Seattle Seahawks: 4 Key Veterans Who'll Take a Backseat in 2012

The Seattle Seahawks, under head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, have spent the last two offseasons tearing down their roster and rebuilding it with players that fit their system. They have become one of the most surprisingly talented young rosters in the NFL and appear to be poised for a breakout season.

The new Seahawk management has taken a sharp departure from the Tim Ruskell regime. While the old plan was to focus on fast athletes that could play football, Carroll and Schneider are looking for football players who are fast and athletic.

The two demands are quite different, which led to the churn in the Seahawks roster. Most of the new players are young, leaving the Seahawks roster a bit thin on veteran talent. More important, the players are on the current roster because Carroll and Schneider believe they can contribute. 

For the purpose of this article, "veteran" will be reserved for players that have met the four-season threshold the NFL uses to determine unrestricted free agents. Seattle currently has 62 players on its roster, 16 of whom qualify as veterans. All but four of them figure prominently in the team's future plans.

Mike Williams, WR

It is hard to expect Mike Williams to play any less or a role in 2012 than he did in 2011. He's on this list because he isn't likely to get the same attention he did in 2010, but it could be close.

Williams is a sure-handed fighter when it comes to catching passes. He is seldom "open," but when the ball is sent his way he almost always catches it. Tarvaris Jackson had a hard time pulling the trigger with Williams, and it isn't surprising that his biggest reception on the season was a deep ball thrown by Sidney Rice.

Matt Flynn could prove to be the best thing to happen to Williams' career since Pete Carroll. He will be able to push the ball to Williams, making for a solid combination.

Alan Branch, DT

Alan Branch won't be taking a backseat in 2012 so much as he's going to have to sit on the "hump," the annoying, cramped middle seat in the cab of a 1984 F-150.

Branch had a successful first season in Seattle and brought the expected pass rush and run support. He had 3.0 sacks and 34 tackles, making for a career-best season. 

The addition of Jason Jones gives the Seahawks another talented interior pass rusher that can also work from the defensive end slot. Look for Seattle to use him and Branch in several different locations on the line.

Jones should actually open up more opportunities for Branch, even if it is with fewer snaps.

Ben Obomanu, WR

Ben Obomanu may actually help the Seahawks in 2012 by leaving.

He was given an opportunity to start in 2011 following injuries to Sidney Rice and Mike Williams. Obomanu ended up getting buried in a deep pool of No. 2 receivers, unable to differentiate himself from Doug Baldwin or Golden Tate, and now rookies Ricardo Lockette and Kris Durham hold promise as the complement to Rice.

Obomanu still has value as an NFL receiver, but the six-year veteran's role in Seattle is about to be trumped by youth.

The Seahawks could look to use Obomanu as part of a draft-day trade package. There are several teams that need receiver help and could look to Seattle's roster for help. 

Tarvaris Jackson, QB

To be fair, Matt Flynn still needs to win the starting quarterback battle with Tarvaris Jackson. However, if Flynn isn't able to establish himself as a clear upgrade over Jackson, his contract allows Schneider to draft someone that will.

Jackson gave Seattle several quality starts in 2011. He also had a few less-than-memorable outings and failed in all six opportunities to lead a fourth-quarter comeback.

He played through a torn pectoral muscle, and while there still might be some hope for him to become a good quarterback, he should be expected to be a lower second-tier starting quarterback. 

Jackson's role in 2012 will likely be as one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL.