1 before traveling to Seattle in Week 2. Tricky games with Indianapolis, St. Louis and Houston loom in the next three weeks, which should give the 49ers one of the more challenging early schedules in football.

Even if Crabtree can make a miraculous recovery, he's almost certain to miss the first half or so of next season.

Just a few slip-ups early could be the difference between winning a division title and playing for the wild card behind Seattle.

The 49ers are still talented enough on both sides of the football to overcame one significant injury, but the Seahawks have to be feeling better about their chances to win the NFC West today than they did yesterday.

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Seattle Seahawks Running Back Breakdown: Evaluation and Depth Chart Analysis

Todd Pheifer — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:52:24 -0400

When it comes to the running back position, the Seattle Seahawks have one of the best groups in the NFL. Granted, running back can be a position that has some extreme ups and downs. If a star running back goes down, it can drastically change the effectiveness of the offense.

The emergence of Russell Wilson as an effective quarterback has certainly given the Seahawks more options on offense, but this is still a running team. You could even argue that Wilson’s running ability gives them another ground option out of the backfield.

Assuming that players stay healthy, Seattle should remain one of the most dangerous running teams in the NFL. The Seahawks averaged 161.2 yards in 2012, which was good for third in the league.

Here is a breakdown of the Seattle running backs and how the depth chart should unfold.

Marshawn Lynch

2012 season: 315 carries, 1,590 yards, 11 TDs (one TD receiving)

Get ready for another season of Beast Mode. Marshawn Lynch remains one of the top backs in the NFL, and the Seahawks are likely to depend on their tough running back yet again in 2013. After all, he still has one of the best runs in NFL history, and it is hard to get tired of seeing it.

Adding Christine Michael may help share the load and change the way that the Seahawks use their running backs. However, look for Lynch to be the starter and featured back for the foreseeable future.

The drafting of Michael does not mean that the Lynch era is coming to an end. If anything, Marshawn Lynch may be in his prime for the next season or two. However, NFL running backs can have short careers, and declines can happen very quickly.

For now, fans in the end zone should keep their Skittles at the ready.

Position: Starter

Robert Turbin

2012 season: 80 carries, 354 yards, zero TDs

Robert Turbin was a solid back in 2012, and he may play a similar role in the 2013 season. What is unclear is what the long-term plan is for the second-year running back.

Is Turbin destined to be a backup, or could he see an expanded role at some point?

Adding Christine Michael will almost certainly cost Turbin some touches, though Michael will still have to prove that he can be an effective NFL running back. Turbin did survive his rookie campaign, so he may be all the more effective in 2013 with a year under his belt.

Position: First Backup

Christine Michael

2012 season (college): 88 carries, 417 yards, 12 TDs

It is fair to suggest that the selection of Michael was a surprising pick in the second round since the fans and experts probably expected the Seahawks to go in a different direction in the NFL draft. However, Pete Carroll and John Schneider have been anything but predictable in the last couple of years.

Michael is a talented player, so the potential is definitely there. However, he did have some issues in college. In addition, how do you use a rookie with notable ability when Marshawn Lynch is your established starter?

It will be interesting to see how Michael performs in training camp and the preseason. This may give a clue as to his role in the regular season. Depth is great in certain positions, but you also want particular players to get into a flow.

Position: Second Backup

Michael Robinson

2012 season: 12 carries, 49 yards, zero TDs (two TDs receiving)

Obviously the stat line for a fullback is never going to be particularly impressive from a numerical standpoint. However, football fans know that the fullback is not necessarily supposed to rack up the numbers.

If anything, the numbers of Marshawn Lynch say something about the effectiveness of the fullback. In that regard, Michael Robinson continues to be an excellent blocker and a guy who can break off the occasional run to keep the defense honest.

It seems reasonable to assume that Robinson will remain the guy who sets the table for Marshawn Lynch in 2013. The job isn't glamorous, but it is vitally important.

Position: Starter

Spencer Ware

2012 season (college): 94 carries, 367 yards, one TD

The Seahawks thought enough of Spencer Ware to select him in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Whether he can make the team is an entirely different issue.

Overall, the LSU running back has the ability to contribute at fullback, but there just may not be a roster spot for him. The same could be said for Derrick Coleman, who is also currently on the roster.

Both Ware and Coleman will probably have to put on some excellent performances if they are going to make the deep team.

Position: Wild Card

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Seattle Seahawks OTA: Jerrod Johnson Most Intriguing Prospect?

Thomas Holmes — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:18:09 -0400

Jerrod Johnson intrigues me.

Intrigues me in the same way that receiver Mike Williams did a few years back when Pete Carroll first came to town to take over the Seattle Seahawks.

I use the word intrigue here, because based on his performance in rookie camp, it's hard to judge exactly what Johnson brings to the table. Basically all we saw were a handful of raw prospects playing two-hand touch, so forgive me if I'm hesitant to get too excited about what we've seen or heard thus far.

Yet much like Williams, Johnson is a raw and well-traveled prospect who might be worth rooting for this week as the team participates in official voluntary workouts.

Honestly, though, when I first heard that the 'Hawks had signed Johnson, per Seahawks.com, a few weeks ago, I didn't really give too much thought to the move.

It was only after seeing him at rookie camp that I started to recall the story of a passer at Texas A&M who looked like a potential Heisman candidate with a touching story of loss and the hope for redemption that ESPN's David Ubben penned prior to the 2010 season.

