2013 NFL PRESEASON MARRED WITH LEAGUE WIDE INJURIES

Seattle Seahawks Team Surgical Specialties Physicians 2013

So, just where do the Seahawks stand with their 90 man roster and which players are most likely to stay and which players will likely be released before August 31, the date when all NFL teams must reduce their rosters number to 53?  One thing is for certain… The players that get cut from this talented football team won't be out of work for long.  Particularly considering the fact that former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who is now the Jacksonville Jaguars rookie head coach, will be waiting in the wings for the Seahawks to make their cuts.  The Jaguars are number two on the waiver list and will have an early opportunity to make Seattle's trash their treasure.  Bradley is intimately invested in many of the players that the Seahawks might cut and with a team that is in a rebuilding mode, it would be very natural to see Gus pickup talented football players who just weren't enough to make one of the best rosters in the NFL.  This is going to be one of the most difficult seasons in Pete Carroll's career in making player cut before the season starts.  Seattle is extremely deep at; defensive  line, wide receiver, running back and their deepest talent, defensive corner.  Several of the players that will be released by Seattle could start for several teams throughout the NFL, and they will.

Throughout the National Football League team trainers and doctors are working around the clock to help mend the bumps, bruises and various injuries to rookie players and veterans alike.  In over 40 years watching NFL football, I've never seen so many preseason injuries to players, and at all positions; quarterback to kicker.  It's difficult, without access to each teams medical history, to determine if there are more injuries occurring during the 2013 preseason [comparatively], or if there are simply more injuries being reported to the media than ever before.  Technology has certainly changed the way the media covers football and it has drastically increased the way that fans follow the intricacies of the pro-football experience. The advent of the Internet, combined with the various communication systems, available to practically every football fan, has opened up a new awareness of what is happening inside the game.  The National Football League has continued to be the  pioneers in making pro-football the most exciting, enjoyable and watchable sport in America. Decade after decade, and every step of the way the NFL has attempted to bring the fans closer to the field in every way possible.  Where we once marveled at the fantastic camerawork the NFL used for its Super Bowl coverage, now you see that kind of attention to detail in every single game played today.  It used to be common for a regular-season game to have eight fixed standard definition cameras stationed at various positions around the stadium… and the fans were satisfied.  However, the NFL was not satisfied, and now there are dozens of cameras all over the stadium; in the crowd, up and down the sidelines, in the end zones, and now even above the field, giving viewers the ability to see plays develop from the perspective of the actual players on the field.  The motorized and remotely operated "Sky-Cam," is suspended by cables high above the gridiron and is able to cover every inch of the football field.

Along with all this amazing camerawork and press coverage of the games, practices and training preparation, we are also seeing some of the more intimate details of the lives of players, coaches and other people involved in the game… and with it, we are seeing aspects of their lives that are not at all exciting or entertaining.  I am speaking specifically of player and their injuries.  Injuries are naturally a part of tackle football, a game that features; huge, strong, fast, and powerful athletes who purposely crash and colliding with one another with the goal often winning by attrition.  The question isn't "IF" a player it might get injured, but when and the level of severity.  Because of the violent nature of football, most players will admit that they never play 100% healthy.  There is always some nagging ache or pain that goes along with playing the game.

Because of the public's steadily increasing access to the NFL game in America, the players health and conditioning have become an open forum to the press and therefore to the public.  We are hearing about every groin pull, stubbed toe, sprained ankle, torn ACL or any other health complication that jeopardizes the player's ability to take the field at practice or a game.  I wonder if this is why we are hearing so much about player injuries.  Is it just increased awareness Or is there something more troubling for the NFL to investigate, perhaps even the NFL players Association.  Is it just a coincidence that player injuries have escalated since the signing of the new collective bargaining agreement?  Are players coming into camp not prepared for football related drill?  The question needs to be asked and answered and any solution would benefit both the owners and the NFLPA. Strength and conditioning coaches are typically held responsible for keeping players fit and ready to play.  However, all players presumably have their own off-season workout regimen to keep themselves physically fit and ready to play once they join their respective teams at the OTA's,  minicamps and especially the preseason training camp.



