Poor Logan Payne. A very accomplished wide receiver at the University of Minnesota, Payne signed as a free agent with the Seahawks. Despite a good showing during the pre-season, he was cut (though he was subsequently signed to the practice squad). Mikey Holmgren has little use for white receivers. The only exception was Joe Jurevicius, and he was allowed to sign with Cleveland after one season as a key player for Seattle.
White players always have a strictly limited place on Holmgren teams, though the '07 Seattle squad is distinguished by having two white starters on defense, which is daring by NFL standards. Defensive end Patrick Kerney, an excellent pass rusher who also makes tackles in the run game, signed with Seattle as a free agent after a number of very productive seasons in Atlanta; and Brian Russell is the new starting strong safety after previous stints as a starter (and sometimes backup) with Minnesota and Cleveland.
There are three white backups on defense. Rookie LB Will Herring was an outstanding safety and linebacker with Auburn and is a tremendous all-around athlete. Niko Koutouvides out of Purdue was a third round draft pick four years ago and was groomed to be a starter but the emergence of Lofa Tatupu has kept Koutouvides in a backup role.
Craig Terrill, another Purdue graduate, is a tackle who is always productive when he plays, but has been kept as a backup during his four years with the Seahawks.
On offense, Matt Hasselbeck is Seattle's All-Pro caliber starting quarterback. At 32 he should have several peak seasons left. Though a bit frenetic in the pocket at times, at season's end Hasselbeck invariably ends up among the NFL's most productive QBs.
LG Rob Sims and RG Chris Gray are the only other white starters on offense. Tom Ashworth, who started at tackle for the Patriots, is now the top o-line backup.
Will Heller and Benny Joppru are backup tight ends. And that's it for another edition of Mike Holmgren's Seattle Seahawks. A new season, another F.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 14
GRADE: FEdited by: Don Wassall
White players always have a strictly limited place on Holmgren teams, though the '07 Seattle squad is distinguished by having two white starters on defense, which is daring by NFL standards. Defensive end Patrick Kerney, an excellent pass rusher who also makes tackles in the run game, signed with Seattle as a free agent after a number of very productive seasons in Atlanta; and Brian Russell is the new starting strong safety after previous stints as a starter (and sometimes backup) with Minnesota and Cleveland.
There are three white backups on defense. Rookie LB Will Herring was an outstanding safety and linebacker with Auburn and is a tremendous all-around athlete. Niko Koutouvides out of Purdue was a third round draft pick four years ago and was groomed to be a starter but the emergence of Lofa Tatupu has kept Koutouvides in a backup role.
Craig Terrill, another Purdue graduate, is a tackle who is always productive when he plays, but has been kept as a backup during his four years with the Seahawks.
On offense, Matt Hasselbeck is Seattle's All-Pro caliber starting quarterback. At 32 he should have several peak seasons left. Though a bit frenetic in the pocket at times, at season's end Hasselbeck invariably ends up among the NFL's most productive QBs.
LG Rob Sims and RG Chris Gray are the only other white starters on offense. Tom Ashworth, who started at tackle for the Patriots, is now the top o-line backup.
Will Heller and Benny Joppru are backup tight ends. And that's it for another edition of Mike Holmgren's Seattle Seahawks. A new season, another F.
NUMBER OF WHITE STARTERS: 5
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF WHITE PLAYERS ON 53 MAN ROSTER: 14
GRADE: FEdited by: Don Wassall
