SB Nation User Blog: John Morgan

NFC West Roundtable: Offense

John Morgan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:45:05 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Nate Burleson is part of the best wide receiver corps in Matt Hasselbeck's Seahawks career.

Today a look at each teams offense in toto. This isn't quite complete yet, but will be updated as soon as possible.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

The Arizona Cardinals offense could simply be described as night and day. In the dark is the league's worst rushing attack from one year ago but standing right next to the 'ugly sister' is the second best passing attack. The two units combine to form an offense that ranked fourth in yards per game and third in points per game. The Cardinals also have the advantage of nine returning starters on the offensive side of the ball, with the only exceptions coming at running back and fullback, and the average age of starters is under 28 years old.

Running Game: When you look at the group as a whole, the only significant change is a running back where they basically traded a highly accomplished running on the downside of his career (if not completely washed up) for a highly unproven back with loads of potential. Whether or not that ends up being an upgrade is almost irrelevant in my mind because the league's worst rushing attack can't get worse, at least by definition. There is a glimmer of hope that the running game will improve based on the fact that the same offensive line is returning with another year of experience. With slightly better blocking from the line, a bigger potential to break off longer runs and play calling that leans closer to 'balanced' there's a greater than zero chance that the running game could crawl out of the cellar and approach respectability, but make no mistake about the fact that the offense will go through the right arm of Kurt Warner as long as he's under center.

Passing Game: Ah the bread of butter of the Redbirds offense. If the Cardinals are successful in 2009, it'll be because Kurt Warner and his host of standout receivers had another great year. Warner's age and complete lack of mobility will always be a concern but when he's able to stand upright in a well formed pocket and sling it down the field, there are few better. The talent at receiver (Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban and Early Doucet) is the best in the NFL and the group can excel in every aspect of the passing game. They've got the guys who can move the chains (Boldin), stretch the field (Breaston) and guys who are capable of both (Fitzgerald). If the Cardinals can get any production out of the tight end position, there's no reason to think this passing game couldn't be top five, if not much better, again this season.

Play Calling: I include this aspect of the offense because many Cardinals fans will point to the play calling as a big reason why the running game was so ineffective last season. The Cardinals too often ran in predictable situations and formations that were tailored to the passing game instead of success on the ground. By season's end most of us were completely fed up with draw plays out of the shotgun formation, but it's a fine line between what's good for the ground game versus what's good for the passing game. One thing that we'll all have to accept is that any offense led by Kurt Warner will be pass first pass second, regardless of how often head coach Ken Whisenhunt talks about a balance offense, but there are some ways that the play calling can help put the running game in better situations.

Overall I think this offense will do more than it's fair share to put the Arizona Cardinals in a position to win most of the games that they play. Regardless of whatever balance they end up with at season's end, this group is going to put up it's fair share of points and the short passing game does a decent job of bleeding the clock most of the time. In an ideal situation, I'd like to think that the running game could creap up to around 20th in the league (an increase of about 34 yards per game) and the passing game would still stay in the top five. The net effect would be an offense that is downright deadly, but only time will tell. As for a grade, I'd like to think that a unit that is top five in yards per game and points per game would be considered an A, but the league's worst rushing attack has to be factored in so I'll stick with a B.

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan

Mike Holmgren is one of the great all-time evaluators of offensive talent. Nevertheless, many believe his departure will be good for Seattle’s offense. As general manager Tim Ruskell began to remake the Seahawks roster in his image, the discord between Ruskell’s talent and Holmgren’s scheme became increasingly pronounced. Last season, Holmgren’s team was losing with Ruskell’s roster. Ruskell signed Greg Knapp and for the first time in his administration, there is harmony between the offensive coaching staff and the front office. That works if anyone knows what they’re doing.

Running Game: Seattle is installing a zone blocking system. Players have gushed over how it fits their skills and will take them to the next level, and maybe it does. I don’t expect a professional athlete to say otherwise. The key to any system working is fit and talent. A zone blocking system can take many shapes, and until we see how Seattle executes it, much less who executes it, it’s hard to say how well it will fit the team’s personnel. If Seattle sticks with Mike Wahle at left guard and Chris Spencer at center, it has a core of athletic blockers that are good in space. If Unger wins out at left all the better, especially for the pass offense.

I thought Julius Jones was a better fit for Holmgren’s man-blocking, cutback heavy style. Both systems emphasize vision. Jones should do well finding holes and picking his way to positive yards in a zone blocking scheme, but I do not expect a breakout or mid-career renaissance. T.J. Duckett has good vision for a power back, almost looking picky at times, and should more than adjust in Knapp’s system. He should flourish.