The NFL has continued to try and bring football fans closer to the game, filming portions of training camp practices that are also open to the press and to the public for the first two weeks of the season. Fans can now witness their performance in practice and in training camp and even learning of players sustaining injuries in almost real-time. Any way you look at it, I think America is becoming more educated about the common and not so common injuries occurring to some of the most supremely conditioned athletes in the world.  Words that you may have never heard or thought about before have now become commonplace in the discussions going on concerning football teams and their players; Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries, Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries, Patella Tendinitis, Lisfranc injuries, Plantar Fasciitis, Rotator Cuff Tears, Hip Flexor injuries, Hip and Shoulder Labrum Tears, Spinal Stenosis and all sorts of other medical terms have found their way into common football vernacular.  For sure, football fans are learning about human anatomy whether they planned to or not.

The Seahawks coaching staff and medical staff have probably never worked so closely together and probably wished it was never necessary.  Each day Pete Carroll ends his training camp practice with a rather lengthy press conference going over the teams infirmary report.  Prior to the first preseason game in San Diego, the Seahawks reported eight players being held out of action due to injury.  Some of those injuries were considered minor, some were relatively severe and some of them included players rehabilitating from off-season surgery.  However, after the Seahawks' preseason game against the Chargers, Seattle's infirmary report shot up to 18 players.

As the seasons pass, it seems that more and more coaches find less and less use for preseason games.  Too many pointless injuries occur and because of the odd brand of coaching during these insignificant scrimmages, it's difficult to determine whether a player is performing at a high enough level to be worthy of the 53 man roster, or not.  Since the team owners and the NFL players Association stipulated on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), it has drastically reduced the amount of time players are on a practice field competing for their jobs, and even more limited opportunity to see them making any real contact.  The CBA eliminated the long-standing "two a days" which required players to take part in a morning practice session and an afternoon session.  Players objected to the grueling nature of these long practices and negotiated to have them not only reduced to once a day, but the number of hours they are on the field was also limited.  In addition, players are rarely in full contact drills, handicapping the coaches ability to see them in real time, real speed and real contact situations.  Much of the practice drills are referred to as "walk-through drills" further frustrating coaches and making it particularly hard to see players create separation between themselves and those competing for the same position.  With the current state of injuries in the NFL preseason, it's even making things more difficult.

The Seahawks made key acquisitions during the off-season including, Percy Harvin, the player that Seattle and almost every other football analyst believed was going to be the player to take the Seahawks to another level and perhaps to their second Super Bowl appearance.  Harvin was signed to a lucrative deal in Seattle, but almost immediately he reported that he was experiencing discomfort in his hip.  Seahawks doctors and trainers believed it was a hip flexor strain, but after all of the off-season training sessions concluded, he reported to training camp with much more serious news.  He was taken in to have his hip scanned with an MRI, and Seahawks physicians reported that he had a possible small hip labrum tear, but could possibly play through it.  As the NFL CBA provides, players have the right to seek another opinion independent of the Seahawks franchise.  Harvin flew to Germany to be examined by a highly regarded hip specialist who advised Harvin to have it surgically repaired immediately.  Harvin decided to take his advice and went through a arthroscopic procedure to have a hip repaired.  Percy Harvin's expected return is estimated to be mid-November or early December.  If everything goes as expected during his rehabilitation assignment, Pete Carroll and the Seahawks are hoping to have their newest and most dangerous weapon in uniform for the New Orleans Saints game on December 2.  However, Carroll was careful to point out that they have no reason to hurry up his rehab if he's not completely ready to play.  It's important to remember, this Seahawks offense was one of the most prolific scoring teams in the NFL over the second half of the 2012 season scoring 150 points total in three games (50 point average) This was all done without Percy Harvin on the roster.  The point is Seattle has plenty of play-makers to be just as dangerous, if not more, than last season.  Sidney Rice remained healthy all season long, Golden Tate proved to be the play-maker everyone new him to be out of Notre Dame, and they have a healthy slot receiver, Doug Baldwin, returning to the lineup this year.  Baldwin led the entire team in receptions as a rookie coming out of Stanford an undrafted free-agent.  In addition, new acquisition, 6'5" WR Stephen Williams, has looked outstanding in camp and also in the first preseason game against the Chargers, playing the X receiver.  Jermaine Kearse has had a terrific camp and could be another dangerous weapon for Russell Wilson.  Kearse has also been an outstanding special teams player, which could be a determining factor as the coaching staff evaluates the entire package offered by each receiver.  The Seahawks also drafted Chris Harper, a 6'1" torpedo of muscles, weighing 235 lbs. and running the 40 in just 4.47 seconds.  Carroll and the Seahawks are expecting a lot from this talented rookie receiver.  The wide receiver Corps for the Seahawks is alive and well and to add to that, the Seahawks have Zach Miller returned and new draft selection Luke Willson, of the University of Rice, who is 6'5" and has 4.5 speed to go with his large frame. This Willson with two  L's in his name, is a tremendous pass receiving tightend and could make dynamic matchup advantages for their quarterback to hit deep and intermediate passes outside the pocket.  This could be an incredible value for the Seahawks to have a dangerous weapon downfield with size, speed and great hands.

