FANS CAN'T WAIT FOR 2013 NFL SEASON TO BEGIN
As the highly-anticipated 2013 National Football League season approaches, all 32 franchises began to survey their chances at competing for a division title, a conference title and the coveted Lombardi trophy. There are still five teams that have yet to traverse the 16 game regular season, and the playoff challenges to even get to the Super Bowl. However, with more parity than any of the major professional sports league in America, that optimism is not too far-reaching for even the worst team to consider. While it's probable that last place teams from the previous year have a taller mountain to climb, free agency has made it possible for a struggling franchise to go from worst to first in a single off-season.
The NFL salary cap has limited teams from building dynasties the way that the Dallas Cowboys did in the 90s and the San Francisco 49ers did in the 80s. Players are signing shorter contracts for more money and unrestricted free agents have the freedom to choose the team they will play for, providing the franchise offers up the most money and most secure contract. The way that the most recent collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was negotiated, veteran players are likely to get bigger contracts, but less likely to play later in their careers. Rookies are now playing under a CBA that limits their ability to strike big contracts directly out of the draft, but more likely to make team's rosters due to salary cap restraints causing teams to load up on cheaper players that are easier to fit into a financial model of success and creating much younger rosters. In other words, the NFL is wiping out the middle earning players the way that the US government is creating a more severe disparity of wealth and poverty among working Americans. There are fewer players signing lengthy contracts for moderate amounts of money, and more rookies signing for the limited four-year contracts and then waived once the contract expires or the team gambles on a player's viability of being replaced with equal or slightly less talented players. The best players in football are signing mammoth deals and most of those players are; quarterbacks, wide receivers, left tackles and corners. It is likely that the current CBA will be renegotiated in the next two years based on the imbalance of player revenue and the team owner's insistence on redefining the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs (PED) and the declining state of player conduct on and off the field. Yesterday, the NFL announced that they would like to institute immediate testing for the drug "Human Growth Hormone" (HGH). It is expected that the NFL players Association will respond by rejecting the request by the NFL league office. In order for drug testing policies to change, the present CBA would have to be renegotiated and that could be a huge rats nest for the league, especially after the lockout two years ago while the NFLPA and league office couldn't come to an agreement and nearly missed a regular-season play stoppage.
The Seahawks had perhaps the best off-season of any team in the NFL this year, trading for the electrifying wide receiver Percy Harvin and signing four high profile free agents; DE Cliff Avril, DE Michael Bennett, DT Tony McDaniel and CB Antoine Winfield. All five players were highly sought after in the NFL, but all chose the Seahawks as their home team for the upcoming season and beyond. However, since then much as been discussed in terms of just how successful the Seahawks were in collecting these five players and some of the negative activity of players already on the Seahawks roster from last season. Shortly after Michael Bennett was signed to a one-year deal, it was announced that he was nursing a torn rotator cuff and was considering surgery. He has decided to put off surgery until the end of this upcoming season, and revealed that he played the entire 2012 season with the injury and wasn't affected by it, logging his highest career sack title in a season, 9.5 sacks. Bennett will play through the injury and has scheduled surgery after the conclusion of the 2013 season. Recently, Cliff Avril was diagnosed with a foot injury (plantar fasciitis) which was sustained this off-season during his off-season training program. Pete Carroll addressed the injury saying that Avril will heal from the injury, but will be held out of full practice activity for at least two weeks. The concern is that this variety of injury can be chronic if not rested properly. Avril is a veteran defensive end and should be fully capable and ready to play by the first preseason game. Then, after all this, Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Mike Quinn will have to deal with the most recent step backwards for the Seahawks, Bruce Irvin testing positive for PED's. The drug has been reported to be the familiar stimulant "Adderall" prohibited by the NFL without a doctor's prescription. Irvin is without a prescription and is the sixth team player linked to the drug since Pete Carroll was hired as head coach of the Seahawks three years ago. Irvin has announced that he will not appeal the test results and has been suspended by the NFL for four games at the beginning of the 2013 season. If that's not enough, the Seahawks are still uncertain of the return of sack specialist, Chris Clemons, after season ending surgery from a torn ACL Clemons suffered in the wild-card playoff game at Washington last season. Clemons' rehabilitation process is reported to be ahead of schedule, but all reports suggest that he will not be available for the first game of the regular season. So, what was once considered the greatest improvement for the Seahawks has turned into somewhat of a question mark. In the Seahawks favor, they did draft two talented defensive lineman in the draft (DT Jordan Hill/NT Jesse Williams) and their offense is much more explosive with addition of Percy Harvin and the maturation of second year quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson had a fantastic rookie season and appears to be getting better with each passing game. Having Harvin lining up in several positions and his ability to create instant separation, he should become the young quarterbacks favorite target right out of the blocks. Because of the loss of Bruce Irvin in the first four games, it's even more critical that Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett step up and create a reliable defensive pass rush until Irvin returns and Clemons is through rehabbing. Once they return, the Seahawks defensive line should become one of the best in the NFL. For now, Carroll and Quinn will have to coach the heck out of the new draftees and hope that Bennett and Avril get and stay healthy.