Passing Game: It all comes down to Matt Hasselbeck, doesn’t it? Passing offense correlates better with wins than any other single component of football. Seneca Wallace, a Charlie Frye sighting and a broken Hasselbeck doomed Seattle to its worst season since 1992. If Hasselbeck is healthy, stays healthy, and hasn’t grown old overnight, Seattle has a worthy shot of fielding a top ten passing offense. It did as recently as 2007. This season, its skill position players are much improved. In fact, every position except fullback has a better receiving option than Seattle had in 2007.

Play Calling: Play calling is pretty hard to qualify with any confidence. There was a sense that in some way the NFL had passed Holmgren by, but it’s possible he just couldn’t work with the players he was given. It’s possible the players he was given just sucked.

The Seahawks are lousy with accomplished players, and should it collapse it will be because accomplishment requires age and Seattle's offense is old. But it takes some kind of pessimist to ignore the great potential. Hasselbeck can still be a very good quarterback. T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch form a very good starting wide receiver duo. There’s talent at slot. John Carlson is one of the best young tight ends in football. Jones and Duckett are both young and healthy. The risk is enough to force me to call Seattle only an average offense, but the potential is enough to make this "C" look very foolish come January.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

The San Francisco 49ers offense is viewed by most as anemic at best. They're on their seventh offensive coordinator in an as many seasons and still trying to figure out which quarterback is the answer. Or at least which is the answer for 2009. The lone bright spot on this offense has been Frank Gore, who has seen his rushing totals decrease the last two seasons after setting the franchise record in 2006. Shaun Hill and Alex Smith continue to leave fans either frustrated or defensive about the QB situation, and the offensive line went from stellar in 2006, to sort of blah more recently.

Running Game: The rushing game has been the highlight for the 49ers since drafting Frank Gore. This will play an even bigger role in the offense of new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. Coach Singletary has stated that he wants a bruising running game, as opposed to a light 'em up passing attack. Most fans are hoping the offensive line has been solidified with recent additions because Frank the tank most definitely cannot make it happen all by himself. One quiet offseason move that has made Gore quite happy is the return of fullback Moran Norris. Norris was exiled with the entrance of Mike Martz, but a return to a strong rushing attack requires the fullback skills Norris brings to the table. Aside from the offensive line, the big question is whether Glen Coffee will provide a sufficient alternative to keep Gore fresh and keep defenses off balance. Nobody can say for sure so we'll just have to wait for the season to get going.

Passing Game: I really don't think I need to say much about the 49ers QBs. Non-49ers fans (and even a group of 49ers fans) think the Hill/Smith combo is a joke. However, again, if the offensive line can keep up its end of the bargain, the passing attack only needs to complement the rushing attack. The 49ers do not need to have Shaun Hill throw for 4,000+ yards to make the playoffs. As long as Hill can avoid stupid the mind-numbing mistakes of J.T. O'Mulligan, this offense should be in "good enough" shape. The receiving corps is extremely young, aside from Isaac Bruce, but improvement will be seen. I realize I'm basing this more on potential than production, but guys like Morgan, Hill and Davis bring serious talent to the table. I think the odds are higher that they improve rather than stagnate or regress. I know my fans at Field Gulls will disagree, but that's the glory of debate.

Play Calling: This is an issue for the 49ers simply because of the new offensive coordinator....again. Under Jimmy Raye, what kind of play-calling will we see? Coach Singletary wants a smash mouth running game, but will he and Raye force that kind of game even if it's clearly not working? Will Jimmy Raye truly use Vernon Davis as a more traditional receiving tight end, rather than a receiver? Every offensive coordinator speaks of the talent of Davis, but then proceeds to under-utilize him. Jimmy Raye and the play-calling becoming the ultimate question mark for this offense in 2009. The right play-calling will put Hill/Smith in a position to be successful. Maybe not Pro Bowl successful, but again, this team does not need that from their quarterback.

Although there are a lot of question marks, suggesting the performance in 2009 requires making guesses on the answers to those questions. I won't suggest that this offense is going to explode like nobody would believe and leave the 49ers ranked at the top of the league. It is simply not built to be that kind of offense and I am fine with that. I think there's a good chance we'll see a good to very good rushing attack and a middle of the road passing attack. If that comes to fruition, the 49ers will be in good shape. Accordingly, I'll give them a grade of C. It might not quite jive with my individual grades, but that's life.