Pete Carroll's defense has unlimited potential, but until he can get them all on the field at the same time healthy, all that potential will remain on paper.  The Seahawks were far more aggressive than anyone believed they would be during the free-agent market of available players.  The top defensive prize was Cliff Avril who became an unrestricted free agent after the Detroit Lions failed to offer him a deal.  No one really knows why Detroit allowed one of their best pass rushing defensive ends to hit the open market, but it likely happened because of a lack of available money in their salary cap.  Nevertheless, Seattle became the recipient of this experienced pass rushing phenom.  Unfortunately, Avril came with a few bumps and bruises.  Immediately when the minicamps began, Avril complained of a foot injury.  Plantar fasciitis was the diagnosis and it would mean that Seattle's new play toy would sit and watch the off-season drills as he waited for his foot condition to heal.  Not long after his foot injury seemed to heal, Avril sustained a minor pull of his hamstring.  This also kept Avril from training camp drills, but most of it was primarily decided on as a form of insurance that he would not exacerbate the problems.  Avril is a seasoned veteran and the layoff shouldn't slow him down.  In fact, this week (Thursday) the great defensive  end joined the rest of the team in full speed training camp activity.  To add to some of the less than encouraging news about Percy Harvin and Cliff Avril, the Seahawks learned that Michael Bennett has been suffering from a torn labrum on his right shoulder.  He played through the entire season with the injury and is expected to play through 2013 and address the shoulder injury after the season has concluded.  Pete Carroll is encouraged by the rehabilitation process of Seattle's top sack specialist, Chris Clemons, and said that he is hopeful that he could be ready for the beginning of the season.  They're not going to hurry him back, being 32 years old, and the fact that there are other players who can shore up the defensive line while he continues to get into game-playing shape.  Seattle signed Tony McDaniel shortly after acquiring Avril and Bennett, and he is a player who can provide pass rushing pressure on the interior of the defensive line, something the Seahawks lacked in 2012.  Bruce Irvin was going to be part of a major overhaul to his responsibilities for the upcoming year, but during the off-season Irvin tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug of some time, plus he sustained a groin injury just prior to the first preseason game.  Irvin will miss the first four games of the season due to a suspension for the PED's, and looks to be absent from the second preseason game as well.

Other nagging injuries affecting the Seahawks defensive squad include; Bobby Wagner (shoulder), Jesse Williams (knee), Tony McDaniel (ankle) and  Korey Toomer who has again injured his knee and may be out of the lineup in the first half of the regular-season.  The offense has its own nagging health issues, but none of them are particularly severe, Percy Harvin notwithstanding.    Oft injured lineman, James Carpenter, is again suffering a knee injury and of course Seattle has lost the services of tight end Anthony McCoy for the entire 2013 season.

It's a wonder why they are so many injuries in the NFL this off-season.  The NFLPA got what it wanted in the CBA regarding work-related issues, reducing the amount of time the players are required to be on the practice field, the number of training sessions per day and the contact drills have been reduced to the point where there is little hitting, blocking and tackling going on during training camp drills.

So why so many injuries you might ask?  Yes?  Well, for now, nobody really understands why the injury report has been so littered with players from all team and all positions.  It's likely an in-depth study will be done once the season concludes.  In the meantime, all NFL players will be required to wear; shoulder, hip, thigh and knee pads, no matter what position an athlete might play and when they play.  In theory, NFL officials are hoping to see less abrasions, lacerations and contusions than during the years when many players chose to omit these protective pads. The argument goes on as to whether players avoided these pieces of protective padding because they believed it limited their  performance oon the field, or if it was complete ego driven vanity.  The reaction by NFL players has been mixed. Wide receivers  and  defensive backs, like;  WR DeShawn Jackson and DB Dominique Rodgers Cromartie,, seemed to agree that pads limit their movement and slow them down, while other players like RB Adrian Peterson and RB Marshawn Lynch, think all the whining is all  for nothing.

Plenty of NFL players are griping about the looming requirement that they wear leg pads in 2013.  The reigning league MVP doesn’t want to hear that leg pads reduce player speed.

“I’ll call BS on that,” Peterson told Mike Garafolo of FOXSports.com.  ”It’s like, ‘You’re a National Football League player.  If a pad that doesn’t weigh but a couple of ounces slows you down, you don’t need to be playing in this league.’  Like, come on now.  Seriously.”

So what’s the real reason for the resistance?

“Guys like to be pretty, not wear the thigh pads and knee pads, but it protects you,” Peterson said.  ”There have been plenty of times I got hit in my knee and when I had my pants pulled up too high and that pad wasn’t there to protect it.  It didn’t feel good.  So I make sure I keep my pads pulled down and covering my knee just to be able to protect my body.”

COMPETE! SEAHAWKS RESERVES HAVE TRUE REASON TO BELIEVE

Golden Tate speaks for reserves: "Don't you forget about me"

It's not just a coincidence that Pete Carroll's name is half of his motto in life and in football; Com-pete, Com-pete, Always Compete!  But, this isn't just lip-service from some rah-rah, high-energy coach trying to excite and motivate his players.  "Always Compete" has always been Carroll's solemn belief in a system that continually renews itself simply on the premise that each position on his football team is a competition, not just a slogan, but a real promise.  The head coach of the Seahawks has promised his players, "If you outplay another player on the team consistently at his position in training camp, on the practice field, and in the classroom, you Will get playing time and you Will have your opportunity to be great.  The cornerstone of this belief system, however, requires that each player earns his playing time, unaffected by his draft position, the size of his contract or by any other status level based on something other than performance.  This has been promised and like any other leader in any situation, the system collapses and has no meaning unless the promises are honored.

There's no greater illustration of Pete Carroll's "Always Compete" mantra than the story of Russell Wilson, the 2012 third round selection by the Seahawks, from the University of Wisconsin… all 5'10 5/8" of him.  Most of us already know the story; how free-agent veteran, Matt Flynn from Green Bay, was signed with Seattle during the off-season with a multi-year multi-million dollar contract, and universally believed to be the heir apparent to the starting quarterback position with the Seahawks.  Flynn chose to sign with the Seahawks despite the fact that Pete Carroll wasn't willing to promise him the starting job.  He was promised, just like every other Seahawks player, that he would be given a legitimate chance to compete for a starting position, but that he would have to earn it.  It's important to mention that the Seahawks signed Flynn before the NFL draft, and before Russell Wilson was selected 75th overall to perhaps become the future signal caller in Seattle.  It was said that the team would go into training camp with a three-way competition for quarterback between incumbent Tavaris Jackson, veteran Matt Flynn and rookie Russell Wilson.  Practically every one of the Seahawks fans or NFL analysts on television and radio believed the job was Matt Flynn's to lose.  Even as the preseason wore on, it was clear that Wilson was outplaying both Jackson and Flynn, but still most believed it was a good idea to sit Wilson for a season, or perhaps part of the season, and start Flynn.  However, Pete Carroll was there during training camp and every practice between each of the four preseason exhibition games, and saw something in Wilson that the rest of us weren't lucky enough to see.  It is said that Russell Wilson had intangibles off the charts and a level of maturity and intelligence that made him stand out above everyone interviewed at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis over a year ago.  Unfortunately for the rest of the NFL, most saw his lack of height as a deterrent from him finding success at the professional level and 74 selections past without his name being called.  "He's too short" they all said, even though each of them noted his intangible qualities and maturity beyond his years.  In fact, Wilson showed excellent to above average on every other category used to evaluate a college quarterback for the NFL.  Wilson had a strong arm, and long arms for his size, and 10 inch hands, equivalent to a player as tall as 6'7".  Wilson has always been extremely athletic, running 4.5 seconds in the 40 and a 34 inch vertical leap.  However, the combine results don't tell even a fraction of the story when evaluating Wilson's ability as a quarterback.  His straight-line speed is pretty good, but when he starts changing direction and evading defenders and extending plays, then he's in his natural realm.  Wilson made scores of great defensive pass rushers look bad, and they would be the first to admit it.  Wilson has an innate ability to feel pocket pressure and he's only going to get better in his second season in the NFL.

Russell Wilson is only one example of Pete Carroll's system and his honor as an honest coach who is asking his players to trust him and the only way to get trust, is to show that you are trustworthy.

Richard Sherman grew up in the rough neighborhoods of Compton California.  He excelled in football and track, but football was his biggest love and he was rewarded after becoming a high school standout, at Dominguez High, as a wide receiver.  He began receiving offers from many esteemed colleges for a full academic scholarship.  Several great coaches from excellent programs around the nation came knocking for the lanky (6'3" 185 lb.), but athletic Sherman.  Pete Carroll of USC, Urban Meyer of Florida were among two of the most powerful programs that saw his potential, but it was Sherman himself who decided that "He, a kid from the rough streets of Compton, would be a Stanford graduate someday and the next big thing in college football.  You could say that Sherman was practically born with a chip on his shoulder and believe it or not, it's a welcome chip to him, primarily because it has been the central story of his entire career, it has become the motivating factor that keeps him revved up, motor running and goals reached one after another.  What's interesting is that no matter what he seems to do, he doesn't really get the credit for what he has accomplished on and off the field.  He is arguably the best defensive back on the team, (Earl Thomas might argue that), but is the only starting DB on the team not to be invited to the Pro bowl.  Simultaneously, he was picked All Pro at the cornerback position for the 2012 season, and snubbed at the Pro bowl again.  Yet, nothing seems to drag him down, in fact, quite the opposite.  He continually feeds from neglect and oversight and tops his performance in practically each game or season he plays.  When Sherman was drafted by the Seahawks, it might have looked as if he was excited and grateful to be picked by the Seahawks to play professional football, but that excitement would be disingenuous.  He believed he was worthy of a much higher draft position, and ever since that day, it has become fuel for his craft.  Sherman reported to the Seahawks training camp, a tall, lanky corner that had only one year experience at the collegiate level at the cornerback position.  Coach Carroll saw his competitive nature and his hard-working and intellectual approach to the game.  Sherman was in a backup position behind a standout of his own, out of Oregon; Walter Thurmond was starting at left corner for Seattle.  However, Pete Carroll is always looking for a player who is hungry and wants the limelight, the responsibility and the opportunity to show his talent.  Thurmond went down with an injury and Sherman was called into action.  The rest, as they say, is history… Carroll doesn't live by the adage "A player cannot lose his job to an injury."  He believes, the most capable player who has proved his worth on the practice field and all other opportunities to prove their ability, will be given playing time.  Thurmond has had an injury riddled career thus far in the NFL, and Richard Sherman made good on every opportunity he was afforded by the Seahawks and has become the best cover corner in football.

Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor have similar stories of rising to the occasion of opportunity.  Browner was playing in the Canadian football league after being passed over in the NFL draft by all 32 teams.  Chancellor's story is similar to that of Richard Sherman.  Both were excellent players in college, and both were passed over until the fifth round.  While both Sherman and Chancellor appreciate the Seahawks giving them the opportunity to play in Seattle, both of them are still very salty about being disrespected.  Carroll loves finding players who have interesting and inspiring stories, stories that incite special motivation and unique reasons for a tireless preparation and a motor that runs on high, no matter what the reason.  He also likes to find players who possess certain unique athletic ability, sometimes completely bypassing any traditional benchmarks or trends for evaluating talent.  This is why players who truly believe in themselves and their talent love playing in his system, his program and with his fundamental approach to competition and equal opportunity for everyone despite any other predetermination or status level that precedes them.  He literally couldn't care less how much money you're being paid, what draft position you may have been selected in or your reputation with your previous team or college achievement.  Competition can only be competition if it's a real and if the competitors believe that they have a chance to succeed.  Carroll wouldn't give a second thought to a player on his team just because they might be related to an NFL legend, or if they happened to play for a small Division II or Division III school or if they were awarded a Heisman Trophy, and Outland Award or a Butkus Award.  He has proven time and time again, that he is genuinely focused on filling each position on the roster with players who give his football team the best chance of fielding a winner… and that's that.