Troubles on the offensive side of the football for the Seahawks are also still looming. Starting halfback, Marshawn Lynch, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Lynch has appealed his arrest and any potential action by the NFL for violation of their personal conduct policy. Lynch was arrested before the 2012 season, but his case has been delayed several times, including the most recent delay of ruling on May 20. It's uncertain how many games Lynch could be suspended if he is convicted and the league or the Seahawks decide to take action. Just one more distraction to the team and more negative attention that the Seahawks do not need.
Chancellor, in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday, said the team had a meeting after Irvin's suspension.
"The vets, we put a meeting together to talk to the guys about not making the same mistakes over and over," he said
"We have to grow up and move past that," Chancellor said. "That's pretty much the message right now, growing up and not making the same mistakes over and over."Coach Pete Carroll said last week that the Seahawks go beyond the league requirements for educating players, but he said they will continue to re-evaluate what needs to be done.
Chancellor called Irvin a "key part of our defense," but said he was confident in Seahawks' depth will help to fill the void left by his suspension in the season's first four games.
"Whoever steps in in that role will do an amazing job as well," Chancellor said. "So we shouldn't miss a beat."
"Continually because it's not right yet. We all know that there are big issues. It's not just here it's not just in sports. It's in schools. It's everywhere," he said. "We have to try and figure it out and help through education and all of the ways that we can and we'll always compete to try and find more creative ways to make the message clear."In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio last week, Seahawks general manager John Schneider called Irvin's suspension a "learning opportunity" for the team.
"This is something we take very seriously here," Schneider said in the interview. "The league has done a great job of educating guys and we've actually gone above and beyond what the league has done. We have a guy in place here that helps our player development people. You do what you can. It's very disappointing. Pete and I sat down with Bruce. Pete addressed it with the team. Bruce addressed the team."
The rest of the Seattle Seahawks roster looks great. Coach Carroll raved about his newly drafted tight end, Luke Willson (with two L's). Coach said how impressed he was with the rookie's speed and great hands. The Seahawks have badly needed a tight end to play on the other side of the offensive line, opposite Zach Miller. Miller has been a fixture at the position and blocks and catches passes equally well. Willson already possesses all the skills to be a great pass catching tight end, but like most rookies at the position, his blocking will need to improve. Carroll also praised Chris Harper, the hefty wide receiver with the kind of speed the Seahawks and needed on the outside for some time. Harper is 6'1" and 235 lbs. and with a 4.45 40, he has the kind of speed to get separation and threaten the top end of defenses. "He is the size and speed of a wide receiver that we don't presently have," said Carroll. "He has the combination of speed, size and hands to make catches with defenders hanging all over him." Another player receiving good marks from the coaching staff is 6'5" 335 lb. Jesse Williams. The Seahawks sorely needed a player of Williams stature after losing Alan Branch to the Buffalo Bills in free agency. Now that Red Bryant is healthy and the addition of Williams, Jordan Hill and Tony McDaniel, the Seahawks now have a formidable interior defensive line to add to Brendan Mebane and Clinton McDonald. Stuffing the running game should be something the Seahawks will be able to do again proficiently.
The national view of the 2013 Seahawks began with a huge bang. The Seahawks were voted the best defense in the NFL and the fourth best offense behind just New England and Denver. It's a universal belief that the Seahawks possess the most physical and dominating defensive secondary in football. With the addition of free agents and draft selections, hopefully the Seahawks run defense will also become dominant this year.
Most draft analysts believed the Seahawks would be a much better team if they got help at the linebacker position and added a threatening wide receiver through the draft or free agency. Adding Percy Harvin to the Seahawks wide receiver Corps, Seattle became a much more dangerous offensive threat immediately. However, Carroll and GM John Schneider opted not to take an outside linebacker early in the draft as most expected they would. Seattle did pick a OLB in the seventh round, Ty Powell, a versatile defensive end drafted to play on the Will position. Pete Carroll addressed the press and indicated he and Schneider were comfortable with Powell and the players already on the roster to handle the spot vacated by the release of veteran Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill. Malcolm Smith played the position for most of the snaps in the last half of the season and the Seahawks may have found a hidden gem in John Lotulelei. Lotulelei was signed as a undrafted free-agent out of the University of Idaho. He has a huge mane of hair out the back of his helmet, and more importantly, a motor that just doesn't stop. Lotulelei is just 5'11", which is primarily why he wasn't drafted, but he weighs in at 240 lbs. and has the lateral speed to play in space and to pursue sideline to sideline. His highlight reel reminds one of Lofa Tatupu and Troy Polamalu, and not just because they are also of Polynesian dissent. It's hard however not to think of Polamalu with the black hair flying out of the back of his helmet. I think Lotulelei could be a real steal for the Seahawks and he might just make the team because of his potential in special teams. He is like a heat-seeking missile on the field and a real nose and instinct for the football.
There is a lot to be excited about the Seattle Seahawks and the upcoming season. I'm not big on a lot of Super Bowl talk in May, or November for that matter, but the people who lay down money to guesstimate who will be hoisting the big shiny gold football in February like the Seahawks a lot. Las Vegas odds have the Seahawks a 17 to 2 favorite to win the Super Bowl. It's a long, long season and it all has to be proven out on the field, but the Seahawks don't care about polls or odds. I think the leadership on this football team will be focused and ready to play when the whistle blows.
Vegas Odds to win Super Bowl XLVIII:
San Francisco 49ers 6/1
Denver Broncos 7/1
New England Patriots 8/1
Seattle Seahawks 17/2
Green Bay Packers 12/1
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