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

(To be added)

Money and Winning in the NFL

John Morgan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:52:22 -0000

This is my work in a panel discussion with the Washington Post. I was asked if money is important to winning and replied with a somewhat different angle than the other panelists.

The headshot was taken shortly after I cut my hair into a mohawk. If someone has a suggestion for how I can submit a less Travis Bickle-inspired photo, I'm interested.

Grading Deon Butler

John Morgan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:50:54 -0000

Wide receivers of Deon Butler's profile and draft position make better return men than receivers. The Seahawks would benefit from an above average return if Butler became a useful slot receiver. Don Beebe was never a great receiver, but in his prime he was a valuable receiver and dangerous vertical threat. Butler would do well to have a career like Beebe.

Butler does not have bad hands; they just are not a strength at the pro level. His hands are good, but his catching is inconsistent. He has strong hands that lock the ball in, but he sometimes overburdens them by misreading the pass, poorly positioning his body or letting the ball into his chest. The problem is time. Butler will not get as open in the NFL. Therefore time lost clumsily snatching a ball is time a defender will have to close and swat it away or knock it out.

Darryl Clark is a college quarterback and a good one, but a college quarterback. His passes can be erratic -- if not wild, than at least not always easily catchable. It wasn't long ago Roddy White and Michael Jenkins were notorious for their drops, but opposite Matt Ryan both blossomed. So we must account for the possibility Clark bears some of the blame for Butler's contortions. Butler wasn't known for drops, so maybe he was making the best of bad passes. It's hard to say. If Butler develops as a catcher or is more developed than I think, that will go far towards him reaching his potential.

He is not going to get the kind of consistent separation he enjoyed in College. Butler is over-reliant on his speed to get open on deep routes. Instead of sinking his hips, planting and exploding away from the defender, he challenges with his speed and then dares the defender to catch up as he rounds into his route. Unlike elite deep threats like Torry Holt and Marvin Harrison, Butler doesn't cut well at top speed. He does track balls over his shoulder and gives Seattle its best-by-far option on go routes, skinny posts and wheel routes.

Butler is best at running intermediate routes where he shows a better ability to sink and cut with authority in multiple directions.

Butler is short for a receiver and thin for a football player. That doesn't mean he's weak. The kid's got power and the kind of moxie to show anyone it. He's a stubborn blocker and as the stubborn always are, a liability to get embarrassed sometimes. Most blocks, he'll be there, be on his man buying time and doing his job.

His power better presents itself in his ability to break free from jams and get a little extra after the catch. It's not that he's too powerful to be jammed. It's that he's too fast, too quick off the line and too powerful to be jammed. His speed puts corners on guard for the bomb. His timing off the line and first step gives him position. And with the corner on guard and position achieved, Butler is powerful enough to shake off the jam and get into his route without significant interference.

He doesn't have the shake and bake of a Deion Branch or Greg Jennings, but his open field moves, good power and adequate agility allow him to get a little more from his receptions.

For all his speed, and Beebe was faster that Butler is, Beebe was not a great return man. His speed was straight line speed. Butler is a little shiftier, enough for it be an asset as a receiver, but I don't see him as an elite kick returner. We'll see.

Butler looks like a good prospect. There's a lot to like about his athleticism and there's a good foundation of skills. He needs to develop. He needs to develop in one of two ways to make it in the NFL. He needs to develop in both to be good.

Butler needs to refine his route-running, put some edge into his cuts and some deception into his lead-in. The problem with bubbling left to cut right is the bubble left eliminates almost any cut but the cut right. It puts him out of position for a double move. It would be a deliberate and maybe disastrous lead-in to a curl. It wastes motion and is an illogical lead-in to a post. It telegraphs "in" and gives the defender time to react.

He needs a better read and to make more routine catches and less stumbling, tumbling cool because it's college highlight-reel catches.

I don't expect players to develop new skills. This time last year I noted that Lawrence Jackson had good pass rush moves, but not pro-ready. Professional offensive lineman made that look like an absurd understatement. I think it's still fair. Jackson didn't have pro ready moves and needed to develop them, but didn't develop at all and likely regressed. Butler is not a bad route runner and his hands aren't bad, but it's hard to adjust to a jump in competition while learning new skills. It doesn't often happen. And so the cool and efficient draft process rated Butler a player with good potential, with a good chance to fizzle and an expectation of contributing for some seasons as a role player. Since that's still exactly how I see Butler, I'll grant him a "C" and hope he shows me more this preseason.