Now, the Seahawks are in the news again, but not for the reasons they would like.  After trading a boatload of precious draft picks and signing a player to the most lucrative contract in Seahawks history; it has been reported that Percy Harvin will miss the majority of the 2013 season before he ever catches a football in the game for the Seattle Seahawks.  Percy Harvin reported to training camp, but it is believed that he did so after talking to the coaching staff about some discomfort in his hip.  During the minicamps and OTA's, Harvin complained of hip pain, but it was believed to be a simple case of a hip flexor strain, a condition that only gets better with rest and time.  He practiced sparingly during the OTA's, but the pain in his hip began to progress and before the training camp began, the Seahawks doctors took him in to have a CAT scan and an MRI to get a better look at the hip and determine if there was any structural damage and if a surgical procedure was necessary.  The Seahawks medical staff allegedly reported that the damage to the hip labrum was minimal and that it could be played on and repaired after the upcoming season had ended.  Like every NFL player is entitled to, Harvin elected to get a second opinion from a private physician outside the Seahawks program.  Harvin chose hip specialist, Dr. Brian Kelly, in New York City, and flew across the country to get his opinion of the injury and his assessment on whether or not the injury required immediate surgery, and if so, what procedure would be necessary to repair the damage and more importantly, prevent any further damage from ignoring the injury that was already present.  Nevertheless, Percy took the advice of his independent physician to repair it surgically now.  Some Seahawks players, coaches and fans look at this is a bad thing, but I can almost guarantee you that not everyone is morning the loss of Percy Harvin to the year 2013.

Percy Harvin was a huge asset for the Seahawks to take into the upcoming season, but he is in no way the end-all for the Seahawks chances to compete for an NFL title.  I believe that Pete Carroll would have rather had Percy play through the pain and address the problem after the season, but I'll bet he wasn't disappointed very long.  Yes, the Seahawks gave up a lot to get Harvin in a Seahawks uniform.  They gave up the 25th pick in this year's draft, a seventh round pick and a third round conditional selection next year.  So, at least, the Seahawks are without a first-round player they would have chosen at the number 25 spot.  It could have been one of the draft's talented wide receivers; Tennessee's WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Clemson's WR DeAndre Hopkins or USC's WR Robert woods; all were talented college receivers.  It could have been an outside linebacker where the Seahawks had an obvious need for after the team chose not to re-sign Leroy Hill from last year.  It could have been Arthur Brown of Kansas State, Sio Moore of Connecticut, or Khaseem Greene of Rutgers.  It also could have been used to fortify the offensive line with more depth, or perhaps more depth at the safety position.  However, the truth of it is that GM Jon Schneider and Pete Carroll thought enough of Percy Harvin that they were willing to take a chance on such a dominant player, a player that comes along available only every great once in a while.  Analysts graded the 2013 draft as "deep, but no real playmakers are game changers."  The biggest problem right now is that many people are using perfect hindsight to grade whether or not the Seahawks made the right decision with the draft and with Percy Harvin.  It's too late, and to rehash this is ridiculous because no one has a crystal ball on the time and place for an injury to occur in perhaps the world's most dangerous team sport.  Players get hurt, and the injury bug is not biased or prejudiced.  High profile players like RGIII get injured and players that most people wouldn't be able to recognize if they walked right up to and shook your hand and told you there name.  I believe Schneider and Carroll, along with their boss, Paul Allen, made the right decision for their football team with the information they had at the time.  Harvin is a supreme athlete with athletic ability unmatched in the NFL.  He's a threat to take the ball to the end zone every time he touches it and defenses are forced to create special defensive packages simply to stop number 11.  He was the kind of player that immediately makes a good team, a great team overnight.  In Seattle's case, it was taking a great team and launching their expectations into the stratosphere and beyond.  There were no such players in the draft this year, and the closest player to do the kind of things that Percy can do is Tavon Austin.  He ran a legitimate 4.35 40 yard dash and has the change of direction abilities like few players in college football.  However, Austin is just a generous 5'9" tall and 173 lbs.  I don't believe football players should be valued by their height and weight, just like I don't believe the final word on an athlete is connected to his 40 yard dash time.  However, Percy Harvin has every bit of speed that Austin has, plus he carries nearly 20 lbs. more and 3 inches of height over this year's rookie Speedster from West Virginia.  What's more important is that Percy Harvin has proven his value on the biggest stage in football.  He won the NFL rookie of the year and last year, he was the early favorite to win NFL MVP at the midway point with the Vikings.  However, Percy is made of muscle, bones and everything that holds them together, just like the rest of us.  He has had several injuries, but not necessarily caused because he's injury prone, but perhaps because of the passion and determination that he plays with every time he takes the field.  The Seahawks made the right decision, but unfortunately we're all going to have to wait until next year to see what he can do in a season with a healthy body and a sensational football team to support him.

It's human nature for fans to panic a little when one of their star players falls to an injury.  It's even more worrisome when it happens to a player who hasn't even taken the field yet.  However, this Seahawks team isn't just any old team looking for identity and the players to build around.  This football team has a very sturdy nucleus of leaders on and off the field and a deep enough roster to absorb bad fortune, whenever it happens.  Percy Harvin has never suited up for the Seahawks in a regular game, though Russell Wilson led them to a 12-6 season including the first road playoff victory in nearly 3 decades.  Pete Carroll returns all 11 offensive starters and 9 of 11 defensive starters from 2012 to take into the new season, plus a very successful bevy of veteran free agents to fortify an already dominant defense.  As usual, Schneider and Carroll had a very productive draft board and 11 selections to use to reinforce an already impressive roster of football talent.  In fact, if Seattle made no changes to their roster, this would still be a contender for a Lombardi trophy.  Seattle averaged nearly 35 points per game in the second half of the season and a three-game stretch where they scored 150 points, giving up just 30 to their opponent.

The Percy Harvin news is hard to take for the Seahawks players, the coaching staff and of course for the 12th man.  However, the opportunity for several wide receivers trying to make the roster has skyrocketed into high gear and the excitement of competition.  Golden Tate is on a contract year and played sensationally in the second half of the season.  He has all kinds of talent and he has also developed a game chemistry with Russell Wilson and that relationship is more important than any other with one position player to another.  Sidney Rice is also in prime territory to rack up some great statistics and performances now that Wilson is one year smarter, one year smarter and one year more confident.  Wilson has never been a player lacking in confidence, but it's a quiet confidence that becomes contagious throughout the entire team.  His belief, all by himself, is enough for a team to win a championship, but his demeanor and leadership inspire his teammates to follow him into any challenge or any circumstance to make the team succeed.  Doug Baldwin sustained a nasty injury in the beginning of the 2012 season, but without uttering a sound about his grisly shoulder dislocation, he rehabilitated himself back into the lineup and immediately began to produce and build the trust of his quarterback.  Coming into the new season completely healthy, look for Baldwin to have a fantastic season with this fortified offense.

Perhaps the players most affected by Percy Harvin's injury are; fourth round draft selection, wide receiver Chris Harper, and fifth-round tight end Luke Willson.  Both will have the opportunity to produce early and be given the chance to be great and they have all the talent in the world to get it done.  It is said by many coaches and analysts, that "It's God that gives you the talent.  The rest is up to the athlete to achieve and it requires; a strong work ethic,  a belief in self, superior study habits, a mentor, ability to accept criticism, goals and dreams (with a plan) and most important… a genuine love of the game.  Chris Harper and Luke Willson have the characteristics that Pete Carroll looks for in a player and each of them have unique, specialized skill sets that fit the blueprint for his football team.

Lastly, I return to the main point of my column:

Pete Carroll has created a level of trust with his players and backed up their trust by continually giving opportunity to players who perform when given the opportunity and afforded more playing time as they progress in the preseason and on the practice field.  This is all you could ever hope to get from a coach as a young player or reserve player and exactly what every player wants when they get to the NFL.  The Percy Harvin injury appears at first like a disaster when you consider his extraordinary athletic skill set, but it's also important to remember that in his absence, great players just waiting for an opportunity now have a chance to shine on the biggest stage in football.  Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin, Chris Harper, Stephen Williams and Jermaine Kearse are all on deck and the preseason will be there stage.  Now, it's time to perform…