Unfortunately, I lost track of Johnson soon after as he struggled with the Aggies that season and lost the starting job to future Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Such is life in sports—one minute you're the starting quarterback for a major college football team trying to put your life back together after losing your father unexpectedly, the next you're a journeyman simply hoping to catch on in the NFL.

After stops in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with the Eagles and Steelers, not to mention stints in both the UFL and AFL, could a player who still qualifies as a rookie make the 'Hawks' final roster?

For all we know, Johnson may end up as nothing more than a passing fancy that over the course of a weekend caught Pete Carroll's eye, who in a few days, months or weeks could be cut loose like so many other prospects.

Still, I'd like to say that I have hope for Johnson simply because the options behind current starter Russell Wilson leave me feeling a little uneasy.

Looking back, I can understand why the 'Hawks traded Matt Flynn to Oakland, but the choice of Brady Quinn to serve as backup to Wilson seemed uninspired. It was almost as if the front office begrudgingly opted for Quinn in seeing him as the least objectionable choice from a bland mix of contestants.

Maybe with a fresh start in Seattle Quinn can make a name for himself after kicking around the league himself for several years, but quite frankly, I hope the 'Hawks never need to find out.

As for Josh Portis, by this point I feel we know what we're getting after having seen him at camp for several years now. He's a developmental prospect who really hasn't developed. Where you wish to lay blame for that is up to you, but I'd imagine everyone sees this year as a now-or-never situation for him in terms of his future.

Of course, in a few weeks' time who knows what will happen, but I like Johnson's odds and give him a puncher's chance. He has the size and skill to potentially put the likes of Quinn and Portis on edge, and if he continues to show that his mechanics are sound, he could make it this year.

Either way, fingers crossed that by the end of summer the 'Hawks have a new quarterback waiting in the wings who intrigues a few more people than just me. If that happens to be Jerrod Johnson, I think it may solid step forward for both him and the team.

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Seattle Seahawks: What to Watch for at OTAs

Todd Pheifer — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:03:10 -0400

The Seattle Seahawks have reached that crucial part of the season when commitment is truly measured. That’s right, it’s time for OTAs (Organized Team Activities).

This is where you start to find out some things about players, particularly rookies. Obviously these activities have a role in the entire process, but that doesn’t stop some players from skipping out on these “optional” events.

For the Seahawks, OTAs are scheduled (via NFL.com) May 20, 21, 23, 28, 29 and 31. Workouts are also scheduled from June 3 through 6.

Will this be the year that the Seahawks finally win the Super Bowl? If so, the road to a championship may start with these workouts. After all, the team that is dedicated to winning is willing to put in the work from start to finish.

With that in mind, here are some things to watch for at the Seattle Seahawks’ OTAs.

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What Does the Bruce Irvin Suspension Mean for the Seattle Seahawks?

Gary Davenport — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:38:19 -0400

Did you ever get the feeling that things were going too well? That odd sense of dread that comes just before the other shoe drops?

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is having that kind of day.

The Seahawks got the first bad news of what has otherwise been a wildly successful offseason on Friday. As Lindsay Jones of USA Today reports, defensive end Bruce Irvin has been suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing-drug policy.

The second-year pro, who had 16 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble for the Seahawks in 2012, was contrite in a statement in which the 26-year-old stated he would not appeal the suspension:

I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Seahawks fans for making a mistake when I took a substance that is prohibited in the NFL without a medical exemption. I am extremely disappointed in the poor judgment I showed and take full responsibility for my actions,

Irvin's suspension continues a troubling trend for the Seahawks. Since 2011, no fewer than six Seattle players have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

That rather unsettling fact aside, the more pressing issue for the Seahawks becomes what to do while Irvin is out of action.

How many adjustments the Seahawks need to make defensively will depend in large part on whether defensive end Chris Clemons is available in Week 1.

The 31-year-old, who led the Seahawks with 11.5 sacks last year, tore his ACL in the playoffs, and his availability for the beginning of the 2013 season is still very much in doubt.

If Clemons is good to go, then it's simple. He plays one end spot, free-agent acquisition Cliff Avril mans the other, and all is right with the universe.

However, if Clemons isn't ready to take the field against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 8, then the Seahawks may have to play musical pass-rushers.

The easiest solution in that event would seem to entail another of the Seahawks' free-agent pickups.

Seattle's original intent was to move Michael Bennett, who had nine sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, from defensive end to tackle. However, if Clemons isn't ready to play by the beginning of the season, then those plans may be scuttled, at least temporarily.

Luckily, the Seahawks have the depth at tackle to change those plans in the short term. Brandon Mebane is a veteran presence who had 56 tackles and three sacks a year ago. Additionally, Seattle added depth at tackle in the 2013 NFL Draft with Alabama's Jesse Williams and Jordan Hill of Penn State.

There had also been some talk of lining up Irvin at strong-side linebacker, which would allow the team to flip K.J. Wright to the weak side, filling the gap left by the departure of Leroy Hill.

Those plans would also appear to be on hold, at least for now, leaving the team the decision of plugging an unproven player, such as Heath Farwell, into the starting lineup or combing through the bargain bin for another free-agent pickup.

The good news is, it would appear the Seattle Seahawks have the depth to absorb Bruce Irvin's suspension with minimal adverse impact. It may have appeared a month ago that the Seahawks were hoarding defensive linemen. Now, it looks like they covered their bases very well.

The bad news is that Bruce Irvin now joins an alarmingly long list of Seattle players looking at a one-year vacation if they run afoul of the NFL again.

Seriously. Guys. Step away from the medicine cabinet.

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