Notes: Deon Butler

John Morgan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:03:42 -0000

I decided to ditch the play-by-play breakdown because reading and rereading "did not factor" is a chore. Instead below are some highlights and opinions.

I didn't see evidence that Deon Butler will be a good blocker, but I do think Butler will be a consistent blocker. He worked through his blocks on every play and didn't quit. He gets under guys and drives his legs well, but I think most pro corners will rip through his upper body and disengage when needed. Don't underestimate the value of buying a second, though.

USC defenders did not effectively press Butler. Josh Pinkard attempted to jam him in the fourth, and Butler both established position and threw him off and to the side. Pinkard is 6'1", 215.

Butler's longest reception of the day displayed good spacing, good awareness and the kind of effective route running that trumps all.

2nd and 17 at PSU 24 Daryll Clark pass complete to Deon Butler for 35 yards to the USC 41 for a 1ST down.

Penn State is three wide, with Butler alone on the right. Right, in this case, being the "field" or long horizontal of the gridiron. USC is in their ever present 3-4, with Clay Matthews walked up offensive right and Kaluka Maiava positioned over the slot. Cary Harris is opposite Butler.

At the snap, Butler slants in, straightens, and then slants in again after ten yards. Harris has inside position, but is just barely trailing. Trojans rush five and Darryl Clark's pocket collapses as Everson Griffen comes free. Clark squirts out and towards the right flat. Butler's slant lasts about eight yards. The route thus far looks like a skinny post. Harris sticks outside, safely assuming Butler is unlikely to streak too close to Taylor Mays lest he be beheaded. Butler sets Harris up for an inside move by outstretching his right arm, sinking his hips and right-angling towards the right sideline. Harris is staggered. His two legs flail like each is pulled by a different puppeteer. Clark is in trouble. Griffen is steps away in backside pursuit. Cushing and Matthews are closing from the left. Butler begins to fade towards the end zone. Clark jumps and passes a low-angled duck. Harris watches, looks back, sees Butler's separation, closes, but tackles only after the catch. Butler high-points the low pass and pulls it in for 35.

The Incomplete Deon Butler

John Morgan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:14:23 -0000

Deon Butler is not what you think he is. He's not a finesse burner. He doesn't stick to goes and skinny posts and abhor the middle. He isn't easily jammed. He doesn't play small or slight or "undersized".

He has smooth speed that sneaks up on corners. Kevin Thomas yields a 10 yard cushion on this reception,

1st and 10 at PSU 33 Daryll Clark pass complete to Deon Butler for 27 yards to the USC 40 for a 1ST down.

but Butler blew past Thomas and settled into a soft spot between Thomas and safety Will Harris. It was a deep curl route and a good one. Butler read the defense and timed his break well, coming back for the ball. The speed created the separation: the soft spot between the passed Thomas and the guardedly deep Harris. His speed isn't sudden though, and he looks smooth-fast almost to a fault. Butler is a long-strider that doesn't generate that same kind of speed out of his breaks.

He also isn't adept at tracking the ball in flight.

Butler catches Clark's pass, begins to turn his torso counterclockwise, synchronizes a head fake that freezes Harris before pivoting clockwise towards the sideline. The move gives him a step on Harris and frees him to begin up field. Thomas comes screaming from the backside, Butler slices in separating from Harris, but Thomas jumps and wraps around his shoulder pads. The force turns but does not tackle Butler. Alternately wrapped, trapped and ridden by Thomas and Harris, Butler backpedals, legs churning for an additional six yards. His hard fought 12 yards after the catch is another display of power and open field moves--

Aborted by a Butler screwup. This time it's not a tickytack illegal formation penalty but a kneel down in the open field. Butler is down at the USC 40. Butler, wide open and targeted on a not-perfect, but accurate and catchable pass by Clark, lets the ball into his body and so twisting to secure the pass drops his knee in the turf and ends the play.

We're zeroing in on what Butler is. Final details tomorrow and grade on Thursday.

2008 Season Retrospective: Steve Vallos

John Morgan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:48:03 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Use of a disembodied arm for purposes of clubbing is disallowed in the NFL.

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Overview: Steve Vallos received a crash course in training camp on playing center. He started the first three preseason games at center and received praise from Seattle's coaching staff. After Chris Spencer was lost for the season in week 12, Vallos started the final five games of the regular season. He had one false start and no holding penalties.

What went right: Vallos stepped up and played a position he was inexperienced at and never suffered the kind of automatic-benching meltdown he was entirely capable of. And by season's end, he was no longer an abject liability at center.

What went wrong: Vallos was overmatched in the preseason and then abused in his first two regular season games. He looked unfit for the speed or power of the game. He was a turnstile against Dallas. So bad it's a wonder Seattle mounted any offense at all. His play leveled off and eventually Vallos wasn't single-handedly undermining Seattle's offense, just interspersing poor play with ineffectual play.

Outlook: The Cult of Vallos started because of poor reading comprehension. It was fed by an irrational dislike of Chris Spencer. Mike Holmgren said Vallos was doing very well considering the circumstances. The circumstances were a hobbled Chris Spencer and a lower back injury that put Chris Gray at risk of paralysis. The circumstances were that Vallos played all five line positions at Wake Forest, all five except center. The circumstances were that Seattle was unprepared for the loss of Gray and Spencer, and Vallos was doing yeoman's work at a position he didn't know. That's being a team player* and that's respectable and one understands why the coaches singled him out for praise. No one thought he was performing well.

Seattle graded Vallos with their actions drafting Max Unger in the second round and preempting any notion of Vallos ever starting. Unger or Spencer will man center for the foreseeable future. If Unger doesn't secure a starting guard spot, he would automatically become the second string center and likely doom Vallos to being cut. Long ago when he was drafted, I was a fan of Steve Vallos. I like accomplished college tackles moving inside and playing a less demanding line position. A player can be marginally athletic at tackle and adequate or above average at guard or center, but you gotta be strong. Vallos isn't. He's not real football big despite his listed weight, and as a center he withstands the bullrush like a tackle. If Vallos isn't a Hawk, there are rosters yet for him to be signed to and cut from. Maybe he grows into his body and has a nice little career. There's a coaching career somewhere should he want it. My antipathy for the guy got a little out of hand because of the backup-quarterback treatment he was getting from some fans, but as far as seventh round selections go, I think Vallos will be a success.

*The counterargument is that Vallos might not have made the team had he not stuck at center.

NFC West Roundtable: Offensive Guard

John Morgan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:57:35 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

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Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

Starting at left guard for the Rams is 2008's big free agent acquisition, Jacob Bell. Signed away from the Titans, Bell dealt with a hamstring injury and watched his play fade down the stretch, to the point where when combined with the Rams' undersized centers Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg the middle of the line became a real liability. Part of the problem was that Bell played at 280 lbs last season, well below his listed weight of 296 lbs. Whether that was due to the hamstring injury or poor choices in an offseason conditioning program is irrelevant now, and the team was most relieved when Bell showed up for spring minicamps at 300 lbs, thanks to the addition of a personal chef. We should all be so lucky. Bell had a solid track record with the Titans, and will benefit greatly with the addition of C Jason Brown to his right.

On the right side is Richie Incognito, who earned a reputation as a bit of meathead last year thanks to some unpopular comments and gestures directed toward Rams fans...or the lack thereof. Meathead or not, Incognito is one of the nastiest players in the game and a tough blocker. He came apart mentally last year, racking up more than his share of dumb, costly penalties as his attitude unraveled along with the team's play. The coaching change should really benefit a talented Incognito, who constantly needs a hot burning fire under his posterior. He is, arguably, the Rams best lineman.

Behind those two, the Rams have some solid depth at G. John Greco, a third round pick from the 2008 draft, did nothing to hurt his standing with the team in nine appearances last year. Greco uses his size and athleticism well, but could stand to play a little tougher. Mark Setterstrom returns this season after having missed the entire 2008 season with a knee injury. Setterstrom was pressed into starting duty late in 2006, and played well enough to earn a starting job out of camp the next year before getting hurt in week 3. Prior to the 2008 season, he was expected to compete for the starting center job before a camp injury ended his season before it began. He's reportedly at 100%, but his injury history is a huge concern. Greco and Setterstrom are the primary backups at G, and the team is very happy to have them should injury again befall the middle of the offensive line. There's also the versatile Adam Goldberg (see our OT write up), who has filled in nicely at times on the left and right over the last few seasons.

The Rams also helped themselves by signing a couple of very interesting guard prospects among this year's crop of undrafted rookie free agents. Many were surprised when Western Missouri G Roger Allen was not drafted this year. An injury that prevented him from working out at the Combine, a rare invite in the first place for a Missouri Western State player, likely contributed to that. All Mountain West Conference guard Ray Feinga, from BYU, will also be competing for a spot on the depth chart, and has looked good in the no-pad practices of spring. Hopefully, these guys give the Rams that nice to have problem of too much of a good thing.

All in all, I give the Rams a B at guard. If Bell can play to expectations, this could be one really good unit.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

The Cardinals guards have the advantage of being dependable, experienced starters but the combo of Reggie Wells and Deuce Lutui don't exactly inspire a ton of confidence in the franchise's fans. Left guard Reggie Wells, quite possibility the best sixth round pick in franchise history, has started 74 games (including 48 consecutive) since being drafted in 2003 and is the type of player who does quite a bit of things well but doesn't excel in any area. Right guard Deuce Lutui, a second round pick from 2006, has been one of the more frustrating players to watch in recent years. He's started 40 games since being drafted but so far his reputation for picking up false starts and personal foul penalties far exceeds his instances of quality play. He improved during the second half of the 2008 season but if one of the 'starting five' from last year doesn't return to the starting lineup this season, it'll very likely be Lutui.

Providing depth at the guard position is a host of characters including Brandon Keith, Elton Brown, Herman Johnson and Trevor Canfield. Keith was drafted as a tackle and most expect him to end up outside eventually but he's been working behind Lutui this off season. The conspiracy theory, championed by yours truly, is that the coaching staff is hoping that Keith will take the starting job from Lutui this year before moving to one of the tackle spots in 2010. Keith, last year's seventh round pick, has drawn raves reviews since being drafted and he's got the size, strength and quickness to provide an upgrade at the position. Elton Brown has been the Cardinals top backup on the inside for several seasons and after getting no interest on the free agent market, he's back on a one year deal. Brown has competed with Lutui at right guard for two straight seasons and he has quite a few fans who think he could be just as effective, if not more, than Lutui. Herman Johnson, this year's fifth round pick, is currently working at right tackle after spending nearly his entire college career at guard. He might stay at tackle this season but if injuries strike and he's needed, I'm sure he'd slide down. Trevor Canfield, this year's seventh round pick, is primarily a guard, although he might see some time at center as well. The deck is stacked against him based on the amount of experienced depth ahead of him but some scouts had a third or fourth round grade on him coming out of Cincinnati.

Overall this group has a ton of depth and would be able to withstand one or even two significant injuries, but they don't have any one guy who stands above the rest as a really good player. Based on the starters I'd lean towards a C but when I consider all of the depth, I feel like they are much closer to a B.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

Although it's probably too soon to tell, the 49ers seem to be developing a solid pair of guards. In 2008 the team selected Chilo Rachal in the second round. After sitting on the bench during the tail end of the Mike Nolan era, Rachal was promoted into the starting lineup by newly minted head coach Mike Singletary. Singletary had been impressed with Rachal in practice and decided to throw him into the fire. Rachal had plenty of problems as a rookie, but he showed enough talent to secure a starting position in 2009, barring injury.

On the other side of the line, Dave Baas has also likely secured a starting spot for 2009. The former second round pick was on the bench behind Adam Snyder, but was promoted following the firing of Mike Nolan. Baas finished the season at left guard, while Snyder moved back over to his traditional tackle role. Snyder is likely going to battle Marvel Smith for playing time as a tackle this season. However, he can easily swing over to guard if there are any injury issues. Looking ahead, he might even get another crack to start at guard after this season. Baas is a free agent and 49ers GM Scot McCloughan has made it known that he is not a fan of investing large dollar figures in starting guards (see Smiley, Justin). However, for 2009, a healthy 49ers team would seem to be set at guard.

The 49ers have some undrafted free agents in camp, but in reality the only other backup option is Tony Wragge. Wragge is an all purpose backup who can play both center and guard. He won't win a job in training camp, but will provide solid support as a backup.

Overall, I'm going to go out on a limb and give the guards a B. Why higher than the tackles and first round talent Staley? Well, a lot of this depends on how Chilo Rachal continues to develop in his second season and I'm feeling quite optimistic about it. Baas will likely be starting from the get go meaning the line will have sufficient time to develop some solid chemistry, which is big for them. Consider this like the tackle position only rounding up from B-/C+ territory. Grade: B

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan

Seattle has no starting guards. It instead has the field. Let’s twitterize them.

Mike Wahle: Once good and can still run block, but bad in pass-pro and broken down. Shoulder might fall off.

Rob Sims: Pec goes pop, Seahawks flop, this semi-promising guard fails to develop. Good pass-block, bad feet.

Mansfield Wrotto: Mean ass brother used to play DT and blocks like it. Tech coming, but until then: Smash.

Steve Vallos: Upside: Tom Ashworth.

Ray Willis: More valuable at tackle, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Max Unger: Oh please God yes.

The best combination for Seattle would be Sims at right and Unger at left, with Willis filling in where necessary. Unger isn’t very strong at the point, but he’s extremely skilled and employs that skill to be viciously opportunistic. He times his blocks well to upend unbalanced opponents and for someone that rarely looked strong in pass pro, he gets a good number of knockdown blocks. He is, simply, good at football. He’s also a pretty good athlete and should take well to Seattle’s zone system. Sims may or may not. He had a nasty habit of tripping over his own feet in 2007. That earned the ire of Mike Holmgren and helped earn him a bad reputation among fans. He’s very good in pass protection and at right guard maybe won’t need to be terribly agile. He could also develop, because he’s young, but boy could he have used last season, because on the move he's raw, raw, raw.

It’s a less than the sum of its parts bunch, because there’s very little stability and each has some fatal flaw that could prove their professional doom. Still, it’s a talented bunch, with better, deeper talent than you’ll find on many rosters, and that alone keeps this from being an "F". I’ll grade them "D" knowing they could gel and be better, or they could flunk in shifts, giving Seattle a revolving door of failure the holiday season through.

2008 Season Retrospective: Jordan Kent

John Morgan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:24:38 -0000

Overview: Jordan Kent played in nine games, starting one, but did not record a reception. He had three tackles: two assists and one solo.

What went right: Kent was productive in the preseason, catching eleven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He's a good member of the community and not linked to any outstanding homicides.

What went wrong: Kent lacks ability to play football at the professional level.

Outlook: That he did show excellent growth in the preseason only underscores just how unprepared he was when he was drafted. He grew from a mediocre college receiver to someone that could make it in the USFL. The next leap is much more difficult. His route-running is elementary, knowledgeable of the basics, but incapable of application. He is lost when covered. Kent does not receive in traffic and does not separate.

His play on special teams is endangering his career. As a gunner, Kent is uncontrolled and erratic but somehow predictable. He runs past the returner at ever opportunity. Seattle could sign a street free agent and expect better play.

A street free agent is less likely to be 6'4", 219 and capable of running a high 4.4 forty. Kent remains one of the most physically gifted players on Seattle's roster, but it's incorrect to say he has the most potential. Usain Bolt does not have better potential than Anquan Boldin. The Maddenization of football's fanbase contributes to this thinking. Kent isn't Bolt, and he possesses enough football skills to tantalize, but it is not enough to be tall, fast and strong, one must be gifted in the specific abilities that make a receiver great. I've yet seen proof that Kent has gifted coordination, concentration or reflexes. Maybe Kent "learns" those abilities, and maybe this preseason proves he's just a tall kid that can run fast.

2008 Season Retrospective: Seneca Wallace

John Morgan — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:58:07 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Seneca Wallace considers throwing it to his first progression, running or dropping back another ten yards.

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Overview: In his final season in Seattle, Mike Holmgren loosed his death grip on convention and let Seneca Wallace return punts. There was even talk of him playing wide receiver. Wallace rewarded Holmgren's boldness by injuring himself in pre-game warmups. He never returned a punt. He returned to start week seven in Tampa Bay. He started eight of the final 11 contests. It was his best season as a professional. He set career highs in completion percentage, adjusted net yards an attempt, sack percentage, interception percentage and DYAR. His interception rate was a sparkling 1.2%.

What went right: Three of Seattle's four wins were had with Wallace under center. He outperformed Matt Hasselbeck in most meaningful ways and validated his status as a top backup quarterback. For some, he established himself as a starter to be. He showed his normal arm strength. He improved his pocket awareness and poise, and turned some of that "weapon" talk into actual productive runs.

What went wrong: Wallace wasn't that different a quarterback than he's ever been. He did loopy things under pressure and made pressure of his own. Defenders would close on his target receiver clued by Wallace's unblinking eye. His read remains underdeveloped, though there's growth. Holmgren was running his nerfed playbook, and though his stats look superficially strong, Wallace was the leader of an anemic pass offense. Holmgren was cautious to a fault, and if Wallace didn't throw many interceptions, he didn't convert many long third downs either.

Outlook: Wallace's improved passing stats corresponded with a spike in yards after catch by his receivers. Of his 1,532 total passing yards, 49% or 755 yards were converted after the catch. Yards after catch correlate much more strongly to the receiver than the quarterback. As fans, we can give some heft to that statistic. We can give credit where credit is due on Leonard Weaver's 62 and 43 yard touchdown passes. Both were dump offs Weaver made gold. We can know Koren Robinson's 90 yard reception was a busted play by Philadelphia's defense, and an exception in an otherwise futile day for Wallace. We can see Wallace barely found Deion Branch in bounds before Branch reversed field for 63. All those yards are thrown into the statistical bucket, but Wallace will be hard pressed to relive any of them.

He continues to be among the league's best backup quarterbacks. In another circumstance, Wallace could have a short run as a serviceable starter. Maybe. Long a better athlete than quarterback, he could develop late in his career and still be something special. That's very unlikely. His low interception rate, strong quarterback rating and improved DYAR are more indicative of Holmgren's lack of trust than a fundamental improvement in Wallace's game. Wallace effectively executed Holmgren's nerfed playbook; Seattle passed for the fourth fewest yards in the NFL.

2008 Season Retrospective: Deon Grant

John Morgan — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:31:17 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Deon Grant has some of the best ball skills of any Seahawk. Playing him in anything but cover is a sin against competition.

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Overview: For the eighth consecutive season, Deon Grant started all 16 games. On a superficial statistical level, Grant's season looked like his every other: 79 total tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. He was played in the tackle box or walked up to the line for much of the of the season following the Giant's 254 yard rushing assault in week five.

What went right: Grant was a leader in the real sense of the word making reads in the secondary and positioning Seattle's young and less aware defensive backs in place to make the play. When allowed to play deep safety, Grant again showed the recognition, quickness and ball skills that made him so valuable last season. His execution - especially his timing - on safety blitzes is remarkable.

Quintessential Game: Eagles at Seahawks

Philadelphia 17 - Seattle 7

3-4-SEA 4 (Qtr: 2:09)

Eagles break 2 WR, TE, Split Backs with McNabb in shotgun. Seattle in a 4-1 dime. Before the snap, Deon Grant directs Jordan Babineaux over right split back Lorenzo Booker. Brian Westbrook motions into the right slot. Grant gives Wilson a come here gesture and points him towards a spot opposite Westbrook. Grant looks back towards the endz--

McNabb snaps, Brent Celek shoots out wide right attempting a block, Westbrook quick-curls towards McNabb, McNabb delivers a perfect pass into his numbers and almost as soon as Grant can see the play has started Wilson is in Westbrook's frame finishing the no-doubt-about-it tackle for a loss of three.

What went wrong: Grant wasn't a good in-the-box safety in 2007 and removed all doubt in 2008. He's better against the run as a support tackler or a finisher. If a run is channeled to him or strung wide, he can put on a body on the rusher and record the stop. He's not a reliable open-field tackler and wont to bad angles and broken arm tackles.

Grant is uneven breaking from the line and engaging in man cover.

In week six, Grant collided with Packers' fullback Cory Hall on the first play from scrimmage. After the game he said, "I heard a pop, so it must be an MCL," and added, "Something happened with it. I didn't get any tests. I just put a brace on and went back out there."

Quintessential Game: Seahawks at 49ers

Deon Grant makes a wonderful free safety: Four plays after pick two, Niners at the two. Both teams are in classic goal line formations. Grant is wide-right playing contain. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile but escapes, breaks right and runs unabated for the score. Grant is 100% to blame. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile, but when he begins breaking right, Grant can be seen staring into the pile, at the center of the field, away from Gore, unaware of Gore and out of the play as soon as Gore hits the corner. Just a terrible play by a player I really like.

Outlook: Grant didn't miss a game or even the rest of week six. He looked broken on the trainer's table and was indisputably in terrible pain, but was back by the second quarter. Grant may just be lucky or abnormally resilient. Whatever the case, he appeared on the week seven injury report as "probable", played and nothing more was reported about the injury.

A cover 2 shell would suite Grant nicely. He could read and react to plays and tackle or attack passes running downhill. He's not a prototypical Tampa 2 safety, but as he ages and slows, it will soften his decline. What he adds as a pass defender should more than overcome his weaknesses in run support. Pass defense is the second most important component to winning. Seattle can maximize its pass defense by using the correct personnel and using it correctly. That means starting Darryl Tapp, blitzing Leroy Hill and putting Grant in cover.